Novak Djokovic beats Blaz Kavcic at Serbia Open
Novak Djokovic remains unbeaten in 2011 after easing past Blaz Kavcic to reach the semi-finals of the Serbian Open.
The home favourite won 6-3 6-2 to extend his winning run to 28 matches, 26 of which have come this year.
Djokovic will next face compatriot Janko Tipsarevic, who earlier beat Somdev Devvarman of India 6-3 3-6 6-4.
In the other half of the draw, Spaniard Feliciano Lopez beat Albert Montanes 6-4 6-4 and Italy's Filippo Volandri defeated Marcel Granollers 6-2 6-4.
Djokovic faced just one break point as he saw off Slovenia's Kavcic in one hour and 25 minutes on the clay, and so registered the best start to an ATP tour season since Ivan Lendl in 1986.
It was not a completely trouble-free win for Djokovic, who threatened to quit the match when leading 4-1 in the second set because he said the lines got too slippery as it started raining.
"I don't want to play, I don't want to get injured," he shouted at the umpire, leaving the court and sitting on his chair. The play resumed only after the lines were wiped, and Kavcic then managed his only break of the match.
In Portugal, Argentine Juan Martin del Potro beat top seed and world number five Robin Soderling 6-4 7-5 in the quarter-finals of the Estoril Open.
The 2009 US Open champion, who missed most of last year after wrist surgery, came through a rain break to defeat two-time French Open runner-up Soderling.
"It was very tough mentally today," said Del Potro. "You had to keep focus on court, in the locker room, in the player's lounge all during the delay. But I managed that well.
"I really wanted to win and I'm pleased with how I did. It was a good victory for me today."
Balcony kisses seal royal wedding
Some of the biggest names in Britain and around the world gathered in London Friday to witness the wedding of Prince William and Catherine Middleton.
Football (soccer) star David Beckham and his wife Victoria, British Prime Minister David Cameron, the king of Norway and singer Elton John were among the nearly 2,000 guests inside Westminster Abbey for the ceremony.
Other invitees included Australian Olympic swimmer Ian Thorpe, British filmmaker Guy Ritchie and actor Rowan Atkinson, known for his "Mr. Bean" character.
Maid of Honor, Best Man
Middleton's sister, Philippa, was her maid of honor, while Prince William's brother Harry was his best man.
Prince Harry's on-again, off-again girlfriend Chelsy Davy also attended the ceremony, feeding the ever-present speculation in the media about the status of their relationship.
Members of the military were also invited to the service, as well as the heads of several charities.
Who was left out?
Bahrain's crown prince declined his invitation to the wedding because of unrest in his Gulf nation. And Britain withdrew the Syrian ambassador's invite ahead of the ceremony, saying Syrian security forces' crackdown on protesters made it "unacceptable" for him to attend.
Other prominent world leaders were left off the guest list, including U.S. President Barack Obama and French President Nicolas Sarkozy. The Associated Press quoted palace officials as saying only crowned heads of state are traditionally invited to royal weddings, and that political leaders not from the 54-member Commonwealth of nations, such as Obama and Sarkozy, did not receive invites.
Royal newlyweds Prince William and Catherine Middleton have returned to Britain's Buckingham Palace for an evening celebration among family and friends.
The couple, now the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, wed Friday at Westminster Abbey, as nearly 2,000 guests inside the church witnessed the ceremony. An estimated 1 million well-wishers crowded into the streets of London as the couple were married, while an estimated 2 billion viewers around the globe watched the event on television.
The evening reception was to be a more private affair with a guest list of around 300 close relatives and friends. The groom's grandparents, Queen Elizabeth and her husband, Prince Philip, promised to leave the palace early to allow the younger crowd to party all night.
On Saturday, the newlyweds are scheduled to leave for their honeymoon, heading for an undisclosed destination.
Britain's fairy tale wedding was mostly met with delight around the world, with people from London to New York to Beijing celebrating the happy couple.
The royal spectacle broke records for live streaming on the Internet and attracted more than 2 million Tweets, bringing one of the oldest British institutions, the royal family, firmly into the modern age.
The couple shared their first public kiss on the balcony of Buckingham Palace sho
rtly after the ceremony watched by the throngs of happy well-wishers gathered on the streets to greet the newest member of the royal family. A short time later, they exchanged a second kiss on the balcony to the delight of the crowds gathered below.
