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Don’t be surprised Georgians are in the rugby World Cup: They’ve been training for 300 years

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 19:00:59 GMT

SHUKHUTI, Georgia — Every year, hundreds of Georgians gather on Orthodox Easter in April for a sporting match that makes rugby seem tame.Called Lelo Burti, this notoriously brutal game originated three centuries ago and was once played across Georgia. Now, a match is only held once a year, in one place in the world: Shukhuti, a village in the west of the country. An even more ancient form of the sport, called Burtaoba, dates back thousands of years.Watching this muddy and bloody sport gives an insight into how this Caucasian nation with a population of just 3.7 million carved out a place for itself at rugby’s top table in this year’s World Cup, alongside heavyweights such as New Zealand, South Africa and France.Lelo Burti has barely any rules, no time limit, and no set number of players.The match features two teams — Zemo (Upper) and Kvemo (Lower) Shukhuti — and a 16-kilogram ball, which is made from scratch each year by stuffing a leather casing with mostly sand, sawdust and ...

The Free Riders: How Qatar and Morocco paid for EU chiefs’ hotels

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 19:00:59 GMT

It was all within the rules. That’s the universal response of the clutch of European Commissioners who have accepted free hotel accommodation from non-EU governments, including Qatar, Morocco, Israel and Jordan. A POLITICO investigation analyzed expense disclosures from EU commissioners over the past three years and found that seven leading figures in Brussels accepted free lodging from foreign governments. At a time when the European institutions are already facing intense scrutiny over foreign influence following the Qatargate corruption scandal, the disclosures will raise new questions about ethics in the highest echelons of the EU. The individuals who took up the free hotel accommodation on work trips included top EU diplomat Josep Borrell, Commissioner for Neighborhood and Enlargement Olivér Várhelyi and Executive Vice-President Frans Timmermans. In statements explaining their actions, the commissioners’ offices all said they’d taken up the offer of fre...

Local woman excited to watch coronation of King Charles III in London

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 19:00:59 GMT

A local woman who already attended the coronations of King George VI and Queen Elizabeth is back in London this week ready to see a new monarch crowned king. Hazel Reynolds, 98, from Brewster was there when Charles III’s mother was crowned in 1953. She was there years earlier to see Charles’ grandfather crowned in 1937. “It was quite a different world,” Reynolds said.    Reynolds was just 12-year-old for George’s coronation. “All the children in the UK received coronation gifts,” she said. “We got a really nice royal book, a tin of chocolate, a tin of biscuits. We were all very, very excited about the coronation.”    One of Reynolds’ fondest moments came 16 years later with Elizabeth’s coronation.“I was so excited,” she said. “It was an absolutely amazing thing to see the queen in a gold coach and wearing a crown.” Reynolds is now looking forward to watching Charles make history. She said she couldn’t imagine leaving Englan...

Chris Sale in vintage form with 99 mph heat, 10 strikeouts against Phillies

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 19:00:59 GMT

In the first five weeks of the season, there have been moments when Chris Sale looked like he just stepped out of a time machine from 2017, when he was a healthy tour de force in his prime.Friday night in Philadelphia was one of those times.Sale pitched six innings, and though he gave up three earned runs, it was a blip on the radar of an otherwise dominant outing that culminated in a 5-3 Red Sox victory.The game got off to a scary start. As Phillies starter Zack Wheeler stood on the mound, preparing to face his second batter, players from both bullpens (the two are stacked at Citizens Bank Park) began calling for help. A fan had been trying to retrieve a ball thrown to him on the landing above the pen, and fallen in. EMTs took him away on a stretcher, but he was conscious and responsive while being taken to Thomas Jefferson University Hospital.When the game resumed, the Red Sox took a quick 1-0 lead, giving Sale a slim cushion for his first frame. The 34-year-old lefty started the ...

Home Showcase: A one-of-a-kind home in Westminster

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 19:00:59 GMT

Being an avid watcher of the television show Yellowstone is closely correlated with looking up real estate options in Wyoming.For those of us craving the great outdoors but know we could never cut it on the ranch, there’s a showstopping log home at 448 S. Ashburnham Road in Westminster. It’s not as far as you think.Nestled on the banks of Whitmanville Reservoir, surrounded by tall evergreens and overlooking pristine conservation land, the home is just 10 minutes from skiing and hiking at Mount Wachusett, an hour from Boston, and 90 minutes to the Berkshires. This is the place for you year-round outdoor enthusiasts or a seasonal escape.Craftsmanship meets quiet luxury in this hand-hewn Montana pine log home. From a double-height open concept living room, a wall of glass lets you take in the breadth of scenery and boy, it’s a good one. Warm up by the wood-burning fireplace set into a ceiling-height stone feature and don’t miss a thing while cooking up a storm in the kitchen. Set in th...

