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The head of Russias Wagner mercenary group, Yevgeny Prigozhin, on Saturday claimed full control of the Ukrainian city of Bakhmut, the focus of the longest and bloodiest battle of the war. Reuters could not independently confirm the claim. Prigozhin made it in a video in which he appeared in combat fatigues in front of a line of fighters holding Russian flags and Wagner banners. Today, at 12 noon, Bakhmut was completely taken, Prigozhin said. He said that his forces would withdraw from Bakhmut from 25 May for rest and retraining.

Ukraines military denied that Russias Wagner private military unit had taken full control of the ruined eastern city and said its troops were continuing to fight there. This is not true. Our units are fighting in Bakhmut, military spokesperson Serhiy Cherevatyi told Reuters.

Ukraines deputy defence minister Hanna Maliar said the situation in Bakhmut was critical, with Ukrainian troops maintaining a defence in the south-western part of the city. Heavy fighting in Bakhmut. The situation is critical, she said on the Telegram messaging app. As of now, our defenders control some industrial and infrastructure facilities in the area and the private sector.

The G7 has condemned Russias brutal war on its neighbour Ukraine in the strongest possible terms, calling it a serious violation of international law, in its final communique from this weeks summit. As part of the statement, the world leaders called for just and lasting peace and recommitted their intention to provide Ukraine with military, financial and humanitarian support.

Volodymyr Zelenskiy said he invited India to join Ukraines peace formula during his talks with the countrys prime minister, Narendra Modi, on the sidelines of the Group of Seven (G7) summit on Saturday in Japan. Zelenskiy said on the Telegram messaging app that they also discussed Ukraines needs in de-mining and mobile hospitals during their first face-to-face meeting since Russias invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, Reuters reported.

The US president, Joe Biden, will announce a $375m military aid package for Ukraine while in Hiroshima, Japan, where he is attending G7 summit, a US official has said. The official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said on Friday that the package would include artillery, ammunition and Himars rocket launchers, Reuters reported.

Western countries will be running colossal risks if they supply Ukraine with F-16 fighter jets, the Tass news agency quoted the Russian deputy foreign minister, Alexander Grushko, as saying on Saturday. The US president, Joe Biden, told G7 leaders on Friday that Washington supports joint allied training programmes for Ukrainian pilots on F-16 fighters, senior US officials said.

Pope Francis has tasked a leading Italian cardinal with a mission in hopes it can ease tensions in the Ukraine war and lead to a path of peace, the Vatican said Saturday. In a brief written statement, Vatican spokesman Matteo Bruni said that Francis had entrusted the mission to Cardinal Matteo Zuppi, who is close to the pontiff. The Associated Press reports that Bruni said the timetable and the mechanics of the mission are currently under study.

The international criminal court said on Saturday that it was undeterred after Russia put prosecutor Karim Khan on a wanted list over his issuance of an arrest warrant for president Vladimir Putin. Khan, who is British, issued an arrest warrant for Putin in March on the war crime accusation of unlawfully deporting Ukrainian children. Khans picture could be seen in the Russian interior ministrys database on Friday.

An aide to the Polish president, Andrzej Duda, has said the object that entered Polands airspace last year and was found in April was a Russian-made rocket. Associated Press reports that the aide, Pawe Szrot, said on Radio RMF FM on Friday that the nose of the rocket had been found and that it was peculiar because it was made of concrete. It was being examined by experts.

The US has said it will back a joint international effort to train Ukrainian pilots to fly F-16 and other modern fighter jets, marking a significant boost to western support for Kyiv as it prepares a major counteroffensive. The news was welcomed by Volodymyr Zelenskiy and the UK prime minister, Rishi Sunak, whose RAF will be involved in the initiative.

Zelenskiy has addressed Arab League leaders in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, and asked them not to turn a blind eye to what is happening in Ukraine. After the visit, the Saudi foreign minister declared the country to be neutral in the conflict.

The US has halted exports of a slew of consumer goods to Russia including clothes dryers, snow ploughs and milking machines out of concern the goods may be repurposed to support Moscows war in Ukraine. The list of banned consumer goods came as the Biden administration also added 71 companies to a trade blacklist.

Russia has sanctioned the former US president Barack Obama in response to the US sanctioning 300 individuals, companies and institutions. The US measures are largely targeted at energy production.

Western leaders at the Group of Seven summit in Japan have urged Russia to stop its objection to the renewal of the Black Sea grain deal and told it to halt threatening global food supplies.

