Alabama News

LONDON (AP) — Jannik Sinner defeated two-time defending champion Carlos Alcaraz 4-6, 6-4, 6-4, 6-4 on Sunday to win his first Wimbledon championship and reverse the result of their epic French Open final five weeks ago.

The No. 1-ranked Sinner earned his fourth Grand Slam title overall, moving him one away from No. 2 Alcaraz’s total as the two young rivals separate themselves from the rest of the pack in men’s tennis.

This victory also allowed Sinner, a 23-year-old Italian, to put an end to several streaks for Alcaraz, a 22-year-old Spaniard.

Alcaraz had won the past five head-to-head matches between the pair, most recently across five sets and nearly 5 1/2 hours at Roland-Garros on June 8. Sinner took a two-set lead in that one, then held a trio of match points, but couldn’t close the deal. That made Alcaraz 5-0 in major finals.

In addition to ending that piece of perfection, Sinner asserted himself in a match that featured moments of terrific play by both men, but also the occasional lapses.

Alcaraz stepped into the sunlight bathing Centre Court as the owner of a career-best 24-match unbeaten run. He had won 20 matches in a row at the All England Club, including victories against Novak Djokovic in the 2023 and 2024 finals.

The last man to beat Alcaraz at Wimbledon? Sinner, in the fourth round in 2022.

The Associated Press contributed to this story.

The National Weather Service issued an updated report at 1:49 p.m. on Sunday for strong thunderstorms until 2:15 p.m. for Henry and Houston counties.

Residents can be ready for wind gusts of up to 50 mph.

“At 1:49 p.m., Doppler radar tracked a strong thunderstorm near Ashford, or 12 miles southeast of Headland, moving southeast at 10 mph,” according to the weather service. “Gusty winds could knock down tree limbs and blow around unsecured objects.”

Locations impacted by the alert include Cottonwood, Headland, Dothan, Kinsey, Ashford, Cowarts, Webb, Columbia, Avon, Gordon, Memphis, Saffold, Pansey, Crosby, Sigma, Enon, Wilson Mill, Barber, Pleasant Plains and Keytons.

According to the weather service, “If outdoors, consider seeking shelter inside a building.”

Staying safe as lightning approaches: Expert advice

Lightning strikes the United States approximately 25 million times each year, with the bulk of these electrical discharges occurring during the summer months. Tragically, lightning claims the lives of about 20 individuals annually, as reported by the weather service. The risk of lightning-related incidents escalates as thunderstorms draw near, reaching its peak when the storm directly looms overhead. However, it gradually recedes as the tempest moves away.

To guarantee your safety in the midst of a thunderstorm, take into account the following recommendations:

Lightning safety plan:

• When venturing outdoors, it’s vital to establish a clear plan for seeking shelter in case of lightning.
• Monitor the sky for threatening signs and listen for the sound of thunder. If thunder is audible, it’s an indication that lightning is nearby.
• Seek a safe place to shelter, preferably indoors.

Indoors safety measures:

• Once you’re indoors, avoid using corded phones, electrical devices, plumbing fixtures, and stay away from windows and doors.
• Lightning can follow conductive pathways, and these precautions reduce the risk of electrical surges.

Wait for the all-clear:

• After the last lightning strike or thunderclap, wait at least 30 minutes before resuming outdoor activities.
• It’s important to remember that lightning can strike even when a storm seems to have passed, so exercise caution.

When indoor shelter isn’t available:

If you find yourself outdoors without access to indoor shelter during a thunderstorm, take these steps to maximize your safety:

• Avoid open fields, hilltops, or ridge crests, which expose you to greater lightning risk.
• Steer clear of tall, isolated trees and other prominent objects. In wooded areas, stay close to lower stands of trees.
• If you’re in a group, ensure that individuals are spaced out to prevent lightning current from transferring between people.
• Camping in an open setting during a thunderstorm is strongly discouraged. If no alternative exists, set up camp in a valley, ravine, or other low-lying areas. Remember that a tent offers no protection against lightning.
• Do not approach water bodies, wet objects, or metal items. While water and metal don’t attract lightning, they conduct electricity effectively and can pose significant risks.

In summary, when facing the threat of lightning, preparedness and vigilance are your best allies. By following these guidelines, you can significantly reduce the likelihood of lightning-related incidents and prioritize your safety.

Navigating rainy roads: Safety tips for wet weather

When heavy rain strikes, safety is paramount. Equip yourself with these guidelines from the weather service to navigate wet roads and avoid hazards:

Beware of swollen waterways:

Avoid parking or walking in close proximity to culverts or drainage ditches, as the swiftly moving water during heavy rain can potentially carry you away.

Maintain safe driving distances:

The two-second rule for following distance is your ally in heavy rain. Extend it to four seconds to ensure safe spacing in adverse conditions.

