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188jili top Maresca led the Foxes to the Sky Bet Championship title last season before joining Chelsea over the summer. Leicester famously toasted their improbable Premier League success in 2016 with an impromptu bash at Vardy’s house. But the venue for last April’s party was not at the striker’s abode, but at Maresca’s house when the players turned up unannounced at 2am. Maresca recalled: “The best present I had from last season was when we got promoted and they arrived at my home. All the team. “This showed the connection between the players; they could go for a party at a different place but they all arrived at my home. It was a fantastic connection and I will always be thankful for them. “I was at home celebrating with my staff and my family and about two o’clock in the morning all the squad was there. We celebrated all together. “When I was a player and I won things I never thought to go to the manager’s home. That shows the connection.” Similarly to when they clinched the Premier League crown, Leicester were not actually playing when they found out they were promoted after Leeds lost at QPR. “To be honest I was at home watching the game and when it finished all the staff came over – and later the players,” added the Italian. “They didn’t knock on the door, they were in the garden and knocked on the window. What time did they leave? I don’t remember.” Vardy might not be having a party at the end of this season but he is still banging in the goals at 37 and Maresca rates the striker even more highly than England’s two top goalscorers – Harry Kane and Wayne Rooney. “People don’t realise how good he is,” added Maresca. “I know England have been quite lucky because of Kane and Rooney, this type of striker, they are fantastic. “But Jamie is, if you ask me, the best one.” Maresca returns to the King Power Stadium for the first time with Chelsea on Saturday, but he will be without captain Reece James due to a hamstring problem.

Arne Slot has lavished praise on the returning Alisson Becker as he fumed about his side's performance in a narrow Champions League win over Girona. Alisson started for the first time since early October at the Estadi Montilivi and kept a clean sheet. The Brazilian was forced into five saves by the La Liga side and stood up to his task well. Liverpool boss Slot has maintained that Alisson has remained the club's No.1 despite the impressive performances of Caoimhin Kelleher during his absence. Now, the Dutchman simply wants his first choice to stay fit. Liverpool have carefully managed Alisson's return with the 32-year-old returning to training last month but only now being chosen to start in goal. Slot's first choice has been made firmly clear. The Dutchman said: "I said as a joke the players wanted to see how fit he really was to give him so much work. He showed again today why I said so many times he is our first goalkeeper, nothing to do with Caoimh [Kelleher] he did so well. “Alisson has been so important for so many years and showed why he is in my opinion one of the best or the best in the world . And let's hope he can keep continuing to bring these performances. Let's hope even more that he can stay fit." Slot was disappointed that Darwin Nunez was unable to land himself on the scoresheet. The Reds striker has scored just three goals in 19 appearances this term and Liverpool's coach admitted he kept his forward on the pitch in the hopes of turning his fortunes around. "What I can agree on is that he missed a few chances," said Slot. "Then it's always the question: does this have anything to do with low confidence or is this a situation where he's in at the moment? "I think every striker all around the world has periods where every ball goes in, and sometimes he has a period where you try so hard but you're not able to score. The good thing is that we have many players that can score for us – today Mo again. "I would have loved to see Darwin score because I think every striker wants to score [and] needs goals – that's why I kept him in for quite a long time. He was a threat but unfortunately he couldn't score. "Yes, Alisson made a lot of saves, but I think if you make highlights of this game we will all see a few chances that we had as well, which is normal. What is not normal is that we concede so many chances." Join our new WhatsApp community and receive your daily dose of Mirror Football content. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don't like our community, you can check out any time you like. If you're curious, you can read our Privacy Notice. Sky has slashed the price of its Sky Sports, Sky Stream, Sky TV and Netflix bundle in an unbeatable new deal that saves £240 and includes 1,400 live matches across the Premier League, EFL and more.