The UK unveiled a swathe of new sanctions ahead of the G7 meeting in Hiroshima. Sunak announced a UK ban on imports of Russian diamonds and Russian-origin copper, nickel and aluminium. Sunak also has a self-declared mission to push India into showing greater support for Ukraine.

Hungary has stepped up threats to block further EU funds for weapons to aid Ukraine, marring a show of unity from western nations at the G7 summit.

Australia has imposed a new set of sanctions and an export ban on Russia. The sanctions will target 21 entities and three individuals, with entities including the major Russian oil company Rosneft, gold company Polyus PJSC, steel company Severstal PJSC and five banks.

The Russian government has put the British prosecutor of the international criminal court, Karim Khan, on a wanted list in an act of retribution after the Hague-based court issued an arrest warrant for Vladimir Putin for allegedly overseeing the abduction of Ukrainian children.

Ukrainian air defence claimed it destroyed 19 drones and missiles out of 28 launched on Friday morning. Three Kalibr missiles launched from the Black Sea and 16 drones were shot down. Shelling continues on an almost daily basis, a Ukrainian air force spokesperson, Yuriy Ihnat, told Ukrainian television. Lvivs governor, Maksym Kozytskyi, posted to Telegram to say five drones had been shot down overnight above his western Ukrainian region.

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Russia-Ukraine war as it happened: Kyiv says situation in Bakhmut critical after Wagner claims control of city - The Guardian

A court on Monday heard how the police started investigating seven Syrian men over suspicious jihadist activity on social media, eventually roping in the European police agency before arrests were made last month.

The men fled Syria and travelled to Malta in 2017 when Syrian government forces drove out the Isis terrorist group from the area where they lived.

Ajil Al Muhsen, 21, Adnan Maashi, 21, Yazan Abduklaziz, 26, Ahmed Kadas, 25, Khalil Al Mahmoud, 21, Ahmed Ahmed, 27 and Mohammed Mohammed, 24, were rounded up during early morning raids on April 29, just over a month after a magisterial inquiry had kicked off into their social media activity.

They are pleading not guilty to distributing material aimed at inciting terrorism, recruiting or encouraging third parties to carry out terrorist acts or planning to travel abroad as part of a terrorist plot.

They also deny receiving and providing training on the use of firearms and explosives, financing or organising overseas travel for terrorism-related training as well as spreading extremist material supporting terrorism.

All seven were remanded in custody upon arraignment.

Prosecuting officers testified about how investigations kicked off in August 2022, focusing on a group of persons who published extremist material related to Isis on their social media accounts.

Following a noticeable increase in shared content in January 2023, police sought the assistance of Europol.

A magisterial inquiry also started on March 20.

As police investigations intensified, they discovered that most of the men had originated from the Syrian desert town of Sukhnah and had travelled to Malta where they applied for asylum and were granted subsidiary protection.

They all came to Malta after 2017, the year when Isis lost control of the town after being attacked by Syrian government troops.

The men were often in touch with each other, some of them sharing the same workplace and also meeting for prayers at a Sta Venera mosque.

Following their arrests in an operation targeting various addresses in Malta, police seized electronic devices, papers, distinctive rings and other items.

Videos by Islamic State as well as Islamic songs featuring terrorist leaders and prominent Isis figures were shared on the suspects Instagram and TikTok accounts.

That material dealing with Jihad, martyrdom and Sharia law, was classified as jihadist terrorism.

It amounted to online propaganda and some of the posts had been viewed by over a hundred viewers, the officers said.

Asked by the defence whether the accused had transferred any funds to terrorist organizations, the prosecutor said that since investigations were still ongoing, he could not reply to that question.

The case continues on Thursday.

Magistrate Nadine Lia presided the hearing. Inspectors Jeffrey Cutajar and Jean Paul Attard prosecuted, assisted by AG lawyers Antoine Agius Bonnici, Francesco Refalo and Rebecca Spiteri.

Lawyers Jose Herrera, Alex Scerri Herrera, Matthew Xuereb, Alicia Borg and Robert Galea were defence counsel.

Independent journalism costs money. Support Times of Malta for the price of a coffee.

