Tuesday, August 9, 2016

Olympian touts 'victory for clean sport'



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Olympian touts 'victory for clean sport'

Swimmer Lilly King calls out US team-mate Justin Gatlin over past doping suspension; Republicans continue to line up against Trump; California mulls the future of the death penalty

Lilly King
After her victory in the 100m breaststroke final, Lilly King called out US track and field star Justin Gatlin over his past doping suspension. Photograph: Lee Jin-man/AP

Edward Helmore


Doping controversy hits the pool in Rio

The question of sports doping was pushed to the forefront of Monday's women's 100m breaststroke final at the Rio Olympics on Monday night, when US swimmer Lilly King won gold and then called into question her team-mate Justin Gatlin's place at the Games. "Do I think someone who has been caught for doping should be on the team? No, I don't," King said after the race. King beat her Russian rival, Yulia Efimova, who served a 16-month suspension for a pair of positive drug tests before being controversially reinstated, and said her win over the Russian was a "victory for clean sport". Here is the medal table so far (USA has the early edge over China) and Team USA's day four highlights, while here DJ Gallo wonders if America will ever win a medal in table tennis, trampoline, handball, rhythmic gymnastics or badminton. Meanwhile, Dutch gymnast Yuri van Gelder was expelled from the Olympics after a night of drinking.

Lilly King wins grudge-match gold and takes aim at US team-mate Justin Gatlin

Republican senator declines to back Trump

Maine senator Susan Collins has said she will not vote for Donald Trump, writing in the Washington Post: "Donald Trump does not reflect historical Republican values nor the inclusive approach to governing that is critical to healing the divisions in our country." Senators Lindsey Graham, Mark Kirk, Ben Sasse, Dean Heller and Jeff Flake have all said they would either not vote for Trump or adamantly voiced their resistance to the notion. On Monday, Evan McMullin, a Mormon, a native of Utah and a former CIA agent, launched a conservative third-party run seemingly intended to damage Trump's chances. He has already missed the deadline to appear on the ballot in half the states, and he is unlikely to meet a deadline of less than 48 hours, on 10 August, to get on the ballot in seven more, although it is possible he may have some impact in Utah. A group of 50 former national security officials, all of whom have served Republican presidents from Richard Nixon to George W Bush, have called Trump unqualified to be president and warned that, if elected, "he would be the most reckless president in American history".

Republican Susan Collins says she won't vote for Trump in scathing op-ed

Trump tax: good for who?

The Republican presidential nominee has outlined his economic vision for the US, including dramatically slashing taxes. Trump said his economic plan would reduce income tax brackets from seven levels to three – of 12%, 25% and 33% – and entirely eliminate income taxes for individuals who earn less than $25,000 annually, or $50,000 for a married couple. "We will make America grow again," Trump said. Hillary Clinton, on a two-day campaign swing through the battleground state of Florida, called Trump's economic agenda a repackaging of Republicans' old policies. Here we present a Trump-tax fact-check, while here Ryan Felton cautions that Trump's approach will be hard-pressed to find support in Detroit, where he made his speech.

Trump's economic plan: no 'death tax', less business tax, fewer regulations

Police to be required to report officer-involved deaths

Police departments will be required to give the US justice department full details of deadly incidents involving their officers each quarter, under a new government system for counting killings by police that was influenced by the Guardian. The methodology of the new system, which aims to replace a discredited count by the FBI, mirrors that of The Counted, an ongoing Guardian effort to document every death caused by law enforcement officers in 2015 and 2016.

Police will be required to report officer-involved deaths under new US system

Alaska wolf pack may be lost

The East Fork wolf pack, found near Denali, Alaska, is believed to have perished amid an escalating battle between federal and state authorities in Alaska over the aggressive hunting of predators such as wolves and bears. Years of hunting, trapping and habitat disturbance had reduced numbers of the pack, which was first researched in the 1930s, to just one known female, a male and two pups earlier this year. Now, park rangers report their den appears to be empty.

Long-studied Alaskan wolf pack may be dead after years of aggressive hunting

Who lives and who dies in California

To kill or not to kill? Which murderers, if any, deserve to die for their crimes? Should geography decide who is executed? Two measures will be put to California voters in November: Proposition 62, or the Justice That Works Act, would replace the death penalty with life in prison without parole; and Proposition 66, the Death Penalty Reform and Savings Act, would streamline the appeals process, expand the pool of attorneys, and allow the state to place death row prisoners in cheaper accommodation.

To kill or not to kill? California voters to decide who should die for their crimes

Chinese tourist mistakenly applies for asylum

A Chinese tourist who lost his wallet in Heidelberg, Germany, ended up spending 12 days in a refugee shelter after accidentally filling in an asylum application instead of stolen goods report. The 31-year-old, known as Mr L, spoke only Mandarin. German authorities discovered their mistake after turning in desperation to a local Chinese restaurant to interpret for them. Christoph Schlütermann, an official with the German Red Cross, explained the man "set machinery in motion that he couldn't get out of".

Chinese tourist who lost wallet in Germany ends up in refugee shelter

Summer season movie washout

Benjamin Lee looks at why Hollywood's summer season has been so woeful. With The Legend of Tarzan, X-Men: Apocalypse, Suicide Squad and Warcraft: The Beginning, the slate of blockbusters has been a slow march of failed franchise-starters and tired superhero films. Also, on the heels of Suicide Squad and Batman: The Killing Joke, Ben Child asks: does DC have a problem with women?

Why has this summer blockbuster season been so bad?

In case you missed it…

Worried about money? Try being an athlete

For every Michael Phelps – the most decorated summer Olympian in history with an estimated net worth in excess of $50m – or gymnast Simone Biles, who has sponsors competing for her endorsement, thousands barely cope with the financial strains of coaching, travel and equipment. Now Visa, the credit card company, has launched a global financial education program at the Rio Olympics aimed at helping competitors take control of their financial futures.

Go for gold, wind up broke: why Olympic athletes worry about money

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