Thousands Feared Dead in Libya After Flooding

CAIRO — Mediterranean storm Daniel caused devastating floods in Libya that broke dams and swept away entire neighborhoods in multiple coastal towns in the east of the North African nation. As many as 2,000 people were feared dead, one of the country’s leaders said Monday.

The destruction appeared greatest in Derna, a city formerly held by Islamic extremists in the chaos that has gripped Libya for more than a decade and left it with crumbling and inadequate infrastructure. Libya remains divided between two rival administrations, one in the east and one in the west, each backed by militias and foreign governments.

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The confirmed death toll from the weekend flooding stood at 61 as of late Monday, according to health authorities. But the tally did not include Derna, which had become inaccessible, and many of the thousands missing there were believed carried away by waters after two upstream dams burst.

Video by residents of the city posted online showed major devastation. Entire residential areas were erased along a river that runs down from the mountains through the city center. Multistory apartment buildings that once stood well back from the river were partially collapsed into the mud.

In a phone interview with station Monday, Prime Minister Ossama Hamad of the east Libyan government said 2,000 were feared dead in Derna and thousands were believed missing. He said Derna has been declared a disaster zone.

Ahmed al-Mosmari, a spokesman for the country’s armed forces based in the east, told a news conference that the death toll in Derna had surpassed 2,000. He said there were between 5,000 and 6,000 reported missing. Al-Mosmari attributed the catastrophe to the collapse of two nearby dams, causing a lethal flash flood.

Since a 2011 uprising that toppled and later killed long-time ruler Moammar Gadhafi, Libya has lacked a central government and the resulting lawlessness has meant dwindling investment in the country’s roads and public services and also minimal regulation of private building. The country is now split between rival governments in the east and west, each backed by an array of militias.

Read More: ‘Our Hearts Are Dead.’ After 9 Years of Civil War, Libyans Are Tired of Being Pawns in a Geopolitical Game of Chess

Derna itself, along with the city of Sirte, was controlled by extremist groups for years, at one point by those who pledged allegiance to the Islamic State group, until forces loyal to the east-based government expelled them in 2018.

At least 46 people were reported dead in the eastern town of Bayda, Abdel-Rahim Mazek, head of the town’s main medical center said. Another seven people were reported dead in the coastal town of Susa in northeastern Libya, according to the Ambulance and Emergency Authority. Seven others were reported dead in the towns of Shahatt and Omar al-Mokhtar, said Ossama Abduljaleel, health minister. One person was reported dead Sunday in the town of Marj.

The Libyan Red Crescent said three of its workers had died while helping families in Derna. Earlier, the group said it lost contact with one of its workers as he attempted to help a stuck family in Bayda. Dozens of others were reported missing, and authorities fear they could have died in the floods that destroyed homes and other properties in several towns in eastern Libya, according to local media.

In Derna, local media said the situation was catastrophic with no electricity or communications.

Essam Abu Zeriba, the interior minister of the east Libya government, said more than 5,000 people were expected to be missing in Derna. He said many of the victims were swept away towards the Mediterranean.

“The situation is tragic,” he declared in a telephone interview on the Saudi-owned satellite news channel Al-Arabiya. He urged urged local and international agencies to rush to help the city.

Georgette Gagnon, the U.N. humanitarian coordinator for Libya, said early reports showed that dozens of villages and towns were “severely affected … with widespread flooding, damage to infrastructure, and loss of life.”

“I am deeply saddened by the severe impact of (storm) Daniel on the country … I call on all local, national, and international partners to join hands to provide urgent humanitarian assistance to the people in eastern Libya,” she wrote on X platform, formerly known as Twitter.

In a post on X, the U.S. Embassy in Libya said it was in contact with both the U.N. and Libyan authorities and was determining how to deliver aid to the most affected areas.

Over the weekend, Libyans shared footage on social media showing flooded houses and roads in many areas across eastern Libya. They pleaded for help as floods besieged people inside their homes and in their vehicles.

