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Dahlia Lithwick
At this very moment, we are living through a series of cascading constitutional crises, rocketing up to the Supreme Court and shaking the foundations of American democracy.
Morgan Chesky
This is not a game of chicken where we back down from the Constitution.
Matt Bradley
Like, that's not how this works.
Dahlia Lithwick
I'm Dahlia Lithwick, host of Amicus, Slate's podcast about the courts, the law and the Supreme Court. I've been writing about SCOTUS and the law for more than 20 years. And each week on Amicus, we draw on that deep experience to navigate these incredibly unstable, uncertain times. Search Amicus. That's Amicus to listen.
Morgan Chesky
Hey, friends. Welcome to here's the scoop from NBC News. I'm Morgan Chesky. Today on the pod, we have a big shake up for college sports. Heat waves crashing over the eastern half of the country. And the Cowboy Carter tour tips its hat one final time. But first, we need to talk about what has and is happening inside Gaza. The situation on the ground there is getting even worse. And yes, you may think it's been that way for a while, but the UN now reports that one in three people, and that includes kids, are going multiple days without food. On top of that, a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas appears to be out of reach, at least for now. Meanwhile, France says it's going to recognize Palestinian statehood. To be clear, more than 140 countries already do this. But what sets France apart here is that they'll be the first G7 nation to do so. To break down all of this, I want to bring in Matt Bradley. He's our foreign correspondent based in Tel Aviv. And Matt, thanks so much for being here.
Matt Bradley
Thanks for having me.
Morgan Chesky
Matt. We've got to start with the situation on the ground inside Gaza. The images that we're seeing that continue to be shared are horrific. Can you put this moment in perspective for all of us here?
Matt Bradley
Yeah, I mean, it's a nightmare. Some of the pictures that we've also been seeing, not just of these emaciated children, these babies, and this is something that we keep hearing about, which is just, you know, we're talking about a famine essentially, or famine like conditions. Famine is something that has to be designated by experts, but this is very much famine like conditions. And we're seeing other heartbreaking sequences which are these Palestinians trying to get aid.
Morgan Chesky
Now, I don't want to oversimplify this whatsoever, but if a humanitarian truck approaches the Gaza Strip today, Matt, what does it have to pass through before the food actually reaches the people?
Matt Bradley
Yeah, I mean, we spoke with the United nations and they basically said it's a very onerous task. It can take hours and hours to actually distribute the food, which is why the IDF brought us out there yesterday. They brought us right inside the Kerem Shalom crossing on the Gaza side to show us all the food that they said, hey, look, this is in the Gaza Strip. We're in the Gaza Strip. And so is all this food. And it's just sitting there baking in the sun. When you look at some of the footage of what's going on, you can see why it's so difficult for these aid agencies to just pick it up and deliver it. They get mobbed, their truck drivers can get beaten and attacked. Even the aid distribution sites run by the Gaza Humanitarian foundation, where we have armed mercenaries who are Americans, they routinely get attacked by mobs and mobs of people who will then loot the food. And even, according to people that I've spoken with, take down the fences, take down toilets, pull down tables and chairs, a lot of this stuff, as I mentioned, because there's a lack of fuel in the Gaza Strip. Gazans are taking wood, they're taking tables so they can break it up in order to cook the food that they've been given. So we're talking about levels of desperation that are hard to comprehend. The UN person that we spoke with, the spokesperson for ocha, which is the humanitarian office, she was saying, look, sometimes we have successful operations where we do get the aid. Other times we've seen this before. Dozens of people can be killed at these aid distribution sites if the IDF opens fire or if somebody else, if Hamas. The IDF has said Hamas is trying to open fire. So it is a very, very dangerous situation. The aid agencies say that Israel, as the occupying power, has the legal obligation to ensure their security so they can distribute the food. Now, the Israelis say that it's up to the aid agencies in order to distribute the food.
Morgan Chesky
So, Matt, I want to ask you.
Rohan Nadkarni
About this latest development here. The US And Israel have essentially cut.
Morgan Chesky
Ceasefire talks in Qatar short. What exactly made those talks fall, the.
Rohan Nadkarni
Way in which they did. And where does that leave hopes for a ceasefire?
