DoJ orders prosecutors to take an ‘active role’ in building up criminal cases

April 4, 2023 | 7:56 pm

THE DEPARTMENT of Justice (DoJ) has ordered government prosecutors to enhance collaboration with complainants and law enforcement agencies during the build-up of criminal cases.

In a circular dated March 31 and made public on Tuesday, the DoJ said prosecutors should be available at all times to provide legal guidance and assistance in criminal cases.

“All prosecutors shall take an active role in the investigation of crimes covered by these guidelines, particularly during the case build-up stage where they may require, assist or otherwise cooperate with the complainants and law enforcement agencies,” it said.

Prosecutors are also required to issue a certification if there is a “reasonable certainty of conviction” based on the evidence submitted.

The DoJ said if a complaint is not supported by credible and sufficient evidence, it must be dropped to help clear court dockets.

In February, the department directed prosecutors to file criminal cases that would lead to a “reasonable certainty of conviction” as part of efforts to ease jail congestion.

The DoJ also lowered bail for poor Filipinos to half of the recommended amount or P10,000, whichever is lower. — John Victor D. Ordoñez

Finland set to join NATO in historic shift

April 4, 2023 | 5:59 pm

Finland-flag — A FINNISH flag flutters during the parliamentary election day, in Helsinki, Finland, April 2, 2023. — LEHTIKUVA/RONI REKOMAA VIA REUTERS

HELSINKI/BRUSSELS — Finland will become a member of NATO on Tuesday, completing a historic security policy shift triggered by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, while neighbor Sweden is kept in the waiting room.

The military alliance will welcome Finland as its 31^st member in a flag-raising ceremony at NATO headquarters on the outskirts of Brussels, attended by Finnish President Sauli Niinisto and government ministers.

“It will be a good day for Finland’s security, for Nordic security and for NATO as a whole,” NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg told reporters on Monday.

The event marks the end of an era of military non-alignment for Finland that began after the country repelled an invasion attempt by the Soviet Union during World War II and opted to try to maintain friendly relations with neighboring Russia.

But Russia’s recent invasion of another neighbor, Ukraine, which began in February 2022, prompted Finns to seek security under the umbrella of NATO’s collective defense pact, which states that an attack on one member is an attack on all.

Sweden underwent a similar transformation in defense thinking and Stockholm and Helsinki applied together last year to join NATO. But Sweden’s application has been held up by NATO members Turkey and Hungary.

After both those countries approved Finland’s application last week, the final formal step on Helsinki’s journey will come when Foreign Minister Pekka Haavisto hands his nation’s accession document to US government officials in Brussels.

Finland’s flag will then be raised outside NATO headquarters alongside those of the alliance’s 30 other member countries before a gathering of NATO foreign ministers.

RUSSIAN BORDER
Finland’s accession roughly doubles the length of the border that NATO shares with Russia. Moscow said on Monday it would strengthen its military capacity in its western and northwestern regions in response to Finland joining NATO.

Even before Finland formally joined the alliance, its armed forces have been drawing closer to NATO and its members.

NATO’s surveillance flights by the US and other allied air forces have already begun to circulate in Finnish airspace, the Finnish defense forces said.

On March 24, air force commanders from Sweden, Norway, Finland and Denmark said they had signed a letter of intent to create a unified Nordic air defense aimed at countering the rising threat from Russia.

“We would like to see if we can integrate our airspace surveillance more, so we can use radar data from each other’s surveillance systems and use them collectively,” Major General Jan Dam, commander of the Danish air force, told Reuters.

Finns enjoying spring sunshine in downtown Helsinki on Monday said they were pleased the NATO membership process would soon be complete, even if some harbored reservations.

“I feel maybe a little conflicted about joining NATO because I’m not the biggest fan of NATO but at the same time even less a fan of Russia,” said Henri Laukkanen, a 28-year-old financial assistant.

Finland and Sweden had said they wanted to join NATO “hand in hand” to maximize their mutual security but that plan fell apart as Turkey refused to move ahead with Stockholm’s bid.

