Federer crashes as Djokovic reaches 10th Wimbledon semi-final
Roger Federer faced serious questions over his future yesterday after crashing out of Wimbledon in the quarter-finals, just five weeks shy of his 40th birthday.
Eight-time Wimbledon champion and 20-time Grand Slam title winner Federer lost 6-3, 7-6 (7/4), 6-0 to a Poland's Hubert Hurkacz, a player 15 years his junior.
It was only Federer's 14th defeat at the tournament in 119 matches and his first straight-sets loss since an opening round exit against Mario Ancic in 2002.
It was the first time he had lost a set 6-0 at Wimbledon.
World number 18 Hurkacz had never got beyond the third round of a Grand Slam before this Wimbledon.
However, boosted by having defeated world number two Daniil Medvedev in five sets in the last 16, he was a break up on a sluggish-looking Federer in the sixth game of the opening set.
The Swiss star, who underwent two knee surgeries in 2020 and was bidding to be the oldest man in the Wimbledon last-four in over a half a century, carved out a break for 2-0 in the second set.
Federer looked punch drunk and he was quickly down 0-2 in the third set before Hurkacz wrapped up the decider in just 29 minutes in front of a stunned Centre Court.
He is only the second Polish man to reach the semi-finals at Wimbledon — Jerzy Janowicz being the other in 2013.
Up next is a clash with either Matteo Berrettini of Italy or Canada's Felix Auger-Aliassime for a place in Sunday's final.
World number one and five-time champion Novak Djokovic reached his 10th Wimbledon semi-final and 41st at the Grand Slams.
Djokovic, chasing a record-equalling 20th major, defeated Hungary's Marton Fucsovics 6-3, 6-4, 6-4.
He will face Canada's 10th seed Denis Shapovalov, who beat Russia's Karen Khachanov 6-4, 3-6, 5-7, 6-1, 6-4, for a place in Sunday's final.
It was 34-year-old Djokovic's 100th career grass court victory.
Source-AFP
WEATHER FORECAST FOR FRIDAY JULY 9th, 2021.
GENERAL SITUATION: A STRONG HIGH PRESSURE DOMINATES THE WEATHER ACROSS THE BAHAMAS WITH MODERATE TO STRONG WINDS AND PLEASANT CONDITIONS AS TROPICAL STORM ELSA’S RAIN BANDS GENERATE SOME UNSETTLED WEATHER OVER THE EXTREME NORTHWESTERN ISLANDS.
SPECIAL WARNINGS: MARINERS IN THE NORTHWEST BAHAMAS SHOULD REMAIN ALERT FOR POSSIBLE WATER SPOUT ACTIVITY. BEACH GOERS IN THE CENTRAL AND SOUTHEAST BAHAMAS SHOULD EXERCISE CAUTION ALONG EASTERLY BEACHES DUE TO THE RISK OF RIP CURRENTS. RESIDENTS AND VISITORS ARE URGED TO REMAIN HYDRATED AND LIMIT OUTDOOR ACTIVITY AS INDICES CLIMB INTO THE TRIPLE DIGITS.
NORTHWEST BAHAMAS
WEATHER: PARTLY SUNNY AND HOT WITH CLOUDY PERIODS OF WIDELY SCATTED SHOWERS AND ISOLATED THUNDERSTORMS MAINLY IN THE AREA OF RAINBANDS, BECOMING FAIR AND WARM TONIGHT WITH A PASSING SHOWER OR A THUNDERSTORM
ADVISORY: EXPECT GUSTY WINDS AND HIGHER SEAS IN OR NEAR SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS
WINDS: SOUTHEASTERLY AT 10 TO 15 KNOTS, GUSTING AT TIMES
SEAS: 2 TO 4 FEET, HIGHER IN GUSTS
CENTRAL,SOUTHEAST BAHAMAS & THE TCI
WEATHER: PARTLY TO MOSTLY SUNNY, HOT AND BREEZY WITH PASSING SHOWERS BECOMING FAIR, WARM, AND BREEZY WITH THE CHANCE OF A SHOWER TONIGHT.
