Dodgers rally past White Sox in 9th inning; Kershaw reaches 3,000 strikeouts

Dodgers rally past White Sox in 9th inning; Kershaw reaches 3,000 strikeouts

LOS ANGELES (AP) —Clayton Kershaw got his 3,000th strikeoutand Freddie Freeman capped a three-run ninth inning by singled in Shohei Ohtani, lifting the Los Angeles Dodgers over the Chicago White Sox 5-4 on Wednesday night. Kershaw became the 20th pitcher to reach 3,000 when Vinny Capra took a slider for a called third strike for the final out of the sixth inning. Los Angeles trailed 4-2 and hadn't scored since the second inning when Michael Conforto singled and Tommy Edman and Hyesong Kim drew back-to-back walks from Grant Taylor (0-1) to open the ninth. Ohtani hit into a run-scoring forceout, Mookie Betts tied the score with a sacrifice fly off Steven Wilson and Freeman singled sharply to right. Los Angeles won for the 14th time in 17 games and clinched its seventh straight series victory. Andrew Benintendi had a two-out RBI single in the first. Will Smith tied the score in the bottom half against Sean Burke with his 11th homer and Andy Pages lead off the second with his 17th homer. Austin Slater hit a two-run homer in the third for a 3-2 lead and Edgar Quero added a flare RBI single. Key moment Dodgers third basemanMax Muncywas injured while tagging out Michael A. Taylor in the sixth. Taylor was caught stealing as catcher Will Smith threw to Muncy, who tagged Taylor for the second out of the inning. Muncy sprawled on his back as a Dodgers athletic trainer came out to check on him. The team said he had left knee pain. A White Sox trainer also checked on Taylor, who sustained a bruised left trapezius in his back. Key stat Kershaw threw a season-high 100 pitches, giving up four runs and nine hits in six innings. He struck out Miguel Vargas in the third and Lenyn Sosa in the fifth. Up next White Sox RHP Aaron Civale (1-4, 4.74 ERA) starts the series finale Thursday. Dodgers RHP Dustin May (4-5, 4.68) faces Chicago for the first time in his career. ___ AP MLB:https://apnews.com/hub/mlb

byAlpha World

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July 02, 2025

Dodgers rally past White Sox in 9th inning; Kershaw reaches 3,000 strikeouts

Dodgers rally past White Sox in 9th inning; Kershaw reaches 3,000 strikeouts LOS ANGELES (AP) —Clayton Kershaw got his 3,000th strikeoutand ...

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Sean 'Diddy' Combs remains in jail after verdict, judge denies bail

