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Winnipeg Free Press
24 minutes ago
- Winnipeg Free Press
Calgary bantamweight Jake (The One) Peacock returns to action in November in Tokyo
Canadian bantamweight Jake (The One) Peacock will take on Thailand's Suakim Sor Jor Tongprajin, better known as Suakim, in One Championship Muay Thai action on Nov. 16 at One 173 in Tokyo. Suakim, who turns 30 on Friday, has a record of 154-59-0 and has won five straight since opening his One Championship career by losing two of his first three fights in the promotion. Peacock was born without a right hand after the amniotic band was wrapped around his arm in the early stages of development, which stopped it from growing. The 32-year-old from Calgary only wears one glove but uses his right arm to deliver elbows and other strikes. So far, One Championship opponents have been unable to figure him out. He has won both of his fights in the promotion to date, defeating a pair of Japanese fighters. He won a decision over Kohei Shinjo in April 2024 in Bangkok, Thailand, and stopped Shinji Suzuki by third-round TKO last time out in February in Lusail, Qatar. One's Muay Thai bouts feature three three-minute rounds (five rounds for a title bout) with fighters wearing four-ounce mixed martial arts gloves. Knockouts can be scored via punch, kick, knee, elbow or legal throw. The main event at Ariake Arena feature's Thailand's Superbon against Japan's Masaaki Noiri in a featherweight kick-boxing world title unification match. Superbon currently holds the title while Noiri is the interim champion. After winning and losing the featherweight crown, Superbon won the interim title by defeating Armenian-Belgian Marat Grigorian in April 2024 and was elevated to undisputed champion in January due to Azerbaijani-Belarusian title-holder Chingiz (Chinga) Allazov's inactivity. Noiri defeated Thailand's Tawanchai PK Saenchai in March to claim the interim title. Peacock earned his spot with the Asian-based combat sports promoter by winning the Road to One tournament to secure a US$100,000, six-fight contract. Married with two kids, Peacock is also the founder and head coach at Calgary's Dunamis Gym which he owns with his wife His father, Gavin Peacock, played soccer for 18 years, scoring more than 135 goals for England's Queens Park Rangers, Chelsea and Newcastle United among other clubs. He turned to ministry after his playing career, moving to Canada. Born and raised in London, England, Jake was enrolled in martial arts at the age of seven to learn discipline and self-defence. After moving to Canada at 14, Peacock transitioned to full contact Kyokushin Karate, eventually moving to Muay Thai and kick-boxing. — This report by The Canadian Press was first published Aug. 14, 2025
The Mainichi
25 minutes ago
- The Mainichi
Right-wing Sanseito party's 'Japanese First' policy inspires both hope and worry: poll
TOKYO -- Some 19% of respondents to a July Mainichi Shimbun public opinion poll said they "have positive expectations" for Sanseito, the right-wing populist party that made significant gains in the recent House of Councillors election. While 46% said the opposite, the figure was notably higher than Sanseito's support rate of 8%, suggesting it is attracting interest even from supporters of other parties. What do voters hope for from Sanseito, and what are the reasons for skepticism? The Mainichi analyzed open-answer survey responses to uncover voters' true feelings. 'Japanese First' policies The survey first asked whether respondents had positive expectations for Sanseito. Those who answered "yes" were asked to write the party policy they most favored and their reasons. Those who answered "no" were asked to write what points they were against and their reasons. Among those with positive expectations, the most common responses cited Sanseito's "Japanese First" and foreigner-related policies, which the party emphasized during the upper house campaign. Comments and those who made them included, "They should establish basic policies prioritizing Japanese people" (a man in his 70s), "It's only natural for Japan to put Japanese people first" (a man in his 30s), and "I want to support them because they think about Japanese people" (a woman in her 60s). Many also specifically mentioned concerns about foreign ownership of property, such as, "Japan shouldn't sell land to foreigners" (a woman in her 50s), and "I expect them to address the issue of foreigners buying up land" (a man in his 60s). Among those who voted in the upper house election and said they "have positive expectations" for Sanseito, 76% said they "considered foreigner-related policies" when voting, far higher than the 30% among those who did not hold a positive view of the party. Sanseito's focus on "Japanese First" played a