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Syrian men came to Malta after Isis lost control of their home town ... - Times of Malta

On World Hypertension Day, Dr Shahed Ahmad, National Clinical Director for Cardiovascular Disease Prevention; Helen Williams, National Specialty Advisor for Cardiovascular Disease Prevention; and Dr Sam Finnikin, National Clinical Specialist Advisor in Personalised Care for Cardiovascular Disease, outline why prioritising hypertension management can save lives and reduce health inequalities.

Poor cardiovascular health can lead to a multitude of serious health issues including heart attacks, strokes, heart failure, and the onset of vascular dementia.

In total, cardiovascular disease (CVD) contributes to a quarter of all deaths in the UK. However, CVD doesnt affect everyone equally, for example we know that people from South Asian and Black groups are at higher risk, and CVD also accounts for one-fifth of the life expectancy gap between the most and least deprived communities in England.

CVD also has a significant economic burden with around one million hospital admissions in England in 2019/20, leading to 5.5 million bed days. This costs the health system an estimated 7.4 billion and the wider economy around 15.8 billion every year.

And yet, CVD is largely preventable. This is why the NHS Long Term Plan identified it as the single biggest area where the NHS can save lives, through lifestyle changes and earlier detection and treatment.

Hypertension, or high blood pressure, is a key risk factor for CVD and affects 1 in 4 adults, half of whom are undiagnosed or their blood pressure is not controlled. Acting to lower blood pressure can reduce the risk it poses to health. A 10mmHg reduction in blood pressure results in a reduced risk of coronary heart disease (17%), stroke (27%), heart failure (28%) and all-cause mortality (13%) (Ettehad, 2016).

Understandably, hypertension management was significantly impacted during the COVID-19 pandemic. In March 2020, 67.5% of 18 to 79-year-olds with hypertension had a recorded blood pressure within target, but by March 2021 this had fallen to 46.1%.

The latest data shows recovery is underway, but the national ambition is to ensure 80% of patients with hypertension are treated to target by 2029, with a key objective for systems to increase blood pressure control to 77% by March 2024.

Last year, NHS England set out our approach to CVD prevention recovery detailing four high-impact areas that are driving the detection, monitoring and treatment of high-risk conditions. Some examples of how this has been put into practice include:

We have also seen many examples of teams adopting their own innovative solutions to improve hypertension control. Examples include Bharani Medical Centre in Slough who reaped the benefits of proactively improving their practices control rates, and a project led by two GP practices in Lambeth which had a particular focus to improve control of hypertension among people of black African and black Caribbean descent.

Underpinning all of this is the application of population health management principles to target our resources and taking a personalised care approach that is responsive to our patients needs.

Supported self-management can enable patients to monitor their blood pressure at home and, with support from social prescribers or health and wellbeing coaches, make positive lifestyle changes, such as losing weight or stopping smoking.

Many people struggle to engage with health services which can make identifying and managing people with high blood pressure a challenge. Tackling this involves Making Every Contact Count, engaging with local communities and utilising the existing resources such as peer support and voluntary, community and social enterprise organisations. Bridging the gap to healthcare services could help reduce health inequalities and improve health.

Focusing on CVD prevention is one of the most clinical and cost-effective ways of improving the health of our communities. A lot of great work is already being done in this area, and by applying the data we have, working across the whole of health and social care and engaging with the community, we can go further and realise the improvements that are yet to be made.

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NHS England Under control: why getting to grips with blood ... - NHS England

Which MLB team does the best job developing pitching talent?

It's a simple question, but finding an answer is not so easy, especially when you consider the volatile nature of most pitchers on a yearly basis outside of top-of-the-rotation starters and elite closers.

Earlier this year, we published articles looking at which MLB teams have the most homegrown talent and which teams do the best job uncovering impact talent on the international market. However, it's not always the organization that a player starts his pro career playing for that unlocks his full potential.

Right-hander Jason Adam was a fifth-round pick by the Kansas City Royals in 2010, and he spent time with the Minnesota Twins, San Diego Padres, Royals again, Toronto Blue Jays and Chicago Cubs before hitting the open market prior to the 2022 season with a 4.71 ERA in 79 career appearances in the majors.

The Tampa Bay Rays signed him to a one-year, $900,000 split contract and he promptly posted a 1.56 ERA, 0.76 WHIP and 10.7 K/9 with 2.7 WAR in 67 appearances. The Royals can't take credit for Adam developing into a bullpen ace simply because they drafted him. Instead, it was clearly the Rays who helped take his game to another level.

With that example in mind, I set out to identify which organizations do the best job developing their pitching talent.

