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SADO, Japan (AP) — Japan will hold a memorial ceremony on Sunday near the Sado Island Gold Mines , which were listed this summer as a UNESCO World Heritage site after the country moved past years of historical disputes with South Korea and reluctantly acknowledged the mines' dark history. At these mines, hundreds of Koreans were forced to labor under abusive and brutal conditions during World War II, historians say. The Japanese government said Sunday’s ceremony will pay tribute to “all workers” who died at the mines, but without spelling out who they are — part of what critics call a persistent policy of whitewashing Japan's history of sexual and labor exploitation before and during the war. The ceremony, which was supposed to further mend their wounds, renewed tensions between the two sides. On Saturday, South Korea's government said it will boycott the memorial service due to unspecified disagreements with Tokyo over the event. There was no immediate response from Japanese officials. Ahead of the ceremony on Sunday, The Associated Press explains the Sado mines, their history and the controversy. The 16th century mines on the island of Sado, about the size of the Pacific island of Guam, off the western coast of Niigata prefecture, operated for nearly 400 years beginning in 1601 and were once the world’s largest gold producer. They closed in 1989. During the Edo period, from 1600 to 1868, the mines supplied gold currency to the ruling Tokugawa Shogunate. Today, the site has been developed as a tourist facility and hiking site where visitors can learn about the changes in mining technology and production methods while looking at the remains of mine shafts and ore dressing facilities. Critics say the Japanese government only highlights the glory of the mines and covers up its use of Korean victims of forced labor and their ordeals. The mines were registered as a cultural heritage site in July after Japan agreed to include an exhibit on the conditions of Korean forced laborers and to hold a memorial service after repeated protests from the South Korean government. At the July meeting of the UNESCO World Heritage Committee, the Japanese delegate said Tokyo had installed new exhibition material to explain the “severe conditions of (the Korean laborers’) work and to remember their hardship.” Japan also acknowledged that Koreans were made to do more dangerous tasks in the mine shaft, which caused some to die. Those who survived also developed lung diseases and other health problems. Many of them were given meager food rations and nearly no days off and were caught by police if they escaped, historians say. But the Japanese government has refused to admit they were “forced labor.” South Korea had earlier opposed the listing of the site for UNESCO World Heritage on the grounds that the Korean forced laborers used at the mines were missing from the exhibition. South Korea eventually supported the listing after consultations with Japan and Tokyo’s pledge to improve the historical background in the exhibit and to hold a memorial that also includes Koreans. Historians say Japan used hundreds of thousands of Korean laborers, including those forcibly brought from the Korean Peninsula, at Japanese mines and factories to make up for labor shortages because most working-age Japanese men had been sent to battlefronts across Asia and the Pacific. About 1,500 Koreans were forced to work at the Sado mines, according to Yasuto Takeuchi, an expert on Japan’s wartime history, citing wartime Japanese documents. The South Korean government has said it expects Japan to keep its pledge to be truthful to history and to show both sides of the Sado mines. “The controversy surrounding the Sado mines exhibit underscores a deeper problem” of Japan’s failure to face up to its wartime responsibility and its growing “denialism” of its wartime atrocities, Takeuchi said. All workers who died at the Sado mines will be honored. That includes hundreds of Korean laborers who worked there during Japan’s 1910-1945 colonization of the Korean Peninsula. Officials say the ceremony is organized by a group of local Japanese politicians, business owners and other volunteers who campaigned for the Sado mines to win the UNESCO status, but preparations were handled by local government officials, who did not disclose details, including guests and programs, until the last minute. Foreign Minister Takeshi Iwaya announced the ceremony on Friday, but he declined to comment on “diplomatic exchanges.” Officials at Sado city and the Foreign Ministry said about 100 people, including officials from Japan’s local and central government, as well as South Korean Foreign Ministry officials and the relatives of Korean wartime laborers, have been invited. Attendants are expected to observe a moment of silence for the victims who died at the mines due to accidents and other causes. The ceremony dredged up long-standing frustrations in South Korea, where the Foreign Ministry said in a statement it was impossible to settle the disagreements between both governments before the planned event on Sunday, without specifying what those disagreements were. The cancelation came a day after Japan said it will send a parliamentary vice minister, Akiko Ikuina, who in 2022 visited Tokyo's controversial Yasukuni Shrine, which honors Japan's 2.5 million war dead including convicted war criminals and is seen by Japan's neighbors as a symbol of its wartime militarism. Some South Koreans had criticized the Seoul government throwing its support behind an event without securing a clear Japanese commitment to highlight the plight of Korean laborers. There were also complaints over South Korea agreeing to pay for the travel expenses of Korean victims’ family members who were invited to attend the ceremony. Critics say Japan’s government has long