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EU leaders beat a path to Xi’s door seeking China’s help

Published Fri, 27 Dec 2024 09:11:35 GMT

BRUSSELS (AP) — In the weeks since Chinese leader Xi Jinping won a third five-year term as president, setting him on course to remain in power for life, leaders and diplomats from around the world have beaten a path to his door. None more so than those from Europe.French President Emmanuel Macron made a high-profile state visit to Beijing last week accompanied by European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, just days after Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez. German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock arrived in the northeast port city of Tianjin on Thursday, following a visit by Chancellor Olaf Scholz in November. The European Union’s foreign policy chief, Josep Borrell, would have been in China this week, too, but he tested positive for COVID-19.For the 27-nation trading bloc, the reasons to head to China are clear. As an ally of Russian President Vladimir Putin, Xi could play a pivotal role in helping to end the war in Ukraine. The conflict has dragged on for over a ...

More than 6,000 troops to play role in Charles’ coronation

Published Fri, 27 Dec 2024 09:11:35 GMT

LONDON (AP) — More than 6,000 British military personnel will take part in the coronation of King Charles III, the U.K. forces’ biggest ceremonial deployment in seven decades, the government said Sunday.The Ministry of Defense said thousands of soldiers, sailors and aviators will escort the king and Camilla, the queen consort, between Buckingham Palace and Westminster Abbey on their way to and from the May 6 ceremony. Gun salutes will ring out from British warships and army bases across the country, and later military aircraft — from World War II Spitfires to modern fighter jets — will perform a flypast over the palace.Defense Secretary Ben Wallace said it would be “a spectacular and fitting tribute” to the monarch, who is also commander-in-chief of the U.K. armed forces.Admiral Tony Radakin, chief of the defense staff, said the military side of the coronation “reflects centuries of tradition, but is indicative of the integral role the armed forces play in modern Britain and the ext...

Ebobisse’s brace leads Earthquakes over Sporting KC

Published Fri, 27 Dec 2024 09:11:35 GMT

SAN JOSE, Calif. (AP) — Jeremy Ebobisse scored a goal in each half and the San Jose Earthquakes rolled to a 3-0 victory over Sporting Kansas City on Saturday night.The Earthquakes (4-2-2) beat Sporting KC (0-5-3) for just the second time in the last 15 matchups. San Jose improved to 4-0-1 in its last five matches at home, its best effort since a six-match unbeaten run to begin the 2017 season.Cristian Espinoza staked the Earthquakes to an early lead when he scored in the ninth minute with assists from Cade Cowell and Jamiro Monteiro. Espinzoa has scored the first goal in a match four times this season — tops in the league.Sporting KC was forced to play a man down after Robert Castellanos received a red card in the 38th minute. Ebobisse followed with a penalty-kick goal to make it 2-0.Ebobisse found the net again in the 51st minute with assists from Paul Marie and Cowell to cap the scoring.Sporting KC entered play with just two points through its first seven matches — something only ...

Game 1 loss to Kings a ‘feeling out process’ for Warriors

Published Fri, 27 Dec 2024 09:11:35 GMT

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Even after a rocky regular season, the Warriors weren’t sweating the rare Game 1 loss Saturday night.“It’s what the playoffs are about — guys making plays,” Stephen Curry said after the Sacramento Kings beat the Warriors 126-123. “The first game is kind of a feeling out process.”The Warriors are the more experienced playoff team, having gone to six of the last eight NBA Finals, but the Kings, playing in their first playoff series in nearly two decades, managed to hold on to take Game 1 of the first-round Western Conference series.Golden State Warriors’ Draymond Green jaws with Sacramento Kings’ De’Aaron Fox in the fourth quarter of Game 1 of the Western Conference First Round playoffs, Saturday, April 15, 2023, at Golden One Arena in Sacramento, Calif. (Karl Mondon/Bay Area News Group) Sacramento used its 16 years of pent up playoff-basketball energy to ensure the Kings had home-court advantage, rattling their...

