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Olyroo midfielder Denis Genreau set to sign for Macarthur FC

Macarthur are set to announce their second signing, adding Denis Genreau to their roster.

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Where to get tested for coronavirus in Queensland

Coronavirus assessment centres have been established across Queensland.

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North Korea leader Kim Jong-un says there will be no more war thanks to nuclear weapons

SEOUL - North Korean leader Kim Jong-un has said there will be no more war as the country's nuclear weapons guarantee its safety and future despite unabated outside pressure and military threats, state media said on Tuesday (July 28). Mr Kim made the remarks as he celebrated the 67th anniversary of the end of the 1950-53 Korean War, which fell on July 27, with a reception for veterans, the official KCNA news agency said. The country developed nuclear weapons to win "absolute strength" to stave off another armed conflict, Mr Kim said in a speech carried by KCNA, emphasising the defensive nature of the programmes. "Now we are capable of defending ourselves in the face of any form of high intensity pressure and military threats from imperialist and hostile forces," he said. "Thanks to our reliable and effective self-defensive nuclear deterrent, there will no longer be war, and our country's safety and future will be firmly guaranteed forever." The speech came amid stalled talks aimed at dismantling Pyongyang's nuclear and missile programmes in exchange for sanctions relief from Washington.

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BBC NEWS - New Zealand suspends Hong Kong extradition treaty

The country follows Australia and the UK in its response to China's new national security law.

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from BBC News - World https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-53562437

Aged care providers' stocks struggle as investors' COVID fears come true

Australia's sharemarket-listed aged care operators see their market values plummet as they rush to contain COVID-19 outbreaks.

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New on Sports Illustrated: With John Chayka Out, Steve Sullivan Gets His Chance to Make a Mark in Arizona

The former left winger has been stickhandling his way at the executive level for a number of years now and has been rewarded with the interim GM post. Can he make the job permanent?

John Chayka’s divorce from the Arizona Coyotes was so public, it even shocked fellow employees of the franchise. Why exactly the erstwhile GM quit his post on the eve of the Return to Play tournament is a question that will be parsed out in the coming weeks with a stream of conflicting messages, depending on which camp the sources are in.

What we do know is that Chayka blames ownership for making his position untenable (as he related to beat writer Craig Morgan) and the Coyotes themselves are pulling no punches, releasing a statement that included the following cutting critique:

“The Club is disappointed in his actions and his timing as the Coyotes prepare to enter the NHL’s hub city of Edmonton, where the team will begin post-season play for the first time since 2012. Chayka has chosen to quit on a strong and competitive team, a dedicated staff, and the Arizona Coyotes fans, the greatest fans in the NHL.”

Was Chayka entertaining a job with another franchise, causing a rift with new owner Alex Meruelo? That’s been put out there by a couple trustworthy reporters, including Elliotte Friedman, who also noted that Meruelo would like commissioner Gary Bettman to mediate what, at its heart, is now a contractual issue between Chayka and his former employer.

What we do know is that Steve Sullivan has been named interim GM of the Coyotes after serving as assistant GM for three seasons. And that allows us to look into the present and future for Arizona fans.

Sullivan, who was an undersized left winger in an era that did not welcome such talents, has quickly seen his star rise in his post-playing days. He began his tenure in Arizona as a development coach in 2014-15 and garnered more responsibility when he took over the assistant GM role three years later. That post also came with the dual role of GM to the AHL Tucson Roadrunners. So what do his new peers think of him?

“Sully is a passionate and smart hockey man who now has a runway to really understand how to do this job,” one NHL GM told me. “He has a great chance and advantage to keep this job by allowing the people around him to help him achieve his goals.”

Another insider described Sullivan as the type of exec who really takes in the information before making a decision; he’s not a knee-jerk kind of guy. What Sullivan essentially has now is a head start on any other candidates to earn the Coyotes GM job on a permanent basis.

