 | Free national bestsellers for your eReader - Fiction, Nonfiction & more! Join 1.5 million book lovers now. Sign-up in under 10 seconds to get the free daily email. From our sponsors |
| CNN.com - Top Stories |
| CNN.com delivers up-to-the-minute news and information on the latest top stories, weather, entertainment, politics and more. |
Google to refund $19m over apps
9/4/2014 12:57:36 PM
- The FTC announced the settlement Thursday
- Many parents are angry about charges from unauthorized app downloads
(CNN) -- Google Inc. will refund at least $19 million to consumers over complaints it unfairly billed for charges incurred by children using mobile apps downloaded to Android mobile devices from the Google Play app store.
The settlement was announced by the Federal Trade Commission Thursday.
The company also agreed to modify its billing practices to ensure that it obtains customers' consent before charging for items sold in mobile apps.
The settlement is the latest seeking to address a growing problem of the digital age -- the ability of children to make purchases without their parents' knowledge.
White cobra captured in L.A.
9/4/2014 11:56:25 PM
- An albino monocled cobra that was on the loose is finally captured, officials say
- The snake is one of Asia's most deadly species
- It has bitten a dog, and authorities warned parents to keep kids safe
Los Angeles (CNN) -- If Southern California is indeed an Eden, then its serpent has been found.
An exotic deadly snake -- a white cobra -- was captured Thursday after it earlier escaped from its unknown owner onto the well-to-do streets of the Los Angeles suburb of Thousand Oaks, authorities said.
Though no further details were immediately available Thursday afternoon, the hunt for the poisonous animal provoked alarm for local officials and residents and also inspired dark humor in social media.
Earlier in the week, authorities urged families to keep children from playing hiding-and-seek lest they encounter the deadly serpent.
"It is vitally important for families to closely supervise children and instruct them to avoid any snakes, as well as playing in and around animal burrows, pipes and culverts where snakes may seek refuge," the Los Angeles County Department of Animal Care and Control said.
Jokesters created at least three Twitter accounts for the runaway reptile.
"Ugh. Imposter cobras fanning out everywhere," one offered. "Time to strike back -- how hard is it for a snake to get verified on Twitter, @realDonaldTrump?"
The growing national fascination made one wonder, where's Rikki-Tikki-Tavi when you need him?
The snake is an albino monocled cobra, and instead of being hunted by plucky mongoose Rikki-Tikki-Tavi of Rudyard Kipling's "Jungle Book" fame, the Los Angeles Department of Animal Care and Control and California fish and wildlife officials conducted the search.
The snake, whose scientific name is Naja kaouthia, was considered extremely dangerous.
"It is not known if the cobra has had its venom glands removed. Animal Care & Control Officers are operating under the assumption that the cobra is venomous until they confirm otherwise," David A. Sommers, a county spokesman, said in a statement.
Monocled cobras are common throughout parts of Asia. Their bite can be deadly, and they can be quick to strike, snake experts say.
"They never chill out. They never relax," according to the website Thailand Snakes. "They are always ready to serve up a plate of death for you -- if you're dumb enough to get too close."
The snake bit a dog, which is expected to make a full recovery.
Elephants escape circus, damage cars
Los Angeles mystery: What beast lurks in the darkness?
CNN's Michael Pearson and Mesrop Najarian contributed to this report. Michael Martinez wrote and reported from Los Angeles.
Rivers 'pioneering and unapologetic'
9/5/2014 10:57:23 AM
- Joan Rivers was brash, popular comedian and host
- Rivers got her big break with appearance on "Tonight Show"
- She later had her own talk shows, was a red-carpet maven
- Despite criticism, tragedy, she constantly soldiered forward
(CNN) -- Joan Rivers started her career as a stand-up comedian quick to poke fun at herself -- at her body, her family responsibilities and being a misfit within an unaccommodating world.
By the time she died Thursday at 81, Rivers had become a worldwide celebrity. But she was still a misfit, biting the well-groomed hands that fed her.
The comedian was quick-witted and sharp-tongued, known for standing on the red carpet or presiding over her show "Fashion Police" and, she said, saying the things that other people were thinking.
Rivers, the pioneering, sassy comedian whose gossipy "can we talk" persona led to a career as a headlining talk-show host, best-selling author and red-carpet maven, died a week after being rushed to the hospital after suffering cardiac arrest at a Manhattan clinic.
"My mother's greatest joy in life was to make people laugh. Although that is difficult to do right now, I know her final wish would be that we return to laughing soon," said her daughter, Melissa, in a statement.
Joan Rivers dies at age 81
Rivers' initial rise to fame was propelled by jokes about herself and her family duties.
"I hate housework," went one of her jokes. "You make the beds, you do the dishes and six months later you have to start all over again."
"I blame my mother for my poor sex life," went another. "All she told me was 'the man goes on top and the woman underneath.' For three years my husband and I slept in bunk beds."
Rivers in her own words
Over time, her self-mocking shtick gave way to more pointed comedy, with shrewd and cutting insults aimed at celebrities and politicians. Comedians such as Roseanne Barr, Sarah Silverman, Kathy Griffin and Chelsea Handler owe a great deal to Rivers' brash, commanding personality, which was unusual when she first came up.
"My heart is torn in half," said Silverman in a tweet. "She wasn't done."
iReport: Share your memories of Joan Rivers
She was a popular talk-show guest, most notably on Johnny Carson's "Tonight Show," and used that platform to become one of Carson's regular guest hosts -- and, in 1983, his permanent guest host.
But their relationship was severed when, in 1986, she became the host of her own talk show on Fox, then a new television network. Her show would air opposite the "Tonight Show." Carson, feeling betrayed, cut her off cold. She didn't appear on the "Tonight Show" again until Jimmy Fallon took over as host earlier this year.
Rivers' Fox talk show was short-lived and its cancellation coincided with a dark period in her life, including the suicide of her husband-manager, Edgar Rosenberg, three months after the show was pulled.
Still, the comedian eventually bounced back, first with a daytime talk show, then as co-host with daughter Melissa of E!'s red-carpet coverage. The two Rivers became mainstays of awards season -- later for the TV Guide Channel -- with Joan known for mocking celebrities and their outfits there and on the show "Fashion Police."
Rivers also became known for her extensive plastic surgery, which -- in typical Rivers fashion -- she flaunted rather than played down.
"I've had so much plastic surgery, when I die they will donate my body to Tupperware," she said.
'Screaming her way through life'
Joan Alexandra Molinsky was born June 8, 1933, in Brooklyn, New York, the daughter of a doctor. Her childhood home wasn't always a happy one; her mother, though gifted with a strong sense of humor, was critical, and her father was softhearted but tight with a dollar. Her parents argued over money regularly. Rivers attended Barnard College and had dreams of making it as an actress, a dream both parents discouraged.
