MALAGA, Spain (AP) — The last man to face — and beat — Rafael Nadal in professional tennis, 80th-ranked Botic van de Zandschulp , converted his 10th match point Friday to finally close out a 6-4, 6-7 (12), 6-3 victory over Daniel Altmaier and help the Netherlands reach its first Davis Cup final by sweeping Germany. Tallon Griekspoor, who is ranked 40th, sealed the 2-0 win for the Dutch in the best-of-three-match semifinal by hitting 25 aces and coming back to defeat Jan-Lennard Struff 6-7 (4), 7-5, 6-4. When it ended, appropriately, on an ace, Griekspoor shut his eyes, dropped to his knees and spread his arms wide. Javascript is required for you to be able to read premium content. Please enable it in your browser settings. Get any of our free email newsletters — news headlines, obituaries, sports, and more.
EDMONTON — The Alberta government has announced plans to ban new mountaintop removal and open-pit coal developments on the eastern slopes of the Rocky Mountains, but the new rules wouldn't apply to advanced projects like a contentious mine proposed for the Crowsnest Pass. Energy and Minerals Minister Brian Jean announced Friday the new policies expected in late 2025, along with a round of consultations with industry players on how to implement them. Jean said under the "long overdue" rule revamp, all coal mining projects would be held to the highest environmental standards. "Our job will be to develop a policy that will attract investment and create jobs while respecting and protecting the air, land, water and wildlife," he said. Jean said royalty revenues are also to be “substantially increased,” with rates to be revised after the consultations. "They're too low. We're going to bring them up," he said of the province's current rates. The new bans wouldn’t apply to advanced proposals, including the proposed Grassy Mountain open-pit mine in the Crowsnest Pass, which has been fought by environmental groups and communities downstream. Alberta Energy Regulator hearings into that project are to continue in January. Jean said the Grassy Mountain project, which aims to reclaim a site that was mined over 60 years ago but was never properly restored, would be monitored closely if approved. He said the province needs to find innovative ways to clean up those contaminated sites. "I hope (Albertans) look at us and say, 'Wow, that's smart. What a smart government,'" he said. Concerns over coal mining blew up in spring 2020, when the province announced it would remove rules that had protected the eastern slopes of the Rockies from open-pit coal mining since 1976. Public reaction was swift and angry, and the United Conservative Party government reinstated the protections and stopped selling exploration leases. Friday's announcement also comes three years after the government received a report and recommendations on the issue, including public feedback ranging from environmental concerns to dissatisfaction with the regulatory process. Jean said the COVID-19 pandemic, last year's provincial election and fights with the federal government over resource jurisdiction led to the delay of the new initiative. NDP Leader Naheed Nenshi said the plan to collect more royalties represents a plan to increase production in Alberta, with no economic benefit and a lot of environmental risk. "They may want to mess around with the rates, but what they really are trying to do is increase the amount of coal mining in the province," he said. He said the policy previously in place since 1976 was lifted for a brief period so the UCP could "sneak" a few projects through the regulatory process. "It's economically illiterate. It's not going to create the jobs and the economic benefits that we need in Alberta," Nenshi said. Under the new rules, companies would be required to show they can prevent toxic selenium from leaching into watersheds. Jean said technology, including "high wall mining" to catch overburden, the layer of soil and rock that sits above coal, would be used to keep it in check. But NDP environment and protected areas critic Sarah Elmeligi said she's skeptical technology to remove selenium from waterways works at scale, outside a lab. "That technology doesn't currently exist and, if it does, I would love to see it." This report by The Canadian Press was first published Dec. 20, 2024. Lisa Johnson, The Canadian PressIs the NORAD Santa tracker safe from a government shutdown?
As the countdown to the premiere continues, the buzz surrounding Huntsman 1 and Huntsman 2's clash shows no signs of slowing down. Social media platforms are abuzz with discussions, fan theories, and predictions about the outcome of their epic battle. Viewers around the world are united in their excitement for what promises to be a showdown for the ages.
Liverpool, the reigning Premier League champions, have two players in the top 30 earners. The Reds have built a formidable team under Jurgen Klopp, and their success on the pitch is reflected in the wages they pay to their players. Players like Mohamed Salah and Virgil van Dijk are among the highest earners at the club, rewarding them for their outstanding performances.
Title: Exposing the Price Discrepancy: Man Buys a Flight Ticket for $3357 on a Third-Party Platform When the Actual Price is $1070The incident occurred at a Hai Di Lao store, a well-known hot pot chain in China, where an employee requested a few days off to attend a family member's funeral. Instead of showing compassion and understanding, the employee's leader, reportedly, made insensitive remarks, belittling the employee for taking time off to mourn the loss of a loved one. This kind of behavior is not only unprofessional but also deeply hurtful to the employee who was already going through a difficult time.Missoulian week in review: Local news recap for Nov. 16-22
A government shutdown would disrupt everything from law enforcement to national parks and suspend pay for millions of federal workers. Photo: Reuters The House voted 366-34 to approve the bill on Friday, a day after rejecting Trump's debt ceiling demand. The Democratic-controlled Senate will also need to pass the bill to advance it to President Joe Biden, who the White House said would sign it into law to ensure the United States government will be funded beyond midnight, when current funding expires. The legislation would extend government funding until March 14, provide $US100 billion ($NZ176 billon) for disaster-hit states and $US10 billion for farmers. However, it would not raise the debt ceiling - a difficult task that Trump has pushed Congress to do before he takes office on January 20. A government shutdown would disrupt everything from law enforcement to national parks and suspend pay cheques for millions of federal workers. A travel industry trade group warned that a shutdown could cost airlines, hotels and other companies $US1 billion per week and lead to widespread disruptions during the busy Christmas season. Authorities warned that travellers could face long lines at airports. The package resembled a bipartisan plan that was abandoned earlier this week after an online fusillade from Trump and his billionaire adviser Elon Musk, who said it contained too many unrelated provisions. Most of those elements were struck from the bill - including a provision limiting investments in China that Democrats said would conflict with Musk's interests there. "He clearly does not want to answer questions about how much he plans to expand his businesses in China and how many American technologies he plans to sell," Democratic Representative Rosa DeLauro said on the House floor. Musk, the world's richest person, has been tasked by Trump to head a budget-cutting task force but holds no official position in Washington. The bill also left out Trump's demand to the nation's debt ceiling, which was resoundingly rejected by the House - including 38 Republicans - on Thursday. The federal government spent roughly $US6.2 trillion last year and has more than $US36 trillion in debt, and Congress will need to act to authorize further borrowing by the middle of next year. Representative Steve Scalise, the No 2 House Republican, said lawmakers had been in touch with Trump but did not say whether he supported the new plan. Sources said the White House has alerted government agencies to prepare for an imminent shutdown. The federal government last shut down for 35 days during Trump's first White House term over a dispute about border security. Previous fights over the debt ceiling have spooked financial markets, as a US government default would send credit shocks around the world. The limit has been suspended under an agreement that technically expires on January 1, though lawmakers likely would not have had to tackle the issue before the spring.As the chapters of his career continued to unfold, the athlete's legacy remained a topic of debate and discussion among sports enthusiasts and analysts alike. While some lamented the tragic trajectory of his career, others viewed his struggles as a testament to the unforgiving nature of professional sports and the harsh realities of aging in a youth-dominated industry.