Sources - Chiefs agree to extensions with Andy Reid, GM Brett Veach - ESPN

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The Kansas City Chiefs moved to secure their coaching and front-office futures by agreeing to terms of contract extensions through 2025 with coach Andy Reid and general manager Brett Veach, sources confirmed Monday to ESPN.

News of the pending extensions was first reported by NFL Network.

Reid and Veach joined the Chiefs in 2013, with Veach starting as a scout. He was promoted to GM in 2017.

The team's fortunes changed immediately after their arrival. The Chiefs have made the playoffs in six of seven seasons with Reid and Veach, the past four as AFC West champions. The Chiefs last season won their first Super Bowl in 50 years when they beat the San Francisco 49ers.

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Reid, 62, is 77-35 in seven regular seasons with the Chiefs. He said recently he had no plans to retire.

"One of the great things about this job is when you look forward to coming to work and to deal with the players and coaches," he said. "I'm lucky enough to be around good players and coaches. [Patrick Mahomes] makes it even better. He has a unique ability with what he does with his teammates. The 'Honey Badger' [Tyrann Mathieu] was part of this, too.

"Both of those two guys make our jobs very enjoyable. I come to work and have two great leaders like that, along with other players who love to play the game. Listen, if it takes me into my 70s, then let's roll."

Veach, 42, is credited within the Chiefs' organization as being the scout who identified Mahomes in the 2017 NFL draft as a future star and convinced Reid and others they should make a move up in the first round to get the quarterback.

The Chiefs at one point this year had less than $200 of room under the salary cap but still found a way to sign Mahomes, defensive tackle Chris Jones and tight end Travis Kelce to new contracts potentially worth more than $600 million.

Chairman Clark Hunt recently said the Chiefs intended to re-sign Veach.

"We're very lucky to have Brett as part of our organization," Hunt said. "He's done an amazing job over last three years of taking a really good roster and turning it into a championship roster, and I think it's a roster now that's going to have a chance for multiple years to be a contender for the Super Bowl. He's done an outstanding job. He works extremely well with Coach Reid, he also has a great rapport with our players, so he's somebody that we want here for the long term."

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September 01, 2020 at 07:38AM
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Sources - Chiefs agree to extensions with Andy Reid, GM Brett Veach - ESPN

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Freshman Henry Coleman III Meets with Media - Duke University - GoDuke.com

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DURHAM -- Duke men's basketball freshman forward Henry Coleman III took time to meet with the media on Monday afternoon. In his first opportunity in front of the Blue Devils' media contingent, Coleman addressed his, and the team's, role in last week's peaceful demonstration and discussion on Duke's campus in support of racial equality, and also discussed how the freshman class is adjusting to preseason practice.
 
Coleman, a freshman from Richmond, Va., enters Duke as a four-star power forward that averaged 22.8 points, 12.8 rebounds and 3.4 assists as a senior at Trinity Episcopal in Richmond.

Selected Quotes from Coleman:

On what inspired his remarks to Duke students during the demonstrations on campus last week:
"I thought it was an unbelievable job by Coach K and coach Nolan [Smith], what they had set up, but I was just moved to speak for the people that didn't have a voice. My parents told me always just to use my platform. I built this platform. They would always tell me, 'You wouldn't build a house and not sleep in it,' so I just have to use this platform to continue to talk."

On what his conversations with Head Coach Mike Krzyzewski and Director of Operations & Player Development Nolan Smith have been like surrounding recent protests over social injustice:
"Coach K is a guy who is super open. He's always willing to accept change and be with his players. He tells us every day that he loves us and that he's thankful for us. I just think it's that common bond that we share with Coach, that he's almost like a father figure to a lot of us, that he helps us with a lot of different things on and off the court. Then with coach Smith, he's just a guy that's super relatable. I'm always able to talk to him and bounce ideas off of him, whether that be sports, shoes or the protests. He's a great guy."

On if taking an active role off the court is something he hopes to do more of while at Duke:
"It's something that I hope to do. When I'm given the opportunity, I will use my voice and use my platform. It's something that I look forward to doing and continue to do beyond Duke. When you go into that regular world feeling, just continue to use your voice. Whether or not I'm in the NBA or whether I'm in any other field, [I will] continue to use my voice."

On the bond that he has already felt with the freshman class and the rest of the team:
"Starting off, I told Coach K at the beginning of the season that we're a different group of guys. Everybody has come in hungry, ready to work and we're just different, I feel like to a certain extent. When those guys came up behind me, like I said earlier, it was almost like a security blanket. I felt like those guys around me – they felt the message with me. Even though they weren't speaking, they showed the whole community that they believed every single word that I was saying, and I thought that was a really big deal. I want to touch on the [women's basketball] team did the same thing with Coach (Kara) Lawson speaking. They came up behind her too and they kind of comforted her too. I thought that was unbelievable and it showed the true brotherhood that we have as not just a men's program, but a whole program throughout the whole Duke Athletics."

On if it is setting in that he is a part of the Duke basketball program:
"Words can't describe it. To walk in every day and you see Coach K, one of the best coaches ever – it's a surreal feeling. You go through the hallway and you see greatness. You see guys like Grant Hill, J.J. Redick, Christian Laettner on the wall and you're finally a part of that program and this brotherhood. It's really a surreal feeling."

On who on the team has impressed him during practices:
"It's kind of crazy seeing all the guys and what they can do. From a guard perspective and from the wings and to the bigs, everybody is working hard. A couple people that are remarkable – every time I watch DJ [Steward] shoot the ball. It's funny, we do some shooting competitions at the end of practice and I kind of get five real quick and then DJ gets 10 three's out of nowhere. It's just unbelievable. Seeing Jalen [Johnson], Jaemyn [Brakefield] and Mark [Williams] – a couple other freshmen guys – they're just surreal athletes. Mark at seven-feet, being able to do some of the stuff that he does is kind of crazy. Jalen and Jaemyn being freakish athletes, being able to handle the ball and do other things is pretty cool. Then, for the upperclassmen guys, J Gold (Jordan Goldwire), Joey [Baker], Wendell [Moore Jr.], Matt [Hurt] – those guys continue to get better each and every day and I continue to learn from them, seeing some of the stuff that they do on and off the court."

On if the COVID-19 pandemic and protests against social injustice have helped build chemistry within the freshman class and the team:
"I think honestly even before a lot of this was happening, we were already close. Most of the guys, we had known each other through camps, through even playing together. Then, with these things coming along, it's definitely brought us closer and we've just been able to talk about a lot of the stuff that's been going on. But then, we kind of use basketball as this safe haven. When we're out there shooting around, joking around and just playing, everything else in the outside world kind of goes away and you're focused on making that shot, getting that steal or just getting that win. We use basketball as that safe haven kind of to get rid of the outside world and focus on just basketball."

