Thai protesters call for government to resign

BANGKOK - Around 2,500 Thai protesters on Saturday evening demanded the resignation of the government and the dissolution of parliament, defying a coronavirus ban on gatherings in one of the largest street demonstrations since a 2014 military coup. People at the student-led rally near Bangkok’s Democracy Monument cited a litany of complaints against the year-old civilian government of Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha, the former army chief who ousted an elected government six years ago. Organisers issued three demands: the dissolution of parliament, an end to harassment of government critics, and amendments to the military-written constitution that critics say virtually guaranteed victory for Prayuth’s party in elections last year. “How can we be OK with the lack of democracy like this?” student activist Tattep Ruangprapaikit told the crowds. There were also some veiled public references at the protest to the powerful Thai monarchy, despite a law forbidding criticism of the king. Such references would once have been unthinkable.

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BBC NEWS - Coronavirus: WHO reports record single-day global increase in cases

The number of new cases has surpassed 250,000 in a day, the World Health Organization says.


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from BBC News - World https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-53454558

New on Sports Illustrated: Jon Rahm Builds Four-Shot Lead at Memorial in Quest to be No. 1

A back nine that capped off what he considers one of the best rounds of his careers gave Rahm a 4-under 68, turned a four-shot deficit into a four-shot lead and put the 25-year-old Spaniard on the verge of reaching No. 1 in the world.

DUBLIN, Ohio — Jon Rahm showed Saturday in the Memorial why he is one of the most explosive players in golf.

With his clubs.

A back nine that capped off what he considers one of the best rounds of his careers gave Rahm a 4-under 68, turned a four-shot deficit into a four-shot lead and put the 25-year-old Spaniard on the verge of reaching No. 1 in the world.

“Today could be one of the best rounds of golf I’ve played in my life,” Rahm said, a tribute to a Muirfield Village getting so close to the edge it drew comparisons with a major. “And it’s hard to believe how passively it came, compared to how I played usually.”

His passion is so great it can hurt as much as it helps. On this day, facing this test, Rahm kept his cool. He watched Tony Finau reach the par-5 11 in two for a sure birdie that would leave the Spaniard four shots behind.

There was no panic. Rahm said he told his caddie on the 13th tee, “If we can finish the last six holes under par, it’s a great finish. And whatever we have to do to make a comeback, we’ll make a comeback.”

Birdie. Birdie. Birdie. Birdie.

With help from Finau and his two double bogeys, and Ryan Palmer with bogeys on two of his last three holes, that turned into a four-shot lead for Rahm.

A victory allows him to join Seve Ballesteros as the only Spaniards to reach No. 1, provided that Rory McIlroy does not finish as a runner-up. McIlroy shot 72—not a bad effort on a day wher the average score was 73.7—and was 10 shots back.

“I’ve got to get out there tomorrow, play solid again and get the job done and think about the No. 1 afterwards,” he said.

Rahm was at 12-under 204 as he goes for his fourth PGA Tour victory and 10th worldwide. Finau and Palmer, each with a 73, were three behind. Former Masters champion Danny Willett (70), next in line at six shots back.

Finau was was bogey-free on the front nine, poured in a 50-foot birdie putt and then easily reached the green on the par-5 11th for a two-putt birdie to reach 12 under.

One swing changed everything.

Finau’s tee shot on the par-3 12th in a swirling wind sailed 15 yards over the green, leaving a downhill chip from thick rough to a green that was yellow and ran toward the water. He left it short, chipped through the green and made double bogey. Finau took another double bogey on the 17th hole with an awkward lie in the rough.

“It was good, and then it wasn’t good,” Finau said. “Man, this golf course can get you in a heartbeat. You just try and put your best foot forward every hole, every shot and try and play as well as you can. The greens are firm. There’s enough wind up there to think about. They’re fast. A little disappointed in my finish, but look, I’m in a good position going into tomorrow.

“And it’s going to be tough tomorrow.”

Muirfield Village is rebuilding all the greens starting Monday, and tournament officials are not afraid to let the course go to the very edge for the strongest field of the year.

It was not easy to get shots close. It was not easy to hole putts. It was not easy to do anything.

It was the highest average score for the third round at the Memorial since 2012, the last year Tiger Woods won. There likely will not be a repeat of that. Woods said he felt better and he played better, posting a 71. He still was 14 shots behind.

That is what made Rahm’s round so special. The ball kept rolling on the greens, and the Spaniard realized it was happening to everybody. He dropped only one shot, on the par-3 eighth.

And his finish was simply sublime.

Rahm played in the group in front of Finau and saw him reach the 11th green in two, a sure birdie. His only concern was hitting the green at No. 12, trying to pick up a birdie or two and if had to rally on Sunday, so be it.

He hammered his tee shot 360 yards over the bunker that set up a wedge to 12 feet for birdie on the 13th. He wisely laid up on the 14th, with the tees moved forward to play at 322 yards, and hit wedge to 5 feet for birdie.

Right of the green on the par-5 15th in two, with the green running fast and away from him, he hit a flop-and-run to 3 feet for a third straight birdie. And then he capped it off with a 25-foot birdie putt on the 16th.

Just like that, he had the lead. He was in control.

Rahm has had a mathematical chance to reach No. 1 ever since golf resumed six weeks ago. He missed the cut at Colonial and finished out of the top 25 in the other three events he played.

Now it’s right there in front of him—along with a Muirfield Village course that will not be getting any easier.

“Whatever happens tomorrow happens, but it’ll be a great test for me to learn for the future, for major championships,” Rahm said. “Because this is going to be the closest thing we get to a major championship without being one.”

July 19, 2020 at 06:34AM
Jon Rahm Builds Four-Shot Lead at Memorial in Quest to be No. 1

New on Sports Illustrated: Orlando City-Union Preview

The Philadelphia Union and Orlando City are both headed to the knockout round of the MLS is Back Tournament. However, they still have something to play for in the group stage.

With a first-place finish in Group A on the line, the Union and City meet to close out the stage on Monday night near Orlando, Fla.

Philadelphia (2-1-1) was expected to make it out of the group stage. Orlando City (2-1-1), meanwhile, might be one of the bigger surprises of a tournament that's essentially behind held in its hometown - at the nearby Disney Wide World of Sports Complex.

Both sides earned six points by winning their first two games in the tournament, so the group title and a high seed in the knockout stage is there for the taking with this contest. Orlando has scored two more goals and owns a plus-1 advantage in goal differential over Philadelphia.

"It's going to be a good match," first-year City coach Oscar Pareja told Orlando's official website. "(Philadelphia is) a team that is going to create some challenges, and at the same time is going to have some weaknesses as well that hopefully we can take advantage of."

City used a stoppage-time Nani goal to rally by Inter Miami for a 2-1 victory in its tournament opener. Thanks to Chris Mueller's brace and late Tesho Akindele goal, Orlando followed with a 3-1 win over New York City FC. Mueller is off to a sizzling start on this crazy season with four goals through four matches.

"We are the ones who are growing in confidence with them, seeing them work every day, their willingness to do the right things," Pareja added. "That provides us as coaches a lot of confidence to continue."

What City needs to do is halt an 0-1-2 stretch against Philadelphia.

The Union opened their tournament with a 1-0 win over NYFC, then followed with a 2-1 victory over Miami on Wednesday. In the latter, Kacper Przybylko's 63rd-minute goal broke a deadlocked match, and ultimately held up for Philadelphia.

