Trump trolls Trudeau as 'governor' of Canada
No. 12 West Virginia women beat Boise State 82-47 to reach title game of Gulf Coast ShowcaseElectric air taxis are taking flight. Can they succeed as a business?Police deny sitting on evidence as Netflix doc brings renewed attention to JonBenet Ramsey's killing
Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers praised Cameron Carter-Vickers and his side’s mentality after they dug out a Champions League point following the defender’s disastrous own goal against Club Brugge. The normally reliable centre-back passed the ball into his own net in the 26th minute after failing to spot goalkeeper Kasper Schmeichel’s positioning. But a brilliant turn and finish on the hour mark from Daizen Maeda changed the game and ultimately earned the Scottish champions a 1-1 home draw. On the opener, Rodgers said: “ Mistakes happen and it was just unfortunate. He’s played that pass a million times and it’s gone back and then we’ve been able to play forward. It was just one of those unfortunate moments in the game that happens. “But he’s a really, really tough character. He’s a great guy, he picked himself up. He was really strong and aggressive again in the game and got on with it and had a real bravery in the second half, because he was the one carrying the ball forward for us to start the attack.” Despite the gift, Brugge were worthy of their lead and Rodgers admitted his side were too passive in their pressing in the opening half. Some tactical tweaks – and the introduction of Paulo Bernardo – helped Celtic dominate after Maeda’s equaliser, although Brugge had a goal disallowed for a marginal offside. “I can only credit the players for the second half, because we had to fight,” Rodgers said. “And we’re still one of those teams that’s really pushing to try and make a mark at this level. So to make the comeback, score the goal, play with that courage, I was so pleased. “You want to win but I’ve been here enough times to have lost a game like that, but we didn’t. We showed a real strong mentality and we kept pushing right to the very end and the players did well. “I thought they showed great courage in the second half because we weren’t at our level in the first half. Sometimes a game like that can get away from you, but it didn’t. “We stayed with it, showed that determination, showed that mentality, never to quit, to keep going. And then we were much, much better, much freer in the second half. “So we’re on eight points, nine to play for. We’re still very much on course to get to where we want to get to and still three games to go.” Rodgers added: “It’s 20 games now and we’ve won 16 and drawn three and lost one, so it shows you the mentality is there, and especially at this level, you need to have that.”Iran FM: Hezbollah shattered myth of Israel's invincibilityA Ballarat mother has appeared in court accused of stabbing her partner to death at their family home in the days after Christmas, in the second suspected family violence murder in Victoria within a week. Cheryl Lucas, 38, allegedly stabbed Heath Speedie, 47, in the chest as he sat on the couch of their home in Park Lane, in the Ballarat suburb of Mount Helen, on Saturday. A young child was inside the home at the time of the alleged attack. Cheryl Lucas has been charged with murder over the fatal stabbing of her partner. Credit: Facebook Speedie, who suffered critical injuries, managed to stagger outside before collapsing on the front lawn of the property. Emergency services performed CPR, but he could not be saved. Police arrested Lucas at the home shortly before 8am and later charged her with one count of murder . She appeared in Ballarat Magistrates’ Court for a brief filing hearing on Monday, after spending the weekend in police custody. Dressed in a light pink shirt and with her brown hair tied in a ponytail, Lucas was not required to speak during the proceedings and slumped in a half-shrug with her shoulders up. The court heard it was Lucas’ first time in custody and arrangements should be made for her to see a medical professional in prison for an assessment for “health concerns”. Speedie’s family members, who attended the hearing in person, refused to speak to the media outside court. Neighbour Doug Mills said most residents in the street kept to themselves, and Speedie and Lucas were no exception. He said Speedie had knocked on his door to introduce himself when the family first moved to the neighbourhood from the Ballarat suburb of Winter Valley, but he had limited interactions with him since. Cheryl Lucas (left) and partner Heath Speedie. Credit: Facebook “We would see each other, we would wave or acknowledge them, and that was about the extent of it really,” Mills told The Age . “Their house, diagonally, is about 40-odd metres away from our place. And from what I could determine, they kept pretty much to themselves, like most of us in this particular street.” Mills said Speedie was a keen fisherman and