Turkey says Stockholm harbors members of what Ankara considers terrorist groups — a charge Sweden denies — and has demanded their extradition as a step toward ratifying Swedish membership.

Hungary is also holding up Sweden’s admission, citing grievances over criticism of Prime Minister Viktor Orban’s democratic record.

But NATO diplomats say they expect Budapest to approve Sweden’s bid if it sees Turkey moving to do so. They hope Turkey will move after presidential and parliamentary elections in May.

Mr. Stoltenberg said he was “absolutely confident” that Sweden will become a NATO member.

“It’s a priority for NATO, for me, to ensure that happens as soon as possible,” he said. — Reuters

Donald Trump faces day in court in historic US first

April 4, 2023 | 5:58 pm

NEW YORK — Donald Trump, the ex-president and frontrunner to be Republican nominee in 2024, will appear in court on Tuesday and is set to be formally charged, finger-printed and have a mug shot taken in a watershed moment ahead of next year’s presidential election.

Mr. Trump was indicted last week, becoming the first sitting or former president to face criminal charges, over a case involving a 2016 hush money payment to porn star Stormy Daniels. He has said he is innocent and is due to plead not guilty.

Mr. Trump will turn himself in on Tuesday amid tight security as demonstrations were expected for and against a man who has riled liberals and some global allies but is lauded by many white blue-collar and conservative Christian voters. “We have to take back our Country and, MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!” Trump wrote on his Truth Social profile shortly after arriving in New York from Florida on Monday, urging supporters to donate to his campaign.

The arraignment, where Mr. Trump will be in court to hear charges and have a chance to enter a plea, was planned for 2:15 p.m. (1815 GMT) on Tuesday.

Mr. Trump’s lawyers opposed videography, photography and radio coverage, saying it would “exacerbate an already almost circus-like atmosphere around this case,” detracting from dignity and decorum.

Judge Juan Merchan late on Monday ruled that five photographers will be admitted before the arraignment starts to take pictures for several minutes until they must stop, with cameras allowed in the hallways of the building.

The District Attorney Alvin Bragg, a Democrat, who led the investigation, will later give a news conference in the afternoon.

Mr. Trump will return to Florida and deliver remarks from Mar-a-Lago at 8:15 p.m. on Tuesday (0015 GMT on Wednesday), his office said.

The specific charges in the indictment by a grand jury convened are due to be disclosed on Tuesday. Mr. Trump and his allies have portrayed the charges as politically motivated.

Yahoo News late on Monday said Trump would face 34 felony counts for falsification of business records. Citing a single source briefed on Tuesday’s arraignment procedures, Yahoo said none of the charges against Trump were misdemeanors.

PROTESTS AND POPULARITY
Police over the weekend began erecting barricades near Trump Tower — where Trump arrived on Monday after flying in from Florida — and the Manhattan Criminal Court building, with demonstrations expected at both sites on Tuesday.

The city’s mayor warned potential rabble-rousers to behave. “Our message is clear and simple: Control yourselves. New York City is our home, not a playground for your misplaced anger,” Eric Adams said. Asked if he was worried about unrest, President Joseph R. Biden, a Democrat who is widely expected to seek re-election and face a potential rematch against Mr. Trump, said: “No, I have faith in the New York Police Department.”

The case has divided people in New York, where Mr. Trump’s name is emblazoned on buildings related to his business ventures.

“It’s a terrific day. I hope it goes well and that he is eventually found guilty,” said New Jersey resident Robert Hoatson, 71, outside Trump Tower on Monday.

But Trump backer Susan Miller, leaning against the metal barriers on 5^th Avenue just south of Trump Tower on Monday evening, said she hoped the show of support would “give him a little strength when he goes down… to battle.”

“He’s honest as the day is long,” she said, adding she planned to return on Tuesday.

Mr. Trump’s lead has widened over rivals in the Republican Party’s presidential nominating contest, according to a Reuters/Ipsos poll released on Monday, conducted after news broke that he would face criminal charges.