After giving up performing after college, she had a brief marriage, and then turned to comedy. She became a regular at Greenwich Village coffeehouses and was part of Chicago's Second City comedy troupe for a time.
A 1965 booking on Carson made her career. She soon had her own talk show and kept up regular appearances on "Tonight" and several talk and variety programs.
She met Rosenberg in 1965, not long after the Carson appearance. They married four days later. The two maintained a you-and-me-against-the-world attitude, as noted in a 1987 People article after Rosenberg's suicide.
"Joan and Edgar, pursued by the same ghosts and hurts, feeling mutually threatened by adversaries real and imagined, trusted only each other and existed as an island built from intense and protective loyalty," wrote the magazine's Richard Meryman.
Rivers summed up the impact of his death bluntly, of course.
"All that happened to me," she told The New York Times, "was my husband committed suicide, my daughter didn't talk to me for two years, and I was broke."
A year after Rosenberg's death, she joined the cast of Neil Simon's "Broadway Bound." Indeed, she often took refuge in work, whether it was writing books, mocking celebrities, starring in Las Vegas or even appearing in a documentary about her life, 2010's "Joan Rivers: A Piece of Work."
Rivers was often a polarizing figure, recognized for her wit but feared for her underlying wrath. She was well aware of her personality, once describing herself as "screaming her way through life."
Her relentlessness could serve her well, however. In 2009, she won an edition of Donald Trump's "Celebrity Apprentice."
"She had unbelievable stamina," said Trump Thursday.
Some of the criticism she faced was standard Hollywood fare. In 1978, Rivers directed a movie, "Rabbit Test," starring Billy Crystal as the world's first pregnant man. The reviews were mediocre.
"I sat in the midst of an audience that broke its silence only to yawn, take orders for popcorn, and (in the case of audience members under 5) break into tears," wrote Roger Ebert, giving the film one star.
Rivers shrugged that off. "Seventy percent of the critics have hated my movie," she told Ebert. "The other 30% were geniuses, knew their work and were sensually attractive." Nevertheless, she never directed again.
'It's my job to make them laugh'
More recently, her red-carpet quips and "Fashion Police" commentary got her attacked as cruel. In 2013, Jennifer Lawrence noted of Rivers' chatter, "They put values in all the things that are wrong and show that it's OK to just point at people and call them ugly and call them fat and they call it fun."
Rivers immediately struck back: "She has been touched up more than a choirboy at the Vatican," she told the New York Post.
And earlier this year, she abruptly left a CNN interview when asked about her "mean" reputation.
She was also criticized for comments about the Cleveland kidnap victims, the Gaza conflict and for calling first lady Michelle Obama "a trans."
Always, Rivers soldiered on. "I don't want a warm hand on my shoulder. I don't want sympathy audiences. It's my job to make them laugh, and I'm a professional, and my husband was a professional," she told People two weeks after her husband died.
She earned several honors over her career. She was nominated for a Grammy and a Tony, and won a Daytime Emmy for her early-'90s talk show. She had a successful jewelry line that she sold on QVC.
She almost never apologized and rarely looked back. After all, she said, it was her bluntness that made her who she was.
"I succeeded by saying what everyone else is thinking," she said.
Rivers is survived by her daughter, Melissa, and a grandson, Cooper.
People we've lost in 2014
See more about the people of comedy at CNN Comedy.
Top Somali militant 'killed in U.S. operation'
9/5/2014 11:16:05 AM
- Ahmed Godane was the leader of Somali militant group Al-Shabaab
- He allegedly was behind 2013's deadly siege of a Nairobi, Kenya, shopping mall
- U.S. military attack on Monday killed him, Pentagon says
- His death is 'a major symbolic and operational loss to Al-Shabaab,' official says
(CNN) -- Ahmed Godane, the leader of the Somali militant group Al-Shabaab, was killed in a U.S. military operation, the Pentagon said Friday.
"The U.S. military undertook operations against Godane on Sept. 1, which led to his death. Removing Godane from the battlefield is a major symbolic and operational loss to Al-Shabaab," said Pentagon press secretary Rear Adm. John Kirby.
On Monday, U.S. military conducted a strike in the African country targeting Godane, who pledged allegiance to al Qaeda. He has headed the Al-Shabaab as it has terrorized East Africa, killing Somali officials, aid workers and others in a spate of suicide bombings. Godane allegedly was behind 2013's deadly siege of a Nairobi, Kenya, shopping mall.
Prior to the strike, the U.S. military was tipped off to what Kirby called "actionable intelligence ... strong enough" to suggest Godane's whereabouts.
In response, U.S. commandos flew -- aided by drones overhead -- into an area south of the African nation's capital Mogadishu around 6:20 p.m. (11:20 a.m. ET) Monday.
In the attack's aftermath, Lower Shabelle Gov. Abdikadir Mohamed Nur Sidii characterized the attack near the port city of Barawe as so ferocious. "It jolted the entire region."
"I never heard such a huge and deafening blast as the result of the airstrike," Sidii said.
Earlier this week, Kirby didn't elaborate on exactly how much firepower was used, beyond that there were multiple Hellfire and laser-guided missiles. Somali intelligence officials counted at least four such missiles.
The targets were what the Pentagon spokesman described as "an encampment" and a vehicle inside it, not to mention Al-Shabaab leaders believed to be there.
After the attack, an Al-Shababb Twitter account said one person was killed in the attack, but it asserted Godane wasn't killed. "'Ahmed Abdi Godane' is alive and doing fine," the tweet from HSM Press Office said, calling itself an "official mujahedin account" in the Islamic land of Somalia. At the time, CNN was unable to verify the authenticity of that claim on Twitter.
READ: What to know about Al-Shabaab
READ: Ruthless leader aims to extend reach of Al-Shabaab, eyes the West
CNN's Michael Martinez, Greg Botelho, Holly Yan and Omar Nor contributed to this report.
Tennis: Can Nishikori beat the greats?
9/5/2014 10:33:53 AM
- Kei Nishikori will play in his first grand slam semifinal at the U.S. Open on Saturday
- He is the first Japanese male to get that far in a slam since 1933
- Nishikori is highest ranked Japanese man of Open Era, having broken top 10
- His exploits have created a surge of interest in tennis back home
Follow us at @WorldSportCNN and like us on Facebook
(CNN) -- With his heroics in New York, Kei Nishikori has blazed a trail through history.
Defying injury, an all-night marathon and several of the world's best tennis players, he has become the first Japanese semifinalist at a U.S. Open in 96 years.
"Very honored to make history," he told reporters after reaching the last four.
If the 24-year-old can dredge up an even more seismic shock to dispatch world No. 1 Novak Djokovic on Saturday, the record books will show him to be the first of his countrymen to reach a grand slam final.
