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☆ US Open: Pinehurst No.2 makes some of the world’s best golfers look ordinary as star names miss the cut
▼ + stars: | 2024-06-15 | by ( Aimee Lewis | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

Major winners, all-time greats and two of the world’s top 10 struggled on the North Carolina course on the first and second day. Phil Mickelson hits from the bunker on the ninth hole during the second round. When asked by CNN’s Patrick Snell if he might have played his last US Open, Woods cast doubt on his future at the tournament and also at the Open Championship in the UK. World No.5 Hovland missed the cut by a shot with his six-over overall, while world No.10 Homa also saw his championship end early. Fowler also started steadily on Thursday, but his game unravelled on Friday as he ended the day seven over, missing the cut by three shots.

Persons: Phil Mickelson, Dustin Johnson, Justin Thomas, Viktor Hovland, Justin Rose, Rickie Fowler, Webb Simpson, Jason Day, Scottie Scheffler –, Frank Franklin II, CNN’s Patrick Snell, Woods, Hovland, Homa, Thomas, Mickelson, Fowler Organizations: CNN, PGA Locations: Pinehurst, Carolina

☆ Sex and marriage patterns in an ancient empire revealed by DNA
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-24 | by ( Katie Hunt | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +8 min

With opulent graves but no written records, the empire and its people have remained largely in the shadows of history until recently. But a landmark April 2022 study involving ancient DNA taken from the graves of the Avar elite shed light on the empire’s far-flung origins. A tiny sample is drilled from a bone at the ancient DNA laboratory at the Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology in Leipzig, Germany. In the case of men, researchers found two partners in 10 cases, three partners in four cases and four partners in one case. “Polygamy (having multiple marriage partners), serial monogamous marriages and extramarital relations are all possible explanations,” she said.

Persons: ”, Zsófia Rácz, Rácz, aren’t, Guido Alberto Gnecchi, Max Planck, Eötvös Loránd University Múzeum Lara Cassidy, “, polygyny, Ruscone, Cassidy, Bryan Miller, wasn’t Organizations: CNN, of Archaeological Sciences, Eötvös Loránd, Múzeum, University’s, Archaeological Sciences, Max, Max Planck Institute, Eötvös Loránd University, Trinity College Dublin, Turks, Central, University of Michigan Locations: Central, Eastern Europe, Hungary, Rákóczifalva, Budapest, Leipzig, Germany, Europe, Mongolia, Caucasus, what’s, Constantinople, Byzantine, Eurasia

[1/3] Hsiao Bi-khim, vice presidential candidate for Taiwan's Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) and former envoy to the United States, speaks to the media during a press conference in Taipei, Taiwan November 23, 2023. The opposition Kuomintang (KMT) and Taiwan People's Party (TPP) had previously agreed to work together against the ruling DPP but have made no progress on plans for a united presidential ticket. Lai and Hsiao, on the other hand, with a united party behind them, are moving ahead smoothly with their campaign. Their disagreement has gripped Taiwan for the past week, and both parties have insisted they still want to work together. At the Taipei hotel, Gou's campaign set up a digital clock counting down to Friday's election registration deadline of 0930 GMT.

Persons: Hsiao, Ben Blanchard, Lai Ching, Terry Gou, Lai, It's, Gou, Ko Wen, Hou Yu, Huang Shih, Huang, Yimou Lee, Sarah Wu, Jacqueline Wong, Robert Birsel Organizations: Taiwan's Democratic Progressive Party, REUTERS, Rights, Democratic Progressive Party, DPP, Kuomintang, KMT, Taiwan People's Party, TPP, ih, Thomson Locations: United States, Taipei, Taiwan, Rights TAIPEI, China, United, Beijing, Taiwan Strait

☆ Factbox-The Main Contenders in Congo's December Election
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-20 | by ( Nov. | At A.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +3 min

President Felix TshisekediTshisekedi, 60, son of Congo's late opposition leader Etienne Tshisekedi, came to power in a disputed 2018 election buoyed by a power-sharing alliance with former president Joseph Kabila. In 2018, he was prevented from entering the country in time to submit his candidacy for the presidential election. Old rival Martin FayuluFayulu, 66, a former Exxon Mobil executive, came second in the 2018 election that he claims he won. Before the 2018 election, Fayulu was chosen as the joint opposition candidate in a deal with Tshisekedi. Fayulu sent representatives to a meeting in South Africa where the main opposition candidates discussed joining forces behind one candidate.

