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Tag: General News

  • ‘Irresponsible, Extravagant’ – Peter Obi Condemns Accountant-General’s London Workshops

    Peter-Obi

    Peter Obi, the 2023 presidential candidate of the Labour Party, has condemned the Accountant-General’s Office for holding a workshop in London.

    Obi said Nigerians must vehemently denounce and condemn the decision, declaring that it is unacceptable and deeply troubling on multiple levels.

    Obi who stated this on Saturday in a statement he shared on social media said, “Given the prevailing hardship in the country and the pitiable State of our national currency and the economy in general, any public function abroad amounts to insensitivity on the part of the government and any agency or individuals involved.”

    He explained that “It represents a blatant disregard for fiscal responsibility and prudent expenditure of public funds. At a time when Nigeria is grappling with economic challenges, including inflation, currency devaluation, and a widening budget deficit, it is utterly irresponsible to squander taxpayer money on extravagant overseas workshops.

    “The resources allocated for such purposes should be directed towards addressing pressing domestic needs, such as healthcare, education, infrastructure, and poverty alleviation.”

    He pointed out that “Holding a workshop in London sends the wrong message to the Nigerian people and the international community.

    “It perpetuates the perception of government officials indulging in luxury and extravagance at the expense of the common citizen.

    “It fosters a culture of elitism and detachment from the realities faced by ordinary Nigerians, who struggle daily to make ends meet amidst rising living costs and limited access to essential services.”

    Obi emphasised that “There are serious questions regarding the necessity and effectiveness of conducting a workshop abroad, particularly in a city as expensive as London.

    “Nigeria is home to numerous highly qualified professionals and experts who are more than capable of providing the required training and expertise.

    “By outsourcing such activities to foreign countries the government not only undermines local expertise but also fails to leverage the wealth of knowledge and experience within its own borders.”

    According to the former Anambra State Governor, holding a workshop in London raises concerns about transparency and accountability in government procurement processes.

    “There must be full disclosure and justification for why London was chosen as the venue, as well as how the selection of vendors and contractors was made,” he said.

    He warned that “Any hint of impropriety or favouritism in awarding contracts for such events must be thoroughly investigated and addressed.

    “In the new Nigeria we seek, this type of frivolity would be unthinkable. That new nation is a land of the POssible,” Obi said.

    ‘Irresponsible, Extravagant’ – Peter Obi Condemns Accountant-General’s London Workshops is first published on The Whistler Newspaper

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  • Why Warriors’ transition defense has been lacking entering Lakers game

    In a team film session before their game in Dallas, Steve Kerr had a clear objective: hammer home transition defense.

    Kerr showed nine straight minutes of film from the third quarter of Golden State’s previous win over the Spurs, a team source said. In that stretch, the Warriors hustled back on defense, starting from the nail and fanning out from there. They communicated to avoid getting caught in mismatches and forced San Antonio to beat their set defense.

    The Warriors won the quarter, 32-18. The film showed what the Warriors are capable of in transition.

    But the squad’s effort getting back on defense hasn’t been consistent enough, even as the season enters its most important chapter and the Warriors are fighting for playoff positioning. Players and coaches have harped on the topic, but issues continue to crop up.

    “I was much more concerned with the lack of urgency in transition the other night in Dallas,” Steve Kerr said after the Warriors’ practice Friday at UCLA. “Just way too many possessions when they got behind our defense. Dunked the ball, lobs, easy points. To be a good team, you have to take the easy stuff away. I thought our halfcourt defense was really good, but transition was very poor.”

    Against Dallas, the Warriors lost the fast-break points battle 22-8. Even without Steph Curry and Draymond Green, the game turned out to be one the Warriors very well could have stolen. Mavericks star Luka Doncic injured his hamstring and didn’t play the entire fourth quarter, and Dallas shot 22.2% from behind the 3-point arc.

    But Golden State didn’t provide enough resistance in transition, allowing easy buckets at the rim.