"We have been waiting such a long time for a star like this so this is a very big moment," says Hitoshi Ko of Japan's Smash Tennis magazine. "If he wins big matches like this the sport has new fans and new business."
If this suggests Japanese tennis history adds up to a barren wasteland, it does not tell the full story. While the post-1968 Open Era has produced consistent under-performance, the Land of the Rising Sun once enjoyed a golden age.
The boom was sparked by an expatriate elite that adopted the game, known as a sport for gentlemen, on their travels in the early 20th century, particularly in England.
The aristocrats went on to establish clubs and tournaments back home. Participation and standards climbed, and Japanese players became a serious force during the interwar years.
Among the finest of these, Zenzo Shimizu reached the Wimbledon "All comers' final" of 1920 -- a match that would decide who took on the defending champion for that year's title. In the prestigious grass-court tournament's original format, the titleholder had to play just once.
Shimizu lost in three close sets to American Bill Tilden, who would go on to beat Australian Gerald Patterson for the first of 10 grand slam titles in an illustrious career, but he had made his mark as a rising star.
The Japanese established a national association the same year, which allowed them to enter the 1921 Davis Cup with a formidable two-man team of Shimizu and Ichiya Kumagae, a banker by trade once described as the "best player in America" by the New York Times. He reached the semifinals of the 1918 U.S. Nationals and won silver medals in singles and doubles at the 1920 Olympics.
The pair reeled off Davis Cup triumphs over Philippines, Belgium, India and Australia before eventually succumbing to the U.S. in the final.
This remains Japan's best performance in the prestigious competition and was a source of great national pride. A Japan Times article praised the "tennis marvels ... doing as much to put Japan right before the world as all the diplomats put together."
The pair continued to enjoy success and were joined by fresh talent. Jiro Sato soared in a run of five grand slam semifinals in a little over two years.
He beat legends of the game Jack Crawford and Fred Perry and seemed set to claim a top title. But Sato's career ended tragically in 1934 when he leaped to his death from a ship after a Davis Cup defeat, leaving a note that expressed his shame.
Congrats to @keinishikori for becoming the first Japanese male since 1922 to reach @usopen quarterfinals! #IMGFam pic.twitter.com/P98DXrdujG
— IMG Academy PRO (@IMGAcademyPRO) September 2, 2014 World War Two marked the end of his nation's ascendancy, ushering in a fallow period that would endure to the present day.
After Japan had recovered enough to contemplate sport, tennis remained popular with aristocrats -- including the royal family and Crown Prince Akihito -- but public interest slipped away toward baseball and football, and the talent production line ceased.
Through the professional era, male Japanese players barely troubled the top 100, with Jun Kamiwazumi's third-round performance at the 1973 U.S. Open among the highlights. It was not until the 1990s heyday of Shuzo Matsuoka that any respectability was restored.
That period also witnessed the rise of a women's star in Kimiko Date, who reached three grand slam semifinals and a high of fourth in the rankings before retiring. Since her comeback in 2008 she has added another WTA Tour title to her career haul, is the oldest player in the top 100 singles rankings and reached the women's doubles semis in New York just over three weeks away from her 44th birthday.
Matsuoka never passed a grand slam quarterfinal, but his contribution is being felt now. Nishikori calls him "the first" successful Japanese men's player, the only role model on his route to the top. Passing his hero's ranking of 46 was Nishikori's driving motivation until he attained it.
Now, having entered the top 10 in May and breaking new ground every season, he could be launching a new golden era. Sponsors, publicity and funding have poured into the game off the back of Nishikori's efforts. Public interest and attendances surged last year after he became the first home champion of the Japan Open since 1972 -- he won the title in October 2012 -- and peaked again this week due to his New York success.
Not that Nishikori gets to see much of that, since he lives in Florida.
Six Japanese players are ranked in the men's top 200 -- a record in the Open era -- though Nishikori, ranked 11th now but set to rise again with next week's listings, is the only one in the top 100.
However, journalist Ko is not yet convinced the structure is in place for Japan to become an elite tennis nation.
"Kei grew up practicing at the (Nick Bollettieri) academy in Florida," he said. "I think we still don't have enough players or quality coaches. Maybe more players should learn abroad."
If Nishikori can pull off the greatest victory of his career on Saturday against seven-time grand slam champion Djokovic -- who is seeking to reach his fifth successive final at Flushing Meadows -- Ko has no doubt it would also represent Japan's greatest moment in tennis and would be celebrated as one of its greatest triumphs in any sport.
If Nishikori can upset the Serbian -- which he did in their last clash back in 2011 -- there would be little question over the identity of Japan's greatest ever player. But Shimizu and Sato have not conceded the crown yet.
Read: Federer back from the brink
Read: Nishikori stuns Wawrinka in New York
Read: Project 10 -- Japan's rising son Nishikori
Tennis: Federer back from the brink
9/5/2014 3:13:30 AM
- Roger Federer rallies from two sets down to beat Gael Monfils in New York
- Monfils held two match points on Federer's serve at 5-4 in the fourth set
- The Swiss next meets resurgent Croatian Marin Cilic in the semifinals
- Serena Williams plays Ekaterina Makarova in the women's semifinals Friday
Follow us at @WorldSportCNN and like us on Facebook
(CNN) -- Roger Federer has reached the U.S. Open semifinals for the first time since 2011, but he sure had to do it the hard way.
Federer saved two match points and rallied from two sets down to defeat enigmatic Frenchman Gael Monfils 4-6 3-6 6-4 7-5 6-2 in a late-night thriller in New York.
The two played in Cincinnati just a few weeks ago and Monfils stretched Federer to a deciding third set.
He was even closer to upsetting the 17-time grand slam champion under the lights at Arthur Ashe Stadium on Thursday, holding two match points on Federer's serve at 5-4 in the fourth.
While Federer saved the second match point with a winning forehand, Monfils had an opportunity on the first match point, only to miss a backhand long.
Monfils never recovered.
He double faulted twice to drop serve in the next game, Federer held to claim the set and the 33-year-old then cruised in a quick fifth set.
It was the ninth time in his career Federer came back from two sets down.
The last time it happened was at Wimbledon in 2012 -- against another Frenchman, Julien Benneteau.
In a potentially good omen for Federer, he went on to win the title at the All England Club -- his last success at a major.
"I got off to a good start, so I was actually feeling alright, but then when I was down two match points, that's when I wasn't feeling so great anymore," Federer, 28-1 in night session matches at the U.S. Open, said on court afterwards. "I thought, 'This is it. This is the last point, man, just go down fighting, don't miss an easy shot and let him have it.'
"But I served well and stayed in the match and somehow turned it around. I felt great in the fifth, though.
