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Novak Djokovic will face Daniil Medvedev in the US Open final. It’s a rematch from 2021

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 10:25:25 GMT

NEW YORK (AP) — Novak Djokovic limited big-serving Ben Shelton to five aces and broke him five times in their U.S. Open semifinal Friday. Djokovic pushed back when the 20-year-old unseeded American produced a late stand that got the home crowd into the match.And after overcoming what he called “a little black hole” caused by tension to right himself, finish off a 6-3, 6-2, 7-6 (4) victory and reach his record-tying 10th final at Flushing Meadows and 36th at all major tournaments, Djokovic added a touch of insult to injury by mimicking the kid’s “Hang up the phone!” celebration gesture.Djokovic then pointed to his temple and pounded his fist on his chest, before a stone-faced Shelton met him at the net for the most perfunctory of handshakes. A year after Djokovic could not travel to the United States for the Open because he is not vaccinated against COVID-19, the 36-year-old from Serbia is one victory away from a fourth title in New York and 24th Grand Slam championship overall...

Dodgers All-Star Mookie Betts unlikely to play this weekend after fouling ball off foot

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 10:25:25 GMT

WASHINGTON (AP) — Mookie Betts is unlikely to play in the Los Angeles Dodgers’ weekend series against the Washington Nationals after fouling a ball off his left foot.Manager Dave Roberts said after the Dodgers’ 8-5 victory Friday night that Betts’ CT scan and MRI exam came back negative. The seven-time All-Star outfielder was diagnosed with a bone bruise. The 2018 AL MVP was off crutches Friday, a day after he was injured in Miami. “I still stand by I don’t see him making an appearance this weekend,” Roberts said.The NL West-leading Dodgers also said pitcher Walker Buehler will not return to the major leagues this year following Tommy John surgery. Los Angeles activated designated hitter J.D. Martinez from the 10-day injured list after he recovered from groin tightness.Betts leads the NL in on-base percentage (.411) and slugging percentage (.609), and ranks third in RBIs (99), fourth in home runs (career-high 38) and fifth in batting average (.314). He hit .4...

Neymar breaks Pele’s Brazil goal-scoring record in 5-1 win in South American World Cup qualifying

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 10:25:25 GMT

SAO PAULO (AP) — Neymar became the top goal scorer for Brazil’s national team after surpassing the total of three-time World Cup winner Pelé on Friday. The goal that put the 31-year-old Neymar on the top of Brazil’s scoring record with 78 came in the 61st minute in a World Cup qualifying match against Bolivia in the Amazon city of Belém. It was Brazil’s fourth goal of the match in a 5-1 win, with the last goal of the game also being scored by Neymar during injury time.Neymar’s record-breaking goal came after a low cross into the penalty box, which the striker finished with accuracy from close range. He celebrated with a punch in the air, as Pelé usually did.Earlier, the Al-Hilal striker missed a penalty in the 17th minute, which goalkeeper Billy Viscarra saved.Neymar’s second goal in the match came in similar fashion near the final whistle, with another low cross by Raphinha.Brazil’s soccer confederation considers Pelé as its top goal scorer with 95 goals in 114 matches....

Snell has another strong start, Grisham drives in 4 as Padres cool off red-hot Astros with 11-2 win

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 10:25:25 GMT

HOUSTON (AP) — After their scorching series at Texas this week, it was hard to imagine what could slow down the Houston Astros. The answer: Blake Snell. Snell pitched six strong innings and Trent Grisham had a homer and four RBIs as the San Diego Padres cooled off the red-hot Astros with an 11-2 win Friday night.“I looked at all the … 1.000 OPS’s from all these guys from the last 10 games, so they have the ability to score a lot of runs,” manager Bob Melvin said. “But we had a pretty good pitcher on the mound.”Snell (13-9) yielded five hits and two runs with eight strikeouts to get his third straight win. It was the first time in three starts that he’d allowed a run, but he still leads the majors with a 2.52 ERA.He has allowed three earned runs or less in 20 straight starts, dating to May 25. “The goal is not to give up runs,” Snell said. “But when we score 11, it’s OK to give up 2, especially to that lineup that’s really talented.”The Astros couldn’t build on a three-game swe...

Who are the G20’s bad guys now?

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 10:25:25 GMT

NEW DELHI — When world leaders gather at the G20 summit on Saturday morning, the smiles may be more awkward than usual. While China’s Xi Jinping and Russia’s Vladimir Putin won’t be there, a B-list of strongmen with their own damning human rights records will be ready to embarrass the leaders of Western democracy with some stiff handshakes and fixed grins. Some of these international bad guys also have played an increasingly assertive role in negotiations on the Ukraine war — interventions welcomed by the Ukrainian government. However unsavory their domestic records may be, that means they can’t be ignored.Take Saudi Arabia’s Mohammed bin Salman. According to U.S. intelligence, he approved the gruesome murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi. But last month, he hosted a multinational meeting in Jeddah aimed at kick-starting peace talks. He’s also staying on after the G20 for a state visit in India.Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, who has locked up thousands...