And there are candidates, to be sure. There are strong rumbling out there that the NHL would like to see Peter Chiarelli at the helm, for example – and hey, I’m just the messenger here. Chiarelli’s exit from Edmonton was unceremonious to say the least, but he does have a wealth of experience to draw from. There’s also former Los Angeles Kings assistant GM Mike Futa to consider, a man with a great reputation who has been in the running for other GM jobs and reportedly even turned one down when that team tried to lowball him on salary. If you’re looking for a local angle, former Coyotes goaltender Sean Burke would be another option. Currently an exec with Hockey Canada (and goalie consultant for the Montreal Canadiens), Burke was an assistant GM in Arizona a few years ago – the same time Chayka was coming up, ironically.

But for now, Sullivan has an excellent opportunity to show that the job should be his on a permanent basis. The most pressing matter will be the status of pending unrestricted free agent Taylor Hall, who came to the Coyotes in a blockbuster trade with New Jersey that will cost Arizona its first-round draft choice in either 2020 or 2021, depending on whether or not the Coyotes are slated to pick in the top three this year (which is possible if Arizona loses to Nashville in the qualifying round and ‘wins’ the Phase 2 lottery for first overall). If Hall re-signs with Arizona and the Coyotes win a playoff round, a 2021 third-rounder becomes a first-rounder (if one of those conditions hits, it’s a second-rounder).

Most likely, Hall will at least test free agency waters before he decides what to do. And the Coyotes have to consider if signing the 28-year-old to a big-money, long-term contract (which no doubt some team will offer the recent Hart Trophy winner) is best for their franchise goals.

The two sides have already talked (another point of contention in the Chayka saga), but now Sullivan will get the chance to weigh in and figure out the pros and cons.

For now, Sullivan is the GM and it’s his job to prove he can be the guy full-time. From the sounds of it, he’s ready – but he must know that a lot of other hockey minds will be coveting the position, too.

July 28, 2020 at 06:28AM
With John Chayka Out, Steve Sullivan Gets His Chance to Make a Mark in Arizona

'Less than one per cent': WA's Chief Health Officer under pressure to explain border closure during Palmer trial

WA’s Chief Health Officer has come under pressure to explain why the state refuses to open its border to the five other Australian jurisdictions that have eliminated community spread of coronavirus.

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Aged care providers' stocks struggle as investors' COVID fears come true

Australia's sharemarket-listed aged care operators see their market values plummet as they rush to contain COVID-19 outbreaks.

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Tablet interactive: Coronavirus outbreak

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'Less than one per cent': WA's Chief Health Officer under pressure to explain border closure during Palmer trial

BBC NEWS - Kylie Moore-Gilbert: Lecturer jailed in Iran 'moved to remote prison'

British-Australian woman Kylie Moore-Gilbert is reportedly moved to a notorious prison in the desert.

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from BBC News - World https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-53562435

BBC NEWS - Coronavirus: How it turned the tables on Ghana's diaspora

Coronavirus has given Ghanaians a new perspective on the pull of living abroad.

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from BBC News - World https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-53501799

BBC NEWS - Indian Matchmaking: The 'cringe-worthy' Netflix show that is a huge hit

Indian Matchmaking, a new Netflix show, has become a huge hit, spawning hundreds of memes and jokes.

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from BBC News - World https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-india-53499195

Tablet interactive: Coronavirus outbreak

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Temple & Webster's profits soar nearly 500% in online shopping splurge

The homewares and furniture retailer has seen its earnings shoot up as consumers stuck at home during the coronavirus crisis went on an online shopping spree to improve their living rooms.

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New on Sports Illustrated: NHL Qualifying Round Playoff Preview: Predators vs. Coyotes

Can the Coyotes recover from their GM's shocking departure and pull an upset over a Predators team with a foggy forecast in net?

NASHVILLE PREDATORS – By Jared Clinton

Jusse Saros waited long enough for Pekka Rinne to hand over the keys to the Predators’ crease, so the heir apparent simply shoved his veteran counterpart out of the way. Saros asserting himself as the starter-of-today rather than the starter-of-tomorrow couldn’t have come a moment sooner, either. Nashville closed December tied for last in the Central Division, but Saros’ impressive record and exceptional play since the beginning of the new year – he was among the league’s leaders in save percentage from Jan. 1 onward – aided in the Predators’ pursuit of a sixth consecutive post-season appearance.

