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Venus Williams falls early in her first match at her 24th Wimbledon and loses to Elina Svitolina

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:31:25 GMT

WIMBLEDON, England (AP) — As Venus Williams entered Centre Court for her 24th Wimbledon appearance at age 43, greeted by a standing ovation, she held a green exercise band overhead with both hands and stretched it while striding to her sideline seat.Once her first-round match against Elina Svitolina began, Williams played like a throwback version of herself. Those big serves. Those crisp strokes. Quickly, she was a point from a 3-0 lead on Monday.And then, moving forward to attempt a volley, Williams slipped on the green grass. Her right foot gave way. She collapsed to the ground. She shrieked and clutched at her right knee, which already was covered by a beige sleeve. Williams twice was treated by a trainer — including getting that knee taped up during a medical timeout after the first set — and although the American kept playing, she could not manage to overcome 2019 Wimbledon semifinalist Svitolina in a 6-4, 6-3 defeat.Williams was the oldest player in this year’s field and the f...

Wildfire destroys several structures in southwestern Washington’s Skamania County

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:31:25 GMT

SEATTLE (AP) — A weekend wildfire in southwestern Washington has grown to 533 acres, leaving an undetermined number of structures destroyed, according to authorities.Skamania County firefighters responded to reports of the wildfire on Sunday at 11:19 a.m. near Highway 14 in Underwood, an unincorporated community near the Columbia River. Hot, windy conditions caused the “Tunnel 5” fire to spread rapidly through the afternoon, prompting authorities to issue an evacuation notice for a two-mile radius around Cook Underhill Road, where crews are engaged in active firefighting. A shelter has been set up at Skamania County Fairgrounds in Stevenson, Washington. The fire’s cause is under investigation, authorities said.As of Monday morning, 26 engines, 5 hand crews and 19 water tenders — 166 fire personnel total — were engaged with the fire, which is 0% contained. “Several structures have been lost,” the Skamania County Sheriff’s Office wrote in an update posted to Facebook late Sunday...

Hawaiian Airlines plane hits severe turbulence on flight from Honolulu to Sydney

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:31:25 GMT

HONOLULU (AP) — A Hawaiian Airlines flight from Honolulu to Sydney hit severe turbulence, leading to medical care for at least seven people on board.The plane was carrying 163 passengers and 12 crew members when it encountered turbulence five hours into Thursday’s flight, officials told Hawaii News Now. The aircraft was inspected after landing safely in Sydney. Four passengers and three flight attendants needed medical attention from a doctor who was on the flight, the Honolulu television station reported.Airline representatives didn’t immediately return emails Monday seeking an update.Last year, severe turbulence injured 25 people on board a Hawaiian Airlines flight. Four passengers and two crew members were seriously hurt. The plane sustained minor damage. The captain of the Dec. 18 flight from Phoenix to Honolulu told investigators that conditions were smooth with clear skies when a cloud shot up in front of the plane, and that there was no time to change course, according ...

Novak Djokovic uses his towel at Wimbledon to help dry the Centre Court grass after a rain delay

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:31:25 GMT

WIMBLEDON, England (AP) — Anxious to get on with the match, Novak Djokovic literally took matters into his own hands on the wet Wimbledon grass by using his towel and some elbow grease to help dry the surface.Djokovic, who has won the Wimbledon title seven times, was playing in the opening match of this year’s tournament on Centre Court — the traditional spot for the defending men’s champion at the All England Club.But as it so often does in southwest London, it started raining just as Djokovic won the first set 6-3. That led organizers to stop play and close the roof over the stadium.When Djokovic and Argentine opponent Pedro Cachin returned after the tarp was removed, the ground was still slick. That’s when Djokovic jumped into action.“I normally come out with rackets, not with towels,” said the 36-year-old Serb, seeded No. 2 at the tournament. “But it was fun to do something different, a little bit of a strange feeling but hopefully you guys liked it.”Djok...

Erdogan signals Turkey isn’t ready to ratify Sweden NATO membership, saying there’s more work to do

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:31:25 GMT

ANKARA, Turkey (AP) — Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan signaled Monday that his country is not ready to ratify Sweden’s membership in NATO, saying Stockholm had to work harder on the “homework” it needs to complete.Speaking after a Cabinet meeting, Erdogan also renewed his condemnation of a Quran-burning protest that took place in Sweden last week, describing the action as a hate crime against Muslims. “We have made it clear that the determined fight against terrorist organizations and Islamophobia are our red line,” Erdogan said. “Everyone must accept that Turkey’s friendship cannot be won by supporting terrorism or by making space for terrorists.”Turkey has delayed giving its final approval to Sweden’s membership in the military alliance, accusing the country of being too lenient toward anti-Islamic demonstrations and groups that Ankara regards as security threats. These include militant Kurdish groups that have waged a deadly, decades-long insurgency in Turkey. ...

