Women in Management (WIM), in partnership with the International Finance Corporation (IFC), co-hosted the “Top10 Champions of Diversity 2024”, recognising trailblazing male leaders in Sri Lanka who embody diversity and inclusion across their organisations. The awards ceremony, which was held on 9 December 2024 at Shangri-La Colombo, follow the annual Top50 Women’s Awards by WIM, bringing to light the role of male allies in gender inclusion. Sri Lanka’s standing in the 2023 Global Gender Gap Index, ranked 115th out of 146 countries, highlights the urgent need for transformative change. Women in the country face a significant 30–36% gender pay gap, particularly in informal sectors. Social and cultural norms, compounded by unpaid caregiving responsibilities, often confine women to part-time or low-wage work, perpetuating systemic inequalities. Men play a pivotal role in advancing gender equality and Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) initiatives by challenging stereotypes, supporting equal opportunities, and actively advocating for systemic change. Women in Management Global Founder and Chairperson Dr. Sulochana Segera emphasised the critical importance of this initiative stating: “True leadership transcends boundaries and embraces inclusivity. Top10 Champions of Diversity celebrates those who not only break glass ceilings but also dismantle the walls that confine others. This initiative is about driving change, one leader at a time, to build a more equitable and inclusive world.” World Bank and IFC Country Manager Gevorg Sargsyan reiterated the importance of embedding DEI into organisational strategy, saying: “Focusing on diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) isn’t just the right thing to do – it’s a smart business strategy. Companies that integrate DEI into the fabric of their core operations, rather than relegating it to a secondary focus, see transformative results. By embracing diverse perspectives, fostering equity, and cultivating inclusive environments, organisations unlock innovation, boost employee satisfaction, and drive sustained success. It’s a win-win for both businesses and society.” The Top10 Champions of Diversity Panel of Judges included: World Bank and IFC Country Manager Gevorg Sargsyan, Hayleys Agriculture Holdings Managing Director Jayanthi Dharmasena, 99x Technology Sri Lanka and Asia Founder and Chairman Mano Sekaram, DIMO Director and CHRO Dilrukshi Kurukularsuriya, National Chamber of Exporters CEO and Director General Shiham Marrikar, and UNDP, Sri Lanka Gender Specialist Lihini Ratwatte. These individuals and organisations have demonstrated exemplary commitment to fostering an inclusive culture, advancing equity, and paving the way for future generations. Pix by Lasantha Kumara
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State Administration Council Members watched the final matches of Inter-State and Region sports competitions of the Fifth National Sports Festival at the relevant stadiums and gymnasiums in Nay Pyi Taw yesterday. The final matches of Inter-State and Region boxing took place at Wunna Theikdi stadium yesterday and was attended by SAC members Dr Hmuh Thang and Dr Ba Shwe, Union Minister for Sports and Youth Affairs U Min Thein Zan, Deputy Ministers, state and regional social affairs ministers, transport ministers, and other relevant officials. In the women’s 52-kilogramme event, the Magway Region team won the first prize, the second went to the Mandalay Region team, the joint third to the Shan State team and the Taninthayi Region team, whereas the Yangon Region team grabbed the first prize, the second by the Taninthayi Region team and the joint third by the Nay Pyi Taw and the Sagaing Region team in women’s 50-kilogramme. The Taninthayi Region team won the first prize in women’s 54-kilogramme, and the Kayin State team ranked second place and the Shan State team and the Yangon Region team secured the third place. In the women’s 57-kilogramme, the first prize went to the Chin State team, the second to the Ayeyawady Region team, and the third to the Bago Region team and the Sagaing Region team. In the men’s 51-kilogramme, the Kayin State team won the first prize, while the Kachin State team grabbed the second prize and the Mandalay Region team and the Sagaing Region team received the third prize. In the men’s 54-kilogramme, the first prize went to the Mandalay Region team, the second to the Shan State team and the third to the Nay Pyi Taw team and Taninthayi Region team. In the men’s 57-kilogramme, the Yangon Region team won the first prize, the Kachin State team ranked at the second place and the Chin State