Ossama Hamad, the prime minister of the east Libya government, declared Derna a disaster zone after heavy rainfall and floods destroyed much of the city which is located in the delta of the small Wadi Derna on Libya’s east coast. The prime minister also announced three days of mourning and ordered flags across the country to be lowered to half-staff.

Controlling eastern and western Libya, Cmdr. Khalifa Hifter deployed troops to help residents in Benghazi and other eastern towns. Ahmed al-Mosmari, a spokesperson for Hifter’s forces, said they lost contact with five troops who were helping besieged families in Bayda.

Foreign governments sent messages of support on Monday evening. Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the president of the United Arab Emirates, said his country would send humanitarian assistance and search-and-rescue teams to eastern Libya, according to the UAE’s state-run WAM news agency.

Turkey, which supports the country’s Tripoli-based government in the west, also expressed condolences, along with neighboring Algeria and Egypt, and also Iraq.

Storm Daniel is expected to arrive in parts of west Egypt on Monday, and the country’s meteorological authorities warned about possible rain and bad weather.

source https://time.com/6313056/libya-floods/

Amid Record Youth Unemployment, Chinese Gen-Z Spending on Leisure and Travel Is Up

Youth unemployment is at a record high and growth is faltering — but China’s gloomy economic backdrop hasn’t stopped Gen Z from shelling out for travel and leisure.

Since the start of the year, consumers born after 1995 have steadily increased spending on items such as movie tickets, beauty services and visits to bars and sporting events, according to consultancy Mintel Group Ltd. Some 40% of respondents spent more on leisure in August than in the previous month, the survey found, a larger proportion than in other categories of dispensable consumption, like clothing.

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That along with travel are the two categories that have seen steady increases in spending among Chinese youth since earlier this year, defying the rising unemployment rate for youngsters around the same time.

“Experience-led spending, from going to the cinema and visiting exhibitions to exercising outdoors, has become the mainstream way for Gen Z to resume their lives post Covid,” Mintel senior research analyst Blair Zhang said.

China’s youth are seen as key to growth in the country’s huge consumer market. But as the economy struggles post-Covid and companies pull back on hiring, the jobless rate for those aged 16 to 24 hit a record 22% in June before authorities halted the data — stoking concerns the real number could be even higher.

Read More: Amid Rising Joblessness, China Stops Publishing Its Youth Unemployment Rate

But rather than pulling back on spending, Gen Z consumers are instead re-evaluating their priorities. Many are splashing out on relatively affordable experiences rather than scooping up big-ticket items like gadgets or working toward longer-term financial goals, such as building up savings or buying a home. Overseas travel is out of reach for many, but domestic hotspots are booming. So is China’s box office, which is setting records.

Recent college graduate Yang Zhifeng, 22, became discouraged and decided not to hunt for a full-time job after seeing hundreds of applicants applying for just one white-collar position. Despite her newly inked degree, she settled for work as a part-time receptionist at a Shanghai hostel catering to job seekers, for only 1,000 yuan ($137) a month.

Regardless, Yang said she still allocates money to visit local tourism spots, attend comic conventions and try hot new restaurants with her friends. 

“When the job market is that bad, why are we struggling and giving ourselves a hard time?” she said. “This is a good time to rethink what lifestyle fits us better and makes us happier.”

Savannah Li, a 23-year-old college graduate who’s searching for a marketing assistant job, agrees it’s important to treat yourself occasionally. During lockdowns last year in her hometown in the Xinjiang region, she’d sneak out to make clandestine chocolate purchases through a window to lift her spirits.

The thrill of doing something to make herself feel good has led her to want to “live happily now,” she said, adding that she wouldn’t hesitate to spend 1,000 yuan or more on a dress despite not having a job.

Cheaper Options

The number of Chinese Gen Zs who want to drop out of the rat race — a movement known as “lying flat” — has grown in the past 18 months as a response to the ultra-competitive job market, said Zak Dychtwald, founder of trend research company Young China Group.

People are still spending in traditional sectors. Consumption data was strong in the first half of 2023, and even if retail sales undershoot expectations, companies are likely to top margin estimates for the second half given leaner cost structures and reduced inventory burdens, according to Bloomberg Intelligence. 