To do that, I sorted every active pitcher who has ever had a 2-WAR season by the team they played for when producing at that level for the first time. From there, a basic scoring system was applied, awarding three points for Cy Young winners, two points for All-Stars and one point for everyone else. That method produced a preliminary ranking.

From there, things were subjectively tweaked based on recent organizational trends, and teams were sorted into tiered categories to provide a lead up to our ranking of the five teams that are best at developing pitching.

Off we go!

Boston Red Sox

The Red Sox have squeezed more than expected out of Nick Pivetta, John Schreiber and Garrett Whitlock since acquiring them from other organizations. They also helped develop Eduardo Rodriguez from a top prospect in the Baltimore organization into a quality MLB starter. Still, the pitching staff has been the weakness of the roster for some time now.

Chicago Cubs

The Cubs won a World Series with a roster built around homegrown position player talent and outside additions to the pitching staff, signing Jon Lester and John Lackey while trading for Jake Arrieta. They deserve props for developing Kyle Hendricks into a rotation staple, and left-hander Justin Steele could be on his way to becoming the club's best homegrown starter since Carlos Zambrano.

Colorado Rockies

The Rockies developed the trio of Kyle Freeland, German Marquez and Antonio Senzatela, who have all been above-average rotation options at various points. They also turned Jon Gray into a good enough pitcher for him to earn a four-year, $56 million deal when he departed in free agency. However, they have had considerably less success drafting and developing arms in the years since those guys joined the organization.

Los Angeles Angels

Pitching has been a long-standing issue for the Angels, and while things are starting to turn around, the only real pitchers they can take credit for are Patrick Sandoval and Reid Detmers, especially considering Shohei Ohtani was already a well-established star in Japan before he joined the roster. The fact that they drafted a pitcher with all 20 picks during the 2021 draftthe first team to ever do thatspeaks volumes to what an issue it has been.

Texas Rangers

Martin Prez is really the only notable starting pitcher the Rangers have developed among active starters, and it's worth noting that he spent three seasons pitching elsewhere before returning to the team for a breakout 2022 campaign. Resurrecting the career of 2004 No. 1 overall pick and former position player Matt Bush is at least worth a tip of the cap.

Detroit Tigers

Once upon a time, the Tigers would have ranked No. 1 on this list with Justin Verlander, Max Scherzer and Rick Porcello all developing into impact starters during their time with the team, while Doug Fister also found a new level of success upon joining Detroit. However, the stalled development of Casey Mize, Matt Manning and others has derailed their current rebuild.

New York Mets

The trio of Jacob deGrom, Noah Syndergaard and Matt Harvey were all developed by the Mets, with deGrom and Harvey also drafted by the organization, but they have become increasingly reliant on outside additions that first found success elsewhere. The top five prospects in the organization right now are all position players. They are leaning heavily on aging stars like Justin Verlander and Max Scherzer right now with no clear next wave of arms in the pipeline.

San Diego Padres

MacKenzie Gore (26), Michel Bez (28), Cal Quantrill (52) and Adrian Morejn (66) all earned a spot on the Baseball America Top 100 prospect list prior to the 2018 season, and it looked like the Padres would have a young, homegrown rotation to build around. Instead, those pitchers either failed to develop or ended up as early trade chips, and the team's rotation is now largely built with outside additions, including Yu Darvish, Joe Musgrove and Blake Snell.

San Francisco Giants

The Giants rattled off three World Series titles in a span of five years during the 2010s on the strength of a rotation filled with pitchers they developed in-house, including Tim Lincecum, Matt Cain, Madison Bumgarner, Jonathan Snchez, Sergio Romo, Santiago Casilla and Brian Wilson. These days, Logan Webb and Camilo Doval are the only real standout arms across baseball that they can take credit for developing into impact contributors.

St. Louis Cardinals

Not so long ago, Adam Wainwright, Lance Lynn, Michael Wacha, Joe Kelly, Shelby Miller and Trevor Rosenthal could all be pointed to as impact pitchers who were developed by the Cardinals organization. Guys like Jack Flaherty, Luke Weaver, Dakota Hudson and Alex Reyes were expected to be the next wave of arms to come out of that pipeline, but things have not gone as hoped.