"A lot of things to improve," coach Jim Curtin told the Union's official website. "Obviously, it is good to get two wins in a row for the league and now to advance in this competition.

"Overall, we needed to be better. I need to be better as a coach. The team needs to be better as (the Miami match) was not a good representation of what we worked on all week."

July 18, 2020 at 11:04PM
Orlando City-Union Preview

Refugee protest to block Kangaroo Point traffic on Sunday

A large protest marking seven years of Australia's current offshore detention policy for refugees is expected to cause large traffic delays at Kangaroo Point.

from Sydney Morning Herald - National
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Mother from detained Tamil family medically evacuated from Christmas Island, supporters say

The family lived in Biloela, near Gladstone, before they were detained during a police raid in March 2018 and taken to Melbourne.

from Sydney Morning Herald - National
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Refugee protest to block Kangaroo Point traffic on Sunday

A large protest marking seven years of Australia's current offshore detention policy for refugees is expected to cause large traffic delays at Kangaroo Point.

from Sydney Morning Herald - Latest News
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Mother from detained Tamil family medically evacuated from Christmas Island, supporters say

The family lived in Biloela, near Gladstone, before they were detained during a police raid in March 2018 and taken to Melbourne.

from Sydney Morning Herald - Latest News
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State government commits new funds for RSPCA as new hospital bid grows

The Queensland government has promised extra funds for the RSPCA in the 2019-20 state budget as the high-profile animal charity declares a five-fold increase in wildlife seeking care.

from Sydney Morning Herald - Latest News
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BBC NEWS : Coronavirus: New Avon sellers double during UK lockdown

There has been a surge in people signing up to sell Avon beauty products over the past few months.


July 19, 2020 at 05:49AM

from BBC News - Business
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-53442934

FOX NEWS:- Former intern for John Lewis weighs in on the legacy of the civil rights icon

Former intern for John Lewis weighs in on the legacy of the civil rights icon



Herron Gaston, a former intern for John Lewis, weighs in on the legacy of the civil rights icon.

via FOX NEWS http://video.foxnews.com/v/6172920079001

FOX NEWS:- Ted Cruz Cruz blasts Democrats for 'facilitating and cheering' violent protests in Portland

Ted Cruz Cruz blasts Democrats for 'facilitating and cheering' violent protests in Portland



Sen. Ted Cruz unleashed on Democrats Saturday for "facilitating and cheering" on violent protests in Portland, which he likened to a warzone.

via FOX NEWS https://foxnews.com/politics/ted-cruz-blasts-democrats-facilitating-cheering-portland-protests

FOX NEWS:- Chris Wallace on the death of John Lewis, exclusive interview with President Trump

Chris Wallace on the death of John Lewis, exclusive interview with President Trump



'Fox News Sunday' anchor, Chris Wallace, joins Jon Scott to discuss the passing of civil rights icon John Lewis and the exclusive interview with President Trump, airing this week on 'Fox News Sunday.'

via FOX NEWS http://video.foxnews.com/v/6172916339001

FOX NEWS:- Rep. Gwen Moore on the passing of civil rights leader John Lewis

Rep. Gwen Moore on the passing of civil rights leader John Lewis



Wisconsin Congresswoman, Gwen Moore, joins 'America's News HQ' to discuss the life and legacy of John Lewis.

via FOX NEWS http://video.foxnews.com/v/6172911675001

FOX NEWS:- Preview: Kayleigh McEnany responds to criticism from Jim Acosta and Jonathan Karl

Preview: Kayleigh McEnany responds to criticism from Jim Acosta and Jonathan Karl



Press Secretary, Kayleigh McEnany, responds to criticism from CNN's Jim Acosta and ABC News' Jonathan Karl on 'Watters World.'

via FOX NEWS http://video.foxnews.com/v/6172907460001

New on Sports Illustrated: Arsenal Reach FA Cup Final After 2-0 Win Over Manchester City

Arsenal reaches their fourth FA Cup final in seven years, wrecking Manchester City's hopes of retaining the trophy.

LONDON — Seven months after leaving Pep Guardiola's side, Mikel Arteta outwitted his mentor to ensure his first season as Arsenal manager will end with an FA Cup final.

In only his 25th match as a manager, Arteta masterminded a 2-0 victory—secured by Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang's double—that ended Manchester City's title defense on Saturday.

It was a cup won as part of a treble last season when Arteta was assistant to Guardiola at City and fans were still allowed to pack into the national stadium.

Just a few hundred key personnel were allowed into Wembley for Saturday's semifinal as the 90,000-capacity was largely empty for the first time for a top-level game due to ongoing pandemic restrictions.

"It's very sad we cannot enjoy this moment with our fans and enjoy watching the team and achieving the final," said Arteta, who replaced Unai Emery as Arsenal manager in December. "We have great chemistry. They really believe in what we are trying to do and you can sense that."

Manchester United plays Chelsea in the other semifinal on Sunday.

Just a month ago, when the Premier League resumed from its 100-day shutdown, Arsenal was beaten 3-0 by City in the Premier League. This semifinal was as one-sided as that night with City enjoying more than two-thirds of the ball.

But Arsenal soaked up the pressure and hit City on the counterattack to end a run of seven successive losses when it had been outscored 20-2 by City.

"We did it because we were humble and we understood the way we have to play and we took the opportunities to score," Arsenal defender David Luiz said. "It's a good process, we have an amazing coach and he wants to bring us the best football but it's not zero to 100."

Unlike at the Etihad last month, Luiz was a formidable barrier in central defense, rather than giving away a goal and being sent off.

"I am delighted people can now see this side of him," Arteta said, "and praise him."

City managed only one shot on target—the fewest in a game since April 2018—when Raheem Sterling struck at goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez before Arsenal's opener.

The goal was the culmination of an 18-pass move involving 10 players—straight from the Guardiola playbook. Aubameyang, who had just squandered a chance to score, slid in ahead of Kyle Walker at the far post to poke in Nicolas Pepe's cross in the 19th minute.

Sterling had chances to level at the start of the second half, striking wide and over in the opening minutes.

But Aubameyang secured Arsenal's passage into the final in the 71st. Played in by Kieran Tierney, the striker cut in from the left flank and poked the ball between Ederson's legs for his 25th goal of the season.

The FA Cup is the second trophy surrendered by City this season after losing the Premier League title to Liverpool.

But City has already successfully defended the League Cup and can still win a double. Guardiola's side remains in the pandemic-delayed Champions League, resuming next month with a 2-1 lead in the round of 16 against Real Madrid.

"We wanted to play the (FA Cup) final one week before the Madrid game to be in rhythm," Guardiola said, "but we missed this chance."

Second in the Premier League, City already knows it will be in the Champions League next season after overturning a two-season European ban.

But winning a record-extending 14th FA Cup could be Arsenal's only route into the Europa League with the north London team 10th in the standings with two games remaining.