Some 48% of self-described Republicans say they want Mr. Trump to be their party’s presidential nominee, up from 44% in a March 14-20 poll. Second-place Florida Governor Ron Desantis fell from 30% to around 19%.

MULTIPLE LEGAL WOES
The Manhattan grand jury that indicted Mr. Trump heard evidence for months this year about a $130,000 payment to adult film actress Stormy Daniels in the waning days of the 2016 presidential campaign.

Ms. Daniels has said she was paid to keep silent about a sexual encounter she had with Mr. Trump at a Lake Tahoe hotel in 2006. Mr. Trump denies having had any such relationship with her.

An indictment or even a conviction do not legally prevent Mr. Trump from running for President.

Beefing up his legal team, Mr. Trump hired Todd Blanche, a prominent white-collar criminal defense lawyer and former federal prosecutor, to join his defense, two sources familiar with the matter said.

The Manhattan investigation is just one of several legal challenges concerning Mr. Trump.

Mr. Trump also faces a separate criminal probe into whether he unlawfully tried to overturn his 2020 election defeat in Georgia, and two investigations by a special counsel including over his handling of classified documents after leaving office.

Any potential trial in the Manhattan case is still at least more than a year away, legal experts said, meaning it could occur during or after the presidential campaign.

Trump’s campaign raised $7 million in the three days after word of the indictment emerged last Thursday, senior adviser Jason Miller said, and issued the latest in several fundraising emails, taking aim at the media’s reporting of the indictment.

2024 RAMIFICATIONS
What effect the case has on Republicans deciding on their candidate for the November 2024 Presidential election, and the choice all Americans then make, could have profound implications in the world’s most powerful country and beyond its borders.

Leading potential challengers for the nomination, including Mr. Desantis and his former vice president Mike Pence, have publicly rallied around Trump in recent days.

While president between 2017 and 2021, Mr. Trump regularly clashed with allies over trade and defense, and a return to the Oval Office looks set to weaken US support for Ukraine.

On the Manhattan case, Mr. Trump in 2018 initially disputed knowing anything about the payment to Daniels.

He later acknowledged reimbursing Cohen for the payment, which he called a “simple private transaction.”

In 2018, Cohen pleaded guilty to campaign finance law violations for his role in orchestrating the payments to Daniels and McDougal and was sentenced to three years in prison. He testified that Trump directed him to make the payments.

Cohen testified before the Manhattan grand jury investigating Mr. Trump on March 13.

Following Mr. Trump’s indictment, he told Reuters: “I decided that I was not going to allow history to remember me as the villain to his story.” — Reuters

As Japan ages, young Indonesians train to fill caregiver jobs

April 4, 2023 | 5:57 pm

JAKARTA — Speaking in Japanese and bowing, 24-year-old Siti Maesaroh offers a tray with a mug and two bowls to a fellow student pretending to be an elderly person, before asking him if he wanted chopsticks and a spoon to eat with.

The role play is an example of the type of training being offered by vocational institutions across Indonesia catering to students seeking to fill job vacancies in Japan.

“I think the reason Japan chooses us is because Indonesian youths are very capable of caring for the elderly,” said Maesaroh, who is attending the Onodera User Run school in Indonesia’s capital, Jakarta.

The school, established in 2022, also offers Japanese language training for its students seeking to enroll in a Japanese government program to employ foreigners with special skills to work in sectors like care giving.

Japan is one of the world’s most rapidly ageing societies, with people who are 65 or older now accounting for 28% of the population, according to U.N. data.

Births in Japan fell to fewer than 800,000 for the first time last year, according to official data, as Japan’s working-age population shrinks.

Hiroki Sasaki, labor attaché at the Japanese embassy in Jakarta, estimates only about 130,000 of the 340,000 special skilled job vacancies in Japan have been filled.

A foreign workforce, therefore, is becoming increasingly necessary, he said.

As of December 2022, there were more than 16,000 Indonesians working under Japan’s special skilled worker scheme, the second-highest number behind Vietnam.