Arizona Diamondbacks

Zac Gallen was traded from Miami to Arizona midway through a breakout season in 2019, so it's a coin toss as far as who gets credit for his development. Even if you pencil him into the Marlins column, the D-backs are still a staff on the rise with prospects Brandon Pfaadt, Drey Jameson, Ryne Nelson and Tommy Henry representing a bright future for the starting rotation.

Baltimore Orioles

The Orioles have done an excellent job developing Tyler Wells, Dean Kremer and Kyle Bradish into productive members of the starting rotation after none of them ever appeared on leaguewide Top 100 prospect lists. Grayson Rodriguez still checks all the boxes to be a future ace. And don't forget about former All-Star John Means who should be ready to rejoin the team by midseason as he continues his recovery from Tommy John surgery.

Pittsburgh Pirates

After taking his lumps the past few seasons, Mitch Keller has been one of the breakout stars of the 2023 season thus far, going 5-1 with a 2.38 ERA, 1.02 WHIP and 69 strikeouts in 56.2 innings. Roansy Contreras, Johan Oviedo and Luis Ortiz also appear to have a bright future, while prospects Mike Burrows and Quinn Priester could also see the majors before the season is over.

Seattle Mariners

The Mariners spent big to add Robbie Ray in free agency and to extend Luis Castillo after acquiring him from the Cincinnati Reds, but they have also developed Marco Gonzales into a rotation staple and have an up-and-coming core of pitchers led by George Kirby, Logan Gilbert and Bryce Miller. They also deserve a ton of credit for their ability to cobble together a bullpen, coaxing breakout performances from guys like Casey Sadler, Drew Steckenrider and others late in their careers.

Washington Nationals

The Nationals have added a ton of young talent the last few seasons while dismantling their roster on the trade market, and young starters Josiah Gray and MacKenzie Gore have provided the best early returns of any of their trade pickups. Consider this a TBD slot in the rankings, as a lot hinges on the continued development of their young arms.

Kansas City Royals

The Royals have had some mixed success in recent years with pitching development, and the jury is still out on their 2018 draft haul when they took Brady Singer (18), Jackson Kowar (33), Daniel Lynch (34) and Kris Bubic (40) all inside the first 40 picks. Reliever Scott Barlow and Rule 5 success story Brad Keller are among their notable success stories.

Minnesota Twins

The Twins began the year with a rotation made up entirely of players they acquired via trade, and outside of Joe Ryan, who made his MLB debut shortly after being acquired from the Tampa Bay Rays, they can't claim credit for the development of any of them. However, they did turn Jos Berros into a pitcher worthy of a nine-figure extension, while also acquiring flame-throwing closer Jhoan Duran when he was still a minor league starter in the D-backs organization.

Oakland Athletics

The Athletics have done a nice job maximizing the potential of pitchers of the years, acquiring guys like Frankie Montas, Sean Manaea, Chris Bassitt and Cole Irvin via trade and turning them into attractive trade chips. They also turned Liam Hendriks from a decent middle reliever into one of the most dominant closers in baseball. The cupboard is a bit bare at this moment, though.

Philadelphia Phillies

The Phillies developed Aaron Nola into a frontline starter and have done a nice job utilizing Ranger Surez in a variety of different roles on the staff. However, they have had a tough time building a quality bullpen since the days of Brad Lidge and Ryan Madson, and knowing when to pivot guys to that role and change their developmental path is an important part of building a staff.

Toronto Blue Jays

The Blue Jays once had a nice collection of pitchers they could claim developmental credit for, led by Marcus Stroman, Aaron Sanchez and Roberto Osuna. They still have a homegrown frontline arm in Alek Manoah, but they have been forced to invest a ton of money in the rest of their rotation due in part to their lack of in-house development. Things are moving in the right direction though with top prospect Ricky Tiedemann quickly rising the ranks.

10. Chicago White Sox

Dylan Cease and Michael Kopech were both acquired as low-level prospects, so the White Sox can take credit for an important chunk of their development. They also helped Lucas Giolito reach his full potential after his prospect stock steadily declined during his time in the Nationals organization. Will 2022 first-round pick Noah Schultz be their next developmental win?

9. New York Yankees

This season might not be the best example of pitchers the Yankees organization developed making an impact, but they've turned guys like Chad Green (11th round pick), Jonathan Loaisiga (released by Giants in 2015) and Nestor Cortes (acquired for PTBNL in 2019) into key contributors in recent years. They also got more out of Jordan Montgomery than was expected before he was traded to St. Louis, and guys like Luis Severino and Domingo German also belong in the Yankees developmental column.