"I was really starting to play better and better as the match went on, and that's a great feeling."
Federer faces the resurgent Marin Cilic in Saturday's semifinals after the big-serving Croat dispatched Czech sixth seed Tomas Berdych in straight sets.
A year ago Cilic sat out the U.S. Open due to a doping suspension.
The other semifinal sees top seed Novak Djokovic meet Japan's Kei Nishikori, a maiden grand slam semifinalist. They won their quarterfinals Wednesday.
For Monfils and France, it marks more disappointment.
The country's wait for a men's grand slam singles champion will extend to 32 years.
"I will need time to forget about this match, but it gives me more motivation," the 24th-ranked Monfils was quoted as saying by L'Equipe.
"He (saved) those two (match points), so bravo to him. After that it was hard because my serve wasn't good. He played well and me, I had a (dip) for five minutes.
"I felt tired physically and mentally, too, and he was very aggressive at that time."
Serena Williams and pal Caroline Wozniacki will meet in the women's final if they both -- as expected -- progress Friday.
Williams, the only grand slam singles champion of the women's semifinalists, plays Russian left-hander Ekaterina Makarova and former No. 1 Wozniacki plays China's Peng Shuai.
Makarova, though, owns a grand slam win over Williams at the Australian Open in 2012.
Read: Cilic overcomes Berdych
Chinese ISIS fighter captured?
9/5/2014 12:09:57 PM
- Iraqi Army has captured Islamic State in Iraq and Syria fighter from China, report said
- If true, he would be first Chinese national caught fighting with ISIS militants
- One Chinese commentator assumes the man is Uighur, a Muslim minority group
- Beijing has stepped up efforts to appease local dissatisfaction and curb violence
Beijing (CNN) (CNN) -- "URGENT," read the Iraqi News headline of its September 3 posting. "First Chinese ISIS fighter captured in Iraq says Ministry of Defense."
The Iraqi Army has captured an Islamic State in Iraq and Syria fighter from China, the Baghdad-datelined report said. Two pictures accompanied the report: one showed the captured militant in fatigue pants and a bloodied shirt, lying on the ground; another showed him escorted by an Iraqi soldier, his face seemingly swollen.
If true, he would be the first Chinese national to have been caught fighting with ISIS militants.
"We are not able to verify whether or not the information is true," said Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Qin Gang, responding to a foreign reporter's question. "I cannot confirm the information for you."
It's not clear how many Chinese nationals may be fighting with the ISIS. Wu Sike, until recently China's special envoy to the Middle East, earlier stated that there could be about 100 of them, but Qin Gang said he had no specific numbers or estimates.
Chinese netizens' reaction was typically visceral. "Kill them!" commented "Hellen" on the Iraqi News website. "we chinese are glad to see these muslims' death!"
If such reports are true, said Chinese commentator Victor Gao, "this will be an additional evidence that terrorism in China has a strong international connection. Terrorism does not care about national borders."
It remains unclear if the captured Chinese national is actually Uighur, a Muslim minority group in Xinjiang, but Gao seems to assume so.
"In China terrorism is raising its ugly head and is spreading from Xinjiang to other parts of China. The underlying drivers for terrorism are mainly the congruence of domestic and international forces at play among some extreme elements of the Uighur minority in Xinjiang," he added.
Xinjiang, a resource-rich and strategically located region in northwest China, for years has been beset by ethnic violence, which the government blames on "fenliefenzi" ("separatists"). Uighur exiles and rights activists, however, blame the unrest on Beijing's allegedly repressive and discriminatory policies.
A spate of violent incidents have been blamed on the Uighurs.
In March, more than 10 masked people, dressed in identical black outfits and wielding machetes, stabbed passengers in Kunming Railway Station in Yunnan province, thousands of miles away from Beijing, killing 29 people and injured 143 others. Police killed four of the attackers and arrested one woman.
In May, terrorists used car bombs to attack an open-air market in Urumqi, the region's capital, leaving 39 dead and 94 injured.
The police later blamed the knife and bomb attacks on members of the East Turkistan Islamic Movement (ETIM), an Islamist group founded in 1993 by Uighur militants seeking an independent state in Xinjiang called East Turkistan.
The ETIM has been accused by the China and the U.S. of having ties with al Qaeda, but security analysts disagree on whether such ties actually exist. Uighur exile groups claim that Beijing uses the ETIM as a red herring to rationalize its repressive policies against the Uighurs.
If the Iraqi News report is true, said M. Taylor Fravel, an international relations professor at MIT, it shows that "radicalization transcends boundaries and regions, threatening not only countries in the Middle East but also China and the West. That said, Uighurs have a long history of fighting overseas. I believe that Uighurs fought against the Soviets in Afghanistan, for example. So the phenomenon is not a new one."
In 2006, the U.S. captured 22 Uighur militants fighting in Afghanistan with suspected links to al Qaeda. They were imprisoned in Guantanamo for five to seven years and later released after they were reclassified as no longer enemy combatants. Instead of repatriating them to China, however, they were sent to Palau and Bermuda.
"China will surely use this to underscore the challenges it faces in maintaining stability in Xinjiang, but I don't think that this will alter the policies being pursued, which seem to be increasing instability and not decreasing it," MIT's Fravel said.
Beijing has stepped up its carrot-and-stick efforts to appease local dissatisfaction and curb violence.
Speaking in a two-day conference on Xinjiang in May, President Xi Jinping promised to enhance "ethnic unity" in Xinjiang while creating more jobs, providing accessible education and improving people's livelihoods.
Xi also pledged to respect the local residents' legitimate religious rights and local customs "in accordance with laws and regulations."
But Xi also called for a massive "nets spread from the earth to the sky" to combat terrorists, stating that the stability of Xinjiang is "strategically vital to the country's reform and development as well as national security."
In response to the spate of violent attacks, China has launched a one-year campaign against terrorism.
Chinese police in various cities have held anti-terrorism drills using sophisticated equipment such as satellite vans, armored cars and modern weapons.
Bulk purchasers of gasoline are now required to provide identification, secure permits from local police stations and use only approved containers.
In some places, sales of large knives are controlled or banned.
Local courts in Xinjiang have been given instructions to deal with terror cases in a "harsh and quick" manner. In June, China executed 13 people convicted of organizing and leading terrorist groups.
China's critics fear the campaign could lead to more repressive policies toward Uighurs, widening ethnic divide.
For years tensions have been simmering between the Han Chinese and the Uighur minority nationality.
I saw tensions boil over in the streets of Urumqi in July 2009, when thousands of angry Uighur residents, some wielding knives and sticks, rioted in the streets and attacked Han Chinese, prompting the authorities to call in truckloads of Chinese soldiers. Nearly 200 people died in the ethnic clashes.
