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Thousands flee raging wildfire, turning capital of Canada’s Northwest Territories into ghost town

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 19:05:37 GMT

VANCOUVER, British Columbia (AP) — The capital of Canada’s Northwest Territories was virtually deserted after nearly all the residents of the city of just over 20,000 fled as a huge wildfire burned nearby.To the south, in British Columbia, thousands more people were told to leave their homes while firefighters battled a growing fire that set homes ablaze.Officials in Northwest Territories said Friday evening that about 19,000 people had left Yellowknife in less than 48 hours, with about 15,000 driving out in convoys and 3,800 leaving on emergency flights. “I described today as another marathon sprint,” Yellowknife Mayor Rebecca Alty said. “It’s draining and, unfortunately, it’s not letting up yet.”About 2,600 people were still in the city — 1,000 of them essential workers, authorities said.Shane Thompson, the territory’s minister of environment and climate change, said the wildfire situation remained critical and the non-emergency personnel who stayed were endangering themselv...

Fernando Tatis Jr. hits 2-run homer as San Diego Padres beat Arizona Diamondbacks 4-0

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 19:05:37 GMT

SAN DIEGO (AP) — Fernando Tatis Jr. capped San Diego’s four-run eighth inning with a two-run homer, and the Padres beat the Arizona Diamondbacks 4-0 on Friday night.“Man, about time one of those goes out,” Tatis said of his homer, which included an emphatic bat-flip after he hit it. “These days, I don’t know if they are going out or not.”San Diego won for the third time in four games, improving to 3-2 on a 10-game homestand. The Padres (59-64) need a strong finish and some help to rally to an NL wild-card spot.Robert Suarez (2-2) got three outs for the win, and Josh Hader struck out the side in the ninth.Diamondbacks rookie Brandon Pfaadt pitched seven crisp innings. He struck out five and walked three.“The starter today was making good pitches,” Tatis said of Pfaadt. “I feel like we also put some good swings out there but we just didn’t get the end results….We stayed it in, we kept battling.”Pfaadt was working on a no-hitter before Juan Soto doub...

Incendios en Maui: gobierno de EEUU entrega $5.6 millones en ayuda a víctimas

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 19:05:37 GMT

WASHINGTON – El gobierno de Estados Unidos ha entregado más de $5.6 millones en asistencia a las víctimas de los incendios en la isla de Maui, en el estado de Hawaii, informó este viernes la Agencia Federal de Manejo de Emergencias (FEMA, por sus siglas en inglés).Los fondos han sido destinados a unos 2,000 hogares que han sobrevivido al mayor desastre natural en la historia de la isla desde que se convirtió en un territorio estadounidense, señaló Marcus Coleman, funcionario de alto rango de FEMA, en una llamada con periodistas.Entre los tipos de ayuda que han recibido los supervivientes se encuentran viviendas o albergues temporales, fondos para la reparación de hogares y otros tipos de asistencia financiera.Además, el gobierno estadounidense ha ordenado aumentar el nivel de fondos federales destinados a los trabajos de emergencia en Hawaii “hasta el 100% de lo permitido para el período de 30 días que decida el Estado”, según anunció la Casa Blanca en un comunicad...

Rays defeat Angels 9-6 in 10 innings despite Ohtani grand slam and a triple play

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 19:05:37 GMT

ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) — Despite the Angels turning their first triple play in 26 years and Shohei Ohtani hitting his second grand slam in the majors, Los Angeles still found a way to lose.Harold Ramírez had three hits and Josh Lowe drove in three runs as the Tampa Bay Rays rallied for a 9-6 victory over the Angels in 10 innings Friday night.Ohtani’s grand slam in the second inning gave the Angels a 5-1 lead, but they were unable to make it stand. The Rays appeared as if they might take the lead in the ninth inning, but the Halos turned their first triple play in 26 years to keep it tied at 6.With runners at the corners and the infield playing shallow, Ramirez hit a grounder to Luis Rengifo. The shortstop made the short toss to second baseman Brandon Drury to get Randy Arozarena and then threw to first baseman Nolan Schanuel.Yandy Diaz was at third but did not go when the ball was hit. He waited until Drury threw to first to start home, but Schanuel made a perfect throw to catch...

Angels turn first triple play in 26 years during 9th inning against Rays

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 19:05:37 GMT

ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) — The Los Angeles Angels turned their first triple play in 26 years during the ninth inning Friday night against the Tampa Bay Rays.The triple play helped the Angels remain tied 6-6 going into the bottom of the ninth in an eventual 9-6 loss in 10 innings.With runners at the corners and the infield playing shallow, Harold Ramirez hit a grounder to Luis Rengifo. The shortstop made the short toss to second baseman Brandon Drury to get Randy Arozarena and then threw to first baseman Nolan Schanuel.Yandy Diaz was at third but did not go when the ball was hit. He waited until Drury threw to first to start home, but Schanuel made a perfect throw to catcher Logan O’Hoppe, who tagged out Diaz on his left shoulder before he could touch home.O’Hoppe and pitcher Carlos Estevez both celebrated after the triple play was completed. It was the seventh triple play in Angels’ history and the first since July 5, 1997, against Seattle.O’Hoppe was playing in ...

