Draymond Green’s visit to Israel draws criticism: ‘Horribly offensive’
If you do not follow sports I should tell you Draymond Green is on the same basketball team as Stephen Curry and was ‘memed’ after his hilarious reactions to Fergie’s horrific rendition of the national anthem.
Warriors All-Star Draymond Green, who along with his teammates has expressed disinterest in visiting the White House, is receiving criticism for his trip to Israel where he met President Reuven Rivlin and fired guns at a border police training center.
Or Shkedy@OrshkedyDraymond Green(@Money23Green) was a guest today of the Israeli SWAT Dep.
Part of Green’s trip was sponsored by the Friends of the IDF (Israel Defense Forces).
“You got played,” Black Lives Matter activist Shaun King chided Green, according to the JTA. “Flashing a toothy grin w/ a sniper rifle in Israel on a trip (organized) by Friends of the IDF is so horribly offensive. They’ve recently slaughtered unarmed Palestinians w/ those rifles.”
Dave Zirin, sports editor of The Nation, piled on.
“Why reject Donald Trump and accept the invitation of Rivlin?” Zirin wrote. “It is, frankly, shocking to see Draymond Green smiling and shooting guns in their company. These counterterrorism border police units are part of a military that shot and killed Palestinians who were protesting at the border in May, less than two months ago.”
“I’m confident that if he had been briefed, he would not have gone,” Temple University professor Marc Lamont Hill told the Christian Broadcasting Network.
Maybe, maybe not. Green is, among other things, intellectually curious. According to the Jerusalem Post, Green visited “several historical sites around the country.” He also played basketball at a sports center donated by FIDF supporters from Michigan, according to CBN.
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Papa John’s founder resigns as chairman after using a racial slur on a call
He was undergoing an exercise on how to handle controversial situations when he made the comment.
Papa John’s founder John Schnatter resigned as board chairman from the pizza company after he apologized for using a racial slur on a conference call that was set up to teach Schnatter how to not say offensive things.
This is the latest in the fallout for Schantter, who faced increasing pressure after he admitted using the n-word and described a scene of violence against African Americans on a conference call in May.
Forbes first reported the call, which was set up to help take Schnatter through a “role-playing exercise” to help him deal with racially sensitive situations. Schantter stepped down as CEO from Papa John’s last year, after he blamed NFL leadership for failing to stop anthem protests, which he said had driven down the chain’s sales.
Read more: Papa John’s Founder Drops N-Word During Sensitivity Training Call
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At least 200 dead, thousands still sheltering after Japan floods
TOKYO — More than 7,000 people were still in evacuation shelters and many more were struggling with basic needs Thursday after severe flooding and landslides last week in western Japan that caused at least 200 deaths. The disastrously heavy rainfall caused damage over a widespread area, with most of the deaths in and around Hiroshima. Power and water outages were common, and damage to roads and railway tracks disrupted deliveries of food and relief supplies.
Water shortages were even affecting some of the evacuation centers, which are usually priority destinations for relief supplies.
Takao Kusunoki, an evacuee staying at a junior high school in Ehime, said he has not been able to take a bath for four days now, and could only clean himself with a wet towel. “I’m so sweaty, and I want to take a bath as soon as possible,” he told the Mainichi newspaper. “We need our water system restored.”
Floodwaters have subsided in most places but left behind massive debris including broken trees, furniture and mangled cars that still need to be moved out of the way.
Disrupted distribution systems are keeping lives in the disaster zone difficult. Convenience stores are open shorter hours, and dozens of outlets of major chains such as Family Mart, 7-Eleven and Lawson were closed due to delayed deliveries, supply shortages or flooding in Hiroshima, Okayama and Ehime. McDonald’s said five outlets in Hiroshima and another in Ehime were without water.
Prime Minister Shinzo Abe at a disaster response meeting Thursday recalled seeing “horrendous” damage during his visit the previous day to Kurashiki city, where a river broke through its embankment and flooded a wide area.
“After seeing that, I even feel more strongly about doing whatever it takes so that the people who were affected could live safely again as soon as possible,” said Abe, who had canceled a trip to Europe and the Middle East to respond to the disaster.
Abe said the government obtained temporary housing for people whose homes were damaged or lost so they could move in and be more comfortable.
More than 700 houses were destroyed or damaged, and more than 23,000 were flooded, according to the Fire and Disaster Management Agency.
Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga told reporters 200 deaths had been confirmed and another person was found without vital signs. Suga said 21 people are missing and about 40 others are still out of contact with their families.
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Diddy says ‘Black Panther’ was a ‘cruel experiment’
The star wasn’t as impressed by the movie as everyone else.
Diddy has called Black Panther a “cruel experiment”, despite the acclaim the movie has received for improving representation in Hollywood.