July 19, 2020 at 05:05AM
Arsenal Reach FA Cup Final After 2-0 Win Over Manchester City

Africa: 'Tackling the Inequality Pandemic - a New Social Contract for a New Era'

[allAfrica] Nelson Mandela spent his whole life fighting against inequality and injustice. "As long as poverty, injustice and gross inequality persist in our world," he said, "none of us can truly rest." I was honoured to deliver this year's Nelson Mandela lecture on the occasion of Madiba's birthday, 18 July, and I chose rising and unsustainable inequality as my theme.

from AllAfrica News: Africa
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The Age photos of the week, July 19, 2020

The week in photos from our award winning photographers and regular contributing photographers at The Age.

from Sydney Morning Herald - National
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Teen killed after Commodore carrying six people crashes on Northern Beaches

Six teenagers were in the Holden station wagon when it crashed into a fence just before midnight, killing one of the passengers.

from Sydney Morning Herald - National
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The Age photos of the week, July 19, 2020

The week in photos from our award winning photographers and regular contributing photographers at The Age.

from Sydney Morning Herald - Latest News
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Arteta outwits Guardiola: Arsenal beat City, reach final

Seven months after leaving Pep Guardiola's side, Mikel Arteta outwitted his mentor to ensure his first season as Arsenal manager will end with an FA Cup final.

from Sydney Morning Herald - Latest News
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Australian team rocked by death of second Winter Olympian

The Australian Winter Olympic community is in mourning again after the death of young figure skater Ekaterina Alexandrovskaya.

from Sydney Morning Herald - Latest News
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Teen killed after Commodore carrying six people crashes on Northern Beaches

Six teenagers were in the Holden station wagon when it crashed into a fence just before midnight, killing one of the passengers.

from Sydney Morning Herald - Latest News
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'Their story is our story': Why the Giants let Amazon Prime into their inner sanctum

Stephen Coniglio didn't need to be coaxed into agreeing to become the face of what will be a time capsule of how his club navigated the AFL's COVID-19 campaign.

from Sydney Morning Herald - Latest News
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Notorious Perth bikie Troy Mercanti arrested again for breaching supervision order

The former Coffin Cheater was arrested in Karrinyup on Friday and will face Perth Magistrates Court on Saturday morning, after spending the night in police custody.

from Sydney Morning Herald - Latest News
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Bulldogs taught Dons a lesson: Worsfold

John Worsfold said his side's engine room was outclassed by the Bulldogs, and pointed to this as a reason for Luke Beveridge's 6-0 record against them. 

from Sydney Morning Herald - Latest News
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BBC NEWS - Coronavirus: Donald Trump vows not to order Americans to wear masks

His remarks come as infectious disease expert Dr Anthony Fauci urged people to wear face coverings.


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from BBC News - World https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-53453468

BBC NEWS - Coronavirus tests: Swabs don't damage the brain and other claims fact-checked

False rumours that coronavirus tests can be harmful have circulated in several different languages.


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from BBC News - World https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/53443429

BBC NEWS - How a Colombian market is using AI to combat Covid-19 outbreaks

Markets have been virus hotspots in Colombia, so one of them is trying a new way to curb the spread.


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from BBC News - World https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-latin-america-53388656

BBC NEWS - Could Canada's worst mass shooting have been avoided?

Questions still remain three months after Gabriel Wortman went on a rampage across Nova Scotia.


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from BBC News - World https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-53411315

BBC NEWS - My Money: 'My house looks happy'

Anna Josse Eklund from Sweden takes us through her week during the coronavirus pandemic.


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from BBC News - World https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-53389066

BBC NEWS : US cars 'must be left out of post-Brexit trade deal'

UK safety campaigners raise concerns about an increase in the number of US deaths caused by SUVs.


July 18, 2020 at 04:32AM

from BBC News - Business
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-53449399

FOX NEWS:- DHS pushes back against claim federal agents detaining Portland protesters aren't identifying themselves

DHS pushes back against claim federal agents detaining Portland protesters aren't identifying themselves



The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) pushed back Friday against a claim being amplified by liberal politicians and activists that federal agents who deployed to Portland to disperse protesters this week aren’t identifying themselves. 

via FOX NEWS https://foxnews.com/politics/dhs-pushes-back-against-claim-federal-agents-detaining-portland-protesters-arent-identifying-themselves

FOX NEWS:- Florida Dems blast DeSantis, demand coronavirus mask mandate as state cases surge

Florida Dems blast DeSantis, demand coronavirus mask mandate as state cases surge



Florida state congressional Democrats called on the governor Friday, for a statewide mandate on facial masks to help fight the record breaking spikes of COVID-19.

via FOX NEWS https://foxnews.com/politics/florida-dems-blast-desantis-demand-coronavirus-mask-mandate-as-state-cases-surge

FOX NEWS:- Louisiana AG: I'm not against masks, but a government mask mandate is unconstitutional

Louisiana AG: I'm not against masks, but a government mask mandate is unconstitutional



Louisiana Attorney General Jeff Landry weighs in on the debate over face masks amid the coronavirus pandemic.

via FOX NEWS http://video.foxnews.com/v/6172718465001

FOX NEWS:- Democratic Chicago mayor calls WH press secretary a ‘Karen’

Democratic Chicago mayor calls WH press secretary a ‘Karen’



The Washington Times opinion editor Charles Hurt says name calling, like Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot calling White House Press Secretary Kayleigh McEnany a ‘Karen,’ distracts from the issues of unrest and gun violence in American cities.

via FOX NEWS http://video.foxnews.com/v/6172715709001

FOX NEWS:- House Dems move forward with measures responding to Trump’s commutation of Roger Stone

House Dems move forward with measures responding to Trump’s commutation of Roger Stone



House Democrats on Friday announced plans to move forward with measures in response to President Trump’s commutation of Roger Stone of last week, with one top Democrat saying, “In this country, no one is above the law.”

via FOX NEWS https://foxnews.com/politics/house-dems-move-forward-with-measures-responding-to-trumps-commutation-of-roger-stone

New on Sports Illustrated: Report: Dan and Tanya Snyder Send Email to Team Employees, Promise Positive Change

In an email reportedly sent to team employees, the Snyders pledged to make improvements to Washington's workplace culture: "Clearly, there is work to be done."

One day after The Washington Post reported a culture of sexual harassment and verbal abuse within the Washington NFL franchise, team owners Dan and Tanya Snyder have sent an email addressing the accusations to team employees, according to ESPN's Adam Schefter.

The email began with an apology, followed by the Snyders explaining that some of the issues raised in The Post's report were already addressed by the organization, while others were only brought to management's attention more recently.

"The actions in the story have no place in our franchise or in society. As you may be aware, when the past issues outlined in the article were initially brought to our attention, they were addressed at the time. However, some of these issues were brought forth only in the last few days and we have subsequently made changes and addressed them as well."

Following that explanation, the Snyders acknowledged the need for decisive change: "Clearly, there is work to be done to build a better organizational culture. We need to get better and the time is now."

In The Post's report, 15 female employees accused former colleagues of sexual harassment and verbal abuse. Though Dan Snyder was not directly accused of behaving inappropriately toward female employees, he was held responsible for allowing a workplace culture that tolerated routine acts of unwanted sexual advances and other forms of harassment.

Though no specific steps toward improving the situation were mentioned in the email, the Snyders expressed a desire to hear more from their employees about how to make the situation better.

"To create the culture we all want, we need your help," the Snyders said. "We want you to be a part of this process. As we go forward, you will hear more from our leadership team in the near future about this action plan."

