women – Page 14 – 4VF News – Daily News Channel

Federer stuns weary Nadal in Madrid final

Second seed Roger Federer won his first title of 2009 after stunning world number one and clay-court king Rafael Nadal in straight sets in front of his own fans in the final of the Madrid Masters on Sunday. Swiss ace Federer, who had won 57 career titles but was without a tournament victory since winning on home soil in Basle last October, took the honors 6-4 6-4 in one hour and 26 minutes. The win also ended a remarkable run of success on clay for world number one Nadal, who was unable to repeat his heroics from Saturday’s epic semifinal against Novak Djokovic when he fought back from the brink to win a gruelling battle 3-6 7-6 7-6 in four hours and three minutes, saving three match points along the way.

Australian rugby league apologizes for sex scandal

Australia’s National Rugby League apologized on Tuesday for the behavior of its players after ABC’s "Four Corners" current-affairs program revealed allegations of group sex in 2002 between players and a New Zealand woman. Two other women told the program they were sexually abused by NRL players. “Violence against women is abhorrent, and sexual assault and the degradation of women is just that,” said David Gallop, the NRL’s chief executive.

Saudi judge: It’s OK to slap spendthrift wives

Husbands are allowed to slap their wives if they spend lavishly, a Saudi judge said recently during a seminar on domestic violence, Saudi media reported Sunday. Arab News, a Saudi English-language daily newspaper based in Riyadh, reported that Judge Hamad Al-Razine said that “if a person gives SR 1,200 [$320] to his wife and she spends 900 riyals [$240] to purchase an abaya [the black cover that women in Saudi Arabia must wear] from a brand shop and if her husband slaps her on the face as a reaction to her action, she deserves that punishment.” Women in the audience immediately and loudly protested Al-Razine’s statement, and were shocked to learn the remarks came from a judge, the newspaper reported. Arab News reported that Al-Razine made his remark as he was attempting to explain why incidents of domestic violence had increased in Saudi Arabia

Russia slams NATO plan to expel diplomats

NATO intends to expel two Russian diplomats from its headquarters in Brussels, Belgium, the Russian Foreign Ministry said Thursday. Activists in the East African nation are urging women to withhold sex for a week to protest the growing divide in Kenya’s coalition government. “We are asking even sex workers to join the cause, even if we have to pay them ourselves,” said Patricia Nyaundi, executive director of the Federation of Women Lawyers in Kenya

Why Michelle Obama inspires women around the globe

Heather Ferreira works in the slums of Mumbai, India, where she has watched thousands of women live under a "curse." (CNN) — Heather Ferreira works in the slums of Mumbai, India, where she has watched thousands of women live under a “curse.” The women she meets in the squalid streets where “Slumdog Millionaire” was filmed are often treated with contempt, she says.

Americans not losing their religion, but changing it often

Ingrid Case was a devoted church-goer as a child, not only attending Sunday school, but also serving as an acolyte at her Episcopalian church in Greeley, Colorado. “Basically, it’s the priest’s assistant,” she explained. “You carry a cross in front of them, get the things they need to perform the service, scurrying around doing what they need.” But after college, Case drifted away

Forget Math. Women Lag in Becoming English Professors!

So much for the theory that maternity leave and childrearing are responsible for slowing women’s climb up the employment ladder. Despite increasing efforts to mint more female professors in recent years, a new report from the Modern Language Association of America shows that women take longer than men to get promoted from associate professor to full professor — regardless of whether they are married or have children.

In Bolivia, Keeping Kids and Mothers Together — in Prison

At first glance it feels like any Latin American barrio filled with kids. It’s a Saturday afternoon, and a dozen young children are sprawled out on a yard, painting a large canvass

Third love-child claim hits Paraguayan president

A third woman has come forward claiming that Paraguayan President Fernando Lugo fathered a child with her out of wedlock. Damiana Moran, a teacher, told reporters Wednesday that she is confident Lugo will recognize the paternity of the 16-month-old boy. “He has the will to take responsibility as it corresponds to the rights of the child,” she said

Palestinian filmmakers beat the odds to hit silver screen

When the 10th London Palestine Film Festival opens this week, Londoners will have greater access to films made in the Palestinian territories than many people living in the region. Today, there is only one movie theater operating in the West Bank. Gaza has none.