team and the Sagaing Region team at the third place. In the men’s 63.5-kilogramme, the Kachin State team won the first prize, the Mandalay Region team grabbed the second prize and the Bago Region team and Sagaing Region team achieved the third prize. In the men’s 71-kilogramme, the first prize went to the Sagaing Region team, the second to the Mandalay Region team, and the third to the Kayin State team and Bago Region team. The final matches of the Inter-State and Region U-21 athletics were held at Wunna Theikdi stadium, and SAC member U Yan Kyaw, Union Minister U Min Thein Zan, deputy ministers, state and regional social affairs ministers, transportation ministers, and other officials. In the men’s 800-metre race, the Bago Region won the first prize, the Nay Pyi Taw team won the second prize and the Ayeyawady Region team won the third prize. In the women’s 800-metre race, the first prize went to the Chin State team, the second to the Kayah State team and the third to the Shan State team. In the women’s 200-metre race, the first and second prizes went to the Taninthayi Region team and the third to the Magway Region team. In another women’s 200-metre race, the Taninthayi Region team won the first prize, the Ayeyawady Region team grabbed the second prize and the Taninthayi Region team secured the third prize. In the men’s shot-put event, the first prize went to the Magway Region team, the second to the Yangon Region team and the third to the Ayeyawady Region team. In the men’s 110-metre hurdle, the Ayeyawady Region team won the first and second prizes, and the Magway Region team won the third prize. In the women’s 110-metre hurdle, the first and second prizes went to the Shan State team and the third to the Sagaing Region team. The Kayin State team grabbed the first prize in the men’s high jump, whereas Mon State ranked at second place and the Ayeyawady Region team in third place. In the men’s 400-metre hurdle, the Sagaing Region team won the first prize, the second prize by the Mandalay Region team and the third prize by the Taninthayi Region team. Moreover, in the women’s shot put, the Shan State team won the first prize, while the second prize by the Rakhine State team and the third prize by the Sagaing Region team. In the women’s high jump, the Taninthayi Region team ranked at first place, the Sagaing Region team at second place and the Taninthayi Region at third place. Similarly, Inter-State and Region Men’s and Women’s U-20 volleyball final matches took place at Wunna Theikdi Gymnasium B, and attended by SAC Member Khun San Lwin, Union Chief Justice U Tha Htay, Union Constitutional Tribunal Chairman U Aung Zaw Thien, and other relevant officials watched the matches. In the women’s volleyball, the Shan State team won the first prize, whereas the Taninthayi Region team won the second prize and the Kachin State team and the Mandalay Region team won the third prize jointly. In men’s volleyball, the first prize went to the Mandalay Region team, the second to Shan State team and the third to the Kayin State team and the Nay Pyi Taw team. Similarly, the award ceremony of Inter-State and Region Taekwondo was held at TC-1. The Yangon Region team won the first prize, the Bago Region team grabbed the second prize and the Chin State and Shan State teams achieved the third prize in women’s singles. In men’s singles, the Yangon Region team won the first prize, whereas the second prize by the Mon State team and the third prize by the Shan State and Kayin State teams. In the mixed event, the first prize went to the Yangon Region team, the second to the Mon State team and the third to the Shan State team and Mandalay Region team. In the women’s team event, the Yangon Region team won the first prize, the Kayah State team the second prize and the Shan State team and Bago Region team third prize. In the men’s team event, the first prize went to the Yangon Region team, the second to the Bago Region team and the third to the Mon State team and Kayin State team. — MNA/KTZHAriana Grande’s Boyfriend Calls Cynthia Erivo Her Soul MateDaines calls for scrutiny of new facial recognition technology at U.S. airports
Global stocks mostly rose Thursday following strong earnings from artificial intelligence leader Nvidia as bitcoin prices zoomed near $100,000 and oil prices rose. Nvidia itself had a volatile day, finishing modestly higher after several reversals. The chip company reported a whopping $19 billion in profits, although investors wondered if its current rate of stupendous growth is sustainable. Javascript is required for you to be able to read premium content. Please enable it in your browser settings.