Slow down and drive with care:

On wet roads, reducing your speed is crucial. Ease off the gas pedal gradually and avoid abrupt braking to prevent skidding.

Choose your lane wisely:

Stick to the middle lanes on multi-lane roads to minimize the risk of hydroplaning, as water tends to accumulate in outer lanes.

Prioritize visibility

Turn on your headlights and be careful of other vehicles to the rear and in blind spot areas as they are especially difficult to see through rain-spattered windows.

Watch out for slippery roads:

Be extra careful during the first half hour after rain begins. Grime and oil on the road surface mix with water to make the road slippery.

Keep a safe distance from large vehicles:

Don’t follow large trucks or buses too closely. The spray created by their large tires reduces your vision. Take care when passing them as well; if you must pass, do so quickly and safely.

Mind your windshield wipers:

Heavy rain can overload the wiper blades. When visibility is so limited that the edges of the road or other vehicles cannot be seen at a safe distance, it is time to pull over and wait for the rain to ease up. It is best to stop at rest areas or other protected areas.

When stopping by the roadside is your only option, position your vehicle as far off the road as possible, ideally beyond guardrails. Keep your headlights on and activate emergency flashers to alert other drivers of your position.

In the face of heavy rain, these precautions can make a significant difference in ensuring your safety on the road. Remember to stay informed about weather conditions and heed guidance from local authorities for a secure journey.

Advance Local Weather Alerts is a service provided by United Robots, which uses machine learning to compile the latest data from the National Weather Service.

A new reality TV series helmed by Chip and Joanna Gaines is facing backlash from conservatives evangelicals because the show features a same-sex couple with two sons.

“Back to the Frontier,” a Magnolia Network series, premiered on HBO Max on July 10.

Texas-couple Jason and Joe Hanna-Riggs appear on the show with their two sons, according to Realtor.com. They are one of three couples on the show living like 1800s homesteaders.

“What really inspired me was when I saw the flyer on social media, and I saw a gay couple on the front of that flyer, and so, looking back, I initially thought it would be a great opportunity for representation for same-sex couples,” Jason explained, according to Realtor.

“It is very disappointing. While we are to love people, we should love them enough to tell them the truth of God’s Word. His Word is absolute truth. God loves us, and His design for marriage is between one man and one woman. Promoting something that God defines as sin is in itself sin,” Franklin Graham, son of Billy Graham, posted on X.

“This is sad and disappointing, because Chip and Joanna Gaines have been very influential in the evangelical community,” the American Family Association posted on X.

“Moreover, in the past, they have stood firm on the sanctity of marriage regardless of the personal cost that has entailed. We aren’t sure why the Gaines have reversed course, but we are sure of this: Back to the Frontier promotes an unbiblical view of human sexuality, marriage, and family –– a view no Christian should embrace,” said Ed Vitagliano, AFA’s vice president.

Chip Gaines responded to the controversy on X.

“Talk, ask qustns, listen.. maybe even learn. Too much to ask of modern American Christian culture. Judge 1st, understand later/never It’s a sad sunday when “non believers” have never been confronted with hate or vitriol until they are introduced to a modern American Christian,” Chip Gaines posted.

His post elicited more criticism, with one person replying: “We are extremely sad because of how much we have grown to admire and appreciate you both.”

Gaines responded: “Well I appreciate that.. sincerely. So if you admire and appreciate us so much. Any chance there’s more to this? But that’s my point.. no one knows. But the “Christians” have certainly come out in full force as if they do know.. “judge not….” “Love one another” its not difficult.”

“Jaws” icon Richard Dreyfuss was forced to drop out of this weekend’s SharkCon in Tampa, Fla., after he was diagnosed with viral bronchitis.

Dreyfuss delivered the news of his diagnosis and his exit in a video post shared to the SharkCon Instagram on Saturday.

He said, “Hello, fellow cons. I am very, very sorry to tell you that I’ve been diagnosed with viral…viral…What is it?”

His wife, Svetlana Erokhin, then clarified off-screen that Dreyfuss had been infected with viral bronchitis.

Dreyfuss continued, “I’ve been told by my doctors I cannot fly, and I would have to fly five hours to get [to SharkCon]. I’m terribly sorry because I had planned to be there and had been looking forward to it. But I’m unable to do so. I don’t want to get anyone else sick, and I don’t want to get sicker myself. I feel terrible about not showing up, and I feel worse about exposing you to this, apparently, very viral illness.”

Dreyfuss headlined Steven Spielberg’s 1975 horror masterpiece alongside Roy Scheider and Robert Shaw. In “Jaws,” the Oscar-winner played Matt Hooper, a wisecracking oceanologist and shark expert tasked with helping Chief Brody track down the vicious man-eater.

The “Close Encounters of the Third Kind” star made waves during another public appearance at a “Jaws” retrospective screening in 2024.