Matt Bradley
Now, this was probably a falling out over several main issues, specifically the end of the fighting.
Morgan Chesky
The.
Matt Bradley
The fundamental difference here is that Hamas insists that any ceasefire that involves the release of the hostages will lead to Israel ending its fight in the Gaza Strip and withdrawing completely. The Israelis insist that any deal with the. That would release all the hostages that are remaining, of whom there are thought to be a little less than two dozen alive, that any deal like, that would mean that Hamas is finished. It'll have no role in the governance of the Gaza Strip afterwards. So two weeks ago, three weeks ago, there was so much optimism from the Palestinian side, from the Israelis, from the Americans, from the intermediaries, Qatar and Egypt, that there would be some sort of ceasefire deal. Now, this has happened so many, many times before that we've seen high hopes about these deals come crashing down. This was a little different. If you read what Steve Witkoff said, he basically said Hamas has no appetite to come to a ceasefire deal. He also said that the US Is now going to have to come up with alternative options to free the remaining hostages. Now, I don't know what he means exactly by that, but it sounds as though he's abandoning ceasefire talks in general. And that would be a very significant development if it turns out to be true. Because like I said, the only real way in which hostages have been released, in which food aid has gotten into the Gaza Strip, has been through these negotiated ceasefires.
Rohan Nadkarni
Matt, we mentioned it at the top of the show. We have to talk about France here. They've recognized Palestine as a state earning immediate condemnation from the US And Israel. Secretary of State Rubio, I believe he's already called it reckless. Why do you think France makes that move and why do they make it now?
Matt Bradley
I think that when it comes to what we're hearing from the Europeans, France is going to somewhat far out on a limb. As you mentioned in your introduction, there are already more than 100 countries who recognize Palestine as a state. The United Nations General assembly recognizes Palestine as a state. The United States does not. Neither does Israel. Neither do most European countries. And so that's why this is such a big step. Now, Emmanuel Macron is trying his best to shore up his political popularity in a country, France, that has the highest number of Jews in Europe and the highest number of Muslim Arabs in Europe. So he's in this position now where he's putting himself ahead of those 28 countries who just earlier this week signed a document saying that Israel needs to resolve the famine conditions in the Gaza Strip, the humanitarian crisis there. That angered Israel, that angered the United States. But it goes to show that Europe is drifting away from the Atlanticist position in the United States that they are moving toward. As we're seeing more of these appalling images on TV and the news of starving babies that they don't want to be part of this.
Rohan Nadkarni
Foreign correspondent Matt Bradley. We thank you so much.
Matt Bradley
Thanks for having me.
Morgan Chesky
All right, time now to take a quick break. But when we're back, we'll be switching gears to talk about a new executive order that has big implications for college sports. Stick around.
Tom Yamas
Taking over the helm of NBC Nightly News, a 75 year old broadcast, it's a great responsibility.
Morgan Chesky
Good evening.
Tom Yamas
I'm Tom Yamas. You have to go out there to bring people at home. Closer to the store. Wildfires continue to be a threat. With that massive hurricane comes the massive response. The best reporters in our business know how to listen. And when you listen, you get the truth. For NBC News, NBC News, NBC News.
Matt Bradley
I'm Tom Yamas.
Tom Yamas
That's what we do every night.
Matt Bradley
NBC Nightly News with Tom yamas, evenings on NBC.
Jessica St. Clair
Hi, I'm Jessica St. Clair.
June Diane Raphael
And I'm June Diane Rayfield. And we are two friends trying to survive the chaos and celebrate the joy that life throws our way.
Jessica St. Clair
And we do it every week, week on our podcast, the Deep Dive. Sometimes we dig into the deep stuff, like how I communicate with my dead best friend.
June Diane Raphael
And sometimes we give bad advice based off a TikTok I saw. And we're not going to apologize for that.
Jessica St. Clair
Absolutely not.
June Diane Raphael
You'll laugh, you'll cry, you'll hire a psychic medium.
Jessica St. Clair
Join us, won't you?
June Diane Raphael
Listen to the Deep Dive wherever you get your podcasts from Lemonada Media.