Authorities blame separatists for fomenting violence, but critics of China's policies say the root of the problem is widespread alienation among the region's Muslim Uighur population who resent strict controls on religion and local culture.
Uighurs also resent the influx into the region of Han Chinese migrants, who tend to dominate the local industry and commerce. They complain they are being left behind by rapid economic development, and are unable to partake of the benefits from the region's rich resources.
All these, critics say, have made Xinjiang a breeding ground for malcontents.
Al-Shabaab strikes a message?
9/6/2014 3:49:08 AM
The U.S. announces that the leader of the terror group Al-Shabaab has been killed in an airstrike. Erin McLaughlin reports.
If your browser has Adobe Flash Player installed, click above to play. Otherwise, click below.
Deal or not, don't expect Iran changes
9/6/2014 4:26:35 AM
- Reza Faraji-Dana, former Iranian science minister, was impeached last month
- Move was latest sign of internal power struggle in Iran, says Alireza Nader
- He argues Iran's conservatives are unlikely to give ground on domestic issues
- Nader says a nuclear deal might actually energize President's rivals
Editor's note: Alireza Nader is a senior international policy analyst at the nonprofit, nonpartisan RAND Corp. and author of "The Days After a Deal With Iran: Continuity and Change in Iranian Foreign Policy." The views expressed are the writer's own.
(CNN) -- The impeachment of Iranian science minister Reza Faraji-Dana last month was just the latest episode in an ongoing struggle between so-called moderates and hard-liners that has been going on in the country since the 1979 revolution. It's a bad sign for those pinning their hopes on the ability of President Hassan Rouhani to bring about change in Iran.
Tensions between reformists and conservatives have never quite brought the Islamic Republic to a breaking point, but they have been the source of economic malaise and internal instability. Unfortunately, as tempting as it has been to view Rouhani's election last year as a solution to Iran's endemic political battles, his presidency is actually likely to perpetuate -- if not increase -- the dysfunction within the Iranian regime.
Indeed, even a possible nuclear deal -- which itself is far from certain at this point -- is unlikely to be enough to provide Rouhani with a decisive political victory. Instead, it might simply dredge up the angst and anxiety that culminated in the Green Movement in 2009.
Hard-line parliamentarians managed to muster the numbers to impeach Faraji-Dana for his supposedly "un-revolutionary" educational policies, specifically his welcoming back of students and faculty associated with what hardline conservatives deem to be the "seditious" Green uprising. The previous government, under President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, had purged the universities of reformist elements and introduced an atmosphere into academia reminiscent of the early revolutionary years, and while Rouhani hasn't enacted any major reforms since his election, higher education reform was seen as a first move in delivering on his campaign promises.
Hard-liners have generally been critical of Rouhani's nuclear negotiations, but are believed to have been restrained in their attacks on the urging of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei -- while conservatives don't wish to empower Rouhani, they are also conscious of Iran's precarious economic situation and are therefore reluctant to block Rouhani's diplomatic efforts, for now at least.
But they are loathe to give Rouhani freedom of movement on domestic issues. For them, the "sedition" of 2009 was a direct challenge to the Islamic Republic as a whole. And while Rouhani condemned the 2009 uprising, he has nevertheless maintained working relations with key reformist figures such as former President Mohammad Khatami.
Yet, although a large constituency for change exists throughout Iranian society, represented by regime reformists and centrists like Rouhani as well as secular, nationalist and leftist opposition groups vigorously oppressed by the regime, it is still unclear what could actually prompt change in Iran. After all, Iranians are well aware of the Middle East burning before them. But their country, while divided and dysfunctional, is at least relatively secure and stable. And while Rouhani suggests the possibility of political evolution, the failure of the reform/centrist movement in achieving meaningful change is also obvious.
The reality for Iran is that neither revolution nor evolution might be feasible for Iran. So what is left?
The eventual passing of Khamenei might one day provide an opportunity for change, but even then, the chances of a succession remaining cordial or even peaceful are hardly guaranteed, especially given the current environment of political animosity.
Iran's competing factions see an uncertain future as they seek to position themselves for the post-Khamenei era, including Rouhani's ally and patron, former President Ayatollah Hashemi Rafsanjani, who is reportedly keen to reclaim the chairmanship of the Assembly of Experts, a clerical body with the power to appoint the next supreme leader. However, it is difficult to imagine conservatives accepting Rafsanjani or Rouhani being left in a position to shape the succession to Khamanei, as this could open the door to meaningful reforms -- and (at least as far as conservatives are concerned) the end of the Islamic Republic in its current form.
All this suggests that Faraji-Dana's impeachment is very likely a sign of some troubling times to come. And even though Rouhani offers the West's best hope of the nuclear issue being addressed, a deal could very well energize the President's rivals in their bid to stave off change.
Golf: NFL fan McIlroy frustrated
9/5/2014 9:52:06 AM
- Rory McIlroy shares the lead at the BMW Championship in Colorado
- Northern Irishman tied with Jordan Spieth and Gary Woodland at -3
- McIlroy was out in front on -5 until two late bogeys tarnished his round
- U.S. Open champion Martin Kaymer among group of nine players at -2
Follow us at @WorldSportCNN and like us on Facebook
(CNN) -- Two late bogeys left Rory McIlroy a frustrated figure in Colorado but the four-time major winner was hoping a spot of gridiron would help lift his spirits.
The Northern Irishman is still tied for the BMW Championship lead on three-under despite that slump, but his thoughts immediately turned to the Seahawks' NFL clash with the Packers.
McIlroy, who described himself as a "big time" football fan, said: "Even though you guys play with pads on, which ... I don't understand."
The 25-year-old met Denver Broncos quarterback Peyton Manning at Cherry Hills Country Club on Tuesday, who handed over tickets for its opener against the Colts on Sunday.
Read: Bradley leads wildcard picks
And McIlroy is well placed to head to Mile High Stadium as the leader of the FedEx playoffs after he joined Americans Gary Woodland and Jordan Spieth at the top of the leaderboard.
The 2014 British Open and U.S. PGA champion had been out in front on five-under but dropped two shots in his final three holes to sink back into the pack.
"I'm a little frustrated coming off the course, because I feel like it should have been better than what I finished," McIlroy told Sky Sports.
"But you can see by the scores, it's pretty tricky out there ... so a 67 is a really good start, even though it could have been a bit better.
"The fairways are firm so even when you're hitting irons and fairway woods off the tees they're running out and through fairways and into the rough and the rough is thick.
"Then the greens are so firm, the greens have got so much firmer over the past 24 hours and it's really made a huge difference."
The course's elevation has suited big hitters like McIlroy, who was launching drives nearly 400 yards in his practice rounds prior to the tournament.