Persons: Ange Kasongo, Felix Tshisekedi, Martin Fayulu, Denis Mukwege, Felix Tshisekedi Tshisekedi, Congo's, Etienne Tshisekedi, Joseph Kabila, unravelled, Vital Kamerhe, Jean, Pierre Bemba, Tshisekedi, Businessman Moise Katumbi Katumbi, Kabila, Katumbi, Martin Fayulu Fayulu, Fayulu, Mukwege, Marie José Ifoku, Bate Felix, William Maclean Organizations: Democratic, Peace, Exxon Mobil, Tshisekedi Locations: Ange Kasongo KINSHASA, Democratic Republic of Congo, Katanga, Congo, Congolese, Rhodes Island, Congo's Katanga, South Africa

☆ Nine-man Spurs miss out on top spot in chaotic 4-1 loss to Chelsea
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-06 | by ( Martyn Herman | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

Destiny Udogie was shown a second yellow card 10 minutes after the break leaving the home side hanging on for a point. Australian Postecoglou said his first Premier League defeat was hard to analyse. BEST STARTTottenham have enjoyed their best start to a top-flight season since 1960 with Postecoglou the first manager to go unbeaten in his first 10 Premier League games. Chelsea were chasing shadows initially and were relieved when Son's effort was ruled out for offside. Minutes later Chelsea's Moises Caicedo drove a low shot home through a crowd but that was ruled offside and confirmed by VAR.

Persons: Chelsea's Nicolas Jackson, Reece James, Moises Caicedo REUTERS, Tony Obrien, Tottenham Hotspur's, Nicolas Jackson, Mauricio Pochettino, Chelsea, Dejan Kulusevski's, Son Heung, Chelsea scuppered, Cristian Romero, Cole Palmer, Micky van de, James Maddison, Udogie, Jackson, Eric Dier, Son, Robert Sanchez, Ange Postecoglou's, Postecoglou, we're, I'm, Kulusevski's, Levi Colwill, wrongfoot Sanchez, Raheem Sterling, Romero, Colwill, Moises Caicedo, Michael Oliver, Enzo Fernandez, Maddison, Van de, Pochettino, Martyn Herman, Ken Ferris Organizations: Soccer Football, Premier League, Tottenham Hotspur, Chelsea, Tottenham, Spurs, Manchester City, BEST, Argentina, Sterling, Thomson Locations: London, Britain, Chelsea's, Sterling's, Senegal

In a memo to staff Ermotti said that 3,000 Swiss jobs would go, while more people would leave of their own accord, for example, through retirement. With a market value of 77 billion Swiss francs, UBS also struck an optimistic note about its short-term outlook. With Credit Suisse in Switzerland intact and independent, as some politicians had hoped, fewer jobs would have been hit. [1/2]Logos of Swiss banks Credit Suisse and UBS are seen before a news conference in Zurich Switzerland, August 30, 2023. Reuters GraphicsThe bumper profit results from a huge one-off gain that reflects how the acquisition costs were far below Credit Suisse's value.

