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Moscow warns Finland will ‘suffer,’ in latest round of saber rattling

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 10:20:06 GMT

Finland would be “the first to suffer” if war broke out between NATO and Russia, one of Moscow’s top diplomats said.“Since they are our neighbors, if, God forbid there is some escalation, they will be the first to suffer,” Mikhail Ulyanov, Russia’s permanent representative to international organizations in Vienna, told Russian state-owned news agency RIA Novosti in an interview published Thursday.Finland joined NATO in April this year, becoming the alliance’s 31st member, in response to Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Finland shares a 1,340-kilometer border with Russia, the longest of any NATO member.Ulyanov also hit out at Finland’s decision to sign a Defense Cooperation Agreement with the U.S. in December, giving American troops access to Finnish bases and allowing the U.S. to store military equipment on Finnish soil.“This is already a serious challenge,” he said.Finland this month temporarily closed its land border with Rus...

Celebrated South Africa playwright Mbongeni Ngema dies in car crash at 68

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 10:20:06 GMT

JOHANNESBURG (AP) — Renowned South African playwright, producer and composer Mbongeni Ngema has died in a car crash at the age of 68, his family said.“Ngema was killed in a head-on car accident while returning from a funeral he was attending in Lusikisiki in the Eastern Cape this evening,” his family said in a statement Wednesday. The celebrated playwright was a passenger in the vehicle involved in the crash. He was best known for creating the hit Sarafina! which first premiered on Broadway in 1988. It was adapted into a musical drama starring Whoopi Goldberg in 1992 which became an international success and was nominated for the Tony and Grammy Awards. Sarafina! told the story of a young student and how she inspired her peers to fight against racial segregation in apartheid South Africa after her teacher was thrown in jail. Apartheid was an institutionalized system that discriminated against non-whites and ensured South Africa was ruled by the minority white population from 1948 ti...

Precipitation moves in from the east; periods of chilly rain and breezy Thursday with possible wet snow in N/NW Suburbs

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 10:20:06 GMT

Easterly upper steering winds on north side of system will sweep moisture westward into Illinois, including the Chicago areaRain should be overspreading the metro area in the 5 to 8 a.m. Thursday. The westward-moving precipitation moves into a colder atmosphere—so it is likely to occur as wet snow over west and northwest sections of the metro area Thursday morning. There may even be some wet snowflakes mixed over sections of the city—but with the best chances of some wet snow from near the Fox Valley and to the west.Southeast-bound weather system could bring some periods of light snow New Years Eve Sunday or Sunday nightWHAT A CHANGE IN THE DECEMBER TEMP TREND THIS YEAR VERSUS LAST YEAR!DECEMBER 2023's opening 27 days will be running 8.5 degrees warmer by the close of today (Wednesday) compared to the same period a year ago. What a difference! We've logged ONLY 2 BELOW NORMAL DAYS in Chicago during the Dec. 1-27 time frame this year versus 14 BELOW NORMAL DAYS in the same period a ...

Single family residence sells for $2.5 million in Danville

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 10:20:06 GMT

7 Jillian Way – Google Street ViewA 3,314-square-foot house built in 1971 has changed hands. The spacious property located in the first block of Jillian Way in Danville was sold on Dec. 7, 2023, for $2,450,000, or $739 per square foot. This single-story home presents a roomy floor plan, featuring five bedrooms and four baths. The property is equipped with central A/C. In addition, the home is equipped with an attached three-car garage, accommodating vehicles and storage needs efficiently. The property’s backyard is further enhanced by a pool.These nearby houses have also recently been sold:A 3,383-square-foot home on the 100 block of Arends Drive in Danville sold in April 2023, for $2,135,000, a price per square foot of $631. The home has 4 bedrooms and 4 bathrooms.In July 2022, a 2,791-square-foot home on Tree Creek Place in Danville sold for $2,100,000, a price per square foot of $752. The home has 4 bedrooms and 3 bathrooms.On Arency Court, Danville, in November 2022, a 3,348-squ...

Youngblood and South Florida host Alabama State

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 10:20:06 GMT

Alabama State Hornets (4-7) at South Florida Bulls (6-4)Tampa, Florida; Friday, 7 p.m. ESTBOTTOM LINE: South Florida hosts the Alabama State Hornets after Chris Youngblood scored 23 points in South Florida’s 89-73 victory against the Albany (NY) Great Danes.The Bulls are 5-2 in home games. South Florida is ninth in the AAC with 32.2 points per game in the paint led by Selton Miguel averaging 5.2.The Hornets are 0-6 on the road. Alabama State is the SWAC leader with 24.5 defensive rebounds per game led by D’ante Bass averaging 5.5.South Florida averages 76.9 points per game, 0.8 more points than the 76.1 Alabama State gives up. Alabama State averages 7.8 made 3-pointers per game this season, 0.8 more makes per game than South Florida allows.TOP PERFORMERS: Miguel is scoring 14.3 points per game and averaging 4.1 rebounds for the Bulls. Youngblood is averaging 13.6 points and 2.3 rebounds while shooting 40.6% for South Florida.CJ Hines averages 1.5 made 3-pointers per game...