But the different air conditions make it more tricky to judge distance and ball flight, with several players overshooting greens on the opening day.
I think @CHCCcolorado played tougher than we all thought it would today. Happy with 67 despite the poor finish. Now time for @NFL #GBvsSEA 😁
— Rory Mcilroy (@McIlroyRory) September 5, 2014 Added to the firmness of the course, and the punitive rough, McIlroy compared it to a U.S. Open style test.
"I wouldn't say it's quite as difficult as (a U.S. Open), but it's thick rough, especially around the greens, and firm greens," McIlroy added. "That's what they need to keep the scoring the way it is."
Woodland led for a long stretch on the opening day and dropped only one shot during his round, at the 4th, later describing the greens as "concrete."
Course was playing tough today but managed to shoot a nice round! Raining now so it should play a bit easier tomorrow!
— Sergio Garcia (@TheSergioGarcia) September 5, 2014 U.S. Open champion Martin Kaymer, from Germany, is in a group of nine players on two-under that includes Sweden's 2013 FedEx Cup winner Henrik Stenson.
Five-time major winner Phil Mickelson is two shots further back on level par and said the set up in Colorado was reminiscent of one of Amreica's most famous tracks.
"It reminds me of Augusta in the early '90s, when the course played very short and the greens were the defense," Mickelson said.
Read: Poulter to lead European charge
Read: Woods splits with coach Foley
Football: France makes Spain suffer
9/4/2014 4:04:30 PM
- France defeats Spain 1-0 in Paris
- Loic Remy scores only goal of the game
- Italy defeats Netherlands 2-0 in Bari
- Zlatan Ibrahimovic becomes Sweden's record goalscorer
Follow us at @WorldSportCNN and like us on Facebook
(CNN) -- After the inquisition, the exhibition -- or an exhibition game at the very least.
At the Stade de France in Paris, those who once ruled the world took their first steps towards redemption.
Call it pigeon steps but this was more evolution rather than revolution.
While a new generation of Spanish players may have taken to the field, the result proved to be the same.
Not one single shot on target and only a few fleeting moments of encouragement, this will not be a night where those who had hoped for progress will feel reassured.
Loic Remy's 73rd minute strike condemned Spain to defeat as those in red struggled to escape the shadow which has been cast upon them since their chastening World Cup experience.
It was on a Friday night on June 20 inside Rio de Janeiro's iconic Maracana Stadium where the football's landscape shifted in a seismic measure which so few had predicted.
For so long, Spain had danced around the world like a matador teasing a bull, showing its opponent the ball before moving it away with a style and swagger which delighted so many.
Its brand of 'tiki-taka' brought success -- the 2010 World Cup sandwiched in between victories at the 2008 and 2012 European Championship finals.
But in Brazil it imploded.
OFICIAL | ¡Estos son los ONCE elegidos por Vicente del Bosque para medirse a Francia! #MantenemosLaPasion pic.twitter.com/hOkdlpUrSS
— Selección Española (@SeFutbol) September 4, 2014 The warning signs had been there. The Confederations Cup, which was held in Brazil 12 months before the World Cup, gave a glimpse of what was to follow.
An embarrassing 3-0 defeat in the final against the host nation should have caused some sort of rethink from Vicente Del Bosque, the man who has presided over the most successful period in his nation's history.
And yet it did not come.
The opening World Cup game against the Dutch was a sobering affair -- a game in where Spain was fortunate to get one in a 5-1 defeat.
Against Chile, where it needed a performance to prove its doubters wrong and protect its legacy, it barely managed to raise itself beyond a whimper.
But that episode has passed -- and those who once wore the red with such distinction have also moved on.
Xavi Hernandez, the man whose metronomic passing allowed the supporting orchestra to perform with such an overwhelming crescendo, has retired, as too have Carles Puyol and Xabi Alonso.
Iker Casillas, the goalkeeper who endured a dismal World Cup, was forced to sit on the bench, while Gerard Pique, the Barcelona defender, was not even included in the squad.
No, this time Del Bosque gave an opportunity to those who may yet come to be Spain's future.
Koke, the Atletico Madrid midfielder, one of the outstanding stars of La Liga last season, began in midfield alongside club teammate Raul Garcia, while Athletic Bilbao's Mikel San Jose started in defense.
But in a disjointed first half, it was those who were absent which perhaps emerged with greater credit.
The genius of Andres Iniesta, sidelined with a hip injury was sorely missed while the attacking threat posed by normal full-back Jordi Alba was sacrificed for the more defensive minded Cesar Azpilicueta.
But against a France team which will host the European Championship finals in two years time, this new look Spanish side struggled to create any real opportunities.
France, which exited the World Cup at the quarterfinal stage following a disappointing performance against eventual champion Germany, fielded a strong side which included Karim Benzema, the Real Madrid forward.
Twice in the first half Benzema tested David de Gea in the Spanish goal but on each occasion the Manchester United man was equal to the task.
The second half began in similar fashion to the first -- with France on top and playing a sense of freedom, a joie de vivre which Spain could only wish it possessed.
Benzema appeared to have given his side the lead after sweeping the ball home following good work by Moussa Sissoko but the offside flag dampened any celebrations.
Spain made changes in the second half with the ineffective Diego Costa, so lethal for Chelsea in the English Premier League, making way along with Cesc Fabregas.
But even with the introduction of Valencia's Paco Alcacer and Barcelona's Pedro, the visiting side failed to create anything of note.
And when France carved out an opportunity with 17 minutes remaining it was duly taken by Remy, who lashed home Mathieu Valbuena's pullback from 10-yards.
That goal did serve to awaken Spain from its slumber, David Silva firing inches wide of the far post after neat interplay with Pedro.
It was only with the introduction of Silva that Spain looked capable of piecing something together, though when it did, the French defense stood firm.
Defeat was not only deserved but it gave the impression that Del Bosque has still not solved his side's problems.
Macedonia awaits in Madrid on Monday in the opening qualification game for the 2016 European Championship finals -- there can be no more room for error.
Italy success
Elsewhere, Antonio Conte made a successful start to his reign as Italy manager with a 2-0 win over the Netherlands in Bari.
Ciro Immobile and Daniel de Rossi scored the goals for the home side against a Dutch team which played for 81 minutes with 10 men after Bruno Martins Indi was sent off.
In Sweden, Zlatan Ibrahimovic became his country's leading goalscorer after netting his 49th and 50th goals in a 2-0 win over Estonia.
In Liege, Belgium defeated Australia 2-0, while Croatia overcame Cyprus 2-0 and Bosnia eased to a 3-0 win over Liechtenstein.
Read: The top 10 matches of Brazil 2014
Why are F1's star drivers fighting?