would often drive to Portland to fish. Speedie, 47, shared images of his Revival-brand boat and Portland’s harbour on social media and invited friends and acquaintances to join him on the water. “When you’re in town next drop me a line, we go out blue water again,” he told a friend inquiring about the boat in the comments on one social media post. The Mount Helen incident follows the death on Boxing Day of 59-year-old Yvonne Beres, who was allegedly murdered by husband John Beres , 63, in their home in Langwarrin, in Melbourne’s south-east. The Beres had spent the previous day celebrating Christmas with their family. Lucas, who did not apply for bail, was remanded in custody to appear in Ballarat Magistrates’ Court again on April 15. Start the day with a summary of the day’s most important and interesting stories, analysis and insights. Sign up for our Morning Edition newsletter .The Sado Mines Memorial Ceremony stands as a stark reminder of the unresolved historical tensions and diplomatic missteps between Korea and Japan. What could have been a meaningful step toward reconciliation instead became a diplomatic failure, highlighting the challenges both countries face in addressing their shared past. Understanding what went wrong is crucial for avoiding similar setbacks in the future and ensuring that historical grievances do not continue to hinder diplomatic progress. Initially planned as a joint commemoration involving participants from both Korea and Japan, the ceremony was quickly shattered. Korea boycotted the event, holding a separate ceremony the following day. This division stemmed from disagreements over the event’s purpose, speech content, and Japan’s choice of representative. Korea envisioned the ceremony as a memorial event honoring the forced laborers from Korea who endured harsh and inhumane conditions at the Sado mines during Japan’s occupation of the Korean Peninsula. Japan, on the other hand, treated the occasion as a celebration of the mine’s addition to the UNESCO World Heritage list, offering general gratitude to all laborers without acknowledging the forced labor. These conflicting visions created a diplomatic impasse. Korea also expected the remarks from the Japanese government to include expressions of remorse for wartime atrocities and a memorial tribute to the Korean laborers. Japan refused, framing the event as apolitical. The Japanese address delivered during the ceremony excluded any mention of forced labor or wartime regret, triggering widespread anger in Korea. For Korea, this refusal marked a betrayal of earlier promises, leaving no choice but to withdraw from the event. Japan’s selection of Akiko Ikuina as its representative further inflamed tensions. While Korea requested a senior official as a gesture of respect, Ikuina, a parliamentary vice minister of Japan’s Foreign Affairs Ministry, was controversial due to her reported visits to the Yasukuni Shrine -- a site notorious for honoring fallen soldiers including first-class war criminals during World War II. The criminals were responsible for Japanese war crimes in neighboring states including Korea, especially the inhumane act of forced labor at the Sado mines. This choice was seen as a clear disregard for Korean sensitivities and cast doubt on Japan’s sincerity. Critics in Seoul accused the Korean government of failing to anticipate Japan’s actions, calling the incident another instance of Japan disregarding Korea’s concerns. The Sado mines incident echoes past frustrations, particularly the 2015 controversy surrounding Japan’s bid to add Hashima Island to the UNESCO World Heritage list. Korea had agreed to the listing on the condition that Japan educate visitors about the forced labor of Koreans. While Japan initially accepted this demand, it later reneged, offering only a vague acknowledgment buried in an optional audio exhibit. The parallels with Sado are striking. Once again, Korea demanded historical transparency, and Japan ostensibly agreed. Yet, as before, Japan’s actions failed to align with its commitments. For Korea, this pattern highlights Japan’s lack of sincerity and raises questions about its diplomatic effectiveness in securing enforceable agreements. Japan’s reluctance to address its wartime past is deeply tied to the rise of historical revisionism in its domestic politics. Right-wing factions argue that Japan has already apologized and should not be forced to revisit its wartime conduct. Some even question whether certain atrocities occurred, framing them as exaggerated or fabricated. This revisionist stance has hardened Japan’s resistance to reconciliation. By refusing to confront its history, Japan not only perpetuates mistrust but also ensures that progress with Korea remains elusive. From Korea’s perspective, the Sado mines incident also underscores significant weaknesses in its diplomatic approach. Despite having faced similar betrayals, Korean negotiators failed to secure robust guarantees from