July 18, 2020 at 05:11AM
Report: Dan and Tanya Snyder Send Email to Team Employees, Promise Positive Change

New on Sports Illustrated: NCAA's Proposed NIL Legislation Is A Restrictive First Step for Student-Athletes

SI has obtained a summary of the NCAA’s proposed name, image and likeness legislation that will be presented to Congress next week in a Senate panel hearing.

The NCAA’s own proposed legislation governing name, image and likeness (NIL) is as many expected: filled with restrictions. According to a summary of the NCAA’s draft, athletes cannot sign endorsement deals until they complete their first semester of college, can be barred from entering into certain NIL ventures and must make public NIL contracts.

College athletic leaders, feverishly working this summer on NIL legislation, plan to present the semi-finished product to Congress next week in a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing on Capitol Hill, the latest step in advancing NIL down the path to a universal Congressional bill. Sports Illustrated obtained a summary of the NCAA’s proposed legislation, which it calls the Student-Athlete Equity Act of 2020. The act was submitted to Congressional members by the Power 5 conferences.

While only an outline of the act, the summarized document provides another window into the NCAA’s thinking on a uniform set of athlete compensation guidelines. It is not without a bevy of restrictions, the most notable of which are the aforementioned trio of policies. 

In the first, NIL deals are delayed until an athlete’s second semester in college. The NCAA is also permitting schools to prevent athletes from entering into endorsement agreements that “violate university standards or that conflict with institutional sponsorship agreements,” legislation reads. In the third policy, contracts that athletes enter with both agents and businesses must be disclosed to the public to help “prevent athletes from acting without sufficient information” while also ensuring that deals are not recruiting inducements.

NIL restrictions are at the heart of the debate over a universal bill governing athlete compensation. How aggressively do you regulate athletes’ NIL endeavors? The argument is a hurdle that both college leaders and lawmakers must cross. They are seeking a middle ground. Imagine athlete compensation as a football field: one end zone representing a full-fledged open market without restrictions, and the other a closed system of uncompensated labor. Amid the gulf between them, the NCAA is only moving so far from the latter system, according to the summary of legislation. These restrictions will likely trigger harsh pushback from athlete advocate organizations and some lawmakers who believe a Congressional NIL bill should be more player-friendly.

Contacted about the legislation, members of the Power 5 conferences sent a statement to Sports Illustrated. 

“The ACC, Big Ten, Big 12, Pac-12 and SEC have been working together to encourage Congress to create a uniform national standard to allow student-athletes to seek payment for name, image, and likeness (NIL) licensing. The conferences are collaborating with members of Congress on developing legislative language to create NIL reform that is uniform, fair, and protects student-athletes.”

According to the summary of legislation, the NCAA believes in establishing a “Certification Office” within the Federal Trade Commission to license and regulate agents and advisors. The Student-Athlete Equity Act of 2020 also requests from Congress a safe harbor and the preemption of varying state NIL laws, which were the impetus for all of this. “NCAA, conferences and institutions will not be subjected to inappropriate liability and preempts a patchwork of inconsistent state laws,” the act says.

The legislation will be at the center of the third Senate hearing this year on athlete compensation. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.), Senate Judiciary Committee chairman, will preside over Wednesday’s hearing on “Protecting the Integrity of College Athletics.” The hearing will be split into two parts, says Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), who will act as ranking member during the event. “The first part will be on NIL,” he says in an interview with SI. “The second will be on sports betting.”

As reported by SI earlier this month, Blumenthal is working with four others to craft NIL legislation, including Sen. Jerry Moran (R-Kansas), Sen. Cory Booker (D-New Jersey), Rep. Anthony Gonzalez (R-Ohio) and Rep. Emanuel Cleaver (D-Missouri). An NIL Congressional bill is expected to start on the Senate side, in the Senate Commerce committee, which has held the two previous hearings on the topic. Lawmakers are likely to incorporate parts of the NCAA’s proposed legislation into a Congressional bill, which would preempt state law. However, many lawmakers are against granting the NCAA anti-trust protection. 

Contacted Friday, Sen. Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.), who sits on both the Judiciary and Commerce committees, says the NCAA’s proposed legislation is “a step in the right direction” and she plans to further voice her thoughts at the hearing. “We’re going to see what we think about it,” she says. “I think (the Power 5 conferences) are probably as frustrated with the NCAA as everybody else. We do need to have something that will exercise preemption so you don’t have every state with a different set of rules.”

July 18, 2020 at 04:47AM
NCAA's Proposed NIL Legislation Is A Restrictive First Step for Student-Athletes

Barefoot luxury in new beachfront Rottnest Island villas

Samphire Rottnest's beachfront resort-style villas on Thomson Bay will open in October but owners still don't know what price guests can expect to pay, despite bookings opening next week. 

from Sydney Morning Herald - National
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'Knife-edge': Remand centre prisoner tests positive sparking outbreak fears

A prisoner in protective quarantine at the Metropolitan Remand Centre returned a positive test on Friday.

from Sydney Morning Herald - National
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Racist name-calling is much worse than just 'sticks and stones'

Name-calling can break us, especially name calling based on race or ethnicity. Even those of us who did not allow it to break us, even those of us who invoked it as a spur to greater achievement, know it can cause enduring pain.

from Sydney Morning Herald - National
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Youngsters living at home: The inside story of the Twitter hack

Exclusive interviews indicate the attack was not the work of a nation-state or a sophisticated group of hackers.

from Sydney Morning Herald - Latest News
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Barefoot luxury in new beachfront Rottnest Island villas

Samphire Rottnest's beachfront resort-style villas on Thomson Bay will open in October but owners still don't know what price guests can expect to pay, despite bookings opening next week. 

from Sydney Morning Herald - Latest News
Read More

'Knife-edge': Remand centre prisoner tests positive sparking outbreak fears

A prisoner in protective quarantine at the Metropolitan Remand Centre returned a positive test on Friday.

from Sydney Morning Herald - Latest News
Read More

Racist name-calling is much worse than just 'sticks and stones'

Name-calling can break us, especially name calling based on race or ethnicity. Even those of us who did not allow it to break us, even those of us who invoked it as a spur to greater achievement, know it can cause enduring pain.

from Sydney Morning Herald - Latest News
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FOX NEWS:- Republicans to limit attendance at National Convention amid pandemic

Republicans to limit attendance at National Convention amid pandemic



Republicans will limit admittance to the National Convention in Florida as the plan is to restrict attendance during the first three nights to the roughly 2,500 regular delegates; Peter Doocy reports.

via FOX NEWS http://video.foxnews.com/v/6172266506001

FOX NEWS:- President Trump shakes up his campaign team amid sliding poll numbers

President Trump shakes up his campaign team amid sliding poll numbers



Bill Stepien replaces Brad Parscale as campaign manager with polls showing the president trailing Joe Biden; reaction and analysis on 'The Five.'

via FOX NEWS http://video.foxnews.com/v/6172257127001

FOX NEWS:- GOP senators complain to IRS about 'glitches' still preventing people from getting coronavirus payments

GOP senators complain to IRS about 'glitches' still preventing people from getting coronavirus payments



Georgia’s two senators sent a letter Thursday to Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin and Internal Revenue Service Commissioner Charles Retting to complain about “glitches” at the tax-collecting agency that have prevented people from receiving their coronavirus-related stimulus checks.