9/5/2014 7:04:37 AM
- Mercedes drivers Nico Rosberg and Lewis Hamilton are battling for the F1 world championship
- The two collided at the Belgian Grand Prix, with Rosberg being heavily criticized
- Rosberg leads the drivers' standings, 29 points ahead of Hamilton in second
- Briton Hamilton won the title in 2008, while Rosberg is bidding for his first crown
Follow us at @WorldSportCNN and like us on Facebook
Monza, Italy (CNN) -- Mercedes has the fastest two cars in Formula One this season but there is just one problem -- there can only be one world champion.
Lewis Hamilton and Nico Rosberg arrive at the Italian Grand Prix this weekend with the title fight distilled into a thrillingly intense duel.
Mercedes is desperate to keep a lid on the seething tensions spilling over from a Belgian bust-up as the German team chases its first world title since 1955.
But is it too late to mend the poisoned relationship between the star drivers?
I'm gutted with the result - not just for my own C'ship hopes but for the team,as we really should have had a one-two pic.twitter.com/KzeY9sUmyQ
— Lewis Hamilton (@LewisHamilton) August 25, 2014 Where did it go wrong?
In the dry desert heat of Bahrain, rivalries between the Mercedes teammates began to sizzle.
Rosberg complained over the team radio when Hamilton cut across him to retake the lead, saying the move was "not on."
Mercedes then warned the drivers "to bring both cars home" as they vied for victory until the checkered flag.
Monaco was not exactly home sweet home for Rosberg, who lives in the principality.
After setting the fastest time in qualifying, the German went off track -- denying Hamilton, who was behind him, a chance to set his potential quickest time.
There was more drama in Hungary when Mercedes asked Hamilton to allow Rosberg, who was on a different tire strategy, to pass.
The 2008 world champion, who was second at the time, refused to obey the team order and finished third, one place ahead of Rosberg.
The pair's duel was short but by no means sweet in Belgium two weeks ago.
In an ill-judged attempt to take the lead on lap two, Rosberg gave Hamilton's car a punctured tire and effectively put him out of the race.
The German finished second but was greeted by a chorus of boos on the podium from fans who saw his pass as a deliberately cynical move.
Read: Mercedes asks Twitter to solve driver puzzle
That was a tough race. We had the pace to win today but the incident cost us a top ...https://t.co/IhDzI6u8aM pic.twitter.com/H9AHdAW5nL
— Nico Rosberg (@nico_rosberg) August 24, 2014 Who's to blame?
Rosberg increasingly finds himself cast as the bad guy, akin to Dick Dastardly in cartoon caper "Wacky Races."
After admitting the Spa clash was his fault, Mercedes handed him a hefty fine -- although not by F1 driver salary standards.
But the 29-year-old, who is always polite and affable in person, has since apologized to Hamilton and told the media melee in Monza this week he was not proud of his behavior.
Rosberg may not be Machiavellian but one thing is for sure, Hamilton has had his share of bad luck in 2014.
Whether it was brake failures or engine fires, fate has been a fickle friend.
But is Hamilton entirely blameless? Well, the Briton has arguably brought some hard luck on himself.
There have, in particular, been misjudgments in qualifying, most notably in Canada, Austria and Britain, when he chose not to set a final lap when the damp track conditions were improving.
Interactive: Take a tour of the Monza circuit
We've been friends a long time&as friends we have our ups&downs. Today we spoke&we're cool, still friends #noproblem pic.twitter.com/xhZlf4qMv9
— Lewis Hamilton (@LewisHamilton) May 30, 2014 Who's refereeing the fight?
Mercedes wants to calm tensions between its racers as it attempts to win both the driver and constructor titles.
Five days after the Belgium bust-up, the team issued a statement warning "another such incident will not be tolerated."
It added: "Lewis and Nico understand and accept the team's number one rule: there must be no contact between the team's cars on track."
Mercedes motorsport director Toto Wolff said in Italy he was not ruling out changing a driver lineup if "we are not able to manage the two of them."
Rosberg recently signed a new contract, which will keep him at the team until the end of 2016, while Hamilton has a deal until 2015.
F1's governing body, the FIA, decided not to investigate the Spa clash, even after Rosberg admitted his culpability.
There has been debate among F1 experts about whether the FIA should be more proactive in refereeing the heavyweight title bout or whether it should stand by and let the drivers slug it out.
Asked by CNN in Italy whether the FIA should have investigated the Spa incident more closely, Hamilton responded: "That's a very good question because how do we move forward?
"Does that mean we can race a lot closer and if the guy in front comes off and is out of the race, nothing's going to happen? Or does it mean if it happens again there will be a penalty?
"We're always asking to be able to race ... but there's a fine line."
The people have spoken! 92% of you favour free racing, 8% team orders. Now, Let's take it one step further... #F1 pic.twitter.com/xRdPgBDROA
— MERCEDES AMG F1 (@MercedesAMGF1) August 28, 2014 Who's in pole position for the title?
With seven races left to go, Rosberg has a 29-point lead over Hamilton.
He is on course to win his first world title and follow in the footsteps of his father Keke, the 1982 champion.
Hamilton knows this is his best chance of winning a second world title since his triumph with McLaren in 2008.
The British racer has to keep out of trouble on track and hope his luck turns.
There is, however, a new twist to the 2014 season, which could be decisive.
The final race in Abu Dhabi will reward the drivers with double points, which means a win is worth 50 points and second place 36 points.
But if Rosberg takes a 15-point advantage to the desert finale he can afford to finish second to Hamilton and still win the title.
While the two Mercedes drivers are locked in an intense fight, Daniel Ricciardo is sneaking up on the rails.
The Red Bull racer has the momentum after winning the last two races in Hungary and Belgium and is now 64 points behind Rosberg in the standings.
My aim this weekend is to claw back the gap in the Drivers' C'ship. I won't give up until the flag drops in Abu Dhabi pic.twitter.com/zbbjRjJFQi
— Lewis Hamilton (@LewisHamilton) September 2, 2014 Could the Australian snatch the title?
"Yeah I can," Ricciardo said in Italy. "But it obviously is going to take more than just winning the next seven races. It is going to have to take a bit of luck as well.
"If they crash into each other at every race this year that will probably hand me the championship on a platter!"
Read: "It's great to be beating Sebastian Vettel"
Another great day yesterday. Thank you to everyone that made it possible 😚 pic.twitter.com/tKB1Jh1erv
— Daniel Ricciardo (@danielricciardo) August 25, 2014 Who can handle the heat?
There is a feeling in the F1 paddock that the intense 2014 championship is turning into a psychological battle between the Mercedes men.
"Your mental state is always important in sport," Rosberg chirpily agreed in Italy.
The Mercedes rivals are very different characters and very different racers.
On one side of the garage is the ice-cool calm and consistency of Rosberg and on the other side is Hamilton's fiery passion and blistering pace.