ADVISORY: SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY CONTINUES
WINDS: EASTERLY AT 20 TO 25 KNOTS
SEAS: 5 TO 8 FEET
DAYTIME HIGH TEMPERATURE 91°F 33°C
HEAT INDEX 103°F 39°C
OVERNIGHT LOW TEMPERATURE 75°F 24°C
SUNSET: 8:01 PM
SUNRISE: 6:27 FRI AM
MOONSET: 7:13 PM
MOONRISE: 5:53 AM FRI
LOW TIDE: 1:26 PM & 2:25 FRI AM
HIGH TIDE: 7:54 PM & 8:07 FRI AM
WEATHER OUTLOOK: HIGH PRESSURE WILL MAINTAIN ITS POSITION ACROSS THE ISLANDS, WHILE SAHARAN DUST CREEP THE SOUTHEAST BAHAMAS BRING MILKY SKIES AND INCREASING RESPIRATORY ISSUES AND EYE IRRITATIONS.
TROPICAL WEATHER: SEE LATEST NEWS ITEM ON TROPICAL STORM ELSA. ELSEWHERE TROPICAL STORM FORMATION IS NOT EXPECTED THROUGH THE NEXT 5 DAYS
German industrial orders fall on tepid global demand
German industrial orders fell sharply in May, hit by weak demand from abroad as the pandemic continued to pummel Europe's top economy, official data showed yesterday.
Orders were down by 3.7 per cent, according to the federal statistics office Destatis, dashing the hopes of analysts polled by Factset who had pencilled in a rise of 0.8 pe rcent compared to April.
However, a year-on-year comparison showed a whopping 54.3 per cent increase compared to May 2020, when the economy came to a screeching halt during the first wave of the pandemic.
International orders in May sank particularly sharply, by 2.3 per cent from Eurozone countries and 9.3 per cent from the rest of the world according to month-on-month data.
Industrial orders are closely watched as a key indicator of future economic activity, especially in manufacturing powerhouse Germany.
Germany's economy shrank in the first quarter as restrictions were imposed to counter a winter surge in COVID-19 cases.
But ING analyst Carsten Brzeski suggested the disappointing May industrial orders data should be taken with a “pinch of salt”.
He noted that “ongoing supply chain disruptions, delivery delays and lack of materials and intermediate goods” due to the pandemic have “blurred the traditional link between industrial orders and production”.
“Consequently, the industrial rebound could be a bit more erratic than previously anticipated,” he said.
“Order books are more than richly filled and reducing backlogs is a bigger problem for German companies than acquiring new orders.”
Last week, German business confidence rose to a near three-year high in June, buoyed by reopenings and falling coronavirus infection rates according to the Munich-based ifo Institute's monthly confidence barometer.
But yesterday, the ZEW institute's monthly barometer measuring economic expectations showed an unexpected slide in investor sentiment.
Concern about the rapid spread of coronavirus variants and material shortages in production weighed on the notoriously volatile index, sending it plunging 16.5 points month on month to 63.3 for July.
Source-AFP
Trump says he's filing class action lawsuits against Facebook, Twitter and Google
Former President Donald Trump said Wednesday that he is filing class action lawsuits against three of the country's largest tech companies -- Facebook, Twitter, and Google -- all of which have banned the former president from their social media platforms.
Mr. Trump announced at a press conference that he will pursue a "major class action lawsuit" against the three companies, demanding "a stop to the blacklisting, banishing, and canceling that you know so well."
The former president is currently banned from Twitter and Facebook -- as well as YouTube, which is owned by Google -- following the January 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol.
The lawsuits, which were filed in U.S. District Court for Florida’s southern district, argue that all three companies are actually government entities.
Experts say that argument may face steep legal hurdles.
Moments after Wednesday's press conference, Trump's Save America PAC used the lawsuits in a fundraising pitch, asking supporters to donate "immediately."
Source-ABC
Oregon's heat wave death toll reaches 107 in 'mass casualty' event
Oregon's record-breaking heat wave reached a death toll of 107 on Tuesday, according to officials.
The victims range in age from 37 to 97, according to the Oregon State Medical Examiner, as the state has been reeling from scorching triple-digit temperatures from June 25 to June 30.
So far, 67 deaths -- more than half the state's heat wave-related deaths -- were reported in Multnomah County, prompting the county to call it a "mass casualty event." The county's victims ranged in age from 44 to 97.
