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Bulgarian election too close to call after fifth vote in two years

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 16:10:00 GMT

No clear winner emerged in Bulgaria’s election on Sunday night, much to the dismay of voters who have been to the polls five times in the last two years.In the first release of results, it seemed that the pro-Western coalition, Continuing the Change and Democratic Bulgaria, had won a narrow majority with 26.4 percent, beating the center-right establishment party, GERB, which scored 25.5 percent. But in a recount, the former scored 24.8 percent while the latter secured the lead with 25.9 percent.Observers expect a clear winner to emerge by Monday after all international voters’ ballots are counted.The vote is seen by many as a make-or-break test for GERB, whose leader Boyko Borissov served as prime minister from 2009 to 2021, until nationwide protests erupted over his government’s role in the country’s rampant corruption.Continuing the Change, led by Harvard graduates Kiril Petkov and Asen Vasilev, and Democratic Bulgaria, led by Hristo Ivanov, have campaigned on a promis...

Kodai Senga dazzles in MLB debut after rocky first inning

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 16:10:00 GMT

MIAMI — Kodai Senga was lights-out through 4 1/3 innings in his MLB debut if you don’t count the first one.A game that saw a rough first inning for the Mets ended with a win in the Japanese right-hander’s MLB debut Sunday at LoanDeport Park. Senga (1-0) settled in to look like the dominant pitcher he was in Japan, limiting the Marlins to only a single run over 5 1/3 innings, striking out eight and walking three in the Mets’ 5-1 win. He joined Matt Harvey and Collin McHugh as the only Mets pitchers to strike out eight or more hitters and only allow one or fewer runs in their MLB debut.Tommy Pham went 3-for-4 with his first home run of the season off Marlins left-hander Trevor Rogers (0-1) and also had a double, two RBI, a walk, a run scored and a stolen base.The Mets spotted Senga a 2-0 lead in the first, thanks to an RBI single by Jeff McNeil and an error by Rogers. Senga needed 36 pitches to get through the first inning and threw 28 before even recording an ...

Duvall, offense show out

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 16:10:00 GMT

What are we supposed to make of the Boston Red Sox?Is this going to be another long season? Are they about to validate all of their biggest critics? Could this team maybe, just maybe, be a little better than people think?It’s too early to draw any conclusions, but one thing we can safely say about this group is they’ve got some fight in them.After falling behind by six runs in each of their first two games, the Red Sox offense rallied and gave themselves a chance to win it in the ninth, falling short on Thursday before pulling off the dramatic walk-off win Saturday. Then on Sunday they grabbed the early lead and held the Orioles at bay, taking the 9-5 win to clinch the season’s opening series.It was a stark contrast from last year’s team, who, let’s face it, probably would have rolled over or otherwise found some way to lose.“From top to bottom we believe we’re going to put pressure on the opposition,” said Red Sox manager Alex Cora. “There’s certain days it’s not going to work, but...

‘My fuel and my energy’: Kenley Jansen blown away by electric Fenway crowd

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 16:10:00 GMT

Kenley Jansen has spent his career pitching with powerhouse teams, but he knew the Red Sox would be different.The veteran closer debuted with the Los Angeles Dodgers in 2010, and has pitched on postseason teams every year since 2013, when LA began a nine-year postseason appearance streak, including eight consecutive division titles, three pennants, and a World Series championship. He spent 2022 with the Atlanta Braves, who went 101-61 and won their division.Both franchises have passionate fan bases, but in Game 2 of the season, Jansen was already feeling the Boston difference.“It was awesome. Right when I got out there, it’s just, that level of energy,” the 35-year-old righty raved. “The excitement, you can hear the crowd.”Jansen pitched a scoreless ninth for his season debut. He gave up a hit and walk but struck out two, including the last batter he faced. Ending the frame on that exclamation point delighted the Fenway Faithful, who roared in approval....

Red Sox notebook: Tanner Houck delivers in series finale

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 16:10:00 GMT

Alex Cora wanted five innings out of Tanner Houck.Corey Kluber and Chris Sale failed to pitch four innings in their respective starts on Thursday and Saturday. For the sake of the bullpen, Cora needed Houck to go deep.“Today’s a big one for us,” the Red Sox manager said on Sunday morning. “Hopefully Tanner can give us five, that’d be great.”Houck, who debuted as a starter in 2020 and has been used in every conceivable role over three years in the majors, delivered. Over five innings in the series finale against the Baltimore Orioles, Houck gave up three earned runs on five hits, walked one, and struck out five. He threw 70 pitches, 45 for strikes.That final line belies how strong the 26-year-old righty was in his season debut. He’s the first Red Sox starter to have a scoreless first inning, the first to complete four innings, and the first to earn a win.“He was around the plate with good stuff,” Cora said. “Gave us a chance to win.”The offense and bullpen too...