Enzo Maresca has lifted the lid on Leicester’s promotion celebrations and revealed Jamie Vardy and co still know how to party. Maresca led the Foxes to the Sky Bet Championship title last season before joining Chelsea over the summer. Leicester famously toasted their improbable Premier League success in 2016 with an impromptu bash at Vardy’s house. But the venue for last April’s party was not at the striker’s abode, but at Maresca’s house when the players turned up unannounced at 2am. Maresca recalled: “The best present I had from last season was when we got promoted and they arrived at my home. All the team. “This showed the connection between the players; they could go for a party at a different place but they all arrived at my home. It was a fantastic connection and I will always be thankful for them. “I was at home celebrating with my staff and my family and about two o’clock in the morning all the squad was there. We celebrated all together. Last night at Enzo’s 🏡 💙 pic.twitter.com/dqP8BFsDn3 — Leicester City (@LCFC) April 27, 2024 “When I was a player and I won things I never thought to go to the manager’s home. That shows the connection.” Similarly to when they clinched the Premier League crown, Leicester were not actually playing when they found out they were promoted after Leeds lost at QPR. “To be honest I was at home watching the game and when it finished all the staff came over – and later the players,” added the Italian. “They didn’t knock on the door, they were in the garden and knocked on the window. What time did they leave? I don’t remember.” Vardy might not be having a party at the end of this season but he is still banging in the goals at 37 and Maresca rates the striker even more highly than England’s two top goalscorers – Harry Kane and Wayne Rooney. “People don’t realise how good he is,” added Maresca. “I know England have been quite lucky because of Kane and Rooney, this type of striker, they are fantastic. “But Jamie is, if you ask me, the best one.” Maresca returns to the King Power Stadium for the first time with Chelsea on Saturday, but he will be without captain Reece James due to a hamstring problem.One win separates the Knicks from a business trip to Las Vegas. The in-season tournament now known as the NBA Cup resumes Wednesday night at Madison Square Garden, where the Knicks are set to host the Atlanta Hawks in a single-elimination “knockout round” game. A victory would send the Knicks to the tournament’s semifinal round in Sin City, where the NBA Cup final is also set to take place. The stakes are little higher for NBA Cup games, which — other than final — also count toward a team’s regular-season record. The team that wins the tournament gets a trophy, while its players each win $514,970. “It would mean a lot for us to get there and do all that,” Jalen Brunson said last week . “You have guys on the team who may be on one-year contracts or two-ways or whatever, and you get to go out there and try to win for them.” The NBA introduced the in-season tournament last year in an effort to elevate interest and competition during the regular season’s first half. The tournament splits the NBA’s 30 teams into six groups, and each team plays the others in its group once apiece during the opening round. The Knicks went 4-0 in group play – beating the Philadelphia 76ers, Nets, Charlotte Hornets and Orlando Magic – to win Eastern Conference Group A and advance to the knockout stage. The Hawks went 3-1 in group play to win Eastern Conference Group C. Wednesday’s win-and-advance affair functions as a rematch of the Knicks and Hawks’ first-round bout in the 2021 NBA playoffs, during which Trae Young emerged as a Madison Square Garden villain by leading Atlanta to a series victory. No one in the Knicks’ current core — including Brunson, Josh Hart and Karl-Anthony Towns – were on that 2021 team. Atlanta (13-12) enters Wednesday as one of the NBA’s hottest teams, having won six in a row before Sunday’s 141-111 loss in Denver. The Hawks remain among the NBA’s highest-scoring teams at 117.1 points per game, despite a relatively down season for Young, who is averaging 20.9 points per game and shooting just 38.5% from the field. Helping to overcome Young’s uneven start — and the offseason departure of Dejounte Murray — have been career-best seasons by Jalen Johnson, who is averaging 19.8 points per game, and fellow forward De’Andre Hunter, who is averaging 19.3. Atlanta is, however, among the NBA’s worst defensive teams, which should mean plenty of scoring opportunities for the Knicks (15-9), who are a tick ahead of the Hawks offensively at 117.8 points per game. “NBA Cup, win or go home. It’s like a playoff game,” Towns said last week after the Knicks beat the Magic, 121-106, to advance to the knockout round. “We’re competitors. This is a high-level-competition moment. The game means a little more.” In last year’s inaugural tournament, the Knicks also advanced to the knockout round, only to be eliminated by the Milwaukee Bucks. The Los Angeles Lakers beat the Indiana Pacers in the 2023 final. A win Wednesday would make the Knicks one of the final four teams in the tournament. The NBA Cup semifinal games are scheduled to take place Saturday at Vegas’ T-Mobile Arena. The final will also be held there next Tuesday. “I think it’s going to continue to grow, too,” Brunson said last week of the NBA Cup. “It’s still early, but I think as it picks up traction it’s going to be great for a long time. Obviously, if you’re able to be a part of it and move on, it’s a plus.”

