Latest from Al Riyadh
Yahoo
28 minutes ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
Tunisian court hands 15‑year sentence to opposition figure Sahbi Atig
TUNIS (Reuters) -A Tunisian court has sentenced Sahbi Atig, a senior official in Ennahda, the country's main opposition party, to 15 years in prison on charges of money laundering, his lawyer said on Friday, the latest move against opposition figures under President Kais Saied. Atig was detained in 2023, one of many opponents of Saied who have been imprisoned since the president began expanding his powers in 2021, dissolving parliament and ruling by decree in what critics have denounced as a coup. Saied has said that all his steps are legal and aimed at ending years of rampant corruption and holding accountable what he calls a corrupt elite. Atig denied the charges against him, saying they were fabricated. "The verdict aims to eliminate political opponents and lacks any credible evidence,' Atig's lawyer, Mokthar Jmaayi, told Reuters. "It is a continuation of the punishment of opponents by using the judiciary and distracting people from their real problems,' he added. The 15-year sentence was shorter than some sentences handed down recently. In April, a court sentenced a string of opposition leaders, businessmen and lawyers to prison terms of up to 66 years, on charges of conspiring. Saied has dissolved the Supreme Judicial Council and dismissed dozens of judges in 2022, raising concerns about judicial independence. The president has said he does not interfere in the judiciary and that his actions aim to purge the judiciary of corrupt judges. Most of the leaders of political parties in Tunisia are in prison, including Abir Moussi, leader of the Free Constitutional Party, and Rached Ghannouchi, the head of Ennahda - two of Saied's most prominent opponents.
Los Angeles Times
29 minutes ago
- Los Angeles Times
How to stay cool in Palm Springs when it's 111 degrees
For some, the idea of spending any time in a place where the thermometer reading might soar past 110 is simply a nonstarter. Fair enough. Even Palm Springs' ubiquitous swimming pools and patio misters have their limits. But if you're willing to brave a blast of extreme heat during the short walk from your car to one of the desert haven's cooler experiences — a dark movie theater showing cult classic films or the hidden door to a well-air conditioned speakeasy, for instance — then a summer getaway in Palm Springs might be worth pursuing.
UPI
29 minutes ago
- Entertainment
- UPI
Trainers O'Brien, Gosden dominate early days of Royal Ascot
1 of 2 | Trawlerman and jockey William Buick return from victory in Thursday's Group 1 Gold Cup at Royal Ascot. Photo by Megan Coggin, courtesy of Ascot June 29 (UPI) -- Trainers Aidan O'Brien and John and Thady Gosden certainly enjoyed the first three days of the Royal Ascot meeting, as O'Brien saddled three star-bound 2-year-olds and the Gosdens sent out the winners of the three biggest races. The Godolphin team also landed a few blows as the fashion-filled week passed its midpoint, handing out Breeders' Cup "Win and You're In" tickets along the way. Here's a look, including a few other stops around the globe. Around the world, around the clock Royal Ascot The Royal meeting got off to a surprising start as Docklands, a 15-1 chance, put his nose in front of the favorite, Rosallion, at the end of the Group 1 Queen Anne Stakes. Cairo, at odds of 100-1, finished third. Docklands, an Australian-bred 5-year-old, was second in the 2024 Queen Anne, but was dispatched at 15-1 odds, as he was winless in 11 starts since bagging the Brittania Stakes at the 2023 Royal meeting. The race was a "Win and You're In" for the Breeders' Cup Mile on the Del Mar turf Nov. 1. Things got better later, but the Queen Anne did not throw down an auspicious start for the big outfits as Rosallion represented Sheik Mohammed Obaid Al Maktoum, while Godolphin's Notable Speech finished fourth, Juddmonte's Lead Artist was seventh and Coolmore's Diego Velazquez reported ninth. American hope Carl Spackler raced prominently but faded to get home sixth. The Group 1 St James's Palace Stakes for 3-year-olds, slotted right in the middle of the first day's schedule, was bookmarked by many as not only the day's best race but the best of the meeting. The English, French and Irish Guineas winners faced off, representing Godolphin, Coolmore and Juddmonte, respectively. And the winner is: By a knockout, Field of Gold. The Irish Guineas winner, a Kingman colt, found a seam near the top of the Ascot straight, kicked away 2 furlongs out and won by 3 1/2 lengths over French Guineas winner Henri Matisse. Ruling Court, who defeated Field of Gold in the English Guineas, was third. That's Juddmonte, Coolmore and Godolphin 1-2-3. Trainer John Gosden, now handling probably European racing's hottest commodity, said Field of Gold's scheduling