James Argent has given The Mirror a grand tour of his dazzling festive home. The 36 year old is all set to spend his first Christmas with new love, 31 year old Nicoline Artursson, and shared a glimpse into their Christmassy Essex retreat. "This is my Christmas tree - as you can see it is slightly wonky," he shared with a chuckle. "I actually cut this down myself with my bare hands believe it or not but I can't take credit for the decorations. That was my girlfriend Nicoline and my mum Patricia. They made it look beautiful. I am proud of it." The couple's romance blossomed after they first met in July on his way to a gig in sunny Marbella, and things have been looking up ever since. James, affectionately known as Arg, is now integrating Nicoline into his world , complete with her own stocking hung by the fireplace. "This is the first Christmas me and Nicoline are going to be spending together," Arg beamed. "We are going to make it a real special one to remember. I can't wait to make some amazing memories." Their home boasts a quirky yet stunning Christmas tree decked out with oversized red bows, luxury Christmas crackers and twinkling silver and white baubles, all set off by gleaming gold lights. Amid the backdrop sits an elegant white and black grand piano and a chic turquoise electric guitar. The dining table echoes the festive opulence with arrangements of gold, green and white floral displays amongst glass goblets, awaiting guests at the four-person setting. Beaming with pride, Arg shared: "The number one wedding singer and party event man in the country, this is where the preparation and magic happens." But Arg's home has even more unique touches. His beloved garden features a cosy hot tub area for those chilly evenings, which James admits is a personal highlight: "There is nothing better. It is like being in a roasting hot bath." Not just a winter retreat, his backyard transforms into a social hub in warmer weather, complete with chic outdoor furniture reminiscent of Love Island settings. He expressed his affection for this space: "The garden is probably my favourite place in the house. I love spending time out here especially in the summer months." Following his departure from The Only Way Is Essex , the TV show that brought him fame, Arg embarked on a transformative journey that included rehab and a gastric band surgery, resulting in an impressive 14-stone weight loss. Keeping fit is now more convenient than ever with his outdoor home gym. Reflecting on his lifestyle changes, Arg stated: "I'm three years clean and sober. I've managed to maintain a healthy weight and a good relationship with exercise and food. Nicoline is really good at tennis so we want to play doubles. She's going to get me into mindfulness and meditation." Radiating happiness about his current life, he said: "I'm feeling great. I have a job that I love, an amazing girl by my side – life couldn't get any better. I'm no longer embarrassed or ashamed. I'm proud that I've come through the other side." Hailey Bieber loves this Avene moisturiser for sensitive skin - and it's currently on sale for £10New virtual golf facility planned for Rickmansworth courseSix CT high school runners qualify for national championship
Spears' 31 lead UTSA past Houston Christian 78-71Prior to today's game against the Michigan Wolverines, Ryan Day had lost three straight games to the Buckeyes' arch-rival in increasingly embarrassing fashion. But while the final score of today's 13-10 loss may have been close, it's probably the most brutal loss by far. Javascript is required for you to be able to read premium content. Thanks for the feedback.