Prize scams targeting winners prompt holiday warning from Michigan LotteryTransportation and hybrid virtual health are among the top needs for rural medical patients in B.C, according to a recent rural healthcare event. On Nov. 20 and 27, the Rural Coordination Center of BC hosted its Rural Voices event engaging with over 500 diverse community members from local physicians to every day residents. Conversations focused on ways to improve rural health. "What really stood out is the resilience and positivity and willingness of communities to take action on these issues themselves," said Alice Muirhead, RCcbc's director of outreach and engagement. Transportation solutions mentioned by participants included volunteer-based transportation connecting multiple communities, mobile health vans, and helicopter services. Attendees brought up sometimes overlooked details such as much-needed but non-urgent care access, and the need for financial assistance following treatment. "A person might have funding to transport them to urgent acute care, but sometimes it's not covered for them to return to their community," Muirhead said. Participants discussed enhancing virtual care options such as online or Telehealth appointments, as well as accessible online records. "This is the idea that maybe you see a doctor or nurse practitioner or a nurse in your community face to face on their schedule, but you also have access to that person virtually, so you build a relationship in person, and you're building trust with the same person over time, but you're able to access them more frequently because of those virtual modes of care." In terms of enhancing such remote-based care, participants spoke of data systems that can communicate with one another, such as a centralized system for all healthcare providers. "There's a lot of challenges to sharing patient information between health authorities, between clinics, between levels of care," Muirhead added. "So, a lot of people talked about the need for improved technology solutions to share information in a way that's still private, confidential and safe, but that enables better care." Additionally, many highlighted a desire for collaboration and empowered patients. "These are really big, complex systems, and change takes time. So, I think there is a lot of positive momentum. There's a lot of people trying to do things in different, more positive ways. It just takes a lot of time." Canada is large with many communities outside of city centres. Muirhead compared rural health access to other community and infrastructure needs and access. "There isn't sort of a big box store down the road where they can buy everything they need. They're used to sort of making do with what they have. And I think the same is true for health and wellness. RCCbc will be releasing summaries of Rural Voices, aiming to share gathered ideas with the Ministry of Health, health authorities, and organizations across the province.

Editor in Chief Updated The human body is a marvel of engineering, but it’s a machine that requires maintenance and repair. At times, that means trying to replace parts lost to injury or illness. The oldest known prosthesis is the “Cairo toe,” crafted out of wood and leather and thought to be 2,700 to 3,000 years old. Its flexibility as well as signs that it was repaired multiple times suggest that it wasn’t built just for appearance — it helped the person walk. Many efforts to improve replacement body parts followed, including a leg made from bronze and hollowed wood created in what’s now Italy around 300 B.C. Some people in Switzerland and Germany in the fifth to eighth centuries sported wood, iron or bronze feet. In the 15th century, cranks, gears and springs made artificial limbs more functional for those who had at least one hand to manage the hardware. The technology has improved exponentially since then, but one key challenge remains: making the replacement limb easy for the user to control. To solve that major problem, researchers are flipping the script and re-engineering the human body. Help us improve by telling us about your experience In this issue, we explore , a person’s sense of where their body is in space, after an amputation (SN: 10/3/24). Such efforts involve engineers who design prostheses in collaboration with surgeons. The surgeons reroute muscles affected by amputation, realigning them so they generate electrical signals more typical of uninjured musculature. Those signals then direct joints in the prosthesis. In a recent study, people with these new muscle-to-prosthesis interfaces increased their top walking speed by 40 percent. Other engineer-surgeon collaborations have rerouted nerves in order to send stronger signals to a prosthesis, or have connected an artificial limb directly to bone to avoid the too-common issue of pain caused by a prosthetic socket. In a paper, one of the scientists termed it “co-engineering the body and machine.” We also delve into