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Announcing the 2023 African Writers Awards

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 17:16:52 GMT

Joey Gallo’s big day leads Twins to series sweep in Kansas City

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 17:16:52 GMT

KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Joey Gallo thought he had his first hit as a Twin on Thursday when he grounded a ball toward the right side and reached base when the right fielder, who was playing way in, bobbled the ball.Instead, it was ruled an error, leaving the first baseman hitless though on base. So Sunday, he tried a different tack: hitting the ball well over everyone’s head.Gallo went 3 for 4 with a walk on Sunday in the Twins’ 7-4 win over the Kansas City Royals at Kauffman Stadium, banging a double off the wall in right-center field in the fourth inning and then hitting his first two home runs with the Twins in the sixth and seventh innings. The second was a three-run blast that gave the Twins a five-run lead at the time.Gallo’s double was struck at 107.4 miles per hour off the bat. His two home runs, which traveled 431 and 415 feet, respectively, were hit even harder.He also scored the Twins’ second run of the day, scoring from second on Ryan Jeffers’ second RBI knock. Jeffers, making...

EagleCam eaglet dies when nest falls from tree after snowstorm

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 17:16:52 GMT

A Minnesota bald eagle nest that was being video-streamed on the state’s EagleCam fell from its tree Sunday morning, killing an eaglet that had hatched about a week earlier.“We wish we weren’t writing this post,” the Department of Natural Resources said on Facebook, “but the EagleCam nest fell out of the tree early this morning.”In an update, the agency added, “We found the chick. It did not survive the fall. If you know where the nest is, we ask that you refrain from visiting.”Condolences poured in. “My heart is broken. RIP little one,” one person wrote on Facebook. “Rest in Peace sweet chick,” another said.On the EagleCam website, DNR officials speculated that the nest was likely a victim of the weekend snowstorm that dumped eight inches on the Twin Cities and toppled many branches in the metro.“We don’t know why the nest fell, but after seeing the site we have a few theories,” the DNR wrote. “The ...

Creve Coeur officer injured during call at West Oak Shopping Center

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 17:16:52 GMT

CREVE COEUR, Mo. - A Creve Coeur police officer was hospitalized Saturday evening after responding to a call for a despondent individual outside a local shopping mall.According to Captain Jon Romas, a spokesman for the Creve Coeur Police Department, the incident happened just after 9:25 p.m. in the West Oak Shopping Center parking lot. Police were told of a man possibly in need of help in a car.Officers arrived and spoke with the individual, who was seated in the driver's side of a vehicle, Romas said. They determined the man was in need of mental health treatment and requested help from the department's crisis intervention team (CIT). Top Story: Two Missouri soldiers among victims in deadly Army helicopter crash CIT-certified attempted to get the man to exit his car, so he could be evaluated by EMS. However, police claim the man put his vehicle in gear and attempted to flee. The man struck an officer with his vehicle and backed into a police car.Romas said the man fled onto north...

Witness: Terror at metal concert as tornado tore through roof of Illinois theater

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 17:16:52 GMT

BELVIDERE, Ill. (WTVO) — Machesney Park resident Trista Strommen says she went to the Apollo Theater on Friday to celebrate her birthday. That's when an EF-1 tornado ripped through Belvidere and tore through the roof of the building, causing it to collapse on concert attendees.An EF-1 tornado is rated on the Enhanced Fujita scale to have had 3-second wind gusts between 86 and 110 miles per hour. The NWS estimated the tornado had winds of up to 100 miles an hour and traveled 27.7 miles.Photo: Trista StrommenShe recalled her terror at the moment the tornado hit: "All you heard was the rumbling building. You felt that shaking and you could just see the lights flickering on and off. And the next thing you know, you can see the whole building, like the roof behind us, is just crumbling down on top of people. And you just hear everyone screaming for help."Strommen said one of the opening acts for the heavy metal band Morbid Angel, Crypta, had just finished a song when concertgoers were t...