been reluctant to discuss wartime atrocities. That includes what historians describe as the sexual abuse and enslavement of women across Asia, many of them Koreans who were deceived into providing sex to Japanese soldiers at frontline brothels and euphemistically called “comfort women,” and the Koreans who were mobilized and forced to work in Japan, especially in the final years of World War II. Korean compensation demands for Japanese atrocities during its brutal colonial rule have strained relations between the two Asian neighbors, most recently after a 2018 South Korean Supreme Court ruling ordered Japanese companies to pay damages over their wartime forced labor. Japan’s government has maintained that all wartime compensation issues between the two countries were resolved under the 1965 normalization treaty. Ties between Tokyo and Seoul have improved recently after Washington said their disputes over the historical issues were hampering crucial security cooperation as China’s threat grows in the region. Japan's whitewashing of wartime atrocities has risen since the 2010s, particularly under the past government of revisionist leader Shinzo Abe . For instance, Japan says the terms “sex slavery” and “forced labor” are inaccurate and insists on the use of highly euphemistic terms such as “comfort women” and “civilian workers” instead. South Korea’s conservative President Yoon Suk Yeol announced in March 2023 that his country would use a local corporate fund to compensate forced labor victims without demanding Japanese contributions. Japan’s then-Prime Minister Fumio Kishida later expressed sympathy for their suffering during a Seoul visit. Security, business and other ties between the sides have since rapidly resumed. Takeuchi said listing Japan’s modern industrial historical sites as a UNESCO World Heritage is a government push to increase tourism. The government, he said, wants “to commercialize sites like the Sado mines by beautifying and justifying their history for Japan’s convenience.” AP writer Kim Tong-hyung in Seoul, South Korea contributed.Spirits lifted at Red Bluff eventProbe into harassment claims about Netanyahu's wifeProsecutor moves to drop federal cases against Trump
NoneThere’s a robust ecosystem of Find My accessories on the market nowadays. All of these accessories would make great holiday gifts this year across all kinds of different form factors. What’s a better gift than giving someone a way to keep track of their most important possessions? That person will thank you for years to come. As a refresher, Find My accessories broadcast a low-energy Bluetooth signal picked up by nearby Apple devices. They do not rely on GPS technology. Instead, that location is transmitted securely and privately to the Find My network. This means that your Find My-enabled item is locatable even if you are miles away, so long as someone with an Apple device happens to be nearby. iOS 18.2, set to be released to the public later this month, with a new system for sharing item locations. AirTag You can’t have a list of the best Find My accessories without including Apple’s AirTags. Packed with a U1 chip for Precision Finding support, a built-in speaker, and more, AirTags are a must-have for attaching to your luggage, backpack, keys, and other accessories. AirTags have also improved significantly since they were first released in April 2021. Apple has added , , and more. AirTags are not without their faults as they only come in one form factor, lack a built-in attachment mechanism, and are nearly four years old. Still, they represent the best way to start with the Find My ecosystem. Chipolo’s Find My ecosystem While Apple’s AirTag is available in a single form factor, Chipolo makes two different trackers that are fully compatible with Apple’s Find My ecosystem. This means you can add them to the Find My app and track them alongside your Apple products. They can also tap into the Find My ecosystem of Apple devices and AirTags to share the most up-to-date location information. SwitchBot Wallet Finder My the SwitchBot Wallet Finder and described it as an “incredibly useful accessory to track your wallet” using your iPhone and the Find My ecosystem. In addition to being shaped like a credit card to slide into your wallet, it all features a built-in keyring holder. This makes it easy to attach to something like a lanyard or backpack. Pebblebee’s Find My Ecosystem Another card-shaped option for the Find My network is the . The key differentiator with this one is that the battery is rechargeable. The aforementioned options from Chipolo and SwitchBot do not feature rechargeable or replaceable batteries. The Pebblebee Tracker Card offers up to 18 months of battery life and can then be recharged with a USB-C cable. In addition to the Tracker Card, Pebblebee also sells two other Find My-enabled accessories. is a small tracker that is similar to the AirTag form factor but with a built-in keyring holder. It features up to 12 months of battery life and can then be recharged using a USB-C cable. Finally, there’s the with Find My integration. This offers an ultra-small form factor with up to 8 months of battery life and a USB-C port for charging. Backpacks with Find My While I generally recommend buying a standalone Find My tracker, there are backpacks on the market that directly integrate Find My. Both Swissdigital and Hyper offer backpacks with Find My integration. More Find My accessories While accessories from Apple, Chipolo, Pebblebee, and SwitchBot are my top picks, there are other Find My-enabled options on the market. More 9to5Mac Gift Guides There’s a robust ecosystem of Find My accessories on the market nowadays. All of these accessories would make great holiday gifts this year across all kinds of different form factors. What’s a better gift than giving someone a way to keep track of their most important possessions? That