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ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — The Houston Astros made quite a powerful statement while slugging themselves back to the top of the AL West. By going deep 16 times while sweeping the Texas Rangers on the road, the Astros set a franchise record for the most homers in any three-game span. They also matched a major league record with at least five homers in three consecutive games. Eight different Houston players went deep in the series, with five of them hitting multiple homers. Both of Altuve's homers Monday came right after Mauricio Dubón went deep, marking the first time in major league history that a team's No.

Persons: “, Dusty Baker, José Abreu, Cy Young, Max Scherzer, ”, Abreu, Jose Altuve, Altuve, Mauricio Dubón, Martin Maldonado, Chas McCormick, ” Baker, “ I’ve Organizations: The Houston Astros, AL, Texas Rangers, Astros, Houston, Rangers, Chicago White Sox, Seattle, Lone Star State, Texas, AL West, Labor Locations: ARLINGTON , Texas, Houston, Texas

☆ Low water levels in Texas reveal dinosaur tracks dating back 110 million years
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-02 | by ( Rachel Ramirez | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

CNN —As Texas baked in record-breaking heat this summer and a growing drought pushed water levels down, a group of volunteers uncovered something sort of magnificent: new giant dinosaur tracks that are believed to be from around 110 million years ago. Paul Baker, the retail manager at Dinosaur Valley State Park, told CNN he has “never seen this many dinosaur tracks” before. It is a hotspot for dinosaur enthusiasts and tourists who typically flock the now-dry Paluxy River to fish, swim and kayak. Paul BakerThe Paluxy River usually draws tourists for fishing, swimming and kayaking, but has been bone dry in this summer's growing drought. Baker was raised in Dinosaur Valley State Park – his father was a park manager for 30 years – and now operates several businesses, including the park’s gift shop.

Persons: Paul Baker, ”, Baker, I’d, it’s, ” Baker, “, dino, ” Kuban, –, ” Read, Mead Organizations: CNN, Dinosaur, US Drought Monitor, Glen Kuban, Society, Master Naturalists, North America — Locations: Texas, Dallas, Dinosaur, Kuban, Dinosaur Valley, North America, ”, Iraq

☆ In Annie Baker’s Plays, Pay Attention to the Pauses
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-30 | by ( Darryn King | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

“She’s a high priestess of silence and stillness,” the director James Macdonald said. An Atlantic Theater Company and National Theater co-production of Baker’s latest play, “Infinite Life,” directed by Macdonald, is in previews now and will open on Sept. 12. “Infinite Life” also goes further than Baker’s other plays in its exploration of stillness, Macdonald said. “I’m interested in silence, I’m interested in noise, I’m interested in speed, I’m interested in stillness. To me it does feel like writing a play feels a bit like composing a piece of music.

Persons: “, James Macdonald, ”, Macdonald, “ Janet Planet, Baker, ” Baker, “ I’m, I’m Organizations: Atlantic Theater Company, National Theater, New York Film

Work on an insurance mechanism follows Russia’s withdrawal from the Black Sea Grain Initiative last month, which threatens the safe passage of ships carrying grain to and from Ukrainian ports. To keep grain shipments moving, Ukraine’s government will share potential losses with insurers, which should make cover for travel through risky Ukrainian waters more affordable for commercial shipping companies. Russia’s withdrawal from the grain deal has had a chilling effect on merchant shipping around Ukraine’s three Black Sea ports as the Kremlin warned that ships leaving these ports might come under attack. And earlier this month a Russian warship fired warning shots and boarded a cargo ship in the Black Sea it claims was headed to Ukraine. Last week, the Hong Kong-flagged Joseph Schulte container ship became the first vessel to depart from any of Ukraine’s Black Sea ports since the grain deal broke down on July 17.