Indonesia is the world’s fourth most populous country with some 280 million people and Kamila Mansjur, the principal of the school, said sending workers to Japan to care for the elderly benefited both countries.

“In Indonesia every year we have an increase in the population of about three million. Yet here we have our own challenge which is a lack of jobs,” she said. — Reuters

US welcomes World Bank reforms, pushes for more ambitious changes

April 4, 2023 | 5:55 pm

WASHINGTON — The United States on Monday welcomed plans by the World Bank to boost annual lending by $5 billion to middle-income countries to fight climate change and other global crises over 10 years, but said it was pushing for more ambitious changes soon.

A senior US Treasury official told Reuters the World Bank’s governors were expected to endorse the long-awaited plan during their twice-yearly meetings next week, while calling for the bank’s management to outline firm plans for further reforms.

The United States, the bank’s largest shareholder, has been pressing the World Bank for months to take bolder action to increase funding to help developing countries address climate change, future pandemics and other global challenges.

The World Bank provided $100 billion from 2020-2022 for global public goods, but estimates that developing countries and the private sector would need to spend far more — $2.4 trillion a year — to address such needs.

“We need to keep up the ambition. There is still so much more to do,” the official said, adding that the United States was pressing the bank to map out concrete additional reforms, along with a timeline for implementation.

The Biden administration sees the bank’s “evolution road map” as an “initial down payment on a series of important reforms,” but wants further reforms implemented as possible instead of waiting for the bank’s governors to meet in October, the official said.

“We would like for the bank to lay out a work plan of additional reforms, and a timeline on when those can be identified, discussed with the board and ultimately implemented and we’d like for that to happen on a rolling basis,” they said.

The plans to be endorsed next week will boost the lending capacity of the Bank for International Reconstruction and Development, its middle-income lending arm, by about 20%, the senior official said, calling that “real money.”

The lion’s share of that comes through a one-percentage point reduction in the bank’s equity-to-lending ratio to 19%, moves toward issuance of hybrid capital, bilateral shareholder guarantees and adjustments in its statutory lending agreement.

The bank is also updating its mission statement to make clear that addressing global challenges is “an integral part of the bank’s twin goals of ending extreme poverty and boosting shared prosperity,” while reorienting its diagnostic tools to ensure that such challenges are reflected in their programs.

At the same time, it is working to leverage its balance sheet to mobilize more private capital, the official said.

Washington is still pushing the bank to implement the recommendations of an independent panel commissioned by the Group of 20 major economies, which said the World Bank and other multilateral development banks (MDBs) could free up hundreds of billions of dollars by easing their capital requirements.

“We will continue to ask for more,” the official said.

US officials are also working closely with other MDBs to advance reforms, including the Inter-American Development Bank, which adopted closely aligned measures at its annual meeting, including a push for more private capital. — Reuters

Gilas Pilipinas, Brownlee go all out to reclaim SEAG gold

April 4, 2023 | 5:51 pm

Justine Brownlee — JUSTINE BROWNLEE — FIBA

WHILE anchoring Barangay Ginebra’s title-defense in the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) Governors’ Cup finals against TNT, Justin Brownlee is also locking in on Gilas Pilipinas’ Southeast Asian Games (SEAG) redemption drive.

Mr. Brownlee is set to make his debut in the May 5-17 SEAG in Cambodia, where the aptly called Gilas “Redeem Team” goes all out to reclaim the gold medal it shockingly lost to Indonesia in the Vietnam edition.

“I definitely felt for the team when they fell a little short last year so I’m looking forward to helping get the gold back,” said Mr. Brownlee, who came on board as Gilas’ naturalized player last February.

“I understand the Philippines’ history as the perennial gold medalist. Hopefully, everything works out in Cambodia, we’ll all play hard, work hard together and regain the gold.”

Mr. Brownlee leads the 28-player SEAG pool named by coach Chot Reyes, who conducted the first of their initial once-a-week practices Monday night.

