Friday's Sports In Brief

TENNIS

NEW YORK (AP) — Serena Williams overwhelmed 17th-seeded Ekaterina Makarova of Russia 6-1, 6-3 in the semifinals to extend her U.S. Open winning streak to 20 matches.

If Williams can make that 21 in a row by beating Caroline Wozniacki in Sunday's final, the 32-year-old American will become the first woman since Chris Evert in the 1970s to win three consecutive titles at the tournament.

After Makarova held to 1-all, she went 40 minutes until taking another game. Powered by swift serves and stinging forehands, Williams grabbed nine straight games, including a truly dominant stretch in which she took 22 of 24 points.

All in all, Williams' semifinal was far less dramatic than Friday's earlier match, when the 10th-seeded Wozniacki's opponent, China's Peng Shuai, retired in the second set because of heat illness and left the court in a wheelchair.

Wozniacki lost her only previous major final, at the 2009 U.S. Open. Williams, meanwhile, is seeking a sixth U.S. Open championship and 18th major singles title overall, which would tie her with Evert and Martina Navratilova.

GOLF

CHERRY HILLS VILLAGE, Colo. (AP) — Sergio Garcia hit great shots that led to eagle, birdie and par. They carried him to a 6-under 64, giving him a one-shot lead going into the weekend at the BMW Championship on ever-changing Cherry Hills.

Garcia holed out from a greenside bunker for birdie on the second hole. He holed a lob wedge for eagle on the short, par-4 seventh hole. And after hitting into the water going for the green on the par-5 17th hole, he escaped with par by getting up-and-down with a wedge to a foot.

He needed them all.

Ryan Palmer also made eagle with a short wedge on the seventh hole, and he finished birdie-birdie for a 64 to end up a shot behind.

Rory McIlroy made three straight birdies late in his round and left his last putt on the edge of the cup. The late surge gave the world's No. 1 player another 67 and put him two shots behind. Billy Horschel, a runner-up last week at the TPC Boston, had a 66 and was tied with McIlroy.

Garcia was at 8-under 132.

NFL

NEW YORK (AP) — The players' union says the NFL has asked for the right to immediately suspend players who are arrested for driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol.

NFL Players Association executives told The Associated Press on Friday that the league's proposal to increase penalties for DUI offenses includes a provision to suspend or discipline a player before the completion of his legal due process.

"They want to immediately discipline for an arrest," said George Atallah, the NFLPA's assistant executive director of external affairs.

Such a policy change would also go for coaches, owners and league staff.

"We prefer to discuss these issues directly with the union," NFL spokesman Greg Aiello said.

Atallah also noted that progress has been made on possible testing for HGH as well as other areas of the drug program. The union historically has not been interested in focusing on one issue, but on the entire drug policy.

BASEBALL

ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — Ron Washington gathered his players for what they thought would be another team meeting in a surprisingly dreary season.

Instead the Texas manager delivered the biggest shock of all: He was stepping down immediately.

Washington resigned, saying he needed to devote his full attention to an "off-the-field personal matter."

The announcement came a day after the injury-ravaged Rangers (53-87) lost their sixth straight game and became the first team in the majors mathematically eliminated from playoff contention. Only three years ago, Texas reached its second consecutive World Series under Washington.

PHOENIX (AP) — Kevin Towers appeared to have a tenuous hold on his job as Arizona's general manager when the Diamondbacks hired Tony La Russa to run their baseball operations.

Though the Hall of Fame manager said he was going to evaluate the entire organization, it seemed only to be a matter of time before the reins were taken away from Towers. The change came when Arizona fired Towers in the midst of a third straight disappointing season, less than four months after La Russa was named chief baseball officer.

Towers was hired in 2010 after 14 seasons as the San Diego Padres' general manager. He had almost immediate success, pulling off all the right moves to help Arizona win the 2011 NL West crown, its first division title since 2007.

Since then, Towers' moves haven't paid off quite as well and the Diamondbacks have suffered, following a pair of .500 seasons with a nosedive this year.

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Josh Beckett won't return to the mound for the Los Angeles Dodgers this season, and the injured pitcher is mulling retirement.

He went on the disabled list for the third time Aug. 4 with a left hip impingement after being on the DL in July for the same injury. The 34-year-old right-hander was 6-6 with a 2.88 ERA in 20 starts, including a no-hitter May 25 in Philadelphia.

Beckett's first time on the DL was in March, when he had a bruised right thumb.

He doesn't think he can continue his career without having surgery, and he won't make that decision until the offseason. He also plans to discuss with his wife whether he wants to attempt another comeback next year.