via FOX NEWS https://foxnews.com/politics/gop-senators-complain-to-irs-about-glitches-still-preventing-people-from-getting-coronavirus-payments

FOX NEWS:- McEnany: Science is on our side for reopening schools

McEnany: Science is on our side for reopening schools



White House Press Secretary Kayleigh McEnany on fully reopening U.S. schools.

via FOX NEWS http://video.foxnews.com/v/6172255586001

FOX NEWS:- Pompeo declares American way of life 'is under attack,' hits NYT’s 'Marxist' 1619 project in fiery speech

Pompeo declares American way of life 'is under attack,' hits NYT’s 'Marxist' 1619 project in fiery speech



Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on Thursday declared that the American way of life is “under attack” in a speech unveiling a new report on “unalienable rights’ and hit the New York Times for promoting “Marxist” ideology 

via FOX NEWS https://foxnews.com/politics/pompeo-declares-american-way-of-life-is-under-attack-hits-nyts-marxist-1619-project

New on Sports Illustrated: Trump's Fumbling of the Coronavirus Crisis Could Kill the College Football Season

The president is marinating in a midsummer mess of his own creation, and his epic failure of leadership will result in a ruined college football season.

One of Donald Trump’s favorite things to do as President has been visiting college football games in friendly locations, bathing his eternally needy ego in applause and affirmation. Last season alone, he attended the LSU-Alabama game in November, the Army-Navy game in December, and the College Football Playoff championship between LSU and Clemson in January. The First Football Fan was nearly as ubiquitous within the sport as Kirk Herbstreit.

That’s going to be a difficult vanity play to repeat in 2020.

There will be no college football crowds of the usual size. There might not be college football, period. Pessimism percolates as the time for solutions dwindles. We are speeding in the wrong direction as a nation in terms of combating the coronavirus pandemic, and one of the cultural casualties of American casualness is an endeavor millions of us want and every college athletic department needs.

If the season dies, we know who had the biggest hand in killing any chance of it happening: Donald Trump.

When he inevitably gets around to Twitter-ranting about what has happened to the sport, Trump should instead do what he never does—accept some accountability for the state of affairs. By blowing the summer he’s jeopardized the fall, doing more to endanger the college football season than anyone in America.

Slow to respond, quick to downplay the risk, unwilling to create a national strategy, quite willing to attack governors who took the pandemic seriously, pushing for premature openings of states, flaunting a no-mask stance for months and turning that into a belligerent political statement, Trump and his ideologues are now marinating in a midsummer mess of their own creation. What an epic failure of leadership, one that will deprive Trump of his cherished autumn fealty festivals at a packed football stadium.

As athletic departments do their best to cloister athletes and drive down positive test counts, the spread of disease in regions around many campuses is like wildfire. And on Thursday, the decision makers in college sports laid out the current crisis in stark terms.

A graphic in the NCAA’s latest set of return-to-sport guidelines was a reality slap. The graphic showed where the United States was in terms of confirmed cases in late April, when the NCAA began crafting procedures for how college athletics can resume in the fall. It showed the projected downward trend line for where the U.S. was heading, if it sustained initiatives it had begun and reopened with commensurate pragmatism and care. And it showed how our numbers went the other way while Europe, Canada and Japan flattened the curve.

From the NCAA report: “As the graph below indicates, when the NCAA began discussions about return of sport after the cancellation of 2020 winter and spring championships, there was an expectation that such a return would take place within a context that assumed syndromic surveillance, national testing strategies and enhanced contact tracing. Although testing and contact tracing infrastructure have expanded considerably, the variations in approach to reopening America for business and recreation have correlated with a considerable spike in cases in recent weeks. This requires that schools contemplate a holistic strategy that includes testing to return to sports with a high contact risk.”

The rest of the NCAA document, and a corresponding set of policies from the Power 5 conferences that was obtained earlier Thursday by my Sports Illustrated colleague Ross Dellenger, portray the daunting task facing college sports—and primarily football—this fall. Crafted with the input of dozens of health experts, the two documents lay out parameters that make it difficult to envision a fall season being played without massive interruption. If it’s played at all.

Consider this, from the NCAA guidelines: “When an athlete tests positive for COVID-19, local public health officials must be notified, and contact tracing protocols must be put in place. All individuals with a high risk of exposure should be placed in quarantine for 14 days as per CDC guidance. This includes members of opposing teams after competition. The difficulty is defining individuals with a high risk of exposure, and in some cases, this could mean an entire team (or teams).”

So, this is a potential scenario as the schedule currently stands: Ohio State plays at Michigan State Oct. 17. Afterward, a Buckeye who saw significant action in the game tests positive. The entire team could then be subject to missing the matchup the following week at Penn State, and the Spartans could decimated for their game the following week against Indiana. And who knows about the week after that.

Virus spread had been sufficiently contained in some other countries to allow sports to be played, thus far without disastrous fallout. The U.S. has lost all containment, yet still is hoping to play games. Professional leagues are one thing—well-paid adults represented by unions are making their own choices. College athletics, which many in America consider a raw deal for the star athletes in revenue-producing sports, are something else entirely.

Even if everything were going smoothly, the college football optics would not be great. Things are not going smoothly in Donald Trump’s America.

From July 8-15, the average daily confirmed virus cases in the U.S. was 63,018, according to The New York Times. That’s the highest seven-day average to date, which has added rising stress to hospitals and medical personnel in hard-hit states such as Florida, Texas and California.

But this isn’t just about caseload, which many Trump acolytes like to dismiss as immaterial. The positivity rate is climbing, and so is the death rate. The average death toll from July 8-15 was 726, highest it had been in a month after bottoming out at 471 earlier in July. Bad trend. Very bad trend.

What could shut down a season? The NCAA delves into that as well, noting the increase in COVID-19 spread and saying that “it is possible that sports, especially high contact risk sports, may not be practiced safely in some areas. In conjunction with public health officials, schools should consider pausing or discontinuing athletics activities when local circumstances warrant such consideration.” Among the factors that could end a season: “Campuswide or local community test rates that are considered unsafe by local public health officials.”

For everyone screaming that positive tests among young athletes don’t matter, health officials beg to differ. Healthy young people do not live in a vacuum, even on a college campus. They come in contact with many others who can be more susceptible to major health issues, up to and including death.

The caution being preached by every major conference, and the NCAA, is not politics. It’s on advice of people who deal with this disease for a living.

Still, a perverse line of thought has percolated in some dim corners that people with a stake in the game are rooting for the virus and against college football. The NCAA is not rooting against football. The power conferences, having fed at the revenue trough for decades and now begging fans to wear masks, are not rooting against football. The sports media industry, which is staring at its own economic disaster, is not rooting against football.

All those entities very much want college football. They’re also listening to experts tell them why college football is a really risky endeavor right now.

Perhaps football in the fall was always an impossible dream, but it seemed much more real in late May and early June, with America sacrificing and caseloads dropping. Then the shallow reservoir of Trumpian forbearance ran out, and people went back to doing whatever they wanted to do, gorging on “freedom.”

And now we’ll see whether some semblance of college football can still be played. If not, send the receipts for a lost season to 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue.

July 17, 2020 at 05:25AM
Trump's Fumbling of the Coronavirus Crisis Could Kill the College Football Season

New on Sports Illustrated: Washington Post: 15 Female Employees of Washington's NFL Team Recount Culture of Sexual Harassment

In a wide-ranging Washington Post report, 15 female employees described a hostile culture of sexual harassment and verbal abuse.

