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Novak Djokovic, Iga Swiatek, Venus Williams and Coco Gauff get Wimbledon started on Day 1

Published Wed, 25 Dec 2024 19:34:50 GMT

WIMBLEDON, England (AP) — Wimbledon gets started on Monday with some of the biggest names in tennis in action, including Novak Djokovic, Iga Swiatek, Venus Williams and Coco Gauff.It is the year’s third major tournament — and Djokovic won the first two: the Australian Open in January and the French Open in June. That puts him halfway to the first calendar-year Grand Slam in men’s tennis since 1969. He came close to the feat in 2021, falling just one victory short when he lost in the final of the U.S. Open.He seeks a fifth consecutive title at the All England Club and eighth overall, which both would tie records for men.Djokovic’s title at Roland Garros was his 23rd at a Slam event, breaking a tie with Rafael Nadal for the men’s mark in that category.As the reigning men’s champion at Wimbledon, Djokovic is scheduled to play the opening match at Centre Court on Day 1, facing Pedro Cachin of Argentina.They’ll be followed in the main stadium by Willia...

French rioting appears to slow on 6th night after teen’s death in Paris suburbs

Published Wed, 25 Dec 2024 19:34:50 GMT

PARIS (AP) — Unrest across France sparked by the police shooting of a 17-year-old appeared to slow on its sixth night, but still public buildings, cars and municipal trash cans were targeted nationwide by fires and vandalism overnight into Monday.In all, according to the Interior Ministry, there were 157 arrests overnight, out of a total of 3,354 arrests in all since June 27, and two law enforcement stations were attacked, among other damage.Around 45,000 officers were deployed nationwide to counter violence fuelled by anger over discrimination against people who trace their roots to former French colonies and live in low-income neighborhoods. Nahel, the teenager killed last Tuesday, was of Algerian descent and was shot in the Paris suburb of Nanterre.Across France, 297 vehicles were torched overnight along with 34 buildings. A 24-year-old firefighter died of a heart attack while responding to a blaze in an underground garage that spread to the apartment building above, according to...

EU-Mercosur trade deal threatens Indigenous lands, activist says

Published Wed, 25 Dec 2024 19:34:50 GMT

A planned free trade deal between the European Union and South American bloc Mercosur risks increasing demand for farm produce from Brazil at the expense of Indigenous people's land and rights, a leading activist said on Thursday (29 June)."We are against this agreement," Dinamam Tuxa, the coordinator of Brazil's largest umbrella Indigenous organization, the Articulation of Indigenous Peoples of Brazil (APIB) said."It may be very difficult to stop but we want to make our proposals on prior consent and territorial rights of Indigenous people."The European Commission struck a trade deal with the Mercosur bloc of Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay and Uruguay in 2019. Now the Commission and some EU member states have raised the possibility of reviving it after it was put on hold largely because of EU concerns over Amazon deforestation.Tuxa, who will meet EU officials and lawmakers over the coming days, said the deal, even with a possible annex on deforestation and sustainable development, did...

Miss Manners: My husband bristles when my eyes stray to his tablet

Published Wed, 25 Dec 2024 19:34:50 GMT

DEAR MISS MANNERS: My husband grew up in a home where reading over someone’s shoulder was considered rude and caused bristling and umbrage.Related ArticlesAdvice | Miss Manners: I was dinged on my job review, and I think it was for my bathroom bluntness Advice | Miss Manners: I want to ditch a wedding planner who is proposing horrifying activities Advice | Miss Manners: I thought it was inappropriate for her to skip the funeral and show up for the food Advice | Miss Manners: I told the subway rider he was rude, and he got huffy Advice | Miss Manners: Why do they ask such questions about my groceries? I did not grow up with the same rule, but I can easily refrain from reading over his shoulder when the media involved is printing.My problem occurs when we’re on the couch watching television together and he’s reading on his tablet. To my eyes and brain, there are two screens available, gra...

DeSantis Stacked Florida’s Supreme Court With Cronies Who Wage His War on Wokeness — or Else

Published Wed, 25 Dec 2024 19:34:50 GMT

Shortly after Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis took office in 2019, the state Supreme Court threatened to dissolve the Florida Bar Association if it didn’t get rid of its diversity programs.The court had taken a sharp right turn after DeSantis selected three new justices with the help of Federalist Society board co-chair Leonard Leo. Leo led a secret panel of advisers that vetted DeSantis’s judicial nominees before he took office.The revelation came on the heels of a slew of news stories on conservative donors buying influence on the U.S. Supreme Court — where Leo, again, was among the conservative legal activists who helped to install a conservative majority. The top federal court has since made landmark rulings against abortion rights and in favor of business interests. And Leo isn’t done yet: He funnels money to a network of right-wing organizations orchestrating key Supreme Court cases on red-meat conservative issues.In Florida, Leo was working to overturn a 40-year status quo of judic...

After the fall of Roe, emboldened religious conservatives lobby to restrict abortion in Africa

Published Wed, 25 Dec 2024 19:34:50 GMT

NAIROBI, Kenya (AP) — Nowhere in the world has a higher rate of unsafe abortions or unintended pregnancies than sub-Saharan Africa, where women often face scorn for becoming pregnant before marriage.Efforts to legalize and make abortions safer in Africa were shaken when the U.S. Supreme Court ended the national right to an abortion a year ago. Within days, Sierra Leone President Julius Maada Bio declared that his government would decriminalize abortion “at a time when sexual and reproductive health rights for women are being either overturned or threatened.”But some U.S.-based organizations active in Africa were emboldened, especially in largely Christian countries. One is Family Watch International, a nonprofit Christian conservative organization whose anti-LGBTQ+ stance, anti-abortion activities and “intense focus on Africa” led to its designation as a hate group by the Southern Poverty Law Center.In April, Family Watch International helped to develop a “family values and sovereig...

