Hong Kong issues arrest warrants for six overseas democracy activists including US citizen, state media reports - CNN

The six include United States citizen and resident Samuel Chu and Nathan Law, a former Hong Kong lawmaker and prominent pro-democracy campaigner who fled the city and is now living in London, according to the report.

The issuing of the warrant appears to mark the first time that authorities have used the new national security law, imposed by Beijing on June 30, to target activists based outside of the city.

The law criminalizes secession, subversion, terrorism and foreign interference, and it applies to offenses committed "outside the region" by foreigners who are not residents of Hong Kong or China.

Chinese state broadcaster CCTV reported that the six are wanted on suspicion of inciting secession and colluding with foreign countries, but did not give any further details. In response to a CNN request for comment, a Hong Kong Police spokesperson said the "police do not comment on media reports"

US national Chu, who is the managing director of the Hong Kong Democracy Council, a Washington DC-based advocacy group promoting freedom and autonomy for Hong Kong, appears to be the first non Hong Kong citizen to be targeted under the new security law.

In a twitter post Friday, Chu said in ordering his arrest, China was effectively targeting a US citizen for lobbying his own government. "I might be the 1st non-Chinese citizen to be targeted, but I will not be the last. If I am targeted, any American/any citizen of any nation who speaks out for HK can-and will be-too, said Chu. "We are all Hong Kongers now," he added.

According to Chu's biography, he has lived in the US as an American citizen for 25 years. In a statement posted online, the United States China Commission, a congressional-executive body that monitors human rights and the rule of law in China, called on the Hong Kong government to repudiate the warrant and for the United Nations to begin urgent talks on the national security law and the deteriorating human rights conditions in Hong Kong.

The Hong Kong government has defended the law as necessary to protect national security, and promised that it would only affect a tiny number of people.

"The national security law is a crucial step to ending chaos and violence that has occurred over the past few months," Carrie Lam, the city's chief executive, said in July. "It's a law that has been introduced to keep Hong Kong safe. The legislation is lawful, constitutional and reasonable."

The announcement of the arrest warrants comes after Hong Kong disqualified 12 pro-democracy candidates from standing in now postponed legislative elections, including pro-democray leader Joshua Wong.

On Friday the Hong Kong government announced the poll, that was set to take place in September, would be delayed for one year citing concerns over the city's continuing coronavirus outbreak. However, activists have claimed the government is using the pandemic as an excuse to postpone the election to avoid a potential loss.

In recent weeks, several countries have suspended their extradition treaties with Hong Kong, including the United Kingdom and Australia. On Friday, Germany joined that list following the city's decision to postpone elections, according to German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas.

Who are the wanted activists?

Law, the former lawmaker and democracy activist who was a leader of the 2014 Umbrella Movement, said on his Facebook page, "I have no idea what is my 'crime' and I don't think that's even important. These are trumped-up charges. Perhaps, in the end, the answer is that I love Hong Kong too much."

Law fled Hong Kong for London shortly the national security law came into effect, saying he left for his safety but pledged to continue to fight for the territory's democratic future. He was elected as a lawmaker in 2016, but was disqualified from office by Hong Kong courts after Beijing enacted a rarely-used power to "reinterpret" the city's constitution.

Law said that since leaving Hong Kong he has had to "sever" his relationship with his family.

"I was prepared when I left Hong Kong to be in exile; but this becoming a reality still disappoints, incapacitates, and frightens me. Indeed who can enjoy freedom from fear in the face of China's powerful political machine?" he said on social media. "What we can choose is how to respond to this fear: For me, it's with action."

Other activists targeted include Simon Cheng, a former employee of the British consulate in Hong Kong who was granted asylum in the United Kingdom after alleging that he was tortured in China and interrogated by secret police about the city's pro-democracy protests, and Hong Kong pro-independence activists Ray Wong, Honcques Laus and Wayne Chan.

Wong, who was granted asylum in Germany in 2018, said on his official Twitter account that he "no longer advocate(s)" for Hong Kong's independence from mainland China and has not said anything relating to independence since the implementation of the national security law on July 1.

Wong accused the Hong Kong government of applying the law retroactively, saying "The only reason why I was sought for 'incitement to secession and collusion with foreign forces ' must be based on my activities before the NSL is in force."

The city's leader Lam and other Hong Kong officials have repeatedly said the law will "have no retrospective effect."

Laus, who said in a Facebook post that he is in the UK, called the arrest warrant "political persecution" and said he will "continue to express my political opinion freely." He called on the international community to "impose sanctions" on the Hong Kong and Chinese governments, including Chinese President Xi Jinping.

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Celtics' Marcus Smart - Refs overturned call so Giannis Antetokounmpo wouldn't foul out - ESPN

11:27 PM ET

• 

  Tim BontempsESPN

Celtics guard Marcus Smart said that the referees gave him an "excuse" in explaining their decision to overturn a charge call against reigning NBA MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo in the closing minutes of Boston's 119-112 loss to the Milwaukee Bucks on Friday night, a call that would have caused Antetokounmpo to foul out of the game.