    “I think it’s just communication of who has the ball, and then building from the rim out,” rookie guard Brandin Podziemski said after the 109-99 loss. “A lot of the times, Kyrie (Irving) would take it down and just throw it in to (Dereck) Lively because there was a mismatch or whatnot. But we’ve got to do a better job of communication and simply just sprinting back. Think if you get five guys (back down) the floor before they get their five, I think we’ve got a good chance every time to at least make them run something in the half-court.”

    On one play against Dallas, Irving corralled a defensive rebound under his basket and strolled down the middle of the court, barely impeded, for a layup. Jonathan Kuminga was charged with picking up the point guard, but his defensive stance was too upright to stay in front of Irving.

    As Warriors analyst Joe Viray pointed out on Twitter/X, the play was eerily similar to a Kuminga miscue in San Antonio the previous game, when the wing didn’t stop the ball.

    On plays like that, the difference needs to be simply more intensity and focus. At this point of the season, there’s no real excuse for a lack of urgency.

    “It’s effort, but it’s also awareness,” Kerr said. “You can get back, but if you’re not aware of the weak side guy running behind you, that’s awareness. So it’s a combination.

    “We tell our guys all the time: The first three steps are the most important. As soon as you see a possession change, those first three steps should be explosive, and then at halfcourt, you’ve got to turn and locate the ball, look at the most dangerous people. The most dangerous guy is always the guy going to the rim. We let that guy get behind us too many times.”

    Kuminga is not the only Warrior who has had lapses. With 53.5 seconds left in the first half against Dallas, Kuminga converted a layup and tripped on someone’s foot along the baseline, taking him out of the play. On the other end, Josh Green snuck behind every Warrior and was rewarded with an alley-oop dunk.

    On that play, rookie Trayce Jackson-Davis was jogging back after the make. Andrew Wiggins was stuck on the perimeter, charged with picking up Doncic off the ball. But Klay Thompson and Chris Paul were also stationed outside the 3-point arc, allowing Green to have 20 feet of daylight.

    There are additional factors beyond effort that can impact transition defense for any team. Live-ball turnovers create adverse situations. And if too many players crash for an offensive rebound without hauling one in, the floor balance gets out of sync.



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  • Black Fraternities Unite To Promote Black Male Voting

    Dr. Willis Lonzer, general president of Alpha Phi Alpha, Richard Mattox, Eastern province polemarch of Kappa Alpha Psi, and Mark E. Jackson, first vice grand basileus of Omega Psi Phi, talk about ways to get more Black men to vote during the National Panhellenic Council Fraternity Days on the Hill convening on March 12. Credit: Ja’Mon Jackson/The Washington Informer

    This post was originally published on The Washington Informer

    By James Wright Jr.

    Louis Williams, a member of the Colorado Spring, Colorado alumni chapter of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity Inc., is bothered by what is going on politically in the country and wants to play a role to get more Black men voting and in the political process.

    Members of various Black Greek fraternities gathered for the National Panhellenic Council Fraternity Days on the Hill convening, discussing how to get Black men to vote on March 12. (Ja’Mon Jackson/The Washington Informer)

    Williams, 30, flew from Colorado to the District to participate in the third annual National Panhellenic Council Fraternity Days on the Hill, with programming primarily taking place at the Salamander Washington DC in Southwest.

    “I came here to see what we plan to do from a broad perspective,” he said. “We’re on the brink of the destruction of democracy.”

    Williams’s fraternity leadership was joined by leaders and members of Alpha Phi Alpha, Omega Psi Phi, Phi Beta Sigma and Iota Phi Theta at the conference. During the convening, which took place from March 10-12, participants listened to speakers on how Black Greek fraternities can work together to increase African American male voter turnout.

    The Black Male Vote

    The conference took place as data has emerged that this year Black people may not be as enthusiastic about President Biden as opposed to 2020. 

    A New York Times-Siena poll in late October found that 22% of Black voters in six battleground states, including the key swing state of Michigan, would vote to re-elect President Trump while 71% said they would support Biden. Biden won 92% of the Black vote in 2020, according to the Pew Research Center.

    A Pew voter study revealed Black men are more likely than Black women to vote for Republicans. In 2016, 14% of Black men voted for Trump, compared with 4% of Black women. In 2020, Pew reported 12% supported Trump, compared with 5% of Black women.