Dodgers square off against the Cubs in series rubber match

Published Fri, 27 Dec 2024 09:11:35 GMT

Chicago Cubs (7-5, third in the NL Central) vs. Los Angeles Dodgers (7-7, second in the NL West)Los Angeles; Sunday, 4:10 p.m. EDTPITCHING PROBABLES: Cubs: Drew Smyly (0-0); Dodgers: Julio Urias (0-0)FANDUEL SPORTSBOOK MLB LINE: Dodgers -235, Cubs +196; over/under is 8 1/2 runsBOTTOM LINE: The Los Angeles Dodgers and Chicago Cubs play on Sunday with the three-game series tied 1-1.Los Angeles has gone 5-3 at home and 7-7 overall. The Dodgers are second in the majors with 26 total home runs, averaging 1.9 per game.Chicago is 7-5 overall and 2-2 on the road. The Cubs have gone 3-1 in games when they hit at least two home runs.Sunday’s game is the third time these teams meet this season.TOP PERFORMERS:LAST 10 GAMES: Dodgers: 5-5, .000 batting average, 5.76 ERA, outscored opponents by five runsCubs: 6-4, .000 batting average, 4.20 ERA, outscored opponents by 14 runsINJURIES: Dodgers: Will Smith: day-to-day (illness), Alex Reyes: 15-Day IL (shoulder), Ryan Pepiot: 15-Day IL (oblique...

Brewers take on the Padres after Caratini’s 4-hit game

Published Fri, 27 Dec 2024 09:11:35 GMT

Milwaukee Brewers (10-5, first in the NL Central) vs. San Diego Padres (8-8, third in the NL West)San Diego; Sunday, 4:10 p.m. EDTPITCHING PROBABLES: Brewers: Wade Miley (0-0); Padres: Yu Darvish (0-0)FANDUEL SPORTSBOOK MLB LINE: Padres -170, Brewers +145; over/under is 7 1/2 runsBOTTOM LINE: The Milwaukee Brewers play the San Diego Padres after Victor Caratini had four hits on Saturday in a 10-3 loss to the Padres.San Diego has a 4-5 record at home and an 8-8 record overall. The Padres are fifth in the majors with 22 total home runs, averaging 1.4 per game.Milwaukee is 5-4 in road games and 10-5 overall. The Brewers have hit 20 total home runs to rank eighth in MLB play.The teams square off Sunday for the fourth time this season.TOP PERFORMERS:LAST 10 GAMES: Padres: 5-5, .000 batting average, 4.39 ERA, outscored opponents by two runsBrewers: 6-4, .000 batting average, 3.68 ERA, outscored opponents by six runsINJURIES: Padres: David Dahl: 10-Day IL (quadricep), Joe Musgrove: 15-Day ...

Marlins host the Diamondbacks, try to continue home win streak

Published Fri, 27 Dec 2024 09:11:35 GMT

Arizona Diamondbacks (8-7, first in the NL West) vs. Miami Marlins (8-7, third in the NL East)Miami; Sunday, 1:40 p.m. EDTPITCHING PROBABLES: Diamondbacks: Zac Gallen (0-0); Marlins: Sandy Alcantara (0-0)FANDUEL SPORTSBOOK MLB LINE: Marlins -126, Diamondbacks +106; over/under is 7 runsBOTTOM LINE: The Miami Marlins will try to keep a four-game home win streak going when they take on the Arizona Diamondbacks.Miami has a 5-4 record in home games and an 8-7 record overall. The Marlins are 6-1 in games when they out-hit their opponents.Arizona has gone 3-5 in road games and 8-7 overall. The Diamondbacks have gone 3-1 in games when they did not give up a home run.Sunday’s game is the third time these teams square off this season.TOP PERFORMERS:LAST 10 GAMES: Marlins: 7-3, .000 batting average, 4.19 ERA, outscored by two runsDiamondbacks: 6-4, .000 batting average, 4.50 ERA, outscored opponents by seven runsINJURIES: Marlins: Jorge Soler: day-to-day (back), JT Chargois: 15-Day IL (o...