"Wish we got a better one," Smart said when asked if he'd received an explanation for the call. "The excuse was I was late on drawing the charge.

"Quite frankly, I think we all know what that was about. It was Giannis' sixth foul. [They] didn't want to get him out. Let's just call that spade a spade."

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The play, which came at the 1-minute, 28-second mark of the fourth quarter, would have given the ball back to the Celtics with the score tied at 107. It also would have sent Antetokounmpo to the bench for the rest of the game. Instead, he was given a basket when the call was changed to a block -- a basket that came after Antetokounmpo made a dribble move to fake out Jayson Tatum, then did a Eurostep to get into the lane and to the basket.

After Antetokounmpo made the free throw, Jaylen Brown missed a 3-pointer on Boston's ensuing possession and Khris Middleton answered with a made 3 of his own, giving Milwaukee a 113-107 lead it wouldn't relinquish the rest of the way in Lake Buena Vista, Florida.

Antetokounmpo said he felt Smart was moving on the play.

"First of all, that's his opinion. But at the end of the day, when I had the conversation with him, I respect him as a player," Antetokounmpo said of Smart afterward.

"I think he's a great player. One thing I respect about him is that he's the first guy on the floor, he trusts his teammates, he plays hard, he guards the best player. So, that's what I told him at the end of the game. I said, 'I respect you, I respect you play hard and I just play hard.' There's nothing more to that. I'm not coming at you, that's not my personality. I just try to stay focused, try to help my team win, and I know that he's going to try to talk all the time and get me out of my game, and I respect that he's doing that because he's trying to get me out of my game. I understand. When I sit down and I calm down, I look back and I understand what he's trying to do."

Antetokounmpo, already one of the most physical and difficult players in the league to officiate, finished with 36 points, 15 rebounds and 7 assists. He repeatedly forced the officials to make calls, or not, in the final few minutes.

One minute before the charge that was overturned, Smart wanted a push-off to be called on Antetokounmpo as he drove to the rim for a layup that put the Bucks up 107-105. It was just one of many physical moments between Antetokounmpo and Smart, a likely All-Defensive Team selection, throughout a physical and competitive game that saw the teams combine to shoot 68 free throws and be called for 54 fouls.

Then, after the charge was overturned, there was a review to see if Antetokounmpo had committed a hostile act after he ran into Celtics center Daniel Theis on Milwaukee's next defensive possession. After the review, it was determined that he did not.

"They just said [Theis] didn't get hit in the stomach," Celtics coach Brad Stevens said. "They said they could not call a personal foul, so that must be when you go to the review to see if it's a hostile act, I guess you can't call a personal foul. That was what they told me. So we moved on."

Referee James Capers told a pool reporter after the game that Antetokounmpo was in a normal defensive stance and touched the belt line of Theis.

"It was not in the groin area, and therefore there was no illegal act on the play," Capers said.

Antetokounmpo then came back down and scored his last points of the night on an and-1 layup in the lane over Theis to ice the game for the Bucks, capping off a dominant individual performance that helped Milwaukee survive without starting point guard Eric Bledsoe and key reserve Pat Connaughton, both of whom remain out as they recover from COVID-19.

Boston, meanwhile, got a dreadful 2-for-18 performance from Tatum, with one of his makes coming when Antetokounmpo actually tipped the ball into the basket himself. Guard Kemba Walker scored 16 points in 19 minutes as he was limited in his return from a sore left knee.

The Bucks, though, were happy to see their star make it through the game and pick up the win.

"Yeah, I mean, I'm human," Bucks coach Mike Budenholzer said with a smile, when asked if he'd been worried Antetokounmpo would foul out.

"There's so many things happening on the court and I thought it was a good job of officiating to blow the whistle, no call and just try and go and discern what had happened and nothing had happened. And then the block/charge, those are tough calls. I think that's one of the great things about replay and actually had a huge impact. We're fortunate that both of those situations, I guess, correctly were officiated and reviewed."

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Rob Manfred warns of MLB shutdown if coronavirus spread can't be contained - New York Post

Commissioner Rob Manfred reached out Friday to union executive director Tony Clark to urge that a redoubling of efforts to adhere to COVID-19 safety and health protocols is necessary or shutting down the season could become a strong possibility.

ESPN originally reported the conversation and multiple sources confirmed it for The Post.

The call between the two leaders came with 20 percent of the teams not playing Friday for COVID-19-related reasons, just a week after the regular season began. As one management person said of the need to reassert that the season is in peril without improvement, “It is not earth shattering.”

The Marlins, Phillies, Blue Jays and Nationals already were not playing through the weekend, then Friday it was revealed that two Cardinal players had tested positive, leading to the postponement of at least Friday’s St. Louis game at Milwaukee.

