USA news on Youtube Feb 16 2019

NFL reaches deal with players on national anthem protest fallout USA News Al Jazeera

Colin Kaepernick and Eric Reid had accused the NFL of conspiring to blackball them over their anti racism protests.

The leading American football league and lawyers for players have reached a settlement after a drawn out legal process stemming from the that the league blackballed them for refusing to stand during the national anthem. 

In a three sentence statement released on Friday, the National Football League NFL said "the parties have decided to resolve the pending grievances". 

"The resolution of this matter is subject to a confidentiality agreement so there will be no further comment by any party," the statement added. 

Kaepernicks lawyer tweeted an identical statement, and no details were made available.

Kaepernick and Reid filed collusion grievances against the league, saying they were blacklisted because of protests during the national anthem at games.

Kaepernick has not played in the league since 2016, while Reid missed three games last season before signing with Carolina.

Kaepernick contended the owners violated their collective bargaining agreement with players by conspiring to keep him off teams.

A wave of protests by NFL players began in 2016 after Kaepernick to call attention to police brutality and racial inequity.

The protests were galvanised by the civil rights movement and grew into one of the most polarising issues in sports.

As the protests swelled, right wing President Donald Trump loudly urged the league to suspend or fire players who demonstrate during "The Star Spangled Banner".

Kaepernick filed his grievance in August 2017.

Arbitrator Stephen B Burbank sent it to trial, denying the leagues request to throw out the former 49ers quarterbacks claims.

Burbanks decision meant there was enough evidence of collusion to keep the grievances going.

While he has been away from the playing field, Kaepernick has become an advocate for battling social and racial injustice. 

On Thursday, a person with knowledge of the conversations told the AP news agency that Kaepernick turned down a chance to join the fledgling Alliance of American Football, seeking dollar 20m or more from the upstart league that pays its players dollar 225,000 over three seasons.

Safety Reid recently re signed with the Panthers for three years and more than dollar 22m. He noted then that he got "fair market value" after making just dollar 1.69m last season from the Panthers.

"If anything, it proves my point from last year," Reid said.

"I didnt sign until the fourth week and did for almost the league minimum. And this year I signed a more substantial contract. And nothing has changed. Im still the same player."

Officials with the players union said Friday afternoon that they had just learned of the settlement and had no details.

"We continuously supported Colin and Eric from the start of their protests, participated with their lawyers throughout their legal proceedings and were prepared to participate in the upcoming trial in pursuit of both truth and justice for what we believe the NFL and its clubs did to them," the NFLPA said in statement.

"We are glad that Eric has earned a job and a new contract, we continue to hope that Colin gets his opportunity as well."

For more infomation >> NFL reaches deal with players on national anthem protest fallout USA News Al Jazeera - Duration: 3:10.

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Breaking News Today_Donald Trump age and height: Is Donald Trump the tallest US president? - Duration: 2:43.

Breaking News Today_Donald Trump age and height: Is Donald Trump the tallest US president?

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Tyga - Dip (Explícito) ft. Nicki Minaj [VERSIÓN EN ESPAÑOL] [SUBTITULADO] - Duration: 3:30.

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Detroit Lions release iron man safety Glover Quin - Duration: 6:25.

CLOSE 15 top-level 2019 free agents who may fit position of need and scheme to draw interest from GM Bob Quinn, coach Matt Patricia and the Detroit Lions

Marlowe Alter, Detroit Free Press CONNECT11TWEET11LinkedIn11COMMENT11EMAIL11MORE11The Detroit Lions said goodbye to one of their defensive stalwarts and one of the NFL's leading ironmen on Friday, releasing veteran safety Glover Quin in an expected move that frees up $6

25 million in cap space. Quin started all 96 games in his six seasons with the Lions and was one of the team's premier defensive players before having a down season in 2018

"We thank Glover for his countless contributions to the Detroit Lions during his six seasons with our team," the Lions said in a news release

"Since joining the organization in 2013, Glover exemplified everything it means to be a true professional in this league — as both a competitor on the field and a leading voice in the community

