US senators questioned two top PGA officials on Tuesday over the golf body's proposed merger with Saudi Arabia's LIV.
The deal has raised questions over the influence of Saudi money in American sports and led the Justice Department to look into whether it stifles competition.
The hearing by the subcommittee on investigations came as the panel released documents connected to the deal, including proposals to completely transform professional golf.
Democratic Senator Richard Blumenthal, the subcommittee's chairman, urged Ron Price, the PGA Tour's chief operating officer, and Jimmy Dunne, a PGA Tour board member, to reject the deal with Saudi Arabia's sovereign wealth fund, the Public Investment Fund (PIF).
“There is something that stinks about this path that you're on right now. Because it is a surrender. And it's all about money,” Mr Blumenthal said.
But Mr Price told senators the agreement framework contains “important safeguards” that ensure the PGA will control its operations and its board, and that it will be the governing body for “competitive jobs in connection with any combined golf operations".
He said the Saudis have agreed to invest more than $1 billion in the new company, which would comprise all present and future commercial operations and assets held by the PGA Tour, DP World Tour and PIF, including LIV Golf.
Mr Dunne, meanwhile, testified to the packed hearing room that his “fear” is that the PGA could lose its golf stronghold without a deal, calling LIV's operations a “constant, everyday” disruption to the tour.
Mr Price said a deal with Saudi Arabia's LIV would permit the American tour to continue its leading position.
“We're committed to move to a framework agreement, because we believe that will allow us to continue our leadership in professional golf and our tournaments to be operated in accordance with our mission,” he said.
“These proceedings make that even more difficult.”
The announcement of the merger rocked the golfing world last month.
Since LIV Golf was founded in 2021, a bitter rivalry emerged with PGA, with the Saudi-backed league drawing US players and offering bumper salaries.
LIV is “already putting billions of dollars into golf … they have an unlimited horizon and an unlimited amount of money," Mr Dunne said.
"So it isn't like the product is better. It's just that there's a lot more money that will make people move."
The rivalry saw each tour file lawsuits against the other. These would be dropped if the merger goes through.
“Instead of losing control of the PGA tour, we pursued a peace that will not only end the divisive litigation battles, but will also maintain the PGA Tour structure, mission and long-standing support for charity,” Mr Dunne told senators.
Before Tuesday's hearing, the subcommittee released documents showing negotiators of the proposed deal discussed removing LIV chief executive Greg Norman and giving Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy their own LIV teams.
The US Justice Department is looking into the merger to see if it breaches anti-trust laws and critics have said the proposed deal amounts to Saudi “sportswashing”, where Riyadh seeks to improve its public image.
Subcommittee ranking member Ron Johnson said that, financially, the agreement framework seemed like a “win-win” for the PGA and LIV.
“Sounds like the Saudis got a seat at the table in terms of golf, and PGA retained control of the game and competition,” Mr Johnson said.
Members of 9/11 Families United, a coalition of survivors and victim family members from the September 11, 2001 attacks, were seated towards the front of the hearing, wearing bright red hats.
The coalition said it was “shocked and deeply offended” in a statement released when the deal framework was announced.
Mr Dunne, in an emotional opening statement, addressed those families and discussed his “66 colleagues that died that day.”
“If any person has the remotest connection to an attack on our country, and the murder of my friends, I am the last guy that would be sitting at a table,” he said.
“In Saudi Arabia, I think there are 18 million young men and women that are under the age of 32.
"And I think it would be better if they didn't think every American hated them … and I think golf would be a force [for that],” he later added.
Before the hearing, Mr Price wrote an opinion piece in The Athletic defending of the deal framework, although he admitted flaws in its public presentation.
“Due to the confidential nature of negotiations surrounding the framework agreement, much of the initial reaction has been negative, coloured by misinformation or misunderstanding. That’s something we take full ownership of and deeply regret,” Mr Price wrote.
Mr Blumenthal and Mr Johnson also requested testimony from Norman and PIF Governor Yasir Al Rumayyan.
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Email sent to Uber team from chief executive Dara Khosrowshahi
From: Dara
To: Team@
Date: March 25, 2019 at 11:45pm PT
Subj: Accelerating in the Middle East
Five years ago, Uber launched in the Middle East. It was the start of an incredible journey, with millions of riders and drivers finding new ways to move and work in a dynamic region that’s become so important to Uber. Now Pakistan is one of our fastest-growing markets in the world, women are driving with Uber across Saudi Arabia, and we chose Cairo to launch our first Uber Bus product late last year.