Persons: —, ” Oleksandr Hryban, Marsh McLennan, Marsh, Oliver Wyman —, Hryban, Marcus Baker, ” Baker, Crispin Ellison, Oliver Wyman, ” Marsh McLennan, Joseph Schulte, Volodymyr Zelensky, ” Organizations: Kyiv CNN —, United Nations, “, CNN, Initiative, Kremlin, ” Locations: Kyiv, Kyiv CNN — Ukraine, Ukrainian, Turkey, London, Marsh, Russia, Ukraine, Russian, Hong Kong, Odesa, ” Ukraine

☆ UN says Sudan civil war is 'spiralling out of control,' as more than one million flee to neighboring countries
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-16 | by ( Ruba Alhenawi Hamdi Alkhshali Sana Noor Haq | Ruba Alhenawi | Hamdi Alkhshali | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

CNN —More than one million people have fled Sudan to neighboring countries since April, according to the United Nations, as fighting between two warring factions plunges the country into civil war. The conflict in Sudan has displaced more than 3.4 million people inside the country, a report released on Tuesday by the International Organization for Migration (IOM) said. Those who escaped Sudan have arrived in other countries in the region including Egypt, Libya, Chad, the Central African Republic, South Sudan and Ethiopia. The regional director of the UN Population Fund (UNFPA) said the spike in gender-based violence amounts to war crimes and crimes against humanity. More than one million people have fled Sudan into neighboring countries since April, the UN reported.

Persons: ” Laila Baker, Zohra Bensemra, ” Baker, Liz Throssell, ”, Malik Agar, “, Abdel Fattah al, Burhan, Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, Omar al, Bashir Organizations: CNN, United Nations, International Organization for Migration, Central African, Rapid Support Forces, UN, UN Population Fund, Human Rights, Sovereign, Sudan’s Rapid Support Forces Locations: Sudan, Egypt, Libya, Chad, Central African Republic, South Sudan, Ethiopia, East, Geneina, Darfur, Ourang, Adre

☆ Takeaways from the February jobs report
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-11 | by ( Alicia Wallace | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +9 min

Minneapolis CNN —February’s jobs report had a little something for everyone. In February, the construction industry added 24,000 jobs, marking 12 consecutive months of employment growth. Friday’s report showed that “a modicum of slack crept back into the jobs market,” wrote Wells Fargo economists Sarah House and Michael Pugliese. However, Friday’s jobs report likely won’t spur a more dovish turn from the Fed, said Sean Snaith, an economist and director of the University of Central Florida’s Institute for Economic Forecasting. “We didn’t go from a four-alarm fire to a five-alarm fire with this data report, but the inflation flames aren’t out either,” he wrote in a note Friday.

☆ As child vaccine rates slip, local health officials fight misinformation
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-27 | by ( Lauren Sausser | Kaiser Health News | Lauren Sausser Covers Health Across The South As Part Of Khn'S Southern Bureau. | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +9 min

So the Health Department conducted something called an online “sentiment search,” which gauges how certain words are perceived on social media. An analysis conducted by KHN and The Associated Press found local health department spending dropped by 18% per capita from 2010 to 2020. To that end, the health department has partnered with local leaders and groups to encourage vaccinations. — Phil Maytubby, Oklahoma city County health departmentThe more than 3,000 public health departments nationwide stand to benefit from a unified message, he said. In late 2020, the foundation, working with other public health groups, established the Public Health Communications Collaborative to amplify easy-to-understand information about vaccines.

☆ US consumers pulled back their spending last month as inflation took a toll
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-15 | by ( Alicia Wallace | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

Pullbacks in auto sales helped drive the decline — the largest monthly decrease seen all year — but even excluding autos, monthly sales declined by 0.2%, despite cooling inflation. Economists had expected monthly sales to shrink by 0.1%, down from October’s 1.3% increase, according to consensus estimates on Refinitiv. Retail sales, which are not adjusted for inflation, were up 6.5% in November from the year prior, according to the report. That’s the slowest year-over-year retail sales growth since 2020, said Ted Rossman, senior industry analyst for Bankrate. “Credit card rates going up could cause more of a contraction, but hopefully [the Fed] gets a nice feather landing.”This story is developing and will be updated.