Saros, of course, has the benefit of playing behind one of the deepest defense corps in the NHL. Even after parting ways with P.K. Subban, the Predators iced a top-four of Roman Josi, Ryan Ellis, Mattias Ekholm and Dante Fabbro, who transitioned seamlessly into his role as a rookie. The on-paper talent the blueline possesses is at odds with what the numbers suggest about the Predators’ defense, however. That’s particularly true in the time since coach John Hynes’ arrival. Following Peter Laviolette’s firing in early January, the Predators were among the NHL’s most porous teams and surrendered shots at an uncharacteristically high rate.

The own-zone issues were masked in part by an attack that has been consistent, if nothing else. The Predators had 10 players with at least 10 goals and 12 players with at least 30 points. But high-end, game-breaking individual performers are few and far between in Music City. Filip Forsberg’s sixth straight 20-goal season makes him Nashville’s top lamp-lighter, but major summer signing Matt Duchene hasn’t been the offensive difference-maker the Predators hoped for. His per-game scoring rate was the third-lowest of his 11-year NHL career. Nashville will need more from its top players to make a deep run.

X-factor: Barring 2017, when Pekka Rinne posted an outstanding .930 save percentage and helped Nashville to its first Stanley Cup final appearance, crease catastrophes have been an annual occurrence in the post-season for the Predators. Saros cemented himself as the starter, but the Predators wrapped up their camp still undecided on who will be their No. 1 for the playoffs. Rinne’s playoff resume does little to inspire confidence. In five of his eight trips to the post-season, Rinne has posted a .909 SP or lower and has posted a .911 SP or better just twice. Given the Predators’ lack of firepower, goaltending will make all the difference.

ARIZONA COYOTES – By Brian Costello

The Coyotes rarely make it to the playoffs – just three times in the previous 16 seasons – but when they do, you’d think their defensive brand of hockey would serve them well. Because things really tighten up in the post-season, right? Problem is, you must be good at scoring goals, too, and Arizona doesn’t do that particularly well. Since 2012-13, the Coyotes have ranked among the bottom 10 teams in goals per game. Their average of 2.71 this season was impressive by their standards, a multi-year high, but still just 23rd overall.

When the Coyotes do stay competitive, such as the first three months of the season when they ranked sixth in the conference, it’s because they get things done by committee. Virtually every new forward arriving in Arizona over the years – Derek Stepan, Nick Schmaltz, Michael Grabner, Phil Kessel, Taylor Hall – sees a drop-off in personal production but an uptick in two-way play.

With a veteran defense led by unheralded star Oliver Ekman-Larsson and excellent goaltending in Darcy Kuemper and Antti Raanta, the Coyotes always stay involved. Arizona tied with Columbus for the third-best goals-against average in the league. But when Kuemper and Raanta were injured – third-stringer Adin Hill started nine games in January and February – the Coyotes dropped in the standings.

So how does Arizona get over the hump and make some noise as a team in the 17-24 range that wouldn’t have made the playoffs any other year? The Coyotes enjoy the guidance offered by players’ coach Rick Tocchet. So it’s likely a case of getting hot at the right time, with their playoff-style attention to defense plus some timely scoring from some offensive dynamos who have greatly underperformed this season. Special teams play can often swing a series. Arizona’s power play has never been top notch, but its PK is among the best. Maybe that’s the key there.

X-factor: Former Coyotes assistant GM Brad Treliving put it best when he said, “They should change the name of hockey to goaltending.” That’s because so much in a game depends upon the performance of the stopper. A good goalie can turn a series on its head. The last time the Coyotes won a playoff round, they were known as Phoenix and Mike Smith was spectacular in a 2011-12 run to the conference final. For Arizona to have any sort of success this post-season, Darcy Kuemper or Antti Raanta must be otherworldly good. The promising news is both men have that potential. Good health is always an issue.