Morgan Chesky
Welcome back to here's the Scoop where we are about to take a dive into the rapidly changing world of collegiate athletics and big money, like really big. Quick refresh. Back in 2021, a Supreme Court ruling allowed athletes to profit from deals with their name, image and likeness. You know, nil. Now, you don't need me to tell you that the idea pretty much exploded. Think back to this year's NCAA March Madness basketball tournament. We saw New Balance commercials with Duke superstar Cooper Flagg. And even the team manager from McNeese State signed a few deals himself after going viral. Now President Trump decided to weigh in, issuing an executive order yesterday that bans what's called third party pay for play to athletes. The White House says they want to curb bidding wars but not stop athletes seeking endorsements. Joining me now to break all this down is NBC News sports reporter Rohan Nadkarni, who's been covering the world of college sports for years. This guy's an expert.
Rohan Nadkarni
So, Rohan, thanks for being here.
Morgan Chesky
First off, initial take on just seeing this discussed at a presidential level.
Yeah, this has kind of gone lockstep with, I think, what's been happening in the last few years in the college athletic space, which is more legislative involvement in what's happening, especially in the wake of college athletes being allowed to capitalize on their name, image and likeness. And in some ways, the NCAA has asked for this. In some ways, the NCAA has asked for legislation. I think what we're seeing right now is a little bit of a Wild west, and someone is looking for someone to make the rules. And I think both in Congress and in the White House, someone's trying to fill that vacuum.
Rohan Nadkarni
So, Rohan, tell me this. Take me back many moons ago. I'm a hopeful collegiate athlete, defensive end at some very worthy school. What is this executive order mean for me or any other college athlete out there trying to make a buck?
Morgan Chesky
President Trump himself cannot unilaterally impose rules on the ncaa. He cannot unilaterally kind of set the agenda for what's going to happen. One thing Trump has talked about is basically asking the NLRB to rule on the employment status of college athletes.
Rohan, I keep hearing nlrb. What are we talking about?
So the NLRB is the National Labor Relations Board. They're the rulers in terms of can this group classify as employees? And a lot of people believe they want the NLRB to rule that they're not going to be employees, that they're purely athletes, which will take away their right to collectively bargain, which obviously we see in every other sport. Another thing that could be of interest here is this idea of fair market value by third parties who are paying NCAA players. Now, that sounds like, oh, hey, yeah, complicated. Da, da, da. What that really means is right now, let's say, Morgan, you and I were huge Texas Longhorns fans. We're on the sidelines with Matt McConaughey at all these games, we see a quarterback, we really like football. We're gonna pay him $10 million to be a marketer for NBC News. Wink, wink. Really, what we're doing is paying this guy $10 million to come to Texas. This Trump executive order is. I think the stress here is, quote, unquote, fair market value. What they wanna take away is the booster, that guy who just pays a recruit to come to school as much money as they want. They're almost trying to impose a cap on something like that.
Rohan Nadkarni
I'm curious, though, Rohan. Critics of this order say this is actually a step backwards. What's the argument there?
Morgan Chesky
I think what you're seeing is proponents for college athletes saying, wait a second, players were finally given freedom a few years ago when they were able to capitalize on their name, image and likeness. Right? Nil. For years, college athletes weren't really able to profit off all this. Money they were generating. You now have players who are able to make some money while they're in college, while maybe this is going to be the height of their athletic career. And in terms of going backwards, this is now kind of taking away some of that freedom that the players earned after all these years, taking away some of their income earning potential. And I think that's the real fear with athletes right now is, hey, why are you going to put a cap on how much money we can earn? I think proponents of college athletes would say this is a rollback on some of the freedoms they've earned the last few years.
So what do you say to folks.
Rohan Nadkarni
Rohan, who consider themselves, quote unquote purists who say this is still making all of these collegiate athletic pursuits into nothing more than a business allowing schools who can pay the most to get the best athletes and dominate in perpetuity? I mean, that ship has sailed, right? As far as, you know, pure collegiate.