Sean 'Diddy' Combs remains in jail after verdict, judge denies bail

Sean "Diddy" Combswill remain in aBrooklyn cellafterbeing convicted of two criminal charges. The 55-year-old has spent nearly 10 months in jail, including during histwo-month trial. On July 2, hours after Combs and his lawyerscelebratedbeing cleared of thetop criminal chargeshe faced, U.S. District Court Judge Arun Subramanian denied bail for Combs, issuing an order to keep him incarcerated at the Metropolitan Detention Center until his sentencing. "It is impossible for the defendant to demonstrate by clear and convincing evidence that he poses no danger," Subramanian said. As he explained his decision, Subramanian referenced the anonymous ex-girlfriend "Jane's" testimony that Combschoked and dragged herduring an argument in June 2024, when Combs was aware of the active federal investigation into his conduct. He also noted that Combs' team admitted "We own the domestic violence" in regards toCassie Ventura Fine's allegations of long-term abuse. Subramanian told the court that the evidence shows Combs' disregard for the rule of law and a propensity for violence. Hours earlier, Combswas found guiltyon two counts of transportation of his then-girlfriendsJaneandVentura Fine, as well as sex workers, to engage in prostitution. As for how long he could be imprisoned, according to prosecutors, sentencing guidelines suggest a prison sentence of between 51 and 63 months for Combs' convicted charges. Subramanian proposed a sentencing date of Friday, Oct. 3, at 10 a.m., and after Combs' team indicated a desire to move up the date, the judge ordered for the prosecution and defense to submit a joint proposal on expediting Combs' sentencing. Earlier in the day, U.S. Assistant Attorney Maurene Comey opposed the defense's request for Combs to be released immediately following the verdict. "There is serious, serious conduct here that will mandate a lengthy period of incarceration," she said. Combs' defense team pushed back in court, as well asin a letter to the judge, The lawyers noted Combs' risk of receiving a lengthy prison sentence is "substantially lower" now that he was acquitted on the most serious charges he faced. The defense proposed travel restrictions, regular drug testing and a $1 million bond co-signed by himself, his mother, his sister and the mother of his oldest daughter. Following a monthslong federal investigation that includeda raidof his homes inLos AngelesandMiamiin March 2024,Combs was arrestedat a New York City hotel on Sept. 16 on charges of racketeering, sex trafficking and transportation to engage in prostitution. Combs' team mademultiple attemptsat getting him released on bail in the months following his arrest, taking the issue to an appeals court and even offering a $50 million bond. Multiple judgesdenied his bids, citing the risk of him either escaping or tampering with witnesses. Combs has long maintained his innocence. He previouslypleaded not guiltyto all charges as he faced two counts of sex trafficking, two counts of transportation to engage in prostitution and one count of racketeering. Ventura Fine's lawyer, Douglas Wigdor, asked Subramanian to deny Combs' request for bail ahead of his sentencing. In aletter filed to the courtJuly 2, Wigdor argued that Combs could be a threat to others, and his ongoing detention is required under a federal law, the Bail Reform Act. "Ms. Ventura believes that Mr. Combs is likely to pose a danger to the victims who testified in this case, including herself, as well as to the community," Wigdor added. Deonte Nash, a stylist for Combs and Ventura Finewho testifiedabout Combs' abuse during the trial, urged the judge "to prioritize the safety of victims and witnesses" in a message included in prosecutors' letter to Subramanian. "I feel compelled to be unequivocal about the danger he poses to the public and to the individuals who have risked everything by coming forward," he wrote. "It will also endanger those who cooperated with this investigation under subpoena, who are already living in fear of retaliation." Contributing: Luc Cohen and Jack Queen, Reuters This article originally appeared on USA TODAY:Diddy denied bail at hearing, to remain in jail after verdict

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July 02, 2025

Sean 'Diddy' Combs remains in jail after verdict, judge denies bail

Sean 'Diddy' Combs remains in jail after verdict, judge denies bail Sean "Diddy" Combswill remain in aBrooklyn cellafterbe...

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In Gaza, summer heat amplifies the daily struggle to survive

In Gaza, summer heat amplifies the daily struggle to survive

KHAN YOUNIS, Gaza Strip (AP) — For Rida Abu Hadayed, summer adds a new layer of misery to a daily struggle to survive in thewar-ravaged Gaza Strip. With temperatures exceeding 30 degrees Celsius (86 degrees Fahrenheit), daybreak begins with the cries of Hadayed's seven children sweltering inside the displaced family's cramped nylon tent. Outside, the humidity is unbearable. The only way the 32-year-old mother can offer her children relief is by fanning them with a tray or bits of paper — whatever she can find. If she has water, she pours it over them, but that is an increasingly scarce resource. "There is no electricity. There is nothing," she said, her face beaded with sweat. "They cannot sleep. They keep crying all day until the sun sets." The heat in Gaza has intensified hardships for its 2 million residents. Reduced water availability, crippled sanitation networks, and shrinking living spaces threaten to cause illnesses to cascade through communities, aid groups have long warned. The scorching summer coincides with a lack of clean water for the majority of Gaza's population, most of whom aredisplaced in tented communities. Many Palestinians in the enclave must walk long distances to fetch water and ration each drop, limiting their ability to wash and keep cool. "We are only at the beginning of summer," Hadayed's husband, Yousef, said. "And our situation is dire." Israel hadblocked food, fuel, medicineand all other supplies from entering Gaza for nearly three months. It began allowinglimited aidin May, but fuel needed to pump water from wells or operate desalination plants is still not getting into the territory. With fuel supplies short, only 40% of drinking water production facilities are functioning in the Gaza Strip, according to a recent report by the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs. All face imminent collapse. Up to 93% of households face water shortages, the June report said. The Hadayeds were displaced after evacuation orders forced them to leave eastern Khan Younis. "Our lives in the tent are miserable. We spend our days pouring water over their heads and their skin," Yousef Hadayed said. "Water itself is scarce. It is very difficult to get that water." UNICEF's spokesperson recently said that if fuel supplies are not allowed to enter the enclave, children will die of thirst. "Me and my children spend our days sweating," said Reham Abu Hadayed, a 30-year-old relative of Rida Abu Hadayed who was also displaced from eastern Khan Younis. She worries about the health of her four children. "I don't have enough money to buy them medicine," she said. For Mohammed al-Awini, 23, the heat is not the worst part. It's the flies and mosquitoes that bombard his tent, especially at night. Without adequate sewage networks,garbage piles upon streets, attracting insects and illness. The stench of decomposing trash wafts in the air. "We are awake all night, dying from mosquito bites," he said. "We are the most tired people in the world." ___ Kullab reported from Jerusalem.