Season series

Oct. 17, 2019: Coyotes 5, Predators 2
Dec. 23, 2019: Predators 3, Coyotes 2

Schedule

Sunday, Aug. 2, 2:00 p.m.: Coyotes at Predators
Tuesday, Aug. 4, 2:30 p.m.: Coyotes at Predators
Wednesday, Aug. 5, 2:30 p.m.: Predators at Coyotes
Friday, Aug. 7, TBD: Predators at Coyotes *
Sunday, Aug. 9, TBD: Coyotes at Predators *

(All games listed in eastern time)

THE HOCKEY NEWS’ SERIES PICK: Predators in four games

Get everything you need to know about this year’s post-season in THN’s Playoff Preview magazine! Read the issue on our Apple App (https://apple.co/32vUMnA), Android App (https://bit.ly/2DV2ltN) or on Zinio (https://bit.ly/3jbPbsu).

July 28, 2020 at 05:30AM
NHL Qualifying Round Playoff Preview: Predators vs. Coyotes

New on Sports Illustrated: Rob Manfred: MLB Safety Protocols 'Adequate' Despite COVID-19 Outbreak

Manfred: "I remain optimistic that the protocols are strong enough that it will allow us to play even through an outbreak like this."

Major League Baseball is currently facing its first coronavirus crisis of the season after 11 Marlins tested positive for COVID-19 in recent days. But despite the stream of positive tests, commissioner Rob Manfred has faith in baseball's safety protocols.

"We expected we were going to have positives at some point in time." Manfred told Sports Illustrated and the MLB Network's Tom Verducci on Monday night. "I remain optimistic that the protocols are strong enough that it will allow us to play even through an outbreak like this and complete our season."

The stream of positive tests has caused Miami to postpone Monday's home opener against the Orioles. The Marlins are slated to next take the field in Baltimore on Wednesday if they are able to field a viable team, per Manfred.

Miami's collection of positive tests has not called the 2020 season into question, per Manfred. MLB's commissioner said the league's protocols will "allow us to continue to play."

The Phillies matchup with the Yankees on Monday night was also postponed due to Miami's positive tests. Philadelphia played a three game series against the Marlins over the weekend, dropping two of three.

July 28, 2020 at 05:14AM
Rob Manfred: MLB Safety Protocols 'Adequate' Despite COVID-19 Outbreak

New on Sports Illustrated: The Marlins' COVID-19 Outbreak Puts NFL Travel Protocols Under Spotlight

Why a bubble wouldn't work for the NFL and how MLB's issues may affect NFL travel. Plus, the 49ers do right by Raheem Mostert, Joe Douglas goes to bat for Adam Gase, the Vikings suffer a big loss and more NFL news.

I don’t really know what’s coming the next six months. And neither do you. So I think it’s pretty silly for anyone to be talking about absolutes right now. With that, here we go, with the first MAQB of training camp 2020 …

• Because of the Marlins’ outbreak, the national sports discussion turned on Monday to bubble-vs.-no bubble. Baseball doesn’t have one. Basketball and hockey do. So where does that leave the NFL? Back in the spring, as it became clear that offseason workouts would be wiped out, all options were being discussed. I’m told the players were against the bubble idea then, as was NFL chief medical officer Dr. Allen Sills. And teams I talked to on Monday about the idea were pretty skeptical that any such concept would get off the ground anyway. Why? Football is far different from the other sports. To run a training camp practice, a team needs a minimum of 150 people on hand, and the figure is still well over 100 after rosters are cut down. So for the whole league to be in a bubble, you’re probably talking in excess of 4,000 people minimum—and that’d be for over six months. Could you go to an Olympic-style group-play format, maybe, and create four pods? Maybe. But that’s still over 1,000 people per bubble, not to mention the number of NFL-caliber fields you’d need for the players (you can lay down a basketball court almost anywhere, as the NBA has proven) in a central location. And that’s without even getting to matter of injuries, which would always require players being shuttled on to and off of rosters. So in the end, would a bubble solve a lot of the issues the NFL is facing? Yup, it sure would. But you’d have to build one (or more than one) first, and the sport just isn’t conducive to that.

• The other thing the baseball fiasco does for football—it puts the teams’ travel protocols under the spotlight. So I obtained a copy of the rules the NFL has given clubs, and they are extensive. And I figured I’d give you five highlights here to illustrate that.