MLB and the players association released the latest batch of test results Friday and there were 29 positives out of 11,895 samples and the Marlins were responsible for 21, including 18 of the 20 players who tested positive. MLB has not released a reason why it believes the Marlins suffered this kind of infestation, but within the game it has circulated that the leadership of the team and players were not diligent about the health and safety protocols, especially on a trip to Atlanta for two exhibition games before heading to Philadelphia to open the season.

The fury directed at the Marlins within the game is palpable, with the hope that their problems serve as a mandate to others about the need for discipline over the next few months when it comes to not only avoid going to public places on the road, but following protocols, for example, about high-fiving and spitting during games that are being regularly ignored.

Rob ManfredMLB Photos via Getty Images

One veteran player agent told The Post, “I believe we need stricter regulation to prevent the 10 percent of the players and teams, such as the entire Marlins organization, from taking baseball down. I think they should suspend the Marlins from 2020 and go with 29 teams. Most of the players and staff, and their families, are making big sacrifices to make this work. The ones that are not should sit out and let the more dedicated ones play. They don’t have the mental discipline for this. If playing golf and going out to eat is more important, then opt out. If wearing a mask is such an infringement of their rights, then opt out. If your political leanings are more important than your job, then opt out.”

Powerful player representative Scott Boras recommended that each team have COVID-19 “marshals” to help educate and enforce protocols since managers and coaches are so invested in the game. In a directive this week, MLB asked each team to install a compliance officer to compel rules to be followed.

“We need the marshals to help players know what has to be done away and at the ballpark,” Boras said. “They need to be writing down protocol violations like you are sitting too close during games and then make the players aware of it.”

Boras actually was encouraged that even players who have contracted the virus have had good outcomes, he believes, because they are in a young, healthy demographic.

He added, “The bottom line is we have 900 major leaguers and 880 have illustrated they are good playing after a week. You have 18 from one team that had problems. You see with the other 29 clubs how well the protocols are working.”

Boras also stated the protocols are working well enough that MLB should extend the season into November to allow teams to make up lost games to protect the integrity of the schedule and, more importantly, to better allow pitchers to prepare their bodies. Boras is worried that a shortened second spring has led to a rash of pitching injuries in the first week of the season and that slowing down and keeping the rosters at 30 players all year would work as a protective device. MLB is mulling a union request to have rosters stay at 30 players beyond the mandated first two weeks of the season.

For now, though, the strongest threat to the viability of the season is the virus. MLB continues to await test results from the Phillies (who played the Marlins last week) and the Cardinals to see if the spread is worse than was known Friday. It is in Manfred’s power to suspend or end the season at any point. He was not there yet as of Friday, but decided he needed at a fragile moment for the season to ask for further dedication to the health protocols while recognizing the “or else” that is in play if MLB cannot keep the virus from spreading wide within teams.

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Positive COVID-19 tests prompt postponement of Cardinals game - KMOV.com

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1. Positive COVID-19 tests prompt postponement of Cardinals game  KMOV.com
2. MLB calls off Cardinals-Brewers game due to positive coronavirus tests  ESPN
3. Cardinals in quarantine at Pfister Hotel  WISN 12 News
4. Reports: Brewers home opener against Cardinals postponed due to positive COVID-19 tests  WDJT
5. Twins examine protocols after two Cardinals test positive for COVID-19  Minneapolis Star Tribune
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Eurozone GDP drops 12.1% in record pandemic plunge - DW (English)

The coronavirus pandemic caused the largest GDP drop ever recorded for the 19 EU countries using the euro as currency, according to estimates. The eurozone economy has shrunk by over 12%, with Spain bearing the brunt.

The eurozone's economy took an unprecedented hit due to coronavirus pandemic, with the bloc's GDP contracting by 12.1% in the second quarter of 2020, EU officials said in preliminary estimates published on Friday.

Only 19 out of EU's 27 member states use the euro as currency. The hit was slightly milder for European Union as a whole with a contraction of 11.9%.

Unprecedented consequences for all of Europe

The pandemic had the largest impact on Spain, the EU's fourth-largest economy, which saw its GDP plunge by 18.5%. 

Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez was set to meet leaders of the country's regions later on Friday to discuss rebuilding the economy and distributing EU recovery funds. The latest numbers put Spain in an official recession, as the first quarter of 2020 also saw a 5.2% contraction.

Portugal's GDP slumped 14.1%. France shed 13.8% of its GDP, and Italy saw a decrease of 12.4%.

EU Economy Commissioner Paolo Gentiloni said "all European countries" suffered unprecedented consequences.

Read more: Opinion: Germany's economy can't count on bouncing back fast

Hard part to 'start about now'

Commenting on the EU figures, senior economist at the Frankfurt-based ING bank Bert Colijin warned that the drop "doesn't tell us that much about the general state of the economy" due to the unusual cirumstances.