Fifteen women who were employed by Washington's NFL franchise describe sexual harassment and verbal abuse by current and former team employees, according to a wide-ranging report from Will Hobson and Liz Clarke of The Washington Post. 

The report describes a workplace culture that permitted—and frequently condoned—unwanted sexual advances and other harassment.

Of the 15 former employees who spoke to the Post, all but one—Emily Applegate—spoke on the condition of anonymity. Applegate began working for the franchise in 2014, and says she routinely experienced and observed verbal abuse and harassment within months of joining the team, including being asked to wear tight and revealing clothing and to flirt with clients to close sales deals.

In the past week, three team employees abruptly parted ways with the organization after the Post presented its findings to the organization.

Two of those employees are radio broadcaster Larry Michael and director of pro personnel Alex Santos. Michael, seven former employees said, regularly commented on his female colleagues' physical appearance with sexual overtones. Six former employees say Michael was overheard on a "hot mic" in 2018 remarking on the attractiveness of a college-aged intern.

Michael announced his retirement Wednesday, offering no reason for his decision but expressing gratitude to team owner Dan Snyder.

In the Post's report, six former employees and two reporters who covered the team said Santos made inappropriate comments and romantic overtures. He was the subject of an internal investigation after Rhiannon Walker, a reporter for The Athletic, told Washington management that Santos had pinched her in public, asked whether she would date him and made inappropriate remarks about her appearance. 

Santos and assistant director of pro personnel Richard Mann II were fired earlier this week. Santos had held his position since 2014, and first joined Washington as a pro personnel assistant in 2006. The team declined to comment on the firings, according to The Post's Les Carpenter.

According to The Washington Post, Snyder has not been accused of acting inappropriately with female employees. But the owner is characterized as fostering a "sophomoric culture" in which verbal abuse and humiliation was widely tolerated. He also drew criticism for Washington's lack of a robust human resource staff: The team has one full-time HR employee responsible for more than 220 full-time employees.

The Post's investigation comes just days after the franchise announced it would change its name.

July 17, 2020 at 05:10AM
Washington Post: 15 Female Employees of Washington's NFL Team Recount Culture of Sexual Harassment

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Police Commissioner Katarina Carroll said the three boys alleged to have committed the crime are 'being dealt with'.

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Twitter struggles to unpack a hack within its walls

Even some basic questions about how an array of Twitter’s most popular accounts were taken over remain unanswered.

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Alleged rape of five-year-old boy 'an absolute tragedy'

Police commissioner Katarina Carroll said the three boys alleged to have committed the crime are 'being dealt with'.

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Rio Tinto lifts iron ore shipments but misses market estimates

Rio Tinto shipped less Australian iron ore than expected over the June quarter, but says volumes were higher compared to the same time last year.

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Sibley, Stokes dig deep to give England solid start in second Test

Dom Sibley and Ben Stokes ground out patient half-centuries on day one of the second test against the West Indies at Old Trafford.

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ASX tipped to rise despite Wall Street retreat

Australian shares are expected to open higher on Friday despite a drop on Wall Street last night, where the US tech sector was a particular laggard.

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BBC NEWS : Jobless figures 'not showing full extent of crisis'

Unemployment increased by just 34,000 in April to reach 1.3 million, according to official data.


July 16, 2020 at 05:09AM

from BBC News - Business
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-53416207

BBC NEWS : Coronavirus: Seven tips for job hunters

As coronavirus puts huge strain on the jobs market, four experts offer advice for finding work.


July 16, 2020 at 05:04AM

from BBC News - Business
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-53403250

BBC NEWS : My Money: 'I'm a sucker for a promo sticker'

Charmel Flemming from South Africa takes us through her week during the coronavirus pandemic.


July 16, 2020 at 05:09AM

from BBC News - Business
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/
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Gaping loopholes: Apple's $21 billion tax win highlights a big problem

There's clearly something wrong when a government rejects the opportunity to levy $21 billion in corporate taxes and an international court says it is right to do so.

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FOX NEWS:- Pompeo says Trump only wants North Korea summit this year if 'real progress' can be made

Pompeo says Trump only wants North Korea summit this year if 'real progress' can be made



Secretary of State Mike Pompeo indicated that President Trump has little interest in holding a summit with North Korea’s Supreme Leader Kim Jong Un.

via FOX NEWS https://foxnews.com/politics/pompeo-trump-north-korea-summit-progress-can-be-made

FOX NEWS:- DeVos: We need to stop focusing on adults and focus on what kids need

DeVos: We need to stop focusing on adults and focus on what kids need



Education Secretary Betsy DeVos addresses concerns over reopening schools on 'The Story.'

via FOX NEWS http://video.foxnews.com/v/6171931100001

FOX NEWS:- The National Association of Police Organizations endorses President Trump

The National Association of Police Organizations endorses President Trump



How will civil unrest impact 2020 presidential election? Reaction and analysis from the 'Special Report' All-Stars.

via FOX NEWS http://video.foxnews.com/v/6171925620001

FOX NEWS:- President Trump attacks Joe Biden over police funding

President Trump attacks Joe Biden over police funding



Trump campaign seeks to redefine Joe Biden as sympathetic to progressives who want to defund police; Peter Doocy reports.

via FOX NEWS http://video.foxnews.com/v/6171926771001

FOX NEWS:- Biden calls Arizona ‘an important city’ during interview on 2020 election

Biden calls Arizona ‘an important city’ during interview on 2020 election



Joe Biden called Arizona “an important city” during an interview on the 2020 election. 

via FOX NEWS https://foxnews.com/politics/biden-arizona-important-city-interview-2020

FOX NEWS:- Pompeo: China will 'pay a price' for coronavirus pandemic

Pompeo: China will 'pay a price' for coronavirus pandemic



U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said he thinks the world will make China “pay a price” for the coronavirus pandemic.

via FOX NEWS https://foxnews.com/politics/pompeo-china-will-pay-a-price-for-coronavirus-pandemic

FOX NEWS:- Biden's Twitter account hacked in wide-ranging 'security incident' that targeted Obama, Gates, others

Biden's Twitter account hacked in wide-ranging 'security incident' that targeted Obama, Gates, others



Apparent con artists on Wednesday hacked into the Twitter accounts of technology moguls, politicians and major companies in a possible bitcoin scam that triggered an unprecedented and ongoing site-wide shutdown.

via FOX NEWS https://foxnews.com/politics/slew-of-high-profile-twitter-accounts-hacked-in-wide-ranging-security-incident

FOX NEWS:- President Trump pushes law and order, infrastructure projects

President Trump pushes law and order, infrastructure projects



Trump receives briefing about the administration's efforts to dismantle the MS-13 gang; Kristin Fisher reports from the White House.

via FOX NEWS http://video.foxnews.com/v/6171916965001

Sporting spat sees cricket club evicted after digging up oval

Two east Brisbane community sports clubs are at odds over the decision to dig up contaminated land at C.P. Bottomley Park.

from Sydney Morning Herald - National
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UN Warns of Environmental Time Bomb Off Yemen's Coast

NEW YORK - The United Nations warned Wednesday that an old, neglected oil tanker moored off Yemen's Red Sea coast is at risk of causing an environmental "catastrophe" if its experts cannot immediat

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Trump Weakens Major Conservation Law

WHITE HOUSE - U.S. President Donald Trump has unveiled a top-to-bottom overhaul of the review process for infrastructure projects that critics contend causes major cracks in bedrock conservations l

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Gaping loopholes: Apple's $21 billion tax win highlights a big problem

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Headaches top symptom for coronavirus, but only one third have any sign of illness

The study by the Imperial College London also found that loss of taste or smell was a significant warning sign of the illness.