person will thank you for years to come. As a refresher, Find My accessories broadcast a low-energy Bluetooth signal picked up by nearby Apple devices. They do not rely on GPS technology. Instead, that location is transmitted securely and privately to the Find My network. This means that your Find My-enabled item is locatable even if you are miles away, so long as someone with an Apple device happens to be nearby. iOS 18.2, set to be released to the public later this month, with a new system for sharing item locations. AirTag You can’t have a list of the best Find My accessories without including Apple’s AirTags. Packed with a U1 chip for Precision Finding support, a built-in speaker, and more, AirTags are a must-have for attaching to your luggage, backpack, keys, and other accessories. AirTags have also improved significantly since they were first released in April 2021. Apple has added , , and more. AirTags are not without their faults as they only come in one form factor, lack a built-in attachment mechanism, and are nearly four years old. Still, they represent the best way to start with the Find My ecosystem. Chipolo’s Find My ecosystem While Apple’s AirTag is available in a single form factor, Chipolo makes two different trackers that are fully compatible with Apple’s Find My ecosystem. This means you can add them to the Find My app and track them alongside your Apple products. They can also tap into the Find My ecosystem of Apple devices and AirTags to share the most up-to-date location information. SwitchBot Wallet Finder My the SwitchBot Wallet Finder and described it as an “incredibly useful accessory to track your wallet” using your iPhone and the Find My ecosystem. In addition to being shaped like a credit card to slide into your wallet, it all features a built-in keyring holder. This makes it easy to attach to something like a lanyard or backpack. Pebblebee’s Find My Ecosystem Another card-shaped option for the Find My network is the . The key differentiator with this one is that the battery is rechargeable. The aforementioned options from Chipolo and SwitchBot do not feature rechargeable or replaceable batteries. The Pebblebee Tracker Card offers up to 18 months of battery life and can then be recharged with a USB-C cable. In addition to the Tracker Card, Pebblebee also sells two other Find My-enabled accessories. is a small tracker that is similar to the AirTag form factor but with a built-in keyring holder. It features up to 12 months of battery life and can then be recharged using a USB-C cable. Finally, there’s the with Find My integration. This offers an ultra-small form factor with up to 8 months of battery life and a USB-C port for charging. Backpacks with Find My While I generally recommend buying a standalone Find My tracker, there are backpacks on the market that directly integrate Find My. Both Swissdigital and Hyper offer backpacks with Find My integration. More Find My accessories While accessories from Apple, Chipolo, Pebblebee, and SwitchBot are my top picks, there are other Find My-enabled options on the market. More 9to5Mac Gift Guides
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From savory breakfast options while driving to your seasonal destination, to home and auto protection, and even resources to support mental and physical health, AARP member benefits offer deals and savings that will help snowbirds take flight this winter. "Spending winters in warmer places has so many benefits that come with being able to be outside more often. Warmth and sunlight not only increase serotonin levels , which can result in more positive moods and a calm, focused mental outlook, but they also stimulate vitamin D production and may even boost immunity ," said Elvira Christiansen, Director of Retail and Loyalty for AARP Services. "An AARP membership makes it even better by offering savings as you plan your trip, as well as at many dining, entertainment and retail locations you will come across in your winter getaway destination, helping you to enjoy it to the fullest." 1. Order Up Road trips are often the preferred way to travel to a winter home for the flexibility of having a car once there. Whether your drive will have you behind the wheel for hours or days, you'll want to make sure you have your meals planned out. Fill up with a tasty breakfast or lunch with a stop at Denny's, which is easy to spot from most major highways. AARP members can save when heading to Denny's . With over 1,500 locations nationwide, members save 15% on everything from diner classics to breakfast items every day; maximum discount not to exceed $10. Restrictions apply. 2. Primary Care from Almost Anywhere Feeling under the weather can put a damper on your winter travels, so it's a good idea to make sure you can access quality healthcare even when you're at your winter destination. If you are on Medicare, you can check whether there is an Oak Street Health primary care clinic near you. Oak Street Health , the only primary care provider to carry the AARP name, provides primary care for adults on Medicare and focuses on prevention with personalized care to help keep you healthy — physically, mentally and socially. Benefits include same-day/next-day appointments where available, convenient locations, a dedicated care team and a 24/7 patient support line. AARP membership is not required to visit an Oak Street Health clinic. 