AUTO RACING

RICHMOND, Va. (AP) — Brad Keselowski won the pole for the NASCAR Sprint Cup race Saturday night at Richmond International Raceway with a lap at 126.618.

The Penske Racing driver finished second in the first round of qualifying, and easily outran the field during the second stage for his fourth pole of the season.

Jeff Gordon was second at 126.039 mph, followed by Hendrick Motorsports teammate Jimmie Johnson at 125.898.

Kevin Harvick was fourth, and Joey Logano fifth. Clint Bowyer, one of 17 drivers with a chance to win his way into the Chase for the championship, will start sixth.

A look at the iconic blue jeans

NEW YORK -- History of Jeans:

1873: Businessman Levi Strauss and tailor Jacob Davis invent the first pair of jeans after getting a patent to create cotton-denim workpants with copper rivets in certain areas like the pocket corner to make them stronger.

1920s: Levi's overalls become the best-selling product in men's work pants in the Western states. In 1928, the company registers the Levi's name as a trademark.

1934: Levi's takes advantage of the rise in Western movies and launches its first pair of what we call jeans. They were aimed at affluent women who wanted to wear them on dude ranches.

1950s: The pants move into the mainstream, helped by teens who embrace them as a rebellious statement. Teens start calling them 'jeans.' Until this decade, they were called overalls or waist overalls. Jeans take on a bad boy image, popularized by teen rebels like James Dean and Marlon Brando.

1960s to early 1970s: Levi's replaces the word "overalls" with the word "jeans" in advertising and packaging. The hip-hugger, bellbottom blue jeans become an anti-establishment statement.

Mid 1970s to early 1980s: In the mid-1970s, blue jeans are trumped by the popularity of colored corduroy pants. In the late 1970s, jeans become a status symbol when designers like Jordache and Calvin Klein roll out more chic versions.

Mid 1980s to 1990s: Hip hop-inspired baggy jeans become the rage. The relaxation of dress codes in the 1990s made jeans more acceptable for work.

2000 -2006: An influx of new brands that sell for $200 or higher help fuel jeans sales.

2006 to present: The rise of skinny jeans and brightly colored jeans help boost sales until athletic wear gains popularity.

Source: Levi Strauss & Co. corporate website.

5 takeaways from Chris Christie's Mexico trip

MEXICO CITY -- New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie's trade mission to Mexico this week was officially billed as an opportunity to foster new business relationships between the United States' southern neighbor and his state. But it also gave the potential 2016 presidential contender an opportunity to bolster his foreign policy credentials. While many watched to see how the famously brash Republican would present himself on an international platform, the trip arguably left open more questions than it answered. Here's what we learned from Christie's travels:

— He won't talk about immigration.

Immigration is undoubtedly the most pressing issue between Mexico and the United States, but Christie showed no interest in weighing in.

"I know you guys are begging to have me focus on immigration. And let me put you to rest: I'm not going to," he told reporters on Thursday, saying he would begin to sketch out his position only when — and if — he decides to pursue the Republican presidential nomination.

Still, the issue trailed him wherever he went, including to the city of Puebla, where a Spanish-language reporter asked Christie what should be done about the flow of Central American children across the border. Christie repeated his stance that Americans are "a compassionate people" who want to protect the children, but also live in a land of laws.

Despite the silence, Christie played plenty to the immigrants back home, working to build his appeal with Latino voters. An estimated 40 percent of New Jersey's Mexican-Americans have roots in Puebla.

—He's got stamina.

Christie's Mexico schedule was jam-packed with 22 meetings and events crunched into three days, according to an aide. That included meetings with five Cabinet members, President Enrique Pena Nieto and trip out of town — all while contending with Mexico City's horrendous traffic. He also made a stop at a local taco joint and toured the Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe, one of the most revered Roman Catholic shrines in the Americas, late Thursday night.

Christie bragged about the pace during an event. "I have to tell you that I've felt really good during the last three days and probably better than most of my younger staff," he said, glancing over at some of their tired faces. "Yeah, definitely better than most of my younger staff."

Christie explained that he's not a fan of downtime when he leaves the state. "I like to do as much of it as I possibly can in as short a period as I can and then get back home, not just to do my job but to see my family," he said.

—He knows how to dial it down.

Christie seemed to "leave his Jersey in Jersey," as one reporter put it. The famously brash governor struck a more humble tone than usual during his trip, delivering data-heavy speeches and repeatedly stressing that he was there to listen and learn from those he met.

Asked about the shift, Christie acknowledged the more subtle tone: "In private, I have a little more of than I do in public. But you know, you're getting to know people, so you don't want to go too overboard, right?"