Morgan Chesky
Play, what I would say to those people is, has there ever been pure collegiate play in our lifetimes like Fair Point? You know, Ohio State was a great football program before nil, and it's been a great football program after. I think on some level athletes have been getting paid for a long time, right? We've heard stories about bag men and under the table payments and all these kinds of things. I think what nil legalization, it just kind of brought that stuff to the forefront. It brought it public on some level. It's been going on for a long time. I think this idea that the dominant schools are gonna be even more dominant, College athletics has never really been fair. Duke was great in the early 90s and they're great now. So in some ways I think this purity aspect that's been sold to, I don't know if it ever really existed in our lifetimes. I don't know that it's existed for a long time. I think the great programs have always had an advantage and I don't know that this is necessarily going to give them more of one.
Rohan Nadkarni
You're in the Oval Office with President Trump and the head honches of the ncaa. You're on the couch. What are you recommending as the key way to preserve the integrity of college sports here?
Morgan Chesky
To me, the solution that makes the most sense is let the athletes come to the table and have a say in this process instead of trying to impose it through laws or legislation. And again, I know it leaves you with kind of a gross feeling when you hear this, but college football and college basketball are billion dollar businesses. They're multi billion dollar businesses. They're not very different from the NBA or the NFL or all these professional sports leagues as much as we attach this tribalism and kind of in these sports and that's definitely an aspect of what makes them fun.
Rohan Nadkarni
But you think they're old enough to vote? They should be given a shot to kind of voice their concerns here.
Morgan Chesky
Exactly. I think that for a lot of reasons, kind of collectively bargaining these issues makes a lot more sense than trying to solve this through legislation. To me, these issues will ultimately be the best solved when all the parties are at the table.
Rohan Nadkarni
Yeah, tough, tough. See an O line on a picket line. Certainly not getting in the middle of that.
Morgan Chesky
Rohan, thanks so much.
My pleasure, Maureen.
Okay, Time now for some headlines and I want to start in Southeast Asia where we're following a flare up between Thailand and Cambodia over what's become a really long standing border dispute. Clashes are now in their second day and we've learned more than a dozen people have already been confirmed dead. Now Thailand is accusing Cambodia of targeting civilians and they retaliated with an airstrike on a Cambodian military target on Thursday. Meanwhile, Cambodia says Thailand is using banned weapons like cluster munitions. We've seen battles before along this 500 mile long stretch of border, but these clashes are the worst we've seen between the two countries in more than a decade. TWAS the $8 billion merger US folks in the media have been keeping an awfully close eye on. After months of will they, won't they? The FCC has now approved an $8 billion merger between CBS parent company Paramount and the entertainment group Skydance. All this after Skydance made several concessions to the Trump administration. Those include conducting a full review of CBS News and an agreement to not implement any DEI programs. Hey, heart goes out to all my folks on the east coast today who, last check, are facing some seriously sweltering temps. Listen, we're talking about heat index values hitting 105 across the Northeast in mid Atlantic and Mississippi Valley. Eyeballing 110. I don't care who you are. That's brutal. Here's NBC News senior meteorologist Katherine Proseve. To break it all down, one call.
Katherine Proseve
Out region, the Southeast, Atlanta, Charlotte. Will they make a run for 100 degrees? Believe it or not, even though you would think of them being historically hot cities. They certainly are. They don't hit 100 degrees very often. Charlotte could do it five days in a row. That would be very rare. We're historically in the hottest days of the year. So when we say it's going to be 10 to 15 degrees above average. That should mean more because that benchmark has been raised for even hotter days ahead.
Morgan Chesky
Former New York representative George Santos reported to prison this afternoon and it's the start of his seven year sentence after pleading guilty to federal charges ranging from wire fraud to identity theft to even money laundering. He didn't leave, though, before bidding farewell to his followers on social media, writing the curtain falls, the spotlight dims, and the rhinestones are packed. Signing off. I may be leaving the stage for now, but trust me, legends never truly exit.
Rohan Nadkarni
Speaking of actual legends, we want to.
Matt Bradley
Welcome you to the Beyonce Cowboy Carter act two and a Rodeo.