Later, the Duke drove off with his bride in an open-top Aston Martin car with balloons tied on the back and a license plate reading “JU5T WED.”
Well-known guests at Friday's wedding ceremony included Australian swimming champion Ian Thorpe, British football star David Beckham, and British music icon Elton John. Former British Prime Minister John Major also attended. Former prime ministers Tony Blair and Gordon Brown were not invited to the wedding.
The couple appeared solemn and slightly nervous as they said “I will.”
The couple have said they are “incredibly moved” by the outpouring of affection toward them since their engagement last November, and have thanked the public for joining in the celebration of what they hope will be one of the happiest days of their lives.
Rick Ross to Walk Out with Manny Pacquiao for Shane Mosley Fight
Manny Pacquaio will show solidarity with Hip-Hop culture by having Miami emcee Rick Ross walk him to the ring for his May 7 showdown with Shane Mosley.
Ross confirmed the news yesterday via his Twitter account.
Both men became acquainted with each other after participating in Nike’s 2010 ”Boom” commercial campaign.
Last week, Pacquiao’s lifelong friend and assistant trainer Buboy Fernandez endorsed Ross’ Maybach Music brand via a Youtube video.
Ross has engaged in public feuds with both Floyd Mayweather, Pacquiao’s main rival, and Mayweather’s close friend 50 Cent over perceived slights in Ross’ “Mafia Music.”
50 has publicly supported Mayweather in several fights, most notably accompanying him to the ring for his record-breaking 2007 showdown with Oscar De La Hoya.
High-profile boxers have sought out rap figures to enhance their ring walks since the mid 90′s, including Naseem Hamed (Diddy), Roy Jones Jr (Method Man and Redman), Cory Spinks (Nelly) and Mike Tyson (Tupac Shakur).
May 7 will mark the first time Pacquiao has done a ring walk with a rapper.
At press time, neither Pacquiao nor Ross have disclosed what music will be used.
Bone Thugs-N-Harmony Hit With $27 Million Dollar Lawsuit
Rap group Bone Thugs-N-Harmony are in the news again, as a former associate has filed a $27 million dollar lawsuit against the members.
Roland Brown filed the lawsuit yesterday (April 28th) accusing the group of breach of contract, over unpaid royalties related to a Mo Thugs Records album.
The lawsuit was filed in the Cuyahoga County Court of Common Please in Cuyahoga County, Ohio against Sony, Ruthless Records, Relativity, Loud Records, WMG, Mo Thugs Inc.. and each member of Bone Thugs-N-Harmony.
According to the lawsuit, Roland Brown wrote two songs on the multi-platinum album Mo Thugs Family Scriptures.
According to Roland Brown, he wrote the songs "Take Your Time" and "Here With Me" by the female group Tre.
The album, which was released in November of 1996, is currently being sold on various outlets, including the Internet.
The lawsuit claims Mo Thugs Inc. never paid a dime in royalties, despite the fact that the album sold over 1 million copies and spawned Mo Thug: Family Reunion, which also moved over 1 million units.
Roland Brown seeks $24 million dollars in damages and $3 million in mechanical royalties for the single, music video and album Mo Thugs Family Scriptures.
Cops Want Spragga Benz While He's On Tour
Dancehall artiste Spragga Benz who’s currently touring with various international artistes such as Stephen Marley, Junior Gong and Nas must be shocked when they heard the news about Spragga Benz being listed as a major person of interest in connection with a triple murder that occurred in the McIntyre Villa community.
On Friday April 22 a vehicle filled with thugs all strapped with high power weapons went on a rampage killing three men who were seated at a corner shop in the community. The dead men are Peter Escoffery aka 'Stumpy' and Kenique Richards aka Runkus while the other man is yet to be identified.
According to sources close to Spragga Benz they just can’t understand why the cops would have Spragga Benz listed as a major person of interest when he’s not even in Jamaica for the pass couple of weeks.
Chile, Colombia, Mexico, Peru Sign Trade Pact
The presidents of Chile, Colombia, Mexico and Peru have signed an agreement aimed at creating one of the biggest trading blocs in Latin America.