Retailers coax Black Friday shoppers into stores with big discounts and giveaways NEW YORK (AP) — Retailers in the U.S. have used giveaways and bigger-than expected discounts to reward shoppers who ventured out on Black Friday. The day after Thanksgiving still reigns for now as the unofficial kickoff of the holiday shopping season even if it’s lost some luster. Analysts reported seeing the biggest crowds at stores that offered real savings. They say many shoppers are being cautious with their discretionary spending despite the easing of inflation. Stores are even more under the gun to get shoppers in to buy early and in bulk since there are five fewer days between Thanksgiving and Christmas this year. Online sales figures from Thanksgiving Day gave retailers a reason to remain hopeful for a lucrative end to the year. Southwest Airlines says it is ending cabin service earlier to reduce chance of injury Southwest Airlines is ending its cabin service earlier starting next month. Beginning on Dec. 4, a company spokesperson says flight attendants will begin preparing the cabin for landing at an altitude of 18,000 feet instead of 10,000 feet. The company says it's making the changes to reduce the risk of in-flight turbulence injuries. For passengers, that means they will need to return their seats to an upright position or do other pre-landing procedures earlier than before. While turbulence-related fatalities are quite rare, injuries have piled up over the years. Why your favorite catalogs are smaller this holiday season PORTLAND, Maine (AP) — While retailers hope to go big this holiday season, customers may notice that the catalogs arriving in their mailboxes are smaller. Many of the millions of catalogs getting sent to U.S. homes were scaled down to save on postage and paper. Some gift purveyors are sending out postcards. In a sign of the times, the American Catalog Mailers Association rebranded itself in May as the American Commerce Marketing Association. Despite no longer carrying an extended inventory of goods, industry experts say catalogs help retailers cut through the noise and still hold their own in value because of growing digital advertising costs. Canada's Trudeau returns home after Trump meeting without assurances that tariffs are off the table WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. (AP) — Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is returning home 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 says the dinner talks Friday night at his Mar-a-Lago club in Florida were “productive.” But he signaling 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. Trudeau spoke of “an excellent conversation” but offered no details. 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.” Trump and Republicans in Congress eye an ambitious 100-day agenda, starting with tax cuts WASHINGTON (AP) — Republicans swept to power on Election Day and now control the House, the Senate and the White House, with plans for an ambitious 100-day agenda come January. Their to-do list includes extending tax breaks, cutting social programs, building the border wall to stop immigration and rolling back President Joe Biden's green energy policies. Atop that list is a plan to renew some $4 trillion in expiring tax cuts that were a signature domestic achievement of Republican Donald Trump’s first term as president. It's an issue that may define his return to the White House. The ruble's in a slump. For the Kremlin, that's a two-edged sword Russia’s ruble is sagging against other currencies, complicating the Kremlin’s efforts to keep consumer inflation under control with one hand even as it overheats the economy with spending on the war against Ukraine with the other. Over time a weaker ruble could mean higher prices for imports from China, Russia's main trade partner these days. President Vladimir Putin says things are under control. One wild card is sanctions against a key Russian bank that have disrupted foreign trade payments. If Russia finds a workaround for that, the ruble could regain some of its recent losses. Iceland votes for a new parliament after political disagreements force an early election REYKJAVIK, Iceland (AP) — Icelanders are electing a new parliament after disagreements over immigration, energy policy and the economy forced Prime Minister Bjarni Benediktsson to pull the plug on his coalition government and call early elections. This will be Iceland’s sixth general election since the 2008 financial crisis devastated the economy of the North Atlantic island nation and ushered in a new era of political instability. Opinion polls suggest the country may be in for another upheaval, with support for the three governing parties plunging. Benediktsson, who was named prime minister in April