This is the Shohei Ohtani effect.Ohtani hit a grand slam in the second inning on Friday at the World Baseball Classic, pushing Japan to a quick 4-0 lead over Taiwan. He also doubled in his first at-bat in the first inning.That was the early game action.He also put on a giant show in batting practice hours before the game even started, thrilling many who had traveled from afar to see him.Lia Chan and her husband How and other family members flew in from Singapore about a seven-hour flight to Tokyo just to watch Ohtani play in the World Baseball Classic.And baseball is not even popular in Singapore, said Lia, who was seated a few rows behind home plate. We know about baseball, we watch it, but when Ohtani came along it's just gone out of proportions."Lia, her husband and other Singaporeans in their group were among some 40,000 in the stadium oohing-and-aahing on Friday, and this was only for batting practice hours before the second Pool C game.Ohtani knows about drama.He kept the crowd waiting for perhaps 30 minutes as other Japanese players practiced and hundreds of reporters with cameras, phones and tripods milled around in a penned-off area on the field.Finally, Ohtani emerged from the dugout and waited his turn around the batting cage, hugged a few players, made small talk, and greeted some fans in an area for sponsors.Fans in the stands stood to get a better look. But they were asked to sit down by attendants holding signs in Japanese and English that read: Please watch from your seats.Ohtani took about 25 swings, hit about 10 balls out of the park and another few against the outfield wall.When batting practice ended, he jogged out to thank the batting practice pitcher, bowed slightly, and gathered a few loose balls and tossed them into the hopper. Then with a bat in each hand, he trotted off the field to prepare for the game against Taiwan.Who does things like that?" Lia said. He's in another league.___AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb

This is the Shohei Ohtani effect.Ohtani hit a grand slam in the second inning on Friday at the World Baseball Classic, pushing Japan to a quick 4-0 lead over Taiwan. He also doubled in his first at-bat in the first inning.That was the early game action.He also put on a giant show in batting practice hours before the game even started, thrilling many who had traveled from afar to see him.Lia Chan and her husband How and other family members flew in from Singapore about a seven-hour flight to Tokyo just to watch Ohtani play in the World Baseball Classic.And baseball is not even popular in Singapore, said Lia, who was seated a few rows behind home plate. We know about baseball, we watch it, but when Ohtani came along it's just gone out of proportions."Lia, her husband and other Singaporeans in their group were among some 40,000 in the stadium oohing-and-aahing on Friday, and this was only for batting practice hours before the second Pool C game.Ohtani knows about drama.He kept the crowd waiting for perhaps 30 minutes as other Japanese players practiced and hundreds of reporters with cameras, phones and tripods milled around in a penned-off area on the field.Finally, Ohtani emerged from the dugout and waited his turn around the batting cage, hugged a few players, made small talk, and greeted some fans in an area for sponsors.Fans in the stands stood to get a better look. But they were asked to sit down by attendants holding signs in Japanese and English that read: Please watch from your seats.Ohtani took about 25 swings, hit about 10 balls out of the park and another few against the outfield wall.When batting practice ended, he jogged out to thank the batting practice pitcher, bowed slightly, and gathered a few loose balls and tossed them into the hopper. Then with a bat in each hand, he trotted off the field to prepare for the game against Taiwan.Who does things like that?" Lia said. He's in another league.___AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb

Fernando Alonso finds himself in a "hard mental place" according to Aston Martin team principal Adrian Newey, as the British squad's nightmare start to the 2026 season continued at the Australian Grand Prix.The team's practice sessions exposed the full scale of their crisis, with their car finishing a staggering 4.9 seconds adrift of the frontrunners.Persistent Honda engine reliability issues restricted Aston Martin to just 17 laps throughout the opening day in Melbourne.The two-time world champion missed the first practice session entirely due to a power-unit failure.TRENDINGStoriesVideosYour SaySuch a deficit is unprecedented for a team backed by billionaire funding and boasting one of motorsport's greatest designers at the helm.This situation carries painful echoes for the 44-year-old Spaniard, who endured three frustrating seasons with Honda power at McLaren between 2015 and 2017 before that partnership collapsed.Beyond the performance woes, both Alonso and teammate Lance Stroll now face potential health concerns, with revelations on Thursday that engine vibrations pose a risk of nerve damage to the drivers.Whether the car can even finish Sunday's race remains deeply uncertain given the ongoing technical troubles.Newey's own Red Bull machinery denied Alonso at least two additional championship victories during his Ferrari tenure in 2010 and 2012, making their long-awaited collaboration all the more bittersweet under these circumstances.Despite the current turmoil, Newey spoke glowingly of his driver's exceptional qualities.LATEST SPORTS NEWS:Donald Trump praises Lionel Messi decision as Inter Miami team visit White HouseIf Tottenham get sucked into the Championship vortex there might be no escapeRugby club erases women's team and plays in new 'open' division to accommodate trans athletes"Fernando is one of the true greats. His ability, his talent, his all-round capability, he should have won, in truth, far more than the two championships he has to his name and however many races wins," Newey said.The team principal noted that Alonso shows no signs of decline at 44, highlighting his sharp eyesight and boasting that he recorded the fastest reaction times off the starting line last season.Newey acknowledged the team had anticipated difficulties, describing 2026 as a "build year" following a compressed development schedule on the chassis, but admitted the engine problems had created an unwelcome distraction.The root cause of Honda's struggles traces back to their decision to withdraw from Formula One in 2021, only to reverse course when new regulations were announced for this season.Newey revealed the team only learned of the engine problems in November, when he visited Honda's Tokyo headquarters alongside owner Lawrence Stroll and strategy chief Andy Cowell to address rumours about power targets."Out of that came the fact that many of the original workforce had not returned when they restarted," Newey explained, estimating that roughly 30 per cent of the original engineering team came back, with many former staff having moved into other industries such as solar energy.Competitors had continued development through 2021-22 without budget restrictions, leaving Honda unable to close the gap.How Aston Martin fare on Sunday, when the Australian Grand Prix commences, remains to be seen. Our Standards: The GB News Editorial Charter