Japan. Their reliance on Japan’s goodwill left Korea vulnerable to repeated disappointments. Domestic political pressures critically complicated Korea’s position. President Yoon Suk Yeol’s administration has prioritized improving relations with Japan, viewing a stable bilateral relationship as strategically important. Influential staff like Kim Tae-hyo, the first deputy national security advisor, have emphasized accommodating Japan’s perspective. While this approach may have been intended to foster goodwill, it weakened Korea’s stance. Japanese negotiators, sensing Korea’s conciliatory tone, capitalized on this dynamic to sideline Korean demands. Korean public opinion remains deeply sensitive to issues related to historical memory. The Sado mines incident sparked widespread domestic criticism, with many accusing the government of naivety and failure to protect national dignity. Ignoring this public sentiment risks further eroding trust in the government’s ability to manage relations with Japan. Diplomatic strategies must strike a balance between the desire for reconciliation and the need for historical accountability. Overlooking public sentiment can undermine both domestic support and the broader goal of fostering better relations with Japan. The Sado mines debacle provides critical lessons for Korea’s diplomacy. Korean negotiators must adopt a firmer stance on historical issues. Clear, enforceable agreements should be prioritized to ensure that promises made by Japan are upheld. Improving relations with Japan is vital, but not at the expense of addressing historical grievances. Korea must remain steadfast in demanding that Japan should confront its past honestly. Diplomatic strategies must reflect the Korean public’s deep connection to historical issues. Aligning diplomatic objectives with public expectations will strengthen domestic support and ensure a unified approach. The Sado Mines Memorial Ceremony was a missed opportunity for reconciliation and a reminder of how unresolved historical grievances continue to hinder progress. As long as Japan resists acknowledging its wartime actions and Korea struggles to assert its interests effectively, true reconciliation will remain out of reach. However, this failure can also serve as a catalyst for more strategic and principled diplomacy. By learning from the past and addressing its own shortcomings, Korea can better navigate the complexities of its relationship with Japan. Reconciliation is not impossible, but it requires mutual commitment to historical truth and a shared vision for the future. Only through these efforts can the two nations move beyond the shadows of their shared history and build a more constructive partnership. Wang Son-taek Wang Son-taek is an adjunct professor at Sogang University. He is a former diplomatic correspondent at YTN and a former research associate at Yeosijae. The views expressed here are the writer’s own. -- Ed.
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SMU has plenty to play for when it closes the regular season against California on Saturday afternoon in Dallas. The Mustangs (10-1, 7-0 Atlantic Coast Conference), who checked in at No. 9 in the latest College Football Playoff rankings on Tuesday, would like to send their seniors off the right way. They would also like to complete a perfect regular season before appearing in the ACC title game in their first year in the conference. Most importantly, they want to continue to strengthen their playoff case. "You've got the College Football Playoff, so every game matters. That's what's so cool about it now. The regular season is important," SMU coach Rhett Lashlee said. "We'd like to finish well in everything we do, particularly on Saturday, to finish off the regular season, continue our momentum into the following week. Hopefully, continue to show the committee and others that we're worthy of continuing to play this year." The Mustangs are a worthy playoff team to date. Kevin Jennings has established himself as one of the top quarterbacks in the country, throwing for 2,521 yards with 17 touchdowns and seven interceptions. He also has rushed for 315 yards and four TDs. Brashard Smith has been another standout, rushing for 1,089 yards and 13 TDs. Defensively, the Mustangs rank tied for 14th in the country with 20 takeaways. "Obviously they've had a phenomenal season," Cal coach Justin Wilcox said of SMU. "As soon as you turn the tape on, it doesn't take very long to see why their record is what it is. They're very, very good really in every phase of the game - extremely explosive and quick and fast. They've got a dominant D-line. We've got a lot of challenges in front of us and our guys are excited for that." Cal (6-5, 2-5) is coming off an emotional win, defeating rival Stanford 24-21 on Saturday to secure a bowl berth. The Golden Bears will appear in consecutive bowls for the first time since 2018-19 and are now looking to clinch their first winning season since 2019. SMU