    Black Frats Unite

    At the voter rally that occurred on March 12, leaders of the fraternities were unanimous in the need for Black men to go to the polls throughout the year.

    “We need to embrace the reality we are facing,” said Dr. Willis Lonzer, general president of Alpha Phi Alpha, on the role Black men are playing in getting out the vote. “We are dealing with apathy. We are not carrying our weight.”

    Lonzer said the Black fraternities coming together and tapping into their unique, collective strength is key.

    Dr. Willis Lonzer, general president of Alpha Phi Alpha, Richard Mattox, Eastern province polemarch of Kappa Alpha Psi, and Mark E. Jackson, first vice grand basileus of Omega Psi Phi and Dr. Sean D. Housen, Sr. International Grand Polaris. (Ja’Mon Jackson/The Washington Informer)

    “We cannot do what the sororities do,” he said. “They are engineered differently from us. They are going to do what they do. We need to embrace our role as Black men.”

    Lonzer said each of the fraternities has some sort of voter registration and education campaign. Alpha Phi Alpha’s campaign is “A Voteless People is a Hopeless People.”

    “We need to coordinate our different campaigns, so we are not stepping on one another,” he said.

    Richard B. Mattox serves as the Eastern Province polemarch for Kappa Alpha Psi. Mattox noted that Trump once said he would “be a dictator for a day” and referenced a quote from former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie saying, in essence, that Trump would suspend parts of the Constitution if reelected.

    “The Constitution contains the 13th Amendment, the 14th Amendment and the 15th Amendment,” Mattox said. “If that happens, slavery would be legal. You are a slave again.”

    Mattox said the Black fraternities have the tools to inform people about the consequences of election and “we have to go back and tell the story.”

    Mark E. Jackson is the first grand vice basileus for Omega Psi Phi. While he complimented the Black fraternities coming together, he said he wished there had been better communication about the event taking place.

    “Next year, we should have activities at Howard University and at the University of the District of Columbia,” Jackson, 57, said. “We should also involve the high schools in this city.”

    Jackson recommended the participants approach their faith leaders and “ask for five minutes to talk about the importance of voting and to pass out information.”

    Sherard Cooley is an active member of Alpha chapters in the D.C. metropolitan area. Cooley, 43, gave the conference high marks.

    “It is great to see the Divine Nine fraternities together,” Cooley said. “Most of the time, we are depicted going against each other. But we are trying to work together.”

    The post Black Fraternities Unite to Promote Black Male Voting appeared first on The Washington Informer.

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  • US budget fights threaten Haiti security mission

    Funding for a Kenyan-led multinational police force in Haiti could be an unintended victim of partisan budget fights on Capitol Hill, as Republicans resist Biden administration demands for an additional $40 million for a deployment to the Caribbean nation overrun by gang violence.

    Port-au-Prince has devolved into chaos, with Prime Minister Ariel Henry resigning this week and the U.S. government urging Americans to leave the country.

    The U.S. has already committed $300 million to the Kenyan-led security force. The Biden administration has requested that Congress release an additional $50 million for the effort, but just $10 million of the request was passed in December.

    Now, Democrats are urging the House and Senate foreign relations committees to follow through with the remaining funds, while the top Republicans on the panels question the spending and its transparency.

    “The human suffering and devolving crisis in Haiti is tragic. Yet, after years of discussions, repeated requests for information, and providing partial funding to help them plan, the administration only this afternoon sent us a rough plan to address this crisis,” Rep. Michael McCaul (R-Texas), chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, and Sen. Jim Risch (R-Idaho), ranking member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee said in a joint statement Tuesday. 

    “Whether it’s ‘credible and implementable’ remains to be seen,” they continued. “Given the long history of U.S. involvement in Haiti with few successful results, the administration owes Congress a lot more details in a more timely manner before it gets more funding.”

    House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) painted the security funding as dire in a letter to Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) on Wednesday, saying it’s needed in order to respond to “both a human rights emergency and a pressing threat to security and stability across the Western Hemisphere.”