However, retailers with large youth customer bases in China — from Unilever Plc to Yum China Holdings Inc. and Chow Tai Fook Jewellery Group Ltd. — have either voiced concerns over the uncertainties surrounding China’s recovery, or are relying on discounts and promotions to support sales. 

When they do shop, some young Chinese are being more cautious than they have in stronger economic times.

“We’re still seeing young consumers come out and spend,” said Christine Peng, head of Greater China consumer research at UBS Group AG, “but they’re now more realistic, looking for cheaper options.”

Self-Worth, Emotions

Chinese budget retailer Miniso Group Holding Ltd. posted 40% quarterly sales growth in the mainland from a year ago for the three months ended June, with about one-third of its China stores hitting sales records in July.

The company’s latest marketing campaign positions the brand as cheerful and supportive, with giant, winking red balls installed in city centers. Post-Covid, Gen Z consumers “attach greater importance to self-worth, personality and emotions,” vice president and chief marketing officer Robin Liu said.

Read More: China’s Solution to Inequality? Cracking Down on Displays of Wealth and Poverty

Luxury label Coach, owned by US brand house Tapestry Inc., has launched campaigns encouraging self-expression among younger shoppers. That helps “build self-confidence and resilience” in the face of a tight job market,” Coach China marketing and e-commerce vice president Judy Chang said. Tapestry’s latest quarterly sales in China were up 50% year-on-year, despite a slight dip in its overall global business.

Still, marketing can only go so far without an income.

“If I keep failing to find a satisfying job and forcing myself to further lower my expectations,” said Li, the college graduate who remains on the job hunt. “I’ll have to spend less.” 

source https://time.com/6312559/china-gen-z-unemployment-spending/

Disgraced Head of Spanish Soccer Luis Rubiales Finally Resigns After World Cup Kiss Scandal

Luis Rubiales finally caved in after days of intense pressure and quit as head of Spain’s football federation following a scandal over kissing a female player on the lips after the team won the Women’s World Cup.

The move came three weeks after the 46-year-old, who is facing criminal charges in Spain, defiantly rejected calls to step aside, insisting that the player had consented to the kiss. The scandal soured celebrations over the nation’s first triumph in the tournament and highlighted gender inequality in both Spain and in the world’s most popular sport.

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Read More: The Head of Spain’s Soccer Federation Is Under Fire for Inappropriate World Cup Celebrations

The Spanish football association announced in a statement late Sunday that Rubiales had presented his resignation. In a TV interview aired earlier in the evening, Rubiales told Piers Morgan that he would step down because “I cannot continue my work.” He said he made the decision after talking with his family and friends. 

He also resigned from his post as vice-president of UEFA, the European governing body of football.

Following the Aug. 20 final in Australia, Rubiales held Jennifer Hermoso’s head in his hands and kissed her on the lips as she and other players received medals for winning the title. He said the player had consented, but Hermoso rejected his explanation as “categorically false” and said that no such conversation had taken place.

BREAKING: Luis Rubiales has sensationally resigned as President of the Royal Spanish Football Federation following the scandal over him kissing Spain’s Jenni Hermoso at the Women’s World Cup Final. He revealed the news in a world exclusive interview for ⁦@PiersUncensored⁩ pic.twitter.com/Kl2uQTOzqv

— Piers Morgan (@piersmorgan) September 10, 2023

Just minutes after the incident on a live Instagram feed in the locker room, Spain’s top scorer told fellow players that she “didn’t like it.” Later, she disputed Rubiales’s claims and said she was the victim of “an impulse-driven sexist.” During the game, the country’s football chief was also seen grabbing his crotch as he celebrated a goal near Spain’s Queen Letizia and one of her daughters.

On Sept. 6, Hermoso filed a criminal complaint against Rubiales in Madrid, and two days later a Spanish prosecutor pressed charges against him.

The scandal had reached the political arena as Spain struggles to form a government following general elections on July 23. The current caretaker administration — a coalition of the Socialists and far-left groups — pledged to do its best to oust him. Victor Francos, Spain’s top sports official, called it the “Me Too” moment for football in the country.