major part in making foreigner-related policies a key election issue. A man in his 20s wrote, "I have high expectations for (Sanseito's) 'Japanese First' stance. I wonder why no party has ever advocated it before." By highlighting foreigner-related issues early, Sanseito captured the attention of voters concerned about real estate purchases by foreign businesses, rising prices and trouble associated with the post-COVID-19 surge in inbound tourism. Anti-espionage law Some respondents also cited "anti-espionage" as a Sanseito policy they appreciated, such as, "I have some hope for the enactment of an anti-espionage law" (a man in his 20s). Sanseito has pledged to introduce an anti-espionage law for economic security, and leader Sohei Kamiya has said the party aims to submit such a bill to the autumn extraordinary Diet session. The ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) previously submitted an espionage and national secret bill in 1985, but it was scrapped after widespread public opposition over concerns it would restrict the people's right to know, guaranteed under the Constitution, and because the maximum penalty was death. Other voter appraisals included "supporting tax cuts and reductions in social insurance premiums" (a man in his 70s), "a tax cut-based economic policy" (a man in his 30s), and hopes for the party to "replace the corrupt LDP government" (a man in his 70s) or "serve as a conservative alternative if the LDP can't fulfill that role" (a man in his 40s). Discrimination and exclusion worries On the other hand, the most common reason for negative views of Sanseito was also its "Japanese First" and foreigner-related policies. Comments included, "I absolutely cannot agree with the idea of discriminating against foreigners" (a woman in her 50s), "The party has a strong discriminatory tone" (a woman in her 20s), and "From a humanitarian perspective, and given Japan's declining population, calls for excluding foreigners are unacceptable even from a labor standpoint" (a man in his 20s). Many expressed concerns that Sanseito's "Japanese First" slogan could lead to discrimination or exclusion. Some also pointed out that the party made "statements lacking scientific basis" (a man in his 40s), and, "Their policies lack numerical evidence" (a man in his 50s). Sanseito was the party most frequently targeted for media fact-checking during the election. "Compared to other parties, there were clearly more factually or statistically incorrect statements," said Daisuke Furuta, editor-in-chief of the Japan Fact-check Center, suggesting that candidates' lack of knowledge and preparation undermined trust in the party. Other concerns included, "Even if it's to protect the country, I can't support conscription" (a woman in her 50s), and "I oppose their pro-nuclear armament policy" (a man in his 30s). Sanseito has not officially pledged to introduce a draft system or arm Japan with atomic weapons, but these worries were apparently fueled by comments from Sanseito's Sayaka Shioiri, who won an upper house seat in the Tokyo constituency campaigning as "Saya." Shioiri has said, "Nuclear armament is one of the cheapest and most effective ways to strengthen security," and has previously spoken positively about conscription. Sanseito's official website does not mention conscription. On nuclear weapons, it states, "To protect Japan, which is surrounded by nuclear-armed countries, we must face the harsh realities of the international community, set nuclear abolition as a long-term goal, and maintain deterrence so that nuclear countries do not use their weapons." However, in a Mainichi survey of all upper house candidates, six of the 14 Sanseito winners said, "Japan should possess nuclear weapons," further fueling concern about the party's stance. How will Sanseito respond to voters' expectations and address their anxieties? The party's surge in the upper house election brings with it significant responsibility. (Japanese original by Daisuke Nohara, Poll Office)
Winnipeg Free Press
an hour ago
- Winnipeg Free Press
CDC shooting marks latest in a string of hostility directed at health workers. Many aren't surprised