☆ Suicide prevention: Signs, risk factors and how to help
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-14 | by ( Kristen Rogers | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +11 min

CNN —Suicide is a leading cause of death among children and adults, but spotting risk factors and warning signs isn’t easy. Here are some of the most common behavioral, verbal and emotional signs and risk factors you should pay attention to, according to experts. Mood and other risk factorsPsychological factors, distressing situations or genetics can increase the likelihood of someone considering, attempting or dying by suicide, according to SAMHSA. These risk factors can’t cause or predict a suicide attempt, but being aware of them is important, according to SAMHSA:Hopelessness. “You’re not going to cause someone to be suicidal by asking directly about suicide,” Baker said.

☆ Exclusive: Musk’s Neuralink faces federal probe, employee backlash over animal tests
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-05 | by ( Rachael Levy | Thomson Reuters | Award-Winning Journalist Covering Corporate Governance. Her Reporting Has Prompted Federal Investigations | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +16 min

Reuters could not determine the full scope of the federal investigation or whether it involved the same alleged problems with animal testing identified by employees in Reuters interviews. Musk has pushed hard to accelerate Neuralink’s progress, which depends heavily on animal testing, current and former employees said. Delcianna Winders, director of the Animal Law and Policy Institute at the Vermont Law and Graduate School, said it is “very unusual” for the USDA inspector general to investigate animal research facilities. In September, the company responded to employee concerns about its animal testing by holding a town hall to explain its processes. “We’re extremely careful,” he said, to make sure that testing is “confirmatory, not exploratory,” using animal testing as a last resort after trying other methods.

☆ How a CoinDesk scoop led to the fall of Sam Bankman-Fried and implosion of FTX
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-24 | by ( Oliver Darcy | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

Allison had obtained a financial document that showed 30-year-old SBF had engaged in shady behavior to use his crypto company, FTX, to prop up his separate investment firm, Alameda. That he didn’t say a thing.”That silence was likely because SBF knew CoinDesk had uncovered something big. After the scoop, SBF’s chief competitor, Binance, suggested it would rescue the company through an acquisition. But in a second major scoop that led to FTX’s implosion, Allison learned that the crucial deal would not happen. “It was definitely a cold hands [moment] — not because I thought [the scoop] was wrong, but because I knew it was right.

☆ Fact Check-No evidence drug overdose was main cause of death for George Floyd in 2020
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-08 | by ( Reuters Fact Check | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +8 min

The Hennepin County Medical Examiner ruled Floyd’s death a homicide with the cause of death as “cardiopulmonary arrest complicating law enforcement subdual, restraint and neck compression” (here). Under cross examination by Chauvin’s lead lawyer, Baker said that certain heart diseases or use of opioids can be fatal but that neither directly caused Floyd’s death. Reuters reporting on additional expert testimony during the trial that countered the defense’s claim that opioid use caused Floyd’s death can be found (here), (here), (here) and (here). But the fentanyl levels in Floyd’s blood should not be the sole factor in determining his cause of death. Available evidence about George Floyd’s death and toxicology test results do not show that his main cause of death was a drug overdose and toxicology results alone cannot identify a lethal level of fentanyl or other drugs in the body.

☆ Dusty Baker: How the beloved 73-year-old baseball legend became the oldest ever manager to win the World Series
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-07 | by ( Issy Ronald | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

CNN —Dusty Baker was sitting in the dugout, looking down and making a note when his coaching and support staff spontaneously mobbed him, chanting his name, as the Houston Astros secured victory in the World Series on Saturday. “I mean, I got 2,000 wins and all they talk about is I haven’t won the World Series yet, you know?” he said before the game, according to MLB.com. David J. Phillip/APWith this victory, Baker became the third Black manager to win the World Series after Dave Roberts and Cito Gaston. Fans hold up a sign for Houston Astros manager Dusty Baker during Game 6. Before coaching, Baker enjoyed a successful playing career, winning the World Series in 1981 with the Los Angeles Dodgers and his 40 years in between titles is the most between any two consecutive World Series won as a player or manager, according to the Elias Sports Bureau.