#GoDuke

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September 01, 2020 at 07:12AM
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Freshman Henry Coleman III Meets with Media - Duke University - GoDuke.com

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Drone Delivery? Amazon Moves Closer With F.A.A. Approval - The New York Times

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Amazon has received federal approval to use drones to deliver packages, bringing the retailer a critical step closer to its goal of shortening delivery times to 30 minutes or less.

The Federal Aviation Administration said Monday that it had issued a Part 135 air carrier certificate to Amazon for its fleet of Prime Air drones.

Amazon did not say when customers could expect drones to drop packages at their doorsteps. Obtaining the F.A.A. certificate was an “important step,” the company said, adding that it would continue to test the technology, which has been in development for years.

The company said it was required to submit evidence of the safety of its operations, and to demonstrate those operations for the agency.

David Carbon, the vice president of Prime Air, said in a statement that the certification “indicates the F.A.A.’s confidence in Amazon’s operating and safety procedures for an autonomous drone delivery service that will one day deliver around the world.”

He added that the company would “continue to develop and refine our technology to fully integrate delivery drones into the airspace, and work closely with the F.A.A. and other regulators around the world to realize our vision of 30-minute delivery.”

At a conference in Las Vegas last year, Amazon revealed a fully electric hexagonal drone that could carry up to five pounds. The drone had advanced spatial awareness technology that allowed it to avoid contact with other objects, the company said.

Amazon already offers one-day delivery in many places, but shortening delivery times has long been a goal of the company’s chief executive, Jeff Bezos. In 2013, he predicted in a “60 Minutes” interview that drones would become common within five years.

Seven years later, Amazon is only the third company to receive a Part 135 air carrier certificate, after Wing Aviation, which is owned by Google’s parent company, Alphabet; and UPS Flight Forward. Neither company has implemented drone delivery widely as yet.

The F.A.A. has been investing in the technology. On Aug. 21, Elaine L. Chao, the transportation secretary, said that the agency was giving $7.5 million in grants to universities for research on “the safe integration of drones into our national airspace.”

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Drone Delivery? Amazon Moves Closer With F.A.A. Approval - The New York Times

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With Israel-UAE Flight, Israelis And Emiratis Mark Closer Ties As Palestinians Worry - NPR

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An official stands at the door of an Israeli El Al airliner after it landed in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, on Monday after flying in from Tel Aviv. Nir Elias/Pool Photo via AP hide caption

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Nir Elias/Pool Photo via AP

An official stands at the door of an Israeli El Al airliner after it landed in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, on Monday after flying in from Tel Aviv.

Nir Elias/Pool Photo via AP

The official treaty between their countries has not yet been signed, but — amid some opposition in the region — Israelis and Emiratis are engulfed in charm offensives, media buzz, dreams of business and travel.

Jared Kushner, President Trump's son-in-law and senior adviser, joined U.S. and Israeli officials Monday on the first official Israeli flight from Tel Aviv to Abu Dhabi to advance the Aug. 13 deal to establish diplomatic ties between Israel and the United Arab Emirates. The U.S. government-chartered El Al plane had the word "peace" written outside the cockpit in Hebrew, Arabic and English, along with U.S., Israeli and Emirati flags. The plane headrests bore the message "Making History."

After the deal was announced earlier this month, Tel Aviv's city hall was lit up in the red, green, white and black of the Emirati flag, and Israeli news channels quickly dispatched reporters to the United Arab Emirates for the first time.

"Good morning from Dubai," said Channel 13's Doron Herman, offering his Israeli audiences views of Dubai's Burj Khalifa, the world's tallest building, and later, a peek at his cappuccino dusted in gold flakes.

"Welcome to the neighborhood," wrote United Arab Emirates Ambassador to the U.S. Yousef Al Otaiba in Yediot Ahronot, an Israeli newspaper.

A cyclist rides by Israeli and United Arab Emirates national flags in Netanya, Israel, on Aug. 17. Kobi Wolf/Bloomberg via Getty Images hide caption

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Kobi Wolf/Bloomberg via Getty Images

A cyclist rides by Israeli and United Arab Emirates national flags in Netanya, Israel, on Aug. 17.

Kobi Wolf/Bloomberg via Getty Images

The Emirati newspaper Al-Ittihad tweeted a video greeting card: "Shalom," says a young Emirati man in a traditional white kandora robe, speaking in fluent Hebrew as "Hava Nagila" plays in the background.

The deal is being touted as a win-win-win for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Emirati Crown Prince Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan and President Trump, who present it as a boon for business and geopolitical stability. For Israelis barred from most of the Middle East, the luxuries of Dubai and the prospect of greater acceptance in the region and access to the Emirati economy suddenly appear within reach. For Emiratis, the deal offers the possibility of U.S. weapons and access to Israeli technology know-how.

"It's new times," said mattress company owner Avi Barssessat, one of several Israeli businesspeople who are coming forward now about their years of secret trade with the Emirates. He sells his signature bigger-than-king-sized beds in Dubai — "you know, they live luxury life," he said — via Slovakia to hide their Israeli origins. Now he expects direct and booming trade with the Emirates. "I'm dying to go there," he said.

"A lot of my friends and families, they said enough is enough," Mahmood Alawadi, an Emirati journalist for the Arabic news site Elaph, told NPR. His father suffers from Parkinson's disease and hopes Israel's medical expertise may help him. "We want economy. We want stability in the region. Enough hatred."

Left out of the new relationship are the Palestinians, who lost major leverage: a prominent Arab country has now cracked the unified stance by nearly all Arab countries to withhold official relations with Israel until it resolves its conflict with the Palestinians.

The Palestinian Authority recalled its ambassador to the UAE in protest, and many Palestinians have accused the Emirates of betrayal.

"They are letting us down," said Palestinian pediatric oncologist Lama al-Akhras, outside a West Bank hospital emergency room bearing the name of Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, the late Emirati leader who founded it.

"Making peace with Israel is not a bad idea at all. But peace not like this peace. Peace whereby you give me my country, you give me my rights. Not like this," said Palestinian hospital patient Ayman Ramiyeh.

On the flight to Abu Dhabi, NPR asked Kushner how Palestinians might fit into the Israel-UAE relationship. Kushner responded, "We can't want peace for them more than they want it for themselves. We have a good offer on the table and when they're ready, they'll call us. We are not going to pressure them, we are not going to pay them. We are focused on what we can do to make the lives of the Palestinian people better."

Israel and the UAE have never faced off on a battlefield. Instead, they have long shared quiet trade, security ties and a common enemy in Iran. The UAE has hosted Israeli athletes for competitions in recent years, too.

