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Orioles reset: With health and hard hits, Austin Hays showing what he’s capable of

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 10:36:12 GMT

To Austin Hays, the aspects of his game that prompted the Orioles to send him to the minors to open the 2019 season are the same ones that have allowed him to get off to a strong start four years later.There’s the improvement in plate discipline, buying into the organization’s swing decision-focused approach. An aggressive hitter, he’s worked to hone that mindset into only pitches he can do damage on. But the most significant trait that is fueling an impressive two months, Hays said, is health.After garnering a reputation as injury-prone early in his career, Hays is approaching two years since his last injured list stint, playing through severe cuts, bruises and muscles tears in that time.“I would rather go out and perform maybe at a lower level than what I feel like I can if I’m capable of playing,” Hays said. “I still feel like I can give the team a really good chance to win, even if I’m not at 100%.“I take a tremendous pride i...

Iran supreme leader says he’d ‘welcome’ full diplomatic ties with Egypt; presidency websites hacked

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 10:36:12 GMT

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — Iran’s supreme leader said Monday he’d “welcome” the restoration of full diplomatic ties between Egypt and the Islamic Republic, raising the prospect of Cairo and Tehran normalizing relations after decades of strain.The comments by Ayatollah Ali Khamenei came as a series of websites linked to Iran’s presidency bore the images of two leaders of an exiled opposition group Monday, with others showing the pictures of Khamenei and President Ebrahim Raisi crossed out. Iranian state television quoted Khamenei’s comments as coming from a meeting he held with the visiting sultan of Oman, Haitham bin Tariq. Sultan Haitham’s trip to Tehran, his first since assuming power in 2020, comes as Muscat long has served as an interlocutor between Tehran and the West. There have been growing signs of Egypt and Iran potentially restoring ties, particularly as Saudi Arabia and Iran reached a détente in March with Chinese mediation after year...

‘Tony’ Yasumura reveals all about his not-naked shtick and its origins in Japanese comedy

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 10:36:12 GMT

TOKYO (AP) — The shtick that’s gone viral features a soccer player, a Spice Girl, James Bond, you name it, appearing to be naked, except they’re not really naked at all.The disarming sight gag by Japanese comic Tonikaku Akarui Yasumura is simple and rather silly. But its bare-all message about the deceptiveness of what meets the eye has a lot of people laughing. The recent appearance of Tony, as Yasumura is known these days, on “Britain’s Got Talent” has drawn more than 10 million views on the audition show’s YouTube account.“Do it with a majestically dignified and utterly unfounded confidence,” he told The Associated Press recently in Tokyo, of the secret to his comedy. “That gets over because what you’re doing is such nonsense.”Yasumura has been doing his trademark act for nearly a decade on TV shows and comedy houses around Japan.He stands before the audience wearing only a pink flower-patterned bathing suit and declares he will portray a certain person posing naked.T...

Kosovo Serbs trying to take over municipality building in the north clash with police

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 10:36:12 GMT

ZVECAN, Kosovo (AP) — Ethnic Serbs in northern Kosovo clashed with police at a municipal building on Monday as they tried to take over one of the local communes where ethnic Albanian mayors entered last week with the help of authorities.The violence was the latest incident as tensions soared over the past week, with Serbia putting the country’s military on high alert and sending more troops to the border with Kosovo, which declared independence in 2008.Kosovo and Serbia have been foes for decades, with Belgrade refusing to recognize Kosovo’s sovereignty. The United States and the European Union have stepped up efforts to help solve the Kosovo-Serbia dispute, fearing further instability in Europe as Russia’s war rages in Ukraine. The EU has made it clear to both Serbia and Kosovo they must normalize relations to advance in their intentions to join the bloc.On Monday, Kosovar police and the NATO-led Kosovo Force, or KFOR, were seen protecting the municipality buildin...

MN Legislature doubles funding for student homebuilding program

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 10:36:12 GMT

As a student at an alternative high school on St. Paul’s West Side, Ivan Sanchez hasn’t just hit the books. He’s also learned the ins and outs of mudding, painting, sanding, insulation and all the other particulars that went into building a four-bedroom, 2,000-square-foot, environmentally sustainable house that some have billed as the home of the future.The two-story structure soon will hit the market in the same neighborhood where Sanchez goes to school, with an income eligibility ceiling geared to middle-class families.“A lot of people liked the opportunity,” Sanchez, a 17-year-old student at Change Inc.’s GAP School, said while standing in front of the school project he’s spent the last year constructing from the ground up on Page Street. “I definitely did. It’s probably a career path I’ll take.”During tours last week with a host of elected officials, arguably the only person prouder of his accomplishment — w...