— He's still figuring out how to position himself.

If those back home wanted to learn more about Christie's foreign policy views, they didn't learn much from this trip. Christie delivered a policy speech and several other remarks but kept his focus on North America, underscoring the benefits of prioritizing relationships with the country's neighbors. He also talked about building a "North American energy renaissance" by investing in infrastructure like the Keystone XL pipeline and doing away with regulation.

— The Hillary factor.

The prospect of Hillary Rodham Clinton as the Democrats' presidential nominee has already put significant pressure on the potential GOP field to study up on foreign policy so they're prepared to face the former secretary of state in debates. But Christie got an early taste of Clinton's power this week when news broke that she, too, would be making a trip to Mexico, overlapping with his. The former senator and first lady on Friday swooped into town on behalf of the Clinton Foundation to meet with billionaire Carlos Slim, telling reporters her background gives her a "unique vantage point" for the White House should she run in 2016.

Christie was several hours away in the city of Puebla watching school children perform in his honor when Clinton spoke, and he played coy when asked about her comment.

"Good for her," he said with a smile.

Islamists in Lebanon camp burn cross in protest of TV show

SIDON, Lebanon: A number of Palestinian Islamists burned a wooden cross overnight Friday in the refugee camp of Ain al-Hilweh in protest of a television show they claim insulted Islam.

A group of men burned the cross and stepped on it in the Palestinian refugee camp, located on the outskirts of the coastal city of Sidon.

The protesters said they were angered by Friday night’s episode of a comedy show called “Bas Mat Watan” (When the Country is Dead), saying one of the sketches insulted Islam and the prophet.

It was not clear which part of the weekly program the Islamists were protesting, but one sketch showed a man, with a long black beard, stepping into a shop to buy a bra to cover his cow’s udders.

Surprised by the Islamist-looking man’s request, the shop owner handed the customer a plastic bag and placed it on his head, arguing that the bag would prevent him from seeing the cow altogether.

“Perfect my brother, this saved me from the devil, debauchery and immorality,” the man replied.

In another sketch, what appeared to be ISIS head Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi came to the women his fighters had captured. The men recounted that they brought him Yazidi and Alwaite Iraqi women as well as a Lebanese woman found in Syria.

Baghdadi, addressed as the caliph in the sketch, rejoiced that they had found him a Lebanese woman but then ran away after he found out that it was a character of homely character from the show, who is always in search of a husband.

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Salam: Lebanon has leverage in hostage crisis

BEIRUT: Lebanon has some leverage in the negotiations to release its captured soldiers including the fate of Islamist detainees whom militants seek to exchange Lebanese troops for, Prime Minister Tammam Salam said.

“Some [ministers] suggested we reserve [the right] to play the Islamist card: carrying out death sentences against convicts if [militants] go far in their terror or kill a soldier,” Salam told As-Safir in an interview published Saturday.

“The important thing is that we hold such cards that we could play but we should refrain from meeting their demands and conditions ... we negotiate but we do not swap.”

There are at least 90 Islamists detainees held since 2007 over their involvement in clashes between the Lebanese Army and militants in north Lebanon. Some of them have not yet been put on trial while a few have been sentenced to death.

In an indirect response to the demands of the militants who are holding at least 23 soldiers and policemen, the government has decided to speed up the trials of the detainees and release those who have been in prison longer than any sentence they face.

“At the start of [the crisis], we remained open to the option of negotiating to free the soldiers. But not to the point of running after the terrorists,” Salam said.

He said his government had asked Qatar and Turkey to help in the negotiations, reiterating that he would remain tight-lipped on developments so as not to hinder the efforts.

Salam criticized recent protests by the families of captured soldiers who are pressuring the government to negotiate with ISIS and the Nusra Front, saying the relatives should refrain from attacking the Cabinet.

“This is an open battle with terrorism and militants can do anything they want, but the important thing is that we should not be weakened,” he said.

“We should isolate them and not respond to their conditions or demands or be dragged into a Sunni-Shiite strife because this is the main purpose of the abduction.”

Salam also spoke about the recent Iranian-Saudi rapprochement, saying improving ties between the regional powers would have a positive impact on Lebanon.

But the prime minister sounded pessimistic over an end to the political paralysis in the country in light of the presidential vacuum and the growing possibility of postponing the parliamentary election once again.

“I fear that we will reach Nov. 20 [the end of Parliament's mandate] and plunge into a full-on paralysis if the presidential election is not held before the parliamentary one.”

“Until now, there is no foreign decision to intervene in the presidential issue but at the same time, there is a decision to prevent Lebanon from collapsing,” he said.