Rubiales’s behavior is proof that “there is still a lot to be done in this country when it comes to gender equality and respect,” Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez said on Aug. 22. “What we saw was unacceptable.”

At a gathering of mostly-male Spanish football officials on Aug. 25, Rubiales surprised friends and foes by rejecting the pressure. He repeated five times that he would not resign. Many members applauded, including the female team’s coach Jorge Vilda, who has since been fired.

But Rubiales’ efforts to undermine Hermoso triggered a wave of condemnation and turned public opinion against him. FIFA, the global governing body, suspended Rubiales on Aug. 26 for 90 days and the entire women’s squad refused to play again for Spain while he remained in his post. He was replaced by a caretaker president. 

A global movement emerged to support Hermoso and her teammates. Outrage in social media coalesced around the phrase “se acabo” — which means “it’s over” — referring both to Rubiales and the broader issue of sexual harassment of women. In central Madrid, hundreds of people marched on Monday evening chanting “it’s not a peck, it’s aggression.”

Women in sport continue to face sexual harassment and abuse – every one of us has the responsibility to call out and challenge such abuse. We join Spain’s Jenni Hermoso and all those working to end abuse & sexism in sport. Make this a turning point. #SeAcabo – @volker_turk

— UN Human Rights (@UNHumanRights) August 29, 2023

Spain has strict legislation on sexual consent, outlined in a highly controversial law known as “Only Yes Means Yes,” and legal repercussions may continue. Prosecutors last week filed charges against football chief Luis Rubiales for sexual assault and coercion for the kiss he gave player Jennifer Hermoso last month while celebrating the country’s Women’s World Cup win in Australia.

source https://time.com/6312552/luis-rubiales-spain-football-chief-resigns-kiss-scandal/

How India and the U.S. Succeeded at the G20 Without China’s Xi

Xi Jinping’s decision to stay away from the Group of 20 summit may have been intended to deny India its moment. Instead, Prime Minister Narendra Modi — along with the U.S. and Europe — figured out how to more effectively counter China on the world stage.

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Fellow G20 nations hailed India’s success in reaching agreement on a joint communiqué that remained in doubt just days before world leaders gathered in New Delhi for their most significant annual diplomatic event. Apart from finding consensus on Russia’s war in Ukraine, the most difficult issue, they also elevated the African Union as a full G20 member and took action on issues like climate change and debt sustainability that are priorities of emerging markets.

The final outcome irked Ukraine, which saw the compromise on war language as weaker than what leaders produced just 10 months ago in Bali, Indonesia. But for the U.S. and its allies, criticism of a communiqué that on substance was similar to Bali and has little impact on the ground is a small price to pay for giving Modi a win that bolsters India’s status as a rising power capable of blunting China’s global influence.

U.S. President Joe Biden led the charge, seeing in India his administration’s best hope of isolating China and Russia — and providing a booster shot to the U.S.-led world order. The result showed that Washington is finally learning the language of the so-called Global South, with India as its principle guide.

Read More: What Does the ‘Global South’ Actually Mean?

“Some commentators are pointing to watered-down language on Russia-Ukraine as a sign of Western ‘climbdown,’” said Milan Vaishnav, director of the South Asia Program at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. “But there’s another way of looking at it: The West is also invested in making sure India got a win. A lack of consensus would have been a huge disappointment for India.”

If there was a moment that illustrated the summit dynamics, it was Biden’s meeting on Saturday to discuss White House-led efforts to deliver more financing to developing nations.

Along with World Bank President Ajay Banga, the first Indian American to hold the role, Biden was pictured with Modi, Brazil’s Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva and Cyril Ramaphosa of South Africa — key members of the BRICS grouping, minus China and Russia. That bloc expanded earlier this month, posing a challenge for the Group of Seven advanced economies.

Earlier in the day, U.S. Deputy National Security Advisor Jon Finer swiped at China by referring to those nations as “the three democratic members of the BRICS,” saying they and the U.S. were all committed to the G20’s success. “And if China is not, that’s unfortunate for everyone,” Finer said. “But much more unfortunate, we believe, for China.”

