PHILADELPHIA — Saquon Barkley and Xavier McKinney gave their coronary heart and soul to the New York Giants of their mixed 10 seasons collectively. Barkley was the heart beat of the offense, whereas McKinney was arguably the identical on protection. 

It was onerous to say the Giants with out mentioning Barkley or McKinney. These days aren’t any extra. 

Barkley signed with the Philadelphia Eagles this offseason to finish among the finest offenses within the NFL. McKinney signed with the Inexperienced Bay Packers to be one of many key items of a revamped secondary. 

The Eagles needed each, however McKinney fell out of their value vary. Barkley and McKinney would have been teammates once more, but will face one another for the primary time in Friday’s season opener.

“I look ahead to taking part in in opposition to Xavier,” Barkley mentioned. “Not solely is he a terrific participant, however he is a terrific chief. Once we had been in New York, the best way that he led, the best way that he labored, he drives to be nice. I do know he is doing that over there.

“Comfortable for him. Comfortable he acquired the contract he needed to get. I am actually trying ahead to going in opposition to him.”

Barkley informed a enjoyable story about McKinney from their days with the Giants. When McKinney was a rookie popping out of Alabama, he was the recent shot decide with a first-round grade (McKinney was taken within the second spherical at No. 36 total). 

Already coming into his third 12 months, Barkley needed to present McKinney the league wasn’t going to be simple. 

“My declare to fame with Xavier is, I gave him his ‘welcome to the NFL’ second,” Barkley mentioned with a smile. “In follow, we ran a spot scheme play and I ran up the center and he thudded me up. I form of gotten the very best of him there. 

“That is most likely on the again of his thoughts. He most likely gonna attempt to get that again in opposition to me.”

The respect is mutual within the different locker room. McKinney is effectively conscious of the problem Barkley presents for his new group. 

“He is simply dynamic with the ball,” McKinney mentioned, by way of The Athletic. “He is just about all you need a again to do. You have seen him through the years, the issues that he is completed. When he has the ball in his fingers, even when he is working routes, he simply can do all of it. He is a particular again. One in every of one.”

Barkley and McKinney have exchanged textual content messages this offseason, remaining shut after their days with the Giants handed. Each gamers acquired the contracts they deserved this offseason, and wish to take their new groups to the following stage. 

“I am excited to point out the followers what we acquired,” Barkley mentioned. “We’re gonna get their greatest, so we gotta be prepared and execute the sport plan.”

“It’s a local weather of worry within the nation in the intervening time. We’re urging the federal government to make sure that all steps are taken consistent with worldwide human rights legislation with transparency and that steps are taken to resolve this dispute peacefully,” OHCHR spokesperson Ravina Shamdasani informed journalists in Geneva.

The alert is simply the most recent of many warnings from the UN, high impartial rights specialists and impartial investigators appointed by the Human Rights Council over the violent repression of dissenting voices within the South American nation.

“Persons are being detained for expressing their proper to political participation, for his or her freedom of expression, for freedom of meeting,” Ms. Shamdasani mentioned, a day after the authorities referred to as for the detention of Edmundo Gonzalez.

His marketing campaign proved unsuccessful in opposition to President Nicolas Maduro who was introduced the winner of the July election, a outcome contested by opposition supporters who’ve questioned the absence of voting numbers to again up the victory from official electoral authorities.

Polling outcome question

In response to information experiences, Mr. Gonzalez’s arrest adopted publication by his camp of granular polling knowledge indicating that he had received the election simply. He stands accused of quite a few crimes together with falsifying paperwork.

Though the UN human rights workplace doesn’t have a presence in Venezuela, Ms. Shamdasani famous that OHCHR nonetheless has had “contact” and “engagement” with the authorities in Caracas, amid road protests and on-line criticism following the election outcome, which returned Mr. Maduro to energy.

“We nonetheless put our considerations to them; we’re persevering with to induce…all events to resolve all electoral disputes by peaceable means and there must be a local weather the place there’s a full safety of the human rights of all people no matter their political affiliation,” Ms. Shamdasani insisted.

State-sponsored violence

In response to the Human Rights Council-appointed Reality-Discovering Mission on Venezuela, the election protests have been met with “fierce repression by the State, as directed by its highest authorities, inducing a local weather of widespread worry. The Mission has recorded 23 deaths, the overwhelming majority attributable to gunfire, between 28 July and eight August within the context of the protests. In 18 of those instances, the victims have been males below the age of 30.”

