Polish opposition leader Donald Tusk seeks to boost his election chances with a rally in Warsaw

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 17:40:32 GMT

Polish opposition leader Donald Tusk seeks to boost his election chances with a rally in Warsaw WARSAW, Poland (AP) — Polish opposition leader Donald Tusk is facing an uphill battle to win new hearts in his efforts to unseat the nationalist conservative government in Poland’s upcoming parliamentary election.The ex-prime minister and former European Union leader returned to Polish politics several years ago, seeking to breathe new life into his languishing party and win back power — and reverse what many view as a degradation of fundamental rights and ties with European partners under the governing populist Law and Justice party.Tusk, 66, is hoping a major rally that he organized for Sunday will energize his supporters.But he faces many obstacles, including divisions among his opposition ranks and, even more importantly, powerful government forces that depict him as disloyal to the nation.Shaping the campaign is a long and bitter personal rivalry between Tusk and Law and Justice chief Jaroslaw Kaczynski, who is the country’s 74-year-old de facto leader. Kaczynski, other g...

High School Football: Stillwater holds off Forest Lake late for dramatic victory

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 17:40:32 GMT

High School Football: Stillwater holds off Forest Lake late for dramatic victory Stillwater has mastered both almost giving the game away, and refusing to lose. Case in point, Friday night.The Ponies had the ball in their own territory, leading 21-17 with the ability to run the clock down to roughly 40 seconds before needing to punt away to Forest Lake, who had no timeouts and sports a run-heavy offense.Game over — essentially.But, on third and 15, the Ponies fumbled the handoff exchange, giving Forest Lake the ball on the Stillwater 29-yard-line with approximately 70 seconds to play.Uh-oh.It was eerily similar to Stillwater’s 21-17 victory over Mounds View last week, where the Ponies were in victory formation late, only to fumble the snap and have the Mustangs return it nearly the length of the field for the go-ahead touchdown.Stillwater responded that night, marching back down the field to score the game-winning touchdown in the closing seconds. And, on Friday, it was the defense’s turn to come through. The Ponies forced Forest Lake to turn t...

High School Football: Savion Hart runs wild on both sides of rain delay as St. Thomas Academy downs Robbinsdale Armstrong

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 17:40:32 GMT

High School Football: Savion Hart runs wild on both sides of rain delay as St. Thomas Academy downs Robbinsdale Armstrong Only Mother Nature proved able to stop Savion Hart Friday night.And even she only halted the St. Thomas Academy senior running back for a time.Hart finished with 21 carries for 266 yards and three touchdowns as the Cadets topped previously unbeaten Robbinsdale Armstrong 44-13 before a homecoming night crowd at Gerry Brown Stadium.Although, after a halftime delay of well over two-and-a-half hours due to lightning in the area, much of that crowd was home in bed when the second half finally got started at 11:12 p.m. with St. Thomas Academy leading 30-13.That meant the game didn’t actually end until just after midnight –  five-plus hours after it kicked off at 7 p.m. Friday.“Waiting (over) two hours,” a smiling Hart said afterward. “No, I have not played in a game like this (before).”The Cadets – ranked No. 9 in the state in Class 5A – entered the game with a record of 3-1. The Falcons – ranked No. 5 – were 4-0 and had allowed a total of only 39 points all season...

California looks ready for EBAL “meat-grinder” after it overwhelms Granada in dominant second half

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 17:40:32 GMT

California looks ready for EBAL “meat-grinder” after it overwhelms Granada in dominant second half SAN RAMON — It took four minutes and four seconds for California to turn what was a competitive homecoming game against Granada into an eventual 41-17 victory. Upon receiving the opening kickoff with a 21-10 lead that could have been much smaller had the visitors not squandered opportunities, California marched downfield on a five-play drive that ended with quarterback Jayden Macedo finding Chase McGill for the tight end’s seventh touchdown of the season. After a Granada three-and-out took a minute off the clock, a long punt return set up Sayyidi Addul-Kareem’s second rushing touchdown of the night with 7:56 on the scoreboard. Granada never recovered from the third-quarter blitz, one in which Grizzlies pass-rushers got into the backfield at will, and receivers ran open and running backs roughshod. The game displayed the disparity in talent between a competitive team from the East Bay Athletic League’s lower Valley Division such as Granada, and a good team from the upper Mounta...

BYU rallies past Cincinnati for first Big 12 win

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 17:40:32 GMT

BYU rallies past Cincinnati for first Big 12 win PROVO, Utah (AP) — Kedon Slovis threw for 223 yards and two touchdowns to lead BYU to a 35-27 victory over Cincinnati on Friday night.Chase Roberts piled up a career-high 131 yards on six catches for the Cougars (4-1, 1-1 Big 12) to help them earn their first Big 12 victory. BYU’s offense had four touchdown drives covering five or fewer plays.Emory Jones threw for 256 yards and three touchdowns and added 94 yards on the ground to lead the Bearcats. Cincinnati (2-3, 0-2 Big 12) suffered its third straight loss despite rushing for 242 yards and totaling 498 yards.BYU struggled to find its footing on offense before halftime. The Cougars totaled only 38 yards until their final first-half drive. Still, they grabbed an early 7-0 lead when Jakob Robinson returned an interception 42 yards for BYU’s first touchdown.Cincinnati evened the score early in the second quarter when Jones hit Chamon Metayer in the flat on third down and Metayer raced in for a 27-yard touchdown. The Bearcats covered ...