a very different form of research: fieldwork. Charles Darwin became famous for developing his theory of evolution by painstakingly gathering specimens of plants, animals and fossils around the world. Most field researchers never become household names, but their work matters. I didn’t know about Margaret S. Collins, who became , until our life sciences writer Susan Milius proposed a profile of Collins as part of our Unsung Characters series (SN: 11/27/24). And what a life she led. As a Black woman born in West Virginia in 1922, she was a contemporary of the mathematician Katherine Johnson, and like her peer, Collins contended with both racism and sexism, which impeded her efforts to participate equally in the sciences and in society. Nevertheless, Collins persisted, becoming the first Black female entomologist Ph.D. in the United States, raising two sons and conducting field research in the United States, Central and South America, and the Caribbean. Collins made fundamental observations about how termites adapt to hostile dry environments and provided a wealth of data for evolutionists investigating how related species become so diverse. The “termite lady” also opened the door for other women who dreamed of a life as a scientist in the field. Nancy Shute is editor in chief of Science News Media Group. Previously, she was an editor at NPR and , and a contributor to and . She is a past president of the National Association of Science Writers. We are at a critical time and . and our parent organization, the Society for Science, need your help to strengthen scientific literacy and ensure that important societal decisions are made with science in mind. Please to expand science literacy and understanding.

Manhattan police have obtained a warrant for the arrest of 26-year-old Luigi Nicholas Mangione , suspect in the killing of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson . Mangione was arrested at a McDonald’s in Altoona, Pennsylvania, while carrying a gun, mask and writings linking him to the ambush. Mangione is being held without bail in Pennsylvania on charges of possession of an unlicensed firearm, forgery and providing false identification to police. Late Monday, Manhattan prosecutors charged him with five counts, including murder, criminal possession of a weapon and criminal possession of a forged instrument. Here's the latest: Luigi Nicholas Mangione, the suspect in the fatal shooting of a healthcare executive in New York City, apparently was living a charmed life: the grandson of a wealthy real estate developer, valedictorian of his elite Baltimore prep school and with degrees from one of the nation’s top private universities. Friends at an exclusive co-living space at the edge of touristy Waikiki in Hawaii where the 26-year-old Mangione once lived widely considered him a “great guy,” and pictures on his social media accounts show a fit, smiling, handsome young man on beaches and at parties. Now, investigators in New York and Pennsylvania are working to piece together why Mangione may have diverged from this path to make the violent and radical decision to gun down UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson in a brazen attack on a Manhattan street. The killing sparked widespread discussions about corporate greed, unfairness in the medical insurance industry and even inspired folk-hero sentiment toward his killer. ▶ Read more about Luigi Mangione Peter Weeks, the Blair County district attorney, says he’ll work with New York officials to try to return suspect Luigi Mangione there to face charges. Weeks said the New York charges are “more serious” than in Blair County. “We believe their charges take precedent,” Weeks said, promising to do what’s needed to accommodate New York’s prosecution first. Weeks spoke to reporters after a brief hearing at which a defense lawyer said Mangione will fight extradition. The defense asked for a hearing on the issue. In the meantime, Mangione will be detained at a state prison in western Pennsylvania. Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg’s office said Tuesday it will seek a Governor’s warrant to secure Mangione’s extradition to Manhattan. Under state law, New York Gov. Kathy Hochul can issue a warrant of arrest demanding Mangione’s return to the state. Such a warrant must recite the facts necessary to the validity of its issuance and be sealed with the state seal. It would then be presented to law enforcement in Pennsylvania to expedite Mangione’s return to New York. But Blair County District Attorney Peter Weeks says it won’t be a substantial barrier to returning Mangione to New York. He noted that defendants contest extradition “all the time,” including in simple retail theft cases. Dickey, his defense lawyer, questioned whether the second-degree murder charge filed in New York might be eligible for bail under Pennsylvania law, but prosecutors raised concerns about both public safety and Mangione being a potential flight