3. Wellness Checklist Once you check off primary care needs for your winter destination, don't overlook other priorities like maintaining your prescriptions and protecting your vision. Start by making sure your prescriptions are up to date before you head out of town. If you do need a refill while you're away, you have access to a free prescription discount card from AARP ® Prescription Discounts provided by Optum Rx ® that can be used at over 66,000 pharmacies nationwide for savings on FDA-approved medications. You do not need to be an AARP member to take advantage of these benefits, though AARP members receive additional perks, including deeper discounts on medications, home delivery, coverage for your dependents and more. If you're having trouble with your vision, want to update your sunglass prescription, or simply want to maintain your annual visits to an optometrist or ophthalmologist while away, AARP members have access to information on vision insurance options that offer individual and family plans, featuring a large doctor network, savings on frames, lens enhancements, progressives and more. 4. Home (Safety) Away from Home One thing that should always be a priority is keeping your home safe while you're away for the winter. While Neighborhood Watch is always helpful, long periods away from a home require additional security systems. With an AARP membership, homeowners can secure their homes for less. Members save 5% on monthly home security monitoring with ADT Home Security , which covers smart home security systems including intrusion monitoring, connected smoke and CO detection, and smart automation for video doorbells, security cameras and smart locks. 5. Pack Auto Coverage in Your Luggage Driving south for the winter? Utilize AARP member benefits to save on auto care so you can road trip worry free. AARP members save up to 20% on annual membership fees for Allstate Roadside Assistance plans, which provides access to assistance for towing, jump-starts, tire changes, lockout assistance, fuel delivery and more. Allstate Roadside plan benefits can be used 24/7 in any car you drive, including rented and borrowed ones. And, if you want to bring any personal items with you but don't have room to squeeze them in your car, Budget Truck Rental has a variety of trucks for you to choose from. AARP members can save 20% on local or one-way truck rentals on Sunday through Thursday and 10% on Friday and Saturday, plus receive a $10-per-day Physical Damage Waiver. Regardless of how you're traveling or spending your winter months, AARP member benefits can help you maximize your budget while you prioritize the things that matter. To learn more about the benefits and discounts for AARP members to help you prepare for your relaunch, please visit aarp.org/save . AARP member benefits are provided by third parties. AARP receives a royalty fee for the use of its intellectual property. These fees are used for the general purposes of AARP. Provider offers are subject to change and may have restrictions.Wall Street stocks were little changed on Thursday while Asian equities rose in thin Boxing Day trade, extending their "Santa Claus Rally" with several bourses still shut for the holiday. Japan's Nikkei index closed up 1.1 percent, boosted by comments from the Bank of Japan governor and share price gains for top-selling automaker Toyota. China's plans for massive bond issuances in 2025 also bolstered investor sentiment. "Even though many in the region are still shaking off a bit of a holiday hangover, with several markets closed for Boxing Day, Asian stocks opened higher, riding a favorable wave from China's financial bond juggernaut," said Stephen Innes from SPI Asset Management. In New York, major indices veered in and out of positive territory in a sleepy post-Christmas session. The broad-based S&P 500 finished down less than 0.1 percent. Large technology companies that have led the market in much of 2024 mostly took a breather. These included Netflix, Tesla and Amazon, all of which declined. "What's interesting today is that we're seeing small stocks bounce back a little bit," said Steve Sosnick of Interactive Brokers, noting that the Russell 2000 index put on 0.9 percent. Holiday consumer data showed a 3.8-percent increase in US retail spending from November 1 to December 24, according to a Mastercard SpendingPulse review of a key period for retailers. London Stockton, an analyst at Ned Davis Research, noted that the "Santa Claus rally could still be alive, with strong seasonality into the end of the year." Stock markets have traditionally fared well in the last five trading days of the year and the first two in the new year, a trend known as the "Santa Claus rally." Among a number of possible reasons advanced by experts include the festive holiday mood and purchasing ahead of the end of the tax year. Innes said remarks from Bank of Japan governor Kazuo Ueda in which he refrained from signaling a potential interest rate hike next month also "influenced bullish regional sentiments." Japanese market heavyweight Toyota ended nearly six percent higher after reports in the Nikkei business daily said it aimed to double its return on equity -- a key measure of a company's financial performance. New York - Dow: UP 0.1 percent at 43,325.80 (close) New York - S&P 500: DOWN less than 0.1 percent at 6,037.59 (close) New York - Nasdaq: DOWN 0.1 percent at 20,020.36 (close) Tokyo - Nikkei 225: UP 1.1 percent at 39,568.06 points (close) Hang Seng: UP 1.1 percent at 20,098.29 points (Tuesday close) Shanghai - Composite: UP 0.1 percent at 3,398.08 points (close) Euro/dollar: UP at $1.0424 from $1.0414 on Tuesday Pound/dollar: DOWN at $1.2526 from $1.2538 Dollar/yen: UP at 158.00 yen from 157.06 yen Euro/pound: UP at 83.19 pence from 83.05 pence West Texas Intermediate: DOWN 0.7 percent at $69.62 per barrel Brent North Sea Crude: DOWN 0.4 percent at $73.26 per barrel bur-jmb/aha
