It’s possible that I shall make an ass of myself. But in that case one can always get out of it with a little dialectic. I have, of course, so worded my proposition as to be right either way (K.Marx, Letter to F.Engels on the Indian Mutiny)
Las Palmas, Spain, Nov 29 (EFE).- Three African men survived a 11-day journey hidden on top of the rudder of an oil tanker that sailed non-stop from Lagos, Nigeria to Las Palmas, in the Canary Islands, Spain’s coast guard has said.
The three stowaways were disembarked and received urgent care at the port, and were later taken to two different hospitals for treatment for moderate dehydration.
A Spanish government source told Efe on Tuesday that as they had arrived as stowaways, they are not legally considered migrants and will not be allowed ashore. They will be returned to the ship for the crew to take care of them until it returns to Nigeria.
Two of them are already on board the tanker, with the third following once he leaves hospital.
The three of them were hidden aboard the Alithini II, from Malta, which sailed from Lagos on November 17.
An image provided by Salvamento Marítimo on Monday night shows where they were found: a small space under the stern where the rudder fits into the hull, just above the water line.
“It is a place that is not suitable for a person and at the sea, the risk is to lose one’s life. The risk is maximum,” Sofía Hernández, head of Salvamento Marítimo told Efe.
Hernández highlighted that this was not the first case, with several similar examples since 2018, including four in 2020 alone, when 15 people, including one minor, were rescued.
Spanish journalist and migration advisor to the Canary Islands government, Txema Santana, issued a statement on Twitter in which he warned that the ongoing migration crisis would see more similarly dangerous crossing attempts.
“This is not the first time and it will not be the last,” he said. “Stowaways are not always this lucky.” EFE
nac/aef/ks
Channel crossing deaths: man arrested over deaths of 27 migrants who drowned in English Channel
Harem Ahmed Abwbaker is accused of being a member of an organised crime gang behind the crossing and faces extradition proceedings to France
A man has been arrested in connection with the deaths of 27 migrants in the English Channel.
A man has been arrested in the UK in connection with the deaths of at least 27 people who drowned while trying to cross the English Channel in a dinghy last year. Harem Ahmed Abwbaker was detained at an address in Cheltenham, Gloucestershire, at around 6.45am on Tuesday, the National Crime Agency (NCA) said.
The 32-year-old is accused of being a member of an organised crime gang behind the crossing in November 2021. All but two of the migrants on board died after the boat sank. Four people are still missing.
He is due to appear at Westminster Magistrates’ Court on Wednesday for extradition to France, where the NCA said he will face charges of the “French equivalent of manslaughter” and facilitating illegal immigration.
NCA deputy director Craig Turner said: “This is a significant arrest, and comes as part of extensive inquiries into the events leading to these tragic deaths in the Channel.” He added: “Working closely with our French partners we are determined to do all we can to get justice for the families of those whose lives were lost, and disrupt and dismantle the cruel organised criminal networks involved in people smuggling.”
Home Secretary Suella Braverman said: “My thoughts continue to be with the families of all of those who tragically lost their lives in this horrendous incident. I thank the NCA and other agencies across the UK and France for their tireless work to deliver justice for the victims and their families by identifying those we believe to be responsible and ensuring they feel the full force of the law.”
Their demands came amid concerns French rescue services had failed to respond adequately and as an official report from the Marine Accident Investigation Branch (MAIB) found the boat had reached UK waters.
It was a probe into the music business that, for a good moment, had the major record companies rattled. But in the end, following a thorough study of the local music market, the UK’s leading regulatory competition watchdog has concluded that large-scale record labels are “[not] likely to be makingsignificantexcessprofits that could be shared with creators”.
In July last year, a cross-Parliamentary committee made up of UK politicians called for a “complete reset” of music streaming following an inquiry into the economics of streaming.
An associated report recommended that the majors’ dominance of the UK recorded music industry should be referred to the UK’s competition watchdog – the Competitions and Markets Authority (CMA).