1) Only Tier 1 and Tier 2 personnel can be part of the traveling party, which is limited to 110 people.

2) Those in the traveling party “shall not take separate public (e.g. buses, subways) or private (e.g., taxis, Uber, Lyft) transportation on the road.”

3) All meals have to be served in the hotel, and “the traveling party is not permitted to leave the hotel to eat or otherwise use any restaurants (in hotel or otherwise) open to the public. (You can order room service or Uber Eats, Grubhub, etc.)

4) “The traveling party may not utilize the fitness center, pool, sauna or other shared hotel facilities during their stay at the hotel, unless such areas have been appropriately disinfected, are closed to other hotel patrons, and only open to the club traveling party.” (So if the PR guy wants to hit the treadmill … tough luck.)

5) “Hotel must make private entrances/exits available to the traveling party whenever possible. Hotels must also provide a private check-in area for the traveling party.”

There’s plenty more along these lines (players and coaches will eat separately from the rest of the traveling party, etc.), and this one was interesting to me too: “Hotels should increase the ventilation rates throughout the hotel and/or increase outdoor air that circulates into the system.” So yeah, the league thought of pretty much everything here.

• And I do think the NFL deserves credit for creating such a comprehensive plan. But, as Bill O’Brien detailed in this morning’s MMQB column, and as many other coaches are harping to their players, all this stuff is only works if players are just as responsible outside the facility as the teams are trying to be in them. Even then, there are plenty of wild cards in this deck—consider that some schools will be back in session in two weeks, which means just by going home to their families coaches and players could be exposed. Again, I think the NFL and teams are doing their best, but there’s still a truckload of uncertainty sitting in front of 345 Park Avenue.

• One loose end that the Marlins’ situation did raise among teams—the league still hasn’t come up with a firm policy of shutting teams down or games being forfeited. Would 20 players/coaches getting it necessitate a shutdown? 25? 30? That’s a question that’s being asked by a lot of people I’ve talked to.

• The Vikings temporarily losing head athletic trainer Eric Sugarman may not seem like a big deal to you. I promise, though, to the organization, having the long-time staple out with a positive COVID-19 test is a massive deal. How am I so sure of that? Last month, I asked ex-Patriots team doctor Thomas Gill who the important people for each team will be in making all this work. His answer: “Without a doubt, the most important guy in every building is gonna be the head athletic trainer. Period. And the Patriots are lucky with Jim Whelan, he’s the best in the business. But they’re the ones. It’s like during training camp, when they have to make sure every player’s getting weighed before and after every practice to make sure they’re not losing too much water, they’re the ones that’ll be keeping track of everybody’s temperature, everybody’s symptoms, everybody’s distancing, everybody’s masks. One hundred percent, it’s the head athletic trainer. I don’t envy those guys. They had almost an unperformable job beforehand, it is gonna be a really huge challenge moving forward. At the end of the day, they’re the ones that are gonna have to enforce all the rules, nobody else. … They’re without a doubt the most important guys in the building.” Gill also suggested that, just for this year, teams would probably have to add support staff to help their trainers. So imagine losing your head guy on the eve of camp …

• Alright, on to football … Good on the Niners for giving RB Raheem Mostert a little sweetener on his contract for 2020—and, really, if he does wind up hitting the added incentives then the team will probably be happy to write him those checks for it. His $2.575 million base, $50,000 workout bonus and $250,000 in per-game roster bonuses for 2020 remain intact. He gets a $250,000 signing bonus on top of that now (which fulfills a promise to give him an incentive he just missed in 2019), and his $1.25 million in incentives have been replaced by $2.25 million in incentives, which are tiered at four levels (773, 850, 950 and 1,050 rushing yards). So if he hits 1,050 rushing yards, he’ll wind up with $2.5 million on top of the $2.875 million he was set to make, and the Niners will have gotten themselves a pretty productive year out of the 28-year-old.

• Jets GM Joe Douglas went to bat for his coach, Adam Gase, during a conference call on Monday, telling the team’s beat writers, “I especially believe in Coach Gase. I think he's the right person to lead this team.” But there’s no question that Jamal Adams’s incendiary comments will shine a light on the coach’s hold on his locker room in the coming weeks, as Gase tries to build on a strong 6-2 finish to the 2019 season.

