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How Zelenskyy got Luke Skywalker and Bear Grylls to fight Russia: The inside story

Published Fri, 27 Dec 2024 08:41:06 GMT

Everyone in Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s office was crying.The Ukrainian president and football legend Andriy Shevchenko fell into each other’s arms, unable to find words for their perilous predicament. Both knew they were caught in a fight that would define their lives.Shevchenko, one of Ukraine’s greatest-ever athletes, was in the office last May to become the first ambassador of Zelenskyy’s fundraising platform United24. The Ukrainian president was desperate to tackle Russia’s lethal onslaught, not just on the battlefield — but in the fight for hearts and minds around the world.Shevchenko was first. Luke Skywalker, British adventurer Bear Grylls and tennis superstar Elina Svitolina were among many more who followed.This is the inside story of how Ukraine’s leadership used celebrities and pop culture to fight back against Russia’s brutal invasion.The first miracleUkraine’s millennial Digital Minister Mykhailo Fedorov, put in charge of the initiative by Zelenskyy, approac...

Chris Sale strikes out nine, but Kenley Jansen blows another save as Red Sox lose 4-3 to Cardinals

Published Fri, 27 Dec 2024 08:41:06 GMT

Just days ago Kenley Jansen was living the dream. The veteran closer had been all but automatic to start his first season in Boston, and on Wednesday he became the seventh player in MLB history to record 400 career saves.Since then it’s been an abrupt crash back to reality.A day after blowing the save in Friday night’s loss to St. Louis, Jansen endured another ninth-inning meltdown, giving up three runs to sink the Red Sox in a deflating 4-3 loss to the Cardinals. Jansen walked two to start the inning, allowed an RBI double and was ultimately undone by a two-run error by Kiké Hernández, who threw away what would have been the game-ending double play ball and allowed St. Louis to take the lead.The disastrous ninth also squandered an outstanding effort by Chris Sale, who pitched his best outing since undergoing Tommy John surgery .Jansen’s confounding outing veered into the absurd when he was called for three quick pitch violations, two of which came against Willson ...

Quebec premier says moving forward on politicians’ $30K pay bump requires “courage”

Published Fri, 27 Dec 2024 08:41:06 GMT

SHERBROOKE, Que. — Courage was necessary to move forward on raising the salaries of provincial politicians by $30,000, Quebec Premier François Legault said Saturday as unions demonstrated outside his party’s convention to demand a raise, too.“It’s a file you have to have the courage to deal with to attract all people (to politics), not just people who have made money before,” Legault said as the Coalition Avenir Québec’s party convention got underway in Sherbrooke, Que., about 150 kilometres east of Montreal.About 850 members attended the convention to discuss party policy and to debate 32 proposals, many having to do with energy files like building more hydroelectric dams.But the pay bump was among the distractions as 1,000 members of four public sector unions protested outside the convention, dissatisfied with the progress of negotiations as the collective agreements of about 600,000 provincial employees expired on March 31.Quebec has made an offer th...

Toronto shows it can be a ‘great market’ for WNBA during pre-season test run

Published Fri, 27 Dec 2024 08:41:06 GMT

When WNBA commissioner Cathy Englebert stood at the podium about an hour before history was made Saturday afternoon, she tried to put the possibility of league expansion into proper context.It was an impressive presentation.Heading into its 27th season, the WNBA has been taking a business-like, nearly scientific approach to its first expansion since 2008. The timing is TBD – at one point 2024 was a target but it there is no firm timeline. The league started with a data analysis of 100 different cities, gauging them for demographic, ‘psychographic’ and other elements — TV ratings for women’s sports, women’s NCAA basketball and the WNBA among them — that may or may not make them a good fit for a new franchise in the world’s best women’s basketball league.The list was then cut to 20 as the league drilled down into potential ownership groups, arena access, practice facilities and access to capital for investment and the like. Finally, over the past off-season the leagu...

Swedish singer Loreen wins Eurovision Song Contest for 2nd time at event feting Ukraine

Published Fri, 27 Dec 2024 08:41:06 GMT

LIVERPOOL, England (AP) — Swedish singer Loreen won the Eurovision Song Contest on Saturday night with her power ballad “Tattoo,” at a colorful, eclectic music competition clouded for a second year running by the war in Ukraine.The diva from Stockholm beat acts from 25 other countries to take the continent’s pop crown at the final of the competition in Liverpool. Finnish singer Käärijä was second in a close-fought battle of the Nordic neighbors. Loreen previously won Eurovision in 2012 and is only the second performer to take the prize twice, after Ireland’s Johnny Logan in the 1980s. It’s Sweden’s seventh Eurovision victory, matching Ireland’s record.Loreen said winning a second time was “overwhelming.”Britain hosted Eurovision ton behalf of Ukraine, which won last year but couldn’t take up its right to hold the contest because of the war. Air raid sirens sounded across Ukraine as the contest was underway, and Ukrainian media reported a strike in Ternopil, home town of Ukrain...