"It is a shocking drop, but completely understandable as the economy was shut down for a considerable period during the quarter," he told the AFP news agency. "The hard part of this recovery is set to start about now."

The EU's Eurostat office, however, warned that its sources were still "incomplete and subject to further revisions."

The pandemic's impact in April, May, and June was worse for the EU than the United States, which reported a 9.5% drop. However, Europe also faced the coronavirus escalation several weeks before North America.

Germany announced on Thursday its largest drop in GDP since it began keeping quarterly records in 1970. The EU powerhouse said its economy shrank by 10.1%, compared to 5.7% in the aftermath of the 2009 crisis. Germany alone is responsible for generating almost a quarter of the EU GDP.

dj/sms (Reutes, AFP, DPA, AP)

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Knucklehead who thinks washing cash will kill COVID-19 wrecks at least $19K - New York Post

A South Korean resident put a whole new spin on “money laundering” by tossing cash into a literal washing machine — in order to clean off potential coronavirus germs.

The person, identified only by the surname Eom, damaged at least 23 million won ($19,320) near Seoul earlier this year, then contacted the Bank of Korea to ask if it could be exchanged for new bills, the bank said in a statement.

It is unclear exactly how much money was damaged but the bank said it returned 507 of the damaged 50,000-won ($42) bills at half value. Bank rep Seo Jee Woun said the total amount of moolah lost during the sudsy snafu was “considerable.”

Under the bank’s policy, it will provide new cash at face value if damage is minimal, and half value — or not at all — damage is significant.

Earlier this year, a different person with the surname Kim, damaged cash in a microwave during an attempt to zap away coronavirus germs. The bank exchanged Kim’s damaged money with $4,370 in new bills, Seo said.

With Post wires

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Hong Kong 'issues arrest warrants' for exiled democracy activists - Al Jazeera English

Police in Hong Kong have ordered the arrest of several pro-democracy activists living in exile on suspicion of violating a China-imposed national security law, according to Chinese state media.

CCTV said late on Friday that the six are wanted on suspicion of secession or colluding with foreign forces, crimes that the new law punishes with up to life in prison.

It named them as Nathan Law, Wayne Chan Ka-kui, Honcques Laus, Simon Cheng and Ray Wong Toi-yeung. Samuel Chu, an American citizen living in the United States, was also on the list.

Hong Kong police declined to comment. But if confirmed, it would be the first time that the city's police have used the extraterritorial power in the new law to go after activists who are not in the semi-autonomous Chinese territory. 

Chu, speaking to Al Jazeera from the US city of Los Angeles, described warrant for his arrest as "outrageous" and said it showed "how desperate and how scared" China is of international pressure. 

"It's such an outlandish claim that they somehow have jurisdiction over an American citizen lobbying the American government," said Chu, who runs the Washington DC-based advocacy group, Hong Kong Democracy Council. 

"The kind of global bullying and censorship, not only of citizens of other countries, but businesses … its starting to create a united front line, globally, pushing back," Chu said, adding: "Today's move, particularly, shows they are scared of losing control. They know that if Hong Kong can continue to be a place of resistance, it threatens their control all over the mainland."

Nathan Law, a former Hong Kong legislator who is currently in the United Kingdom, called the charges "trumped-up" and said his only crime was that he "loves Hong Kong "too much". 

He said on Facebook the "wanted bulletins", recent arrests, and mass disqualifications of pro-democracy activists from a now-delayed election are "indications of our need to remain active on the global stage".

"That Hong Kong has no place for even such moderate views like ours underscores the absurdity of Chinese Communist rule."

China imposed the contentious law on its freest city on June 30, circumventing the local legislature, in a move condemned by some Western governments, rights groups and activists in the territory.

Several countries have since suspended their extradition treaties with Hong Kong, including UK, Australia, and most recently Germany, as a possible safeguard against attempts to use the national security laws to round up activists abroad.

"We have repeatedly made our expectation clear that China lives up to its legal responsibilities under international law," German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas said on Friday just after Hong Kong leader Carrie Lam postponed the city's legislative election by a year.

Several countries have also offered the people of Hong Kong an expedited path to full citizenship

Critics of the law fear it will crush freedoms in a city that is a world financial hub, prompting some to flee overseas. But supporters say the security legislation is needed to restore stability and order to the former British colony after a year of sometimes violent anti-government protests.

In just a month since the new security law came into effect, a dozen leading pro-democracy campaigners have been disqualified from running in legislative elections and four students have been arrested on suspicion of "inciting succession" with social media posts.

SOURCE: Al Jazeera and news agencies

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Antonio Brown: I look forward to new beginnings - NBC Sports - NFL

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Antonio Brown will not appeal his eight-game suspension. He will serve it and then plans (hopes?) to play the final eight games.

With who? Who knows.

The free agent receiver responded Friday night to news from the NFL earlier in the day.