    “Months have passed since Secretary [of State] Antony Blinken notified Chairman Michael McCaul of his intent to support the [security] effort,” Jeffries wrote. “The situation on the ground in Haiti has rapidly deteriorated while House Republicans have refused to deliver the resources necessary to carry out this mission. Now is the time to release the full $50 million in security support.”

    Henry remains unable to return to Haiti due to violence at the country’s largest airport, stuck in Puerto Rico after a trip to Kenya to officially establish the police mission.

    He has been a core proponent of the Kenyan security force, which was organized by the United Nations Security Council last year, but has faced bureaucratic and legal hurdles since.

    A House Foreign Affairs Committee aide told The Hill that both the House and Senate panels are skeptical over the additional $40 million request, claiming the State Department has not been transparent about how the money will be spent, and how exactly it will be used to fix the country’s instability.

    The aide said the committee is most concerned with preventing an open-ended presence in Haiti funded by the U.S. government, in addition to questions over logistics and effectiveness.

    The National Security Council (NSC) rejected McCaul’s claims of poor transparency in a statement to The Hill.

    “The Administration has worked closely with congressional partners to expedite U.S. support for the MSS [Multinational Security Support] mission to Haiti, and we have fully and frequently briefed Congress on all aspects related to the MSS mission,” an NSC spokesperson said. 

    “Given the positive momentum following the Haitian-led meeting to establish a transitional presidential council, we urge Congress to partner with us and lift the holds on funding for the MSS; the people of Haiti cannot wait,” they continued.

    The State Department added that the Biden administration has held 68 briefings for members of Congress about the security force.

    U.S. financial allocation to the security mission was increased on Monday from $200 million to $300 million, with the new funding coming from the State Department. Blinken also announced an additional $33 million in humanitarian aid for the country.

    A senior State Department official told reporters Tuesday that its $100 million portion will be used to directly compensate Kenya for its contributions via a yet-to-be established U.N. trust. The remaining $200 million provided by the Department of Defense will be used to fund on-the-ground spending, including building facilities and paying salaries, he said.

    The NSC spokesperson, however, emphasized that the $40 million being held up by Congress is still essential to the mission.

    Beyond funding, however, it remains unclear if the 400 Kenyan law enforcement officers that have been trained will even be allowed to leave their home country, as the effort faces questions over legal authority in Kenya. 

    If the forces are authorized to be deployed, getting them to Haiti raises its own problems. With the airport closed to international flights for weeks due to violence in the area, simply getting the manpower and equipment to the Caribbean nation brings its own challenges.

    The mounting questions between authority, logistics and funding have raised some doubts over if the massive undertaking will go ahead at all.

    “It might be blocked in Kenyan courts. It might be blocked in the U.S. House of Representatives, and it appears to me that they need an appropriation for this to go forward,” said Brian Concannon, executive director of the Institute for Justice & Democracy in Haiti.

    Despite delays, the State Department said it has no concerns over the security plan.

    “In our conversations with Kenyan officials, both sides have stressed the importance of moving to deploy as quickly as practicable,” the State official said. “We remain confident that the mission will go forward, and in all the conversations Kenyan officials have said that they intend to go forward.”

    —Rafael Bernal contributed.

    Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

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  • Bizarre Woke Advil Ad Campaign Claims Black People Experience ‘Pain Inequity’

    Advil claims black people’s pain is misdiagnosed due to race.

    A strange ad campaign by the Advil brand claims people in the black community experience “pain inequity,” and are less believed about their pain than their non-black peers.

    In one of the most bizarre advertising stunts in recent memory, the pain relief product company in 2023 held a roundtable to hear from black people who said they were less likely to be believed by doctors about their pain issues than people of other races.

    “In July 2023, 5 members of the Black community shared their experiences with pain inequity,” Advil explained on their site. “Their stories are different, but they all have one thing in common: no one believed their pain was real.”

    An accompanying video featured a black man and woman saying, “Believe me when I say I’m in pain,” going on to claim an “Advil study” found 74% of black people felt bias in how their pain was diagnosed.