P rime Minister Narendra Modi flagging off work on the Ken-Betwa river interlinking project signalled that the national government is unbothered by the wide-ranging opposition to it. At a budgeted cost of ₹44,605 crore, the project will draw supposedly “excess” water away from the Ken river basin towards the Betwa river basin and thereon to farmland and human settlements. When the Union Cabinet approved the project in 2021, the National Green Tribunal was still deliberating a challenge to its green clearance. This was typical of the state’s tendency to pardon businesses found in violation of environmental laws after they had made considerable investments. The government itself has ignored critical comments from experts, including members of an empowered committee appointed by the Supreme Court, and bypassed due process. The law has strict terms for allowing hydroelectric power projects in ecologically sensitive areas — the Daudhan Dam will be erected inside the Panna Tiger Reserve — but there is little evidence of such scrutiny. Work on the dam will destroy lakhs of trees and destabilise fragile ecosystems. The government has also refused to release hydrological data of the basins claiming they are sensitive by virtue of being subsets of the international Ganga basin. That a river interlink will water fields and quench thirst is irrefutable, but for how long? Various studies have asserted that the Ken and the Betwa basins suffer floods and droughts together, that the subcontinent’s rainfall and sedimentation patterns stand to be altered, and that the Betwa basin can be replenished more affordably by maintaining environmental flows and bolstering natural storage. The government’s principal claim is that the Ken and the Betwa basins are respectively water-surplus and water-deficient. This is disingenuous: the Betwa basin is water-deficient strictly because it hosts several lakh hectares of irrigated cropland. Should the demand in the Ken basin increase, both areas will suffer. Experts have instead suggested that the project is a ploy to pacify the electorate in Bundelkhand — as its approval months ahead of State polls in Uttar Pradesh also suggested — and/or to improve water supply to reservoirs in the lower Betwa thanks to other upstream blockades. The project seems more the product of political expediency and self-image than current ecological sense. The more resources the government sinks into it, the more unlikely changing or reversing course will become in the face of adverse developments. When they come to pass, the responsibility and costs of mitigating the adverse consequences of this and other projects, including the recently launched Parbati-Kalisindh-Chambal link, will fall to the people. Published - December 27, 2024 02:15 am IST Copy link Email Facebook Twitter Telegram LinkedIn WhatsApp Reddit natural resources (general) / natural resources / rivers / environmental issuesDETROIT (AP) — Two towers at Detroit's iconic Renaissance Center would be razed and the complex converted to a mix of housing and offices under an ambitious $1.6 billion plan announced Monday. The complex, which next year will lose the headquarters of owner General Motors Co., is the symbol of Detroit, with aerial views often shown on television sports broadcasts. GM decided last spring to leave what's locally known as the “RenCen” for a more modern building being constructed downtown. GM said in April it would join forces with the Bedrock real estate development firm and Wayne County to turn the partially vacant property into a roughly 27-acre entertainment complex across the Detroit River from Windsor, Ontario. Under the plans, Bedrock would invest at least $1 billion in the property, with roughly $250 million more coming from GM and another $250 million in yet-to-be-allocated public money, possibly from the state of Michigan. The plan, called conceptual by Bedrock, would preserve most of the skyline and reduce the center's office footprint. Demolishing the two 39-story towers would free land for the waterfront project that would complement a walkway along the river, Bedrock said in a press release. A pedestrian promenade would link the heart of downtown to the riverfront, Bedrock said. The 73-story main tower would remain, with high-end housing on the upper floors, according to Crain's Detroit Business, which first reported the plans. GM CEO Mary Barra said last April that the move to a brand new state-of-the-art office building in the heart of the city will help GM recruit talent in the future. The new site, being built by Bedrock, is about a mile (1.6 kilometers) north of the Renaissance Center. The move also keeps GM’s headquarters in the city for the foreseeable future, she said.MANCHESTER, England (Reuters) -Manchester City squandered a three-goal lead to draw 3-3 with Dutch side Feyenoord in the Champions League on Tuesday in another calamitous performance from Pep Guardiola's stuttering side. Erling Haaland bagged a brace for the hosts, who looked poised for a comfortable victory to erase their woeful five-game losing streak across all competitions. But huge defensive blunders in the dying minutes saw them lose their advantage and fall to 15th in the Champions League table on eight points. City have conceded two or more goals in six successive matches in all competitions for the first time since 1963 - a season that saw them relegated from the English top flight. They also became the first team in Champions League history to be leading a match by three goals as late as the 75th minute but fail to win. "Difficult," said City's defender Nathan Ake. "We played quite well, all under control, then things changed. We have to stay strong mentally, believe in ourselves, and stay together ... and make sure we get out of it. "The only thing we can do is fight back and stay strong ... When you're three-nil up, it feels like a defeat when you give up three goals at home." City parked in the visitors' end for much of the night, and following several near misses in the first half, Haaland got the home side on the scoresheet in the 45th minute with a blistering penalty kick past Timon Wellenreuther after he was fouled in the box. TURNAROUND Ilkay Gundogan doubled the lead in the 50th minute with a low long-range shot that took a deflection in, before Haaland completed