The CMA then launched a ‘market study’ into the power dynamics of the record business. The CMA’s final 165-page report on the matter was published in the UK on Tuesday (November 29).
During the CMA market study, some lobbyists in the UK music business suggested that artists and songwriters weren’t pocketing enough money from streaming services, and accused certain music companies of holding on to outsized profits from royalties.
The CMA ultimately concluded that remuneration from streaming is an elite pursuit, with over 60% of streams in the UK being of music recorded by only the top 0.4% of artists.
The CMA study also concluded that music consumers have benefitted from ‘real terms’ price drops in music streaming services. Due to inflation, the unchanged price paid by consumers in the UK for a service like Spotify Premium fell by more than 20% between 2009 and 2021, said the CMA.
On the topic of major label profits specifically, the CMA explains in its new report that it undertook a profitability analysis, and has not “found evidence of substantial and sustained excess profits by the majors that could be competed away to benefit consumers, for example through more investment in music”.
It adds: “While there are limitations with the profitability analysis, the results of this analysis are consistent with our overall finding that competition elsewhere in the value chain is helping to ensure positive outcomes for consumers.”
Commenting on the impact that streaming has had on the music industry in the report’s concluding remarks, the CMA notes that “the music market has experienced profound changes in recent years from piracy through to the introduction of streaming”.
It also says that “it is widely acknowledged that consumers have benefited from streaming through access to full catalogues of music and innovative services for free or at a fixed monthly price, which has reduced in real terms”.
The CMA believes, however, that “there are real questions as to whether creators – those who write and perform the songs – have benefitted to the same extent.”
“THERE ARE MORE ARTISTS THAN EVER AND, THEREFORE, CREATORS FACE MORE ARTISTS AND SONGS TO COMPETE WITH FOR STREAMING REVENUES.”
CMA REPORT
The report notes further that while “outcomes are generally improving, we note that to some extent changes in the sector, precipitated by streaming, have made it harder for some creators”.
Factors that have made it hard for some creators, according to the CMA, include “reduced barriers to entry and more choice on how to distribute music”, which means that “there are more artists than ever and, therefore, creators face more artists and songs to compete with for streaming revenues.”
This particular observation by the CMA – that there are more artists and more songs than ever before – hits home even more following the news that there are around 100,000 tracks being uploaded to music streaming services each day.
Other challenges faced by artists in today’s streaming economy as outlined by the CMA include, “that it is challenging for music companies to know who among the growing pool of creators will be successful”.
The CMA adds that “this inherent uncertainty combined with consumer tastes that tend to tip to a relatively small number of artists means that there are even greater challenges faced by creators.”
It concludes, however, that it does not “think that these factors are caused or exacerbated by issues relating to how firms in the market compete”.
“WE HEARD FROM MANY ARTISTS AND SONGWRITERS ACROSS THE UK ABOUT HOW THEY STRUGGLE TO MAKE A DECENT LIVING FROM THESE SERVICES. THESE ARE UNDERSTANDABLE CONCERNS, BUT OUR FINDINGS SHOW THAT THESE ARE NOT THE RESULT OF INEFFECTIVE COMPETITION – AND INTERVENTION BY THE CMA WOULD NOT RELEASE MORE MONEY INTO THE SYSTEM THAT WOULD HELP ARTISTS OR SONGWRITERS.”
SARAH CARDELL, THE CMA
Announcing the final report on Tuesday (November 29), Sarah Cardell, Interim CEO of the CMA, said: “Streaming has transformed how music fans access vast catalogues of music, providing a valuable platform for artists to reach new listeners quickly, and at a price for consumers that has declined in real terms over the years.
“However, we heard from many artists and songwriters across the UK about how they struggle to make a decent living from these services. These are understandable concerns, but our findings show that these are not the result of ineffective competition – and intervention by the CMA would not release more money into the system that would help artists or songwriters.