Today we are taking the next step in this journey—well, it’s more like a leap, and a big one: in a few minutes, we’ll announce that we’ve agreed to acquire Careem. Importantly, we intend to operate Careem independently, under the leadership of co-founder and current CEO Mudassir Sheikha. I’ve gotten to know both co-founders, Mudassir and Magnus Olsson, and what they have built is truly extraordinary. They are first-class entrepreneurs who share our platform vision and, like us, have launched a wide range of products—from digital payments to food delivery—to serve consumers.
I expect many of you will ask how we arrived at this structure, meaning allowing Careem to maintain an independent brand and operate separately. After careful consideration, we decided that this framework has the advantage of letting us build new products and try new ideas across not one, but two, strong brands, with strong operators within each. Over time, by integrating parts of our networks, we can operate more efficiently, achieve even lower wait times, expand new products like high-capacity vehicles and payments, and quicken the already remarkable pace of innovation in the region.
This acquisition is subject to regulatory approval in various countries, which we don’t expect before Q1 2020. Until then, nothing changes. And since both companies will continue to largely operate separately after the acquisition, very little will change in either teams’ day-to-day operations post-close. Today’s news is a testament to the incredible business our team has worked so hard to build.
It’s a great day for the Middle East, for the region’s thriving tech sector, for Careem, and for Uber.
Uber on,
Dara
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Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Benefits of first-time home buyers' scheme
- Priority access to new homes from participating developers
- Discounts on sales price of off-plan units
- Flexible payment plans from developers
- Mortgages with better interest rates, faster approval times and reduced fees
- DLD registration fee can be paid through banks or credit cards at zero interest rates
Who was Alfred Nobel?
The Nobel Prize was created by wealthy Swedish chemist and entrepreneur Alfred Nobel.
- In his will he dictated that the bulk of his estate should be used to fund "prizes to those who, during the preceding year, have conferred the greatest benefit to humankind".
- Nobel is best known as the inventor of dynamite, but also wrote poetry and drama and could speak Russian, French, English and German by the age of 17. The five original prize categories reflect the interests closest to his heart.
- Nobel died in 1896 but it took until 1901, following a legal battle over his will, before the first prizes were awarded.
Mercedes-AMG GT 63 S E Performance: the specs
Engine: 4.0-litre twin-turbo V8 plus rear-mounted electric motor
Power: 843hp at N/A rpm
Torque: 1470Nm N/A rpm
Transmission: 9-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 8.6L/100km
On sale: October to December
Price: From Dh875,000 (estimate)
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In-demand jobs and monthly salaries
- Technology expert in robotics and automation: Dh20,000 to Dh40,000
- Energy engineer: Dh25,000 to Dh30,000
- Production engineer: Dh30,000 to Dh40,000
- Data-driven supply chain management professional: Dh30,000 to Dh50,000
- HR leader: Dh40,000 to Dh60,000
- Engineering leader: Dh30,000 to Dh55,000
- Project manager: Dh55,000 to Dh65,000
- Senior reservoir engineer: Dh40,000 to Dh55,000
- Senior drilling engineer: Dh38,000 to Dh46,000
- Senior process engineer: Dh28,000 to Dh38,000
- Senior maintenance engineer: Dh22,000 to Dh34,000
- Field engineer: Dh6,500 to Dh7,500
- Field supervisor: Dh9,000 to Dh12,000
- Field operator: Dh5,000 to Dh7,000
Cricket World Cup League Two
Teams
Oman, UAE, Namibia
Al Amerat, Muscat
Results
Oman beat UAE by five wickets
UAE beat Namibia by eight runs
Namibia beat Oman by 52 runs
UAE beat Namibia by eight wickets
Fixtures
Saturday January 11 - UAE v Oman
Sunday January 12 – Oman v Namibia
Who's who in Yemen conflict
Houthis: Iran-backed rebels who occupy Sanaa and run unrecognised government
Yemeni government: Exiled government in Aden led by eight-member Presidential Leadership Council
Southern Transitional Council: Faction in Yemeni government that seeks autonomy for the south
Habrish 'rebels': Tribal-backed forces feuding with STC over control of oil in government territory
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Labour dispute
The insured employee may still file an ILOE claim even if a labour dispute is ongoing post termination, but the insurer may suspend or reject payment, until the courts resolve the dispute, especially if the reason for termination is contested. The outcome of the labour court proceedings can directly affect eligibility.
- Abdullah Ishnaneh, Partner, BSA Law