“I look forward to new beginnings,” Brown wrote on Instagram. “I want to be the best version of myself on and off the field, and I will do my best to be a great teammate. I appreciate the NFL giving me the opportunity to continue to work on myself and improve.

“I am thankful and grateful for this opportunity to play a game that I truly love and I look forward to joining a new team soon. Thank you to my family and all those that have supported me. I will show the fans my appreciation for this second chance by having the best season of my career. #AB2.0 #Himmothy”

Brown has not played since Sept. 15, the only game he played for the Patriots and the only game he played last season. So when he returns, assuming someone will give him a chance, Brown will not have played a game in more than a year.

The league still could extend Brown’s suspension if further violations are found related to an ongoing civil suit in Florida.

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US and Europe report record GDP declines due to coronavirus | DW News - DW News

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1. US and Europe report record GDP declines due to coronavirus | DW News  DW News
2. Euro zone GDP plunged by a record 12.1% in the second quarter  CNBC
3. Eurozone suffers deepest contraction on record  BBC News
4. US cannot have real economic recovery as long as pandemic continues: Global Times editorial  Global Times
5. Germany's economy fared worse than the US economy, but Trump-hating journalists are mangling numbers to convince you otherwise  Washington Examiner
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House Democrats 'alarmed' by allegations about US diplomat in Brazil | TheHill - The Hill

Democrats on the House Foreign Affairs Committee say they are "extremely alarmed" by reports out of Brazil that the U.S. ambassador in the country framed trade negotiations as being beneficial to reelecting President TrumpDonald John TrumpTrump campaign cancels ad buys to review messaging strategy: report Nunes declines to answer if he received information from Ukraine lawmaker meant to damage Biden Poll: Plurality of 'Gen Z' voters say they see more political ads from Trump than Biden MORE, according to a report by The New York Times.

News media in Brazil have reported that U.S. ambassador Todd Chapman told officials in the country it would give a boost to Trump's reelection chances if the two nations were able to reach a deal on lifting ethanol tariffs. Brazil currently has tariffs on the key export from Iowa, a swing-state that will be crucial in November as polls already show a tight race. 

The State Department has asserted in a statement to the Times that the allegation "Chapman has asked Brazilians to support a specific U.S. candidate are false," and that the US will keep working to reduce the tariffs.

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But Democrats are reportedly worried Chapman's actions violate the Hatch Act, which bars federal employees from making partisan remarks that could influence an election while using their official title.

According to the Times, House Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Eliot EngelEliot Lance EngelSherman joins race for House Foreign Affairs gavel Castro launches bid for House Foreign Affairs gavel The Hill's Morning Report - Presented by Facebook - Trump, GOP senators at odds over next stimulus bill MORE (D-N.Y.) sent a letter to Chapman on Friday asking that he turn over “any and all documents referring or related to any discussions” with Brazil about the tariffs. Engel also said the committee would open an inquiry into the issue and reports.

“These statements are completely inappropriate for a U.S. ambassador to make,” Engel reportedly wrote in the letter.

The New York Times highlights reports from The O Globo newspaper and its competitor Estadão, which cite multiple sources claiming Chapman has brought up Trump's reelection in negotiations, suggesting it's beneficial to Brazil for Trump to remain in office. 

According to the Times, the reports about Chapman do not say he explicitly asked for help for the Trump campaign, but tied ethanol trade to the election. 

The allegations come as the U.S. scrambles to negotiate an end to ethanol tariffs as a key framework is set to expire next month, and it's possible a 20 percent tax on all ethanol imports to Brazil could be implemented. Such a tax would hurt the industry in the U.S. as it is already dealing with the fallout from the coronavirus pandemic.

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Clayton: Seahawks have less options with Antonio Brown suspended, opt-out trend - 710 ESPN Seattle

Free-agent WR Antonio Brown was handed an eight-game suspension by the NFL. (Getty)

Antonio Brown got what he asked for.

A couple days after tweeted out his third NFL retirement in a year, he came back and tweeted he wanted the NFL to decide his fate. The NFL responded Friday by announcing Brown is being suspended for at least eight games.

Hawks’ secondary isn’t a new LOB, but it’s coming together the same way

It could get worse. Brown was suspended after pleading to two counts of assaulting a moving van driver and for a lawsuit by an artist he hired over alleged intimidating text messages. Where it could get worse is that the league still is investigating a lawsuit involving his former trainer, who has accused Brown of sexual assault on three separate occasions.

Safe to say, that should end the Seahawks’ interest in signing him, something Russell Wilson has been pushing. The suspension would start the first week of the season. He wouldn’t be allowed to be with the team during the suspension, meaning he would only be available for the final eight games.

If he signs with the Seahawks, he would only be present for the three-week training period and be part of 14 padded practices. It isn’t worth it. Early word, by the way, is that Brown isn’t expected to challenge the suspension.