The resident Gin Kings import was among those who attended the opening session, heading to the Gilas gym just hours after the press conference for the PBA Governors’ Cup finals between Ginebra and TNT

“Hopefully everything works out smoothly for us in the finals and with Gilas,” said the three-time Best Import.

Mr. Brownlee expressed willingness to do whatever it takes to bring Gilas back to Promised Land.

“Playing as an import, you may have to play a lot but I feel like I’m in great shape and if I have to play a lot or if I have to play a little, I think I’m prepared for it,” he said.

Also showing up for Gilas’ first practice were Mr. Brownlee’s teammates Christian Standhardinger, Jamie Malonso, Japeth Aguilar and Jeremiah Gray; TNT’s RR Pogoy and Calvin Oftana; San Miguel’s Marcio Lassiter; NLEX’ Kevin Alas and Brandon Rosser; Meralco’s Chris Newsome and Aaron Black; and NorthPort’s Arvin Tolentino.

Collegiate stars Mason Amos and Michael and Ben Philips were also on hand. — Olmin Leyba

TNT’s Williams, Ginebra’s Aguilar out of Finals Game 1

April 4, 2023 | 5:51 pm

THERE’S an intense itch to return to action already but injured vets Kelly Williams of TNT and Japeth Aguilar of Ginebra are not about to rush things.

Mr. Williams sustained a calf injury in the Tropang Giga’s 132-105 crushing of Phoenix in the quarterfinals and won’t likely be good to go in time for the PBA Governors’ Cup finals opener on Sunday.

“Obviously I want to be out there right in Game 1. But we’re taking it slow,” said the 41-year-old Mr. Williams.

“I’m working with the team doctor and PT to make sure I’m coming in wisely ‘cause historically my hardheadedness would get me out there trying to go 100% when my body is not ready,” he added with a smile.

The same cautious approach is taken by Mr. Aguilar, who has not played since suffering an MCL tear early in the elimination round.

“I’m just trying to take it day by day. Sometimes, like what Kelly said, your eagerness can kind of delay it (recovery), prolong it,” Mr. Aguilar said.

“The intensity of the finals is different. It’s very intense, so I really want to be ready,” he said.

The relatively long break between their respective semifinal closeout games last week and the championship tip-off should provide the injured stars as well as their weary teammates extra time to recharge.

“Hopefully he (Mr. Aguilar) improves little by little to a point where he can actually get back with the team and start playing at a higher level. It’s hard for him to come back in like a Game 4 or Game 5 or the middle of the series. That would be really difficult,” Ginebra coach Tim Cone said.

“But Japeth is such an impact player that no matter when he is able to come back, we’ll bring him back in and put him out there. But ideally, it would be best if he could start in Game 1 and work his way into the series,” he added. — Olmin Leyba

UAAP women’s volleyball takes a break, resumes action April 12

April 4, 2023 | 5:50 pm

04022023_DLSUvsUST18 — PHILIPPINE STAR/RUSSELL PALMA

UAAP teams embark on a much-needed pause in observance of the Holy Week until next Wednesday before resuming their respective drives in an expected tightrope Final Four finish in Season 85 women’s volleyball tournament.

Taking a 12-day break to recharge a plot a stronger attack with only four games to go in the elims, pace-setter De La Salle (DLSU) still remains on top at 9-1 despite a slight stumble as Adamson (7-2), University of Santo Tomas or UST (7-3) and reigning champion National University or NU (6-3) lurk on a close gap for a top-two finish that comes with a twice-to-beat bonus.

Far Eastern University or FEU (5-5) is not that far behind from the Final Four picture while Ateneo (3-6) and University of the Philippines (1-8) are not lacking in hope for a final push. Winless University of the East (UE) is already out of contention (0-10).

Adamson, UST and NU — of all squads — enter the lull with huge morale and momentum following De La Salle’s stunning loss to the Golden Tigresses that denied any potential stepladder semis and assured a traditional Final Four format.

Who’s in, who’s out and who’s to enjoy a win-once incentive will have to wait for now as all units go back to the basics in solemnity for the Holy Week. “We’ll be trying to balance rest and practice,” added Adamson mentor Jerry Yee.