Morgan Chesky
Chin in second, Beyonce is saddling up for the last stop on her Cowboy Carter tour. But unfortunately for a Texas native like myself, Beyonce's final stop is Vegas. After performing in just eight other cities this summer across the US And Europe, the tour also became a bit of a family affair with daughters Blue Ivy and Rumi hitting the stage every night, Blue joining the dance crew, wowing crowds with her choreography. Just like mom and little sis. Roomie. Yeah, she melted plenty of hearts, too, shouting and waving to the crowd as mom sang Protector. Tomorrow night, Beyonce hangs up her boots for the Cowboy Carter in the Rodeo Chitlin Circuit Tour. But fans are definitely praying for an announcement announcement of her next act. Okay, that's going to do it for us. And here's the scoop from NBC News. Our show's produced by Amanda Llewellyn and associate producer Kathleen Rocco. Katie Lau is our audio engineer. Our supervising producer is Katie Rimchen. Ann Marie Fertoldi is our executive producer. Our head of audio production is Bryson Barnes. Alexa Danner is our head of audio. Shalini Sharma is the senior executive producer and Kathryn Kim is the executive vice president of editorial. Have a great weekend everyone. We'll be back Monday with a brand new episode. For NBC News, I'm Morgan Chesky.
Unknown
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Here's the Scoop – Episode: Gaza Ceasefire Talks Fall Apart; Trump Seeks Overhaul on College Sports NIL Deals
Release Date: July 25, 2025
Host: Morgan Chesky
Producer: Amanda Llewellyn, Kathleen Rocco
Executive Producer: Ann Marie Fertoldi
Audio Engineer: Katie Lau
Overview:
The episode begins with a somber discussion on the deteriorating humanitarian situation in Gaza. Morgan Chesky introduces the gravity of the situation, highlighting alarming statistics and the collapse of ceasefire negotiations between Israel and Hamas.
Key Points:
Humanitarian Crisis:
The United Nations reports that one in three people in Gaza, including children, are enduring multiple days without food. The dire conditions are exacerbated by the failure to implement a ceasefire, which remains elusive.
Ceasefire Negotiations:
Recent talks aimed at establishing a ceasefire have collapsed. Matt Bradley, NBC News' foreign correspondent based in Tel Aviv, provides an in-depth analysis of the factors leading to the breakdown of negotiations.
Notable Quotes:
Matt Bradley (01:59):
“It's a nightmare. We're talking about famine-like conditions and seeing Palestinians desperately trying to get aid under incredibly dangerous circumstances.”
Matt Bradley (04:37):
“Hamas insists that any ceasefire involving the release of hostages will lead to Israel withdrawing completely from Gaza. Conversely, Israel demands that the release of hostages corresponds with Hamas relinquishing control over Gaza.”
Discussion:
Matt Bradley elaborates on the complexities of the ceasefire talks, emphasizing the mutual distrust between Israel and Hamas. He explains that Hamas's demand for a complete withdrawal clashes with Israel's insistence that Hamas must forgo any governing role in Gaza post-ceasefire. This impasse has led to the collapse of recent negotiations, raising concerns about the continuation of violence and humanitarian suffering.
Overview:
Shifting focus, Morgan Chesky discusses France's groundbreaking decision to recognize Palestinian statehood, marking the first such move by a G7 nation. This development has garnered immediate backlash from the United States and Israel.
Key Points:
Historical Context:
Over 140 countries have already recognized Palestine as a state, with the United Nations General Assembly also acknowledging its statehood. However, no G7 nation had taken this step until France's recent decision.
Political Implications:
France’s move is seen as an attempt by President Emmanuel Macron to bolster his political standing within a diverse French electorate, which includes significant Jewish and Muslim Arab populations.
Notable Quotes:
Matt Bradley (06:11):
“France is putting itself ahead of the 28 countries that have already signed a document urging Israel to address the famine conditions in Gaza. This indicates a shift in European alignment away from the traditional Atlanticist stance of the United States.”
Matt Bradley (07:17):
“Emmanuel Macron is navigating a delicate path, aiming to address humanitarian concerns while facing strong opposition from allies like the US and Israel.”
Discussion:
Matt Bradley analyzes France's recognition of Palestine as a strategic move influenced by domestic political pressures and a growing unease within Europe regarding the humanitarian crisis in Gaza. This decision underscores a potential shift in European foreign policy, reflecting a divergence from longstanding US-aligned positions and highlighting Europe's increasing willingness to take independent stances on critical international issues.