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Sporting spat sees cricket club evicted after digging up oval

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These are Netflix's 10 most popular original movies

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Cole's books made science both easy to understand and fun for the hundreds of millions of children around the world.

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Tokyo to lift coronavirus alert to highest level: Asahi

TOKYO  - Tokyo will lift its alert level for coronavirus infections to the highest of four levels on Wednesday, the Asahi newspaper reported, after a recent spike in cases to record levels in the Japanese capital. Daily coronavirus cases exceeded 200 in four of the last six days, touching an all-time high of 243 cases last Friday as testing among workers in the metropolis’s red-light districts turned up infections among young people in their 20s and 30s. The highest alert level suggests that “coronavirus infections are likely spreading”, the Asahi said. ALSO READ: Japan traces new coronavirus outbreak linked to Tokyo theatre For the latest updates on the coronavirus, visit here.

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Philippines to use police in house-to-house searches for Covid-19 cases

MANILA - Philippine authorities and police will carry out house-to-house searches for Covid-19 patients to prevent wider transmission, a minister said on Tuesday (July 14), amid soaring death and infection numbers and some areas returning to a stricter lockdown. Interior Minister Eduardo Ano urged the public to report cases in their neighbourhoods, warning that anyone infected who refused to cooperate faced imprisonment. The tough approach comes during a week when the Philippines recorded South-east Asia biggest daily jump in coronavirus deaths and saw hospital occupancy grow sharply, after a tripling of infections since a tough lockdown was eased on June 1 to allow more movement and commerce. "We don't want positive patients to stay home in (self) quarantine especially if their homes don't have the capacity," Mr Ano told a news conference. "So what we will do... is to go house to house and we will bring the positive cases to our Covid-19 isolation facilities." The strategy is a departure from previous advice for positive cases with mild symptoms to self-isolate.

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Africa: Greatest Global Challenge is Cooperation - Not Covid-19

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AFL wants to move 'hundreds' of players to Queensland to keep season alive

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AFL wants to move 'hundreds' of players to Queensland to keep season alive

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BBC NEWS : Trump says he has ended preferential treatment for Hong Kong

The president says he has also signed a bill to impose sanctions on Chinese officials over Hong Kong.


July 15, 2020 at 04:47AM

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BHP faces first step in record $9 billion claim over Brazil dam failure

More than 200,000 Brazilian people and groups will next week kick off their lawsuit against the mining giant in Britain over the 2015 Samarco dam failure that led to Brazil's worst environmental disaster.

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Philippines Welcomes Forceful US Statement on South China Sea

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'I value diversity and my team is reflective of that': Eddie Jones

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Bushfire royal commission LIVE updates: Shane Fitzsimmons set to speak on horror Australian summer

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Trump ends preferential treatment of Hong Kong over 'oppressive' China laws

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BBC NEWS : Female gamers are on the rise in the 'world capital of gaming'

Female gamers in Asia are growing at a faster rate than their male rivals in online video games.


July 14, 2020 at 05:19AM

from BBC News - Business
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Westpac picks KPMG partner Michael Rowland as new finance chief

Westpac has hired management consultant Michael Rowland as its next chief financial officer, highlighting his experience in restructuring companies and boosting productivity.

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FOX NEWS:- AOC doubles down amid GOP criticism over take on NYC crime

AOC doubles down amid GOP criticism over take on NYC crime



The congresswoman said Republicans haven't "experienced or seen" poverty.

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FOX NEWS:- Jeff Sessions on Alabama Senate runoff race with Tommy Tuberville: My opponent is hiding

Jeff Sessions on Alabama Senate runoff race with Tommy Tuberville: My opponent is hiding



Former Attorney General Jeff Sessions joins Martha MacCallum with insight on 'The Story.'

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FOX NEWS:- Trump campaign 'moving forward' with GOP convention in Jacksonville amid surge in COVID cases in Florida

Trump campaign 'moving forward' with GOP convention in Jacksonville amid surge in COVID cases in Florida



Hogan Gidley, Trump 2020 national press secretary, joins Martha MacCallum with insight on 'The Story.'

via FOX NEWS http://video.foxnews.com/v/6171363957001

FOX NEWS:- House Dems release Berman interview transcript, as GOP says Barr ‘acted appropriately’ in ousting prosecutor

House Dems release Berman interview transcript, as GOP says Barr ‘acted appropriately’ in ousting prosecutor



The House Judiciary Committee released Monday the transcript of its interview last week with former U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York Geoffrey Berman.

via FOX NEWS https://foxnews.com/politics/house-dems-berman-interview-gop-barr-prosecutor

FOX NEWS:- President Trump looms over Alabama Senate race

President Trump looms over Alabama Senate race



Jeff Sessions faces Tommy Tuberville in Alabama runoff; senior political correspondent Mike Emanuel reports.

via FOX NEWS http://video.foxnews.com/v/6171355009001

FOX NEWS:- Joe Biden, President Trump trade shots over policy, pastime

Joe Biden, President Trump trade shots over policy, pastime



Presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden attacks Trump for playing golf, accuses the president of ignoring coronavirus experts; Peter Doocy reports.

via FOX NEWS http://video.foxnews.com/v/6171357053001

FOX NEWS:- Brit Hume on Washington Redskins name change, President Trump commuting Roger Stone's sentence

Brit Hume on Washington Redskins name change, President Trump commuting Roger Stone's sentence



Fox News senior political analyst Brit Hume joins Bret Baier with insight on 'Special Report.'

via FOX NEWS http://video.foxnews.com/v/6171350748001

FOX NEWS:- President Trump faces criticism over Roger Stone commutation

President Trump faces criticism over Roger Stone commutation



The judge in the Stone case asks the government to clarify the 'scope' of the commutation; Kevin Corke reports.

via FOX NEWS http://video.foxnews.com/v/6171351638001

FOX NEWS:- Trump continues push to reopen America's schools, praises administration's response to COVID-19 pandemic

Trump continues push to reopen America's schools, praises administration's response to COVID-19 pandemic



California's two largest school districts announce they will not be open for in-person classes in August; Kristin Fisher reports from the White House.

via FOX NEWS http://video.foxnews.com/v/6171349765001

New on Sports Illustrated: Zion Williamson's Lawsuit Takes Another Bizarre Turn Involving an Agent With a Controversial Past

Agent Slavko Duric's name came up in Zion Williamson's ongoing lawsuit for loaning the former Duke player's family money, but Duric has a history of being involved in basketball scandals.

Slavko Duric answered the phone, and away we went. Down memory lane, and down dark alleys to where basketball business gets done.

“We should write a book,” Duric said at one point in a long, winding conversation.

If we did write a book, the title would be this: They Never Go Away.

“They” meaning the hustlers and opportunists who populate the basketball player procurement market. The business of hovering around promising young talent and finding ways to cash in has been robust for decades, and there are always new grifters crawling out of the woodwork—but also a remarkably hardy cast of usual suspects.