• Washington DE Caleb Brantley became the first player to opt out under the high-risk category—which entitles him to a larger stipend than the voluntary opt-outs ($350,000 vs. $150,000), as well as an accrued season toward free agency and all benefits. And while we’re there, Vikings first-round pick Justin Jefferson became the highest-profile player thus far to land on the COVID-19 reserve list.

• Patriots FB Danny Vitale opting out is interesting, given how Josh McDaniels has valued the position in his offense the last few years. In fact, having James Develin on the roster enabled the package that New England used on the game-winning drive in the Super Bowl two years ago—the team went 22-personnel (two backs, two tight ends) to force the Rams’ base defense onto the field, then threw all over the slower L.A. group on the way to the end zone (which we detailed in that week’s MMQB column). So now what? New England liked the versatility of third-round tight end Dalton Keene ahead of the draft, so maybe he, or fellow rookie tight end Devin Asiasi, can line up in the backfield some.

• Big credit to Drew Brees, who came through for Louisiana again with another $5 million donation. Some people may remember his offseason for his comments on the national anthem. But, honestly, the guy’s given eight figures now to his community in a time of need, and I’d venture to say the impact of that will be farther-reaching.

• Question or comment? Email us.

July 28, 2020 at 04:47AM
The Marlins' COVID-19 Outbreak Puts NFL Travel Protocols Under Spotlight

Duterte Says Philippines Powerless Over South China Sea Rights

President Rodrigo Duterte told Congress on Monday he had no power to enforce the Philippines' ownership of territories claimed by China in the South China Sea.

Duterte made the statement duri

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North Korea's Kim Says No More War Thanks to Nuclear Weapons

SEOUL, SOUTH KOREA - North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has said there will be no more war as the country's nuclear weapons guarantee its safety and future despite unabated outside pressure and milita

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Coronavirus extends its winning streak in baseball

A third of the Miami Marlins team testing positive for the virus isn't just concerning. It's absolutely frightening.

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White House moves to weaken Twitter, Facebook's legal protections

The Commerce Department on Monday asked the Federal Communications Commission to write a regulation weakening protections laid out in Section 230,

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Temple & Webster's profits soar nearly 500% in online shopping splurge

A three-minute hourly exercise to incorporate into your work day

The pandemic has us sitting more and moving less. But taking the time to do these five simple movements can make a difference to your physical and mental wellbeing.

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Sick or not, St Basil’s residents are moved out of nursing home

Residents of a Fawkner nursing home that has become overrun by coronavirus were transferred to hospitals overnight in an attempt to protect them from the deadly outbreak.

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Tablet interactive: Coronavirus outbreak

'We'll slam border shut,' Queensland warns NSW; Victoria records deadliest weekend; nursing home outbreak becomes one of Victoria's largest. News updates here.

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Church v state in battle over 60-year-old will

The Edwin Marsden Tooth Memorial Home was established after a gift left for the Anglican Church, now found to have been "beneficially entitled" to the funds.

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Queensland threatens border closure as more restaurants shut, outbreak grows

On Sunday, three more Sydney restaurants were forced to close and the Thai Rock restaurant outbreak in Sydney's west continued to swell.

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Perpetual raises equity to fund $465m US purchase

Perpetual is buying a dominant stake in United States asset manager Barrow Hanley, in a $465 million acquisition it says will triple funds under management.

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Tablet interactive: Coronavirus outbreak

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A fateful day looms for the four horsemen of Big Tech

The chiefs of Apple, Amazon, Google and Facebook face a grilling this week from Washington. The timing couldn't be worse and it promises to not be friendly.