Photos: Judo championships on display at SJSU

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 17:16:52 GMT

Yosh Uchida, who has been the head judo coach at San Jose State University for more than 70 years, celebrated his 103rd birthday on Saturday at the National Collegiate Judo Association (NCJA) Collegiate and High School National Championships. Uchida was born on April 1, 1920 in Calexico, California.To help celebrate the day and support the competitors, many San Jose State judo alumni attended the competition — including Mike Swain, who was the first male judoka from the United States to win a World Championship, Sandy Bacher Fakaosi, who competed in the 1992, 1996 and 2000 Olympic Games, and Dave Long, who was on the 1992 Olympic Judo team.The 2023 Championships determined the 2023 World University Games (WUG) team members for the following divisions:Women: 48kg, 52kg, 57kg, 78kg, +78kgMen: 66kg, 81kg, 100kgUchida helped organize the sport’s inaugural collegiate national championship, which the Spartans won, in 1962. San Jose State has gone on to win more than 40 men’s titles ...

Ross Stripling rocked in SF debut, Giants blanked again to drop series vs. Yankees

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 17:16:52 GMT

NEW YORK — Ross Stripling once likened his over-the-top pitching motion to the “Iron Mike” machines that serve batting practice in cages across the country. Making his Giants debut in their series finale against the Yankees, that comparison landed a little too literally, as Stripling more or less served the same purpose for Aaron Judge, Giancarlo Stanton and Kyle Higashioka.The trio of Yankees tagged Stripling for three home runs, including a mammoth blast from Stanton that cleared the batter’s eye in center field, while the Giants’ new right-hander otherwise struggled to locate in a 6-0 loss, the second time the Giants were shut out in three games as they dropped their season-opening series.It was an uncharacteristic introduction to the San Francisco fanbase for Stripling, who allowed four runs on six hits, walked two batters and hit another, and struck out three over five rocky innings. He was one of two free-agent starters the Giants signed this winter, in...

Barricaded suspect delays traffic on I-80 near Richmond

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 17:16:52 GMT

RICHMOND, Calif. (KRON) -- A suspect police were pursuing barricaded themselves in their vehicle on Interstate 80 on Sunday afternoon, according to the California Highway Patrol. The incident caused a full closure of all lanes on I-80 as law enforcement responded, CHP confirmed to KRON4. Oakland shooting leaves one person injured CHP says the Contra Costa Sheriff's Department was in pursuit of the suspect, and a felony stop occurred on the freeway. Units with CHP assisted with road closures as the suspect was detained. Traffic is backed up in the area. The eastbound lanes are now reopened but westbound lanes remain closed as of 1:40 p.m. Drivers are asked to avoid the area.

Finland’s center-right party claims win amid tight election

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 17:16:52 GMT

HELSINKI (AP) — Finland’s Prime Minister Sanna Marin appears to have lost her bid for a second term on Sunday, with her party headed for defeat by two conservative opponents in an extremely tight three-way race for control of parliament.The center-right National Coalition Party claimed victory Sunday evening with around 97.7% of the votes counted, coming out on top at 20.7%. They were followed closely by right-wing populist party The Finns with 20.1%, while the Social Democrats garnered 19.9%. With the top three parties each getting around 20% of the vote, no party is in position to form a government alone. Over 2,400 candidates from 22 parties were vying for the 200 seats in the Nordic country’s parliament.“Based on this result, talks over forming a new government to Finland will be initiated under the leadership of the National Coalition Party,” said the party’s leader Petteri Orpo, as he claimed victory surrounded by supporters.Marin, who at age 37 is one of Europe’s younge...

Raptors inch closer to securing spot in play-in tournament

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 17:16:52 GMT

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — Pascal Siakam scored 36 points, Fred VanVleet added 20 points and a career-high 20 assists and the Toronto Raptors beat the undermanned Charlotte Hornets 128-108 on Sunday to inch closer to securing a spot in the NBA play-in tournament.O.G. Anunoby added 23 points for the Raptors, who’ll clinch a spot if the Brooklyn Nets beat the Utah Jazz later Sunday.The Raptors (39-39) entered the day tied with the Atlanta Hawks for eighth place in the Eastern Conference and looking to move up in the standings to secure a better chance of advancing out of the play-in tournament. The team finishing eighth needs just one victory; the team finishing ninth would need two to reach the postseason as the No. 8 seed.“It’s really important for us” to get to the 8 seed, VanVleet said. “For the last couple of weeks it has been really simple for us — we’re in a win-every-game mode. There’s not much to think about. You have to go out and perform and play your be...