CNN —The Houston Astros won the franchise’s second World Series title on Saturday after defeating the Philadelphia Phillies 4-1 in Game 6 at Minute Maid Park. After falling behind 2-1 through the first three games of the World Series, Houston evened up the series after throwing a combined no-hitter in Game 4. Party!”The Houston Astros celebrate their World Series win against the Philadelphia Phillies in Houston, Texas, on Saturday, November 5. Mary DeCicco/MLB Photos/Getty Images The Houston Astros celebrate their win in Game 5 of the World Series against the Philadelphia Phillies on Thursday, November 4. The Phillies hit five home runs in the game, tying a World Series record, and they won 7-0 to take a 2-1 series lead over the Houston Astros.

☆ Rocket Lab's attempt to catch rocket booster falls short
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-04 | by ( Jackie Wattles | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

CNN —Rocket Lab, a start-up building small orbital rockets, kicked off another successful mission on Friday — but it failed in its efforts to recapture its rocket booster as it tumbled down toward Earth. Rocket Lab positioned a modified Sikorsky S-92 helicopter to intercept it mid-descent, aiming to snag the booster by its strings. Rocket Lab CEO Peter Beck has noted that it’s preferable to catch the rocket midair to keep it dry. A lot remains unclear about how Rocket Lab will ultimately reuse its rockets. Beck cited the company as a model for how Rocket Lab would proceed.

CNN —For just the second time in World Series history, a no-hitter has been thrown as four Houston Astros pitchers completed the feat against the Philadelphia Phillies Wednesday night to win 5-0 and secure their place in baseball lore. Cristian Javier started Game 4 in the series for the Astros, tossing six innings of no-hit ball, striking out nine and walking two. The only previous no-hitter in 118 years of World Series history is Don Larsen’s perfect game in the 1956 World Series. The Astros now hold the distinction of throwing the first combined no-hitter in postseason history, according to Major League Baseball. The only other no-hitter in postseason history was tossed by Roy Halladay for the Phillies in the 2010 National League Divisional Series.

☆ Houston Astros manager Dusty Baker says it ‘looks bad’ that the 2022 World Series will have zero African American players
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-28 | by ( Homero De La Fuente | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

CNN —Houston Astros manager Dusty Baker said it “looks bad” that there will be no US-born Black players in the 2022 World Series. Meanwhile, the Phillies had no Black players on their Opening Day roster this year for the first time since 1959. In the 2022 MLB Draft, for the first time in draft history, four of the top five selections were Black players, according to the MLB. While no players will be US born African Americans, there will be Black players in the Fall Classic, including Afro-Cuban slugger Yordan Alvarez of the Astros. Players from eight different countries will be represented in the World Series this year.

☆ RSV: Pandemic 'immunity gap' is probably behind surge in respiratory cases, scientists say
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-26 | by ( Jen Christensen | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

That “immunity gap” from the last few years is probably behind the “unprecedented” early surge in RSV infections this year, scientists say – and it has thrown other seasonal respiratory viruses out of whack around the world. Across the US, the number of flu cases has also been increasing a little earlier than usual. A handful of schools have seen large absences, and medical offices say they are seeing more people sick with other respiratory viruses at times that don’t fit the usual patterns. Like Covid-19, RSV and the flu spread through droplets released into the air when people cough or sneeze. The pandemic behaviors created an “immunity gap” or “immunity debt” that makes more people in the US vulnerable to diseases like RSV.

☆ Boris Johnson battles to win support in shock U.K. PM comeback bid
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-23 | by ( Hyder Abbasi | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +5 min

LONDON — Thousands tracked his flight back to the U.K. as he returned from a Caribbean vacation, and several lawmakers have tweeted “welcome back boss,” but on Sunday, Boris Johnson was fighting to get enough support to make a shock return as Britain’s prime minister. British Prime Minister Boris Johnson speaks during a Cabinet meeting alongside Chancellor of the Exchequer Rishi Sunak in London in May. Former Conservative party leader William Hague said Friday that Johnson’s return would lead to a “death spiral” for the party. A selection of the front pages of British national newspapers showing the reaction to the resignation of Prime Minister Liz Truss in London on Friday. “A significant majority of the British people wanted him to resign as prime minister, and his approval ratings were historically low by the time he stopped being prime minister,” he said.

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