following the resignation of his predecessor, struggled to hold together the unlikely coalition of his conservative Independence Party with the centrist Progressive Party and the Left-Green Movement. Massachusetts lawmakers push for an effort to ban all tobacco sales over time BOSTON (AP) — A handful of Massachusetts lawmakers are hoping to persuade their colleagues to support a proposal that would make the state the first to adopt a ban meant to eliminate the use of tobacco products over time. Other locations have weighed similar “generational tobacco bans.” The bans phase out the use of tobacco products based not just on a person's age but on birth year. Lawmakers plan to file the proposal next year. If approved, the bill would set a date and ban the sale of tobacco to anyone born after that date forever, eventually banning all sales. Vietnam approves $67 billion high-speed railway project between Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh city HANOI, Vietnam (AP) — Vietnam has approved the construction of a high-speed railway connecting the capital Hanoi in the north with the financial capital of Ho Chi Minh in the south. It is expected to cost $67 billion and will stretch 1,541 kilometers (957 miles). The new train is expected to travel at speeds of up to 350 kph (217 mph), reducing the journey from the current 30 hours to just five hours. The decision was taken by Vietnam’s National Assembly on Saturday. Construction is expected to begin in 2027 and Vietnam hopes that the first trains will start operating by 2035. But the country has been beleaguered by delays to its previous infrastructure projects. Inflation rose to 2.3% in Europe. That won't stop the central bank from cutting interest rates FRANKFURT, Germany (AP) — Inflation in the 20 countries that use the euro currency rose in November — but that likely won’t stop the European Central Bank from cutting interest rates as the prospect of new U.S. tariffs from the incoming Trump administration adds to the gloom over weak growth. The European Union’s harmonized index of consumer prices rose 2.3 percent, up from 2.0% in October, according to EU statistics agency Eurostat. However, worries about growth mean the Dec. 12 ECB meeting is not about whether to cut rates, but by how much. Market buzz says there could be a larger than usual half-point cut in the benchmark rate, currently 3.25%.
President-elect Donald Trump has once again suggested he wants to revert the name of North America’s tallest mountain — Alaska’s Denali — to Mount McKinley, wading into a sensitive and decades-old conflict about what the peak should be called. Former President Barack Obama changed the official name to Denali in 2015 to reflect the traditions of Alaska Natives as well as the preference of many Alaska residents. The federal government in recent years has endeavored to change place-names considered disrespectful to Native people. “Denali” is an Athabascan word meaning “the high one” or “the great one.” A prospector in 1896 dubbed the peak “Mount McKinley” after President William McKinley, who had never been to Alaska. That name was formally recognized by the U.S. government until Obama changed it over opposition from lawmakers in McKinley’s home state of Ohio. Trump suggested in 2016 that he might undo Obama’s action, but he dropped that notion after Alaska’s senators objected. He raised it again during a rally in Phoenix on Sunday. “McKinley was a very good, maybe a great president,” Trump said Sunday. “They took his name off Mount McKinley, right? That’s what they do to people.” Once again, Trump’s suggestion drew quick opposition within Alaska. “Uh. Nope. It’s Denali,” Democratic state Sen. Scott Kawasaki posted on the social platform X Sunday night. Republican Sen. Lisa Murkowski , who for years pushed for legislation to change the name to Denali, conveyed a similar sentiment in a post of her own. “There is only one name worthy of North America’s tallest mountain: Denali — the Great One,” Murkowski wrote on X. Various tribes of Athabascan people have lived in the shadow of the 20,310-foot (6,190-meter) mountain for thousands of years. McKinley, a Republican native of Ohio who served as the 25th president, was assassinated early in his second term in 1901 in Buffalo, New York. Alaska and Ohio have been at odds over the name since at least the 1970s. Alaska had a standing request to change the name since 1975, when the legislature passed a resolution and then-Gov. Jay Hammond appealed to the federal government. Known for its majestic views, the mountain is dotted with glaciers and covered at the top with snow year-round, with powerful winds that make it difficult for the adventurous few who seek to climb it. ___ Rush reported from Portland, Oregon.The memories