is not overlooking Cal, as all five of the Golden Bears' losses have come by one score. "You'd be hard-pressed to find a better 6-5 team in America," Lashlee said. "I think you can conservatively say they very, very easily could be 9-2." Cal is led by quarterback Fernando Mendoza, who has thrown for 3,004 yards with 16 touchdowns and six interceptions. Tight end Jack Endries leads the team with 555 yards receiving, while wide receiver Nyziah Hunter has caught a team-leading five touchdowns. Defensively, Cal has the ACC's top scoring defense (20.7 points per game) and is tied with Clemson for the ACC's best turnover margin (plus-13). Defensive back Nohl Williams is the star of the group -- he leads the country with seven interceptions. Even though oddsmakers are heavily favoring SMU, Cal is going into the game with a simple mindset. "Our task at hand is to make the best bowl game right now," Mendoza said. "And the way to do that is to go into Dallas, give it our best and ruin SMU's season." Saturday will mark the first conference meeting between these ACC newcomers, and just the second meeting between the programs all time. SMU won a 13-6 game back in 1957. --Field Level Media
Police deny sitting on evidence as Netflix doc brings renewed attention to JonBenet Ramsey's killing
DENVER (AP) — Amid renewed interest in the killing of JonBenet Ramsey triggered in part by a new Netflix documentary, police in Boulder, Colorado, refuted assertions this week that there is viable evidence and leads about the 1996 killing of the 6-year-old girl that they are not pursuing. JonBenet Ramsey, who competed in beauty pageants, was found dead in the basement of her family’s home in the college town of Boulder the day after Christmas in 1996. Her body was found several hours after her mother called 911 to say her daughter was missing and a ransom note had been left behind. The details of the crime and video footage of JonBenet competing in pageants propelled the case into one of the highest-profile mysteries in the United States. The police comments came as part of their annual update on the investigation, a month before the 28th anniversary of JonBenet’s killing. Police said they released it a little earlier due to the increased attention on the case, apparently referring to the three-part Netflix series “Cold Case: Who Killed JonBenet Ramsey.” In a video statement, Boulder Police Chief Steve Redfearn said the department welcomes news coverage and documentaries about the killing of JonBenet, who would have been 34 this year, as a way to generate possible new leads. He said the department is committed to solving the case but needs to be careful about what it shares about the investigation to protect a possible future prosecution. “What I can tell you though, is we have thoroughly investigated multiple people as suspects throughout the years and we continue to be open-minded about what occurred as we investigate the tips that come into detectives," he said. The Netflix documentary focuses on the mistakes made by police and the “media circus” surrounding the case. JonBenet was bludgeoned and strangled. Her death was ruled a homicide, but nobody was ever prosecuted. Police were widely criticized for mishandling the early investigation into her death amid speculation that her family was responsible. However, a prosecutor cleared her parents, John and Patsy Ramsey, and brother Burke in 2008 based on new DNA evidence from JonBenet's clothing that pointed to the involvement of an “unexplained third party” in her slaying. The announcement by former district attorney Mary Lacy came two years after Patsy Ramsey died of cancer. Lacy called the Ramseys “victims of this crime.” John Ramsey has continued to speak out for the case to be solved. In 2022, he supported an online petition asking Colorado’s governor to intervene in the investigation by putting an outside agency in charge of DNA testing in the case. In the Netflix documentary, he said he has been advocating for several items that have not been prepared for DNA testing to be tested and for other items to be retested. He said the results should be put through a genealogy database. In recent years, investigators have identified suspects in unsolved cases by comparing DNA profiles from crime scenes and to DNA testing results shared online by people researching their family trees. In 2021, police said in their annual update that DNA hadn’t been ruled out to help solve the case, and in 2022 noted that some evidence could be “consumed” if DNA testing is done on it. Last year, police said they convened a panel of outside experts to review the investigation to give recommendations and determine if updated technologies or forensic testing might produce new leads. In the latest update, Redfearn said that review had ended but that police continue to work through and evaluate a “lengthy list of recommendations” from the panel. Amy Beth Hanson contributed to this report from Helena, Montana.