Beware of scammers posing as Habitat for Humanity employees at your door

Published Fri, 27 Dec 2024 08:41:06 GMT

NEW ORLEANS (WGNO) — Habitat for Humanity wants to warn homeowners about a scam: bad actors potentially posing as Habitat employees and accessing homes. It may be difficult to spot a real Habitat for Humanity employee when they aren't building a home, so don't be fooled. Scammers are currently hitting homes in the New Orleans area. Can folded dollar bills on the ground be deadly? What to know "They could try to get personal information or they may be casing the property to gain entry," said Marguerite Oestreicher, executive director of Habitat for Humanity in the New Orleans area. Oestreicher said the organization received a report of a man's mother getting a home visitor claiming he was there for home repairs."These people are showing up — they made fake logo shirts, fake paperwork. So people think it is Habitat but it is not Habitat," said the executive director.Just to be clear: Habitat for Humanity never goes door to door. If they show up at your house, it's because you alread...

Forest Lake’s Matt Wallner starting to get back on track for Saints

Published Fri, 27 Dec 2024 08:41:06 GMT

At 6-foot-5 and 246 pounds, Saints outfielder Matt Wallner is a big man who possesses a big arm and big-time power, a combination that has him on the cusp of greatness.But 36 games into the season, a player viewed to be on the fast track to the majors is stuck in neutral. Along with relatively pedestrian numbers, his body language suggests that the 25-year-old native of Forest Lake is a frustrated athlete looking to bust loose.The low-key Wallner had no problem with that assessment following the Saints’ 3-1 loss to the Indianapolis Indians on Saturday at CHS Field.“Maybe just trying to force it a little too much in certain instances,” Wallner said. “Just kind of at the in-between point.”In other words, not bad, but not up to his standards. It’s enough to make some players want to hit something — and not just a baseball. But Wallner said that’s not his style. Instead, he just keeps his head down and works, while occasionally calling on a friendly ear.“Teammates, old coaches, the coac...

Trevor Larnach returns as Max Kepler lands on injured list once more

Published Fri, 27 Dec 2024 08:41:06 GMT

Trevor Larnach was in the lineup last Friday in Cleveland, preparing for a game against the Guardians when he was given some surprising news: He was headed back to Triple-A.“It is what it is,” he said. “Can’t really complain, can’t really do too much about it. Just roll with the punches.”Well, there was something he could do — Larnach headed to the Triple-A Saints and hit nearly everything in sight, going 7 for 14 in four games, with a pair of home runs. Saturday, just over a week after his demotion, he was back with the Twins after they placed Max Kepler on the injured list with a left hamstring strain.Kepler left Thursday’s game early with what the Twins had described as a cramp. He pinch hit in Friday night’s game, and while manager Rocco Baldelli said his magnetic resonance imaging “seems OK,” the Twins did not expect him to be back in the lineup imminently, forcing them to make the move.“He’s still pretty tight and we don’t think he’s going to be able to play for a handful of d...

Nine-year-old among 3 shot in Albany, with 1 killed

Published Fri, 27 Dec 2024 08:41:06 GMT

ALBANY, N.Y. (NEWS10) — Albany police are investigating a gun homicide that took place at Village Barber and Beauty on Second Avenue at around 2:45 p.m. on Saturday. Although one person died, two more were shot, including a child. Get the latest, news, weather, sports and community events delivered right to your inbox! When police arrived, they found three victims. One, a 47-year-old man, was shot in the torso and shoulder. He was treated at the scene and sent to Albany Medical Center Hospital, but died from his wounds. Police are withholding his name for now.The two other victims—a 19-year-old man shot in the foot and a 9-year-old boy whose torso was grazed—were also treated at Albany Med for their injuries, which police said are not life-threatening. Police department public information officer Steve Smith said that a preliminary investigation suggest that an unknown shooter fired several rounds into the building from outside. Pennsylvania fugitive nabbed in Catskill One vict...

Family rescued from I-64 floods grateful for swift help from St. Louis fire crews

Published Fri, 27 Dec 2024 08:41:06 GMT

ST. LOUIS - A busy stretch of Interstate 64 flooded in St. Louis during rush hour Friday afternoon due to a water main break. Fire crews rescued one family after their minivan ended up stuck in water. Laura Kramer says she’s grateful for the help from the St. Louis Fire Department. She was on her way to the Saint Louis Zoo, traveling with her father and her son Liam. Suddenly, a 30-inch water main broke by the Tamm Avenue overpass. Water gushed down on the highway around 4:15 p.m. Some drivers were able to cross the highway almost immediately before it shut down in both directions for several hours. Trending: St. Louis BBQ joint named ‘best road trip food stop’ in Missouri “The cars were crossing. So my father says if the small cars are crossing, you can cross, just go fast,” said Kramer.As other cars crossed, she said the waves of water were getting pushed towards her car. The engine then stopped. SkyFOX, powered by Bommarito Automotive Group, captured the moment on camera when ...