The Emirates said it will establish official ties with Israel in exchange for Israel shelving its West Bank annexation plans, though Israeli annexation had already been derailed by international and internal Israeli opposition. The Emirates now seeks F-35 fighter jets from the U.S., and finds President Trump — who boasts of a historic foreign policy win in the diplomatic deal as he seeks reelection — sympathetic.

The Emiratis are "buying a little bit of political risk insurance in the post-Trump era," says David Makovsky of the Washington Institute for Near East Policy. "If Trump does not win a second term ... what if the Democrats go back to reviving the Iranian nuclear deal? Will they somehow, as Gulf Arab states, feel marginalized, as American focus is elsewhere?"

Makovksy, whose podcast explores the Israeli leaders who made peace with Egypt and Jordan, said the Israel-UAE deal is an important achievement but bears little political risk for Netanyahu. The Israeli leader bills it as "peace for peace," boasting of forging ties with an Arab country without needing to surrender captured territory.

The enthusiasm is not universal among Israelis.

"When Netanyahu says it's peace for peace ... it's just a slogan, unless it goes deeper ... not just what's going on with who can buy weapons from whom," says Israeli yoga teacher Yoav Shamash, reflecting the skepticism Israelis have toward a peace deal based on geopolitical interests.

"This is like making peace with the moon. Who cares? Are we at war with Dubai? Do we have a shared border? No! It's like two kids fighting in kindergarten and telling the kid, make up with a kid at a different kindergarten," Eyal Berkovic, co-host of the popular Israeli TV talk show Ofira & Berkovic, said on a recent show.

It is harder to gauge the range of public opinion about the deal in the Emirates.

A Washington Institute poll conducted earlier this summer found 80% of Emiratis surveyed were opposed business and sports contacts with Israel. But when the deal was announced this month, if Emiratis opposed it, they hardly expressed their opposition on social media. Those who commented on the deal mostly offered support — even as anti-deal Twitter hashtags were trending in neighboring Gulf countries.

In a 2019 report, Human Rights Watch said the UAE "showed no tolerance for any manner of peaceful dissent."

An Emirati social scientist, who asked that NPR not use her name because she feared retribution from her government for speaking against the deal, told NPR that she and several other Emiratis made their Twitter accounts private when the deal was announced, out of concern that government agents would monitor their response to the normalization.

"This should have been a pan-Gulf decision, not one country's doing. It should have prioritized Palestinians. It was premature, especially when Netanyahu is the premier. It was the worst time," she says.

But Mina Al-Oraibi, the Iraqi-British editor-in-chief of The National, an Abu Dhabi-based newspaper, says Emiratis have high trust in their leadership and are evolving to accept ties with Israel.

"While the establishment of ties is incredibly big news, it still is something that I think has been worked towards," Al-Oraibi says. "It has been gradual for people culturally ... to be more accepting of it."

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With Israel-UAE Flight, Israelis And Emiratis Mark Closer Ties As Palestinians Worry - NPR

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New gene associated with reduced risk for cirrhosis - National Institutes of Health

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Media Advisory

Monday, August 31, 2020

NIH-funded study provides hope for better disease prediction.

What:

An international team of scientists supported by the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA), part of the National Institutes of Health, has identified a novel association between the gene FAF2 and a reduced risk for alcohol-associated liver cirrhosis (ALC) in people who drink heavily. Also confirmed by the study were four additional genes, three previously found to be associated with an increased risk and one with reduced risk of ALC in people who drink heavily. All of the genes appear to be involved in fat metabolism in the liver. ALC is a major source of alcohol–related morbidity and mortality worldwide.  Taken together, the new findings help solidify our understanding of ALC, particularly with regard to the connection between fat metabolism and vulnerability to cirrhosis. Genetic risk factors combined with clinical and phenotype risks, offers the potential for improved disease prediction and the realization of the promise of personalized medicine.

Article:

T-W Schwantes-An, et al. Genome-wide association study and meta-analysis on alcohol-related liver cirrhosis identifies novel genetic risk factors. Hepatology (published online Aug. 28, 2020).

Who:

NIAAA Director George F. Koob, Ph.D., is available to comment on this research.

Funding:

This research was funded by NIAAA grant U01- AA018389 to support an international research consortium -- the GenomALC – the largest genome-wide association study of alcohol-related cirrhosis conducted to date.  Additional support was provided by the Swiss National Funds and the Swiss Foundation for Alcohol Research, and the National Health & Medical Research Council of Australia.

About the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA): The National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA), part of the National Institutes of Health, is the primary U.S. agency for conducting and supporting research on the causes, consequences, diagnosis, prevention, and treatment of alcohol use disorder. NIAAA also disseminates research findings to general, professional, and academic audiences. Additional alcohol research information and publications are available at https://www.niaaa.nih.gov/.

About the National Institutes of Health (NIH): NIH, the nation's medical research agency, includes 27 Institutes and Centers and is a component of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. NIH is the primary federal agency conducting and supporting basic, clinical, and translational medical research, and is investigating the causes, treatments, and cures for both common and rare diseases. For more information about NIH and its programs, visit www.nih.gov.

NIH…Turning Discovery Into Health^®

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August 31, 2020 at 09:43PM
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New gene associated with reduced risk for cirrhosis - National Institutes of Health

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Colchicine in Patients with Chronic Coronary Disease | NEJM - nejm.org

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From GenesisCare Western Australia (S.M.N., X.-F.X., M.A.I., D.L., A.W., R.H., P.S., I.T., A.G.T., A. Morton, P.L.T.), the Heart and Vascular Research Institute (S.M.N., P.L.T.) and the Department of Neurology (G.J.H.), Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital, and the Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences (G.J.H., P.L.T.) and the School of Population and Global Health (C.A.B.), University of Western Australia, Perth, the Department of Cardiology, Fiona Stanley Hospital, Murdoch, WA (C.J.), and the Harry Perkins Institute of Medical Research, Nedlands, WA (P.L.T.) — all in Australia; the Dutch Network for Cardiovascular Research (A.T.L.F., A. Mosterd, A.S., S.H.K.T., T.L., P.H., A.J., P.N., H.S., J.S., A.F.M.K., M.W.J.H., M.D., M.M.W.A., J.H.C.), the Netherlands Heart Institute (A.T.L.F.), and the Department of Cardiology (A.T.L.F.) and the Julius Center for Health Sciences and Primary Care (A. Mosterd, M.M.W.A.), University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, the Department of Cardiology, Meander Medical Center, Amersfoort (A. Mosterd), the Departments of Cardiology (T.S.J.O., M.D., J.H.C.) and Internal Medicine (W.A.B.), Northwest Clinics, Alkmaar, the Department of Cardiology, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen (T.S.J.O., J.H.C.), the Department of Cardiology, Treant Zorggroep, Hoogeveen, Emmen, and Stadskanaal (S.H.K.T.), the Department of Cardiology, Zuyderland Medical Center, Heerlen and Sittard (T.L.), the Department of Cardiology, Isala Diaconessenhuis, Meppel (P.H.), the Department of Cardiology, Gelre Hospitals, Apeldoorn (A.J.), the Department of Cardiology, Franciscus Hospital (P.N.), and Cardialysis (J.G.P.T.), Rotterdam, the Department of Cardiology, D&A Research and Genetics, Sneek (H.S.), the Department of Cardiology, Amphia and Breda (J.S., M.M.W.A.), the Department of Cardiology, Spaarne Hospital, Haarlem and Hoofddorp (A.F.M.K.), the Department of Cardiology, Green Heart Hospital, Gouda (M.W.J.H.), and the Department of Cardiology, Amsterdam UMC, Amsterdam (J.G.P.T.) — all in the Netherlands; and the Department of Medicine, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON, Canada (J.W.E.).