The Marvel movie featured a predominantly black cast, including Michael B. Jordan, Chadwick Boseman, Lupita Nyong’o, Letitia Wright, and more.
While the film’s representative nature has been widely applauded, Diddy wasn’t as impressed with it. “Black Panther was a cruel experiment,” he told Variety. “We live in 2018 and it’s the first time that the film industry gave us a fair playing field on a worldwide blockbuster, and the hundreds of millions it takes to make it,” he said.
“When Adidas invests in Kanye and it’s done properly, you have the right results,” he continued. “When Live Nation invests in artists and puts them in arenas the same way U2 would be, you have the right results. Black Panther, Black-ish, fashion; it’s all about access. If you’re blocked out of the resources, you can’t compete. And that’s my whole thing – to be able to come and compete.”
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Michael Jackson Was ‘Chemically Castrated’ by Late Father Joe, Claims Dr. Conrad Murray
Following the death of Joe Jackson, Michael Jackson‘s controversial doctor Conrad Murray has made explosive claims about the father-son relationship, according to a new report.
Murray, who was convicted of involuntary manslaughter and served two years in prison for administering an overdose of propofol to the late King of Pop in June 2009, called 89-year-old Joe “one of the worst fathers to his children in history” in a video obtained by The Blast.
“The cruelty expressed by Michael that he experienced at the hand of his father…” Murray, 65, alleged, trailing off before adding, “The fact that he was chemically castrated to maintain his high-pitched voice is beyond words.”
Murray, as well as reps for the Jackson family, did not immediately respond to PEOPLE’s request for comment.
This is not the first time Murray has made allegations about Michael being “chemically castrated.”
The former cardiologist previously shared similar claims in his 2016 book, This Is It! The Secret Lives of Dr. Conrad Murray and Michael Jackson, accusing Joe of forcing Michael to get hormone injections at age 12 to cure his acne and prevent his voice from changing.
“I hope Joe Jackson finds redemption in hell,” Murray said in The Blast video, days after Joe died of pancreatic cancer on June 27.
“We want to thank you all for the support you have shown us as we grieve for the patriarch of our family. We mourn the loss of our father and celebrate the life of a man who sacrificed so much to give us the life and success we have today. Thank you for respecting our privacy during this time,” the Jackson family said in a statement.
In October 2013, Murray was released from jail two years into a four-year sentence after he was convicted in 2011. His license to practice medicine was also suspended in three states.
Years before his death, Michael was candid about the troubles he faced with Joe in both the 2003 Martin Bashir documentary, Living with Michael Jackson and again in an emotional conversation with Rabbi Shmuley Boteach — which was published in the 2009 book, The Michael Jackson Tapes: A Tragic Icon Reveals His Soul in Intimate Conversation.
Asked by Bashir how often Michael was hit by Joe, Michael said, “Too much.”
“It was more than just a belt — cords, whatever was around,” Michael remembered, detailing the “strong hate” he had towards his father during the beatings. “[He’d] throw you up against the wall as hard as you could. He would lose his temper. … I was so fast, he couldn’t catch me half the time. But when he would catch me? It was bad. It was really bad.”
Michael also told Boteach about how Joe “was very physical” throughout his childhood. “He would throw you and hit you as hard as he can,” the star said. “It’s like, ‘Oh my God, why? Where is the love? Where is the fatherhood?’”
Michael’s children Prince Michael and Paris painted a different portrait of the patriarch upon his death, instead sharing memories of a loving and involved grandparent.
“This man is and always will be an example or sheer willpower and dedication. He didn’t choose the path that was the easiest but he chose the path that was best for his family,” Prince Michael, 21, captioned a family photo.
Sister Paris, 20, added, “I will cherish every moment with you til the day i die, especially our last moments … quoting advice you gave me when i was a little kid and seeing your eyes light up, sharing stories my dad used to tell me about you, telling a joke and hearing you laugh for the last time.. my heart is full knowing we left each other in that way.”
Papa John’s Founder Drops N-Word During Sensitivity Training Call
On Wednesday, the founder of Papa John’s, apologized for dropping the N-word during dropped the N-word during a sensitivity training call in May and now he’s apologizing.
“News reports attributing the use of inappropriate and hurtful language to me during a media training session regarding race are true,” founder John Schnatter said in a statement issued through the company, New York Daily News reports. “Regardless of the context, I apologize. Simply stated, racism has no place in our society.”
According to the Daily News, Papa John’s stock fell “up to 6% in intraday trading, wiping out roughly $96 million in market value.”
This isn’t the first time that Papa John Schnatter let his inner racist out. In January, he left his job as CEO of the company amid comments he made during NFL anthem protests.
Apparently when Papa John was speaking with his staff about how he was going to avoid a scandal, Schnatter allegedly involved President Trump’s favorite chicken spot owner Colonel Sanders.