Celtics hit big shots late, take control of series with Game 3 victory over 76ers

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 19:00:59 GMT

PHILADELPHIA — The Celtics expected a rowdy environment Friday night at Wells Fargo Center. Marcus Smart anticipated the atmosphere to be “crazy and chaotic.” They got it, as Joel Embiid accepted his MVP trophy, electrifying a juiced-up crowd.With this second-round series tied, and with more than four decades of history since Philadelphia edged Boston in the playoffs in its storied rivalry, the Celtics knew they’d get a great punch from the 76ers.But they had a bigger punch, and came up with the bigger shots to retake control of this series.After making a statement in their Game 2 victory, there was no letdown from the Celtics in Game 3. They spoiled Embiid’s night. They continued to fluster James Harden and the 76ers. They thrived in a hostile environment. Philadelphia’s punch wasn’t good enough and the Celtics pulled away for a 114-102 victory.The Celtics took a 2-1 series lead, and took back home-court advantage in the process. Jayson Tatum scored 27 points and Jaylen Brown shook...

Orioles crush NL-best Braves, 9-4, behind Anthony Santander’s grand slam and 7-run inning

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 19:00:59 GMT

The Orioles entered the weekend on the heels of a 22-game stretch in which they won 17 games and, mostly, took care of business against inferior opponents.The opening game against Atlanta on Friday posed a new challenge for Baltimore, as the Braves owned the best record in the National League and had All-Star starter Max Fried on the mound.Those factors didn’t hinder the red-hot Orioles, as starting pitcher Dean Kremer outdueled Fried and Anthony Santander hit a grand slam to punctuate a seven-run seventh inning as Baltimore powered to a 9-4 win.Kremer scattered six hits across six innings of one-run ball, escaping several jams and ending his final two frames with double plays. The game was a pitchers’ duel through the first six innings, as the Orioles had scored just two runs off Fried. But Baltimore’s bats exploded for seven runs in the seventh, with Santander’s grand slam off reliever Joe Jiménez serving as the knockout punch.The Orioles now have the ...

One person killed in shooting at South Bay recreation center

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 19:00:59 GMT

SAN DIEGO -- One person was fatally shot Friday at a recreation center in the Otay Mesa West neighborhood, authorities said.The shooting occurred around 7:03 p.m. at the Montgomery-Waller Recreation Center, located at 3020 Coronado Avenue, San Diego police confirmed to FOX 5. Las Vegas boy on life support in San Diego after serious crash Authorities were at the scene investigating the incident.No other details have been released at this moment.Check back for updates on this developing story.

Several thousand people forced from homes as wildfires burn across Alberta

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 19:00:59 GMT

Several thousands of people were ordered to leave their homes as 92 wildfires burned across Alberta on Friday.“Everybody’s out, everybody’s alive, nobody’s injured,” said Steven Lacroix, managing director of Alberta Emergency Management Agency.Thirty-one fires were listed as out of control as of Friday evening, when an evacuation order was issued for the town of Edson and Yellowhead County. Edson, about 215 kilometres west of Edmonton, has a population of more than 8,000. “You need to evacuate immediately,” the town said on its website. An evacuation was ordered Thursday night for Drayton Valley, a town of around 7,000 people about 140 kilometres west of Edmonton. Tyson Pietsch, president of the Drayton Valley Pro Rodeo, said his crew was able to herd more than 100 horses and cattle into trailers to be moved out of the area as the wildfire caused the rodeo to shut down.“Literally the ash was falling on us while we were loading out rode...

Man charged after allegedly filming woman in clothing store change room

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 19:00:59 GMT

A man accused of using his cell phone to film a woman as she changed in a west-end clothing store has been charged.Toronto police were notified of a voyeurism call in the Bloor Street West and Dufferin Street area in the Dufferin Grove neighbourhood just after 6:30 p.m. on Friday, April 28.It’s alleged that a woman was shopping at a clothing store when she used the changing room to try on some clothes.The woman noticed a man holding a cell phone underneath the changing room door. When she confronted the man, he fled the store.Police said 38-year-old Adrian Alejandro Perez of Toronto was arrested and charged with voyeurism.Perez is expected to appear in court on June 27.