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Nadal revels in ‘special’ return to surge into fourth round
AFP
Rafael Nadal dropped a set for the first time at this year’s Australian Open but played his best match since injury to overcome Karen Khachanov and steam into the fourth round on Friday.
The 20-time Grand Slam champion rolled into a two-sets lead and was looking to sweep it in straight sets, before the Russian 28th seed hit back to take the third.
That stung the Spanish sixth seed into action as he broke early to power home.
Nadal won 6-3, 6-2, 3-6, 6-1 in 2hr 50min in a late night match on Rod Laver Arena and will face either Russian 18th seed Aslan Karatsev or Frenchman Adrian Mannarino in the round of 16.
“It’s a very special week for me coming back from where I have been, every time I come back here to play is a very special thing,” Nadal told the crowd, a nod to the foot injury which ended his 2021 season in August.
“I had my best match so far without a doubt since I came back.
“I went through some very tough times in the last year and a half, but nights like this mean everything to me, that’s a lot of energy in my pocket to keep going, keep fighting every single day.”
The big-hitting Russian had no answers for the quality of Nadal’s shotmaking in the opening two sets, with Nadal looking in sparkling form after his health and injury concerns in the months leading up to the year’s first major.
Just when it looked as though Nadal was about to have an early night, Khachanov fought back to take the third set and stop the Spaniard’s momentum.
But Nadal bounced back with a break in the fourth set with a laser down-the-line backhand winner which prompted a screaming fist-pumping celebration.
It was all Nadal from there to take the match as he reached the round of 16 in Melbourne for the 15th time, and his 51st in Grand Slams.
Khachanov was Nadal’s first top-60 opponent of the new year and Nadal now leads him 8-0 in their meetings.
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Trump renews criticism of Pope Leo XIV amid tensions over Iran
The President of the United States, Donald Trump, renewed his criticism of Pope Leo XIV on Tuesday night, urging that “someone tell him” that Iran has “killed at least 42,000 innocent protesters” and insisting that it is “unacceptable” for the country to possess nuclear weapons.
“Can someone please inform Pope Leo that Iran has killed at least 42,000 completely unarmed, innocent protesters over the past two months, and that it is absolutely unacceptable for Iran to have a nuclear bomb?” Trump wrote on his social media platform Truth Social.
The statement comes amid an escalating public dispute between Trump and the pontiff over the conflict in Iran and the broader Middle East. The US president concluded his message with the phrase “AMERICA IS BACK.”
Pope Leo XIV, who was born in the United States, has repeatedly spoken out—both directly and indirectly—against Washington’s stance toward Tehran, while calling for peace in the region.
On Monday, Trump openly criticized the pope, describing him as “weak” and “terrible on foreign policy.”
Speaking aboard a flight to Algeria, the first stop of his trip to Africa, the pontiff said he was “not afraid” of the Trump administration and would continue to raise his voice against the ongoing conflict.
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Tehran engulfed in toxic cloud after strikes on fuel facilities
Tehran woke up under a sky that shifted from gray to black following strikes on fuel infrastructure, as the city has become engulfed in a toxic cloud that is turning daily life into a public health and environmental emergency.
Residents warn that what is falling from the sky is no longer just rain, but a mixture of oil and pollutants. Attacks on fuel depots have triggered prolonged fires, releasing thick plumes of smoke that continue to spread across the العاصمة.
For several days, facilities have remained ablaze, while a dark layer has settled over streets, homes, and even water reserves. Authorities have urged the population—more than nine million people—to remain indoors, especially vulnerable groups.
The extreme toxicity is linked to mazut, a dense petroleum byproduct with high sulfur content still used in Iran due to industrial limitations and sanctions. When burned, it releases hazardous particles that, when combined with moisture, result in contaminated rainfall.
The situation is worsened by Tehran’s geography. Surrounded by mountains, the city is affected by a temperature inversion phenomenon that traps pollutants near the ground, preventing their dispersion and creating a stagnant layer of toxic air over the population.
Residents have reported symptoms such as eye and skin irritation, headaches, and respiratory difficulties. Emergency agencies have also warned of potential chemical burns caused by acid rain.
Long-term concerns are mounting, as prolonged exposure to fine particles and heavy metals could lead to serious health conditions, including lung damage and cancer.
Contamination is also spreading to water sources and agricultural land, threatening the food supply in a country already facing water scarcity.
At a regional level, the environmental impact is expanding, with oil spills reported in the Persian Gulf, affecting marine ecosystems and fishing communities.
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FBI Most Wanted Fugitive Arrested in Mexico and Deported to U.S.
Authorities in Mexico announced Thursday that Samuel Ramírez Jr., a U.S. citizen accused of murdering two women and listed among the FBI’s Ten Most Wanted Fugitives, was arrested in the northern state of Sinaloa.
Ramírez Jr., 33, was detained Tuesday in Culiacán just 1 hour and 13 minutes after being added to the Federal Bureau of Investigation Ten Most Wanted list, the agency said in a statement.
The suspect, who was born in California, has already been deported to the U.S. state of Washington, where he faces charges related to the fatal shooting of two women at a bar in Federal Way in May 2023.
A court issued an arrest warrant for Ramírez in November last year, and the FBI initially offered a $25,000 reward for information leading to his capture, later increasing the amount to up to $1 million.
“To protect individuals’ privacy and ensure continued cooperation from the public, the FBI does not confirm the identity of those who provide information,” the agency said in its statement.
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