Persons: Ermotti, Sergio Ermotti, Denis Balibouse, Jefferies, Brenna Hughes, John O'Donnell, Noele, Edwina Gibbs, Tomasz Janowski, Alexander Smith Organizations: UBS, Credit Suisse Swiss, Credit Suisse, UBS grapples, REUTERS, Swiss Bank Employees Association, Analysts, Deutsche Bank, Reuters, Credit, Thomson Locations: Switzerland, ZURICH, Swiss, Zurich Switzerland, Zurich, London

☆ The American rebuild begins after dismal World Cup campaign
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-21 | by ( Amy Tennery | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

The Americans, who own a record four World Cup titles and had never before finished worse than third place, left town long before the party was over after a shock defeat to Sweden in the last 16. "Our commitment to excellence remains unshakeable, and we believe this strategic plan will set the foundation for our women's national team to achieve greater heights in the years to come." The U.S. federation must also replace women's national team General Manager Kate Margkraf, whose departure was announced on Friday. But the Macedonian-American never shied from bringing the next generation into the fold, as he fielded the least experienced U.S. team in memory with 14 World Cup newcomers, compared to only eight in 2015. But fans looking for a glimmer of hope from the Americans' dismal campaign can look to the younger players.

Persons: Megan Rapinoe, Alyssa Naeher, Vlatko Andonovski, Matt Crocker, Crocker, Kate Margkraf, There’s, Andonovski, Sam Mewis, Catarina Macario, Mallory Swanson, Forward Sophia Smith, Naomi Girma, Alyssa Thompson, Julie Ertz, Fox, Amy Tennery, Pritha Sarkar Organizations: Soccer Football, FIFA, United, Spain, England, Sunday's, team, Soccer Sporting, Premier League, Southampton, women's, U.S . Soccer, National Women's Soccer League, U.S ., Vietnam, U.S, Soccer, Thomson Locations: New Zealand, Sweden, United States, Melbourne, Australia, U.S, Sydney, Qatar, Paris, Tokyo, New York

Now it is at the epicentre of a property crash that threatens to engulf the Nordic state's economy. It has said it plans on selling roughly 6 billion Swedish crowns worth of assets this year. Speculators are betting that the stock price has further to fall. SBB shares are subject to more short-selling - a bet that the stock price will drop - than any other Swedish company, according to data from the financial regulator. "If, on the other hand, the SBB will be bought up, then the small shareholders will probably lose everything."

Persons: Maria De Geer, who've, Ilija Batljan, Batljan, Robert Bergqvist, SEB, Leiv Synnes, pare, De Geer, Pablo Mayo, Elaine Hardcastle Organizations: SBB, Swedish Shareholders Association, Organisation for Economic Cooperation, Development, Asset Management, SBB Treasury Oyj, Reuters, Thomson Locations: STOCKHOLM, FRANKFURT, Sweden, Swedish, Cerqueiro, London

☆ Medvedev survives Fucsovics onslaught to reach last 16
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-08 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

LONDON, July 8 (Reuters) - Daniil Medvedev has been making up for lost time as he downed Hungary's Marton Fucsovics 4-6 6-3 6-4 6-4 to match his best ever showing at Wimbledon by reaching the fourth round on Saturday. A year after being banned from playing at the All England Club following Russia's invasion of Ukraine, the Moscow-born Medvedev survived a wayward opening set to topple an opponent who had won their only previous meeting at a major. But Medvedev trampled on those dreams in the fourth game of the second set, when he broke Fucsovics to love after the Hungarian double-faulted to surrender his serve. Once Medvedev had taken a two-sets-to-one lead by banging down an unreturnable serve, Fucsovics needed an injury time out to get his right ankle manipulated and strapped up by the trainer. He got back on his feet and even earned a break point in the eighth game of the fourth set.

Persons: Daniil Medvedev, Hungary's Marton Fucsovics, Medvedev, Fucsovics, Roland Garros, Boris Becker, unravelled, Pritha Sarkar, Hugh Lawson Organizations: Wimbledon, All England, Thomson Locations: Ukraine, Moscow, Russian, London

☆ Players face 'mental torture' at Wimbledon, says sports psychologist
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-30 | by ( Martyn Herman | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

The All England Club's lawns will be the focus of the tennis world over the next fortnight as the world's leading players battle opponents and often their own psychological demons. UNIQUE CHALLENGES"There are a number of unique challenges elite tennis players have to face. Tennis players probably are only playing tennis for about 10 minutes of every hour they're on court," she said. Considering how much expectation he has shouldered at Wimbledon down the years, the 36-year-old has coped admirably, according to Mobed. "He is a fantastic example of someone that has worked so hard to uncover his mental strength," she said.