And the U.S. didn’t stop there. It separately announced a deal with India, the European Union, Saudi Arabia, Israel and other Middle Eastern countries to develop an ambitious rail and maritime network across the region. Biden hailed it as a “game-changing regional investment,” cementing the deal with a three-way handshake that included Modi and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, who the U.S. president had cast as a “pariah” ahead of the last American election.

That kind of pronouncement is more likely to appeal to Middle East interests than badgering over human rights, even if the project’s time line and funding remains vague. The U.S. denied it was meant to counter China’s growing influence in the Gulf, but a French official acknowledged it was designed to provide competition for Xi’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), saying that wasn’t a bad thing.

“I want to see China succeed economically,” Biden told reporters Sunday in Hanoi, Vietnam, where he flew after the G20. “But I want to see them succeed by the rules.”

Xi’s move to skip the G20 summit for the first time since he became president in 2013 marked a shift in behavior from last November, when he cast himself as a statesman with a responsibility to “get along with other countries.” China’s negotiators also risked appearing petty in looking to thwart India’s progress, taking a stand on minor issues like Modi’s use of a Sanskrit phrase and the U.S.’s bid to host the G20 gathering in 2026. The Global Times, a newspaper affiliated with the Communist Party, called the U.S. “just a copycat” for its Mideast infrastructure plan.

In a further blow to Beijing, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni told Premier Li Qiang on the sidelines of the summit that her nation plans to withdraw from the BRI while still looking to maintain friendly relations, according to a person familiar with the matter who asked not to be named. At a press conference after the G20, Meloni said she spoke to Li, representing China in Xi’s absence, about the BRI but a decision had yet to be made.

Going into the summit, British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak accused China of acting as a brake on progress toward a joint statement. At one point in the deliberations behind closed doors, Beijing raised the issue of access to semiconductors in a discussion of climate action, people familiar with the talks said. That prompted National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan — a leading advocate of U.S. export controls on chips and chip technology to China — to decry “the idea of holding climate hostage” to unrelated issues.

China’s Li told leaders that the G20 “needs unity instead of division, cooperation instead of confrontation,” the official Xinhua News Agency reported. That followed a commentary posted hours earlier by a Chinese think tank affiliated with the country’s top spy agency, which criticized India for having “sabotaged the atmosphere for cooperation” at the G20 by pushing its own agenda.

But China relented on its opposition to the communiqué, and India drew praise from all camps for negotiating a compromise. People familiar with the discussions said the breakthrough occurred after India, Indonesia, Brazil and South Africa jointly put forward a proposal on language describing the war.

“This consensus itself shows the cemented role of India as a trustworthy fulcrum of a world bitterly divided on geopolitical issues like the Ukraine war,” said Swasti Rao, an associate fellow at the Europe and Eurasia Center at the Manohar Parrikar Institute for Defense Studies and Analyses. “There is little doubt that middle order powers wish to keep the global economic order multipolar and not fall into the Chinese game of dominating it.” 

While the final language on Ukraine made some U.S. allies uneasy, supporting the compromise presented a bigger opportunity to align more closely with major democracies in the Global South that ultimately serve as key swing nations when it comes to Russia’s war and other world issues. G7 leaders publicly praised the outcome, with Sunak insisting that the language adopted was “very strong” and that “Russia is completely isolated.”

‘Just and durable’

For the U.S., any move that bolsters India and amplifies other democracies in the Global South helps to counter China and Russia’s influence, particularly when it comes to bringing about the G20’s call for a “comprehensive, just and durable peace” in Ukraine. Back in May at the G7 summit in Japan, the U.S. and its allies struggled to convince Modi, Lula and Indonesia’s Joko Widodo to side with them on Ukraine, even after President Volodymyr Zelenskiy made a surprise appearance. Zelenskiy wasn’t invited to address India’s G20.

A senior European Union official said the agreement effectively saved the G20 as the last global forum bringing together the world’s major powers. Moreover, the official said, it helped bridge the gap between the G-7 and emerging markets, who would now be partners in holding Russia to account if it doesn’t follow through on seeking a just peace in line with UN principles.