As good as Brown is as a talent, I’ve felt it wasn’t worth the headache of having him on the roster. There wouldn’t be enough passes in Seattle’s offense to keep Brown happy. Plus, Tyler Lockett and DK Metcalf were voted in the NFL Networks’ Top 100 list. Thanks to the trade into the bottom of the second round in the 2019 NFL Draft to get Metcalf, the Seahawks have one of the best one-two duos in football.

On top of that, the Seahawks have the 4.3 speed of Phillip Dorsett, as well as David Moore and John Ursua. And if Josh Gordon comes off suspension, he could be re-signed. Though Gordon isn’t as talented as Brown, but he would be a better fit.

Now you wonder if Brown will tweet out another retirement.

Opt-out trend impacts Seahawks

While the Seahawks await the results of COVID-19 testing for training camp, there is plenty going on. The NFL and NFLPA are finalizing the final details of opt outs. Once that is complete, players will have seven days to decide if they want to play this year and have their contracts rolled to next year.

The big trend in the opt outs is that offensive linemen and defensive tackles are most of the players doing so. That’s understandable.

This does affect the Seahawks, who are looking for a veteran backup defensive tackle who can stop the run. Nine of the first 33 players to opt out are defensive tackles. While the Seahawks have been great in finding backup defensive tackles in the past, the price might be a little steeper than it was a week ago.

Eddie Goldman of the Chicago Bears, Star Lotulelei of the Buffalo Bills and Michael Pierce of the Minnesota Vikings decided not to play this season, so those teams will be looking for starters. Damon Harrison, Tim Jernigan and Mike Daniels are the best defensive tackles available. Harrison, however, is considering not playing this year because of the virus.

Follow 710 ESPN Seattle’s John Clayton on Twitter.

Also from John: Observations as Seahawks, NFL readying for camp

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CELTICS at BUCKS | FULL GAME HIGHLIGHTS | July 31, 2020 - NBA

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1. CELTICS at BUCKS | FULL GAME HIGHLIGHTS | July 31, 2020  NBA
2. How to beat the Bucks - Three ways to topple this juggernaut  ESPN
3. Celtics vs. Bucks score, takeaways: Giannis Antetokounmpo gets Milwaukee off to a good start in Orlando  CBSSports.com
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Despite Historic Plunge, Europe’s Economy Flashes Signs of Recovery - The New York Times

LONDON — Before the pandemic, a traditional state of play prevailed in the enormous economies on the opposite sides of the Atlantic. Europe — full of older people, and rife with bickering over policy — appeared stagnant. The United States, ruled by innovation and risk-taking, seemed set to grow faster.

But that alignment has been reordered by contrasting approaches to a terrifying global crisis. Europe has generally gotten a handle on the spread of the coronavirus, enabling many economies to reopen while protecting workers whose livelihoods have been menaced. The United States has become a symbol of fecklessness and discord in the face of a grave emergency, yielding deepening worries about the fate of jobs and sustenance.

On Friday, Europe released economic numbers that on their face were terrible. The 19 nations that share the euro currency contracted by 12.1 percent from April to June from the previous quarter — the sharpest decline since 1995, when the data was first collected. Spain fell by a staggering 18.5 percent, and France, one of the eurozone’s largest economies, declined 13.8 percent. Italy shrunk by 12.4 percent.

Eurozone G.D.P.

+2%

0

-2

-4

-6

-8

-10

–12.1%

Percentage change from previous quarter

-12

2008

2010

2012

2014

2016

2018

2020

Eurozone G.D.P.

+2%

0

-2

-4

-6

-8

-10

-12

–12.1%

Percentage change from previous quarter

-14

2008

2010

2012

2014

2016

2018

2020

Note: Adjusted for inflation and seasonality.

Source: Eurostat

By The New York Times

Europe appeared even worse than the United States, which the day before recorded the single-worst three-month stretch in its history, tumbling by 9.5 percent in the second quarter.

But beneath the headline figures, Europe flashed promising signs of strength.

Germany saw a drop in the numbers of unemployed, surveys found evidence of growing confidence amid an expansion in factory production, while the euro continued to strengthen against the dollar as investment flowed into European markets — signs of improving sentiment.

These contrasting fortunes underscored a central truth of a pandemic that has killed more than 670,000 people worldwide: The most significant cause of the economic pain is the virus itself. Governments that have more adeptly controlled its spread have commanded greater confidence from their citizens and investors, putting their economies in better position to recuperate from the worst global downturn since the Great Depression.

“There is no economic recovery without a controlled health situation,” said Ángel Talavera, lead eurozone economist at Oxford Economics in London. “It’s not a choice between the two.”

Shoppers on London’s busiest shopping street, Oxford Street. Consumer spending in Europe has shown signs of improvement.Credit...Andrew Testa for The New York Times

European confidence has been bolstered by a groundbreaking agreement struck in July within the European Union to sell 750 million euro ($892 million) worth of bonds that are backed collectively by its members. Those funds will be deployed to the hardest hit countries like Italy and Spain.