War-crimes warrant on Putin complicates Ukraine peace effort

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 16:10:00 GMT

THE HAGUE, Netherlands  — An international arrest warrant for President Vladimir Putin raises the prospect of the man whose country invaded Ukraine facing justice, but it complicates efforts to end that war in peace talks.Both justice and peace appear to be only remote possibilities today, and the conflicting relationship between the two is a quandary at the heart of a March 17 decision by the International Criminal Court to seek the Russian leader’s arrest.Judges in The Hague found “reasonable grounds to believe” that Putin and his commissioner for children’s rights were responsible for war crimes, specifically the unlawful deportation and unlawful transfer of children from occupied areas of Ukraine to Russia.As unlikely as Putin sitting in a Hague courtroom seems now, other leaders have faced justice in international courts.Former Serbian strongman Slobodan Milosevic, a driving force behind the Balkan wars of the 1990s, went on trial for war crimes, includi...

32 dead as tornadoes torment from Arkansas to Delaware

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 16:10:00 GMT

WYNNE, Ark. (AP) — Residents across a wide swath of the U.S. raced Sunday to assess the destruction from fierce storms that spawned possibly dozens of tornadoes from the South and the Midwest into the Northeast, killing at least 32 people.The storms tore a path through the Arkansas capital and also collapsed the roof of a packed concert venue in Illinois, stunning people throughout the region with the scope of the damage. The number of deaths continued to grow Sunday.“While we are still assessing the full extent of the damage, we know families across America are mourning the loss of loved ones, desperately waiting for news of others fighting for their lives, and sorting through the rubble of their homes and businesses,” President Joe Biden said in a statement.Biden earlier declared broad areas of the country major disaster areas, making federal resources and financial aid available for recovery.Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders in Arkansas, where at least five people were kill...

Novice politician Jakov Milatovic wins Montenegro presidency

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 16:10:00 GMT

PODGORICA, Montenegro (AP) — Economy expert and political novice Jakov Milatovic won the presidential runoff election in Montenegro on Sunday, defeating the pro-Western incumbent who has been in power for more than three decades in the small NATO member nation in Europe, the candidates and polls said. Milatovic, who is backed by Montenegro’s governing majority, won around 60% in the vote Sunday while Milo Djukanovic won around 40%, according to predictions released by the usually reliable Center for Monitoring and Research and based on vote sample.In a victory speech, Milatovic described the moment as “historic” and promised to help lead Montenegro into the European Union during his five-year term in office. “Tonight is the night that we waited for the past 30 years,” said Milatovic, blasting Djukanovic as the “last dictator in Europe.”“We want to deal with issues that are of vital importance: the rule of law, economy and European integration,” said Milatovic. “We are le...

Russia to put nukes near Belarus’ western border, envoy says

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 16:10:00 GMT

TALLINN, Estonia (AP) — Russian tactical nuclear weapons will be deployed close to Belarus’ borders with NATO neighbors, the Russian ambassador to Belarus said Sunday amid simmering tensions between Russia and the West over Moscow’s war in Ukraine.Ambassador Boris Gryzlov’s comment followed Russian President Vladimir Putin’s recent statement about plans to station tactical nuclear weapons on the territory of Russia’s neighbor and ally. The announcement marked another attempt by the Russian leader to dangle the nuclear threat to discourage the West from supporting Ukraine.Putin has said that construction of storage facilities for tactical nuclear weapons in Belarus will be complete by July 1 and added that Russia has helped modernize Belarusian warplanes to make them capable of carrying nuclear weapons.The two neighbors have an agreement envisioning close economic, political and military ties. Russia used Belarusian territory as a staging ground for inva...

About 25 train cars derail in Montana, no injuries reported

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 16:10:00 GMT

PARADISE, Mont. (AP) — About 25 train cars derailed Sunday in northwestern Montana, with no injuries or evacuations reported, authorities said.The cars, which are not believed to be carrying anything hazardous, derailed near the town of Paradise along the Clark Fork River, said Bill Brown, a dispatcher with the Sanders County Sheriff’s Office. Firefighters and representatives of Montana Rail Link, a railroad that operates in Montana and Idaho, were responding and investigating what the cars were carrying, he said. Photos posted on social media show some of the cars appearing to dip just into the river.Montana’s U.S. Sens. Steve Daines and Jon Tester said in separate tweets that they were monitoring the derailment and were in touch with local officials.Federal regulators and members of Congress are urging railroads to do more to prevent derailments after recent fiery wrecks involving hazardous chemicals in Ohio and Minnesota prompted evacuations.The Associated Press