Winn Wins! Cardinals rookie gets back 1st-hit ball after Mets’ Alonso throws it into the stands

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 19:05:37 GMT

ST. LOUIS (AP) — Cardinals rookie shortstop Masyn Winn did get a souvenir baseball to take home after recording his first major league hit in his MLB debut.But it wasn’t easy to get the ball after New York Mets first baseman Pete Alonso tossed it into the stands.The 21-year-old Winn was playing in his first MLB game Friday night when he beat out a dribbler down the third base line for his first career hit in the bottom of the fifth inning.Alonso, after being told to throw the ball out of play, tossed it over the netting and into the first base stands, behind the Cardinals dugout.“I had no idea,” Winn said. “When I got to first I couldn’t really think about everything else. But when I heard (first base coach Stubby Clapp) was right there and he talked to Pete, he was like, ‘Did you just throw that ball in the stands?’ “I don’t even think he knew at first. He apologized on first and then when he got to second later, he apologized as well. It was a complete accident. I thought it...

In rural Zimbabwe, a group of grandmothers counters alleged election intimidation, bias on WhatsApp

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 19:05:37 GMT

DOMBOSHAVA, Zimbabwe (AP) — Four grandmothers wearing bright yellow headscarves, T-shirts and skirts huddled around a cellphone in Zimbabwe’s rural Domboshava area. They cackled at a video showing a troop of mischievous baboons ripping up ruling party election posters with the face of the president on them.With a swish and a click, 64-year-old Elizabeth Mutandwa posted the video on a couple of community WhatsApp groups, and followed it up with some election campaign information from the party she supports in next week’s election — the main opposition Citizens Coalition for Change.The grandmothers say they and their fellow opposition supporters are facing intimidation from followers of the long-ruling ZANU-PF party and a biased state-run media that restricts their options. But they have found a way to counter that with the use of WhatsApp group chats.“Let’s share this one with our own people. It’s good content,” said Mutandwa of the baboon video, once her giggles had subsided.S...

Angels infielder Nolan Schanuel has memorable debut in majors 40 days after being drafted 11th

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 19:05:37 GMT

By JOE REEDY (AP Sports Writer)ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) — Nolan Schanuel reached the majors less than six weeks after being picked 11th overall by the Los Angeles Angels in this year’s amateur draft.On Friday night, Schanuel showed the poise of a veteran in his big-league debut.The 21-year-old infielder was part of the Angels’ first triple play in 26 years, and also had an unassisted double play earlier. Batting leadoff, he went 1 for 4 and scored two runs.Despite the great debut, it still wasn’t enough as the Angels lost 9-6 to the Tampa Bay Rays in 10 innings.“I wouldn’t even say I remember my first at-bat. I kind of blacked out,” Schanuel said. “After the double-play line drive, I kind of snapped back into it and came down to Earth. After that, it just felt normal.”Schanuel’s call up from Double-A Rocket City comes 40 days after he was drafted. It’s the fastest big-league promotion for a draft pick since Chris Sale in ...

Suspect arrested in string of robberies targeting L.A. taco vendors

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 19:05:37 GMT

A suspect was arrested in connection to a string of robberies targeting food trucks and taco vendors across Los Angeles, police announced Friday.The suspect was identified as Stayshawn Stephens by the Los Angeles Police Department.Stephens is believed to be one of the several suspects accused of robbing six food trucks and taco vendors at gunpoint late Wednesday night. The robberies were reported between 9:40 p.m. and 11:30 p.m. One victim, Ricardo Antonio of Verdaderos Crazy Tacos, recalled the brazen robberies that night."My employees were in there and they got robbed at gunpoint,” he said. “They took out two guns on them and took all the cash and everything and then just took off.”He said they escaped with at least $600, including an employee's wallet. He witnessed the group of thieves take off in a newer-model white Honda Civic. Video captures store clerk thwarting armed robber in Fountain Valley The locations where food vendors were targeted include:-5900 block of Santa ...

Mountain lion spotted in backyard of San Mateo home

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 19:05:37 GMT

SAN MATEO – A mountain lion was spotted Friday morning in the backyard of a San Mateo home, police said.The sighting was reported around 6:20 a.m. in the 600 block of 16th Avenue, the San Mateo Police Department said in a news release. Area residents also told officers they saw the mountain lion on Vanessa Drive and near South Grant Street.Police said the mountain lion was not hostile toward humans and appeared to be traveling along Leslie Creek.Schools were advised to shelter in place while officers searched the surrounding neighborhoods.“Officers used multiple resources to complete a search ensuring the mountain lion was no longer in the area,” police said.Related ArticlesCrime and Public Safety | Tomales Bay invaded by self-cloning sea anemones from Southern Hemisphere Crime and Public Safety | 13 Canada geese die after landing in La Brea Tar Pits; 2 are recovering Crime and Public Safety | Castle Rock State Park to expand in size due to...