Echoing these considerations final month, the UN Excessive Commissioner for Human Rights, Volker Türk, famous that extra 2,400 individuals have been arrested in Venezuela since 29 July, following the Presidential elections.

“It’s particularly troubling that so many individuals are being detained, accused or charged both with incitement to hatred or below counterterrorism laws. Felony legislation mustn’t ever be used to restrict unduly the rights to freedom of expression, peaceable meeting and affiliation,” the Excessive Commissioner mentioned. 

Linda Solar, a former aide to New York Gov. Kathy Hochul, schemed to advance the pursuits of China whereas working in New York State authorities, federal prosecutors alleged in an indictment unsealed Tuesday.

The indictment costs Solar with failure to register as a overseas agent, visa fraud, alien smuggling and cash laundering conspiracy.

Her husband, Christopher Hu, allegedly facilitated the switch of thousands and thousands of {dollars} in kickbacks for private acquire, prosecutors mentioned.

Solar and Hu every pleaded not responsible throughout their arraignment in Brooklyn federal courtroom Tuesday afternoon. Solar appeared in a black pantsuit with a pink shirt, whereas her husband appeared in slacks and a pale gown shirt.

Whereas working for the Cuomo and Hochul administrations, Solar allegedly acted as an unregistered agent of China whereas her husband allegedly laundered the proceeds, enabling them to purchase a $3.6 million home in Manhasset and a $1.9 million condominium in Hawaii, prosecutors mentioned.

Solar allegedly blocked Taiwan representatives from entry to the governor, labored to stop conferences with Taiwanese officers and sought to “form the general public statements” the governor made on China, prosecutors mentioned.

“That is no strange monetary fraud,” Assistant U.S. Lawyer Alexander Solomon mentioned through the arraignment.

Prosecutors mentioned Solar and Hu operated greater than 80 completely different accounts and many of the proof is in Chinese language, together with a WeChat message during which Solar is quoted telling a Chinese language official, “I’ve executed many issues to make the connection … flourish.”

Solar was launched on a $1.5 million bond, and her husband was launched on a $500,000 bond. Underneath the phrases of her launch, Solar is to not have any contact with the Chinese language consulate. Their subsequent courtroom look has been scheduled for Sept. 25.

Solar and her husband had been arrested at their Lengthy Island house Tuesday morning, in keeping with federal prosecutors from the Japanese District of New York and the FBI. The FBI had searched the Manhasset house in July.

Solar was employed by the Government Chamber greater than a decade in the past, earlier than being fired final yr, in keeping with Avi Small, Hochul’s press secretary.

“We terminated her employment in March 2023 after discovering proof of misconduct, instantly reported her actions to legislation enforcement and have assisted legislation enforcement all through this course of,” Small mentioned in a press release to ABC Information.

Solar labored in state authorities for about 15 years earlier than she was fired final yr from her job as deputy commissioner for strategic enterprise improvement on the New York State Division of Labor. She beforehand served as Hochul’s deputy chief of workers and within the administration of former Gov. Andrew Cuomo.

The indictment alleges that, appearing on the request of Chinese language authorities officers and representatives of the Chinese language Communist Social gathering, Solar blocked Taiwanese authorities officers from gaining access to high-level New York State officers, modified New York State officers’ messaging about China and organized conferences for visiting delegations from the PRC authorities with New York State authorities officers.

In return for these and different actions, Solar allegedly acquired financial and different advantages from China, together with the facilitation of thousands and thousands of {dollars} in transactions for the China-based enterprise actions of Hu; journey advantages; tickets to occasions; promotion of an in depth household buddy’s enterprise; employment for Solar’s cousin within the PRC; and Nanjing-style salted geese ready by a PRC authorities official’s private chef that had been delivered to the residence of Solar’s mother and father, in keeping with the indictment.

“As alleged, whereas showing to serve the folks of New York as Deputy Chief of Employees throughout the New York State Government Chamber, the defendant and her husband really labored to additional the pursuits of the Chinese language authorities and the CCP,” United States Lawyer Breon Peace mentioned in a press release. “The illicit scheme enriched the defendant’s household to the tune of thousands and thousands of {dollars}.”