Other senior European officials said China shot itself in the foot by staying away from the summit, allowing India to cement its leadership of the Global South and providing the U.S. and Europe a clear path to strengthen ties with emerging markets.

Even Russia, represented by Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov after Vladimir Putin stayed home, saw the agreement as a win. Moscow was pleased that BRICS democracies served as interlocutors with the G7, according to a person familiar with the situation, underscoring China’s status as an outsider looking in.

The U.S., of course, could yet stumble in its bid to appeal more to the Global South. Ahead of the G20, Biden skipped a summit in Indonesia hosted by the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, a move that appeared like a snub to Widodo. The U.S. president sought to do damage control in Delhi, meeting the Indonesian leader briefly and pledging to meet him at the White House in November, when world leaders head to the U.S. for the APEC summit.

More significantly, however, was India’s ability to grasp the moment to assert a global leadership role. Modi — who is on pace to extend his decade in power next year — declared that “history has been created” while his chief negotiator, Amitabh Kant, called India “the spokesperson of all the Global South.”

“More than anything else, it has amplified the voice of Global South,” Kant said of the summit outcome. “It has also demonstrated that India has a huge capacity of bringing the world together and leading the world in developmental and geopolitical issues.”

—With assistance from Samy Adghirni, Selcan Hacaoglu, Alex Wickham, Philip J. Heijmans, Akayla Gardner, Justin Sink, Ruchi Bhatia, Alberto Nardelli, Jorge Valero, Michael Nienaber, Sudhi Ranjan Sen, Jing Li and Simone Iglesias.

source https://time.com/6312531/india-g20-xi-us-global-south/

In Winning His 24th Grand Slam Singles Title, Novak Djokovic Is Now The Good Guy

During the second set of Novak Djokovic’s historic U.S. Open victory over Daniil Medvedev on Sunday night, Djokovic, 36, was starting to show his age. Djokovic and Medvedev played a match that featured a slew of fabulous rallies—36 shots, 31 shots, 28 shots, 27 shots, 26 shots—and they appeared, at times, to be playing like two friends enjoying a hit-around at the park, except for the shots firing like rockets at one another, each man summoning the strength and concentration to return the ball over the net.

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Those long points, however, cause fatigue. And Djokovic, more than his 27-year-old opponent, was breathing hard. At one point in that second set, which took a full 104 minutes to complete, Djokovic smacked his legs with his racquet, as if that would energize them. The longer this match went on, the more trouble loomed for Djokovic. Not even Djokovic, perhaps the greatest men’s tennis player of all time, can fight the physics of aging. 

“I was losing air on so many occasions, and my legs, as well,” Djokovic said. “I don’t recall being so exhausted after rallies really as I have been in the second set.”

The set went to a tiebreaker. With Medvedev holding a 5-4 tiebreak lead, Djokovic won the key point. Djokovic kept hitting the ball to Medvedev’s backhand, turning up the head on each shot, making Medvedev lean further and further to his left, until he was so off balance, he puttered a shot wide left. Medvedev couldn’t capitalize. Djokovic was then able to win the next two points to win the set. There would be no opening for the Russian.

Only victory for Djokovic, whose 6-3, 7-6, 6-3 win over Medvedev gave him his 24th Grand Slam title, tying him with Margaret Court for the most singles majors won by a tennis player in history. What’s more, the victory finishes off a stunning transformation for Djokovic. He’s no longer a tennis heel. He’s a hero.

At the start of his run of titles, Djokovic was the cocky upstart from Serbia who crashed the Roger Federer-Rafael Nadal rivalry. Their dual domination would morph into a trio, and fervent Federer and Nadal supporters never forgave him. But now that Federer is retired, and Nadal has said he expects next year to be his last, some Djokovic haters have softened their stance. They have no choice but to admire his all-time greatness.

He also earned many critics during the Covid-19 pandemic. He created a mini-tour that spread the coronavirus in June of 2020. He refused the Covid-19 vaccine, and was deported from Australia in 2022 when he refused to comply with regulations. He could not compete in the U.S. Open last year, since he was not vaccinated. 