his brace three minutes later when he stabbed home Matheus Nunes' cross for his 46th goal in Europe's elite competition. At that stage, it was all smiles among the relieved Etihad crowd. Yet astonishingly, Feyenoord replied with three goals inside 15 minutes, first from Anis Hadj Moussa, who pounced on a careless ball back from Josko Gvardiol in the 75th minute. Then Santiago Gimenez struck seven minutes later when he chested in Jordan Lotomba's cross, created from another wayward Gvardiol pass that had a furious Guardiola sitting with his head in his hands for several minutes. David Hancko got the equaliser in the 89th minute when City keeper Ederson was beaten by Igor Paixao who sent a cross to Hancko to head in. What could have been a massive confidence boost for Guardiola's struggling team now raises more questions ahead of their toughest test of the season yet, a clash with Premier League-leading Liverpool on Sunday at Anfield. Defeat would leave City 11 points adrift of the Reds. Feyenoord, who are fourth in the Dutch Eredivisie, are 20th in the Champions League standings with seven points. (Reporting by Lori Ewing; Editing by Andrew Cawthorne)
Pollard, Irving among 4 must-start Week 13 fantasy football running backsA judge on Monday rejected a request to block a San Jose State women’s volleyball team member from playing in a conference tournament on grounds that she is transgender. Monday’s ruling by U.S. Magistrate Judge S. Kato Crews in Denver will allow the player, who has played all season, to continue competing in the Mountain West Conference women’s championship scheduled for later this week in Las Vegas. The ruling comes after a lawsuit was filed by nine current players who are suing the Mountain West Conference to challenge the league’s policies for allowing transgender players to participate. The players argued that letting her compete was a safety risk and unfair. While some media have reported those and other details, neither San Jose State nor the forfeiting teams have confirmed the school has a trans women’s volleyball player. The Associated Press is withholding the player’s name because she has not publicly commented on her gender identity. School officials also have declined an interview request with the player. Judge Crews referred to the athlete as an “alleged transgender” player in his ruling and noted that no defendant disputed that San Jose State rosters a transgender woman volleyball player. He said the players who filed the complaint could have sought relief much earlier, noting that the individual universities had acknowledged that not playing their games against San Jose State this season would result in a forfeit in league standings. He also said injunctions are meant to preserve the status quo. The conference policy regarding forfeiting for refusing to play against a team with a transgender player had been in effect since 2022 and the San Jose State player has been on the roster since 2022 – making that the status quo. The player competed at the college level three previous seasons, including two for San Jose State, drawing little attention. This season’s awareness of her identity led to an uproar among some players, pundits, parents and politicians in a political campaign year. The tournament starts Wednesday and continues Friday and Saturday. San Jose State is seeded second. The judge's order maintains the seedings and pairings for the tournament. Several teams refused to play against San Jose State during the season, earning losses in the official standings. Boise State and Wyoming each had two forfeits while Utah State and Nevada both had one. Southern Utah, a member of the Western Athletic Conference, was first to cancel against San Jose State this year. Nevada’s players stated they “refuse to participate in any match that advances injustice against female athletes,” without providing further details. Crews served as a magistrate judge in Colorado’s U.S. District Court for more than five years before President Joe Biden appointed him to serve as a federal judge in January of this year. Gruver reported from Cheyenne, Wyoming, and Hanson from Helena, Montana.Aid only ‘delaying deaths’ as Sudan counts down to famine: agency chief
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New Delhi, Nov 23 (PTI) India and the European Union (EU) have finalised an extensive roadmap for the green hydrogen sector that includes development of infrastructure, technology cooperation and boosting supply chains. The two sides deliberated on ways to enhance cooperation in the sector at the 10th meeting of the India-EU Energy Panel held on Thursday in Brussels. Also Read | Maharashtra Assembly Election Results 2024: 'Modi Magic' Stumps MVA As PM Narendra Modi Leads Mahayuti to Back-to-Back Wins. At the meeting, a "work plan" was adopted for the third phase of the India-EU Clean Energy and Climate Partnership 2025-28, which will focus on deeper cooperation in five priority areas, according to the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA). The priority areas are green hydrogen, offshore wind energy, regional connectivity, electricity market integration and smart grids, energy efficiency, and energy and climate diplomacy. Also Read | 'Loss in Jharkhand Is Deeply Painful for Me': BJP Leader Himanta Biswa Sarma on Jharkhand Assembly Election Results 2024. "The two sides have set out an extensive agenda for green hydrogen cooperation, which includes assessing infrastructure development feasibility, regulatory and technology cooperation, and strengthening of supply chains," the MEA said on Saturday. It said the energy panel focused on the energy transition priorities of the two sides and took stock of the achievements of the second phase of the India-EU Clean Energy and Climate Partnership 2021-2024. The two sides undertook and completed joint initiatives involving technical cooperation