“While this report marks the end of the CMA’s market study, which addresses the concerns previously posed about competition, we also hope the detailed and evidence-based picture we have been able to build of this relatively new sector will provide a basis that can be used by policymakers to consider whether additional action is needed to help creators.”
Some other key conclusions from the report include:
ON THE POWER OF THE MAJORS:
“It has been put to us that the CMA could break up the majors, intervene in historic contracts between artists and labels, impose firewalls between the majors’ publishing and recording arms, remove clauses in contracts between streaming services and labels, impose a code of conduct governing the financial relationships between music companies and creators, or otherwise intervene to increase creator remuneration. We have not found significant competition concerns overall, in particular those that are likely to be leading to substantial excess profits.
“This means a competition intervention is unlikely to release more money from within the system in a way that could significantly improve overall outcomes. In such circumstances there is also a greater risk of a competition intervention causing unintended consequences for both consumers and creators.”
“For example, an intervention to separate the publishing and recording businesses of the majors could create incentives for standalone recording businesses to refuse to accommodate any increase in the ‘publishing share’ through a reduction of the recording share, since any losses to their recording revenues would not be mitigated by gains to their publishing share.
“Moreover, the intervention is unlikely to significantly shift the allocation between recording and publishing because, for the reasons we set out in the report, these may be due to licensing negotiation frictions and bargaining power of rightsholders inherent in the market which will not be overcome by more intense competition for songwriters.”
ON PROFITS AT MUSIC STREAMING SERVICES:
“We have also currently found no evidence of streaming services earning excess profits – indeed, we find low or negative operating margins for the music streaming services whose accounts we have been able to analyse. This profitability evidence is consistent with strong competition between music streaming services to provide services to consumers.
“#Broken Record Campaign and a record company raised the concern that music streaming services may not be generating excess profits due to investments in unrelated services that are being cross-subsidised by music streaming (notably Spotify’s entry into new formats such as podcasts and audiobooks).
“Investments in other content formats might partially explain the lower margins of music streaming services. However, investment by music streaming services to expand the range of content a music streaming service offers is also consistent with strong competition. Further, offering new bundles of audio-formats may also serve to expand the market of those attracted to music streaming services and we note that streaming services anticipate that over time those additional services will become profitable.”
ON THE CHANCES OF FUTURE INTERVENTION:
“The music streaming market is changing rapidly, and further technological advances in the years to come may spark further change to the way we listen to music.
“During our study we have noted the significant innovations introduced on streaming services and that there are now new ways of accessing music such as through UUC platforms with consequential new opportunities for revenue growth.
“It is likely that these changes will continue to raise questions about how these developments will impact consumers and creators. The CMA may intervene in future if changes in the market restrict or distort competition and harm consumers’ interests.”Music Business Worldwide
Christian population in England and Wales falls below 50% for first time as Muslims, Hindus rise
At 15 per cent, ‘Muslim’ was the second largest religious group in London in 2021
Less than half of people in England and Wales identified themselves as Christian for the first time, while the share of Muslims and Hindus in the population rose, Census 2021 data released on Tuesday showed.
According to the figures, 46.2 per cent (27.5 million people) described themselves as “Christian” in 2021 when the most recent census was conducted, a 13.1 percentage point decline from 59.3 (33.3 million) in 2011.
However, “no religion” was the second most common response, increasing by 12 percentage points to 37.2 per cent (22.2 million) in 2021 from 25.2 per cent (14.1 million) a decade earlier.
The number of those who called themselves “Muslim” went from 4.9 per cent (2.7 million) in 2011 to 6.5 (3.9 million) in the 10-year period, while the proportion of Hindus increased from 1.5 per cent (818,000) to 1.7 per cent.
Sikhs’ share in the population increased from 0.8 per cent (423,000) in 2011 to 0.9 per cent (523,000) in 2021. The proportion of Buddhists also went up from 0.4 per cent (248,000) to 0.5 per cent (273,000) between the two censuses, data from the Office for National Statistics showed.
