Angels shortstop Zach Neto underwent shoulder surgery and could miss the start of the 2025 season. General manager Perry Minasian informed reporters such as Rhett Bollinger of MLB.com (X link) and Sam Blum of The Athletic (X link), though didn’t specify the exact nature of the injury or procedure.Per Minasian, Zeto sustained the injury playing in Chicago during the club’s final week of the season. While playing the White Sox on Sept. 26, Zeto was on first base and tried to take second on a ball in the dirt (video link from MLB.com). After sliding headfirst into the bag and…
Author: THE CONNECTING NEWSPAPER
The Israeli military, which has hit UNIFIL positions several times, denies responsibility despite footage.United Nations peacekeepers in southern Lebanon have reported another Israeli assault on their positions as ground and air attacks on Lebanon continue to claim lives. The UN Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) said on Friday that two Israeli military excavators and one bulldozer had destroyed part of a fence and a concrete structure at a UN base in Ras Naqoura a day earlier. The Israeli military denied any activity after UN forces contacted it to protest, despite UNIFIL publishing footage of the incident online. The Israeli military’s…
The 2025 Grammy Award nominations are here. Beyoncé made history as the most-nominated artist in Grammy history, with “Cowboy Carter” leading the nods with 11, bringing her career total to 99 nominations. Post Malone, Billie Eilish, Kendrick Lamar and Charli XCX, who earned her first nominations as a solo artist, all have seven nominations each. Taylor Swift and first-time nominees Sabrina Carpenter and Chappell Roan have six nominations each. The 2025 Grammy Awards will air Feb. 2 live on CBS and Paramount+ from the Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles. Check out the full list of nominees here: Record of the YearThe…
The second day of the Critical Minerals Africa (CMA) Summit began with a Ministerial Forum, where mining ministers from Eswatini, Malawi, Argentina and representatives from Tanzania highlighted initiatives to advance the mining sector. HRH Prince Lonkhokhela, Minister of Natural Resources and Energy for the Kingdom of Eswatini, described mining as a foundational pillar of economic growth for the country. “Our recent high-resolution aerial survey has indicated the presence of copper, nickel and cobalt in the western regions, along with lithium and tantalum in the south,” he stated. Eswatini is developing a Critical Minerals Strategy in collaboration with the Commonwealth Group,…
Nigerian singer Portable has sparked controversy with his bold assertion that he has produced more hit songs than Grammy-winning artist Burna Boy.In a viral video, Portable confidently declared, “Uncle Burna, I have more hits than you,” citing his track record, including his popular song Tony Montana.Social media users quickly reacted to Portable’s claim, with mixed responses ranging from amusement to skepticism.@TygaOfLagos commented, “Him say first fear to even mention the name self,” while @teemah_zee64060 joked, “Everybody Dey create happiness for themselves, so he too join them… no be only heat song na temperature and cold song.”Portable’s remarks come amidst backlash…
The Indianapolis Colts will be without a key member of their offense for their Week 10 game against the Buffalo Bills. Colts coach Shane Steichen said Friday that wide receiver Michael Pittman Jr. has been ruled out for Sunday’s game due to a back injury. It has been an issue for several weeks, but Pittman has been trying to play through it. To understand the extent of Pittman’s injury, one has to go back a month, when it was suggested his back problem could land him on injured reserve. Not only did that not happen, but Pittman has somehow been…
Paediatrician Nadezhda Buyanova is on trial for statements allegedly made during a private appointment with a patient.Authorities in Russia are seeking a six-year prison term for a paediatrician accused of criticising the war in Ukraine during a private appointment with a patient and his mother. Dr Nadezhda Buyanova was reported to the police by the ex-wife of a soldier missing after fighting in Ukraine – Anastasia Akinshina – who accused the doctor of blaming Russia for the war and telling her son that his father was a legitimate target for Kyiv’s troops. Buyanova, 68, was arrested in February and initially…
The Department of Justice on Friday charged an Iranian man and two others in a murder-for-hire plot targeting then-candidate Donald Trump and others. Iran’s government directed these actors to “target our citizens, including President-elect Trump, on U.S. soil and abroad,” Damian Williams, the U.S. attorney for the Southern District of New York, said in a news release. The three who were charged are Farhad Shakeri of Iran; Carlisle Rivera of Brooklyn, New York; and Jonathan Loadholt, of Staten Island, New York. According to the criminal complaint, an official with Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps allegdly told Shakeri in mid-to-late September…
Players within Africa’s energy transition sector highlighted innovative financing mechanisms which can help drive the industry maximize value addition and beneficiation to local economies during the Leaders Forum at Critical Minerals Africa Summit on Thursday. Marie-Chantal Kaninda, President, Glencore DRC announced that the firm contributed approximately $1 billion in revenue for the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) through royalty taxes in 2023. She said the firm invested in processing facilities at two of its operational mines in the DRC (https://apo-opa.co/3AvKgjI) to enhance value addition of copper and cobalt resources. “We export hydroxide cobalt, which is an intermediary product, and produce copper…
The newly introduced Best African Music Performance category at the Grammy Awards has cemented a platform for African artists to receive annual recognition on music’s biggest stage. This monumental addition highlights the growing impact of African music worldwide and ensures that African voices are celebrated consistently.As fans and music lovers prepare for the 67th Grammy Awards in 2025, the official list of nominees has just been announced. Major Nigerian stars like Davido, Wizkid, Yemi Alade, and others have secured spots, with the Best African Music Performance category heavily dominated by Nigerian talent. Among the nominees are Tems, Asake, Yemi Alade,…