8. Cincinnati Reds

The Cincinnati Reds would have a stacked rotation if the front office were willing to spend the money necessary to keep the guys they developed in-house. Luis Castillo and Tyler Mahle were both flipped for prospects last summer, just as young starters Hunter Green, Nick Lodolo and Graham Ashcraft were breaking into the majors. They also turned Aroldis Chapman and Raisel Iglesias into elite closers, and they are well on their way to doing the same with Alexis Daz.

7. Atlanta Braves

While not all of their high-ceiling pitching prospects have panned out, the Braves can point to Max Fried, Kyle Wright, Spencer Strider and Bryce Elder as success stories, and they have done a good job selling high on some of those guys that didn't develop into impact arms to address other roster needs. Will Mike Soroka shake off the rust and make an impact before the 2023 season is over?

6. Miami Marlins

The Marlins acquired Sandy Alcantara and Zac Gallen as prospects in the deal that sent Marcell Ozuna to the St. Louis Cardinals, so they deserve at least partial credit for the development of both of those frontline starters. They played an even bigger role in shaping Pablo Lpez who was pitching at High-A when he was acquired from Seattle in 2017. Left-hander Jess Luzardo broke out after coming over in a trade with Oakland, but it's worth questioning whether they mishandled Sixto Sanchez and Max Meyer.

2+ WAR Pitchers They Developed

SP Clayton Kershaw, SP Julio Uras, SP Walker Buehler, SP Tony Gonsolin, SP/RP Ross Stripling, RP Kenley Jansen, RP Evan Phillips

The resume that Clayton Kershaw has built since the Los Angeles Dodgers selected him with the No. 7 overall pick in the 2006 draft is enough on its own to elevate the team above some clubs on this list.

That said, a more impressive feather in their cap is the fantastic job they did easing Julio Uras as a young phenom. He made his MLB debut at the age of 19 and flashed elite stuff from the get-go, but they kept him to a strict innings limit for the first few years of his career, utilizing him out of the bullpen at times as well, before finally turning him loose. In a less patient organization, he might have been ruined.

Beyond those two, Dustin May (third round) and Tony Gonsolin (ninth round) have both outperformed their draft position, Evan Phillips have developed into a bullpen ace since coming to Los Angeles, and Ross Stripling was masterfully used in a swingman role

Oh yeah, they also had the foresight to move Kenley Jansen from catcher to the mound.

2+ WAR Pitchers They Developed

SP Corbin Burnes, SP Brandon Woodruff, SP Freddy Peralta, SP Eric Lauer, SP Adrian Houser, SP Zach Davies, SP Jordan Lyles, SP/RP Chase Anderson, SP/RP Jimmy Nelson, SP/RP Wily Peralta, RP Josh Hader, RP Devin Williams

The Milwaukee Brewers have built one of the best starting rotations in baseball with homegrown aces Corbin Burnes and Brandon Woodruff leading the way. Fellow All-Star Freddy Peralta was acquired from Seattle before he pitched above rookie ball, while Eric Lauer and Adrian Houser were part of larger trade packages.

In the bullpen, Josh Hader was a stuff-over-production starting pitching prospect when he was acquired from the Houston Astros and turned into one of baseball's most dominant closers. Devin Williams flamed out as a starter in the minors but reinvented himself as a lights out bullpen ace.

For an organization dealing with financial limitations, the ability to develop their own homegrown pitching and low-cost acquisitions with significant club control has been integral to their success.

2+ WAR Pitchers They Developed

SP Corey Kluber, SP Carlos Carrasco, SP Mike Clevinger, SP Shane Bieber, SP Triston McKenzie, SP Cal Quantrill, SP Aaron Civale, SP Zach Plesac, RP Emmanuel Clase

The Cleveland Guardians join the Detroit Tigers as the only teams that can take credit for the development of two Cy Young winners, with Corey Kluber winning a pair after joining the organization as a mid-level prospect and Shane Bieber winning the award in 2020 after exceeding expectations as a fourth-round pick in 2016.

However, unlike the Tigers, the Guardians have continued to successfully churn out pitching talent, and this year is no exception. Injuries have forced them to turn to rookies Logan Allen and Tanner Bibee who both look like potential rotation staples, not mention top prospects Gavin Williams and Daniel Espino.