Overview:
After a brief intermission, the podcast transitions to the realm of collegiate athletics, focusing on former President Donald Trump's recent executive order targeting Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) deals for college athletes. This move aims to regulate and potentially curb the burgeoning commercialization within college sports.
Key Points:
Background on NIL:
The Supreme Court's 2021 ruling enabled college athletes to profit from their NIL, leading to a surge in endorsement deals and significant financial influxes into collegiate athletics.
Executive Order Details:
President Trump's executive order seeks to ban third-party pay-for-play arrangements, aiming to prevent bidding wars and maintain fairness across college sports programs.
Industry Reaction:
The sports community is divided, with some viewing the order as a necessary regulation to preserve the integrity of college sports, while others see it as a rollback of hard-won athlete rights.
Notable Quotes:
Morgan Chesky (10:26):
“This has kind of gone lockstep with what's been happening in the last few years in the college athletic space… trying to impose rules through legislation.”
Rohan Nadkarni (12:12):
“This is taking away some of the freedom that the players earned after all these years, taking away some of their income earning potential.”
Discussion:
NBC News sports reporter Rohan Nadkarni delves into the implications of the executive order, explaining that while it aims to regulate the rampant commercialization of college sports, it may inadvertently hinder athletes' ability to capitalize on their own fame and success. The discussion highlights concerns from athletes and advocates who argue that this move restricts the financial benefits athletes can derive from their NIL, effectively nullifying the progress made since the 2021 Supreme Court decision.
Recommendations and Future Outlook:
Morgan Chesky suggests that a more effective solution would involve collective bargaining and direct negotiations between athletes, educational institutions, and governing bodies, rather than top-down legislative interventions. This approach, she argues, would better address the complexities of collegiate athletics and ensure that athletes have a meaningful voice in shaping the future of their own careers.
a. Southeast Asia Border Dispute:
A flare-up between Thailand and Cambodia over a long-standing border dispute has resulted in deadly clashes. More than a dozen casualties have been confirmed as both nations accuse each other of targeting civilians and using banned weapons like cluster munitions.
b. CBS and Skydance Merger Approved:
After months of anticipation, the FCC has approved an $8 billion merger between CBS's parent company Paramount and entertainment group Skydance. The approval follows concessions made to the Trump administration, including a commitment to conduct a comprehensive review of CBS News and an agreement to halt Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) programs.
c. East Coast Heatwave:
Meteorologist Katherine Proseve reports record-breaking temperatures across the Northeast, Mid-Atlantic, and Mississippi Valley regions. Heat index values are soaring above 100°F, with cities like Charlotte potentially experiencing five consecutive days of extreme heat.
d. Former Representative George Santos Sentenced:
Ex-New York representative George Santos has reported to prison to begin his seven-year sentence after pleading guilty to federal charges, including wire fraud, identity theft, and money laundering. Despite his sentencing, Santos bid farewell to his social media followers, promising that "legends never truly exit."
e. Beyoncé's Final Concert on the Cowboy Carter Tour:
Beyoncé is set to conclude her Cowboy Carter Tour with a final performance in Las Vegas. The tour has been a family affair, featuring her daughters Blue Ivy and Rumi on stage. Fans are eagerly awaiting announcements about her next musical endeavors following this farewell.
In this episode of "Here's the Scoop," Morgan Chesky and her guests provide a comprehensive analysis of pressing global issues, from the humanitarian crisis in Gaza and shifting international alliances to significant developments in the world of collegiate sports. The episode underscores the interconnectedness of geopolitical events and domestic policies, offering listeners insightful perspectives on the factors shaping our world today.
Produced by:
Amanda Llewellyn, Kathleen Rocco
Audio Engineer: Katie Lau
Supervising Producer: Katie Rimchen
Executive Producer: Ann Marie Fertoldi
Head of Audio Production: Bryson Barnes
Head of Audio: Alexa Danner
Senior Executive Producer: Shalini Sharma
Executive Vice President of Editorial: Kathryn Kim
Thank you for listening to "Here's the Scoop" from NBC News. We look forward to bringing you more in-depth coverage in our next episode.