Some 25,000 people said they were Jain in 2021 and the comparative figure 10 years ago is not available.
While no particular reason is attributed to the demographic changes, the ONS said differing patterns of ageing, fertility, mortality, migration and differences in the way individuals chose to answer the religion question might have contributed to it.
Of those who said they did not belong to any religious group, 32,000 said they were agnostic and 14,000 described themselves as an atheist. Some 10,000 said they were humanists.
London remained the most religiously diverse English region where 40.7 per cent (3.6 million) of all usual residents said they were “Christian”, while 25.3 per cent (2.2 million) of the city population identified with a religion other than “Christian”, up from 22.6 per cent (1.8 million) in 2011.
The second largest religious group in the British capital was “Muslim” whose proportion rose to 15 per cent in 2021 from 12.6 per cent in 2011. The growth in the share of the Hindu population in London remained flat at 5.1 per cent in 2021 compared to 5 per cent 10 years earlier.
In the voluntary question included in the census since 2001, people were asked the broad question as to what their religion was instead of being asked more specifically about their beliefs or religious practices.
Twitter Inc. said it ended a policy designed to suppress false or misleading information about COVID-19, part of Elon Musk’s polarizing mission to remake the social network as a place for unmoderated speech.
By discarding the COVID rule, the company will no longer apply labels to posts containing falsehoods about the disease or provide supplemental corrective information as it did before. It will apparently no longer remove inaccurate tweets or ban offending accounts either.
The company disclosed the change in a note added to a page on its website outlining the old COVID policy. It says Twitter stopped enforcing the rule on Nov. 23.
Twitter didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment. Sky News reported on the revision earlier Tuesday.
Over 11,000 accounts had been suspended and over 97,000 pieces of misleading content had been removed from the time Twitter introduced the COVID policy in January 2020 to when it ended last week, according to data on Twitter’s website.
Twitter has received frequent criticism for its lack of action against disinformation and misinformation over the last decade. The critiques were heightened during the presidency of Donald Trump due to his controversial and prolific tweeting, including ones that violated Twitter’s policies on coronavirus misinformation. Musk moved to reinstate Trump’s Twitter account this month, though the former president has yet to post from it.
Twitter quietly drops Covid misinformation prevention policy under Elon Musk
Tuesday 29 November 2022
Elon Musk has scrapped Twitter's Covid misinformation policy.
Credit: AP
Twitter has quietly ended the enforcement of its policy to stop the spread of Covid misinformation.The social media giant introduced the policy during the pandemic and used it to remove thousands of misleading tweets as part of efforts to stop the spread of “potentially harmful and misleading information” about the virus and vaccines.
Between January 2020 and September 2022, Twitter suspended over 11,000 accounts for breaking Covid misinformation rules, removing almost 100,000 pieces of content that breached those standards, according to internal statistics.
However, a note added to the company’s webpage detailing the policy’s work says that “effective November 23 2022, Twitter is no longer enforcing the Covid-19 misleading information policy”.The company did not publicly announce the change.
The move is likely to raise new concerns about Elon Musk’s approach to content moderation at the company since his takeover last month.
In spite of recent controversies, Elon Musk's popularity on Twitter is growing.
Credit: AP
Musk has said he believes in “absolute free speech” and wants to reduce content moderation on the site— something critics warned would lead to a spike in abuse, harassment, and other harmful behaviour.
In May 2020, as the pandemic was deepening, the Tesla CEO emerged as a champion of defying lockdown orders intended to stop the coronavirus from spreading in the US.
In one instance, Tesla’s factory reopened— with Musk practically daring local authorities to arrest him.
Since taking over the company in October, the billionaire has laid off more than half of the platform’s 7,500 staff, which has increased fears about the firm’s ability to successfully moderate the site with substantially reduced staff numbers.
According to a report from Bloomberg, Musk has also dramatically reduced the size of the team devoted to tackling child sexual exploitation on the platform.
The report suggests that the team of specialists that review and escalate reports of child sexual exploitation has more been halved.