risk, and the judge denied it. Mangione will continue to be housed at a state prison in Huntingdon. He has 14 days to challenge the detention. Prosecutors, meanwhile, have a month to seek a governor’s warrant out of New York. Mangione, wearing an orange jumpsuit, mostly stared straight ahead at the hearing, occasionally consulting papers, rocking in his chair, or looking back at the gallery. At one point, he began to speak to respond to the court discussion, but was quieted by his lawyer. Luigi Mangione, 26, has also been denied bail at a brief court hearing in western Pennsylvania. He has 14 days to challenge the bail decision. That’s with some intervention from owner Elon Musk. The account, which hasn’t posted since June, was briefly suspended by X. But after a user inquired about it in a post Monday, Musk responded “This happened without my knowledge. Looking into it.” The account was later reinstated. Other social media companies such as Meta have removed his accounts. According to X rules, the platform removes “any accounts maintained by individual perpetrators of terrorist, violent extremist, or mass violent attacks, as well as any accounts glorifying the perpetrator(s), or dedicated to sharing manifestos and/or third party links where related content is hosted.” Mangione is not accused of perpetrating a terrorist or mass attack — he has been charged with murder — and his account doesn’t appear to share any writings about the case. He shouted something that was partly unintelligible, but referred to an “insult to the intelligence of the American people.” He’s there for an arraignment on local charges stemming from his arrest Monday. He was dressed in an orange jumpsuit as officers led him from a vehicle into the courthouse. Local defense lawyer Thomas Dickey is expected to represent the 26-year-old at a Tuesday afternoon hearing at the Blair County Courthouse. Dickey declined comment before the hearing. Mangione could have the Pennsylvania charges read aloud to him and may be asked to enter a plea. They include possession of an unlicensed firearm, forgery and providing false identification to police. In New York, he was charged late Monday with murder in the death of UnitedHealthcare’s CEO Brian Thompson. Mangione likely was motivated by his anger with what he called “parasitic” health insurance companies and a disdain with corporate greed, said a a law enforcement bulletin obtained by The Associated Press. He wrote that the U.S. has the most expensive healthcare system in the world and that the profits of major corporations continue to rise while “our life expectancy” does not, according to the bulletin, based on a review of the suspect’s hand-written notes and social media postings. He appeared to view the targeted killing of the UnitedHealthcare CEO as a symbolic takedown, asserting in his note that he is the “first to face it with such brutal honesty,” the bulletin said. Mangione called “Unabomber” Ted Kaczynski a “political revolutionary” and may have found inspiration from the man who carried out a series of bombings while railing against modern society and technology, the document said. A felony warrant filed in New York cites Altoona Officer Christy Wasser as saying she found the writings along with a semi-automatic pistol and an apparent silencer. The filing echoes earlier statements from NYPD Chief of Detectives Joseph Kenny who said Mangione had a three-page, handwritten document that shows “some ill will toward corporate America.” Mangione is now charged in Pennsylvania with being a fugitive of justice. A customer at the McDonald’s in Altoona, Pennsylvania, where Mangione was arrested said one of his friends had commented beforehand that the man looked like the suspect wanted for the shooting in New York City. “It started out almost a little bit like a joke, my one friend thought he looked like the shooter,” said the customer, who declined to give his full name, on Tuesday. “It wasn’t really a joke, but we laughed about it,” he added. The warrant on murder and other charges is a step that could help expedite his extradition from Pennsylvania. In court papers made public Tuesday, a New York City police detective reiterated key findings in the investigation he said tied Mangione to the killing, including surveillance footage and a fake ID he used to check into a Manhattan hostel on Nov. 24. Police officers in Altoona, Pennsylvania, found that ID when they arrested Mangione on Monday. Mangione is being held without bail in Pennsylvania on charges of possession of an unlicensed firearm, forgery and providing false identification to police. Late Monday, Manhattan prosecutors charged him with five counts, including murder, criminal possession of a weapon and criminal possession of a forged instrument. Mangione doesn’t yet have a lawyer who can speak on his behalf, court officials said. Images of Mangione released Tuesday by Pennsylvania State Police showed him pulling down his mask in