began rushing back as Kenneth strolled through Hong Kong’s Victoria Park, once a focal point for the city’s resistance to China. As a child, Kenneth would buy calligraphy posters from pro-democracy politicians at the annual Lunar New Year fair. Then there were the protest marches he joined as a teenager, that would always start here before winding their way through the city. When he was just 12, he began attending the park's massive vigils for the Tiananmen massacre - a taboo in mainland China, but commemorated openly in Hong Kong. Those vigils have ended now. The politicians’ stalls at the fair are gone, protests have been silenced and pro-democracy campaigners jailed. Kenneth feels his political coming-of-age - and Hong Kong’s - is being erased. “People still carry on with life... but you can feel the change bit by bit,” said the former activis, who did not want to reveal his real name when he spoke to us. “Our city’s character is disappearing.” On the surface Hong Kong appears to be the same, its packed trams still rumbling down bustling streets, its vibrant neon-lit chaos undimmed. But look closer and there are signs the city has changed - from the skyscrapers lighting up every night with exultations of China, the motherland, to the chatter of mainland Mandarin increasingly heard alongside Hong Kong’s native Cantonese. It’s impossible to know how many of Hong Kong’s more than seven million people welcome Beijing’s grip. But hundreds of thousands have taken part in protests in the past decade since a pro-democracy movement erupted in 2014. Not everyone supported it, but few would argue Beijing crushed it. As a turbulent decade draws to a close, hopes for a freer Hong Kong have withered. China says it has steadied a volatile city. Hundreds have been jailed under a sweeping national security law (NSL), which also drove thousands of disillusioned and wary Hongkongers abroad, including activists who feared or fled arrest. Others, like Kenneth, have stayed and keep a low profile. But in many of them lives the memory of a freer Hong Kong - a place they are fighting to remember in defiance of Beijing’s remaking of their city. When Hong Kong, a former British colony, was returned to China in 1997, it was under the assurance that the city would keep some rights, including free speech, freedom of assembly and rule of law for 50 years. But as Beijing’s power grew, so did the disquiet within the city’s pro-democracy camp. In September 2014, tens of thousands of protesters began to stage mass sit-ins in downtown Hong Kong, demanding fully democratic elections. It propelled a new generation of pro-democracy campaigners to prominence - such as Joshua Wong, then a 17-year-old student, and Benny Tai, a college professor, who called the movement Occupy Central. It also seeded the ground for more explosive protests in 2019, which were triggered by Beijing’s proposal to extradite locals to the mainland. The plan was scrapped but the protests intensified over several months as calls grew for more democracy, becoming the most serious challenge to Beijing’s authority in Hong Kong. “Without Benny Tai, there would have been no Occupy Central,” says Chan Kin-man, who co-founded the campaign with Tai and Reverend Chu Yiu-ming. “He had the temper of scholars and spoke his mind... that’s why he was bold enough to push for changes and think about big ideas. It is always people [like this] who change history.” Chan and Rev Chu are both exiles in Taiwan now. Chan moved to Taipei in 2021, after serving 11 months in jail for inciting public nuisance in his role in Occupy Central. He is now a fellow at a local research institute. Tai is still in Hong Kong, where he will spend the next decade behind bars. Earlier this month he was sentenced to jail for subversion, along with more than 40 other pro-democracy campaigners including Wong, many of whom have been in jail since their arrest in early 2021. As Wong left the courtroom, he shouted: “I love Hong Kong.” The following day 76-year-old billionaire Jimmy Lai, a fierce critic of China, testified at his trial for allegedly colluding with foreign forces. Frail but defiant, he told the court his now-defunct newspaper Apple Daily had only espoused the values of Hong Kong’s people: “Pursuit of democracy and freedom of speech”. The trials have passed quietly, in stark contrast to the events that led to them. Small signs of protest outside the court were quickly shut down - a woman sobbing about her son’s sentence was taken away by police. Beijing defends the restrictions - including the NSL under which the trials are happening - as essential for stability. It says the West or its allies have no right to question its laws or how it applies them. But critics accuse China of reneging on the deal it