Shen boys capitalize off errors to win Section 2 title

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 10:36:12 GMT

ALBANY, N.Y. (NEWS10) -- The Shenendehowa Plainsmen used timely hitting and defense to defeat Saratoga Springs 3-1 in game three of the Section2 Class AA baseball series. Get the latest, news, weather, sports and community events delivered right to your inbox! The Plainsmen scored off three errors committed by the Blue Streaks in each inning they scored, starting in the bottom of the first. With Thomas Hall threatening at third, Austin Caldwell hit a single to the infield, and it bounced off the second baseman, which allowed Hall to come home for the game's first score.Saratoga didn't panic and responded at the top of the third. Camden Rhude smacked a long ball to deep center, and it fell as the center fielder was attempting to make a play on the ball. Raul Rodriguez came home and scored to tie the game at one.After that, the Plainsmen's offense took off. In the bottom of the fourth, Brendan Gonzalez sent a hopper to the infield that ricocheted off the second baseman. Ethan Farina...

Ask Amy: Dating is tough; social media makes it tougher

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 10:36:12 GMT

Dear Amy: I am a 45-year-old divorced woman with a fairly active social media presence.After my divorce, I dated someone with no social media, so it was easy.After that ended, I met someone through a friend. He immediately suggested that we connect on Facebook.We’ve been out quite a few times and it’s been great, but he’s dating other people. That’s fine — and I’m open to seeing other people, too.I’m not even sure of my feelings for him, but seeing posts about his various dates and his active social life makes me uncomfortable.I can tell who else he’s dating from his posts.It makes me curious and jealous in a way that I don’t like.What do people these days do about social media when they’re dating, but not settled?Should I mute him? Not connect with people on social media until the relationship is serious?I know people talk about social media being toxic to teenagers, but I think the age range should be extended!What’s the protoc...

Gun and drug trafficking ring busted in raids across Europe

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 10:36:12 GMT

Croatian Police on Friday (26 May) announced that a drug and gun trafficking ring operating in Europe was broken by a law enforcer operation which arrested 37 people, seized money, drugs and guns across eight countries.The officials stated that in the final phase of this operation, police from these countries, supported by Europol, the European policing organization, and the US Drug Enforcement Administration conducted raids on the night of Wednesday, May 30, 2018, in Croatia, Bosnia-Herzegovina and Slovenia.Officials said that the operation against the so called Balkan Cartel was launched after the Croatian police discovered a cell belonging to the gang last year in Zagreb. Since Croatia's investigation began last year, raids have also taken place in Germany and Austria.Goran Laus of Croatia's drug crime police service told a press conference that Dino Muzaferovic was one of 37. He is a Bosnian, who was arrested last December in Germany and then transferred to Italy where he has be...

Sale closed in Palo Alto: $3.3 million for a six-bedroom home

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 10:36:12 GMT

954 Van Auken Circle – Google Street ViewA 1,688-square-foot house built in 1951 has changed hands. The property located in the 900 block of Van Auken Circle in Palo Alto was sold on May 8, 2023. The $3,300,000 purchase price works out to $1,955 per square foot. The property features six bedrooms, two bathrooms, and a garage, as well as a pool in the backyard and one parking space. The unit sits on a 6,030-square-foot lot.Additional houses have recently been purchased nearby:In September 2022, a 1,663-square-foot home on Otterson Court in Palo Alto sold for $2,735,000, a price per square foot of $1,645. The home has 3 bedrooms and 2 bathrooms.A 1,702-square-foot home on the 1000 block of Metro Circle in Palo Alto sold in September 2022, for $3,280,000, a price per square foot of $1,927. The home has 4 bedrooms and 2 bathrooms.On Amarillo Avenue, Palo Alto, in November 2022, a 2,735-square-foot home was sold for $5,250,000, a price per square foot of $1,920. The home has 5 bedrooms a...

Word Game: May 29, 2023

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 10:36:12 GMT

TODAY’S WORD — SCORING (SCORING: SKOR-ing: Gaining points in a game or contest.)Average mark 14 wordsTime limit 25 minutesCan you find 18 or more words in SCORING? The list will be published tomorrow.SATURDAY’S WORD — SERENADED sadden sadder sand sander sane saner sard saree sear sedan seder seed seeder seen seer send sender sere serenade serene snare sneer eared earn ease endear ended erase erne ranee read redden reed rend reseed resend near need nerd adder dander dare darn dead deaden deadener deader dean dear deed dense deseed dreadTo purchase the Word Game book, visit WordGameBooks.com. Order it now for just $5 while supplies last!RULES OF THE GAME:1. Words must be of four or more letters.2. Words that acquire four letters by the addition of “s,” such as “bats” or “dies,” are not allowed.3. Additional words made by adding a “d” or an “s” may not be used. For example, if “bake” is used, “baked” or “bakes” are not allowed, but “bake” and “baking” are admiss...