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Meet the eco-friendly ‘mermaid’ cleaning oceans one record-breaking swim at a time

Published Fri, 27 Dec 2024 11:32:44 GMT

(CNN) — When Merle Liivand first started swimming with a monofin to help with her breaststroke practice, she never could have imagined it would one day lead her to becoming a Guinness World record holder – and an eco-friendly ‘mermaid.’The monofin the 32-year-old frequently wears binds her feet together to form one fin and is shaped in such a way that, if seen in the fog, it might just convince an old sea captain that mermaids were real.In April, the Estonian native set a new world record for the furthest swim while wearing a monofin – swimming 31.3 miles around Biscayne Bay, Miami, in 14 hours and 15 minutes.It’s a record she first set in 2019 when she swam 10 kilometers (about 6.21 miles) in California. “So, every 10 months, I’m adding 10 kilometers,” Liivand told CNN Sport in an interview, reflecting on her five consecutive world records.But Liivand doesn’t just break records – when she’s swimming these marathon distances, the Estonian also collects any trash ...

Messi scores dazzling goal in MLS debut, leads Miami over New York Red Bulls 2-0

Published Fri, 27 Dec 2024 11:32:44 GMT

HARRISON, N.J. (AP) — Lionel Messi scored a dazzling goal in the 89th minute of his Major League Soccer debut, helping Inter Miami beat the New York Red Bulls 2-0 on Saturday night and end an 11-match league winless streak.Forty-eight years after Pelé joined the North American Soccer League’s New York Cosmos in an effort to jumpstart soccer in the United States, the seven-time Ballon d’Or winner entered in the 60th minute to huge cheers.Messi scored with the help of a pair of former Barcelona teammates.Jordi Alba made an acrobatic leap for Sergio Busquets’ cross and with his back to the ground and left leg raised, Busquets used the side of his foot to center the ball to Messi. The 36-year-old star settled the ball to keep it from defender Peter Stroud, dribbled to his right and threaded a pass between Andrés Reyes and Daniel Edelman to 18-year-old American Benjamin Cremaschi.As goalkeeper Carlos Coronel moved to cover the near post, Cremaschi beat defender John...

Police ID people arrested in shooting near Caribbean festival that wounded 8

Published Fri, 27 Dec 2024 11:32:44 GMT

Several people have been arrested on criminal charges in connection with a brazen daylight shooting near the Caribbean Festival in Boston on Saturday that left 8 people wounded and cast a shadow over the annual festivities.Officers working a detail for the J’ouvert Parade witnessed and responded to a shooting in the area of Blue Hill and Talbot avenues around 7:45 a.m., according to Boston police. Six men and two females were shot, five of the men and one of the females were taken to area hospitals. Two other victims with graze wounds declined treatment at the scene, police said. All eight victims suffered non-life-threatening injuries.Gerald Vick, 30, and Dwayne Francis, 30, both of Dorchester, were arrested and will be arraigned Monday in Dorchester District Court on a charge of unlawful possession of a firearm. After getting video that shows the two people involved in the initial gunfire, police learned that one of the men involved was shot in the leg and limped into the to...

Jordan Wicks wins his big-league debut for the Chicago Cubs, who hold on to beat the Pittsburgh Pirates 10-6

Published Fri, 27 Dec 2024 11:32:44 GMT

The Chicago Cubs envisioned a potentially fast track to the majors when they selected left-hander Jordan Wicks in the first round of the 2021 draft.Armed with a wicked changeup, Wicks’ journey reached the big leagues Saturday night at PNC Park where he made his MLB debut against the Pittsburgh Pirates. Right-hander Javier Assad was pushed back one day and will start the series finale Sunday. Right-handed reliever Michael Fulmer was placed on the 15-day injured list with a right forearm strain, retroactive to Friday, as the corresponding move for Wicks.Wicks dazzled in his debut, overcoming a shaky first inning. Ke’Bryan Hayes homered on his second pitch of the game, and Bryan Reynolds and Andrew McCutchen followed with a single and walk. The game could have quickly gotten out of hand. Wicks, though, started relying on his best pitch — the changeup — and displayed the mental toughness and poise the Cubs have seen from him over the last three years.Wicks struck...

Carlos Carrasco roughed up by Shohei Ohtani, Angels as Mets drop series

Published Fri, 27 Dec 2024 11:32:44 GMT

The phrase “a hush fell over the crowd” might be cliche and overdramatic, but when Shohei Ohtani comes up to bat, a hush literally does come over the crowd. That has certainly been the case this weekend at Citi Field.But when the Los Angeles Angels two-way star stepped in for his first two at-bats Saturday night against Mets right-hander Carlos Carrasco, the silence might have signaled uncertainty or unease. It almost didn’t even seem fair that a veteran pitcher in the midst of the worst year of his career had to face a hitter like that.The results were predictable as Carrasco was knocked out of the game in the second inning and the Mets fell to the Angels 5-3 to drop the series.Ohtani doubled off Carrasco (3-8) in the first inning and took a triple off him in the second. Carrasco allowed five earned runs on seven hits. All five runs came in the second inning.It likely won’t be Carrasco’s final start in a Mets uniform but it will be one of them, as his ...