At the post-screening Q&A, Dreyfuss made controversial comments about the Oscars’ new diversity requirements, trans people and the MeToo movement. The executive director of the event, J. Casey Soward, issued a statement in the fallout, apologizing for his remarks.

© 2025 Variety Media, LLC, a subsidiary of Penske Business Media; Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC

Walmart is recalling about 850,000 stainless steel water bottles because the lid can “forcefully eject” and unexpectedly strike consumers — resulting in permanent vision loss for two people to date.

The recall covers Walmart’s “Ozark Trail 64 oz Stainless Steel Insulated Water Bottles,” which have been sold at the chain’s stores across the country since 2017. According to a notice published by the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission on Thursday, these products pose “serious impact and laceration hazards.”

That’s because when a consumer attempts to open the bottles “after food, carbonated beverages or perishable beverages, such as juice or milk, are stored inside over time,” the lid can eject forcefully, the CPSC notes.

As of Thursday’s announcement, Walmart had received three reports of consumers who were injured after being struck in the face by these lids when opening their bottles. And two of those people “suffered permanent vision loss after being struck in the eye,” the CPSC added.

Consumers are urged to stop using the now-recalled Ozark Trail bottles — and contact Walmart for a full refund. Shoppers can also bring the products to their local Walmart store for that compensation.

“The health and safety of our customers is always a top priority,” Walmart said in a statement sent to The Associated Press. The company added that it had “fully cooperated” with the CPSC and the manufacturer of the recalled product “to remove it from our stores and notify consumers”

The bottles being recalled can also be identified by their model number, 83-662 — which doesn’t appear on the product itself, but would show on packaging. The stainless-steel base is silver and the lid is a black, one-piece screw cap. There is also an Ozark Trail logo embedded on the side of the 64-ounce bottle.

The federal government on Saturday dismissed charges against a Utah plastic surgeon accused of throwing away COVID-19 vaccines, giving children saline shots instead of the vaccine and selling faked vaccination cards.

U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi said in a post on the social media platform X that charges against Dr. Michael Kirk Moore, of Midvale, Utah, were dismissed at her direction.

Moore and other defendants faced up to 35 years in prison after being charged with conspiracy to defraud the government; conspiracy to convert, sell, convey and dispose of government property; and aiding and abetting in those efforts. The charges were brought when Joe Biden was president.

“Dr. Moore gave his patients a choice when the federal government refused to do so,” Bondi wrote. “He did not deserve the years in prison he was facing. It ends today.”

Felice John Viti, acting U.S. attorney for Utah, filed the motion Saturday, saying “such dismissal is in the interests of justice.”

The trial began Monday in Salt Lake City with jury selection. It was expected to last 15 days.

Messages sent to the U.S. Department of Justice, Viti’s office in Salt Lake City and to Moore were not immediately returned Saturday to The Associated Press.

A federal grand jury on Jan. 11, 2023, returned an indictment against Moore, his Plastic Surgery Institute of Utah Inc., others associated with the clinic and a neighbor of Moore’s. The indictment alleged more than $28,000 of government-provided COVID-19 vaccine doses were destroyed.

They were also accused of providing fraudulently completed vaccination record cards for over 1,900 doses of the vaccine in exchange for either a cash or a donation to a specified charitable organization.

The government also alleged some children were given saline shots, at their parents’ request, so the minors believed they were getting the vaccine.

Health Secretary Robert Kennedy Jr., a leading anti-vaccine activist before becoming the nation’s top health official, posted his support for Moore in April, saying on X that Moore “deserves a medal for his courage and his commitment to healing!”

During his confirmation hearings in January, Kennedy repeatedly refused to acknowledge scientific consensus that childhood vaccines don’t cause autism and that COVID-19 vaccines saved millions of lives.

In a follow-up X post on Saturday, Bondi said Georgia Republican Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene brought the case to her attention.

“This would not have been possible without (Marjorie Taylor Greene) who brought this case to my attention. She has been a warrior for Dr. Moore and for ending the weaponization of government,” Bondi posted.

An Italian restaurant in Homewood has announced its closure after 64 years.

In an Instagram post this weekend, the management of DeVinci’s Restaurant stated that a new owner will take over the location at 2707 18th Street South in Homewood. It did not provide a reason for the closure.

“We have had the privilege of serving generations of customers and have developed deep friendships over the years,” the management said.

“Our landmark building is being turned over to a new owner that shares the same love for food and people that we have given to our patrons. We will miss you all.”

The restaurant will cease operations on Aug. 10.

Briarwood Presbyterian Church of Birmingham has announced that its new senior pastor has been approved by the regional governing body and is in the process of moving to Birmingham.

The Rev. Dr. John Scott Redd Jr., president of Reformed Theological Seminary in Washington, D.C., was approved July 8 by Evangel Presbytery meeting at Briarwood.