A “livid” Gov Hochul known as the allegations in opposition to Solar “brazen,” “surprising” and “a betrayal of belief” throughout an look on WNYC.

“The scope of what she was able to doing was surprising. I’m livid, outraged by this habits and we are going to let the method play out,” Hochul mentioned.

Hochul declined to disclose the character of her actions, saying, “It will likely be popping out in courtroom hearings.” She mentioned her administration reported the misconduct to the Justice Division.

“She primarily labored for Andrew Cuomo for a lot of extra years. She was with me simply a short while, about 15 months,” Hochul mentioned.

ATLANTA (AP) — A federal decide in Atlanta dominated Tuesday that Donald Trump and his marketing campaign should cease utilizing the music “Maintain On, I’m Coming” whereas the household of one of many music’s co-writers pursues a lawsuit towards the previous president over its use.

The property of Isaac Hayes Jr. filed a lawsuit final month alleging that Trump, his marketing campaign and a number of other of his allies had infringed its copyright and may pay damages. After a listening to on the property’s request for an emergency preliminary injunction, U.S. District Choose Thomas Thrash dominated that Trump should cease utilizing the music, however he denied a request to drive the marketing campaign to take down any present movies that embrace the music.

Hayes, who died in 2008 at age 65, and David Porter co-wrote “Maintain On, I’m Coming,” a 1966 hit for soul duo Sam and Dave.

Ronald Coleman, an lawyer for Trump and his marketing campaign informed reporters after the listening to that the marketing campaign had already agreed to not use the music going ahead: “The marketing campaign has no real interest in annoying or hurting anybody, and if the Hayes household feels that it hurts or annoys them, that’s high-quality, we’re not going to drive the difficulty.”

Coleman mentioned it was essential that the decide agreed that it might be overstepping his energy at this level within the litigation to order the marketing campaign to take down present movies.

Hayes’ son, Isaac Hayes III informed reporters he was “very grateful and blissful” for the decide’s determination.

“I need this to function a chance for different artists to come back ahead that don’t need their music utilized by Donald Trump or different political entities and proceed to battle for music artists’ rights and copyright,” he mentioned.

A string of artists and their heirs have objected to Trump utilizing their songs throughout his occasions. After a Trump marketing campaign rally in Bozeman, Montana, final month featured a video of Celine Dion performing “My Coronary heart Will Go On,” her crew put out an announcement saying the singer didn’t endorse that use of her music and saying “by no means is that this use approved.”

Forward of the 2020 election, Bruce Springsteen, Rihanna, Phil Collins, Pharrell, John Fogerty, Neil Younger, Eddy Grant, Panic! on the Disco, R.E.M. and Weapons N’ Roses all objected to Trump utilizing their songs.

When he discovered in 2022 that Trump had used “Maintain On, I’m Coming” at an NRA rally, Porter tweeted “Hell to the NO!” However Sam Moore, of Sam and Dave, had carried out “America the Stunning” at a pre-inauguration live performance for Trump and prompt in a sworn assertion filed with the courtroom over the weekend by Trump and his marketing campaign that he was against the motion sought by Hayes’ property.

Tuesday’s ruling was a preliminary one and the litigation stays ongoing.

The lawsuit filed by the property of Isaac Hayes Jr. and Isaac Hayes Enterprises says Hayes and Porter had been the homeowners of all rights to the music, together with the copyright, and that Isaac Hayes Enterprises is the present proprietor.

The lawsuit says Trump and his marketing campaign started utilizing the music in 2020 as “outro” music for his appearances and marketing campaign occasions and has used it a minimum of 133 instances since then. Common Music Group and Warner Chappell music, publishers contracted by Isaac Hayes Enterprises, despatched a cease-and-desist letter to the Trump marketing campaign in 2020, it says.

Trump and his marketing campaign by no means sought permission or consent from Hayes’ property or Isaac Hayes Enterprises till this 12 months and haven’t obtained a legitimate public efficiency license for it, the lawsuit says. The music’s use by Trump and his marketing campaign constitutes “false and/or deceptive” makes use of of Hayes’ “widely known movie star and legacy” and will deceive the general public into believing there’s an endorsement or enterprise relationship between the plaintiffs and Trump and his marketing campaign, the lawsuit says

The lawsuit says the plaintiffs have “incurred important financial damages” in consequence and argues that they need to get precise and punitive damages for every confirmed infringement.