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WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. — Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau returned home Saturday after his meeting with Donald Trump without assurances the president-elect will back away from threatened tariffs on all products from the major American trading partner. Trump called the talks “productive” but signaled no retreat from a pledge that Canada says unfairly lumps it in with Mexico over the flow of drugs and migrants into the United States. After the leaders’ hastily arranged dinner Friday night at Trump’s Mar-a-Lago club in Florida, Trudeau spoke of “an excellent conversation.” Trump said in a Truth Social post later Saturday that they discussed “many important topics that will require both Countries to work together to address.” For issues in need of such cooperation, Trump cited fentanyl and the “Drug Crisis that has decimated so many lives as a result of Illegal Immigration,” fair trade deals “that do not jeopardize American Workers” and the U.S. trade deficit with its ally to the north. Trump asserted that the prime minister had made “a commitment to work with us to end this terrible devastation” of American families from fentanyl from China reaching the United States through its neighbors. The U.S., he said, “will no longer sit idly by as our Citizens become victims to the scourge of this Drug Epidemic.” The Republican president-elect has threatened to impose a 25% tax on all products entering the U.S. from Canada and Mexico as one of his first executive orders when he takes office in January. U.S. customs agents seized 43 pounds of fentanyl at the Canadian border last fiscal year, compared with 21,100 pounds at the Mexican border. On immigration, the U.S. Border Patrol made 56,530 arrests at the Mexican border in October alone and 23,721 arrests at the Canadian border between October 2023 and September 2024 — and Canadian officials say they are ready to make new investments in border security. Trudeau called Trump after the Republican’s social media posts about the tariffs last Monday and they agreed to meet, according to a official familiar with the matter who was not authorized to publicly discuss detail of the private talks. The official said other countries are calling Canadian officials to hear how about how the meeting was arranged and to ask for advice. Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum, after speaking with Trump on the telephone, said Thursday she was confident a tariff war with Washington would be averted. At the dinner that was said to last three hours, Trump said he and Trudeau also discussed energy, trade and the Arctic. A second official cited defense, Ukraine, NATO, China, the Mideast, pipelines and the Group of Seven meeting in Canada next year as other issues that arose. Trudeau’s office said in a statement that the leaders “shared a productive wide-ranging discussion” centering on “collaboration and strengthening our relationship,” adding, “As Canada’s closest friend and ally, the United States is our key partner, and we are committed to working together in the interests of Canadians and Americans.” Trump, during his first term as president, once called Trudeau “weak” and “dishonest,” but it was the prime minister who was the first G7 leader to visit Trump since the Nov. 5 election. “Tariffs are a crucial issue for Canada and a bold move was in order. Perhaps it was a risk, but a risk worth taking,” Daniel Béland, a political science professor at McGill University in Montreal. Trudeau had said before leaving from Friday that Trump was elected because he promised to bring down the cost of groceries but now was talking about adding 25% to the cost of all kinds of products, including potatoes from Prince Edward Island in Atlantic Canada. “It is important to understand that Donald Trump, when he makes statements like that, he plans on carrying them out. There’s no question about it,” Trudeau said. “Our responsibility is to point out that he would not just be harming Canadians, who work so well with the United States, but he would actually be raising prices for Americans citizens as well and hurting American industry and business,” he added. The threatened tariffs could essentially blow up the North American trade pact that Trump’s team negotiated during his first term. Trudeau noted they were able to successfully renegotiate the deal, which he calls a “win win” for both countries. When Trump imposed higher tariffs as president, other countries responded with retaliatory tariffs of their own. Canada, for instance, announced billions of new duties in 2018 against the U.S. in a response to new taxes on Canadian steel and aluminum. Canada is the top export destination for 36 U.S. states. Nearly $3.6 billion Canadian (US $2.7 billion) worth of goods and services cross the border each day. About 60% of U.S. crude oil imports are from Canada, and 85% of U.S. electricity imports are from Canada. Canada is also the largest foreign supplier of steel, aluminum and uranium to the U.S. and has 34 critical minerals and metals that the Pentagon is eager for and investing in for national security. Canada is one of the most trade-dependent countries in the world, and 77% of Canada’s exports go to the U.S.
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