ATLANTA (AP) — A barrage of bullets launched at the headquarters of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention last week by a man authorities say was angry over COVID-19 vaccinations is the latest attack directed at health care workers amid hostility lingering from the pandemic. Some public health care workers say the shooting that killed a police officer and rattled the CDC campus shouldn't be surprising in the face of ongoing misinformation and animosity about the safety of immunizations. 'All of us, anybody who stands up for science or vaccines, will at some level get hate mail or a phone call that's unnerving or a death threat,' said Paul Offit, the co-inventor of a rotavirus vaccine. Just four years ago, while hospitals overflowed with unvaccinated patients, school board members, local leaders and doctors were regularly confronted in public with taunts comparing them to the Taliban, Nazis and leaders of Japanese internment camps. Sometimes the conflicts descended into violence and harassment. The distrust and anger that grew since then has been amplified by U.S. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., said Offit, who heads the vaccine education center at the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia. Kennedy has been a leading voice in spreading false information about vaccines, scientists and public health leaders, often using heated rhetoric that says they have caused mass death and injury. People he describes in such language have said his comments have led to threats, intimidation and even violence. Kennedy denounces violence but criticizes CDC's work Kennedy, who toured the CDC campus on Monday, said no one should face violence while working to protect the health of others and called political violence wrong. But he went on to criticize the agency's pandemic response. 'One of the things that we saw during COVID is that the government was overreaching in its efforts to persuade the public to get vaccinated, and they were saying things that are not always true,' Kennedy said during a television interview with Scripps News later in the day. A spokesperson for Kennedy blasted any notion that blamed vaccine misinformation for Friday's attack. 'This narrative is pure fiction, built on anonymous complaints and a willful disregard for the facts,' said Andrew Nixon of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. 'Secretary Kennedy is not advancing an 'anti-vaccine agenda' — he is advancing a pro-safety, pro-transparency, and pro-accountability agenda.' Authorities have said that 30-year-old Patrick Joseph White had written about his discontent with the COVID-19 vaccine before he opened fire on the CDC. White also had verbalized thoughts of suicide, which led to law enforcement being contacted several weeks before the shooting, according to the Georgia Bureau of Investigation. White died at the scene of a self-inflicted gunshot wound on Friday after killing DeKalb County Police Officer David Rose. Shooting rattles CDC campus Following the attack, CDC employees were asked to scrape off old CDC parking decals from their vehicles. But even before that, some workers had taken steps to become less visible, including not wearing their public health service uniform, said Yolanda Jacobs, a union leader who represents some CDC workers. The CDC's new director told employees this week that no act of violence can diminish their mission to protect public health. 'We know that misinformation can be dangerous. Not only to health, but to those that trust us and those we want to trust,' Dr. Susan Monarez told employees during an 'all-hands' meeting Tuesday, her first since the attack capped her first full week on campus as director. The federal agency, tasked with tracking diseases and responding to health threats, has been hit by widespread staff cuts, key resignations and heated controversy over long-standing CDC vaccine policies upended by Kennedy. 'What happened on Friday is a direct result of that misinformation,' said Sarah Boim, a former CDC worker whose job was targeted for elimination earlier this year. 'Health Secretary Kennedy is one of the biggest pushers of misinformation.' The shooting, she said, left her in tears. 'My friends and family still work in those buildings,' she said. 'My mom works in one of those buildings.' In the aftermath, officials are assessing security and encouraging staff to report any new threats, including those based on misinformation about the CDC and its vaccine work. Anti-vaccine tension has been building Despite its prominence since the pandemic, anti-vaccine rhetoric leading to harassment and violence took root before then. In 2019, an anti-vaccine activist assaulted California state Sen. Richard Pan, streaming it live on Facebook, after Pan sponsored a bill to make it more difficult to get a vaccine exemption. Another threw blood at Pan and other lawmakers. Wednesdays What's next in arts, life and pop culture. The attacks came after Kennedy spoke outside the California Capitol, two large posters behind him featured Pan's image, with the word 'LIAR' stamped across his face in blood-red paint. Pan, a pediatrician, blames Kennedy for what happened then and now at the CDC. 'And you wonder why someone would go shoot up the CDC,' Pan said. 'Because he basically told them that those are the people you should hurt.' ___ Hollingsworth reported from Kansas City, Missouri, and Seewer reported from Toledo, Ohio.