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Set sail and social distance: Taiwan resumes ocean cruise amid coronavirus pandemic

KEELUNG, TAIWAN - Taiwan resumed an island-hopping ocean cruise on Sunday (July 26), joining a handful of places in the world to restart voyages after the coronavirus pandemic brought the industry to a virtual standstill. Some 900 holiday makers are adapting to new safety measures when boarding Genting Hong Kong's Explorer Dream embarking from Taiwan's northern Keelung port. The company now offers trips of up to five days from Taiwan to its scenic outlying islands of Penghu, Kinmen and Matsu. The cruise resumption is part of a government effort to boost a tourism industry badly hit by the pandemic. Taiwan has largely closed its borders since mid-March and advised citizens against overseas travel unless absolutely necessary. Mr James Sun, sales manager of the cruise line, said a sea voyage could satisfy the desire for travel of people who are not permitted to go abroad. The ship is carrying just a third of its maximum passenger limit, and is equipped with 22 Covid-19 wards to isolate passengers if any fall ill.

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BBC NEWS - US diplomats to leave consulate in Chengdu in tit-for-tat closures

China's decision to close the US mission came after the US shut China's consulate in Houston.

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from BBC News - World https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-china-53549155

BBC NEWS : Firms with more female executives 'perform better'

Research suggests listed companies do better when women fill more than one in three executive roles.

July 27, 2020 at 05:37AM

from BBC News - Business
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https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-53548704

Perpetual raises equity to fund $465m US purchase

Tablet interactive: Coronavirus outbreak

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New on Sports Illustrated: Michael Thompson Wins 3M Open by Two Strokes in Minnesota

Michael Thompson birdied two of the last three holes Sunday for a two-stroke victory in the 3M Open, finishing off his second PGA Tour win seven years after his first.

BLAINE, Minn. — Michael Thompson birdied two of the last three holes Sunday for a 4-under 67 and a two-stroke victory in the 3M Open, finishing off his second PGA Tour win seven years after his first.

Adam Long took second after a 64. Richy Werenski, who shared the lead with Thompson after both Friday and Saturday, had a 70 for his worst round of the tournament and settled for a nine-way tie for third—three strokes back.

Thompson finished at 19-under 265 at TPC Twin Cities. Tony Finau finished in the third-place group, too, after a 68. He was the only one among the five world top-30 players in the field to reach the weekend, far outperforming fellow high-profile peers Dustin Johnson, Brooks Koepka, Tommy Fleetwood and Paul Casey.

Nobody throughout the windy and muggy week in Minnesota was steadier than Thompson, who entered the week 151st in the FedEx Cup standings and rocketed up to 39th on the way to Tennessee for the World Golf Championships event. He deftly steered around the water danger on the 18th, landing his approach on the back of the green within 15 feet.

With Long in the clubhouse, having played five groups ahead, Thompson had two putts to win. He needed only one, bending backward and thrusting both of his arms straight up in the air after the ball dropped in the cup in a celebration subdued a bit by the absence of spectators due to the pandemic.

Thompson's best previous finish in this stopped-and-restarted 2020 season was a tie for eighth at the Travelers Championship in Connecticut, and he missed the cut in his last start at the Workday Charity Open in Ohio two weeks ago. For this win, he not only secured a spot in the U.S. Open but a prize of $1,188,000, nearly 12% of his career earnings on the tour.

Finau was the only one in contention this weekend who'd already secured his U.S. Open spot, thanks to his seventh-place finish in the FedEx Cup standings last year and No. 16 world ranking on March 15 when the coronavirus spread prompted the three-month pause. The USGA rolled out special rules for participation in the rescheduled Sept. 17-20 major at Winged Foot in New York, after the pandemic wiped out the regular qualifiers.

In stroke play over the last four seasons, Finau has finished 35 rounds inside the top three, by far the most without a win on tour over that stretch. Tommy Fleetwood (20) has the second most.

Long, who needed to birdie his second-to-last hole in the second round on Friday just to reach the weekend, missed the cut on three of his last five starts out of the pause. He shot a 63 on Saturday, the low score for the tournament that was matched five other times over the four rounds, and posted eight birdies on Sunday. His bogey on the par-3 17th stood out, leaving his first putt short, but he picked up the second available spot in the U.S. Open with his second-place finish.

Defending champion Matthew Wolff was in striking distance after his birdie on the 14th, but he followed three straight pars with a six-stroke bogey on the 18th. His tee shot was well wide of the fairway, and his fourth try from the rough did not reach the green. Wolff finished at 14 under.