byAlpha World

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July 02, 2025

In Gaza, summer heat amplifies the daily struggle to survive

In Gaza, summer heat amplifies the daily struggle to survive KHAN YOUNIS, Gaza Strip (AP) — For Rida Abu Hadayed, summer adds a new layer of...

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7 missing after explosion at California fireworks warehouse sets off massive blaze

7 missing after explosion at California fireworks warehouse sets off massive blaze

ESPARTO, Calif. (AP) — Seven people were missing Wednesday following an explosion at a fireworks warehouse in rural Northern California that caused a massive fire that spread to farm fields and forced evacuations in the surrounding community, authorities said. Two people were injured and received medical care, Esparto Fire Chief Curtis Lawrence said at a news conference Wednesday. Lawrence provided no further information other than to say the two were "OK," and it wasn't known if the victims worked at the facility. Emergency crews and investigators were working with the property's owner and monitoring the area using drones to find the missing individuals, said the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection. It was not immediately clear if those missing worked at the warehouse or lived nearby. People were urged to avoid the area after the Tuesday night blast, which set off a barrage of fireworks and caused a blaze that led to other spot fires and collapsed the building near Esparto in Yolo County about 40 miles (64 kilometers) northwest of Sacramento. The cause of the explosion was under investigation. "The fire will take time to cool, and once it does, explosive experts must safely enter the site to assess and secure the area," the Yolo County Sheriff's Office said in a statement late Tuesday. Syanna Ruiz, 18, told the Sacramento Bee that her boyfriend, Jesus Ramos, and two of his brothers were missing. Tuesday was Ramos's first day on the job at the warehouse, she said. "They were all three incredible men who had so much coming for them, that had so much coming their way," Ruiz said. "I'm just praying to God that some way, somehow, they're OK." The fire was held at nearly 80 acres (33 hectares) after scorching surrounding agricultural fields, officials said. The property is owned by "an active pyrotechnic license holder," Cal Fire said in a statement Wednesday. "This type of incident is very rare, as facilities like this are required to not only follow our stringent California pyrotechnic requirements, but also federal explosive storage requirements." The state fire marshal's website listed the license for the facility as belonging to Blackstar Fireworks. The owner who was listed did not respond to an email from The Associated Press requesting comment. Gov. Gavin Newsom's office said it wastracking what happenedand that state ground and air resources were deployed. "The State Fire Marshal has sent an arson and bomb investigation team, and stands ready to provide additional support as needed," the governor's office said on the social site X. Officials in nearby Sutter and Yuba counties announced Wednesday that they were exploring alternatives for Fourth of July celebrations after their fireworks were destroyed in the blast.

byAlpha World

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July 02, 2025

7 missing after explosion at California fireworks warehouse sets off massive blaze

7 missing after explosion at California fireworks warehouse sets off massive blaze ESPARTO, Calif. (AP) — Seven people were missing Wednesda...