    A photo of a supermarket shelf circulating on social media shows Advil has promoted the ad campaign in stores, introducing the public to the novel idea of “pain equity.”

    The pain relief product’s woke advertising and attempts at race-baiting were slammed and mocked on social media, where Advil was accused of claiming “pain is racist.”

    It remains to be seen whether the company’s racist advertisement translates into revenue and profits, or if the public rejects the blatant attempt at race-baiting.

    The globalists are increasing their attacks on Infowars and the stakes have never been higher!

    Please consider donating and visit InfowarsStore.com for merch, nutraceuticals and survival gear.

    Follow the author on X, Facebook, Gab, Minds, Truth Social and Gettr.



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  • Enugu Court Remands 28-Year-Old For Possessing Fake Pistol

    The Suspect

    A 28-year-old Ikenna Chiege, has been remanded at the Nigerian Correctional Centre, Enugu, for allegedly being in possession of a fake pistol.

    Chiege, who was arrested at New Jerusalem, Bunker Camp 2, Coal Camp, Enugu, has been on the watchlist of the state police command over alleged criminal activities, the state Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Daniel Ndukwe, said.

    The suspect was arrested by police operatives serving at the command’s Central Police Station (CPS), working with members of the Neighbourhood Watch Group, on March 13, 2024, at about 2:20pm, Ndukwe added.

    He said, “Investigations reveal that the suspect and his accomplices at large have been on the watchlist of the police for their involvement in several cases of armed robbery, burglary, and stealing perpetrated at Coal Camp and other parts of Enugu metropolis.”

    Our correspondent reports that the suspect was sent to the correctional centre by the Enugu North Magistrates’ Court of Enugu State on March 15, 2024.

    Enugu Court Remands 28-Year-Old For Possessing Fake Pistol is first published on The Whistler Newspaper

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  • Fact Check: No, la ley propuesta en Canadá no prohíbe el cristianismo ni criminaliza las citas bíblicas

    Algunos usuarios de las redes sociales afirman que una propuesta de enmienda del código penal de Canadá prohíbe el cristianismo o permite encarcelar a los cristianos por citar la Biblia.

    “Es ilegal ser critiano en canada ley C-367”, dice el pie de foto de una publicación en TikTok del 9 de marzo. La creadora del video dice que “puedes ir a la cárcel” y añade que “En Canadá quieren pasar una ley llamada C-367 donde las personas que son cristianas o practican cierta religión pueden ir preso”.

    (Captura de pantalla del video de TikTok)

    La publicación fue marcada como parte del esfuerzo de Meta para combatir las noticias falsas y la desinformación en su plataforma. (Lea más sobre nuestra colaboración con Meta, propietaria de Facebook e Instagram).

    Encontramos otras publicaciones en redes sociales diciendo cosas similares.

    El proyecto de ley C-367 fue presentado en noviembre por Yves-François Blanchet, líder del partido canadiense Bloc Québécois. Pero este proyecto no ha sido aprobado. 

    El proyecto de ley no menciona el cristianismo ni ninguna otra religión. Busca eliminar las exenciones religiosas como defensa para incitar al odio, el antisemitismo o la violencia, según su autor. No prohíbe el cristianismo y no conduciría a arrestos simplemente por citar la Biblia. Según los términos del proyecto de ley, alguien podría ser detenido si cita la Biblia a la vez que incita a la violencia y denigra a un grupo, pero citar la Biblia no es en sí un delito, dijeron expertos a PolitiFact.

    ¿Qué es el proyecto de ley C-367?

    El proyecto de ley busca modificar el Código Penal de Canadá en una sección sobre propaganda del odio. Propone dos cambios en el código.

    • En primer lugar, propone derogar el párrafo 319(3)(b) del código, que decía que una persona no puede ser condenada por un delito de promoción deliberada del odio “si, de buena fe, la persona expresó o intentó establecer mediante un argumento una opinión sobre un tema religioso o una opinión basada en una creencia en un texto religioso”.

    • En segundo lugar, propone derogar el párrafo 319(3.1)(b), que decía que una persona no puede ser condenada por promoción voluntaria del antisemitismo “si, de buena fe, expresó o intentó establecer mediante un argumento una opinión sobre un tema religioso o una opinión basada en una creencia en un texto religioso”.