Gentrification leads to madness, cannibalism and laughs in ‘The Horror of Dolores Roach’

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:31:25 GMT

When Justina Machado returns home to her native Chicago, she barely recognizes it. Machado grew up in Chicago’s inner city, in the neighborhoods of Lincoln Park, Humboldt Park and Logan Square — all of which she says have been gentrified.“You love the good restaurants, you love all this beauty, but you’re sad that your people get pushed out because who doesn’t want great restaurants and great places and safety? Who doesn’t want that? The problem is, a lot of my people get pushed out… Taxes and property are like three times what you could buy in the ’80’s, ’90s and early 2000s. It’s sad to watch.”Gentrification is also a catalyst for Machado’s new dark comedy series “ The Horror of Dolores Roach,” debuting Friday on Prime Video.Machado plays Roach, a woman who has spent 16 years in prison on marijuana charges. When she gets released, the world around her looks completely different. Told she has “magic hands” as a masseuse in priso...

Emaciated and imprisoned, ex-president Saakashvili tells Georgian court he is spiritually fit

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:31:25 GMT

TBILISI, Georgia (AP) — Georgia’s imprisoned former president Mikheil Saakashvili appeared severely emaciated on Monday in videolink testimony to a court considering an abuse-of-power case against him.Saakashvili and his supporters claim he has been poisoned while imprisoned and that he now weighs about 60 kilograms (132 pounds), half of what he weighed when he was arrested in October 2021.From the private clinic where he is being held, he told the court that despite his poor health, he was “spiritually fit and determined to serve the country,” according to local news site Agenda. Saakashvili, who served as Georgia’s president in 2004-13 and led the so-called Rose Revolution protests that drove the previous president out of office, left for Ukraine after the end of his second term. He was later convicted in absentia of abuse of power and sentenced to six years in prison.He was arrested in October 2021 after returning to Georgia to try to bolster opposition forces before ...

2 injured after collision between vehicle and cyclist in Brampton

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:31:25 GMT

Two people have been injured after a collision between a cyclist and a vehicle in Brampton.Peel police were called to The Gore and Fogal Roads just before 1:30 p.m. to reports of a collision.The driver involved has been taken to hospital in life-threatening condition. Police say they believe the driver suffered a medical episode prior to the crash.The cyclist was taken to hospital after suffering minor injuries.

Greece urges EU border agency not to pull out of the country as questions mount over migrant deaths

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:31:25 GMT

ATHENS, Greece (AP) — Greece’s new minister for migration said Monday he would consider it “unthinkable” for the European Union to pull out its border protection force from the country, and promised to address a growing list of international grievances over dealing with migrants. A dispute between Greece’s government and the EU border agency Frontex worsened after a trawler carrying hundreds of migrants sank off the coast of the Greek mainland on June 14, leaving more than 500 people feared dead.Frontex has also given Greece until July 10 to provide explanations regarding new reports of alleged illegal deportations – known as pushbacks – of migrants on the Greek island of Lesbos.Dimitris Kairidis, the migration minister, said he would meet with Frontex officials in Athens and at the agency’s headquarters in Warsaw, Poland in the coming days.“I think it would be unthinkable for Frontex to leave our country,” Kairidis told state-run ERT television. “They would be sho...

Man fatally shoots wife, teen daughter in Little Village; charges pending

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:31:25 GMT

CHICAGO — A man is in custody after fatally shooting his wife and teen daughter and injuring his 18-year-old son, according to Chicago police.The shooting happened around 12:15 a.m. Monday in the 2600 block of South Millard. Police said officers responded to shots fired at a residence and found three people struck by gunfire.According to police, a 15-year-old girl was shot in the face and transported to Mount Sinai Hospital where she was pronounced dead. The medical examiner has identified the teen as Daniela Alvarez.A 48-year-old woman was shot multiple times in the torso and pronounced on the scene. The medical examiner has identified her as Karina Gonzalez. New law allows police to fly drones over public gatherings The 18-year-old boy was shot in the ankle and transported to Mount Sinai Hospital in fair condition.Police said the man was placed into custody at the scene. Charges are pending.The circumstances surrounding the shooting are unclear at this time. A weapon was recove...