Chilean President Alan Garcia hosted Mexico's Felipe Calderon, Sebastian Pinera of Chile and Colombia's Juan Manuel Santos in Lima Thursday as they signed the Pacific Accord.
The accord increases economic ties among the four Latin American countries with the goal of creating an integrated market that is competitive against larger economies, such as Brazil, and other regional trade groups. The agreement also is designed to forge a common strategy to access the Asian market.
Calderon described the agreement as the start of an important commercial zone.
The leaders have said the agreement could later be expanded to include other countries in the region, including Ecuador.
Some information for this report was provided by AP, AFP and Reuters.
Mexico Extradites Drug Cartel Leader to US
The reputed leader of one of Mexico's most violent drug cartels has been extradited to the United States to face drug trafficking and other charges.
The Mexican Attorney General's office said Benjamin Arellano Felix was handed over to U.S. Marshals and sent to the U.S. on Friday. He faces trial in a federal court in California.
Word of the extradition came the same day that U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and her Mexican counterpart, Patricia Espinosa, met in Washington to discuss the fight against drug cartels.
Arellano Felix is one of the highest-profile cartel members extradited under the administration of Mexican President Felipe Calderon. Authorities say Arellano Felix led the Tijuana cartel with some of his brothers from the 1980's until his arrest in Mexico in 2002.
Charges against him include conspiracy, money laundering, drug trafficking and organized crime.
In a letter Friday, seven Republican lawmakers in the U.S. House of Representatives urged Clinton to support the labeling of Mexican drug cartels as terrorist groups. The lawmakers wrote that the cartels are a "dangerous threat" to U.S. national security, noting the United States must make sure Mexico does not become a haven for terrorists.
The lawmakers who signed the letter were led by Peter King, chairman of the House Homeland Security Committee, and Michael McCaul, chairman of the House Subcommittee on Oversight, Investigations and Management.
More than 35,000 people have been killed in drug-related violence since the Mexican government launched military operations against the drug cartels in December 2006.
The United States, which shares a 3,200-kilometer border with Mexico, has promised training and equipment to Mexico's security forces under the three-year, $1.3 billion Merida Initiative to tackle organized crime.
Some information for this report was provided by AP, AFP and Reuters.
Obama Confident Trade Deal With Panama Can Proceed
President Barack Obama says he is confident that a free trade agreement between the United States and Panama can move ahead in the U.S. Congress. The president discussed the issue Thursday with Panama’s President, Ricardo Martinelli.
President Obama says Panama has made significant reforms in banking and taxation, removing barriers to U.S. approval of the trade deal.
"We are confident now that a free trade agreement would be good for our country, would create jobs here in the United States, open up new markets with potential for billions of dollars of cross-border trade," he said.
The U.S. and Panama reached agreement on the deal this month, after Panama approved a provision to discourage the use of its banks by those seeking to evade taxes in other countries.
Mr. Obama thanked President Martinelli for his leadership on the issue, and the Panamanian president also expressed confidence that the agreement can move ahead.
"Panama has completed all the necessary steps in order to have a free trade agreement with the U.S. This new agreement will bring jobs for both countries. It will also bring growth for the United States and for Panama," he said.
The Obama administration is talking with lawmakers about the U.S.-Panama Trade Promotion Agreement, as well as free trade deals with Colombia and South Korea.
White House officials have not discussed a specific timeline for having Congress approve those pacts.
The deals with Panama and South Korea are ready to be considered on Capitol Hill.
The agreement with Colombia can move forward when the administration is satisfied that the government in Bogota is meeting specific goals as part of an “action plan,” which mostly relates to workers’ rights and protection of labor union activists.
Some lawmakers oppose including all three trade agreements in a single legislative package.
President Obama said he and Mr. Martinelli also discussed a regional security deal, in which Panama would play a key role in stopping the flow of illegal drugs from Central and South America.
"We discussed how we can cooperate together, not only in the interdiction side, but also in helping other countries in the region to build up their capacity. And we think that Panama is going to be critical to the Central American Security Partnership that I have announced previously," Mr. Obama said.
That partnership, announced in March, is intended to protect citizens in the Americas from organized crime, gangs and drug-fueled violence.