For the Golden Tigresses on the heels of a massive win against the Lady Spikers, their reflection will involve finding out ways to get out of cloud nine similar to their stumble after a big win over NU in the first round.

UAAP action resumes on April 12 featuring Ateneo versus UP and NU against Adamson at the Filoil EcoOil Center in San Juan. — John Bryan Ulanday

MPL Cambodia Spring Split goes offline on 22 April

April 4, 2023 | 5:50 pm

PHNOM PENH — The quest to fight for the Khmer kingdom continues in Mobile Legends: Bang Bang Cambodia (MPL-KH) Spring Split 2023. The playoffs will continue to be held online from April 7-9, with Semifinals and Grand Finals welcoming offline spectators at Aeon2 Mall located at Sen Sok City, Phnom Penh on April 22 and 23, respectively.

CFU Gaming, See You Soon, Burn X Flash, Pro Esports, Impunity KH, and Team Max are the Khmer squads that made it to the playoffs. They will vie to take home the crown and the lion’s share worth $40,000.

An exciting playoffs season awaits those who wish to watch the tournaments offline. Fans can purchase their tickets via WOWNOW mobile application starting April 6 and get MPL-KH souvenirs and on-game items.

Free tickets will also be given to lucky fans who will participate in the online activities posted on MPL Cambodia’s Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/MPL-Cambodia-112153038222597.

Standhardinger, Hollis-Jefferson lead Conference bests

April 4, 2023 | 5:49 pm

BARANGAY Ginebra’s Christian Standhardinger and TNT’s Rondae Hollis-Jefferson maintained their hold of pole position in the race for Best Player of the Conference (BPC) and Best Import awards, respectively.

Mr. Standhardinger, the frontrunner after the elims, held sway in the latest tally and even widened his lead against closest pursuer CJ Perez of San Miguel Beer on account of his roaring performance in the playoffs.

From 42.8 statistical points, the Fil-German bruiser hiked his output to 44.2 SPs to go almost six-up on Perez, who carded 38.3 after an initial 39.3.

Mr. Standhardinger owns sparkling averages of 23.5 points, 10. 4 rebounds and 5.8 assists as he bids for a followup to his BPC feat back in the 2019 edition while still with NorthPort.

Two other Gin Kings — Jamie Malonzo and Thompson — and TNT gunner RR Pogoy landed in the Top 5 in the stats race for the top individual plum of the season-ending meet.

Mr. Malonzo jumped three spots to No. 3 with 34.4 SPs while Mr. Pogoy moved one up to fourth with a similar tally. Mr. Thompson, the BPC of the last Commissioner’s Cup, climbed to No. 5 from seventh with 34.3.

Among the imports, Mr. Hollis-Jefferson stayed ahead of the pack with Ginebra’s Justin Brownlee giving chase.

Mr. Hollis-Jefferson carded 57.1 SPs through the semis built around 30.4-point, 12.4-rebound and 6.54-assist averages to make a case for the Bobby Parks Sr. Trophy versus Mr. Brownlee, who leapt four places to No. 2 with 52.5.

Meralco’s KJ McDaniels (49.2) and San Miguel’s Cameron Clark (48.7) rounded out the candidates for Best Import. — Olmin Leyba

Masters mystique trumps tension as LIV players arrive at Augusta

April 4, 2023 | 5:49 pm

AS 18 LIV Golf players arrived at Augusta National on Monday fresh off their Orlando event over the weekend, they were greeted by far more hugs from their PGA Tour counterparts than cold shoulders.

Bryson DeChambeau, a polarizing figured on numerous fronts, embraced good friend and defending Masters champion Scottie Scheffler. Cam Smith chatted on the driving range with the likes of Jon Rahm, Kevin Kisner and Billy Horschel, one of the tour’s most outspoken LIV critics.

Dustin Johnson even got a quick hug from Zach Johnson, the 2023 United States Ryder Cup captain who has said he does not expect to have LIV players on his team this fall.