struck in 1997. They say it has weakened the city’s courts and muzzled the once resounding cry for democracy in Hong Kong. Chan has watched these events unfold from afar with a heavy heart. After 2014, there had still been the possibility of change, he said. Now, “a lot of things have become impossible... Hong Kong has become no different from other Chinese cities”. Faced with this reality after campaigning for democracy for more than a decade, “you can say that I have failed in everything I have done in my life”, he said with a wry smile. But still he perseveres. Besides teaching classes on Chinese society, he is writing a book about Occupy Central, collecting items for an archive of Hong Kong’s protest scene, organising conferences, and giving virtual lectures on democracy and politics. These efforts “make me feel that I haven’t given up on Hong Kong. I don’t feel like I have abandoned it”. Yet, there are moments when he grapples with his decision to leave. He is happier in Taiwan, but he also feels “a sense of loss”. “Am I still together with other Hongkongers, facing the same challenges as them?” “If you are not breathing the air here, you don’t really know what’s happening... if you don’t feel the pulse here, it means you are truly gone,” said Kenneth, as he continued his walk through Victoria Park. With friends leaving the city in droves in the last few years, he has lost count of the number of farewell parties he’s attended. Still, he insists on staying: “This is where my roots are.” What irritates him is the rhetoric from those who leave, that the Hong Kong they knew has died. “Hong Kong continues to exist. Its people are still here! So how can they say that Hong Kong is dead?" But, he acknowledged, there have been dramatic changes. Hongkongers now have to think twice about what they say out loud, Kenneth said. Many are now adapting to a “normalised state of surveillance”. There are red lines, “but it is very difficult to ascertain them”. Instead of campaigning openly, activists now write petition letters. Rallies, marches and protests are definitely off-limits, he added. But many, like Kenneth, are wary of taking part in any activism, because they fear they’ll be arrested. A t-shirt , social media posts and picture books have fallen foul of the law recently, landing their owners in jail for sedition. These days Kenneth goes out less frequently. “The contrast is so drastic now. I don’t want to remember what happened in the past.” Still, as he walked out of the park and headed to the Admiralty district, more memories unspooled. As he neared the government headquarters, he pointed to the spot where he choked on tear gas for the first time, on 28 September 2014. That day, the police fired 87 rounds of tear gas on unarmed protesters, an act that enraged demonstrators and galvanised the pro-democracy movement. As the protests deepened and tear gas became a common sight, many sheltered behind umbrellas, spawning a new moniker - the Umbrella Movement. The final stop was his alma mater, Hong Kong Polytechnic University, also known as PolyU. It was a key battleground during the 2019 demonstrations that saw protesters battling police on the streets, hurling projectiles against tear gas, water cannons and rubber bullets. Five years on, the PolyU entrance where students fended off the police with bricks and petrol bombs in a fiery showdown has been reconstructed. A fountain which saw the most intense clashes has been demolished. Like elsewhere in Hong Kong, the campus seemed to have been scrubbed of its disobedient past. Kenneth believed it was because the university “doesn’t want people to remember certain things". Then, he darted away to a quiet corner. Hidden beneath the bushes was a low wall pockmarked with holes and gobs of concrete. It was impossible to tell what they were. But Kenneth believes these were traces of the battles which escaped the purge of memories. “I don’t believe we will forget what happened,” he said. “Forgetting the past is a form of betrayal.” At a Tesco’s café in Watford in the UK, Kasumi Law remembered what she missed about her old home. “I never thought I’d love the sea in Hong Kong so much. I only realised this when I arrived in the UK,” she said, as she tucked into a full English breakfast. Unlike the cold and dark ocean surrounding Britain, “in Hong Kong the sea is so shiny, because there are so many buildings... I didn’t realise how beautiful our city is”. Kasumi’s decision to move to the UK with her husband and young daughter had stemmed from an unease that crept up on her over the previous decade. The Occupy Central protests began just months after her daughter was born in 2014. In the following years, as Beijing's grip appeared to tighten - student activists were jailed and