Multnomah County health officials said in a news release the suspected cause of all the deaths is hyperthermia -- the condition of having a body temperature well above normal. So far, 40 have been formally ruled hyperthermia deaths, and the rest are yet to be officially ruled.
Some of the dead were found inside their homes without air conditioning or fans, according to local ABC affiliate KATU. Portland recorded a high of 116 on Monday, June 28.
An excessive heat warning was in effect the weekend of the wave from the National Weather Service, and the weekend set records for hottest days in history in multiple cities.
Source-ABC
Haitian President Jovenel Moise killed in attack at his home, country now in state of emergency
Haitian President Jovenel Moise (JOVE'-nel mo-WEES') was killed in an attack at his home before dawn on Wednesday, the country's interim premier said.
A group of unidentified individuals raided Moise's private residence in Haiti's capital, Port-au-Prince, at around 1 a.m. local time. They gunned down the 53-year-old head of state and wounded his wife, Martine Moise, who was airlifted to an American hospital, according to a statement from Haitian interim Prime Minister Claude Joseph.
Joseph, who condemned what he called a "hateful, inhumane and barbaric act," said that the Caribbean country's national police force and military had the situation under control and declared a state of emergency.
Reeling from the coronavirus pandemic, Haiti has also been in the midst of a constitutional crisis as Moise and opposition leaders disputed the end of his five-year presidential term and legislative elections remained interminably delayed.
The assailants, who remain at large, were "well-trained commandos" who were speaking Spanish and most likely came from outside Haiti, according to Bocchit Edmond, (BOE'-sheet ed-MOANED') Haiti's ambassador to the U.S. Edmond said the Haitian government had video evidence of the group speaking Spanish. He also said they claimed to be agents from the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, which Edmond rejected.
The group was "highly trained and heavily armed," according to Joseph, who called for an urgent United Nations Security Council meeting and an international investigation into the attack.
Haiti has been in a state of chaos for months now, with frequent gunfire and street skirmishes between armed groups, political demonstrations and strikes, and a coronavirus wave never brought under control. Cases of the virus were as high last month as they were one year ago, and the country has yet to distribute a single vaccine dose or receive any shipments from COVAX, the international program to provide vaccines to low- and middle-income countries.
Source-ABC
Mariah Carey settles $3M lawsuit with ex-assistant accused of blackmailing her
Mariah Carey can officially shake off some of her legal woes. The singer has settled the $3 million lawsuit levied against her ex-assistant, Lianna “Azarian” Shakhnazarian, for alleged trying to blackmail her.
The lawsuit, which was filed in 2019, was closed out on Wednesday by Manhattan Supreme Court Justice Andrew Borrok, who simply wrote "Case settled," Page Six reports. The terms of the settlement were not made public.
Carey, 51, accused her former assistant, who was fired in 2017, of betrayal and blackmail -- claiming that Shakhnazarian secretly filmed her during personal activities and then threatened to release them if she didn't pay her $8 million. The pop star also claimed that a non-disclosure agreement that Shakhnazarian signed when she was hired in 2015 was violated.
THE WEATHER REPORT
GENERAL SITUATION: OUTFLOW FROM TROPICAL STORM ELSA WILL SUPPORT SOME CLOUDINESS ACROSS THE NORTHERN ISLANDS…MEANWHILE A HIGH-PRESSURE RIDGE CONTINUES TO GENERATE MODERATE TO FRESH BREEZES.
SPECIAL WARNINGS: MARINERS AND RESIDENTS SHOULD REMAIN VIGILANT FOR POSSIBLE WATERSPOUT ACTIVITY. EXPECT LOCALIZED FLOODING IN LOW-LYING AND FLOOD-PRONE AREAS ESPECIALLY DURING PROLONGED RAINFALL EVENTS…THERE REMAINS THE RISK OF RIP CURRENTS ALONG THE EASTERN AND SOUTHERN SHORELINES OF ALL ISLANDS.
ALL AREAS
WEATHER:VARIABLY CLOUDY, HOT, AND BREEZY WITH ISOLATED SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS THIS AFTERNOON. MAINLY FAIR AND WARM IN THE CENTRAL AND SOUTHEAST BAHAMAS TONIGHT.