Address reprint requests to Dr. Nidorf at GenesisCare, 3/140 Mounts Bay Rd., Perth 6000, WA, Australia, or at [email protected]; or to Dr. Mosterd at the Department of Cardiology, Meander Medical Center, P.O. Box 1502, 3800 BM Amersfoort, the Netherlands, or at [email protected].

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August 31, 2020 at 07:03PM
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Colchicine in Patients with Chronic Coronary Disease | NEJM - nejm.org

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Sudan Signs Peace Deal With Rebel Alliance - The New York Times

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NAIROBI, Kenya — Hoping to put an end to nearly two decades of bloodshed that has left hundreds of thousands dead and millions more displaced, the transitional government of Sudan signed a peace agreement with an alliance of rebel groups on Monday to end fighting in Darfur and the southern regions of South Kordofan and the Blue Nile.

It was the first major breakthrough in a peace process that started soon after the ouster of Omar Hassan al-Bashir, the longtime Sudanese dictator accused of atrocities in Darfur that earned him an indictment on genocide charges in an international court.

After Mr. al-Bashir was ousted in April 2019, a joint military-civilian government promised to bring both democracy and peace. But with violence and massacres in Darfur being reported as recently as July, there was concern that promises of peace would once again fall short and the nation would descend into a familiar cycle of bloodshed.

While observers cautioned that Monday’s deal needed to be followed with concrete reforms, it was widely viewed as a critical first step to a more enduring peace. More than 300,000 people have been killed in years of fighting in Darfur, according to the United Nations. Another 2.7 million were forced from their homes. Thousands more have died in fighting in South Kordofan and the Blue Nile since fighting first broke out in the region in 2011.

Reasons for caution remain, observers said: At least two rebel factions did not join the peace talks, and previous accords, including in 2006 and 2011, have failed to end the killing.

While the largest armed groups were involved in the talks and, under the terms of the agreement, militants will now be able to transition into the national security forces, it was still unclear whether the military itself would be reformed.

Still, previous agreements came when Mr. al-Bashir controlled Sudan and there was hope that the change in government could help break past cycles of violence.

Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok of Sudan said it was a moment for optimism, dedicating the agreement to “children who were born in displacement and refugee camps and to the mothers and fathers who miss their villages and cities.”

He said that since the protests first erupted against the rule of Mr. al-Bashir in December 2018, the Sudanese people had looked hopefully for “the promise of justice, the promise of development, and the promise of safety.”

“Today is the beginning of the road to peace, a peace that needs a strong and solid will,” he said.

The deal was signed in Juba, the capital of South Sudan, where the transitional government and rebel factions have been negotiating for almost a year.

The final agreement covers issues related to power sharing, transitional justice, integrating rebel forces into the army, the return of displaced people and land ownership.

Mr. Hamdok was accompanied in Juba by Lt. Gen. Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, the head of Sudan’s 11-member sovereign council, and his deputy, Lt. Gen. Mohamed Hamdan, also known as Hemeti. General Hamdan was an enforcer for Mr. al-Bashir and himself once led a militia accused of genocidal violence in Darfur.

They were joined by the South Sudanese president, Salva Kiir. A fragile peace is also holding in South Sudan, where more than 400,000 people have been killed since a civil war began in 2013.

With the men sat together on a podium for a signing ceremony, the room broke into applause and ululations as members of rebel groups waved the signed peace documents in the air. Representatives from governments including Ethiopia, Egypt, Chad and Britain were also at the ceremony.

The Darfur conflict began in 2003 when rebels from the region launched an insurgency against the government following complaints of political and economic marginalization by Mr. al-Bashir and the Arab-dominated leadership in Khartoum.

Image

A camp for internally displaced people in North Darfur in 2005.Credit...Lynsey Addario for The New York Times

In 2009, the International Criminal Court indicted Mr. al-Bashir over crimes in the region, including accusations of genocide, rape, torture and contaminating wells and water pumps of communities thought to be close to the armed groups.

After a three-decade rule, Mr. al-Bashir, 76, was ousted from office last spring after months of protests, triggered by austerity measures and cuts to bread and fuel subsidies. Last December, he was found guilty of possessing foreign currency and receiving illegal gifts and sentenced to two years in detention. The authorities also said they would begin investigations into atrocities committed during his rule in Darfur, with some leaders in Sudan’s governing council saying he might be sent to The Hague.

In June, a key Sudanese militia leader sought by the International Criminal Court on accusations of crimes against humanity in Darfur was arrested in the Central African Republic.

The conflict in the Blue Nile and South Kordofan region flared up in 2011, just months after South Sudan was granted independence. Rights organizations accused Mr. al-Bashir’s government of carrying out aerial bombardments in the area, killing civilians in their homes and causing extensive damage to property and livestock.

Since coming to power, Mr. Hamdok has introduced long-awaited political and economic reforms and has promised his administration would deliver peace and justice to victims.

Last week, U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo visited Sudan, a trip aimed at supporting the country’s fragile transitional period. Mr. Hamdok and Mr. Pompeo discussed efforts to remove Sudan from the United States’ list of state sponsors of terrorism — a designation that has crippled Sudan’s economy and deterred foreign investment.

While the peace deal in Juba was hailed by the leaders involved as momentous, experts said the fact that two key rebel groups boycotted the talks could jeopardize the chance for a lasting end to the violence.

“Today’s deal addresses many of the symptoms of violence, but not the underlying illness that has kept the country in a state of perpetual civil war since independence,” said Cameron Hudson, a senior fellow at the Atlantic Council’s Africa Center.

He cautioned that “it’s a peace agreement that integrates armed movements but doesn’t reform the armed forces who are ultimately responsible for most of the past violence.”

