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Anti-Russia guerrillas in Belarus take on ‘two-headed enemy’

Published Thu, 26 Dec 2024 05:56:50 GMT

After Russia invaded Ukraine, guerillas from Belarus began carrying out acts of sabotage on their country’s railways, including blowing up track equipment to paralyze the rails that Russian forces used to get troops and weapons into Ukraine.In the most recent sabotage to make international headlines, they attacked a Russian warplane parked just outside the Belarusian capital.“Belarusians will not allow the Russians to freely use our territory for the war with Ukraine, and we want to force them to leave,” Anton, a retired Belarusian serviceman who joined a group of saboteurs, told The Associated Press in a phone interview.“The Russians must understand on whose side the Belarusians are actually fighting,” he said, speaking on the condition that his last name be withheld for security reasons.More than a year after Russia used the territory of its neighbor and ally to invade Ukraine, Belarus continues to host Russian troops, as well as warplanes, missiles and other weapons. ...

Czech Republic beats China 8-5 in World Baseball Classic

Published Thu, 26 Dec 2024 05:56:50 GMT

TOKYO (AP) — Martin Muzik hit a three-run homer in the top of the ninth inning and the Czech Republic beat China 8-5 on Friday in the World Baseball Classic.The Czech Republic overcame a 5-4 deficit in the ninth, with Filip Smola adding an RBI single in the team’s first game in Group A. Matej Mensik also homered for the Czechs, connecting in the third. Marek Minarik was the winner, closing with 2 2/3 scoreless innings.Hai Cheng Gong took the loss as China dropped to 0-2. It lost 8-1 to Japan on Thursday.The all-amateur Czech team has had fun in Japan. A few of the players even went surfing in the run-up to the tournament during games in Miyazaki in southwestern Japan.“We’re enjoying the Japanese stay,” player Marek Chlup said. “At Miyazaki, some players swam.”Source

Arizona State upsets 3-seed USC in Pac-12 quarterfinals

Published Thu, 26 Dec 2024 05:56:50 GMT

LAS VEGAS (AP) — Desmond Cambridge Jr. hit six of Arizona State’s 14 3-pointers and scored 27 points as the sixth-seeded Sun Devils upset USC, the No. 3 seed, 77-72 in a Pac-12 Conference tournament quarterfinal on Thursday night.The Sun Devils (22-11) will face Arizona in the second of Friday’s semifinal. Arizona State stunned the Wildcats on a 60-foot shot at the buzzer by Cambridge February 25 in Tucson.Cambridge opened the game by hitting from beyond the arc and, after adding a jumper, DJ Horne followed suit to give the Sun Devils a quick, 8-0 lead they never relinquished. The lead reached 15 points after an 8-0 run capped by a Cambridge 3 that made it 36-21 and Arizona State held a 39-25 lead at intermission. USC cut its deficit to single digits midway through the second half after Drew Peterson hit a pair of free throws to make it 52-43 but Duke Brennan answered with a layup that pushed it back to double digits. Cambridge and Alonzo Gaffney hit back-to-back 3s to m...

Police say 8 people killed in shooting at Jehovah’s Witness hall in Germany, apparently including the shooter

Published Thu, 26 Dec 2024 05:56:50 GMT

HAMBURG, Germany (AP) — Police say 8 people killed in shooting at Jehovah’s Witness hall in Germany, apparently including the shooter.Source

Niega relación impropia: jefe de la OEA hizo 34 viajes con empleada que era su pareja

Published Thu, 26 Dec 2024 05:56:50 GMT

MIAMI — El secretario general de la Organización de los Estados Americanos (OEA) realizó 34 viajes de trabajo con una empleada con la que mantuvo una prolongada relación íntima, según registros de viajes descubiertos por The Associated Press.Los hechos se conocen en momentos en que se espera que una investigación externa concluya este mes para determinar si el romance de Luis Almagro con una empleada mexicana de la OEA dos décadas menor que él violó el código de ética de la organización con sede en Washington.Los viajes juntos, todos menos uno entre julio de 2018 y diciembre de 2019, incluyeron una visita de cuatro días a Oxford, Inglaterra, para dar una charla sobre América Latina, una conferencia de editores de periódicos en Cartagena, Colombia, y un viaje a Miami para recibir el premio “Executive Mastermind Latino”.Los detalles de los viajes se encontraron en informes públicos que aparecen sepultados en el sitio web de la organización. Se trata de reportes que se le pidió al secr...