The deal transcended years of opposition from parsimonious northern European countries like Germany and the Netherlands against issuing common debt. They have balked at putting their taxpayers on the line to bail out southern neighbors like Greece while indulging in crude stereotypes of Mediterranean profligacy. The animosity perpetuated the sense that Europe was a union in name only — a critique that has been muted.

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The United States has spent more than Europe on programs to limit the economic damage of the pandemic. But much of the spending has benefited investors, spurring a substantial recovery in the stock market. Emergency unemployment benefits have proved crucial, enabling tens of millions of jobless Americans to pay rent and buy groceries. But they were set to expire on Friday and there were few signs that Congress would extend them.

Europe’s experience has underscored the virtues of its more generous social welfare programs, including national health care systems.

Americans feel compelled to go to work, even at dangerous places like meatpacking plants, and even when they are ill, because many lack paid sick leave. Yet they also feel pressure to avoid shops, restaurants and other crowded places of business because millions lack health insurance, making hospitalization a financial catastrophe.

People waiting for assistance filing unemployment insurance claims in Tulsa, Okla. Emergency unemployment benefits were set to expire on Friday.Credit...Joseph Rushmore for The New York Times

“Europe has really benefited from having this system that is more heavily dominated by welfare systems than the U.S.,” said Kjersti Haugland, chief economist at DNB Markets, an investment bank in Oslo. “It keeps people less fearful.”

The more promising situation in Europe is neither certain nor comprehensive. Spain remains a grave concern, with the virus spreading, threatening lives and livelihoods. Italy has emerged from the grim calculus of mass death to the chronic condition of persistent economic troubles. Britain’s tragic mishandling of the pandemic has shaken faith in the government.

If short-term factors look more beneficial to European economies, longer-term forces may favor the United States, with its younger population and greater productivity.

A sense of European-American rivalry has been provoked by the bombast of a nationalist American president, making the pandemic a morbid opportunity to keep score.

“There is a certain amount of triumphalism,” said Peter Dixon, a global financial economist at Commerzbank in London. “People are saying, ‘Our economy has survived, we are doing OK.’ There’s a certain amount of European schadenfreude, if I can use that word, given everything that Trump has said about the U.S.”

People waited in line for social coupons for food in Barcelona in March. Spain’s economy fell by a staggering 18.5 percent in the April-to-June quarter.Credit...Samuel Aranda for The New York Times

But for now, Europe’s moment of confidence is palpable, most prominently in Germany, the continent’s largest economy.

Though the German economy shrank by 10.1 percent from March to June — its worst drop in at least half a century — the number of officially jobless people fell in July, in part because of government programs that have subsidized furloughed workers.

Surveys show that German managers — not a group inclined toward sunny optimism — have seen expectations for future sales return to nearly pre-virus levels. That buoyancy translates directly into growth, emboldening companies to rehire furloughed workers.

Ziehl-Abegg, a maker of ventilation systems for hospitals, factories and large buildings, recently broke ground on a 16 million euro ($19 million) expansion at a factory in southern Germany.

“If we wait to invest until the market recovers, that’s too late,” said Peter Fenkl, the company’s chief executive. “There are billions of dollars in the market ready to be invested and just waiting for the signal to kick off.”

The euro has gained more than 5 percent against the dollar so far this year, according to FactSet. European markets have been lifted by international money flowing into so-called exchange-traded funds that purchase European stocks. The Stoxx 600, an index made up of companies in 17 European countries, appears set for a second straight month of gains outpacing the S&P 500.

A shoe store in Berlin. Surveys have found evidence of growing confidence amid an expansion in factory production.Credit...Lena Mucha for The New York Times

The French oil giant Total saw demand for its products in Europe drop by nearly one third in the second quarter of the year, but a powerful recovery has been gaining momentum, said the company’s chairman and chief executive, Patrick Pouyanné.

“Since June, we have seen a rebound here in Europe,” he said during a call with analysts. “Activity in our marketing networks is back to, I would say, 90 percent of the pre-Covid levels.”

France, Europe’s second largest economy, has been buttressed by aggressive government spending. President Emmanuel Macron has mobilized more than 400 billion euros ($476 billion) in emergency aid and loan guarantees since the start of the crisis, and is preparing an autumn package worth another 100 billion euros.

Those funds paid businesses not to lay off workers, allowing more than 14 million employees to go on paid furlough, stay in their homes, accumulate modest savings and continue spending. Delayed deadlines for business taxes and loan payments spared companies from collapse.

In the second quarter, when France was still partially locked down, the country’s economy contracted by nearly 14 percent. Tourism, retail and manufacturing, the main pillars of the economy, ground to a halt.

But services, industrial activity and consumer spending have all shown signs of improvement. The Banque de France, which originally expected the economy to shrink more than 10 percent this year, recently forecast less damage.