Attorneys for Trump and his marketing campaign wrote in a submitting with the courtroom that the Hayes property and Isaac Hayes Enterprises, have failed to point out that they personal the copyright at difficulty and can’t present that they’ve suffered any hurt. The marketing campaign obtained a license from BMI Music in November 2022 authorizing it to make use of “Maintain On, I’m Coming,” the submitting says.

The truth that the music might be heard as background music in some marketing campaign movies is protected by the precept of honest use and “can not presumably impact the market worth of the Track,” Trump’s legal professionals wrote.

A sworn assertion from Trump marketing campaign deputy supervisor Justin Caporale submitted to the courtroom says that “out of respect for the pending litigation” the marketing campaign will not play the music at its occasions.

In his assertion filed with the courtroom, Moore mentioned Hayes’ property has made his biography and legacy the main focus of the litigation however that “Isaac’s shouldn’t be the one important biography and legacy concerned on this matter.” As one of many singers on “Maintain On, I’m Coming,” Moore mentioned that the general public associates his voice, identify and id with the music “a minimum of as a lot, if no more, than the identify of Isaac Hayes.”

Moore mentioned all licensing for the music is managed by Common Music Group Publishing.

Moore mentioned he fears that if the courtroom had been to grant the desires of Hayes’ property that he is perhaps prohibited from ever showing and performing the music at a Trump occasion throughout or after the election.

A former high aide to New York Gov. Kathy Hochul was arrested Tuesday on federal fees of performing as a undercover agent of the Chinese language authorities, authorities stated.

Linda Solar, 41, is accused of utilizing her high-ranking positions in state authorities to serve the pursuits of the Chinese language authorities and the Chinese language Communist Celebration in trade for hundreds of thousands of {dollars}. Her husband, Chris Hu, 40, was additionally arrested within the alleged scheme.

Solar was charged with violating and conspiring to violate the International Brokers Registration Act, visa fraud, alien smuggling and cash laundering. Hu was charged with cash laundering conspiracy, conspiracy to commit financial institution fraud and misuse of technique of identification.

Each pleaded not responsible Tuesday afternoon. Solar was set to be launched on a $1.5 million bond, her husband on a $500,000 bond.

The arrests come six weeks after FBI brokers searched the couple’s $3.5 million dwelling in a gated neighborhood in Manhasset on Lengthy Island. 

Solar labored in state authorities for roughly 15 years, holding positions within the administration of then-Gov. Andrew Cuomo earlier than turning into Hochul’s deputy chief of workers, based on her LinkedIn profile.

Avi Small, a spokesman for Hochul, stated Solar was employed greater than a decade in the past and fired in March 2023 after “proof of misconduct” was found. Small stated Hochul’s workers instantly reported her actions to regulation enforcement and have assisted the authorities working the case.

In response to the 64-page indictment, Solar blocked Taiwanese authorities representatives from gaining access to high-ranking New York state officers and altered the messaging of state officers on problems with significance to the Chinese language authorities — all on the request of Chinese language officers. Solar additionally helped Chinese language authorities officers journey to the U.S. and meet with New York officers by offering unauthorized invitation letters from high-level state officers, based on the indictment.

“Solar’s unauthorized invitation letters for the PRC authorities delegation constituted false statements made in reference to immigration paperwork and induced the international residents into unlawfully coming into the USA,” Brooklyn federal prosecutors stated in a press launch.

“Solar by no means registered as a international agent with the Lawyer Common, and in reality actively hid that she took actions on the order, request, or path of PRC authorities and the CCP representatives.”

In return, Solar obtained hundreds of thousands of {dollars} in transactions for the China-based enterprise actions of her husband, tickets to occasions, employment for her cousin in China and Nanjing-style salted geese that have been ready by a Chinese language authorities official’s private chef and delivered to the residence of Solar’s dad and mom, based on prosecutors.

The couple used the cash to purchase their dwelling on Lengthy Island, in addition to a $2 million condominium in Honolulu and luxurious automobiles, together with a 2024 Ferrari, prosecutors stated.

In response to her authorities bio, Solar was appointed deputy chief of workers to Hochul, a Democrat, in September 2021. On the time, she was the highest-appointed Asian American within the administration.

After leaving Hochul’s workplace, she served briefly as a deputy secretary within the state Labor Division.