ADVISORY: A SMALL CRAFT CAUTION IS IN EFFECT …EXPECT GUSTY WINDS AND HIGHER SEAS IN OR NEAR HEAVY SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS.
WINDS: SOUTHEASTERLY AT 15 TO 20 KNOTS OVER OPEN WATERS, GUSTY AT TIMES.
SEAS: 4 TO 7 FEET OVER THE OCEAN, HIGHER IN GUSTS.
DAYTIME HIGH TEMPERATURE 91°F 33°C
HEAT INDEX 102°F 39°C
OVERNIGHT LOW TEMPERATURE 77°F 25°C
SUNSET: 8:02PM MOONSET: 5:25PM
SUNSET: 6:26AM WED MOONRISE: 4:17AM WED.
LOW TIDE: 12:02PM LOW TIDE: 1:01AM WED
HIGH TIDE: 6:31PM HIGH TIDE: 6:42AM WED
WEATHER OUTLOOK: VARIABLY CLOUDY, HOT, AND BREEZY IN THE NORTHWEST BAHAMAS WITH ISOLATED SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS. PARTLY SUNNY, HOT AND BREEZY IN THE CENTRAL AND SOUTHEAST BAHAMAS WITH A STRAY SHOWER OR TWO.
4 additional bodies found after remaining building demolished in Surfside, Florida
Search and rescue teams have recovered four additional bodies in the pile of rubble from a collapsed building in Surfside, Florida, following the demolition of the remaining building, according to officials.
First responders were able to search in areas previously inaccessible due to the instability of the portion of Champlain Towers South that still stood following the partial collapse on June 24, Miami-Dade County Mayor Daniella Levine Cava told reporters at a press conference Monday morning.
Three bodies were recovered in the morning and an additional body was found in the afternoon, according to officials.
The death toll now stands at 28, with 117 still unaccounted for, Levine Cava said. The newly accessible areas were likely where a lot of the master bedrooms were located, where people were sleeping, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis told reporters.
While the demolition was critical to expanding the search for bodies closer to the standing building, it was also necessary as Tropical Storm Elsa approached the U.S. with winds that "could have brought it down in a matter that could not have been as controlled or predicted," the mayor said.
Officials said it was too dangerous for survivors to enter the building to retrieve their belongings, DeSantis said.
Levine Cava emphasized that search and rescue crews "took every action we possibly could" to search for pets that remained in the building prior to the demolition. Multiple full sweeps of the building, which included searches in hiding places such as closets and under beds, were conducted "at great risk to first responders," the mayor said.
Source-ABC
Busta Rhymes hints at dropping new music with Chris Brown, Bryson Tiller, Diddy and more
Busta Rhymes is back in the studio working on new music with some of his longtime friends and collaborators.
According to Instagram, the legendary emcee recently linked up with R&B singer Chris Brown, who recruited Busta for his 2011 song, "Look at Me Now."
"The Dragon x @chrisbrownofficial. It’s been a long time. Just know," Busta wrote on Instagram, sharing a photo of the two posing next to a Lamborghini. It's unclear whether or not the two connected on a new track, but their relationship seems to be in good standing.
In another post, Busta posed with his "Pass the Courvoisier Part II" collaborator Sean "Diddy" Combs and Louisville singer Bryson Tiller. "As we celebrate Life, we hear yall talkin'... Stay tuned," Busta wrote in the caption.
Yet Busta seems more excited about a forthcoming track with Verzuz co-founder and producer Swizz Beatz. The two have collaborated on numerous songs over the years, including 2006’s "New York ***."
"Brand New Dragon x @therealswizzz. Y’all in trouble! Stay tuned!" Busta wrote on Instagram, sharing a video of himself and his friends in the studio.
"The world has never heard it until now," said Swizz, before playing a snippet of their new record. "Wait until they hear them other joints," he added in the comments.
Busta's ninth album, Extinction Level Event 2: The Wrath of God, was released last October. It peaked at #7 on the all-genre Billboard 200 Albums chart -- five spots higher than his third album, Extinction Level Event: The Final World Font.
Source--ABC