Last week, the SpaceX CEO tweeted that “removing child exploitation is priority #1”.The changes are the latest incidents in Musk’s turbulent reign as Twitter boss.
On Monday, he accused Apple of threatening to remove the platform from its app store and claimed the iPhone maker had halted most of its advertising on Twitter.
He criticised the tech giant over its commission on purchases made through Apple’s App Store, and posted a meme suggesting he was willing to “go to war” over the issue.
A number of companies have paused advertising on Twitter amid concerns about Musk’s content moderation plans.
The new Twitter boss has already begun looking for ways to diversify the site's revenue, which is currently almost entirely dependent on advertising.
He is hoping to change this by charging a monthly subscription fee for verified status on the platform through the Twitter Blue service.
This was initially launched earlier this month before being paused after a number of incidents of Twitter users paying for verification and then posing as public figures.
Twitter ended its COVID-19 misinformation policy. Here are other major changes under Elon Musk.
Jenna Moon
Nov 29, 2022
THE NEWS
Twitter quietly ended its COVID-19 misinformation policy last week, one of the latest changes to the site’s moderation since Elon Musk took over the platform one month ago.
Under Musk, permanently banned users are back on Twitter, and hate speech policies are changing.
Here's a look at the moderation changes so far.
REUTERS/Dado Ruvic/Illustration/File Photo
THE COVID-19 MISINFORMATION POLICY
Twitter is no longer enforcing its COVID-19 misleading information policy as of Nov. 23, the site said in a note last week.
Under the previous policy, implemented in Jan. 2020, accounts which pushed misleading content about the virus or vaccines would be challenged.
More than 11,000 accounts were suspended under the policy, and 97,000 pieces of content were removed.
REVERSING BANS
Under Musk, several permanently banned accounts, as well as restricted accounts have been reinstated.
Most prominently, Musk reversed the permanent ban on former U.S. President Donald Trump’s account after taking a Twitter poll on it. Trump has not started tweeting yet, preferring to use the look-alike site Truth Social, which he helped found.
Right-wing lawmaker Marjorie Taylor Greene, who had been permanently banned for tweeting COVID misinformation, also had her account reinstated.
Users will not be able to find hateful or negative tweets unless they actively "seek it out" under Musk's new Twitter policy he described as "freedom of speech, but not freedom of reach."
The offending tweets will be "max deboosted & demonetized," Musk said.
It’s unclear what exactly constitutes hateful or negative speech. Musk has said the policy would apply on a tweet-by-tweet basis, and would not affect entire accounts.
Tech journalist Dell Cameron outlined in a Twitter thread how the site's moderation of hateful tweets towards trans users appears to have changed.
AUTOMATING MODERATION
Earlier this month, The Washington Post reported that Musk is seeking to automate parts of the moderation process, removing the human element which offers some nuance during complicated decisions.
It hasn't yet been implemented, but a vast number of Twitter's moderation staff — an estimated 15% — have left the company since Musk's takeover.
Elon Musk tries to start a Twitter fight with Apple
Elon Musk claims Apple has threatened to withhold Twitter from the App Store and that the iPhone maker won't say why.
Elon Musk has attempted to start a Twitter tussle with Apple, claiming the iPhone giant threatened to withhold Twitter from the App Store.
In a series of tweets Musk said Apple 'puts a secret 30% tax on everything you buy through their App Store' and said Apple has threatened to "withhold" Twitter from the App Store. Apple does charge between 15 and 30% for in-app purchases, but this cost is well known and not a secret.
Musk also says Apple has "mostly stopped advertising on Twitter". "Do they hate free speech in America?" he asked in one tweet. "What's going on here @tim_cook?" Musk asked Apple chief Tim Cook in another.
Musk has published a survey on Twitter asking his 119 million followers whether Apple should publish every instance of censorship that have affected its customers. Musk said that "Apple has also threatened to withhold Twitter from its App Store, but won't tell us why."