“So now, the situation resembles that of a patient who is being injected with needed medication but is not allowed to fully recover.”

He said countries in the region have an interest in keeping Lebanon intact because a collapse could extend to neighboring states.

The PM said he was fed up with the political environment in the country, which was obstructing the state’s legislative and executive work.

“I have had it up to here with political bickering. If we remain as such, Lebanon will turn into a political jungle.”

He said several draft laws and proposals were put on hold in light of political differences including issuing eurobonds and renewing contracts for waste management company Sukleen as well as shutting down dumps in Tripoli and Naameh.

“This is the difficult Lebanese time. Lebanon has been through difficulties in its history, but today we are facing the worst phase since the Civil War.”

French president in trouble, in public and private

PARIS -- Things can't get much worse for French President Francois Hollande: The economy is lagging; his new government is already under fire; and his private life has just been exposed in a ravaging book by the former first lady.

Adding to his concerns is the possibility that his chief rival — conservative Nicolas Sarkozy — will launch a political comeback this weekend.

The developments have helped push Hollande's popularity to new record lows. Three polls released in recent days show that he has lower approval ratings than every other French president in modern times.

This week, ex-partner Valerie Trierweiler described Hollande as a mean liar in a book released seven months after they broke up, amid reports that he was having an affair with French actress Julie Gayet.

Not only did Trierweiler spread intimate details of Hollande's infidelities, but she also depicted the Socialist leader as someone who despises the poor — a grave political sin for a left-wing leader who won election in 2012 on promises of social justice.

According to Trierweiler, Hollande once disdainfully referred to the poor as those with "no teeth" — a reference to people who can't afford dental care.

The expression shocked many and immediately became the top hashtag on Twitter in France, seized upon by Hollande's critics. Some right-wing activists dubbing themselves the "no teeth" movement held a small protest near the Elysee Palace on Friday evening.

A visibly indignant Hollande defended himself at a news conference, insisting that serving the poor is his "reason for being."

This new political storm comes just days after Hollande appointed a new Cabinet to silence ministers who had openly criticized his economic policy, and to send a pro-business signal to the European Union.

But with unemployment over 10 percent and no economic growth, the new government had no grace period.

A remark by new Economy Minister Emmanuel Macron that he would be open to rethinking France's 35-hour workweek caused big uproar in the French left.

A few days later, Labor Minister Francois Rebsamen said he wanted the country's unemployment services to better monitor jobseekers — causing uproar among unions.

And then Thursday, a junior minister of the new Cabinet, Thomas Thevenoud, was forced to quit because of problems with tax authorities, according to the prime minister's office.

Even once-popular Prime Minister Manuel Valls has seen his approval rating plummet to around 30 percent in recent weeks. He faces a confidence vote Sept. 16 at which dozens of Socialist parliament members who disapprove of Hollande's spending cuts could try to spread rebellion among leftist ranks.

Far right leader Marine Le Pen asked for dissolution of Parliament to organize new elections.

Another threat may come from the mainstream conservatives, meeting this weekend in Nice after a couple of years of division and tumult. Many are hoping that Sarkozy announces his candidacy for the party's top job, a first step toward a potential bid to regain the presidency in 2017 after losing it to Hollande in 2012.

Hollande insisted Friday he wouldn't let the avalanche of bad news get him down.

"I've been elected for 5 years by the French people. There is no poll... that may interrupt (my) term."

Emmanuel Riviere of the TNS-Sofres polling agency linked Hollande's unpopularity to larger malaise.

"France has difficulties projecting into the future, and has doubts about collective mechanisms that made France's greatness in the past years. And this lost confidence applies to the political class in general," he said. "Not one party has more than 30 percent of confidence. This is historic. It has never been seen before."

Oleg Cetinic contributed to this report.

Beef cattle focus of program in Alexandria

ALEXANDRIA, La. -- A beef cattle and forage field day is planned Oct. 16 by state agriculture officials at the Dean Lee Research and Extension Center in Alexandria.

Registration starts at 2:30 p.m. at the state Emergency Evacuation Shelter south of the LSU-Alexandria campus along U.S. Highway 71.

The field tour will include presentations on nutrient runoff from winter pastures, different planting methods for winter forages, heifer selection, standing forage for winter feed supplementation, smutgrass control, pasture weed identification and the benefits of injectable minerals.

The indoor program will include an update on feral hog control research, calf pre-conditioning and weaning and an update on activities of the Louisiana Cattlemen's Association.

More information on the field day program is available by calling Glen Gentry at 318-473-6520.