COP28: A chance to course-correct on the global clean energy transition

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 10:25:25 GMT

Ursula von der Leyen is president of the European Commission; Sultan Al-Jaber is president-designate for COP28 and UAE special envoy for climate change; William Ruto is president of Kenya; Mia Mottley is prime minister of Barbados; Fatih Birol, executive director of the International Energy Agency; Francesco La Camera is director-general of the International Renewable Energy Agency.The world is not on track to meeting the 1.5 degrees Celsius goal of the Paris Agreement; the global clean energy transition is dangerously off-course. The Global Stocktake report of the Paris Agreement reconfirms what we already know and feel in our everyday lives. This year will be among the hottest on record and wildfires, droughts, floods, and extreme weather attributed to climate change have caused devastating losses and damage around the globe. The United Nations Environment Programme suggests that the effects of climate change would cost countries around the world up to $300 billion a year by 2030....

Coastal Commission approves permit to extend closure of Point La Jolla year-round

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 10:25:25 GMT

SAN DIEGO -- The California Coastal Commission unanimously voted this week to approve a year-round closure of Point La Jolla to help protect both sea lions and people visiting the area.“A lot of people were getting very close to the animals," said Carol Toye with the Sierra Club Seal Society. "(This is concerning) because this area is a breeding zone.” The City of San Diego requested a permit for the existing seasonal closure in the area to extend all year long. The Coastal Commission’s approved the new permit for seven years, but the final step before it goes into effect will be a vote by San Diego City Council on Sept. 18.Local stakeholders like the Sierra Club Seal Society have pushed to protect 150 yards of Point La Jolla and the bluffs at Boomer Beach for years. Under the approved permit, the highly popular La Jolla Cove and Boomer Beach would remain unaffected. Sea lion in video was likely chasing another, expert says “We do know that this area is very well known for body su...

2 arrested for suspected vehicle theft using El Cajon license plate reading cameras

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 10:25:25 GMT

EL CAJON, Calif. -- Two people including a juvenile were arrested on suspicion of vehicle theft in El Cajon this week with the assistance of license plate reading cameras, police said.The first arrest was made Wednesday evening, according to El Cajon police, after officers began receiving alerts about a possible stolen vehicle from automated license plate readers (ALPR) near the intersection of Greenfield Avenue and Main Street.Officers were able to locate the vehicle, a 2018 Dodge Ram stolen earlier that day, in the 1200 block of Broadway shortly after. According to ECPD, the vehicle was stopped and the driver, identified as 31-year-old National City resident Allan Irvin, was arrested on suspicion of vehicle theft and an outstanding federal warrant. San Diego International Airport warns travelers about upcoming I-5 closure The second arrest came the following day, Thursday. Around 1 a.m., officers received an ALPR notice of a stolen 2016 Hyundai Sonata near the intersection of Ch...

Family of teens killed in 2018 DUI crash protesting after driver arrested again

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 10:25:25 GMT

ESCONDIDO, Calif. -- The family of two teens killed in an 2018 DUI crash are protesting in Escondido this weekend for stricter punishments after the driver who collided with their car was arrested a second time for driving under the influence.In March 2018, Ana Lira and Brandon Contreras were involved in a broadside collision in an intersection along El Norte Parkway. Both were 19 years old.The other driver -- the then 27-year-old Francisco Alvarez -- ran a red light, crashing into the side of Lira and Contreras' vehicle. Alvarez was under the influence of marijuana and cocaine at the time of the crash. Man, 36, dead after colliding with tree, parked car in Mission Beach Contreras, who was driving their car, was thrown from the car after impact and landed in a nearby yard. Lira was riding as a passenger in the backseat of the vehicle. According to authorities, both were declared dead on scene.A 15-year-old passenger was also in Contreras' car during the crash. They suffered seriou...

The Group of 20 has agreed to make the African Union a permanent member, Indian leader Modi says

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 10:25:25 GMT

NEW DELHI (AP) — The African Union has been granted permanent member status in the Group of 20 top world economies, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi said Saturday, adding momentum to his drive to give a greater voice to the Global South as host of this year’s annual summit.Modi addressed the delegates from behind a nameplate that listed his country not as India but as “Bharat,” an ancient Sanskrit name championed by his Hindu nationalist supporters.The announcement came as Modi opened the weekend summit of the G20, one that comes as growing global rifts and the absence of key players threatened to make reaching consensus on the thorniest issues elusive.There was widespread support, however, for adding the AU to the G20, making it the second regional bloc to become a permanent member after the European Union.Modi rapped his gavel three times before announcing the move to applause in the room. He shook hands with the current AU chair, Comoros President Azali Assoumani, and embraced...