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August 31, 2020 at 11:28PM
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Sudan Signs Peace Deal With Rebel Alliance - The New York Times

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Helping Children With Pandemic Grief - The New York Times

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Between travel restrictions and limits on visitors to hospitals, parents may get the news of a loved one’s death over the phone and find themselves having to tell children who may be unprepared.

At the end of March, doctors in the child and adolescent psychiatry group at Oxford University, led by Alan Stein, published an editorial in the journal The Lancet: Child and Adolescent Health, arguing that honest and effective communication with children about the pandemic, including about death and dying, and about parental stress and sadness, was vital for children’s psychological health and well-being.

The group has published in the past on how to talk with children about life-threatening illness — their own or that of a parent — emphasizing that the communication needs to be tailored to children’s developmental understanding. Parents should not try to keep troubling news from their children, they wrote, nor should they take refuge in overly technical talk, but should acknowledge their own emotional distress without overwhelming the child’s emotions or fears with their own.

“Not telling them does not protect them,” said one of the authors, Louise Dalton, a consultant clinical psychologist in the department of psychiatry at Oxford, who led the project together with Elizabeth Rapa, a senior postdoctoral researcher. “Even young children are aware of the changes that have happened in everyone’s life.”

The group had developed guidance for the health care workers who found themselves in the new pandemic position of having to deliver bad news by phone, and they worried, Dr. Rapa said, that family isolation during the pandemic meant that “children would be even more invisible.” So their guidelines emphasized the importance of finding out whether the deceased person left children who would need to be told, and offering help to the family member who would have to do the telling.

They wrote guidance for the family member who has to do the telling, which Dr. Rapa called “a step-by-step guide to help parents or any adults have one of the most difficult conversations you’re ever going to have with your child.” The specific scenario they had in mind was a parent, at home in lockdown with one or more children, getting a phone call that a grandparent or other family member had died, though their advice applies to many other situations.

“Parents were taking this horrendous phone call to learn that granddad had died,” Dr. Rapa said. “Children would know that granddad was not very well, they would know in lockdown that mum has taken this phone call — you would have hardly any time to prepare.” The first instruction for parents is to take a minute to breathe “as slowly and deeply as you can.”

Updated 2020-08-31T20:08:40.199Z

“Thinking about talking to children about this probably feels the hardest thing in the world,” the guide begins. “Try to keep your focus on the next few minutes and how you want the children to hear the news of their loved one’s death.”

It’s a conversation that changes with the age and understanding of the child, but remember that children as young as 2 will understand that something has happened, Dr. Rapa said, and will need to be included.

Dr. Elena Lister, an adult and child psychiatrist on the faculty at Columbia and Cornell medical centers who specializes in grief and loss, said, “I’m a believer in no rush, holding your child, being close to your child, letting that sink in for a few seconds, waiting to see what comes up.”

Answer the specific questions a child asks, Dr. Lister said, for example about the actual cause of death: “The doctors couldn’t help her with her breathing enough.” And let the child know, “We’re going to have a lot of time to talk about this, we’ll get through this together.”

Be prepared for common reactions, including being asked if you are going to die as well. Especially with younger children, be ready to revisit the topic, check in with them a day later, and ask them what they understand, Dr. Rapa said.

“I don’t think of it as one conversation,” said Dr. Lister, who has written about the experience of losing her daughter to leukemia. “It’s step one of a difficult conversation.”

Use very specific and literal language. Young children may hear “we’ve lost granddad,” for example, and assume that the next step is to go find him.

The Coronavirus Outbreak ›

Frequently Asked Questions

Updated August 27, 2020

• What should I consider when choosing a mask?

  • There are a few basic things to consider. Does it have at least two layers? Good. If you hold it up to the light, can you see through it? Bad. Can you blow a candle out through your mask? Bad. Do you feel mostly OK wearing it for hours at a time? Good. The most important thing, after finding a mask that fits well without gapping, is to find a mask that you will wear. Spend some time picking out your mask, and find something that works with your personal style. You should be wearing it whenever you’re out in public for the foreseeable future. Read more: What’s the Best Material for a Mask?

• What are the symptoms of coronavirus?

  • In the beginning, the coronavirus seemed like it was primarily a respiratory illness — many patients had fever and chills, were weak and tired, and coughed a lot, though some people don’t show many symptoms at all. Those who seemed sickest had pneumonia or acute respiratory distress syndrome and received supplemental oxygen. By now, doctors have identified many more symptoms and syndromes. In April, the C.D.C. added to the list of early signs sore throat, fever, chills and muscle aches. Gastrointestinal upset, such as diarrhea and nausea, has also been observed. Another telltale sign of infection may be a sudden, profound diminution of one’s sense of smell and taste. Teenagers and young adults in some cases have developed painful red and purple lesions on their fingers and toes — nicknamed “Covid toe” — but few other serious symptoms.

• Why does standing six feet away from others help?

  • The coronavirus spreads primarily through droplets from your mouth and nose, especially when you cough or sneeze. The C.D.C., one of the organizations using that measure, bases its recommendation of six feet on the idea that most large droplets that people expel when they cough or sneeze will fall to the ground within six feet. But six feet has never been a magic number that guarantees complete protection. Sneezes, for instance, can launch droplets a lot farther than six feet, according to a recent study. It's a rule of thumb: You should be safest standing six feet apart outside, especially when it's windy. But keep a mask on at all times, even when you think you’re far enough apart.

• I have antibodies. Am I now immune?

  • As of right now, that seems likely, for at least several months. There have been frightening accounts of people suffering what seems to be a second bout of Covid-19. But experts say these patients may have a drawn-out course of infection, with the virus taking a slow toll weeks to months after initial exposure. People infected with the coronavirus typically produce immune molecules called antibodies, which are protective proteins made in response to an infection. These antibodies may last in the body only two to three months, which may seem worrisome, but that’s perfectly normal after an acute infection subsides, said Dr. Michael Mina, an immunologist at Harvard University. It may be possible to get the coronavirus again, but it’s highly unlikely that it would be possible in a short window of time from initial infection or make people sicker the second time.

• I’m a small-business owner. Can I get relief?

  • The stimulus bills enacted in March offer help for the millions of American small businesses. Those eligible for aid are businesses and nonprofit organizations with fewer than 500 workers, including sole proprietorships, independent contractors and freelancers. Some larger companies in some industries are also eligible. The help being offered, which is being managed by the Small Business Administration, includes the Paycheck Protection Program and the Economic Injury Disaster Loan program. But lots of folks have not yet seen payouts. Even those who have received help are confused: The rules are draconian, and some are stuck sitting on money they don’t know how to use. Many small-business owners are getting less than they expected or not hearing anything at all.