in 51 activities divided into nine sectors, it added. "The two sides have also charted out the framework for green hydrogen cooperation, which includes cooperation on green hydrogen policies of India and the EU," the MEA said. The EU and EU member states participated in the international conference on green hydrogen this year in India. On its part, India joined as an exclusive country partner of European Hydrogen Week 2024. "India and the EU also entered into long-term research commitments to jointly support research in clean energy projects as part of the India-EU trade and technology council working group on clean and green technologies, which was established in January 2023," the MEA said. (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body)Some moments in a nation's history are remembered for centuries. December 27, 2007, stands as a deeply tragic day in our national history, marked by the martyrdom of Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto in a brutal act of terrorism. This date has become a symbol of sacrifice for the country and its people. When Shaheed Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto decided to return to her homeland after eight years in exile, her friends and relatives strongly urged her not to, warning of the dangerous situation and threats to her life. Several foreign governments shared intelligence reports with her, and Pakistan's intelligence agencies also conveyed that her return was fraught with peril. Party leaders and those in her close circle advised her against returning to Pakistan until the very last moment. Shaheed Bibi was fully aware of the risks and was convinced that certain forces were determined to eliminate her. Yet, she remained resolute in her decision. Before returning, she wrote her last will and testament, specifying her final resting place within the grounds of Shaheed Bhutto's mausoleum. To those urging her to reconsider, she had a single, unwavering response: Pakistan's security was at stake. "If I do not return at this critical juncture," she would say, "history will remember us as cowards. I cannot abandon my country and my people in their time of need." She often reiterated her belief: "We are a people of reasoning, of ideas and emotions. We know how to live, and we know how to die." Very few individuals in history have embraced death with such courage and conviction. When Shaheed Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto returned to Pakistan on October 18, 2007, the entire nation seemed to converge at Karachi airport to welcome her. A sea of people gathered in support of her vision for a peaceful democratic revolution, echoing her belief that Pakistan's survival lay in democracy. The overwhelming support unsettled the forces opposed to Pakistan and its people. On the same day, these hostile forces struck their first blow against Shaheed Bibi through a brutal terrorist attack on Shahra-e-Faisal near Karsaz, Karachi. Although she survived the devastating bomb blasts, more than 200 of her supporters sacrificed their lives for the cause of Pakistan's survival and the restoration of democracy. The Karsaz tragedy made it evident that Shaheed Bibi's life was under constant threat from those opposing her mission. On October 19, during a press conference at Bilawal House in Karachi, she was asked if she would continue her campaign despite the threats. Her resolute reply was: "Those forces want me to abandon my campaign and leave. They do not want true democracy to be restored in the country. But if democracy is not restored, the dangers to Pakistan will only increase. I will stay with my people." Upon her return to Pakistan, Shaheed Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto brought with her a manuscript she had written, later published under the title Reconciliation. In one poignant passage, she wrote: "I had endured the torment of my father's arrest, imprisonment, and murder and knew that such wounds of the soul never truly heal. I was willing to do anything to spare my children the pain I had suffered from my father's death, but this was the one thing I could not do." In her book Reconciliation, Shaheed Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto explains why she returned to her homeland despite being fully aware of the threats to her life. She wrote, "Pakistan is in danger of Talibanization as well as balkanization." She further described the perilous state of the nation at that time, saying, "Pakistan is a bundle of dry fuel, which can catch fire very quickly." Recognizing the grave dangers posed by the growing power of extremist and separatist groups, Shaheed Bibi sacrificed her life to save Pakistan. Throughout her career, she bravely engaged in politics during some of the most critical and dangerous periods in the country's history, enduring immense personal suffering for the sake of her people. Shaheed Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto stands as a singular leader who fought against two military dictatorships-those of General Zia-ul-Haq and General Pervez Musharraf. By restoring democracy, she countered the threats posed by extremist and separatist forces that endangered the nation's security. Under authoritarian regimes, Pakistan faced significant challenges: the country was divided during the dictatorships of General Ayub Khan and General Yahya Khan, while the regimes of Zia-ul-Haq and Pervez Musharraf embroiled Pakistan in global power struggles. These wars crushed democratic and federalist forces, allowing extremist and separatist movements to gain strength. On April 10, 1986, when Shaheed Bibi first returned to Pakistan, and again on October 18, 2007, the country's security was in jeopardy. In 2007, religious and sectarian extremist forces dominated politics through terrorism, and the government's writ had eroded in regions like Swat and the tribal areas, where