    En un debate el 28 de noviembre en el Parlamento canadiense, Blanchet dijo al Primer Ministro Justin Trudeau que el proyecto de ley respondía a las amenazas contra la comunidad judía.

    “En los últimos días se han oído disparos en Montreal. Se han roto ventanas y se han hecho grafitis dirigidos específicamente contra la comunidad judía”, dijo Blanchet. “Se teme que estas acciones hayan sido de algún modo alentadas por una excepción del Código Penal que permite la incitación al odio y la incitación a la violencia”.

    La propuesta de Blanchet no hace referencia al cristianismo, pero los críticos sostienen que los cambios podrían dar lugar a cargos contra un cristiano que hiciera declaraciones contrarias a la comunidad LGBTQ+.

    Joanie Riopel, secretaria de prensa del Bloc Québécois, que dirige Blanchet, declaró a PolitiFact que, en el contexto de la guerra entre Israel y Hamás, el discurso del odio, la violencia y el antisemitismo han aumentado en Quebec y Canadá. Riopel citó a un predicador religioso de Montreal que pidió la muerte de los sionistas en una manifestación propalestina.

    Por ello, el Bloc Québécois propuso el proyecto de ley C-367, “cuyo único propósito es eliminar las exenciones religiosas para la incitación pública al odio, la promoción deliberada del odio y la promoción deliberada del antisemitismo”, dijo Riopel.

    El código en su forma actual “permite a cualquiera esconderse detrás de la religión en el contexto de la incitación pública al odio”, dijo Riopel.

    El proyecto de ley sólo ha superado la primera de las tres lecturas obligatorias en la Cámara de los Comunes. Si se aprueba allí, también tendría que superar tres lecturas en el Senado.

    En febrero, Alexis Brunelle-Duceppe, otro miembro del Bloc Québécois, presentó un proyecto de ley similar en la Cámara de los Comunes, el proyecto de ley C-373. Tampoco ha pasado más allá de la primera lectura, pero, debido a las normas parlamentarias, se debatiría antes que la C-367. El debate en segunda lectura de la C-373 debería tener lugar antes del 30 de junio, según Riopel.

    La opinión de los expertos

    El proyecto de ley propuesto no prohibiría el cristianismo, dijo Richard Moon, profesor de derecho de la Universidad de Windsor que investiga la libertad religiosa y la libertad de expresión.

    “La prohibición del discurso de odio en el Código Penal sólo se aplica a los discursos que vilipendian a los miembros de un determinado grupo (racial, religioso, etc.). El discurso debe ser extremo, por ejemplo, describir a los miembros del grupo como infrahumanos o intrínsecamente peligrosos”, dijo Moon. “No estoy seguro de qué podría decir un cristiano que sería tan extremo”.

    Moon dijo que un cristiano que simplemente dijera que la homosexualidad es pecado no se consideraría discurso de odio, pero decir que los homosexuales son pedófilos quizas sí.

    “Pero esa no es, que yo sepa, la opinión de ningún grupo cristiano, o al menos de ningún grupo mayoritario”, dijo Moon.

    Emmett Macfarlane, profesor de ciencias políticas de la Universidad de Waterloo que estudia el discurso de odio en internet y la libertad de expresión, calificó las afirmaciones sobre el proyecto de ley C-367 de “tonterías en su mayoría”.

    Macfarlane dijo que hay un listón muy alto en la ley canadiense para que una expresión se considere promoción deliberada del odio o del antisemitismo. A lo que añadió que se han presentado pocos cargos sobre el tema. 

    Según Macfarlane, eliminar las exenciones religiosas de la ley no impedirá que la gente cite pasajes de la Biblia u otros textos en general.

    “Es casi seguro que un individuo tendría que incorporar un discurso extremo e incendiario adicional en su expresión para incumplir la ley, con o sin las exenciones”, dijo él.

    Nuestro veredicto

    Una publicación en TikTok dice que, “en Canadá quieren pasar una ley llamada C-367 donde las personas que son cristianas o practican cierta religión pueden ir preso”.