Pirates bring 2-1 series advantage over Cardinals into game 4

Published Fri, 27 Dec 2024 09:11:35 GMT

Pittsburgh Pirates (9-6, second in the NL Central) vs. St. Louis Cardinals (6-9, fifth in the NL Central)St. Louis; Sunday, 2:15 p.m. EDTPITCHING PROBABLES: Pirates: Mitch Keller (0-0); Cardinals: Miles Mikolas (0-0)FANDUEL SPORTSBOOK MLB LINE: Cardinals -174, Pirates +150; over/under is 8 1/2 runsBOTTOM LINE: The Pittsburgh Pirates play the St. Louis Cardinals leading the series 2-1.St. Louis is 3-6 at home and 6-9 overall. The Cardinals have a 2-7 record in games when they have given up at least one home run.Pittsburgh has a 6-3 record on the road and a 9-6 record overall. Pirates hitters have a collective .418 slugging percentage to rank eighth in the NL.The matchup Sunday is the fourth time these teams meet this season.TOP PERFORMERS:LAST 10 GAMES: Cardinals: 4-6, .000 batting average, 4.09 ERA, outscored by eight runsPirates: 6-4, .000 batting average, 4.50 ERA, outscored by three runsINJURIES: Cardinals: Packy Naughton: 15-Day IL (left forearm), Paul DeJong: 10-Day IL (back), ...

Myers leads Reds against the Phillies after 4-hit outing

Published Fri, 27 Dec 2024 09:11:35 GMT

Philadelphia Phillies (5-10, fourth in the NL East) vs. Cincinnati Reds (6-8, fourth in the NL Central)Cincinnati; Sunday, 1:40 p.m. EDTPITCHING PROBABLES: Phillies: Aaron Nola (0-0); Reds: Luis Cessa (0-0)FANDUEL SPORTSBOOK MLB LINE: Phillies -191, Reds +161; over/under is 9 runsBOTTOM LINE: The Cincinnati Reds play the Philadelphia Phillies after Wil Myers had four hits against the Phillies on Saturday.Cincinnati has a 5-3 record in home games and a 6-8 record overall. Reds hitters are batting a collective .253, which ranks eighth in the NL.Philadelphia is 5-10 overall and 2-7 on the road. The Phillies have a 3-0 record in games when they hit two or more home runs.The teams square off Sunday for the seventh time this season. The season series is tied 3-3.TOP PERFORMERS:LAST 10 GAMES: Reds: 3-7, .000 batting average, 5.02 ERA, even run differentialPhillies: 4-6, .000 batting average, 4.91 ERA, outscored by five runsINJURIES: Reds: Connor Overton: 15-Day IL (elbow), Joey Votto: 10-D...

Ukraine criticizes Poland’s move to block farm products; Hungary joins ban

Published Fri, 27 Dec 2024 09:11:35 GMT

Ukraine criticized a decision by the Polish government on Saturday to ban imports of Ukrainian agricultural goods, including products intended for other countries, saying it violated a prior agreement between the two countries.Late Saturday, Hungary joined Poland in banning agricultural imports from Ukraine, with both governments saying the restrictions would remain in place until the end of June. Warsaw’s measure was announced by Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki following an emergency cabinet meeting on the influx of Ukrainian goods into Poland. “We will never leave farmers without help. That’s why we have specific measures [including] a ban on grain entry from Ukraine to Poland,” Morawiecki said in a tweet.Ukraine’s agriculture ministry said it regretted Poland’s decision. “The Ministry of Agrarian Policy, for its part, has always been sympathetic to the situation in the Polish agricultural sector and responded promptly to various ...