Parisians enjoying lunch and the outdoors in late July. France’s economy has been buttressed by aggressive government spending.Credit...Christophe Archambault/Agence France-Presse — Getty Images

In Spain, a sense of recovery remains distant. Its economy shrunk by nearly 19 percent from April to June. The nation’s unemployment rate exceeds 15 percent, and could surge higher if a wage subsidy program for furloughed workers is allowed to expire in September.

Spain officially ended its coronavirus state of emergency on June 21, but has since suffered an increase in infections. The economic impacts have been compounded by Britain’s decision to force travelers returning from Spain to quarantine for two weeks. Tourism accounts for 12 percent of Spain’s economy.

Italy is also highly exposed to tourism. Its industry is concentrated in the north of the country, which saw the worst of coronavirus. The central bank expects the Italian economy to contract by nearly 10 percent this year.

But exports surged more than one-third in May compared with the previous month. That left them below pre-pandemic levels, yet on par with German and American competitors, according to Confindustria, an Italian trade association.

A beach on Lampedusa, the largest of the Italian Pelagie Islands. Italy has faced persistent economic troubles. Credit...Alberto Pizzoli/Agence France-Presse — Getty Images

“We are starting to slowly recover after the most violent downfall in the last 70 years,” said Francesco Daveri, an economist at Bocconi University in Milan.

Europe’s fortunes appear on the mend because its people are more likely to trust their governments.

Denmark acted early, imposing a strict lockdown while paying wage subsidies that limited unemployment. Denmark suffered far fewer deaths per capita than the United States and Britain.

With the virus largely controlled, Denmark lifted restrictions earlier, while Danes heeded the call to resume commercial life. The Danish economy is expected to contract by 5.25 percent this year, according to the European Commission, with a substantial improvement in the second half of the year.

In the United States, people have wearied of bewildering and conflicting advice from on high against a backdrop of more than 150,000 deaths.

President Trump first called the virus a hoax, then treated it as an emergency befitting wartime mobilization, then urged states to reopen to spur the economy. He encouraged protesters who portrayed wearing masks as an affront to civil liberties.

A shopping center in Copenhagen, Denmark. The country imposed a strict lockdown early in the pandemic while paying wage subsidies that limited unemployment. Credit...Ritzau Scanpix/via Reuters

The result has been record surges of new cases along with a syndrome likely to persist — an aversion to being near other people. That spells leaner prospects for retail, hotels, restaurants and other job-rich areas of the American economy.

Liz Alderman reported from Paris. Emma Bubola contributed reporting from Milan, Raphael Minder from Madrid and Stanley Reed and Eshe Nelson from London.

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World Health Organization reports largest single-day increase in coronavirus cases across globe - CNBC

Emergency Medical Technicians (EMT) leave with a patient at Hialeah Hospital where the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) patients are treated, in Hialeah, Florida, July 29, 2020.

Marco Bello | Reuters

Almost 300,000 new coronavirus cases were reported to the World Health Organization over the last 24 hours, marking the largest single-day increase ever, the agency said Friday.

More than half the 292,527 new cases reported on Thursday came from the Americas, which had 171,946 cases, according to data from the WHO. Southeast Asia reported the second-highest number of cases, with 60,113 reported infections, followed by Europe, with 25,241, according to the WHO.

Globally, the virus has infected more than 17 million people and killed at least 668,910 since it emerged almost seven months ago, according to the WHO data. 

The U.S. has the worst outbreak in the world, with more than 4 million cases and at least 152,075 deaths, according to data compiled by Johns Hopkins University. On Thursday, new coronavirus cases in the U.S. jumped by more than 67,000, a day after topping 70,000 for the first time in almost a week, Hopkins data shows. 

Last week, WHO officials warned there is no going back to the "old normal" as the coronavirus pandemic accelerates in the United States and poorer, developing countries.

"It's completely understandable that people want to get on with their lives, but we will not be going back to the old normal," WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said during a news conference from the agency's Geneva headquarters on July 23. 

Even though cases are high in the U.S. and other parts of the world, there's still a chance to bring the virus under control, they said. 

The WHO recommends that people wear masks as a way to slow the spread of the virus. Scientists say the virus can spread through respiratory droplets that pass when an infected person coughs or sneezes. Studies suggest the masks may serve as a helpful barrier to spreading infection. 

The agency also recommends people wash their hands regularly, maintain their distance from others and avoid going to crowded places. If you have a fever, cough and difficulty breathing, seek medical attention, but call by telephone in advance if possible and follow the directions of your local health authority, the WHO said.

Earlier in the day, Dr. Anthony Fauci, the nation's top infectious disease expert, said the coronavirus is so contagious it likely won't ever completely go away.

"I do not believe it would disappear, because it's such a highly transmissible virus," Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, told a House select subcommittee hearing on containing the coronavirus outbreak. However, Fauci has previously said it's possible world leaders and public health officials could work to bring the pandemic down to "low levels." 

This is a developing story. Please check back for updates. 

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