
Former Major League Baseball player Eliezer Alfonzo is searching for his wife, Patricia Alejandra, and 16-year-old daughter, Eliana Patricia, who are trapped in a hotel in Macuto, La Guaira, following devastating twin earthquakes in Venezuela. The earthquakes, which occurred last week, have resulted in over 2,600 deaths and thousands missing. Alfonzo, a Venezuelan catcher who played for the San Francisco Giants, has been digging through the hotel ruins. His daughter and wife were on the fourth floor when the quakes struck. Rescuers found their 3-month-old dog, Mila, alive, whose barking indicated possible signs of life. Alfonzo, 47, expressed hope, stating, "If my daughter's dog turned up, I think they're both there because I know they're quite resilient." Nearly 200 structures, including residential complexes, collapsed. Miners from Tumeremo initially tunneled through the eight-story hotel's rubble before American rescuers arrived. Recent tests and trained rescue dogs have shown signs of life within the debris. Alfonzo, who manages the Delfines de La Guaira, remains hopeful, saying, "Until I have them in my arms, I'll continue to believe they're alive." He plans to stay until the end of the search.
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This summary was AI-generated from a story originally published by Punch Nigeria.

France captain Kylian Mbappé has become the highest goalscorer in FIFA World Cup knockout-stage history, achieving 10 goals. The 27-year-old reached this milestone after scoring two goals in France’s 3-0 victory over Sweden in the Round of 32 on June 30. Mbappé's average of 1.11 knockout-stage goals per game is the highest among active players on the list. Argentina captain Lionel Messi is among four players with six knockout-stage goals, having added to his tally in Argentina’s 3-2 extra-time win against Cape Verde. According to FIFA, only 20 players in World Cup history have scored at least five goals in knockout matches. FIFA also noted that comparisons across different eras should consider the evolving World Cup format, as tournaments like 1934 and 1938 were entirely knockout-based, while the 1950 World Cup had no knockout stage, and other editions featured limited knockout matches.
Must ReadOut of ten African nations participating in the 2026 FIFA World Cup, only two have progressed to the Round of 16. Egypt secured their spot by defeating Australia 4-2 on penalties after a 1-1 draw, marking their first-ever knockout-stage win at a FIFA World Cup. They are set to play Argentina in the next round. Morocco was the first African team to qualify for the Round of 16, beating the Netherlands 3-2 on penalties following a 1-1 draw, and will face co-hosts Canada. Eight other African representatives have been eliminated: Côte d’Ivoire, DR Congo, Senegal, Ghana, and Cape Verde in the Round of 32, and Algeria in the group stage.
BreakingFuneral ceremonies for Iran’s supreme leader Ali Khamenei began on Saturday, drawing thousands of participants. Iranian authorities anticipate between 15 and 20 million attendees in Tehran alone over three days. Six days of ceremonies are planned to commemorate Khamenei, who led the Islamic republic from 1989 until his death at 86 on February 28. The events will be closely watched for signs of Khamenei’s son and successor, Mojtaba Khamenei, who was named supreme leader a week after his father's death but has not yet appeared publicly. Mourners carrying red banners, symbolizing vengeance, gathered in Tehran’s Grand Mosalla religious complex, chanting “death to America” and “revenge, revenge.” Security measures are significant, with blocked roads and anticipated airspace closure for what is expected to be the largest public event in Iran since the burial of Ruhollah Khomeini in 1989. The coffin will lie in state until Monday, with a procession through Tehran, then move to Qom on Tuesday, Shia holy cities in Iraq on Wednesday, and finally Mashhad for burial on Thursday. Top Iranian officials, including parliament speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf and Ahmad Vahidi, chief of the Revolutionary Guards, paid their respects. International guests included Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Russian ex-president Dmitry Medvedev. Representatives from Hamas, Hezbollah, and the Taliban government also attended. Army chief Amir Hatami vowed that Israel and the US “will pay for the bl