hasn't totally gone to plan thanks to the trip to Ireland to atone for the loss at Newmarket and might call for a tap on the brakes. American Affair, a homebred Washington, D.C., gelding from a small Scottish stable, upset the Group 1 King Charles III Stakes, a 5-furlong dash, winning by a neck over Frost at Dawn. Believing, the favorite, finished 10th and reigning Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint champion Starlust was fourth. American Affair earned a "Win and You're In" spot in the Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint. Gstaad looked like a potential superstar for the Irish Coolmore "lads" as the Starspangledbanner colt dominated the Group 2 Coventry Stakes for 2-year-olds. Gstaad raced alone between the inside and outside groups in the big field and jetted away to win by 3 lengths, improving to 2-for-2 as the first in what turned out to be a trio of 2-year-old triumphs for the Irish juggernaut. Wednesday All Ombudsman needed in the final furlong of the Group 1 Prince of Wales's Stakes was a place to go. After idling behind a very hot pace set by the Coolmore duo of Continuous, and Los Angeles, jockey William Buick found himself with a handful of horse and tiring rivals in a line in front of him. He jinked right, then left, finally found a seam and the 4-year-old Night of Thunder colt did the rest, shooting off to win by 2 lengths. Anmaat and Sea the Fire were second and third. Ombudsman earned another prestigious trophy for Gosden and a "Win and You're In" spot in the Breeders' Cup Turf on Nov. 1 at Santa Anita. Crimson Advocate rallied like a shot outside rivals to win a high-quality renewal of the Group 2 Duke of Cambridge Stakes for fillies and mares by 1 1/4 lengths from Cinderella's Dream. Fallen Angel took third, giving Wathnan Racing first and third around the Godolphin color-bearer. Reinvented this year as a miler by trainer Gosden, she had finished second and first in preparation for the Duke of Cambridge. True Love overwhelmed 22 other 2-year-old fillies in the opener, the Group 2 Queen Mary Stakes at 5 furlongs. The No Nay Never filly, a plus-sized O'Brien trainee, started from the stands-side gate, took her time winding up, found her rhythm and won by 1 1/4 lengths. Extreme longshot Flowerhead edged Gulfstream Park-based Lennilu for third in a good effort by both. True Love became the second impressive 2-year-old score of the Royal meeting for Coolmore. Carmers, the first-ever Royal Ascot runner for trainer Paddy Twomey, improved to 3-for-3 with a victory in the 1 3/4-mile Group 2 Queen's Vase for 3-year-olds. Further and Rahiebb were a tight second and third with pacesetter Shackleton also close in fourth. Carmers, a Wootton Bassett colt, started his career with victories at Ballinrobe and Vavan in Ireland, both at 1 5/8 miles. Thursday The midpoint of the meeting featured the Group 1 Gold Cup with Godolphin's Trawlerman defeating Coolmore's Illinois by 7 lengths. Trawlerman, second in last year's Gold Cup to the recently retired Kyprios, led throughout the 2 1/2 miles and responded eagerly when asked by jockey William Buick with 3 furlongs left. The other Godolphin entry, 9-year-old Dubai Future, stayed on gamely to finish third. "Trawlerman just goes off," trainer Gosden said. "I said to William, 'What did you do?' and he said, 'I threw the reins at him. He can judge pace better than me.' And off they went together." Charles Darwin gave O'Brien, Coolmore and Moore yet another great 2-year-old performance in the Group 2 Norfolk Stakes. The No Nay Never colt accelerated smoothly through the last of 5 furlongs to win by 2 1/4 lengths over Godolphin's Wise Approach. Sandal's Song, who qualified via the Royal Palm Juvenile at Gulfstream Park, got nearly to terms with the winner and ran on well to finish third. It was the third straight win for Charles Darwin, all by big margins, and earned him a "Win and You're In" spot in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint. That was the first of three victories on the day for the group, also including the Group 2 Ribblesdale for 3-year-old fillies, won by 7-1 shot Garden of Eden, and the Group 3 Hampton Court for 3-year-olds, won by Trinity College by 3 1/2 lengths over another Godolphin runner, Tornado Alert. South America After handing out this week's "Win and You're In" bids at Royal Ascot, Breeders' Cup this weekend turns its attention back to South America. Sunday's Group 1 Grande Premio Brasil at Hipodromo da Gavea in Rio De Janeiro, Brazil, grants the winner a pass to the Longines Breeders' Cup Turf. The Gran Premio Pamplona at Hipodromo de Monterrico in Lima, Peru, is a "Win and You're In" for the Maker's Mark Filly & Mare Turf. It's a quiet week in North America, with the $500,000 Grade III Ohio Derby at Thistledown and the $300,000 Grade II Chicago Stakes for fillies and mares at Churchill Downs atop the schedule.