Persons: Toby Melville LONDON, Jana Novotna, Steffi Graf, Serena Williams, Czech Karolina Pliskova, Gaston Gaudio, Guillermo Coria, Gaudio, Katie Mobed, Novak Djokovic, Elena Rybakina, Andy Murray, Martyn Herman, Ken Ferris Organizations: Lawn Tennis, Croquet Club, Wimbledon REUTERS, Tennis, Wimbledon, Czech, Thomson Locations: London, Britain, England, British

☆ Arsenal hopes crushed by Brighton as Man City on the brink of title
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-14 | by ( Martyn Herman | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

With relentless Manchester City winning at Everton in the earlier kickoff to move four points clear, long-time league leaders Arsenal knew only a victory would suffice. The result also moved Brighton up to sixth place with games in hand on the teams around them. City could even secure it before that if Arsenal lose against Nottingham Forest on Saturday. I don't think City are going to do too many mistakes now," Arsenal captain Martin Odegaard said. And there was a lethargy about Arsenal's play as Brighton sucked the life out of them with their measured passing game.

[1/5] The logo of Raiffeisen Bank International (RBI) is seen on their headquarters in Vienna, Austria, March 14, 2023. REUTERS/Leonhard FoegerVIENNA, March 23 (Reuters) - The European Central Bank is pressing Austria's Raiffeisen Bank International (RBIV.VI) to unwind its highly profitable business in Russia, five people with knowledge of the matter told Reuters. One person said such a plan could include the sale or closure of its Russian bank. A Raiffeisen spokesperson said that it was examining options for its Russia business "including a carefully managed exit" and that it was "expediting" its assessment, adding that it had also reduced lending in the country. HIGH STAKESIn January, the U.S. sanctions authority launched an inquiry into Raiffeisen over its business related to Russia.

☆ Poland breaks up spy network, says defence minister
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-16 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

WARSAW, March 16 (Reuters) - Poland has broken up a espionage network operating in the country, the defence minister said on Thursday, after private broadcaster RMF FM reported that a group of spies working for Russia had been detained. RMF reported on Wednesday that Polish security services had detained six people suspected of spying for Russia. "This is undoubtedly proof that the Polish services work for the security of our country in a very efficient manner." According to the RMF report, the six people arrested were from countries to the east of Poland and were working for Russian intelligence. RMF reported that security had been stepped up around key railway routes and critical infrastructure as a result of the discovery of the spy network.

It was a far cry from the barbs Macron traded with Boris Johnson when he was in Downing Street. The French foreign minister at the time, Jean-Yves Le Drian, said France had been "stabbed in the back". Macron's hardball tactics to ensure French fishermen got a good deal had made him the bete noire of British tabloids. But even before news of the AUKUS deal he was incensed by Johnson's decision to leak details of their conversation to the press, a French official said. A French official let out a sigh of relief after it wrapped up: "It went well, didn't it?"

☆ Iran makes sweeping pledge of cooperation to IAEA before board meeting
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-04 | by ( Francois Murphy | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

The International Atomic Energy Agency and Iran issued a joint statement on IAEA chief Rafael Grossi's return from a trip to Tehran just two days before a quarterly meeting of the agency's 35-nation Board of Governors. "Iran expressed its readiness to ... provide further information and access to address the outstanding safeguards issues," the joint statement said. A confidential IAEA report to member states seen by Reuters said Grossi "looks forward to ... prompt and full implementation of the Joint Statement". Follow-up talks in Iran between IAEA and Iranian officials aimed at hammering out the details would happen "very, very soon", Grossi said. Asked if all that monitoring equipment would be re-installed, Grossi replied "Yes".