Poplar and Miami (FL) host North Florida

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 10:20:06 GMT

North Florida Ospreys (7-7) at Miami Hurricanes (9-2, 1-0 ACC)Coral Gables, Florida; Friday, 6 p.m. ESTBOTTOM LINE: Miami (FL) plays the North Florida Ospreys after Wooga Poplar scored 24 points in Miami (FL)’s 97-59 victory against the Stonehill Skyhawks.The Hurricanes have gone 7-0 at home. Miami (FL) scores 83.7 points and has outscored opponents by 12.6 points per game.The Ospreys are 1-5 on the road. North Florida is sixth in the ASUN scoring 78.4 points per game and is shooting 42.2%.Miami (FL) makes 50.5% of its shots from the field this season, which is 5.3 percentage points higher than North Florida has allowed to its opponents (45.2%). North Florida has shot at a 42.2% rate from the field this season, 0.4 percentage points fewer than the 42.6% shooting opponents of Miami (FL) have averaged.TOP PERFORMERS: Nijel Pack is averaging 12.6 points and 4.2 assists for the Hurricanes. Poplar is averaging 17.1 points and 5.6 rebounds while shooting 53.6% over the past 10 games...

Chatman and Buffalo host Niagara

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 10:20:06 GMT

Niagara Purple Eagles (3-8, 0-2 MAAC) at Buffalo Bulls (1-10)Buffalo, New York; Friday, 7 p.m. ESTBOTTOM LINE: Buffalo plays the Niagara Purple Eagles after Sy Chatman scored 21 points in Buffalo’s 72-66 loss to the Richmond Spiders.The Bulls have gone 1-4 in home games. Buffalo is seventh in the MAC with 11.9 assists per game led by Shawn Fulcher averaging 2.6.The Purple Eagles are 1-4 on the road. Niagara is 1-6 against opponents over .500.Buffalo averages 67.6 points per game, 8.7 fewer points than the 76.3 Niagara gives up. Niagara’s 46.2% shooting percentage from the field this season is 2.6 percentage points lower than Buffalo has given up to its opponents (48.8%).TOP PERFORMERS: Chatman is shooting 48.9% and averaging 16.7 points for the Bulls. Ryan Sabol is averaging 1.7 made 3-pointers over the last 10 games for Buffalo.Ahmad Henderson II is shooting 41.4% and averaging 13.8 points for the Purple Eagles. Yaw Obeng-Mensah is averaging 10.7 points over the last 10...

Oke, Montana Grizzlies take on the Weber State Wildcats

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 10:20:06 GMT

Montana Grizzlies (7-4) at Weber State Wildcats (7-4)Ogden, Utah; Thursday, 9 p.m. ESTFANDUEL SPORTSBOOK LINE: Wildcats -4.5; over/under is 132.5BOTTOM LINE: Laolu Oke and the Montana Grizzlies take on Dillon Jones and the Weber State Wildcats in Big Sky play.The Wildcats have gone 4-0 in home games. Weber State is the best team in the Big Sky at limiting opponent scoring, allowing 59.1 points while holding opponents to 42.3% shooting.The Grizzlies are 2-3 on the road. Montana averages 76.2 points and has outscored opponents by 7.0 points per game.Weber State scores 74.2 points, 5.0 more per game than the 69.2 Montana allows. Montana averages 6.5 made 3-pointers per game this season, 0.1 more makes per game than Weber State allows.The Wildcats and Grizzlies match up Thursday for the first time in Big Sky play this season.TOP PERFORMERS: Jones is averaging 17.8 points, 10.6 rebounds, 4.2 assists and 1.8 steals for the Wildcats. Steven Verplancken Jr. is averaging 12.0 points over th...

Colorado hosts Brooks and Washington

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 10:20:06 GMT

Washington Huskies (8-3) at Colorado Buffaloes (9-2)Boulder, Colorado; Friday, 9 p.m. ESTBOTTOM LINE: Washington visits the Colorado Buffaloes after Keion Brooks Jr. scored 20 points in Washington’s 73-66 win against the Eastern Washington Eagles.The Buffaloes have gone 7-0 in home games. Colorado ranks second in the Pac-12 with 19.4 assists per game led by KJ Simpson averaging 4.5.The Huskies are 1-0 on the road. Washington is 2-1 in games decided by 3 points or fewer.Colorado’s average of 7.4 made 3-pointers per game this season is just 0.7 more made shots on average than the 6.7 per game Washington gives up. Washington has shot at a 48.0% rate from the field this season, 6.0 percentage points greater than the 42.0% shooting opponents of Colorado have averaged.The Buffaloes and Huskies face off Friday for the first time in conference play this season.TOP PERFORMERS: Simpson is averaging 19.9 points, 4.5 assists and 2.1 steals for the Buffaloes.Brooks is averaging 20.1 ...

Clary and Penn State host Rider

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 10:20:06 GMT

Rider Broncs (3-9, 0-2 MAAC) at Penn State Nittany Lions (6-6, 1-1 Big Ten)University Park, Pennsylvania; Friday, 2 p.m. ESTBOTTOM LINE: Penn State faces the Rider Broncs after Kanye Clary scored 20 points in Penn State’s 72-55 win over the Le Moyne Dolphins.The Nittany Lions are 6-1 on their home court. Penn State has a 1-1 record in games decided by less than 4 points.The Broncs have gone 1-7 away from home. Rider is 1-1 in games decided by less than 4 points.Penn State’s average of 8.2 made 3-pointers per game this season is just 0.1 more made shots on average than the 8.1 per game Rider gives up. Rider averages 71.8 points per game, 0.9 more than the 70.9 Penn State allows to opponents.TOP PERFORMERS: Clary is averaging 17.3 points for the Nittany Lions. Adrian Baldwin Jr. is averaging 14.6 points over the last 10 games for Penn State.Mervin James is averaging 19.2 points and 7.5 rebounds for the Broncs. Allen Powell is averaging 10.8 points over the last 10 games fo...