    Pero el proyecto de ley no menciona el cristianismo ni busca prohibir ninguna religión. En respuesta a la retórica antisemita durante la guerra entre Israel y Hamás, su autor propuso enmendar el código penal canadiense relativo al discurso de odio para eliminar la religión como defensa para la incitación pública al odio o al antisemitismo. El proyecto no ha progresado en la Cámara de los Comunes y no está cerca de convertirse en ley.

    Según los expertos, la simple cita de un texto religioso como la Biblia no daría lugar a cargos por discurso de odio, a menos que fuera acompañada de un lenguaje extremo y explícito. 

    Calificamos la afirmación como Falsa.

    Una versión de este artículo fue escrito originalmente en inglés y traducido por Marta Campabadal.

    Read a version of this article in English.

    Lea más reportes de PolitiFact en Español aquí.

    Debido a limitaciones técnicas, partes de nuestra página web aparecen en inglés. Estamos trabajando en mejorar la presentación.



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  • Luis Matos should be SF Giants’ Opening Day right fielder

    Luis Matos deserves to be the Giants’ Opening Day right fielder this season.

    He, at the very least, deserves to make the Giants’ big-league roster to start the season.

    But I don’t expect either of those things to happen by the time the Giants break camp in Arizona next week.

    And if that prediction comes to pass, the Giants are making a mistake.

    Matos, once the Giants’ No. 4 overall prospect, is ripping up the Cactus League. In his 31 at-bats going into Friday, he had nine runs, nine hits, seven RBI, three home runs, and was slashing .290/.371/.742.

    Sure, it’s a small sample size, but those are big, big numbers. Lineup-changing numbers, even with an inevitable drop-off.

    And it’s not luck that has Matos raking, it’s hard work behind the scenes. The shine might be off him as a prospect — he fell to No. 7 on MLB’s top Giants prospects list this year after making his big league debut and playing 76 games last season — but he’s become a true professional over the last two seasons and looks poised to make some noise as a big leaguer.

    This is fun. This is exciting. He’s a testament to the Farhan Zaidi front office. This is exactly the kind of player the Giants need heading into 2024.

    But instead of putting Matos on the 26-man Opening Day roster, I suspect the Giants will keep four outfielders: Michael Conforto in left, Jung Hoo Lee in center, and Austin Slater and Mike Yastrzemski platooning in the right field.

    Both Slater and Yaz have struggled this spring. Yes, they’re coming off injuries, but Yaz is 1-for-11 going into Friday, and Slater is 0-for-7.

    Even if they have a great final week in Arizona, that’s a lot of “meh.”

    Slater will stay because of his glove, and the Giants will stay with Yaz because they’re paying him nearly $8 million, and his good months (amid his month-on, month-off schedule) are strong.

    Still, Slater is a platoon-only bat whose strong glove is no longer needed in the center with Lee’s arrival.

    And Yaz is no longer the player who received MVP votes in 2020. He’s going into his age-34 season and is a low-average hitter with a slightly above-average slugging percentage (.430) over the last three seasons. I doubt anyone will select him in your fantasy baseball league.

    And Matos has beaten both players out in camp.

    A fair competition? Perhaps not, given Slater’s and Yaz’s late starts.

    But baseball has never been fair. Just look at the Dodgers’ lineup — being conservative isn’t going to beat that.

    And for a team that clearly needs some bop in the lineup, I’m not too fond of the message that sending the best hitter in spring to Triple-A sends to the team.

    In Matos, we have a guy who has done exactly what the Giants have asked of him the last two offseasons: He developed better plate discipline for 2023 and added serious muscle to help him turn warning-track fly balls into homers for 2024. And the team still won’t bet on him.

    Matos has a ton of talent. That’s what got him to the big leagues last season.

    But it’s the ability to adjust your game that keeps you in the big leagues. Matos is showing he can make adjustments. Yet he’s not going to be a big leaguer for a team that isn’t exactly pushing out Mike Trout and Ronald Acuña every day.