☆ Column: The devil's metal strikes again in Trafigura nickel fraud case
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-17 | by ( Andy Home | Thomson Reuters | Senior Metals Columnist Who Previously Covered Industrial Metals Markets For Metals Week | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +7 min

Appearances can be deceptive when it comes to nickel, as Trafigura has just found out half a millennium later. Just as it's impossible to say whether some of the recent price volatility on the LME nickel contract was down to Trafigura restructuring hedge positions. The problem is that LME nickel trading has been volatile and unpredictable ever since last year's meltdown. There is now also a growing crisis of confidence in the world of physical nickel trading. Nickel could really do with a reputational break but recent history suggests it's just a matter of time before the devil's metal strikes again.

☆ Top seed Swiatek crashes out, Gauff exits Australian Open in tears
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-22 | by ( Ian Ransom | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

"I felt the pressure, and I felt that I don't want to lose instead of I want to win," said Swiatek, who dominated last season with two Grand Slam wins. Rybakina, the 22nd seed, might have expected to face Gauff in the quarter-finals but the much-hyped American teen was upset 7-5 6-3 by Jelena Ostapenko, the forgotten Grand Slam winner of women's tennis. The win secured a first Australian Open quarter-final for hard-hitting Ostapenko, as well as the first at a Grand Slam since her run to the Wimbledon semi-finals in 2018. Latvia's first - and only - Grand Slam champion stunned the world when she hoisted the trophy at Roland Garros as an unseeded 20-year-old. Third seed Pegula will face the winner of Victoria Azarenka and China's Zhu Lin for a place in the semi-finals.

☆ Man City crush Chelsea in FA Cup, Stevenage stun Villa
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-08 | by ( Richard Martin | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

Elsewhere, League Two (fourth tier) side Stevenage pulled off the shock of the weekend by winning 2-1 at Premier League Aston Villa, scoring two goals in the final few minutes. City will play at home in the fourth round against either Premier League leaders Arsenal or League One side Oxford United, who meet on Monday. Potter said City were the last team he could wish to face during the team's difficult run of form. Walsall beat Stockport County 2-1, Stoke City won 3-0 at Hartlepool, Blackburn Rovers beat Norwich City 1-0 and Derby County beat Barnsley 3-0 to also make it to the fourth round. Bristol City and Swansea City will meet again in a replay after drawing 1-1.

[1/3] Drivers push auto rickshaws in a line to buy petrol from a fuel station amid Sri Lanka's economic crisis, in Colombo, Sri Lanka, July 29, 2022. India's foreign ministry did not respond to questions from Reuters on its plans and strategic aims in Sri Lanka. New Delhi has long been concerned about China's clout in its neighbourhood, including Nepal, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka. "And as far as Sri Lanka is concerned, we don't want to contribute to any escalation of tension between any countries." "Sri Lanka has clearly benefited from being the closest neighbour to the most powerful country in the region.

☆ Former NYPD officer sentenced to 25 years to life in freezing death of 8-year-old son
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-09 | by ( Marlene Lenthang | Marlene Lenthang Is A Breaking News Reporter For Nbc News Digital. | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +3 min

A former New York City police officer whose 8-year-old son died after he was forced to sleep in the family's freezing garage, was sentenced to 25 years to life in prison Thursday. Michael Valva, 45, was found guilty of second-degree murder and four counts of endangering the welfare of a child in November in connection with the January 2020 death of his son Thomas Valva. Valva sobbed in court Thursday and apologized for his actions, NBC New York reported. Thankfully, the story of this defendant ends here, but the pursuit of justice for Thomas and Anthony continues," Tierney said. Surveillance footage submitted at the trial showed Michael Valva screaming at Thomas and ordering him outside to hose him down with water.