Cal Quantrill looked like a bust in San Diego before coming to Cleveland and putting the pieces together, Triston McKenzie didn't fill out as hoped physically but has still found MLB success, and even when they traded away Kluber they managed to bring back an impact arm in Emmanuel Clase who they have molded into an elite closer.

2+ WAR Pitchers They Developed

SP Charlie Morton, SP Framber Valdez, SP Cristian Javier, SP Lance McCullers Jr., SP Jose Urquidy, SP Luis Garca, SP/RP Collin McHugh, RP Ryan Pressly, RP Chris Devenski, RP Ryne Stanek

Yes, the Houston Astros have gotten a nice boost from established veteran additions like Justin Verlander, Gerrit Cole and Zack Greinke during their recent run of success, but they also deserve a ton of credit for their ability to develop pitching.

Charlie Morton was a middling back-end starter with a 4.54 ERA and 6.3 K/9 in 893 career innings when he joined the Astros on a two-year, $14 million deal in 2017 at the age of 33. He overhauled his approach to attacking hitters and went 29-10 with a 3.36 ERA and 364 strikeouts in 313.2 innings during his time in Houston and came out the other side an in-demand free agent.

Cristian Javier, Framber Valdez, Jose Urquidy and Luis Garca all rose the minor league ranks with little fan fare as far as leaguewide prospect lists are concerned, only to form the backbone of the team's current rotation.

Collin McHugh was claimed off waivers from Colorado, Chris Devenski was acquired in the deal that sent Brett Myers to the Chicago White Sox, and Ryan Pressly went from decent middle reliever to lights out closer the second he put on an Astros jersey.

2+ WAR Pitchers They Developed

SP Blake Snell, SP Alex Cobb, SP Matt Moore, SP Jake Odorizzi, SP Shane McClanahan, SP Tyler Glasnow, SP Drew Rasmussen, SP Jeffrey Springs, SP/RP Yonny Chirinos, RP Alex Colome, RP Andrew Kittredge, RP Jason Adam, RP Emilio Pagan,

The question in my mind that launched this article was whether the Tampa Bay Rays were really that much better than everyone else around the league when it comes to not only developing their own homegrown pitching, but also finding diamonds in the rough from other organizations.

The answer is a resounding yes.

The above list focuses on players who had a 2-WAR season while breaking out in Tampa Bay, but it doesn't even include guys like Pete Fairbanks, Colin Poche, Jalen Beeks and several others who were cast off by other organizations only to emerge as low-cost contributors out of a bullpen that is consistently among the best in baseball.

It also doesn't mention Taj Bradley, who began the year as one of baseball's top pitching prospects and has the potential to be the team's next homegrown ace.

Pitching has been the lifeblood of the Tampa Bay organization for years now, and outside of signing Charlie Morton and Zach Eflin to relatively expensive deals in free agency, they have consistently built their staffs almost entirely with players they developed.

A tip of the cap to the Rays organization. No one does it better.

All stats courtesy of Baseball Reference.

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Which MLB Organization is the Best at Developing Pitching Talent? - Bleacher Report

20 May 2023

Image source, Getty Images

In Turkey's run-off election, the votes of women - representing 50.6% of the electorate - will be key

When Turkish voters return to the polls in a week's time to pick a president, their choice will make waves across the globe. Turkey's future could look very different depending on who wins - and the world is watching.

Turkey's current president, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, has been in power for two decades. He has forged bonds with both East and West, but his increasingly authoritarian rule has led to friction with some allies.

Kemal Kilicdaroglu, the opposition challenger, has promised to restore Turkey's democracy and improve human rights. Some Turks, though, question whether he has the presence on the world stage and commitment to security that Mr Erdogan has made his trademark.

Polls before the first round of the election on 14 May suggested the vote would be finely balanced between the two men. But when the ballots were counted, Mr Erdogan defied predictions, with a lead that now looks difficult for his opponent to overturn.

"Turkey is a country that I used to describe as one of our swing states," explains Baroness Ashton, the EU's former foreign policy chief.

"What happens in Turkey in terms of its democracy and in terms of its place in the region has a huge impact on Europe, on Asia, and of course on all of the global issues that we're all grappling with. So it is really important."

Since Russia's invasion of Ukraine in 2022, Turkey has cemented its position as a valuable diplomatic broker. It facilitated some early talks between the warring nations, but made a real breakthrough only when it negotiated the crucial grain deal that has kept Ukrainian exports flowing through the heavily-mined Black Sea.