His stance may have been maddening for many. But it’s hard to hold it against Djokovic forever, especially now that we’re in a post-pandemic era. 

Plus, he did everything right on Sunday. In the third set, Medvedev fell on his back on the court. He lay still for a few seconds, fiddling with his elbow. Djokovic walked to the other side of the net, to offer encouragement and a helping hand. After the match, he walked into the stands and hugged his six-year-old daughter, Tara, and eight-year-old son, Stefan; credited his parents, who supported his burgeoning tennis career in the 1990s even as war raged in the former Yugoslavia; and disclosed he was wearing a t-shirt honoring his late friend Kobe Bryant (Djokovic’s major tally now matches the No. 24 Bryant wore with the Lakers).

Djokovic used a serve and volley to rattle Medvedev; in the key second set, he won an amazing 21 of 23 points at the net. Two years ago, in the U.S. Open final, Medvedev denied Djokovic a chance to become the first player to win all four major tournaments in a calendar year since Steff Graf in 1988. Djokovic shifted his mindset this time around. 

“I really did my best in the last 48 hours not to allow the importance of the moment and what’s on the line get to my head,” Djokovic said in his post-match press conference. “Because two years ago that’s what happened, and I underperformed and I wasn’t able to be at my best and I was outplayed. So I learned my lesson. My team, my family knew that the last 24 hours, don’t touch me, don’t speak to me about, you know, the history of what’s on the line.”

He can do it all on the court, and is still fit and defying age. He’s now the oldest man to ever win the U.S. Open: since the start of 2021, he’s won 7 of the 10 Grand Slams in which he’s appeared. Next up for 2024: winning a 25th major, and sole possession of the all-time mark. “I’m going to keep going,” Djokovic said on Sunday. “I don’t want to leave this sport if I’m still at the top.” Those cheers you heard filling up Arthur Ashe Stadium in New York—“Novak! Novak! Novak!”— may be surprising, given Djokokvic’s history. But here’s a safe bet: they’ll start to sound mighty familiar going forward.

source https://time.com/6312532/novak-djokovic-wins-us-open-2023/

‘The Nun II’ Conjures $32.6 Million to Top Box Office

Like many horrors before it, bad reviews didn’t scare off moviegoers from buying tickets for “ The Nun II.” The sequel to the 2018 hit, released in 3,728 theaters by Warner Bros., topped the box office in its first weekend in North American theaters earning an estimated $32.6 million, the studio said Sunday.

AP’s Mark Kennedy wrote in his one star review that it’s “a movie that seems destined to pound a nail into this franchise’s undead coffin” and audiences gave it a C+ CinemaScore. But it hardly matters: Horror is perhaps the most reliably critic-proof genre, at least when it comes to opening weekend.

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The Michael Graves-directed sequel starring Taissa Farmiga and Storm Reid fell far short of the debut for the first film ($53.8 million), but it’s still a solid launch. “The Nun” movies are part of the so-called Conjuring universe, which now has nine films, and $2.1 billion in box office, to its name. The sequel also played well internationally, picking up $52.7 million from 69 markets (Mexico being the strongest with $8.9 million) and boosting its global debut to $85.3 million.

“To have a horror universe is really powerful in terms of the revenue generating potential,” said Paul Dergarabedian, the senior media analyst for Comscore. “It’s a great bet that Warners made on the horror moviegoing experience never waning.”

And there are many more scary movies on the calendar through the fall including “A Death in Venice,” which opens next week, “Saw X” on Sept. 29 and “The Exorcist: Believer” on Oct. 6.

“The Nun II” bumped Denzel Washington’s “ Equalizer 3 ” to second place in its second weekend. The Columbia Pictures release added $12.1 million, bringing its domestic grosses to $61.9 million and its worldwide earnings to $107.7 million.

Third place went to another new movie: The third installment of Nia Vardalos’s “My Big Fat Greek Wedding,” which arrives 21 years after the first film became a massive sleeper hit earning some $369 million against a $5 million production budget. Released by Focus Features in 3,650 theaters, the third film earned an estimated $10 million, overwhelmingly driven by female audiences (71%) who were 25 or older (83%).