Russian soldiers injured in the war against Ukraine would be welcome to compete at future Paralympic Games, says International Paralympic Committee president Andrew Parsons.

The milestone procedure went well, with patient Paul Buxton saying he felt "fantastic".

Nearly 80 people fell ill with a suspected norovirus outbreak on a major cruise ship in February.On March 1, The Centre for Health Protection (CHP) boarded Holland America's Westerdam ship to investigate a massive outbreak in Hong Kong.Among the approximately 2,800 passengers on board, 65 guests and 11 crew members developed symptoms of acute gastroenteritis. Symptoms included diarrhea, vomiting and fever.CDC INVESTIGATES NEW CRUISE SHIP OUTBREAK AFTER DOZENS REPORT GASTROINTESTINAL ILLNESS"During the previous voyage of Westerdam from Yokohama, Japan to Hong Kong, a number of guests reported symptoms of gastrointestinal illness," Holland America told Fox News Digital in a shared statement."The cases were mostly mild and quickly resolving," the statement continued."As a precaution and consistent with our standard protocols, we implemented enhanced sanitation procedures and conducted additional deep cleaning when the ship completed its sailing in Hong Kong," the cruise line added.CDC REPORTS FIRST CRUISE NOROVIRUS OUTBREAK THIS YEAR, AS NEARLY 90 PEOPLE ARE INFECTEDThe ship had calls at ports including Japan, Busan in Korea, and Shanghai on the Chinese Mainland.Testing by the ship's lab found that stool samples from seven patients tested positive for norovirus. The CHP planned to conduct additional testing."The two passengers who fell ill first boarded the cruise ship in Japan on Feb. 15 and developed symptoms on the same day," according to a press release from the Hong Kong government."Subsequently, other individuals were affected."TEST YOURSELF WITH OUR LATEST LIFESTYLE QUIZDr. Edwin Tsui, controller of the CHP, said in the release, "After inspecting the cruise ship, the CHP personnel briefed the affected individuals and the operator on health advice and necessary infection control measures, including thorough disinfection and attention to personal and environmental hygiene."The CHP suggested the Holland America ship enhance training for the cleaning staff. Passengers and crew members who were confirmed in good health were allowed to disembark.Once authorities made sure the vessel had undergone detailed cleaning and disinfection, and the hygiene conditions were viewed as satisfactory, new passengers and crew were allowed to board the cruise ship. That ship then departed Hong Kong for the Philippines.CLICK HERE FOR MORE LIFESTYLE STORIES"Given the current high activity levels of norovirus ... I urge cross-border cruise passengers and operators to pay special attention to personal, food and environmental hygiene to safeguard individual health and public health," Tsui added.Another Holland America cruise ship was also ravaged by a virus in 2026.The Holland America Line was hit with a norovirus outbreak that sickened nearly 90 passengers and crew during its Dec 28-Jan. 9 voyage, as Fox News Digital previously reported.CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR OUR LIFESTYLE NEWSLETTERThe outbreak spread on the cruise lines Rotterdam ship.That vessel departed from Fort Lauderdale, Florida, with stops in Curacao, Colombia, Costa Rica, Jamaica and other destinations, according toCruiseMapper.Eighty-one passengers plus eight crew members reported diarrhea and vomiting, the CDC's data shows.Over 2,593 passengers, plus 1,005 crew members, were on board at the time.Fox News Digital's Ashley J. DiMella contributed reporting.

Fahnentrger Jrg Wedde ist Deutschlands ltester Athlet bei den Paralympics 2026. Obwohl das deutsche Eishockeyteam seit 20 Jahren nicht qualifiziert war, reist der Fahnentrger mit paralympischer Erfahrung nach Italien.[mehr]

La Vieille Garde 1984, groupe de supporters de l'OM, a publi un communiqu incisif ce vendredi 6 mars, deux jours aprs l'immense dsillusion de l'limination en quart de finale de Coupe de France.

Two of the NRLs leading fullbacks, both Clive Churchill Medal winners, were poised to go to war and ignite Suncorp Stadium. In the end, it was hardly a fight.