President Erdogan also prides himself on the lines of communication he keeps open with everyone from the UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and US President Joe Biden to Presidents Putin of Russia and Xi of China.

Image source, Getty Images

President Erdogan has ties with a range of political leaders, from US President Joe Biden (right) to China's President Xi

"Turkey has always had this ambition to be part of the West," says Evren Balta, a professor in international relations at Istanbul's Ozyegin University.

"This has not changed in the two decades of [Mr Erdogan's AK Party] rule," Prof Balta, continues. "But Turkey's international alliances have diversified. It has pursued what we call 'strategic autonomy', the idea that countries can be in alliances or in alignments with more than one country or security umbrella."

Turkey's multiple relationships and ability to juggle them has proved valuable. But the picture is not entirely rosy.

Take the Nato military alliance for instance, where Turkish forces make up the second-biggest army. Its members readily agreed that bringing in Finland and Sweden would strengthen security for the whole bloc.

Turkey was the lone voice of dissent, slowing down Finnish membership and continuing to block Sweden's. It said it wouldn't support Swedish membership until it extradited dozens of members of the PKK, a Kurdish rebel group that has waged an armed struggle against Turkey since 1984.

Selin Nasi, the London representative of the Ankara Policy Center, thinks a change of president could be helpful for relations with Nato.

Mr Kilicdaroglu has promised to solve the so-called S400 issue - Turkey's use of a Russian missile defence system that the US deemed incompatible with its F-35 fighter jet programme. Turkey's access to F-35s was removed in 2019, but the opposition has promised to take steps to restore it.

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Kemal Kilicdaroglu (centre, with flowers) has pledged to restore democracy in Turkey and restart efforts to join the EU

"Under the current circumstances, Turkey is an ally, but its loyalty and commitment to Nato is questioned," says Nasi. "Remember the G20 summit in Bali. We came to the brink of a nuclear war.

"An emergency meeting was held there and Turkey was not invited. This displayed the ambiguous position of Turkey within Nato. In order to overcome these suspicions and judgments, I think we need to solve the S400 issue, the sooner the better."

And then there is the EU. Turkey was officially recognised as a candidate for membership in 1999. But the process stalled in 2016, with Brussels criticising the Turkish government's record on human rights and democratic freedoms.

Mr Kilicdaroglu and the opposition said they would make a renewed bid to get things moving again. But is that even a feasible aim?

Ilnur Cevik, the chief advisor to President Erdogan, does not think so. He says the opposition leader is "hallucinating".

"The EU are always putting stumbling blocks in our way to becoming a full member. [Mr Kilicdaroglu] says after he comes to power that in three months he would create the environment that the European Union would allow Turks visa-free movement, which is a load of baloney."

Faik Tunay is poetic in his reply to that. He is the deputy chair of the Democrat Party, one of the members of Mr Kilicdaroglu's opposition alliance.

"I would define the relationship between the EU and Turkey as an impossible love story," he says.

"Sure, Turkey has made a lot of mistakes. It didn't complete the homework which was given by the EU: the freedom, the democracy, the human rights or any other issues. But if Turkey can catch EU standards 100% in all aspects, then it's not important to be a member of the EU, or any other thing."

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Mr Erdogan has reshaped his country more than any leader since its modern-day founding father Mustafa Kemal Ataturk

In the original campaign, both sides promised to return as many Syrian refugees home as possible within weeks of the presidential vote. But as the run-off gets closer, that has crystallised into a key topic of discussion, with each man vying to be the most hard-line on the topic.

It's a worrying moment for Syrians, who fear they're about to be returned to a country that still isn't safe for many. That could create a headache for the wider world, too, who would have to accommodate them if Turkey puts a stop to its support.

Turkey's chequered history on rights and freedoms continues to complicate the country's relationship with the West. If the opposition wins, it insists it would make things better, and the pledge to return to democracy has been one of its key campaign messages.

"If under a different government we see any improvement on the democratic rights and freedom of expression, it would improve Turkey's image in the international arena," says the Ankara Policy Center's Selin Nasi. "An Erdogan victory would also mean that political prisoners will remain in jail."

Turkey's voters are facing a stark choice. No doubt domestic issues like the struggling economy are at the forefront of most minds as ballots are being cast. Turkey's place in the world may feel like a less important consideration to some, but the direction its next leader takes will define the future stability and success of the country for decades.

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Turkey election: Why the world is watching the presidential race - BBC