At least on Day One of Masters week, all appeared cordial between players from the rival leagues who have spent the past year trading barbs in the media.

“I’m here at the Masters and enjoying this week. This week is all about Augusta, it has nothing to do with where you play at,” Dustin Johnson, the 2020 Masters champion, told reporters. “Guys that are here, they play all around the world. Not everybody just plays on one spot.

“All my buddies are still my buddies. It’s nice to see a lot of the guys because I haven’t seen them that much. Should be a great week, and looking forward to it.”

Even several LIV players wearing apparel from their respective teams didn’t seem to rile their counterparts.

Fred Couples, who has repeatedly taken aim at players in the Saudi-backed league, insisted he believes those who have qualified deserve to be at Augusta this week. He doesn’t take issue with the personal decisions they have made – as long as they don’t turn around and criticize the PGA Tour.

“I have no problem with any of them,” Couples insisted. “Please, just do not bash the tour that I have 43 years invested in. It bothers the hell out of me. They don’t bother me. They really don’t.

“They’re golfers. I’m a golfer. I respect them all.”

The toned-down rhetoric was in particularly stark contrast from previous comments from Couples, who has called Sergio Garcia a “clown” and Phil Mickelson a “nutbag.” According to Couples, any criticism has all been in response to comments made by LIV players, and he’d even look forward to being paired with Mickelson this week.

“I’d love to play with Phil. He’s one of the best players to ever play. He loves this place as much as I do,” Couples said. “And if we did, we’d look at each other on the first hole, and we’d have a good time.

“If someone wants to stop and ask why I’m picking on them, then I’m all for it. But I don’t really think I’ve done anything horrific. They’re making comments, and I’m replying to them. And that’s it.”

For now, all the pre-tournament speculation about simmering tension between PGA and LIV players appears to be overblown. That could change through the course of the week, and attention will now turn to Tuesday night’s Champions Dinner, with Scheffler supplying the menu.

“Eatin’ some good food. And some good wine, usually,” Johnson said of what he expects Tuesday night. “It’s special, just to be a part of it. It’s something that you’re a part of forever, and it’s a special evening.

“Excited for Scottie, obviously, to enjoy it. It’s going to be a great evening, it always is.” — Reuters

Peru stripped of U-17 World Cup hosting rights — FIFA

April 4, 2023 | 5:48 pm

PERU became the second country in recent weeks to be stripped of the right to host a FIFA tournament, after the governing body on Monday said the South American nation had failed to fulfil infrastructure commitments ahead of the under-17 World Cup.

FIFA said the U-17 tournament is still set to take place from Nov. 10-Dec. 2, adding that its Council will designate a new host.

“The move was made given the inability of the host country to fulfil its commitments to completing the infrastructure required to stage the tournament,” FIFA said in a statement.

“Despite a very positive working relationship between FIFA and the Peruvian Football Federation (FPF), it has been determined that there is now not sufficient time to secure the required investment and complete the necessary work with the Peruvian government ahead of the tournament start date.

“FIFA would like to express its thanks to the FPF for their efforts, and remains open to organising a competition in Peru in the future.”

The FPF took note of FIFA’s statement, before providing further explanation for the decision.

“The decision is based on the delays in the start of the execution of the sports infrastructure works … in addition to the recent weather events in Peru that have caused damage and left many families affected,” the FPF said in a statement.

Peru’s northern region was struck by torrents of rain last month in the midst of Cyclone Yaku, leading to homes and cars being buried in mud and the deaths of at least six people.

The Peruvian federation added that it and FIFA had been working on the “operational organisation” of the event, while Peru’s government focused on investment in the infrastructure of public venues.

“Despite the willingness of the government authorities to fulfil the obligations assumed as a country before FIFA, its implementation unit did not manage to comply with the processes within the established deadlines,” the FPF said.

Last month, Indonesia was stripped of its hosting rights for the Under-20 World Cup, following outrage among some politicians in the predominantly Muslim nation about Israel’s participation.

Both tournaments were initially scheduled to take place in 2021, but were moved to 2023 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. — Reuters