The presbytery conducted a theological examination before Redd’s nomination was approved.

“Dr. Redd’s answers were biblically and theologically sound, concise, clear, and well-informed, and the examination concluded with a unanimous vote in favor of Dr. Redd as Briarwood’s next pastor,” the church announced.

Redd will assume the pulpit and preach his first sermon on Aug. 3.

The congregation had voted in favor of Redd on June 15, pending approval by the presbytery. He was nominated by the pulpit search committee in May.

Redd is only the third full-time senior pastor in the 65-year history of Briarwood.

The Rev. Frank Barker founded Briarwood Presbyterian in 1960, first opening its doors in a Cahaba Heights storefront. He retired in 1999 and died in December 2021 at 89.

During Barker’s tenure the church grew to a membership of more than 4,000, making it one of the state’s churches.

Barker oversaw the construction of a $32 million campus near the Acton Road exit on Interstate 459 in 1988. A decade later, a $5.5 million expansion was added.

Barker also oversaw the creation of Briarwood Christian School and helped found the Birmingham Theological Seminary.

He also had a significant national role in the rise of the conservative Presbyterian Church in America, which was formed in the early 1970s and became one of the country’s largest Presbyterian church organizations.

He was succeeded by the Rev. Harry Reeder III, who was killed in a 2023 car crash. The Rev. Dan Doriani was named interim minister later that year.

Redd grew up in a military family and is a graduate of The College of William & Mary who worked in media consulting before going into the ministry. He and his wife, Jennifer, have five daughters.

The season three finale of the hit reality competition series Naked and Afraid: Last One Standing premieres on the Discovery Channel Sunday, July 13 at 8/7c.

Those hoping to tune in to see which of the three remaining contestants claim the title of Last One Standing can stream the finale through Philo (free trial), DirecTV (free trial) or Sling (50% off first month).

Previous episode recap

Last week’s episode titled “Flame on or Flame Out,” caused quite the panic amongst the remaining survivalists, and the friction fire challenge easily shook everyone up.

In addition to the troubling challenge, Patrick was stunned when he was told to give up his gathered materials, leaving him almost completely defenseless and underprepared.

Meanwhile, Patrick was eliminated meaning Cheeney, Darren and Matt are the only three survivalists making their way to this week’s finale.

On the upcoming season three finale episode, Cheeney, Darren and Matt face the final gauntlet of challenges—all of which test each survivalist’s bushcraft, bow and fire-making skills.

With the $100,000 prize and title of Last One Standing on the line, the three competitors push themselves as all are seconds away from claiming this season’s ultimate prize.

How to watch Naked and Afraid: Last One Standing season 3 finale

Those interested in catching the season three finale can stream Naked and Afraid: Last One Standing through Philo, DirecTV and Sling.

Both Philo and DirecTV offer free trials for new subscribers to enjoy before committing to a paid plan while Sling offers those that commit to a paid subscription half off their first month and one month free of AMC+.

Out of the three watch options listed above, Philo is the cheapest at just $28 a month after its 7-day free trial concludes.

What is Philo?

Philo is considered one of the most affordable streaming platforms on the market. Known as an entertainment-focused streaming service, Philo offers its subscribers access to over 70 top-rated TV channels such as TLC, MTV, BET, AMC, CMT, Investigation Discovery and more.

New users can enjoy Philo’s 7-day free trial and continue to stream top channels, hit TV shows and movies on-demand for just $28 a month once the free trial expires.

Those looking to customize their flow of content even further on Philo can consider including add-ons such as MGM+, STARZ, and AMC+ in their subscription.

What is DirecTV?

DirecTV is a top streaming service perfect for those looking to access a plethora of live TV channels and enjoy helpful features. The base package starts at just $86.99 a month after its 5-day free trial and includes popular TV channels such as HGTV, ESPN, Bravo, CMT, CNBC, BET, CNN and more.

DirecTV has also recently introduced a lineup of genre packs, which allows subscribers to choose their favorite viewing options based on what genre they watch the most. With genre packs, users can get the channels and content they want without filler channel overload. Packs start at just $34.99 a month.

Those interested in comparing all DirecTV’s channel packages and the new genre packs can check them out here.

What is Sling?

Sling is another streaming service to consider if you want to access top-rated TV channels like Discovery. Though no free trial is available to new subscribers, those who commit to a paid plan get half off the first month and one month free of AMC+.

Both the Sling Orange plan and the Sling Blue plan are normally $45.99 a month, but with the current promotion, Sling users will pay just $23 a month for the first month.

For those who wish to access channels from both the Sling Blue and Sling Orange plans can do so by signing up for the Orange + Blue plan, which combines the best of both plans for just $60.99 a month ($30.50 for the first month).