the corner of the McDonald’s while holding what appeared to be hash browns and wearing a winter jacket and ski cap. In another photo from a holding cell, he stood unsmiling with rumpled hair. Mangione’s cousin, Maryland lawmaker Nino Mangione, announced Tuesday morning that he’s postponing a fundraiser planned later this week at the Hayfields Country Club north of Baltimore, which was purchased by the Mangione family in 1986. “Because of the nature of this terrible situation involving my Cousin I do not believe it is appropriate to hold my fundraising event scheduled for this Thursday at Hayfields,” Nino Mangione said in a social media post. “I want to thank you for your thoughts, prayers, and support. My family and I are heartbroken and ask that you remember the family of Mr. Thompson in your prayers. Thank you.” Officers used New York City’s muscular surveillance system . Investigators analyzed DNA samples, fingerprints and internet addresses. Police went door to door looking for witnesses. When an arrest came five days later , those sprawling investigative efforts shared credit with an alert civilian’s instincts. A customer at a McDonald’s restaurant in Pennsylvania noticed another patron who resembled the man in the oblique security-camera photos New York police had publicized. He remains jailed in Pennsylvania, where he was initially charged with possession of an unlicensed firearm, forgery and providing false identification to police. By late Monday evening, prosecutors in Manhattan had added a charge of murder, according to an online court docket. It’s unclear whether Luigi Nicholas Mangione has an attorney who can comment on the allegations. Asked at Monday’s arraignment whether he needed a public defender, Mangione asked whether he could “answer that at a future date.”ENERGY SERVICES OF AMERICA COMPLETES ACQUISITION

Maresca led the Foxes to the Sky Bet Championship title last season before joining Chelsea over the summer. Leicester famously toasted their improbable Premier League success in 2016 with an impromptu bash at Vardy’s house. But the venue for last April’s party was not at the striker’s abode, but at Maresca’s house when the players turned up unannounced at 2am. Maresca recalled: “The best present I had from last season was when we got promoted and they arrived at my home. All the team. “This showed the connection between the players; they could go for a party at a different place but they all arrived at my home. It was a fantastic connection and I will always be thankful for them. “I was at home celebrating with my staff and my family and about two o’clock in the morning all the squad was there. We celebrated all together. Last night at Enzo’s 🏡 💙 pic.twitter.com/dqP8BFsDn3 — Leicester City (@LCFC) April 27, 2024 “When I was a player and I won things I never thought to go to the manager’s home. That shows the connection.” Similarly to when they clinched the Premier League crown, Leicester were not actually playing when they found out they were promoted after Leeds lost at QPR. “To be honest I was at home watching the game and when it finished all the staff came over – and later the players,” added the Italian. “They didn’t knock on the door, they were in the garden and knocked on the window. What time did they leave? I don’t remember.” Vardy might not be having a party at the end of this season but he is still banging in the goals at 37 and Maresca rates the striker even more highly than England’s two top goalscorers – Harry Kane and Wayne Rooney. “People don’t realise how good he is,” added Maresca. “I know England have been quite lucky because of Kane and Rooney, this type of striker, they are fantastic. “But Jamie is, if you ask me, the best one.” Maresca returns to the King Power Stadium for the first time with Chelsea on Saturday, but he will be without captain Reece James due to a hamstring problem.Fianna Fail and Fine Gael eye independent TDs as option to secure Dail majorityThe shocking attempted coup by South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol caught Koreans and the world by surprise. Even though the country was embroiled in a bitter political divide between progressives and conservatives, the declaration of martial law stunned Koreans and sent shockwaves through Washington and Tokyo. For a few hours, Korea seemed poised on the brink of a potentially violent clash between the armed forces and masses of protesters. The triumph of democratic institutions was rapid and reassuring. The unanimous vote of the National Assembly to overrule the martial law declaration was echoed outside the building by the refusal of civil society, the media, and even the conservative Peoples Power party to bow to threats of repression The celebration of democracy is tempered by the highly uncertain path of the coming months. Yoon is attempting to strike a pose of defiance, hoping he can survive. The National Assembly voted on Saturday evening on impeachment, with demonstrators