• What are my rights if I am worried about going back to work?

Make sure that children are not blaming themselves, Dr. Dalton said. That may mean reassuring the child that the person who died was well taken care of in the hospital, that everyone did everything that could be done. Talk about practical measures to prevent transmission — masks and hand hygiene. Talk about the scientists who are working on vaccines.

Acknowledge your own sadness, and that you miss the person who has died.

We’re living in a world right now where experts on grief and loss have a lot to teach us about everyday parenting. Our behavior as parents is already affected by the stress of the pandemic, both acute and chronic, Dr. Lister said. “The acute part puts us all in a state of hyperarousal,” she said, but the chronic stress is particularly wearing.

“Kids are seeing loss in many different ways,” Dr. Lister said. Their schools, their friends, their routines, their summer plans — and then on top of that, the constant talk about disease and death. “They’re surrounded by it — in the news, their parents are talking about it — it’s so unlike regular life where we all chug along at a kind of level of denial of our mortality,” Dr. Lister said. “This environment has caused us all to live in a soup of mortality awareness.”

Children are scared and anxious, Dr. Lister said, and they may be encountering misinformation, or misunderstanding some of what they see and hear. Bring up the difficult topics with your children, she advised. Try not to discuss them at bedtime, and remember that what you say to one sibling may well be passed along to the next. Having these conversations, she said, “teaches them you can handle the hard stuff — they feel less alone.”

Again, be prepared for conversations about whether you — or some other family member — will die from the virus. How you answer that, of course, will depend on the child’s age. For a 4-year-old, you might say, “I wash my hands,” Dr. Lister said, “I am healthy, I am doing everything I can to stay as well as possible.” Go into more detail for older children, but “you cannot guarantee what you cannot guarantee.”

Especially after someone has died, “the full range of emotional reactions is entirely normal,” Dr. Dalton said. Children may have increased anxiety, including separation anxiety, may be unusually clingy, or overreact emotionally to small events. But if a child is consistently withdrawing, refusing to take part in activities that usually give pleasure and comfort, the child may need more help. Children’s emotional distress often shows up in disturbances of eating or sleeping, but persistent behavioral changes may warrant a talk with your pediatrician or a referral for mental health services.

“We need to be honest and specific with children — as adults, we have to be courageous,” Dr. Dalton said.

Dr. Perri Klass is the author of the forthcoming book “A Good Time to Be Born: How Science and Public Health Gave Children a Future,” on how our world has been transformed by the radical decline of infant and child mortality.

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Helping Children With Pandemic Grief - The New York Times

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With Canada and Mexico borders closed, Americans are trapped in their own healthcare system - CNN

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With Canada and Mexico borders closed, Americans are trapped in their own healthcare system - CNN

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What’s It Like to Live With a Beauty Queen? Ask Miss Universe, She Rooms With Miss USA - The New York Times

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When Zozibini Tunzi moved into the Midtown apartment where Cheslie Kryst was living last December, some roommate tension might have been expected.

Ms. Tunzi — at the time the reigning Miss South Africa — had just beaten Ms. Kryst — the reigning Miss USA — in the Miss Universe pageant. The rival beauty queens were to be roommates for the next six months, until a new Miss USA was crowned in May 2020.

The setup certainly had the potential for awkwardness, if not outright animosity. But the apartment — a sprawling three-bedroom, three-bathroom in a luxury doorman building near Central Park South — was too good to pass up. Pageant winners live there for a year rent-free (or a year and a half, if Miss USA wins Miss Universe), and weekly housekeeping and grocery expenses are also covered. (Both pageants are run by the Miss Universe Organization.)

Image

The living room is primarily a workspace, with multiple tripods and a teleprompter corner. Though living room use might be an issue with some roommates, “it’s not like either of us sit in the living room watching TV super loud,” said Ms. Kryst. “The only time we have to accommodate each other is doing Instagram live.”Credit...via Cheslie Kryst & Zozi Tunzi

Ms. Kryst, who moved into the apartment after she won the Miss USA title in May 2019, wasn’t worried. In college, she was often friends with her track-and-field competitors. Besides, the women travel extensively during their yearlong reigns. “I barely ever saw my last roommate in the last seven months. I think we went out together for dinner five or six times,” Ms. Kryst said.

“Of course, if I knew about the pandemic, I would have been much more stressed,” she added.

When coronavirus hit, both women’s busy travel schedules came to an abrupt halt and their roster of international appearances turned virtual. In the first few weeks of the pandemic, they went from barely being in the apartment to barely leaving it.

“We would just go and walk in the park for hours. We were too scared to do anything else,” Ms. Kryst said. “I would wear gloves to the grocery store.”

Ms. Kryst’s room has more personal touches. “I wanted the room to feel like me with family photos, my jewelry,” said Ms. Kryst, who has lived in the apartment since May 2019, when she became Miss USA.Credit...via Cheslie Kryst & Zozi Tunzi

The Miss USA 2020 pageant has been postponed until later this year, meaning that Ms. Kryst will retain her tiara, her room and her roommate until organizers determine that it’s safe to hold the competition again. The same goes for Ms. Tunzi, as the Miss Universe pageant has been postponed indefinitely.

Fortunately, while the two women hadn’t spent much time together in the months leading up to the shutdown, they had enjoyed one another’s company when they did.

“I don’t want to lie — you do worry about having an unpleasant person as a roommate,” Ms. Tunzi said. “But we got along at the pageant and I knew that if I won, my roommate would be Cheslie. Whereas she could have had 90 different people.”

“I was happy that it was Zozi,” Ms. Kryst said. “People handle competition in different ways. Some people are outgoing, some people are quiet. Zozi and me are both chill. We liked to be together in the formations. After I didn’t make top five, I was like, ‘Let it be Zozi.’ ”

“She’s the best roommate ever,” Ms. Tunzi said. “Also, I’m a bit messy.”

Ms. Tunzi’s room is more minimalist. Coming to New York from South Africa, she had pared down her personal belongings before moving. Each woman has two personal closets, although there are additional ones throughout the apartment, mostly filled with suitcases.Credit...via Cheslie Kryst & Zozi Tunzi

“I’ve lived with much messier people,” Ms. Kryst said. “I have four little brothers. She’s not that bad.”

Both women lived alone before moving into the apartment. Ms. Kryst, 29, a civil litigation attorney, had a loft in downtown Charlotte, N.C. Ms. Tunsi, 27, who had been interning at an advertising firm in Cape Town, had never lived with anyone who wasn’t a family member.