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Michelle Obama Fans Send 'Sincerest Condolences' as She Fights Back Tears in Vulnerable Life Reflection

Michelle Obama Fans Send 'Sincerest Condolences' as She Fights Back Tears in Vulnerable Life Reflection

Michelle Obama Fans Send 'Sincerest Condolences' as She Fights Back Tears in Vulnerable Life Reflectionoriginally appeared onParade. Michelle Obamais reflecting on the greatest lesson she's learned about life. The wisdom came by way of her late mom,Marian Robinson, who passed away on May 31, 2024, at the age of 86. During a recent podcast chat, the former first lady, 61, recalled just three words her mother spoke amid her final days that left a lasting impression on theBecomingauthor: "This went fast." The recollection was triggered by a question posed byWild CardhostRachel Martin: "How often do you think about death?" In a video of the poignant response shared via Instagram on July 1, Obama fought back tears as she explained her answer, while also remembering her mom. "I think you're the first person I've shared this with publicly," the mother-of-two admitted. "We were sitting on the couch watching one of her court shows, and she was starting to realize she's coming to the end." Related:Kathie Lee Gifford, 71, Becomes Overwhelmed With Emotion While Sharing Reflective Health Update The Harvard Law School alum and attorney revealed that during her mother's final year of life, she had fallen extremely ill, with her body starting to shut down for various different reasons. Though she noted that Robinson had "prepared her for death," often quipping, "Who needs to be old? People [are] around too long," and other similar sentiments, when the end of her life ultimately began to approach, "she leaned over to me and she said, 'Wow, this went fast.' And I held her hand and I said, 'What are you talking about?' And she said, 'Life.'" "What that told me was that even when you tell yourself you're ready; if you're living a good life, you'reneverreally ready for it to end, right?" Obama added. "So I hope I feel that way. Even though I will be ready for it, you know, because it's been good and purposeful that I'll feel like I wish I had more time." The wife ofPresident Barack Obama's voice quivered as she became teary-eyed during the powerful moment of transparency. "So I'm trying to live my life like that," she concluded. View this post on Instagram A post shared by theGrio (@thegrio) Fans in the comment section of the post praised her vulnerability. "Wow that was really a good reminder to cherish the moments and live your life to the fullest ❤️," one wrote, while another agreed, "Absolutely, life is fast! I'm seeing it every day!" More comments read, "Someone told me to be intentional about everything that I do! Changed a lot for me," "Wow. Don't waste time on meaningless things. Powerful," "Life is short! Have fun and create memories! 🤎," and "Leaving a mark on us all🥺." Two more applauded, "Her candor helps so many people reflect about life and choose to live better," and "I love her mind and soul so much more now than ever. Perspective is fluid and I love her for this ✨," while an additional Instagram user declared, "Yes. This made me cry." Some also expressed sadness for her major loss, which obviously still brings up raw emotions, as the grieving process usually does. "❤️ It's the truth and reality of life, RIH to her mother words of wisdom even thru death speaks volume 😞," a viewer added, with one including, "Sincerest condolences ❤️🙏, yep slow down and grab whatever happiness you can and live life to the fullest in spite of tumultuous times we are forced to endure." Catch the full podcast episodehere. Next:Fans Experience 'Magnificent Emotions' as Two Iconic Talents Have Unexpected Run-In: 'Unstoppable Duo' Michelle Obama Fans Send 'Sincerest Condolences' as She Fights Back Tears in Vulnerable Life Reflectionfirst appeared on Parade on Jul 2, 2025 This story was originally reported byParadeon Jul 2, 2025, where it first appeared.

byAlpha World

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July 02, 2025

Michelle Obama Fans Send 'Sincerest Condolences' as She Fights Back Tears in Vulnerable Life Reflection

Michelle Obama Fans Send 'Sincerest Condolences' as She Fights Back Tears in Vulnerable Life Reflection Michelle Obama Fans Send ...

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