The money is there. The deterring rules are widely scoffed at—and when they are enforced, it’s often only a temporary setback. A scam artist embroiled in a basketball scandal or controversy rarely seems to leave the game; he just goes underground for a while and re-emerges later.

Which brings us to Duric. Last week, the Canadian’s name (re)surfaced as part of the increasingly bizarre Zion Williamson vs. Gina Ford lawsuit. Ford’s lawyers produced an affidavit from a man who claimed he loaned money to Duric as part of a plan to represent Williamson, who allegedly received $400,000 and signed an agreement with Duric in October 2018—before Zion became a mega-star at Duke. Williamson’s legal team wasted no time firing back, saying that the agreement included in the court filing was a forgery and alleging that Duric had tried a similar scheme two years ago with current NBA star Luka Doncic.

So, my man Slavko very quickly made a sketchy name for himself in the American sporting consciousness. But not for the first time.

“I was involved in some stuff 20 years ago,” Duric acknowledged.

If you’ve been around the black market long enough, you may remember Duric from a different controversy. He had his first (brief) star turn, as a broker of sorts for a group of Nigerian basketball players who wanted to come to the United States.

Among them were Muhammad Lasege, Benjamin Eze, Olumide Oyedeji and Uche Okafor, and their route out of Nigeria and to the United States in the late 1990s was torturous. It involved an involuntary stay in Russia, where the players felt tricked into signing pro contracts that ultimately would imperil (or end) their NCAA eligibility.

Lasege found a way out when he received an invitation to visit the University of Buffalo through a Canadian sister institution, the College of Halifax. He obtained a Canadian visa and flew to Toronto in late 1998—but instead of traveling to Buffalo, he was met by Duric, who had worked with other athletes trying to find their way to the United States.

Lasege never made it to Buffalo. Instead, Duric stepped in as the players’ de facto recruiting middlemen. Duric told me he did his best to help the players land in good situations and never took money to steer them anywhere—but he did accept NCAA Final Four tickets from coaches. In bulk.

“Several coaches furnishing me with a lot Final Four tickets,” Duric said. “Like, a lot. There were more than a dozen coaches who handed me less than a bunch and more than a few [tickets]. And you can imagine what I did with them.”

Duric wouldn’t name the coaches or their schools. He also didn’t say whether the Nigerians wound up at any of the schools that provided him the kickbacks.

Lasege and Eze signed with Louisville; Okafor signed with Miami; and Oyedeji committed to Rutgers but reportedly encountered visa problems that kept him from ever getting to the U.S. Eze and Okafor wound up at the College of Southern Idaho, a junior college—Eze turned pro after his stay there and Okafor matriculated to Missouri but never gained NCAA eligibility. Lasege played 21 games for Louisville in the 2000–01 season, then had his eligibility terminated.

None played a day in the NBA. Lasege, a gifted and diligent student, graduated from Louisville and then earned an MBA from the Wharton Business School at the University of Pennsylvania. His LinkedIn bio says he is an assistant treasurer at Ecolab in Minneapolis.

Here’s the point: 20 years after that Nigerian drama, Slavko Duric is still out there looking for the next hustle. But the head of Maximum Management insists he was the one being hustled in the Zion situation.

Duric said that in 2018 he was contacted by someone he wouldn’t name, acting as an intermediary between Williamson’s family and their friend, James “Chubby” Wells, who was going to be Zion’s agent until he flunked the NBA certification test. Duric said he was asked if he wanted a piece of the Zion action once he turned pro, in exchange for a $100,000 payment to the family.

“I tried to do something I would characterize as outside the lines,” Duric said. “I allegedly was involved early. I was at the front of the line through a person who said he knew the family. Somebody who said he was [Williamson's stepdad] Lee Anderson spoke with me. Someone who said they were Chubby Wells spoke with me a dozen times.”

Duric said he received a signed agreement from the Williamsons, and a copy of Zion’s driver’s license. He said he sent the money to a family representative without ever having met them face-to-face—a dubious claim for someone with his street savvy.

“I got intoxicated by the opportunity,” Duric explained.

Then, he alleges, everything dried up. Duric said every phone number he had for those around Williamson was disconnected.

“I’ve been the victim of a con job by somebody acting like they were in the inner circle [with Williamson],” Duric said. “I have never spoken to Zion Williamson, and anybody who purported themselves as being a member of Zion’s inner circle was an impostor.

“Honestly, I am in a fog. I do know that I’m out 100 grand.”

Williamson’s attorney asserts that the con job is all Duric’s, saying he is the one who forged the agreement and included a bogus driver’s license photo. (The license lists Williamson’s incorrect hometown, and has his height where his weight is supposed to be, and vice-versa.) He also aimed directly at the Luka Doncic family allegations against Duric.

Take Slavko Duric’s greatest hits and you have an idea of what happens on the periphery of basketball, where players are commoditized early and families can be manipulated from all angles. And the hustlers just hang around, waiting for the next opportunity—because until the feds got into the act in late 2017, what were the deterrents?

T.J. Gassnola, bag man extraordinaire at Kansas and North Carolina State, had his AAU team decertified by the NCAA in 2012 for helping agent Andy Miller pay players. Did that run Gassnola (or Miller, for that matter) out of the picture? Not at all.

AAU coach Pat Barrett, outed in the seminal 1990 book Raw Recruits for trying to cash in on a relationship with a recruit, was labeled “the biggest whore I ever met” by none other than Jerry Tarkanian. Two decades later, he was implicated by Yahoo Sports for receiving $250,000 from a sports agency in exchange for access to Kevin Love while he was at UCLA. And as recently as last year, concerns were raised about Barrett potentially meddling with young college players.

Houston businessman Martin Fox was a basketball gadfly who knew everyone in the sport and got into event promotion, helping put on high-profile college basketball games. He also was affiliated with Houston Hoops, a high-powered AAU team. Then Fox was cited in court by Gassnola as the guy who supplied him with $40,000 to pay the family of North Carolina State recruit Dennis Smith Jr. And then after that, Fox was arrested as a key part of the “Operation Varsity Blues” sting, charged with being the man who helped facilitate fraudulent standardized tests.

Sometimes, the periphery characters become the establishment. William “Worldwide Wes” Wesley, a Hall of Fame hustler who needs no introduction, is a freshly minted executive with the New York Knicks. That speaks volumes about staying power, and the utility of knowing how the system works—and who works it.

Even the Southern District of New York’s attempt at blowing open college basketball is unlikely to send every scammer running for permanent cover. Criminal charges can have a chilling effect—but not for everyone.

The guy at the centerpiece of that sting operation, Christian Dawkins, is a convicted felon who is appealing his conviction and prison sentence. If you think he’s done with hoops, think again.

Multiple sources told Sports Illustrated this summer that Dawkins is plotting a comeback—he would provide the contacts and street savvy to a basketball and music agency he’s building behind the scenes. A close associate of Dawkins acknowledged the plan and said he is working hard to talk the young impresario into staying in the music lane.

“He needs to leave basketball behind,” the associate said.

But here’s the thing: the hustlers never leave it behind, and they never go away.

July 14, 2020 at 04:54AM
Zion Williamson's Lawsuit Takes Another Bizarre Turn Involving an Agent With a Controversial Past