outside in the streets of Seoul. Ruling party lawmakers walked out on the proceeding, preventing the two-thirds majority vote that would be required to impeach, but the opposition plans to try again. No matter what the outcome, Yoon’s rule is effectively over. An early presidential election will likely lead to the triumph of Democratic party leader Lee Jae-myung, who lost the last contest to Yoon by less than one percent. Many questions remain unanswered, not least why President Yoon took this enormous risk with apparently very little preparation and with the support of only a tiny circle of close allies. How much was the military ready to back Yoon’s insurrection? Why was Washington, which has invested so much in the success of the Yoon government, caught off guard? But what seems clearer is that the replacement of Yoon by the Progressive Democratic Party will bring real change in key areas of South Korean foreign and security policy, beginning with relations with Japan and China, with the United States and with North Korea. Clues to what may be on the progressive agenda were contained in a key paragraph in the impeachment resolution put before the National Assembly. Along with the serious crimes charged against Yoon, most of all an illegal attempt to use the martial law provisions, the resolution offered this indictment of the president’s foreign policy: “In addition, under the guise of so-called ‘value diplomacy,’ Yoon has neglected geopolitical balance, antagonizing North Korea, China, and Russia, adhering to a bizarre Japan-centered foreign policy and appointing Pro-Japan individuals to key government positions, thereby causing isolation in Northeast Asia and triggering a crisis of war, abandoning his duty to protect national security and the people.” Close observers of Korean politics read this as a signal of what progressive foreign policy will look like after Yoon leaves and if Lee Jae-myung becomes President. “Now the opposition party has even more incentive to do a wholesale cleansing of all Yoon policies, including foreign policy,” Benjamin Engel, a visiting professor at Seoul’s Dankook University, told Toyo Keizai Online. “If a normal democratic transition took place we may have seen a somewhat healthier debate on the pros and cons of what Yoon’s foreign policy accomplished and what should be kept or revised. That won’t happen now.” The top of the progressive target list, as the impeachment resolution makes clear, is relations with Japan. The Democratic party has been highly critical of Yoon’s outreach to Japan, arguing that South Korea made repeated concessions to Japan on issues of wartime history such as the forced laborers, without getting much in return. While there is considerable public support for the improvement of relations with Japan, that policy may now be tainted by Yoon’s ignominious downfall. “If the opposition party grasps power, current Korea-Japan relations will go through a very rough time, as well as Korea-US relations,” predicts a former senior South Korean official who remains very engaged in Japan policy. In particular, the progress made in building trilateral security cooperation between Japan, Korea and the US “will no longer be viable.” Influential figures in the opposition Democratic Party who have been involved with Japan for a long time insist that relations can still develop positively, but emphasize the need to get Korean public support and for Japan to be more forthcoming. “The administration’s unilateral foreign policy approach has failed to build political momentum,” National Assembly member Wi Sung-lac, a former diplomat and close foreign policy advisor to former presidential candidate Lee, told this writer. “Public sentiment remains negative, especially on historical issues like Japan’s refusal to apologize and its denial of forced labor.” Wi pledged that if the Democrats return to power, the “stance that Korea-Japan cooperation is necessary will remain unchanged.” But he added, “the pace of progress will depend on Japan’s response. If Japan responds constructively, there is significant potential for improving bilateral relations, though the speed and intensity of that improvement will vary.” The potential shift in government in Seoul poses a challenge to the government of Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba. The prime minister had been gearing up for a visit to South Korea in January, part of preparations to commemorate the 60th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations. Ishiba is himself an advocate of close relations with Korea and has been more willing to confront the issues of Japan’s wartime and colonial past. At the least, this effort will have to deal with months of political uncertainty. At worst, a progressive government will come to power and want to slow down the pace of Korea-Japan ties. And that may be compounded by the return of Donald Trump, who does not share the Biden administration’s commitment