Dodgers play the Pirates in first of 4-game series

Published Wed, 25 Dec 2024 19:34:50 GMT

Pittsburgh Pirates (39-44, third in the NL Central) vs. Los Angeles Dodgers (46-37, second in the NL West)Los Angeles; Monday, 10:10 p.m. EDTPITCHING PROBABLES: Pirates: Mitch Keller (0-0); Dodgers: TBDBOTTOM LINE: The Los Angeles Dodgers begin a four-game series at home against the Pittsburgh Pirates on Monday.Los Angeles has a 24-15 record in home games and a 46-37 record overall. The Dodgers have a 37-13 record in games when they scored at least five runs.Pittsburgh is 17-23 on the road and 39-44 overall. The Pirates have the eighth-ranked team ERA in the NL at 4.33.Monday’s game is the fourth time these teams square off this season.TOP PERFORMERS: Freddie Freeman has a .318 batting average to lead the Dodgers, and has 28 doubles, a triple and 14 home runs. Mookie Betts is 12-for-33 with five home runs and 13 RBI over the last 10 games.Bryan Reynolds has 20 doubles, three triples and eight home runs while hitting .275 for the Pirates. Carlos Santana is 14-for-40 with four d...

Brewers take on the Cubs in first of 4-game series

Published Wed, 25 Dec 2024 19:34:50 GMT

Chicago Cubs (38-44, fourth in the NL Central) vs. Milwaukee Brewers (45-39, second in the NL Central)Milwaukee; Monday, 2:10 p.m. EDTPITCHING PROBABLES: Cubs: Drew Smyly (7-5, 4.17 ERA, 1.27 WHIP, 71 strikeouts); Brewers: Julio Teheran (2-3, 2.85 ERA, .93 WHIP, 25 strikeouts)FANDUEL SPORTSBOOK MLB LINE: Brewers -110, Cubs -109; over/under is 8 1/2 runsBOTTOM LINE: The Milwaukee Brewers begin a four-game series at home against the Chicago Cubs on Monday.Milwaukee has gone 22-18 at home and 45-39 overall. The Brewers are 29-5 in games when they out-hit their opponents.Chicago is 38-44 overall and 17-22 in road games. The Cubs have a 14-29 record in games when they have given up a home run.The teams play Monday for the fourth time this season.TOP PERFORMERS: William Contreras has 12 doubles, a triple, nine home runs and 29 RBI while hitting .247 for the Brewers. Christian Yelich is 12-for-39 with three doubles and a home run over the last 10 games.Christopher Morel leads the Cubs with...

Nationals take on the Reds in first of 4-game series

Published Wed, 25 Dec 2024 19:34:50 GMT

Cincinnati Reds (45-39, first in the NL Central) vs. Washington Nationals (34-49, fifth in the NL East)Washington; Monday, 6:05 p.m. EDTPITCHING PROBABLES: Reds: Luke Weaver (1-2, 6.96 ERA, 1.61 WHIP, 55 strikeouts); Nationals: Jake Irvin (1-4, 4.91 ERA, 1.49 WHIP, 37 strikeouts)FANDUEL SPORTSBOOK MLB LINE: Reds -126, Nationals +107; over/under is 10 runsBOTTOM LINE: The Washington Nationals host the Cincinnati Reds to start a four-game series.Washington is 34-49 overall and 13-27 at home. The Nationals are 21-9 in games when they scored at least five runs.Cincinnati is 22-18 in road games and 45-39 overall. Reds hitters have a collective .335 on-base percentage, the second-ranked percentage in the NL.Monday’s game is the first meeting between these teams this season.TOP PERFORMERS: Lane Thomas has 21 doubles, two triples and 14 home runs for the Nationals. Jeimer Candelario is 12-for-37 with four doubles, three home runs and seven RBI over the past 10 games.Spencer Steer lead...

Marlins host the Cardinals to start 4-game series

Published Wed, 25 Dec 2024 19:34:50 GMT

St. Louis Cardinals (35-48, fifth in the NL Central) vs. Miami Marlins (48-37, second in the NL East)Miami; Monday, 6:40 p.m. EDTPITCHING PROBABLES: Cardinals: Miles Mikolas (4-5, 4.44 ERA, 1.38 WHIP, 70 strikeouts); Marlins: Braxton Garrett (4-2, 3.53 ERA, 1.13 WHIP, 92 strikeouts)FANDUEL SPORTSBOOK MLB LINE: Marlins -128, Cardinals +109; over/under is 8 runsBOTTOM LINE: The Miami Marlins start a four-game series at home against the St. Louis Cardinals on Monday.Miami has a 25-16 record at home and a 48-37 record overall. The Marlins have the sixth-best team batting average in MLB play at .260.St. Louis has a 35-48 record overall and an 18-23 record on the road. Cardinals hitters are batting a collective .252, which ranks eighth in the NL.The teams meet Monday for the first time this season.TOP PERFORMERS: Luis Arraez has three home runs, 25 walks and 41 RBI while hitting .389 for the Marlins. Garrett Cooper is 13-for-38 with three doubles, two home runs and eight RBI over the last...