Keeping a cool head, as well as a steady hand on the wheel, could decide which of the contenders wins the 2014 world title.
Read: Greece keen on Mediterranean Grand Prix
Read: Teen to make F1 history
ISIS loses ground in Iraq battles
9/5/2014 2:53:06 PM
- Kurdish Peshmerga forces battle ISIS in Mosul province
- U.S. conducts airstrikes near Mosul Dam and in Irbil
- ISIS fighters kidnap 50 men from Kirkuk village, warning residents to fight Peshmerga
- "We're steadily moving in the right direction," President Obama says of ISIS fight
(CNN) -- Kurdish forces backed by U.S. air cover made gains Friday against ISIS fighters in Iraq's Mosul province as NATO leaders concluded a summit in Wales, pledging to help defeat the radical Islamic forces.
The Kurdish fighters, known as the Peshmerga, retook several villages seized this summer in ISIS' lightning assault in Iraq as well as high ground overlooking plains on the approach to Mosul, CNN's Anna Coren reported.
"It is a duty of everybody who loves democracy and freedom and human rights to struggle against the terrorists," said Iraqi Deputy Prime Minister Rowsch Shaways, a Kurd.
U.S. forces conducted four airstrikes Friday around Mosul Dam and in Irbil, destroying an observation post, several vehicles and three mortar positions, U.S. Central Command said.
Who is the ISIS?
In Kirkuk province, ISIS fighters kidnapped nearly 50 men from the village of Tal Ali after beating them, according to Kurdish security forces. ISIS ordered residents to fight the Peshmerga before leaving, the Kurdish officials said.
In Wales, President Barack Obama said NATO allies were committed to fighting ISIS.
"It's not going to happen overnight, but we're steadily moving in the right direction," Obama said.
What can U.S. do against ISIS and could it work?
NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen said alliance members "stand ready to assist Iraq" in its fight against ISIS, but neither he nor British Prime Minister David Cameron suggested there are immediate plans to send combat troops.
"For Britain's part we don't rule anything out. We'll act on our national interest," Cameron said in response to a reporter's question about committing troops. "I think in terms of the sort of decisions you're talking about, we're not at that stage yet, and I think it's very important that what we do is part of a comprehensive plan."
In addition to conducting some 131 airstrikes against ISIS targets in the last several weeks, the United States has sent military advisers to Iraq to help with strategies to combat ISIS.
Canada -- a NATO member -- said Friday it also will send "several dozen" troops to Iraq to help advise that country's government on fighting ISIS, Prime Minister Stephen Harper's office said.
Inside the mind of an ISIS fighter
Journalist Zilemo Aziz in Irbil, Iraq, contributed to this report.
Tennis: Wozniacki in final; Peng retires
9/5/2014 5:21:59 PM
- Caroline Wozniacki faces Serena Williams in the U.S. Open final
- Wozniacki advances in dramatic fashion after her opponent retired
- China's Peng Shuai had to be taken off center court in a wheelchair
- World No. 1 Williams crushed Russia's Ekaterina Makarova in an hour
Follow us at @WorldSportCNN and like us on Facebook
(CNN) -- After Roger Federer's escape in the men's quarterfinals, there was yet more drama at the U.S. Open in Friday's women's semifinals.
But the scenes inside Arthur Ashe Stadium in New York weren't as riveting as the Swiss' comeback from two match points and two sets down against Gael Monfils on Thursday.
Whereas Federer walked off court as the winner, a teary Peng Shuai had to be taken off the court in a wheelchair moments after crumpling to the ground with what tournament organizers called a heat-related illness.
Trailing 7-6 4-3, China's Peng -- in her maiden grand slam singles semifinal -- retired and it gave Denmark's Caroline Wozniacki a place in the final against Serena Williams.
The resurgent Dane returns to a major final for the first time since the U.S. Open in 2009 -- she was the runner-up -- but didn't want to advance this way.
"It was very difficult," 10th-seeded Wozniacki told the crowd. "You're out here and you want to battle and finish off properly.
"I just feel sorry for Peng, she played really well. It was really hot. Unfortunately, she fell ill and I hope she'll be okay."
Already a fan favorite, former No. 1 Wozniacki likely earned more backers when she crossed the net to check on the stricken Peng.
Peng, who underwent heart surgery as a young junior, had to lean against the backboard on center court for support when she was first overcome by the pain while holding a break point in the final game of the match.
She was helped off court, where an evaluation then medical timeout ensued.
About 10 minutes later -- after Wozniacki was forced to wait for Peng without any recompense -- Peng played a few points prior to stopping and slumping to the ground.
Unable to continue, she was forced to officially retire.
"You have to feel for Peng Shuai, being in her first grand slam semifiinal and having to leave the court like that," 2013 Wimbledon champion Marion Bartoli, acting as a pundit for Britain's Sky Sports, said. "And having to go through that much pain, it's pretty difficult.
"I remind all of us how hard it is to be on the court yourself. It's you and your tennis racket, and you have to compete. You have to beat the opponent, your conditions, beat everything really and be (as fit) as possible.
"It was really painful to watch as a person and player."
Before Peng's physical issues, it was a fiercely contested battle.
I am so happy to be in the @usopen finals again after 5 years and I wish Peng a speedy recovery!
— Caroline Wozniacki (@CaroWozniacki) September 5, 2014 Peng couldn't serve out the first set and also led by a break early in the second against Wozniacki, who revealed that she had been bed ridden herself the last couple of days.
Peng's plight must have struck a chord with Williams. Appearing woozy, Williams had to retire from the doubles at Wimbledon in July.
Her tussle against Ekaterina Makarova in the second women's semifinal lacked any drama. Williams, seeking her first grand slam title of the campaign and 18th overall, overpowered the Russian lefty 6-1 6-3.
The lone worry for the two-time defending champion came when she was broken trying to serve out the contest.
Sunday's finale figures to be close. Williams and Wozniacki met twice leading into the U.S. Open, and the current No. 1 prevailed in three tight sets on both occasions.
A victory for Williams and she would tie legends Martina Navratilova and Chris Evert in grand slam singles titles.
"She obviously wants to win and go for her first grand slam and I want to win and make a little history," Williams told the crowd.
Read: Federer survives against Monfils
Al-Shabaab strike a message?
9/5/2014 9:24:14 PM
The U.S. announces that the leader of the terror group Al-Shabaab has been killed in an airstrike. Erin McLaughlin reports.
If your browser has Adobe Flash Player installed, click above to play. Otherwise, click below.
You are receiving this email because you subscribed to this feed at feedmyinbox.com
If you no longer wish to receive these emails, you can unsubscribe from this feed, or manage all your subscriptions
No comments:
Post a Comment