to creating more durable trilateral cooperation. “Now, the Japanese government must prepare for a perfect storm,” says Tobias Harris, the head of the Japan Foresight consulting firm. “Yoon will be either severely constrained or removed entirely; the swing to the left feared in Tokyo could happen in 2025 instead of 2027; and Japan will face a US president who not only is skeptical of US alliance commitments but prefers bilateral to multilateral negotiations and has evinced little interest in strengthening trilateral cooperation.” As the impeachment resolution indicates, progressives have also been critical of US attempts to pull Korea into a defacto China containment strategy. If Trump pushes hard in this direction, and makes demands on the alliance such as higher defense cost sharing, he may meet some resistance. “But the alliance with the US is so popular in South Korea, I don’t see Lee or another progressive trying to undermine it,” says Engels. “The major impetus for that will come from Trump” Lee, Engels says, “will be more neutral, I think, in US-China competition. But even liberals have a limit in how close to China they can move. South Korean public opinion will be against it.” One potential area of convergence between Trump and a progressive administration may be an attempt to resume diplomatic engagement with Kim Jong Un and North Korea. The progressive government of Moon Jae-in was a partner to Trump’s first-administration efforts to reach a deal with Kim. Whether the North Koreans will be interested in resuming this effort, even with a change of party in Seoul, is far from clear. “Their current line is that the South is the enemy nation no matter who is in charge,” Fyodor Tertitskiy, an expert on North Korea and a Lecturer at Korea University, told Toyo Keizai Online. “The previous left administration failed to deliver anything substantial for them – so it seems they (or, rather, Kim personally) have lost any hope in South Korea. Having said that, I think they would definitely prefer the Democrats to People’s Power, since at least the left would be far less aggressive, and maybe even deferential in their policy towards Pyongyang.” Indeed, Yoon has led a sharply anti-Communist turn in South Korea. In his martial law declaration, he claimed to be acting to counter pro-North Korean forces who sought to seize control of the South Korean government. Such views have been circulating for the last few years in ultra-conservative circles that saw Yoon as their savior. But Yoon’s attempt to point the finger at Communists “will backfire and undermine his leadership,” says the former senior official. For now, Yoon clings to power in Seoul. The former senior official describes him as having “a seige mentality because of recent all-out political attacks against him and his wife from the opposition party and even from within his own ruling party.” Yoon’s desperation, sadly, may end up destroying one of the most significant achievements of his troubled time in office, the restoration of relations with Japan and the beginnings of serious cooperation.

World News | Trump Isn't Back in Office but is Already Pushing His Agenda, Negotiating with Leaders

Jammu, Dec 7: Minister for Jal Shakti, Forest, Ecology & Environment and Tribal Affairs, Javed Ahmad Rana, today conducted inspection of Gujjar and Bakerwal hostels in Jammu. He visited Gujjar & Bakerwal Girls Hostel Wazarat Road and Gujjar and Bakerwal Boys Hostel Wazarat Road to take stock of their functioning and the facilities available for the inmate students. He checked the water facilities, menu, classrooms, library services, recreation Hall for students, etc. He also ascertained about teaching modules and schedules. Javed Rana directed that the students should be provided with all the facilities for their overall development. During his visit, the Minister instructed, Director Tribal Affairs, Ghulam Rasool to closely monitor and improve functioning of all hostels across Jammu and Kashmir. While interacting with the staff, Javed Rana enquired about the performance of the students and asked the staff to provide full assistance to students to prepare them for competitive examinations. During his visit, he also instructed the tutors to improve writing skills in students. He said that writing skills at the primary level plays a crucial role in shaping a young student’s educational path, helping them excel academically and unlock future opportunities. Maintaining that development goes beyond simply meeting school requirements, Javed Rana said that it is about enabling children to articulate their ideas, engage in meaningful discussions, and tap into their creative potential. The Minister also instructed the Director Tribal Affairs to organise seminars, debates and other co-curricular activities for the overall development of the students. He said that teachers should make optimum use of their time and resources for the benefit of the student community.