Reuters
29 minutes ago
- Health
- Reuters
Teens turn to weight loss drugs in fight against childhood obesity
Roughly 8 million American teens are living with obesity - that's one in five. For many, their weight has become a painful physical and emotional burden, isolating them from their peers as they struggle to slim down. But now there is another option: weight-loss drugs. Reuters reporters spent more than a year closely following four teenagers who joined a small but fast-growing cohort choosing to take this medication. This video contains content some people may find distressing. Lauren Roback reports.
New York Post
29 minutes ago
- Business
- New York Post
Best US airlines for 2025 revealed — and one topped the list for the seventh straight year
They're flying high. Travel blog The Points Guy (TPG) has named the best airlines in the US for 2025 — with Delta Airlines taking the crown for the seventh year in a row. The top-tier carrier was also named the most reliable on-time airline in America. Advertisement The rankings were devised to 'help consumers navigate the constantly changing aviation landscape' that's rife with 'changing airline policies, systemic delays and increased scrutiny on air travel,' per the site's founder Brian Kelly. 5 Delta Airlines nabbed the top spot for the seventh year in a row. kamilpetran – While they didn't place first across all other categories — notably falling short in affordability and the mileage customers got out of the SkyMiles rewards program — Delta soared above the competition due to their collective performance across four separate metrics. Advertisement 'What put Delta over the top in 2025 was its strength across all the categories we analyzed, from the consistently strong, on-time airline operation it runs to the experience customers have at the airport and in their seats,' TPG wrote in their report. In December, Delta Air Lines collaborated with Shake Shack to bring the fast-food giant's popular cheeseburgers to first-class cabins on domestic flights traveling more than 900 miles. United Airlines came in second place, rising from third last year. The carrier eclipsed Delta when it came to loyalty rankings and also improved in two main categories compared to last year: overall reliability and passenger experience. Advertisement United could potentially fly even higher next year due to the recently announced 'Blue Sky' agreement with JetBlue, which will increase the airline's footprint and improve perks for loyalty members, CBS reported. To compile the list, the Points Guy team analyzed each airline across four categories: reliability (based on delays, cancellations, lost luggage and more), passenger experience (inflight amenities, customer satisfaction, lounges, etc.), the caliber of the airline's loyalty program, and the cost and reach of each carrier. They then rated them on a scale of zero to 10. 5 United placed second overall. robin – Advertisement TPG based its list on 2024 data from the U.S. Department of Transportation, including passenger complaints filed with the DOT, along with mishandled baggage reports for each carrier and operational data. TPG also examined international route networks using aviation analytics firm Cirium — although they emphasized domestic networks — as well as each carrier's financials and publicly available fleet information. 'Our Best Airlines Report thoroughly analyzes and compares each airline's performance to help consumers make the right choice for them, because not all airlines are created equal,' TPG's Kelly added. 'Ultimately, we want consumers to know they have a choice so they can fly the airlines that best align with their needs.' 5 Airlines — including Alaska, above, which ranked fourth — were rated across several categories from reliability to the power of their loyalty programs. KKF – Southwest Airlines jumped up two spots to notch the No. 3 position, which TPG attributed, in part, to the carrier boasting the lowest cancellation rate in the industry for 2024. They noted that the carrier maintained its cost and reach last year — thanks, in part, to the lack of add-on fees. However, the budget carrier could face some headwinds next year following some major changes, including the rollout of checked bag fees and the phase-out of their popular 'first come, first served' policy in favor of the more standard assigned seating. Rounding out the top five were Alaska Airlines and Hawaiian Airlines. Advertisement 5 'Our Best Airlines Report thoroughly analyzes and compares each airline's performance to help consumers make the right choice for them, because not all airlines are created equal,' The Points Guy founder Brian Kelly said. 'Ultimately, we want consumers to know they have a choice so they can fly the airlines that best align with their needs.' Lukas Gojda – 5 Southwest Airlines made the top three. Carlos Yudica – TPG's 10 Best Airlines for 2025 Delta Air Lines United Airlines Southwest Airlines Alaska Airlines Hawaiian Airlines JetBlue American Airlines Allegiant Air Spirit Airlines Frontier Airlines Other takeaways included that American Airlines saw the biggest year-over-year decline in rankings, plunging three spots to seventh overall. Advertisement That fall from grace comes as AA plays catch-up to United and Delta in terms of profitability, as well as upmarket amenities such as business-class seats, cabin features and lounges. Budget airlines Allegiant, Spirit and Frontier occupied the last three spots in the rankings, which TPG attributed to their myriad add-on fees, lacking loyalty programs and amenities that paled in comparison to the competition. Unfortunately, U.S. airlines fared poorly on the international stage, too. Advertisement In Skytrax's recent ranking of the best airlines in the world for 2025, Delta placed the highest on list — but in an abysmal 22nd place, followed by United in a miserable 51st. Meanwhile, Air Canada topped the list of North America's top airlines for 2025, Delta came in second, and Canadian carrier Porter Airlines rounded out the top three.