Mexican Authorities Still Uncovering Bodies in Mass Graves
Mexican Attorney General Marisela Morales says 183 bodies have been uncovered so far from mass graves in the northeastern part of the country, near the U.S. border.
Morales made the comment Tuesday as she announced that 74 people, among them 17 police officers, have been arrested in connection with the investigation. The corpses were discovered recently around the community of San Fernando, in Tamaulipas, the state where 72 Central American migrants were found shot to death last August.
Authorities have linked Mexico's Zetas drug gang to these incidents. The Zetas started as a Mexican military unit that defected and began working with the Gulf cartel, based in Ciudad Juarez, Mexico, just across the border from El Paso, Texas. The Zetas split from the Gulf cartel last year. The two groups are now fierce rivals.
Elsewhere, investigators also have uncovered bodies from a mass grave in the northern state of Durango. They say that, to date, they have pulled the remains of 75 people from that site.
More than 35,000 people have been killed in Mexico's drug-related violence since the end of 2006, when President Felipe Calderon took office and ordered a crackdown on the country's drug cartels.
In a separate development, Mexican police Monday rescued 51 people, including 18 Central Americans and six Chinese, who were kidnapped in northeastern Mexico. Officials say 27 Mexicans were among those rescued.
Earlier this month, police freed 68 kidnapped people in Mexico's Reynosa area, across from McAllen, Texas. Authorities have taken four police officers into custody in connection with the abduction of the 68 individuals.
Some information for this report was provided by AFP and Reuters.
Protest Crackdowns Leave Almost 62 Dead in Syria
Witnesses and activists in Syria say at least 62 people were killed when security forces opened fire in a crackdown on anti-government protests. Tens of thousands of demonstrators took to the streets nationwide on Friday, declared by young protesters to be a "day of rage" against the authoritarian government of President Bashar al-Assad.
Most of the deaths occurred in the southern city of Daraa, where the six-week-old uprising against President Assad began. Deaths were also reported in the central city of Homs.
Earlier Friday, the government said four of its soldiers were killed and two captured in what it described as a "terrorist" attack in Daraa. State-run media quoted a military spokesman as saying gunmen attacked a military post in the southern town at dawn.
In Damascus, more than 10,000 opposition activists were on the streets - the largest demonstration in the capital since the start of the protests.
Thousands more joined protests in dozens of other cities and towns, including Banias, Latakia and Qamishli. They marched in solidarity with the besieged residents of Daraa, which has felt the military crackdown the hardest. In addition to the bloodshed, Daraa's water, electricity and communications have been cut.
Syrian authorities blame armed gangs and infiltrators supplied with weapons from Lebanon and Iraq for inciting weeks of anti-government protests. The Assad regime claims the military action launched this week was intended to protect citizens.
President Assad has previously lifted the state of emergency in effect in Syria for decades, and promised political reforms, but that has had no visible effect on the protesters.
Syrian activist Rami Nakhle, who now lives in Beirut, said Friday's demonstrations were the biggest since the uprising began, and show that the Syrian people are no longer afraid to call for the government's ouster.
"The first persons who went to the streets in the beginning of this events, they want to topple this regime, but they cannot say it at the beginning. But now they start to say it. Now they start to say it, [and] they are protected by the crowd. The barrier of fear [has] start[ed] to fall. So people [are] not afraid anymore," Nakhle said.
For the first time Friday, Syria's banned Muslim Brotherhood urged people to join the protests. The group said the authorities' accusations that militant Islamists were behind the unrest were aimed at causing a civil war and undermining demands for political freedoms.
Activist Nakhle said even those Syrians who supported Mr. Assad are unconvinced by the government's claims.
"To fight Salafist armed groups, why to cut electricity? Why to cut medical aid? Why to cut water?," Nakhle said.
In Geneva, the U.N. Human Rights Council condemned the violence and called for an investigation, while in Washington, President Barack Obama imposed sanctions freezing property controlled by three top Syrian officials, the Syrian intelligence agency and Iran's Revolutionary Guard Corps. The Iranian entity is blamed for providing material support to Syria's crackdown on protesters.
Human-rights groups say more than 500 demonstrators have been killed since the uprising began on March 15. Most foreign media have been banned from the country, so independent verification of those reports has been difficult.