booksellers disappeared - Kasumi's discomfort grew. “Staying in Hong Kong was, I wouldn’t say, unsafe,” she said. “But every day, little by little, there was a feeling of something not being right.” Then Hong Kong erupted in protest again in 2019. As Beijing cracked down, the UK offered a visa scheme for Hongkongers born before the 1997 handover, and Kasumi and her husband agreed it was time to go for the sake of their daughter. They settled in the town of Watford near London, where her husband found a job in IT while Kasumi became a stay-at-home mum. But she had never lived abroad before, and she struggled with a deep homesickness which she documented in emotional video diaries on YouTube. One of them even went viral last year, striking a chord with some Hongkongers while others criticised her for choosing to emigrate. Eventually it was too much to bear, and she returned to Hong Kong for a visit last year. Over two months she visited childhood haunts like a theme park and a science museum, scoffed down her mum’s homecooked fuzzy melon with vermicelli and stir fried clams, and treated herself to familiar delights such as egg tarts and melon-flavoured soy milk. But the Hong Kong she remembered had also changed. Her mum looked older. Her favourite shops in the Ladies Market had closed down. Sitting by the harbour at Tsim Sha Tsui one night, she was happy to be reunited with the twinkling sea she had missed so much. Then she realised most of the people around her were speaking in Mandarin. Tears streamed down her face. “When I looked out at the sea it looked familiar, but when I looked around at the people around me, it felt strange.” Kasumi wonders when she would visit again. With the passing of a new security law this year - Article 23 - her friends have advised her to delete social media posts from past protests before returning. It is a far cry from the fearlessness she remembers from 2019, when she brought her daughter to the protests and they marched on the streets with thousands of people, united in their defiance. “It’s too late to turn back,” she said. “I feel if I go back to Hong Kong I might not be used to life there, to be honest. “My daughter is happy here. When I see her, I think it’s worth it. I want her world to be bigger.” Kasumi’s world is bigger too - she has found a job and made new friends. But even as she builds a new life in the UK, she remains determined to preserve the Hongkonger in her - and her child. Kasumi and her husband only speak in Cantonese to their daughter, and the family often watches Cantonese films together. Her daughter doesn’t yet understand the significance of the 2019 protests she marched in, nor the movement that began in 2014, when she was born. But Kasumi plans to explain when she is older. The seeds Kasumi is planting are already taking root. She is particularly proud of the way her daughter responds to people who call her Chinese. “She gets angry, and she will argue with them,” Kasumi said, with a smile. “She always tells people, ‘I’m not Chinese, I’m a Hongkonger'."Lynne Roberts wasn't looking to leave as Utah women's basketball coach. Then she got a call from LA
CORAL GABLES, Fla. (AP) — RJ Johnson scored 23 points, including the go-ahead 3-pointer in the final minute, Daylen Berry added two clutch free throws and Charleston Southern surprised Miami 83-79 on Saturday. The Buccaneers led for the last four minutes of the first half and deep into the second half before a 3-pointer from Austin Swartz gave Miami a 76-75 lead with 3 minutes left in the game. A three-point play by Lynn Kidd gave the Hurricanes a 79-75 lead with 2:11 remaining. Berry hit a 3-pointer to make it 79-78 and Johnson followed with a 3 that gave the Buccaneers an 81-79 lead. Kidd missed in the paint for Miami but came up with a steal a few seconds later. With 15 seconds left, Swartz missed a 3-pointer and the Buccaneers rebounded. Miami put Berry on the line and he made both free throws for a four-point lead with 11 seconds remaining. Miami's Jalen Blackmon missed a 3-pointer with 8 seconds left, the Hurricanes' A.J. Staton-McCray grabbed the rebound and he missed a 3 as time ran out. Taje Kelly had 20 points, 11 rebounds and six assists for the Buccaneers (2-7), who snapped a five-game losing streak and defeated a Division I opponent for the first-time this season. Thompson Camara made five 3-pointers and scored 21. Brandon Johnson made six 3-pointers and scored 23 for Miami (3-4). Swartz scored 15 points off the bench and Staton-McCray had 13 points. ___ Get poll alerts and updates on the AP Top 25 throughout the season. Sign up here . AP college basketball: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-basketball-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/college-basketball