Freeman hits 59th double, Asian American managers make history in Dodgers’ win over Giants

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 17:40:32 GMT

Freeman hits 59th double, Asian American managers make history in Dodgers’ win over Giants SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Dodgers manager Dave Roberts and acting Giants skipper Kai Correa stood for a photo as they exchanged pregame lineup cards. They were believed to be the first managers or head coaches of Asian descent to face each other in any of the four major U.S. sports.Freddie Freeman made a little history of his own by hitting his 59th double of the season. He then scored on a three-run homer by J.D. Martinez, lifting NL West champion Los Angeles past San Francisco 6-2 on Friday night.Wilmer Flores homered and hit an RBI single for the Giants, who were managed by bench coach Correa. San Francisco fired manager Gabe Kapler earlier in the day, three games before the end of his fourth season.Roberts cherished the moment with Correa.“Obviously he’s heavy-hearted right now. He and Gabe have a good relationship, but for me as an Asian American to be able to exchange lineup cards with Kai, I’m proud of him and what he’s done and what he’s doing,” Roberts sa...

La gira de despedida de Aerosmith se suspende por “grave” lesión de Steven Tyler

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 17:40:32 GMT

La gira de despedida de Aerosmith se suspende por “grave” lesión de Steven Tyler Aerosmith volvió a posponer su gira de despedida, retrasándola hasta el próximo año, ya que la banda reveló el viernes que las cuerdas vocales del cantante Steven Tyler están más lesionadas de lo que se creía anteriormente.“Desafortunadamente, la lesión vocal de Steven es más grave de lo que se pensaba inicialmente. Su médico ha confirmado que además del daño en sus cuerdas vocales, se fracturó la laringe, lo que requiere cuidados continuos”, dijo la banda en un comunicado al anunciar que la gira Peace Out se reanudaría en 2024.Tyler se dañó las cuerdas vocales en un concierto a principios de este mes, provocándole una hemorragia. En ese momento, un médico le ordenó no cantar durante al menos 30 días, lo que llevó a la banda a cancelar conciertos en Chicago, Detroit, Washington, Toronto, Raleigh y Cleveland.Pero la lesión en la laringe, que se reveló el viernes requiere paciencia, dijo la banda.En el comunicado, Tyler dijo que estaba “desconsolado por no estar ahí ...

Detienen a un joven de 16 años y un hombre de unos 60 por talar “deliberadamente” un famoso árbol del Muro de Adriano

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 17:40:32 GMT

Detienen a un joven de 16 años y un hombre de unos 60 por talar “deliberadamente” un famoso árbol del Muro de Adriano Londres (CNN) — Un famoso árbol que desde hace más de 200 años vigila el Muro de Adriano en Gran Bretaña fue “talado deliberadamente” en lo que las autoridades han calificado de “acto vandálico”.El sicómoro, situado en el Parque Nacional de Northumberland, en el norte de Inglaterra, se hizo famoso para millones de personas de todo el mundo cuando apareció en la película taquillera de Kevin Costner de 1991 “Robin Hood: Prince Of Thieves”.12.000 árboles en siete años: el secreto de unos jóvenes en El Salvador para salvar un cerro históricoLa policía informó que ha detenido a un chico de 16 años y a un hombre de unos 60 tras el incidente, que al parecer tuvo lugar el jueves por la noche.El árbol, en un lugar conocido como “Sycamore Gap”, estaba situado en el histórico Muro de Adriano, declarado Patrimonio de la Humanidad por la Unesco construido hace unos 1.900 años para proteger la frontera noroccidental más lejana del Imperio Rom...

In a good sign for China’s struggling economy, factory activity grows for the first time in 6 months

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 17:40:32 GMT

In a good sign for China’s struggling economy, factory activity grows for the first time in 6 months BEIJING (AP) — China’s factory activity in September recorded its first expansion in six months, an official survey said Saturday, providing another sign that the world’s second-largest economy is gradually improving after its post-pandemic malaise.According to the government statistics bureau and an official industry group, the monthly purchasing managers’ index rose to 50.2 this month from 49.7 in August measured on a 100-point scale. Numbers above 50 indicate activity is increasing.Measures of production, new orders and employment all rose from August, the National Bureau of Statistics and the China Federation of Logistics & Purchasing said. But the bureau’s senior statistician, Zhao Qinghe, said the manufacturing industry still faces some difficulties in its recovery and development.Since China lifted its tough COVID-19 restrictions, its leaders have been trying to boost the economy with a series of measures, and promising to support entrepreneurs who generate jo...

Slovakia election pits a pro-Russia former prime minister against a liberal pro-West newcomer

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 17:40:32 GMT

Slovakia election pits a pro-Russia former prime minister against a liberal pro-West newcomer BRATISLAVA, Slovakia (AP) — Voters in Slovakia cast ballots Saturday in an early parliamentary election that pits a populist former prime minister who campaigned on a pro-Russia and anti-American message against a liberal, pro-West newcomer.Depending on which of them prevails, the election could reverse the small eastern European country’s support for neighboring Ukraine in the war with Russia, threatening to break a fragile unity in the European Union and NATO.Former Prime MInister Robert Fico, 59, and his leftist Smer, or Direction, party have vowed to withdraw Slovakia’s military support for Ukraine in Russia’s war, if his attempt to return to power is successful.Smer’s main challenger is Progressive Slovakia, a liberal party formed in 2017 and led by Michal Simecka, 39, a member of the European Parliament. Fico, who served as prime minister from 2006 to 2010 and again from 2012 to 2018, opposes EU sanctions on Russia, questions whether Ukraine can force out the invad...