---

$0 | Midtown

Zozibini Tunzi, 27, and Cheslie Kryst, 29

Occupation: Ms. Tunzi is Miss Universe; Ms. Kryst is Miss USA.
Suitcase storage: Is an issue, despite the apartment’s large size and the many closets. Each woman has numerous suitcases since so much of the job usually involves long trips and many costume changes. Traveling with multiple gowns and a suitcase just for shoes is not unusual.
Where do they keep their crowns? Ms. Tunzi prefers to store hers at the nearby Miss Universe offices, but Ms. Kryst keeps hers on the night stand. “It’s a Mikimoto tiara, which is one of the most iconic designs,” she said. “It’s embarrassing, but I like to wake up and look at it.”
Ms. Tunzi and pageants: “At 7, my mom took me to this pageant at church. I was really shy, she wanted me to meet other young girls. But then I loved it, the feeling of making friends and then the confidence of walking onstage.”
Ms. Kryst and pageants: “My mom was the second Black Mrs. North Carolina, so I knew no matter what, I was going to compete. I started when I was 13 or 14, in high school.”

---

The apartment’s size, they agree, makes sharing it relatively easy. Both were surprised at how large the space was the first time they saw it.

“Before I came to New York, everyone told me things are really small; even the hotel rooms are like shoe boxes,” Ms. Tunzi said. “I walked in and was like, ‘This is a huge space.’ ”

“You think of New York as being 300-square-foot apartments, but this is massive,” Ms. Kryst said. “With the pandemic, you get to the point where you want to be outside, but I have my own room, I have my own bathroom, we have an extra bedroom.”

The closet in the third bedroom, where Miss Teen USA stays when she visits the city, has become a voice recording studio since the women started working from home.Credit...via Cheslie Kryst & Zozi Tunzi

The third bedroom, which is reserved for Miss Teen USA when she visits the city, has become a work space — the closet is great for recording voice-overs — as has the living room. They had used the living room sparingly before, as a place to catch up between work trips, but they now shoot all their videos there; there’s even a teleprompter corner.

Unlike most people working from home these days, the women still spend a lot of time getting ready for work — a Zoom shirt will not suffice for a Miss Universe appearance. But even they have been able to relax things a little bit.

“If you’re doing your hair to go somewhere, it has to be really on point. On camera it’s not quite as hard,” Ms. Kryst said. “And probably the strangest thing is that I haven’t worn shoes — heels — in a really long time.”

Ms. Kryst keeps her Miss USA tiara on her night stand. “It’s a Mikimoto tiara, which is one of the most iconic designs,” she said. “It’s embarrassing, but I like to wake up and look at it.”Credit...via Cheslie Kryst & Zozi Tunzi

When they do go out, it’s often to Central Park. They like to walk through the park to get banana pudding at the Magnolia Bakery on the Upper West Side. The pandemic has meant not only getting to know the city better than they otherwise would have — “Before, people would be like, ‘What’s your favorite thing to do in New York and I was like, ‘I don’t know. I’m at the airport,” Ms. Tunzi said — but also each other.

“We’ve talked about Covid, Black Lives Matter,” Ms. Kryst said. “I think us being both women of color, having a real sister in the house, we understand the impact that being a person of color has on the titleholder. When we won we both had to face unkind comments.”

They had been talking about going to a Black Lives Matter protest together when, on a walk to Central Park, they bumped into one and joined in. “It was really cool to go to one with someone who valued it as much as I did,” Ms. Kryst said. “She knows we’re in this together.”

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What’s It Like to Live With a Beauty Queen? Ask Miss Universe, She Rooms With Miss USA - The New York Times

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With precautions in place, apple picking is on - Press Herald

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Apple picking is sort of made for the pandemic.

It’s an activity you do in the great outdoors, with plenty of fresh air. There are more than enough trees, usually, and there’s no need for everyone to crowd around the same one.

Sure, there are some fun things about apple picking that might not be suitable for social distancing. Some Maine orchards that usually have a lot of kids’ activities, like bouncy houses, are cancelling those this year. The selling of pies, cider or donuts will take place outside at many orchards, not inside an orchard’s store or barn. Several orchards say they’ll charge people by the container instead of by the pound this year, to avoid long lines at cash registers.

Happy apple pickers at Apple Acres Farm in Hiram. Photo courtesy of Apple Acres Farm

Maine’s pick-your-own apple orchards are open for business this fall, many kicking into gear this weekend. Orchard owners from around the state held a meeting this summer to figure out how to open safely, and discuss things like the state’s limit on outdoor gatherings – 100 people – as well as reducing contact and the state’s requirement that masks be worn when social distancing can’t be practiced. Most are discouraging people from eating the apples while they pick.

To find an orchard near you, including what they are offering and their COVID-19 rules, check out the website of the Maine Pomological Society at maineapples.org. The site lists some 60 orchards all over the state and lets you search by county.

Below are a few examples of southern Maine orchards, and what they’re offering this year.

BE RESERVED

McDougal Orchards in Springvale is letting people make weekend picking reservations online, to avoid crowds. Reservations are accepted up to 14 days before, but if there’s space available, walk-ins are accepted, too. The orchard will not have wagon rides or a swing set this year. But it will be offering a lot of fruit to pick, including apples, raspberries, pears, plums and pumpkins. The farm store will be selling foods, baskets and pre-picked produce, and there will be hot apple cider donuts for sale starting Labor Day weekend. The orchard has some 40 varieties of apples to choose from, but don’t sample them while picking, orchard managers say, and make frequent use of hand washing stations around the property. For more information, go to mcdougalorchards.com.

McDougal Orchards in Springvale is offering apple-picking reservations. Gregory Rec/Staff Photographer

PICK YOUR VIEW

Ricker Hill Orchards in Turner is high on a hill with gorgeous views of the surrounding countryside. It’s also spread out in a way that makes social distancing easier, as the activity area where kids play is about a mile and a half from the actual apple trees. There’ll be no bouncy house this year and probably no wagon rides. But there will be goats and a corn maze. Of course, there’s apple and pumpkin picking with hand washing stations nearby, and staff will keep track of how many people are in certain areas of the orchard. Cider doughnuts will be sold from a window in the store, so no one has to come in. There will be entertainment on some weekends, including juggler Jason Tardy and animal handler Mr. Drew and his Animals Too. For information, including dates of specific entertainment, go to rickerhill.com.

ACRES OF APPLES

Apple Acres Farm in Hiram is in the foothills of the western mountains, and has certified organic apples for picking. All apples will be sold by the bag and not by weight, and wagons for toting apples will be sanitized. The farm’s restaurant will be serving stone-fired pizza, sandwiches, soups and salads, with outdoor seating and limited indoor seating in the Treehouse Room. If you want to pick apples and then shop while keeping your distance, you can. Every item the farm sells, from maple syrup to gifts and doughnuts, will be available for purchase on the website and for curbside pickup. So you can pick apples outdoors, pick up your fresh local goodies, and be on your way. The farm is also having musicians play live outdoors on select weekends. For more information, go to appleacresfarm.com.