Orioles bullpen holds on without Félix Bautista, securing 5-4 win over Rockies in front of sellout crowd

Published Fri, 27 Dec 2024 11:32:44 GMT

With a one-run lead in the ninth inning, the lights didn’t go down at Camden Yards and Omar’s whistle from “The Wire” didn’t announce that Félix is coming.Instead, it was Yennier Cano who jogged out of Baltimore’s bullpen for the save opportunity in place of injured teammate and friend Félix Bautista.It wasn’t the first trip Cano had Saturday that felt off. The Orioles’ setup man usually drives with Bautista to the stadium, and the latter is in charge of the music. But Bautista, who was placed on the 15-day injured list Saturday with an elbow injury he suffered Friday, had tests to undergo and couldn’t ride with Cano.The extent to Bautista’s injury is unknown, but Saturday was the first day — for the Orioles and Cano — of life without their All-Star closer. The vibe at the ballpark might have been different in the ninth, but the result was the same. Cano, like Bautista almost definitely would have, ret...

Late goal dooms Revolution

Published Fri, 27 Dec 2024 11:32:44 GMT

CF Montreal defender George Campbell scored in the 86th minute to secure a 1-0 victory over the New England Revolution on Saturday night at Stade Saputo in Montreal.The setback dropped the Revolution (12-5-7) into a second-place tie with Philadelphia in the Eastern Conference. The free-for-all in Montreal was the first of three games in eight days for the Revolution.“We are disappointed and we could have walked away with a point,” said interim head coach Richie Williams. “We just weren’t great in the final third all night long.“We had a breakdown at the end and it was unfortunate, but I thought they put a good effort in.”The Revolution begin a two game homestand against Red Bulls New York on Wednesday and Austin FC on Saturday at Gillette Stadium.“We are hoping to get (injured) players back for the next couple of games back home,” said Williams. “We need to get better from this and get home with our fans in our stadium and get two wins in the next two games.”Williams was the Revolut...

A white man fatally shoots 3 Black people at a Florida store in a hate crime, then kills himself

Published Fri, 27 Dec 2024 11:32:44 GMT

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. (AP) — A masked white man fatally shot three Black people inside a Jacksonville, Florida, Dollar General store in a predominately African-American neighborhood on Saturday, in an attack where he used a gun painted with a swastika, officials said. The shooter, who had also posted racist writings, then killed himself. Jacksonville Sheriff T.K. Waters told a news conference that the attack that left two men and one woman dead was definitely “racially motivated.” “He hated Black people,” Waters said after reviewing the man’s writings, which were sent to federal law enforcement officials and at least one media outlet shortly before the attack. He added that the gunman acted alone and “there is absolutely no evidence the shooter is part of any larger group.”Waters said the shooter, who was in his 20s, used a Glock handgun and an AR-15 semi-automatic rifle with at least one of them painted with a swastika. He was wearing a bullet-resistant vest. He said the s...

At Fukushima Daiichi, decommissioning the nuclear plant is far more challenging than water release

Published Fri, 27 Dec 2024 11:32:44 GMT

FUTABA, Japan (AP) — For the wrecked Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant, managing the ever-growing volume of radioactive wastewater held in more than 1,000 tanks has been a safety risk and a burden since the meltdown in March 2011. Its release marks a milestone for the decommissioning, which is expected to take decades.But it’s just the beginning of the challenges ahead, such as the removal of the fatally radioactive melted fuel debris that remains in the three damaged reactors, a daunting task if ever accomplished. Here’s a look at what’s going on with the plant’s decommissioning:WHAT HAPPENED AT FUKUSHIMA DAIICHI?A magnitude 9.0 quake on March 11, 2011, triggered a massive tsunami that destroyed the plant’s power supply and cooling systems, causing three reactors to melt and spew large amounts of radiation. Highly contaminated cooling water applied to the damaged reactors has leaked continuously into building basements and mixed with groundwater. The water is ...

Doctor recounts moments after 2 women shot during White Sox game

Published Fri, 27 Dec 2024 11:32:44 GMT

CHICAGO — Two women are recovering on Saturday after suffering gunshot wounds during a White Sox game on Friday night. According to police, a 42-year-old woman was taken to the hospital after she was shot in the leg and a 26-year-old woman refused medical treatment after she suffered a graze wound during the game against the Oakland A’s.Several fans, who began lining up outside of Guaranteed Rate Field ahead of Saturday's game, said they weren't worried about their safety inside the ballpark. 2 women shot at Chicago White Sox game at Guaranteed Rate Field "You think about it and that’s one incident and hopefully it won't happen again. So we are okay with it just be safe," said Johnny Thierry. Video shared by the team shows the moment the woman in the stands grabs her leg before standing up and calling for help.Dr. Jeanne Farnan says she was in the same area as the victim when she heard someone call for help for the 42-year-old woman who was...