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The Orioles don’t need to improve in the second half to make the playoffs. But they do if they want more than that. | ANALYSIS

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 19:52:44 GMT

Entering the season, the Orioles not making the playoffs wouldn’t have been a surprise. In fact, the overwhelming consensus was they wouldn’t.Now, if their 2023 campaign were to end with the 162nd game, it would be because of a late-season collapse and be considered a disappointment. That outcome doesn’t seem likely, though, as the Orioles are scorching hot, winners of seven straight and owners of the third-best record in the major leagues.At this point, missing the postseason would be a greater shock for only a few other teams in Major League Baseball. According to FanGraphs, the Orioles’ 81.3% chance to make the playoffs is the fourth-best in the majors — far better than their 10.4% chance on opening day. The National League-leading Atlanta Braves, American League-leading Tampa Bay Rays and NL West-leading Los Angeles Dodgers are the only clubs with better playoff odds than the Orioles.“This was the time that if we go on a streak, it can do a lo...

Tornado watch issued for most of Massachusetts until 3 pm; storm watch hits Boston

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 19:52:44 GMT

Keep your eyes to the sky today!An “atmospheric river” first brought the state a tornado warning — one at 9:15 a.m. again at 10:30 a.m. — and now a tornado watch until 3 p.m. for most of Massachusetts with a storm watch at Logan Airport with Boston possibly facing “winds in excess of 40 mph” from “a strong thunderstorm.”According to the National Weather Service, all of Connecticut and sections of New Hampshire, Rhode Island, and southern Maine fall under that watch. The rain has now moved into Suffolk County.The rest of Massachusetts and Vermont — basically the whole northeast — is under a thunderstorm and flood watch on and off into tomorrow. That’s a mix of “torrential rainfall,” hail, wind suddenly gusting and driving that could be perilous.That unyielding atmospheric river is moving northeast with western Mass, Vermont and New Hampshire in for more misery. (Now it has triggered another tornado warning ...

Tulum-inspired rooftop bar and pool charms the Gaslamp District

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 19:52:44 GMT

SAN DIEGO -- It's the kind of the place you'd gather with friends to wind down after a bustling week. With dreamy views of downtown San Diego, decompressing at this rooftop bar and pool means taking in the communal atmosphere that's designed for those looking to unwind in-style. As described by its creators, it's almost like being transported to the sun-drenched beaches of Tulum, Mexico without the cost of airfare. Defiantly delicious: New seafood eatery opens on Oceanside Pier Techo Beso -- meaning rooftop kiss -- is now open atop the AC Hotel Gaslamp. The space is elevating and alluring guests to sip drinks with the breeze of the city on their skin. Seating at Techo Beso atop the AC Hotel Gaslamp. (Credit: AC Hotel Gaslamp/ Techo Beso)Rooftop bargoers can be seen with chic and modern libations in hand, swaying their bodies to the sounds echoing from the DJ booth near the pool deck. One cocktail that might make you feel like your in Tulum is the "Temple of the Frescoes," which...

A flash flood on a Pennsylvania road claims 4 lives; 3 others, including a baby, are missing

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 19:52:44 GMT

WASHINGTON CROSSING, Pa. (AP) — A sudden flash flood swamped a southeastern Pennsylvania road, sweeping several cars away and claiming at least four lives. Three other people, including a 9-month-old boy and a 2-year-old girl, remained missing, authorities said.Officials in Bucks County’s Upper Makefield Township said torrential rains occurred at about 5:30 p.m. Saturday in the Washington Crossing area. Other parts of the East Coast were experiencing heavy rain, including Vermont. Authorities there said landslides could become a problem on Sunday as the state copes with more rain following days of flooding.“My team and I continue to monitor the situation as more rain falls in Vermont. There are flash flood warnings throughout the state today. Remain vigilant and be prepared,” Gov. Phil Scott said. Sunday’s strong storms led to hundreds of flight cancellations at airports in the New York City area, according to the tracking service FlightAware. More than 300 flights were cancel...

11 people were killed in a rebel attack in northeast Congo, an official says

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 19:52:44 GMT

KINSHASA, Congo (AP) — A rebel group has killed at least 11 people in northeastern Congo, a local official said Sunday.Isaac Kibira, a deputy to the governor of the Bwito area in North Kivu, said the victims were killed by M23, a rebel group the United Nations says has links to neighboring Rwanda. Rwanda denies the accusation. M23 rose to prominence 10 years ago when its fighters seized Goma, eastern Congo’s largest city on the border with Rwanda. It derives its name from a March 23, 2009, peace deal that it accuses the Congo government of not implementing.The bodies of 11 civilians were discovered Sunday morning, left in two neat rows in the grass. M23 had occupied the area since Tuesday, according to Paris-based research group Sahel Intelligence, before withdrawing.M23 is one of more than 120 armed groups fighting in Eastern Congo, most of whom are vying for land and control of mines with valuable minerals, while others are trying to protect their communities from rival armed grou...