Coach Patricia and I have the utmost respect for him as a man and player, and we wish him nothing but the very best in the future

"The Lions also released wide receiver Bruce Ellington and linebacker Nicholas Grigsby on Friday

  Lions safety Glover Quin warms up prior to the game against the Packers at Lambeau Field on Nov

6, 2017. (Photo11: Benny Sieu, USA TODAY Sports)Quin was scheduled to make $5.25 million in base salary in 2019, had a $500,000 roster bonus due the fifth day of the league year and a cap hit of nearly $8 million

The Lions, with Quin's release, would stand about $40 million under next year's projected salary cap

Quin did not have an interception this season for the first time since 2011, when he was with the Houston Texans, and he ceded playing time to rookie Tracy Walker late in the year

He did not immediately return a message Friday from the Free Press, but said goodbye to Detroit in a post on his Instagram account: "They say all good things come to an end!! Thank you Detroit!! It's been real!!" View this post on InstagramThey say all good things come to an end!! Thank you Detroit!! Its been real!! #ThankYouA post shared by Glover Quin Jr (@gloverquin) on Feb 15, 2019 at 10:33am PST In late December, Quin, 33, acknowledged his time with the Lions — and perhaps in the NFL — might be coming to an end, and he took time to savor his last days

"I walked out on the field (before our home finale and) I was just like, … 'Wow, I've played on this field a lot of times,'" Quin said the day after Christmas

"Went out, went through my normal routine. I'm a routine guy. Stick to my routine, let the pieces fall where they may

I mean, probably I had a flight going home right after the game, so I didn't get to spend as much time after the game as I probably would have wanted, just in case

But it was cool. The game was cool."Quin signed a five-year, $23 million free-agent contract with the Lions in 2013, and immediately made an impact on defense

 Glover Quin takes the field for a preseason game at Ford Field on Aug. 17, 2018. (Photo11: Gregory Shamus, Getty Images)He led the NFL with seven interceptions and earned second-team All-Pro honors in his second season in Detroit, signed a two-year contract extension in the summer of 2017, and helped transform a middling Lions secondary into one of the strongest units on the team

"I would say (the defensive backs room is) definitely different from the first day I walked in," Quin said in December

"And I would say, I do feel like I've had a lot to do with it, but we've had some great guys throughout the years

When I first got here, being a part of trying to do something different. We had Rashean Mathis, who was very instrumental in helping that

Next year we brought in James Ihedigbo, some veteran guys that we were able to kind of do some things different, change some things up

So I definitely wouldn't say it was me by myself, but we've definitely had some guys to take part in changing the culture and the standard

 So I can definitely see a huge difference in my six years here." Glover Quin on Nov

14, 2018, with a picture of he and Cardinals receiver Larry Fitzgerald in his locker

 (Photo11: Dave Birkett Detroit Free Press)Quin served as the Lions' players association representative for his first five years in Detroit and, after spending most of last spring at home with his family in Texas, took a mentoring role with Walker during the season

A third-round pick out of Louisiana-Lafayette, Walker had 21 tackles and one interception in 16 games as a backup

He played about a quarter of the Lions' defensive snaps, and is the favorite to replace Quin in the starting lineup in 2019 alongside Quandre Diggs, though the team could address the position in the draft or free agency

Quin, who ranks third among active players with 148 consecutive starts, behind Philip Rivers (208) and Brandon Carr (176), has said he planned to spend time with his family this offseason before deciding whether to play in 2019

"It's always a family discussion," Quin said. "See how it goes, see what happens."Contact Dave Birkett at dbirkett@freepress

com. Follow him on Twitter @davebirkett. Read more on the Detroit Lions and sign up for our Lions newsletter

Download our Lions Xtra app for free on Apple and Android!CLOSE Detroit Lions cut safety Glover Quin on Friday, Feb

15, 2019. Free Press sports writer Dave Birkett breaks down what it means, discusses NFL draft

Dave Birkett, Detroit Free Press  CONNECT11TWEET11LinkedIn11COMMENT11EMAIL11MORE11

For more infomation >> Detroit Lions release iron man safety Glover Quin - Duration: 6:25.