even the Pakistani flag could not be raised. Despite these risks, Shaheed Bibi returned to her homeland, risking her life to confront these challenges head-on. If she had not returned during those critical times, the situation in Pakistan today might have been unimaginable. The democracy we see in Pakistan now, the weakening of extremist, fascist, and separatist forces, and the strengthening of federal democratic ideals-symbolized by milestones like the 18th and 26th Constitutional Amendments-are all testaments to Shaheed Bibi's unwavering commitment and ultimate sacrifice. Minister for Information, Transport and Mass Transit, Government of Sindh COMMENTS Comments are moderated and generally will be posted if they are on-topic and not abusive. For more information, please see ourOregon Rep. Lori Chavez-DeRemer narrowly lost her bid for a second term this month, despite strong backing from union members, a key part of the Democratic base who have gravitated in the Trump era toward a Republican Party traditionally allied with business interests. “Lori’s strong support from both the Business and Labor communities will ensure that the Labor Department can unite Americans of all backgrounds behind our Agenda for unprecedented National Success — Making America Richer, Wealthier, Stronger and more Prosperous than ever before!” Trump said in a statement announcing his choice Friday night. For decades, labor unions sided with Democrats and were greeted largely with hostility by Republicans. Now, with Trump’s populist appeal, his working-class base saw a decent share of union rank-and-file voting for Republicans this year, even as major unions, including the AFL-CIO and the United Auto Workers, endorsed Democrat Kamala Harris in the White House race. Trump sat down with the International Brotherhood of Teamsters union leadership and members this year. When he emerged from that meeting, he boasted that a significant chunk of union voters were backing him. Of a possible Teamsters endorsement, he said, “Stranger things have happened.” The Teamsters ultimately declined to endorse either Trump, the former president, or Harris, the vice president, though leader Sean O’Brien had a prominent speaking slot at the Republican National Convention. Kara Deniz, a Teamsters spokesperson, told the Associated Press that O’Brien met with more than a dozen House Republicans this past week to lobby on behalf of Chavez-DeRemer. “Chavez-DeRemer would be an excellent choice for labor secretary and has his backing,” Deniz said. The work of the Labor Department affects workers’ wages, health and safety, ability to unionize and employers’ rights to fire employers, among other responsibilities. On Election Day, Trump deepened his support among voters without a college degree after running just slightly ahead of Democrat Joe Biden with noncollege voters in 2020. Trump made modest gains, earning a clear majority of this group, while only about 4 in 10 supported Harris, according to AP VoteCast, a sweeping survey of more than 120,000 voters nationwide. Roughly 18% of voters in this year’s election were from union households, with Harris winning a majority of the group. But Trump’s performance among union members kept him competitive and helped him win key states such as Pennsylvania, Michigan and Wisconsin. Chavez-DeRemer was one of few House Republicans to endorse the “Protecting the Right to Organize” or PRO Act, which would allow more workers to conduct organizing campaigns and add penalties for companies that violate workers’ rights. The measure would weaken “right-to-work” laws that allow employees in more than half the states to avoid participating in or paying dues to unions that represent workers at their places of employment. Trump’s first term saw firmly pro-business policies from his appointees across government, including those on the National Labor Relations Board. Trump, a real estate developer and businessman before winning the presidency, generally has backed policies that would make it harder for workers to unionize. During his recent campaign, Trump criticized union bosses and at one point suggested UAW members should not pay their dues. His first administration did expand overtime eligibility rules, but not nearly as much as Democrats wanted, and a Trump-appointed judge since struck down the Biden administration’s more generous overtime rules. Trump stacked his incoming administration with officials who worked on the Heritage Foundation’s “Project 2025” blueprint, which includes a sharp swing away from Biden’s pro-union policies. “Chavez-DeRemer’s record suggests she understands the value of policies that strengthen workers’ rights and economic security,” said Rebecca Dixon, president and CEO of National Employment Law Project, which is backed by many of the country’s major labor unions. “But the Trump administration’s agenda is fundamentally at odds with these principles, threatening to roll back workplace protections, undermine collective bargaining, and prioritize corporate profits over the needs of working people. This is where her true commitment to workers will be tested.” Other union leaders also issued praise but sounded a note of caution. “Educators and working families across the nation will be watching ... as she moves through the confirmation process,” the president of the National Education Association, Becky Pringle, said, “and hope to hear a pledge from her to continue to stand up for workers and students as her record suggests, not blind loyalty to the Project 2025 agenda.” AFL-CIO President Liz Shuler welcomed the choice while taking care to note Trump’s history of opposing polices that support unions. “It remains to be seen what she will be permitted to do as secretary of labor in an administration with a dramatically anti-worker agenda,” Shuler said.
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