100,000 square kilometres burned in record-breaking Canadian wildfire season

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 19:52:44 GMT

OTTAWA — Canada’s record-breaking wildfire season has now seen 100,000 square kilometres of land scorched as blazes continue to burn out of control across the entire country.The total area burned is roughly the size of Lake Ontario, Lake Erie and Lake Michigan combined. Canada surpassed the record set in 1989 for total area burned in one season on June 27 when the figure totalled 76,000 square kilometres, and communities have faced evacuation orders, heat warnings and poor air quality for months.The Canadian Interagency Forest Fire Centre says the majority of blazes are now in Western Canada, and British Columbia has the greatest number with 373 active fires. Based on forecasted conditions, Natural Resources Canada expects the wildfire season will continue to be unusually intense throughout July and into August. Emergency Preparedness Minister Bill Blair says the good news is that conditions are expected to improve significantly in Eastern Canada.

‘Mission: Impossible’ debuts with $80M over five days, igniting box office but missing expectations

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 19:52:44 GMT

NEW YORK (AP) — After a globe-trotting publicity blitz by star Tom Cruise, “Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One” launched with a franchise-best $80 million over five days, though it came in shy of industry expectations with a $56.2 million haul over the three-day weekend.The Paramount Pictures debut was boosted by strong overseas sales of $155 million from 70 markets. But while a $235 million worldwide launch marked one of the best global openings of the year, “Dead Reckoning” couldn’t approach the high-speed velocity of last summer’s top film, “Top Gun: Maverick.”“Dead Reckoning Part One,” the seventh film in the 27-year-old series, had been forecast to better the franchise high of the previous installment, “Fallout,” which opened with $61 million domestically in 2018. Instead, it also fell short of the $57.8 million “Mission: Impossible II” debuted with in 2000.That puts the film’s opening-weekend tally very close to the tepid launch of Disney’s “Indiana Jone...

Carlos Alcaraz wins third set against Novak Djokovic in Wimbledon final and leads two sets to one

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 19:52:44 GMT

WIMBLEDON, England (AP) — Carlos Alcaraz won the third set of the Wimbledon final 6-1 against Novak Djokovic on Sunday and leads two sets to one. Djokovic won the first set 6-1 and Alcaraz won the second 7-6 (6).Djokovic is bidding for his record-tying eighth Wimbledon singles championship and fifth in a row. Alcaraz is trying for his first trophy at the All England Club.Djokovic wants his 24th Grand Slam title. Alcaraz wants his second.There is plenty on the line when Djokovic and Alcaraz meet each other at Centre Court.There’s also this: Alcaraz, a 20-year-old from Spain, is ranked No. 1, and Djokovic, a 36-year-old from Serbia, is ranked No. 2. In addition to the Wimbledon trophy, the winner will have the top ATP ranking.This is a rematch of the showdown between Alcaraz and Djokovic in the French Open semifinals last month.The first two sets were terrific, and each man won one. But then Alcaraz was overcome by cramping — he said later he thought nerves were the main cause —...

Lionel Messi set to be unveiled by Inter Miami and Major League Soccer

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 19:52:44 GMT

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. (AP) — The stage is set. Lionel Messi is about to meet his new fans at Inter Miami.An event billed as “The Unveil” — or “La PresentaSíon,” as the club is calling it — is Sunday night at the team’s stadium in Fort Lauderdale. It comes one day after Messi, Major League Soccer and Inter Miami finalized his signing through the 2025 season.It’s the start of a busy week of events for Messi with his new club. A news conference is scheduled for Monday, his first official training session is set for Tuesday and — if all goes to plan — he will play Friday in a Leagues Cup match against Cruz Azul.The World Cup champion for Argentina and seven-time Ballon d’Or winner as the world’s best player in a given year is joining a club that has the fewest points in MLS and is mired in an 11-match winless streak. Inter Miami opened the season with two wins and has gone 3-14-3 since.The club previously announced that Messi’s deal will be for 2 1/2 seasons and ...

Alabama rushes to adopt new congressional map amid disagreement on what district should look like

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 19:52:44 GMT

MONTGOMERY, Ala. (AP) — Federal judges that ordered Alabama to draw new congressional lines said the state should have a second district where Black voters are the majority “or something quite close to it” and have an opportunity to elect a representative of their choice.What exactly that map should look like is in dispute as lawmakers rush to draw new lines.Alabama lawmakers convene in special session Monday tasked by the court with adopting a new map by the end of the week. The directive comes after a surprise U.S. Supreme Court ruling that affirmed the lower court’s ruling that Alabama’s existing congressional map — with a single Black district — likely violated the Voting Rights Act. The group of voters who sued the state and won before the Supreme Court have proposed the creation of a second district where Black residents are 50.5% of the population. But Alabama Republicans, who hold a lopsided majority in the Alabama Legislature and will control the redistricting p...