Libby & Son U-Picks in Limerick will be selling doughnuts and smoothies in a variety of flavors. Michele McDonald/Staff Photographer

ROLLING HILLS

Doles Orchard in Limington sits on a gently rolling hill in a rural and scenic part of York County. This year, it expects to have some 30 varieties for picking, plus raspberries, too. Like most other orchards, they are selling by the bag, both to shorten lines and avoid contact. They’ll be selling baked goods – pumpkin whoopie pies are a favorite – and will have some food trucks on weekends. For more information, go to dolesorchard.com.

YOU PICK

At Libby & Son U-Picks in Limerick, there’s no doubt what business they are in. The 40-acre orchard had peaches earlier this year for picking, and as of last week had raspberries, blueberries and apples. The orchard will be making and selling homemade doughnuts in a variety of flavors: blueberry, strawberry, apple cider and red velvet. Fresh fruit smoothies and hot kettle corn will also be available. The farm has set up a check-in area and asks people to start there and follow the signs. Touchless payment is available with credit cards or Apple/Samsung Pay. Musicians will perform all day long on weekends, and some weekdays as well. For more information, go to libbysonupicks.com.

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August 31, 2020 at 03:00PM
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Marcus Morris Sr.'s battle with Mavericks' Luka Doncic ends with ejection - ESPN

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LA Clippers forward Marcus Morris Sr. was ejected late in the first quarter of Game 6 on Sunday for a flagrant foul 2 committed against Dallas Mavericks star Luka Doncic in a continuation of the heated rivalry that developed between the two players in their Western Conference first-round playoff series.

As Doncic drove to the basket with 1:07 remaining in the quarter, Morris swiped and smacked him on the right side of his head, causing Doncic to crash to the court. Morris glared at Doncic as he was down on the floor, and Doncic bounced to his feet to confront Morris before players and coaches separated the two.

Referee Scott Foster said in a postgame pool report that the replay showed Morris wind up, make impact and follow through to Doncic's head and neck area, which was "unnecessary and excessive contact" that merited a flagrant 2 and an automatic ejection.

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"It was a terrible play. What can I say?" Doncic said after his 38-point, 9-rebound, 9-assist performance in the Mavs' season-ending 111-97 loss. "It's two games in a row he did something like that. I really hoped the first game it wasn't on purpose, but looking back on the foul this game, you know what I think.

"I don't want to deal with that kind of players. Just move on."

Morris said it was "a hard foul," and he understood that he got Doncic above the shoulders, which merits a flagrant 2. But he reiterated that he was not trying to hurt Doncic. Morris said he thought it was "absurd" that some thought he was trying to injure Doncic in Game 5, when he stepped on the Dallas star's left ankle area, which led to Doncic's shoe coming off.

"They had to make that call," Morris said of the flagrant 2 on Sunday. "I think, honestly, we had a lot of back-and-forth this series. It was a hard-fought series. I just don't want people to mistake playing basketball, playing hard with trying to hurt somebody. I think Tim Hardaway had an extremely hard foul with [Paul George] last game, and it wasn't taken in [the same context]."

Talking about Doncic, Morris said, "He's a young player. He's going to be the face of the league. I've taken into account all of that. I have been around for a while. I know how this thing works. ... I am a grown man. I stand on my own. Like I said, I didn't mean to step on his ankle. They can say the stuff that they want to say, this and that, on Twitter. ... Whatever they want to say, they can say it. I am going to continue to play, happy that my team is in the second round."

Morris said he does not think that the flagrant 2 and ejection warrant a suspension for Game 1 of the second round.

play

0:20

Luka Doncic says the foul on him by Marcus Morris Sr. was "terrible" and he doesn't want to deal with players like that.

"Honestly, I don't think it escalated to that level," Morris said. "It is not like I didn't touch any of the ball. I didn't wind up. I didn't do any of that. It was a hard foul."

Dallas coach Rick Carlisle called Morris' flagrant foul "an unnecessary play and unfortunate," saying that it was immediately obvious that the play merited an ejection.

Clippers coach Doc Rivers praised Morris' play and ability to be "an instigator" in the first round. But Rivers said he believes that Morris should not have been ejected and that Morris' reputation led to the toss.

"I don't think he should have been thrown out, but listen, I'm biased," Rivers said. "I thought he made a play on a ball, and he hit him on the head. It happens all game. I think it was a reputation throw out, but you've just got to live with it. I love Marcus's intensity. Yeah, he's a tough guy. He's not backing down, and I love that."

Asked if Morris' reputation or previous tension with Doncic played any role in the ruling, Foster said, "No, of course not."

Morris, who was the Clippers' primary defender on Doncic in the series, had nine points on 4-of-5 shooting in Game 6 before his ejection.

Marcus Morris Sr. smacked Luka Doncic on the side of his head as he drove to the basket. Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images

Sources told ESPN that the Mavericks believe Morris intentionally targeted Doncic's sprained left ankle twice in Tuesday's Game 5, a notion Rivers called "absolutely absurd."

Morris adamantly denied that he meant to step on Doncic's ankle early in the third quarter, when he jogged from the left wing after a basket by the Clippers and stepped on the back of Doncic's leg as he awaited an inbounds pass. The Mavs requested that the league office review an uncalled landing space violation by Morris on a 3-pointer by Doncic in the third quarter, when Morris slid his foot under Doncic as he was in the air.

"Somebody would actually really like [to] try to make a case for me trying to hurt another player intentionally," Morris said Wednesday. "I stand on respect, morals and hard work, and my family watching [me play] this game. I approach this game with the utmost respect for every player. I have been in many battles with great players, and not once have I ever tried to do anything dirty as far as taking a player out of a game. ... Luka is a great player for years to come, but to try to disrespect my character, I felt the need to speak on that.

"One thing I am not is a dirty player. And I hang my hat on being a hard worker. I am a respected man in this league, and I hope that people look at that and know me as who I am, and I would never go that far, trying to hurt somebody. I just think that's absurd, and it's just too far."

Doncic didn't directly accuse Morris of being dirty -- though he did raise his eyebrows and ask a reporter what he thought of Morris' stepping on his injured ankle -- and said he didn't care for an explanation from an opponent he exchanged trash talk with throughout the series.

"I don't want to talk to him," Doncic said after Game 5. "He's just saying a lot of bad stuff to me all the game. I just don't want to talk to him. I just want to move on. Like I say, everybody is going to have their own opinion. I just hope it wasn't intentional. If that was intentional, that's really bad."

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Marcus Morris Sr.'s battle with Mavericks' Luka Doncic ends with ejection - ESPN

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