Neither Tim Cook nor Apple has apparently responded to Musk's Twitter storm.
The response from Musk's followers is overwhelmingly in the affirmative (84%) that Apple should disclose these details.
"You know they say that they're going to continue to moderate, so I count on them to do that. Because I don't think anyone wants hate speech on their platform," said Cook.
When Musk announced his intent to buy Twitter in April, he said: "Free speech is the bedrock of a functioning democracy, and Twitter is the digital town square where matters vital to the future of humanity are debated."
Musk ran another survey last week asking whether Twitter should offer a general amnesty to suspended accounts, if the individuals behind them had not broken the law or engaged in spam. After votes came in, Musk said he would follow through with the amnesty this week.
Twitter's former head of safety Yoel Roth recently wrote in the New York Times that Twitter failing to adhere to Apple's and Google's respective app store guidelines "would be catastrophic".
Elon Musk’s ‘weak stance on moderation’ is catching up to him as Apple threatens to remove Twitter app
Twitter's place on Apple's App Store could be at risk.
Elon Musk’s relaxed stance on Twitter’s content moderation may finally be catching up to him as the “Chief Twit” unleashed a barrage of tweets claiming Apple threatened to kick the platform off its App Store.
On Monday, Musk tweeted that Apple “had threatened to withhold Twitter from its App Store” but refused to say why.
Apple’s App Store is the only way in which iPhone users can download Twitter onto their phones. If Apple followed through on its alleged threat, Twitter would lose a large portion of its user base, CNBC reports.
In more tweets posted on Monday, Musk called Apple’s App Store fees a “secret 30% tax” and ran a poll with his 119m followers asking if “Apple should publish all censorship actions it has taken that affect its customers.”
He added that “Apple has mostly stopped advertising on Twitter” and ended the barrage with a meme stating he would rather “go to war” with the tech giant than pay its commission.
Critics have spoken out against Musk, claiming that his “controversial public image” has begun to catch up to him.
“Musk’s controversial public image and weak stance on content moderation are catching up [to him],” Rachel Foster Jones, associate analyst at GlobalData, told Verdict.
“Brands will not want to risk their reputation and on a platform where harmful content may spread.”
Apple was the biggest advertiser on Twitter in this year’s first quarter. It is estimated that the tech giant spent $48m on advertising on the social media platform, accounting for 4% of Twitter’s total revenue during that period, Sky News reported.
Dan O’Dowd, founder of anti-Tesla self-driving safety campaign and critic of Musk, stated that the Twitter owner’s tweets demonstrate his “petulance and childness” at responding “to valid criticism with spiteful personal attacks.”
O’Dowd says that Musk’s insults are symptomatic of Twitter’s problems, including reinstating banned accounts, which is causing major advertisers to cut ties with Twitter.
Canada forward Alphonso Davies speaks to the media after practice at the World Cup in Qatar on Tuesday. (Nathan Denette/Canadian Press)
Chris Jones is in Qatar covering the men's World Cup for CBC Sports.
Nearly 48 hours after Alphonso Davies scored the first World Cup goal in the history of the Canadian men's team in a 4-1 loss to Croatia, he finally met with reporters on Tuesday evening to talk about it.
"I looked to my left and just saw all my teammates running toward me," he said, remembering the celebration that followed, which included an accidental headbutt from an ecstatic Liam Millar. "It was a great feeling. We've been waiting for that moment for a long time."
Davies wasn't the only one who's been waiting. His appearance in the media tent at Canada's training centre was his first since the World Cup began 10 days ago, and the story of his conspicuous absence has been filling the void his silence has left.
After every game here, rights-holding broadcasters — TSN in Canada and beIN Sports internationally — get first crack at players as they leave the field. Davies spoke briefly to both following the Croatia game.
There are two further media opportunities for the written press and international reporters: a news conference, usually held by the head coach and a key player, and a mixed zone between the field and team rooms.