July 27, 2020 at 05:41AM
Michael Thompson Wins 3M Open by Two Strokes in Minnesota

New on Sports Illustrated: Arizona State Redshirting Entire Men's and Women's Swimming and Diving Teams Amid COVID-19 Pandemic

Arizona State announced Sunday they are redshirting their entire men’s and women’s swimming and diving teams for the 2020-21 seasons amid the coronavirus pandemic.

Did Arizona State's swimming and diving program just start a trend in college sports? We might soon find out.

The Sun Devils made the startling announcement Sunday that due to the COVID-19 pandemic, they are redshirting their entire men's and women's teams for the 2020-21 seasons, basically taking the year off to train and then trying again in 2021-22 in what should be a healthier climate.

Arizona State coach Bob Bowman, who coached mega-star Michael Phelps throughout his career and currently trains Olympians Allison Schmitt and Hali Flickinger, told his team Sunday afternoon in a Zoom call. He said the response was "very positive."

"It's been real tough for four months," Bowman told Sports Illustrated. "The hardest part is no clarity, about anything. All our swimmers lost their NCAA (championships) last year. I'm not willing to let them lose two."

Bowman said his campus aquatic facility is closed, which means his swimmers have not been able to train with him. Most are scattered around the country and the world, getting in workouts where and how they can. As with other college sports, the season schedule is in limbo.

Swimming is a winter sport that basically mirrors college basketball, starting in the fall and ending with NCAA championships in March. Many programs are starting to look at no competitions until January, and then dealing with travel restrictions that could curtail the number of meaningful events.

Bowman said his decision came out of March meeting with his athletic director, Ray Anderson, who challenged all of his coaches to find ways to make their programs stronger coming out of the pandemic than they were before.

"This was vetted on every level, through the Pac-12," Bowman said. "Everyone who hears it at is like, 'What?' Then you look into it and it makes more sense.

"We have the money to cover it, to make it work. It provides an academic benefit, allowing everyone to concentrate on their studies and maybe leave here with a master's degree. They have flexibility to train at home while taking online classes if they want, then come back at the semester break. And it helps us competitively—we're going to be better as a team in 2021-22."

Bowman, who has been the U.S. men's Olympic team coach, has been rebuilding the Arizona State program since taking over there in 2015. The Sun Devils finished 22nd in the 2018 men's swimming championship and 23rd in women's.

Asked if he thought he might start a trend both within his sport and around all of college sports, Bowman said, "I don't know, my job is to coach the Sun Devils and everyone else can do what they want. Ray says he thinks we will."

July 27, 2020 at 04:56AM
Arizona State Redshirting Entire Men's and Women's Swimming and Diving Teams Amid COVID-19 Pandemic

Africa: In Memory of My Friend David Applefield

[allAfrica] The world lost one of its most optimistic souls this month, 64-year-old David Applefield. David was a wanderer in the modern Jewish tradition -- mythical, timeless, endlessly in motion, driven to the path least traveled. His friendship was one of the great gifts in my life.

from AllAfrica News: Africa
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WA Police have charged a man from South Australia with breaching self-isolation rules after he went to a pub in Jurien Bay with a group of friends before allegedly wielding a knife at a nearby residence.

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Thompson wins 3M Open, goes from 151 to 39 in FedEx Cup standings

Michael Thompson birdied two of the last three holes Sunday for a four-under 67 and a two-stroke victory in the 3M Open, finishing off his second PGA Tour win seven years after his first.

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The latest illustrations from artist Matt Davidson

A selection of his best work.

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The news of the day as interpreted by our talented artists, illustrators and cartoonists.

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Kennedy's playing future largely 'up to him': Simpson

West Coast coach Adam Simpson says Josh Kennedy's playing future is largely "up to him", after the 32-year-old kicked seven goals in the Eagles' thumping of Collingwood on Sunday.

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Pandemic and geopolitical tension weighs on markets, ASX futures lower

Australia's stock market futures are pointing to weak start this morning, after US and European markets closed lower on Friday. COVID-19 numbers increased over the weekend in Victoria, the worst hit state in Australia.

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