Charlotte FC hosts Atlanta United in Eastern Conference action

Published Thu, 26 Dec 2024 05:56:50 GMT

Atlanta United FC (1-0-1) vs. Charlotte FC (0-2-0)Charlotte, North Carolina; Saturday, 12 p.m. ESTFANDUEL SPORTSBOOK MLS LINE: Charlotte FC +131, Atlanta United FC +190, Draw +252; over/under is 2.5 goalsBOTTOM LINE: Charlotte FC and Atlanta United hit the pitch in Eastern Conference action.Charlotte compiled a 13-18-3 record overall in the 2022 season while finishing 10-6-1 in home matches. Charlotte scored 44 goals a season ago while allowing opponents to score 52.United put together a 10-14-10 record overall in 2022 while finishing 2-10-5 in road matches. United scored 48 goals last season while allowing opponents to score 54.NOT EXPECTED TO PLAY: Charlotte: Vinicius Mello (injured), Adam Edouard Armour (injured), Guzman Corujo (injured), Kristijan Kahlina (injured).United: Machop Chol (injured), Tyler Wolff (injured), Santiago Sosa (injured), Giorgos Giakoumakis (injured), Osvaldo Alonso (injured).___The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skriv...

Southern Utah edges Utah Tech 76-75 in WAC quarterfinal

Published Thu, 26 Dec 2024 05:56:50 GMT

LAS VEGAS (AP) — Jason Spurgin led third-seeded Southern Utah with 19 points and sealed the victory with a layup with 53 seconds remaining as the Thunderbirds turned back upset-minded Utah Tech, the tournament’s No. 11 seed, 76-75 on Thursday in the Western Athletic Conference tournament quarterfinals.Spurgin also contributed eight rebounds for the Thunderbirds (20-11). Drake Allen scored 13 points while shooting 5 for 10 (0 for 3 from 3-point range) and 3 of 6 from the free throw line, and added seven assists. Maizen Fausett shot 6 for 11, including 0 for 5 from beyond the arc to finish with 13 points.The Trailblazers (13-18) were led by Cameron Gooden, who recorded 35 points. Jacob Nicolds added eight points and six rebounds for Utah Tech. Isaiah Pope also had eight points.Southern Utah went into halftime leading Utah Tech 39-38. Spurgin put up 13 points in the half. Allen put up 11 points in the second half for Southern Utah.___The Associated Press created this story using ...

MIAA statewide tournament scores and highlights from Thursday

Published Thu, 26 Dec 2024 05:56:50 GMT

BOYS HOCKEYRyan Davis and Braden Knapp scored, while Griffin Starr registered the shutout as No. 6 Nantucket (15-6) advanced to the Div. 4 state semifinals with a 2-0 win over No. 19 Amesbury. … Colin McIver scored twice and dished an assist, pacing second-seeded Sandwich (18-4-1) to a 4-1 win over No. 7 Dennis-Yarmouth.BOYS BASKETBALLSam Fleming and Kenny Rogers each scored 19 points as No. 3 Springfield International (21-2) advanced to the Div. 4 semifinals with a 66-64 win over Monument Mountain.GIRLS BASKETBALLHijjah Allen-Paisley scored 13 points as No. 1 Cathedral (18-5) defeated No. 8 Mashpee 75-54 in a Div. 4 quarterfinal contest.In a Div. 5 quarterfinal, Mia Molinari led the way with 16 points as top-seeded Millis (15-8) defeated eighth-seeded Palmer, 50-41. FOOTBALLBoston Herald All-Scholastics Carson Browne and Mikey Nabbout from Division 1 state champion St. John’s Prep headline a group selected as the 2023 recipients of the prestigious National Football Found...

French church abuse victims get reparations, and recognition

Published Thu, 26 Dec 2024 05:56:50 GMT

PARIS (AP) — “I came back to life.”Like other victims of child abuse by priests, 52-year-old Stéphane said getting an official recognition from France’s Catholic Church of what happened is helping him get better, at last.Stéphane is among 201 victims granted financial or other reparations from the church so far under a process launched last year by an independent French body leading a nationwide effort to address decades of long-hidden, widespread abuse. Hundreds of other people are awaiting review of their cases.Reparations also may include non-financial support. Requests have included help for victims to write down their stories, organizing meetings with local church representatives, or installing a plaque in memory of victims. The head of the Independent National Authority for Recognition and Reparation, or INIRR, is also supporting a demand to change the name of a plaza named after an archbishop who actively covered up sexual abuse.Stéphane said he was raped by a priest wh...

Papua rebels release videos showing kidnapped NZ pilot alive

Published Thu, 26 Dec 2024 05:56:50 GMT

JAYAPURA, Indonesia (AP) — Separatist rebels in Indonesia’s Papua province released more photos and videos Friday appearing to show the New Zealand pilot they took hostage last month alive.In a video distributed Friday by rebel spokesperson Sebby Sambom, a man wearing a blue jacket is identified as Philip Mark Mehrtens of Christchurch, a pilot for Indonesian aviation company Susi Air who was abducted by independence fighters from the West Papua Liberation Army, the armed wing of the Free Papua Movement. He sat at a wooden block on the ground surrounded by separatists holding various weapons, with the morning star flag that is a separatist symbol. Mehrtens was instructed to read a statement from a piece of paper he held. He said foreign pilots weren’t allowed to work or fly in Papua until it is independent, and that the Free Papua Movement requested the United Nations mediate independence negotiations.In a separate video, Mehrtens delivered a message to his family asking them t...