DUBAI, Nov 22 (Reuters) - Iran has begun enriching uranium to 60% purity at its underground Fordow nuclear site, the government's nuclear chief said on Tuesday, a move that may irk Western powers pushing Tehran to roll back its nuclear work by reviving a 2015 pact. "We had said that Iran will seriously react to any resolution and political pressure ... that is why Iran has started enriching uranium to 60% purity from Monday at the Fordow site," said Mohammad Eslami, according to Iranian media. The semi-official ISNA news agency reported Iran had informed the agency in a letter about the decision to use "IR-6 advanced centrifuges to produce 60% enriched uranium" at Fordow, a site buried inside a mountain. In June, Reuters reported that Tehran was enhancing its uranium enrichment further by preparing to use IR-6 centrifuges, which can easily switch between enrichment levels, at the Fordow site. "Iran has also started the process of injecting gas into two cascades of IR-2m and IR-4 advanced centrifuges at the Natanz site," state TV reported.

☆ Djokovic sets up meeting with Ruud in ATP final championship
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-19 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

"I had to fight to survive," the 35-year-old said in remarks provided by the ATP. If Djokovic wins the final, he will claim the biggest prize in tennis history, cashing in $4,740,300 for lifting the tournament trophy undefeated. But he will have to tame Ruud first, who confidently swatted aside an error-prone Andrey Rublev 6-2 6-4 in their semi-final affair. Ruud quickly extinguished that momentum, however, holding his arms out wide after clinching the match with a backhand winner down the line. Reporting by Tommy Lund in Gdansk; editing by Clare Fallon and Christian RadnedgeOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Greeks march to commemorate 1973 student uprising
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-17 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

[1/4] People march during a rally marking the 48th anniversary of the 1973 student uprising against the military dictatorship that was ruling Greece, in Athens, Greece, November 17, 2021. REUTERS/Costas BaltasATHENS, Nov 17 (Reuters) - Thousands of Greeks marched through central Athens on Thursday to mark the anniversary of a violently quashed student uprising in 1973 that helped topple the military junta which then ruled the country. Brief tension broke out between police and protesters before the march reached the heavily guarded parliament on Syntagma square. At the front of the procession, youths held a blood-stained flag that belonged to the students engaged in the 1973 revolt. Earlier, people laid wreaths and carnations at the Athens Polytechnic, site of a bloody clamp-down on Nov. 17 1973 when tanks smashed through the gates to crush the revolt that heralded the end of the junta.

☆ ASEAN summit begins with Myanmar likely to dominate agenda; 'little progress expected'
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-10 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

Cambodian Prime Minister and ASEAN host Hun Sen addressed Friday's opening ceremony with a call for vigilance and wisdom during times of economic and geopolitical turmoil. The junta has blamed a lack of progress on the pandemic and obstruction from armed resistance movements that it calls terrorists. James Crabtree, Executive Director of the International Institute for Strategic Studies-Asia, said ASEAN was struggling to cope with internal divisions over Myanmar and other issues. One Western diplomat who will attend the meeting said that while the bloc may try to make the Myanmar peace plan more action-oriented, "little progress is expected". G20 leaders are meeting in Bali next week and the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) forum will take place in Bangkok after that.

☆ Netanyahu set for comeback, says on brink of "big" election win
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-02 | by ( Maayan Lubell | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

[1/5] Likud party leader Benjamin Netanyahu waves as he addresses his supporters at his party headquarters during Israel's general election in Jerusalem, November 2, 2022. REUTERS/Ammar AwadJERUSALEM, Nov 2 (Reuters) - Israel's former premier Benjamin Netanyahu appeared set to return to power on Wednesday, saying his right-wing camp was on the cusp of a great election win, after exit polls predicted his bloc gaining a slim parliamentary majority. "We have won a huge vote of confidence from the people of Israel," a smiling Netanyahu told cheering supporters at his Likud party election headquarters. As actual results began trickling in, Lapid stopped short at conceding the election and said he would wait until the final count. Exit polls late on Tuesday predicted his camp would take 53-54 Knesset seats, far behind Netanyahu.

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