“Colonel Sanders called blacks ‘niggers,’ ” Schnatter allegedly said.
And in true Republican form, Papa John added that Sanders never publicly apologized, nor was he condemned for saying the N-word.
“Schnatter also discussed growing up in Indiana, where he said people would kill African-Americans by dragging them from their trucks — a reflection that was interpreted as offensive by other parties on the call, according to the report,” the Daily News reports.
Papa John’s said in a statement Wednesday that it “condemns racism and any insensitive language, no matter the situation or setting. Our company was built on a foundation of mutual respect and acceptance. … We take great pride in the diversity of the Papa John’s family, though diversity and inclusion is an area where we will continue to strive to do better,” the statement read, according to the Daily News.
Papa John is currently looking for work at the Waffle House where his position on race will be appreciated.
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‘Breast is Best’ Declares Pamela Anderson to Trump
Moving in to settle a fight over breastfeeding, Anderson cited her own experiences and said simply, “Breast is best.”
In a letter to the World Health Organization on behalf of PETA, she endorsed the group’s support for breastfeeding after the New York Times suggested in a story that the Trump administration was favoring formula.
Blond bombshell and PETA spokeswoman Pamela Anderson knows how to grab the attention of President Trump — and the world.
Moving in to settle a fight over breastfeeding, Anderson cited her own experiences and said simply, “Breast is best.”
In a letter to the World Health Organization on behalf of PETA, she endorsed the group’s support for breastfeeding after the New York Times suggested in a story that the Trump administration was favoring formula.
“Thank you for standing firm in support of breastfeeding. Breast is best — that’s why I nursed my own sons and I encourage other moms to continue this natural practice, which has been essential to human health since the dawn of time,” said Anderson.
The administration said it wants to keep formula in the mix for new mothers, and Trump ripped a report from the Times that he wants to “water down an international resolution supporting breastfeeding.”
Trump tweeted this week, “The failing NY Times Fake News story today about breast feeding must be called out. The U.S. strongly supports breast feeding but we don’t believe women should be denied access to formula. Many women need this option because of malnutrition and poverty.”
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5 adults claiming to be parents of detained children ruled out by DNA tests
The Trump administration said it used DNA screenings to identify and rule out five adults who claimed to be parents of children being held at the southern border.
The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) said Tuesday that the agency found two adults through DNA swabbing who thought they were biological parents and were not.
Another three adults admitted they weren’t parents before the DNA swab was complete.
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Who is Dana Sabraw? 5 things to know about judge who ordered reunification of immigrant families
The federal judge who ordered the reunification of children separated from their families along the Mexican border is the son of an immigrant with the middle name “Truth.”
The government acknowledged it failed to meet Tuesday’s deadline set by U.S. District Judge Dana Sabraw to reunite about 100 children under age 5 with their families after they were seized along the Mexican border when their parents were arrested for illegally entering the U.S.
Dana Sabraw, based in San Diego, last month gave the government 14 days to reunite children under 5, some of whom had been separated from their families for weeks. He allowed 30 days for older kids.
So who is this guy? His Federal Bar Association profile and his own legal rulings shine some light.
More: 3 young migrant children reunited with their dads in El Paso
More: Mexicans comprise a bigger share of border prosecutions
His mother is an immigrant
Sabraw’s father met his mother while he was an Army soldier stationed in Japan during the Korean War. They were married in her native Japan before settling in San Rafael, California, where the judge was born in 1958. He was given a Japanese middle name – Makoto – in honor of his mother’s family. The name translates to “true” or “truth.”
Man could lose limbs after contracting flesh-eating bacteria in New Jersey waters
MILLVILLE, N.J. – It’s a summertime tradition — fishing for crabs in rivers and bays. But a New Jersey man from Cumberland County who has done it many times before is now fighting for his life after contracting a flesh-eating bacteria while crabbing, CBS Philly reports.
“The choice is life or limbs and I’ve heard that multiple times,” said Dilena Perez-Dilan, after her 60-year-old father, Angel Perez, contracted the disease while crabbing last week off the Maurice River in Commercial Township. “The sores started showing up on his legs and he started hallucinating.”
Perez-Dilan says on July 2 her father was crabbing at his favorite spot near Matt’s Landing on the river. Complaining of pain, he went to an urgent care center the next day and got antibiotics, but the swelling only got worse as the bacteria spread to his bloodstream.
“They told us that his kidneys shut down and that he would need dialysis immediately,” she said.
Angel Perez contracted flesh-eating bacteria while crabbing in New Jersey waters.
Perez had to have a leg surgically drained as an infectious disease doctor investigated the cause of the infection. It turned out to be Vibrio vulnificus, a bacteria common to warm brackish water that is usually only a concern if you eat contaminated raw shellfish.