After Canada's opening loss to Belgium, when Davies missed a penalty that might have altered the outcome, he wasn't at the news conference, and he powered through the mixed zone surrounded by young teammates, ignoring requests for comment.
Following the Croatia loss, when he scored his historic goal, he again wasn't at the news conference, and he didn't break stride in the mixed zone, shaking his head at clamouring reporters while wolfing down a sandwich.
Davies has every right not to speak. On some level, his reticence is even understandable.
Davies enters practice past a poster commemorating Canada having qualified for the men's World Cup. (Nathan Denette/Canadian Press)
Part of public trust
"I'm happy that I was able to score," Davies said, "but at the end of the day we lost the game, and that was really what was on my mind. I was very devastated and very down about how the team played."
It arguably remains his responsibility, having benefitted from a federally funded program in Canada Soccer, to help promote the sport, especially at a time when so many eyes are on it. When you're wearing a Canada Soccer shirt, you're no longer a private enterprise. You're part of a public trust.
Bigger players on bigger teams accept those terms. Lionel Messi has spoken multiple times here, including after a humiliating loss to Saudi Arabia. Cristiano Ronaldo has, too. The U.S. Soccer Federation has held roundtables with every one of its players. There is nothing like a World Cup to put soccer at the heart of things.
More important from a team perspective, media responsibilities don't disappear when Davies shirks them. They shift to his less-famous teammates. Atiba Hutchinson, Steven Vitoria, Alistair Johnston — the demands on them increase.
After Davies' refusal to stop in the Croatia mixed zone, Sandra Gage, Canada Soccer's chief marketing officer, was hammered by incredulous reporters. She then tried to stop Jonathan David: She literally clasped her hands, begging him to speak. He walked right past her.
That moment is emblematic of a growing star problem with Davies.
Divisions are inevitable, unfortunately, a function of Canada's strange, stratified roster. England's third-string goalkeeper is still a top-level professional and multi-millionaire. Davies wears diamond earrings that probably cost more than James Pantemis's annual salary at CF Montreal.
Now there has been some troubling spillover, on the field and off. Davies, who has taken only two penalties in his career, both in low-pressure situations, should never have taken the spot kick against Belgium. David, a pure striker who has taken 12 penalties, should have.
Davies, right, runs with teammate Jonathan David during practice on Tuesday. Davies took a crucial penalty shot against Belgium when many felt David, a more accomplished scorer, should have taken the shot. (Nathan Denette/Canadian Press)
Clearly mindful of the history at stake, Davies took the ball — "Because I felt confident in the moment," he said — and then a weak shot, and Canada ultimately lost, 1-0.
Why would David want to speak for him?
There have been other, less obvious signs of potential disharmony, despite this team's self-proclaimed "brotherhood."
Davies, wielding his celebrity like a weapon, has signed his own deal with Canada Soccer for jersey rights; the rest of his teammates are still waiting for theirs.
He arrived late in Qatar, allegedly to receive superior treatment for a nagging injury at Bayern Munich, his professional club. Nick Huoseh, Davies' agent, sat in on Tuesday's meeting with reporters. No other player has received an escort.
During Canada's fantastic World Cup qualification run, any potential cracks and fissures were lost under a string of thankfully headbutt-free celebrations.
But now this team is losing — and against Croatia, losing badly— and with that comes the real test of character. Thursday's final game against Morocco will tell us a lot.
"We want something out of it," Davies said. "We want to show that we belong on this stage."
This stage is the biggest in the world, and occupying it has its costs. Alphonso Davies needs to understand that he alone isn't above paying them.
Chris Jones is a journalist and screenwriter who began his career covering baseball and boxing for the National Post. He later joined Esquire magazine, where he won two National Magazine Awards for his feature writing. His work has also appeared in The Atlantic, The New York Times Magazine, ESPN The Magazine (RIP), and WIRED, and he is the author of the book, The Eye Test: A Case for Human Creativity in the Age of Analytics. Follow him on Twitter at @EnswellJones