Vardalos wrote, directed and stars in “Greek Wedding 3,” which brings back John Corbett and takes the gang to Greece. AP’s Jocelyn Noveck wrote in her review that the movie, which has gotten mostly poor marks, is “like a thrice-warmed piece of baklava.”

The Indian revenge thriller, “Jawan,” starring Shah Rukh Khan, opened in fourth place with $6.2 million from only 813 locations. It was released in Hindi, Tamil and Telugu. Khan, a Bollywood superstar, also led another box office sensation this year, “Pathaan,” which has made $130 million worldwide.

“Barbie,” which comes to VOD on Tuesday, dropped to No. 5 after 8 triumphant weeks with $5.9 million from 3,281 locations. The Warner Bros. film has now made $620.5 million domestically.

source https://time.com/6312524/the-nun-ii-box-office/

How to Help Earthquake Victims in Morocco

More than 2,000 people have died after a magnitude 6.8 earthquake shook Morocco on Friday night, making it the biggest quake to impact the country in 120 years. 

Some 380,000 people live within 50 km (or about 31 miles) of the earthquake’s epicenter in the High Atlas mountains, which is less than 50 miles southwest of the highly-populated city of Marrakech. Search and rescue efforts are still ongoing throughout the country, and Interior Ministry officials said the death toll is expected to rise. 

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At least two aftershocks exacerbated the disaster, with the latest being a 3.9 aftershock on Sunday.

Some residents are still awaiting help, partly because roads have been blocked from reaching more remote areas of the country due to debris. Spain and Israel have sent forward international aid, but additional help from countries like France and Tunisia is stalled because the Moroccan government has not yet requested it, a Foreign Ministry spokesman said Sunday. 

President Joe Biden said that the United States is ready to provide help to Morocco when necessary, and is working with officials to ensure American citizens in the country are safe. “I want to express my sadness by the loss of life and devastation caused by the earthquake in Morocco,” Biden said on Sunday during a news conference in Vietnam. “Our thoughts and prayers are with the people in Morocco.” 

Here’s some organizations that are helping Morocco:  

The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies

The IFRC sent staff on the ground shortly after the earthquake to help provide first aid, assist with search and rescue, and help local authorities assess the need for aid. They are supporting the Moroccan Red Crescent and are ready to deploy emergency response teams if necessary. 

“We are mobilizing now to support the Moroccan Red Crescent,” said Dr. Hossam Elsharkawi, Regional Director of Middle East and North Africa for the IFRC. “This will not be a week or two of response as our region has seen with the big Türkiye and Syrian earthquake earlier this year. Again we are looking at many months if not years of response.”

Donations are being accepted here. 

Islamic Relief USA 

Islamic Relief USA is a nonprofit organization working with local organizations to assist with food, shelter, and healthcare. 

Find out more about their work, here.  

Global Giving 

Global Giving has launched a fund to support relief and recovery efforts and assist with the most immediate needs of survivors. They are using donations to provide shelter and temporary housing, mental health support and support long-term recovery in the country. 

They are accepting donations here. 

UNICEF 

The United Nations Children’s Fund is providing emergency support for families that were impacted by the earthquake and is in communication with authorities. You can make a financial contribution here.

CARE 

CARE, which stands for the Cooperative for Assistance and Relief Everywhere, has a base in Morocco near the epicenter of the earthquake, focuses on working with women, girls and other disadvantaged groups to provide aid. “Many already struggled in Morocco prior to the earthquake. Now, hundreds of thousands have lost everything in a matter of seconds,” said Deepmala Mahla, CARE’s Vice President of Humanitarian Affairs. 

Consider donating here. 

Doctors Without Borders 

In collaboration with local authorities, Doctors Without Borders is planning on sending emergency medical and humanitarian teams to Morocco to provide support, despite not having “an established presence” in the country. The organization says its priority will be providing supplies and helping restore health services. You can support their work here. 

source https://time.com/6312509/morocco-earthquake-victims-how-to-help/