    The notion that Matos needs more seasoning at Triple-A — and that will be what is pushed — is just a cover for the organization wanting to take the easy route, the conservative angle.

    I’m sure that will sell some tickets.

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  • Don Lemon Says Elon Musk Canceled His Deal With X After ‘Tense’ Interview

    Don Lemon attends the 2023 Time100 Gala at Jazz at Lincoln Center on April 26, 2023 in New York City. (Arturo Holmes/WireImage/Getty Images via CNN Newsource)

    By Oliver Darcy, CNN

    New York (CNN) — Don Lemon’s partnership with Elon Musk went down in flames Wednesday, hours after the former CNN anchor conducted an interview with the erratic billionaire for the debut episode of his new independent web-based show.

    “Elon publicly encouraged me to join X with a new show, saying I would have his ‘full support,’” Lemon said in a statement, adding that he took Musk at his word that he was “interested in working directly with diverse voices.”

    Lemon said the sit-down he conducted with Musk for the first episode of “The Don Lemon Show,” which will be released Monday on social media platforms including X and YouTube, was “respectful and wide ranging” and that “there were no restrictions on the interview that he willingly agreed to.”

    “His commitment to a global town square where all questions can be asked and all ideas can be shared seems not to include questions of him from people like me,” Lemon added.

    In a video posted on his Instagram page Wednesday, Lemon took further aim at Musk’s claim to be a “free speech absolutist.”

    “Throughout our conversation I kept reiterating to him, although it was tense at times, I thought it was good for people to see our exchange,” Lemon said. “But apparently free speech absolutism doesn’t apply when it comes to questions about him from people like me.”

    A spokesperson for X did not immediately respond to a request for comment. But a spokesperson for Lemon told CNN that the media personality expects Musk to honor the financial terms of the agreement.

    “Don has a deal with X and expects to be paid for it,” the spokesperson said. “If we have to go to court we will.”

    Musk has claimed to believe in free speech absolutism, but he has repeatedly taken steps to limit the speech of critics. The billionaire has at times suspended journalists from his platform and filed lawsuits against watchdogs for publishing reports critical of X.

    While Musk frequently launches ugly attacks on journalists and traditional news organizations, he has simultaneously elevated conspiracy theories and extremist rhetoric.

    Last year, Musk endorsed an antisemitic conspiracy theory, which resulted in droves of advertisers fleeing X. Only then, days afterward, did Musk publicly express remorse for his actions.

    Lemon was ousted from CNN last year, in a decision that the longtime anchor said left him “stunned.” No specific reason was given by CNN for Lemon’s dismissal, but it came after he was widely criticized for making sexist comments about then-GOP presidential candidate Nikki Haley. Lemon apologized for the remarks at the time, saying, “When I make a mistake, I own it. And I own this one as well.”

    The-CNN-Wire
    & © 2024 Cable News Network, Inc., a Warner Bros. Discovery Company. All rights reserved.



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  • United Airlines Boeing plane lands without external panel

    An external panel was found to be missing from a Boeing United Airlines flight after it landed in southern Oregon on Friday.

    United Flight 433, which departed from San Francisco at 10:20 a.m., landed in Medford, Ore., just before noon. The external panel was determined to be missing from the underside of the Boeing 737-800 aircraft after it was parked at the gate at Rogue Valley International-Medford Airport, according to United Airlines.

    The aircraft, which was carrying 139 passengers and six crew members, did not declare an emergency, as there was no indication of damage during the flight.

    In a statement provided to The Hill, the company said it will conduct an investigation into the incident.

    “We’ll conduct a thorough examination of the plane and perform all the needed repairs before it returns to service. We’ll also conduct an investigation to better understand how this damage occurred,” United said.

    Airport Director Amber Judd said no debris was located after the plane landed.

    “Normal operations at MFR resumed a few minutes later,” Judd told The Hill.

    Boeing referred The Hill to United Airlines for information about their fleet and operations when contacted for comment.

    The incident occurred two months after a Boeing 737 Max plane, operated by Alaska Airlines, lost a door panel mid-flight. The Department of Justice has since opened a criminal investigation into the Jan. 5 incident.

    Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

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