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U.S. and Canada Warn Against Travel to Haiti as Violent Protests Continue The New York Times - Duration: 4:48.

U.S. and Canada Warn Against Travel to Haiti as Violent Protests Continue The New York Times

The governments of the United States and Canada have warned people not to travel to Haiti as violent protests against President Jovenel Moïse continued on Friday in the capital and other cities in the Caribbean nation for the ninth straight day.

Protesters, who have demanded Mr. Moïses ouster, have blocked roads with burning tires, metal fencing and cinder blocks, paralyzing transportation in the capital, forcing the closing of businesses, government offices and schools, and causing shortages of food and fuel. Clashes between demonstrators and the police have left several people dead and spread fear throughout the population.

The sustained unrest this month is the latest eruption of public anger at the Moïse administration and, more broadly, the Haitian government over economic malaise and rampant corruption.

In its travel advisory, the State Department urged American citizens not to travel to Haiti due to crime and civil unrest. In another advisory, the United States Embassy in Haiti urged Americans to strongly consider departing as soon as they safely can do so.

The United States government has also ordered the departure of all nonemergency American personnel and their family members.

The Canadian government, in its starkly worded advisory on Thursday, said: Avoid all travel to Haiti.

The uprising this month is a continuation of protests that began last year, spurred by a social media campaign focusing on allegations that Haitis government had misappropriated billions of dollars intended for reconstruction after a devastating earthquake in 2010. The money had come from a Venezuela sponsored oil program, PetroCaribe, which sent discounted oil to Haiti.

An investigation by the Haitian Senate accused former government officials of having embezzled the funds.

While the protests last year were initially centered on demands for an accounting of the missing money, and for prosecutions of those responsible, they quickly evolved to become a referendum on the Moïse administration. The anger has been fueled by the nations worsening economy, which has suffered soaring inflation, anemic growth, flagging exports and a ballooning budget deficit.

On Thursday night, Mr. Moïse, who won the presidency in November 2016 after a lengthy electoral process marred by allegations of voter fraud, made his first public statements since the current spate of protests began on Feb. 7.

Rejecting the demands for his resignation, the president called for dialogue with his opponents and promised to announce economic measures in the hope of subduing the discontent.

I heard the voice of the people, he said. I know the problems that torment them.

But protesters, unmollified, once again took to the streets on Friday. Demonstrations erupted in various neighborhoods around the capital and elsewhere in the country. The police in Port au Prince fired tear gas and rubber bullets at one contingent of protesters.

In a posted Thursday, the State Department painted a grim security picture of Haiti.

Violent crime, such as armed robbery, is common, it said. Local police may lack the resources to respond effectively to serious criminal incidents, and emergency response, including ambulance service, is limited or nonexistent.

On Friday, The Canadian Press reported that 113 tourists from Canada who have been trapped by the unrest in a Haitian resort would be evacuated in helicopters to the Port au Prince airport and then flown out of the country.

This week, an international governmental group that monitors Haiti called on the countrys leaders to engage in a constructive and inclusive dialogue to resolve the crisis.

The group — which includes representatives of the United Nations, the European Union, the United States and several other countries — also urged the Haitian government to accelerate structural reforms.

Change must come through the ballot box, and not through violence, the group said.

As the protests have gone on, Mr. Moïse appears to have become more isolated, with an increasing number of leaders from civil society and the political class, including some allies, urging him to engage in dialogue with opposition leaders or even to resign, analysts said.

You have seen people close to him making statements, expressing concern over the lack of leadership, the lack of comments, the lack of a plan to address the crisis, said Jake Johnston, a research associate at the Center for Economic and Policy Research, which is based in Washington.

Mr. Johnston said that while its conceivable that Mr. Moïse can weather this immediate crisis, unless he takes concrete action to address the economic malaise and evidence of corruption, the likelihood of him being able to maintain a coalition that support him in power will be more and more difficult.