Australia Letter: Using Soccer to Hit an Island’s Climate Change Goals

Soccer barely exists in the Marshall Islands. A group of locals is aiming to change that.

View in browser|nytimes.com Continue reading the main story March 31, 2023 LETTER 300 Using Soccer to Hit an Island's Climate Change Goals By Yan Zhuang reporter Marshall Islands' delegation at the opening ceremony of the Tokyo Olympics in 2021.Martin Bureau/Agence France-Presse — Getty Images The Australia Letter is a weekly newsletter from our Australia bureau. This week's issue is written by Yan Zhuang, a reporter in Sydney. Soccer has very little presence in the Marshall Islands. The atoll nation, with a population of 60,000, has no domestic fixture, dedicated playing fields or organized local teams, let alone a national team — making it a global anomaly. Continue reading the main story ADVERTISEMENT This is because of the lingering influence of U.S. control over the nation, which popularized sports like baseball, basketball and volleyball, according to Shem Livai, who lives in the nation's capital, Majuro. While nearly every village has a basketball court, he said, soccer fields are nonexistent. And although you'll see locals kicking a ball around in church groups and schools, organized soccer matches are rare. Mr. Livai is the founder and president of a group, called the Marshall Islands Soccer Federation, trying to change that and create a national soccer team. It's an uphill battle in a nation that has never had any real interest in the sport. And the group is also facing — and trying to draw attention to — an existential risk that threatens everything, from where the teams can play to whether they'll even have a nation to play for: climate change. "If climate change gets worse, we won't have any land to play soccer on," Mr. Livai said. This week, another Pacific Island nation, Vanuatu, secured a historic vote at the United Nations that will allow the world's highest court to establish, for the first time, the obligations countries have to address climate change. It speaks to the outsized role that Pacific Island nations and their residents — politicians to youth activists to sporting enthusiasts — are playing in the climate debate, as well as the oversized risks they face. Continue reading the main story ADVERTISEMENT Islands in the Pacific are some of the most vulnerable to the effects of climate change, and many are already starting to see the impacts. Many of the Marshall Islands' atolls may be uninhabitable by the 2050s because of rising oceans, according to studies. In Majuro, Mr. Livai said, flooding events that used to be seasonal are now happening "every full moon," washing over small islands from coast to coast, ruining crops and destroying homes, while families are already migrating to other countries, with the nation's net population on the decline. This is what the soccer federation wants to raise awareness for, Mr. Livai said. "With this attention, the eye of the world, we want to show that our country is suffering from climate change and the world must come together to find ways to eliminate climate change." But how do you establish a sport in a nation where it's never had a presence? It starts at the community level, according to Mr. Livai. "We're trying to build a very strong foundation," he said, adding: "Because everything is so new, the sport is new, we must educate and train the locals." Continue reading the main story ADVERTISEMENT The group is relying on donations to get necessary equipment like balls, goal posts and uniforms. With the help of a British soccer coach, it's planning to train local teachers who can teach school students. Mr. Livai hopes that the involvement of more and more children will create a "domino effect" that will lead to more widespread interest. Progress on the project has been slow-going, he acknowledged. Although the soccer federation was formed in 2020, it only started to pick up traction in 2022, when the British soccer coach, Lloyd Owens, heard about it and decided to get involved. Their effort has been buoyed by the construction of the first dedicated soccer field in the nation, for the Micronesian Games later this year. They hope to start an official league in the next few months and have an official national team up and running by the following year, Mr. Livai said, with an aim to bring home Marshallese players who have emigrated and picked up the sport in other countries. By mid-2025, he said, he hopes that they'll have a national team that is ready to compete. Now for this week's news: Australia and New Zealand Nancy Wijohn in Atamira Dance Company's "Te Wheke."Andrea Mohin/The New York Times Review: A New Zealand Troupe's Oceanic Feelings. Atamira Dance Company's "Te Wheke" at the Joyce Theater drops you into its world and trusts you can swim in it. An Anxious Asia Arms for a War It Hopes to Prevent. Doubts about both China and the United States are driving an arms race in the Indo-Pacific with echoes of World War II and new levels of risk. A River Choking on Fish Corpses, and a Community Full of Anger. It's the latest clash over a river basin in New South Wales, Australia, in an arid land where social, economic and environmental interests collide over water issues. Around the Times Former President Donald J. Trump could also face indictments in Georgia and from federal prosecutors.Doug Mills/The New York Times A President Faces Prosecution, and a Democracy Is Tested. For more than two centuries, American presidents were effectively shielded from indictment. But the case against former President Donald J. Trump breaks that taboo and sets a new precedent. A.I., Brain Scans and Cameras: The Spread of Police Surveillance Tech. In the Middle East, artificial intelligence and other emerging technologies have become part of everyday policing. Finland Clears Last Hurdle to Joining NATO. Finland's entry into the military alliance after Turkey formally signed off is a significant defeat for President Vladimir V. Putin of Russia. Just Try Looking Away From Gwyneth Paltrow's Ski Crash Trial. The actress-turned-businesswoman is at the center of a trial that became a fierce debate over a simple question: Who skied into whom? The online public is rapt. Are you enjoying our Australia bureau dispatches? Tell us what you think at NYTAustralia@nytimes.com. Like this email? Forward it to your friends (they could use a little fresh perspective, right?) and let them know they can sign up here. Continue reading the main story Need help? Review our newsletter help page or contact us for assistance. You received this email because you signed up for Australia Letter from The New York Times. To stop receiving Australia Letter, unsubscribe. To opt out of other promotional emails from The Times, manage your email preferences. Subscribe to The TimesGet The New York Times app Connect with us on: Change Your EmailPrivacy PolicyContact UsCalifornia Notices The New York Times Company. 620 Eighth Avenue New York, NY 10018

The Morning: Trump has been indicted

He is the first former president to face criminal charges.

View in browser|nytimes.com March 31, 2023 Continue reading the main story SUPPORTED BY By German Lopez Good morning. The case against Trump is tied to a payment to a porn star. Donald Trump.Christopher Lee for The New York Times A presidential first A former American president has been indicted. A Manhattan grand jury voted yesterday to indict Donald Trump. The case relates to his involvement in paying hush money to a porn star to bury a sex scandal in the final days of his 2016 presidential campaign. There is still a lot we don't know, including the exact charges. The indictment is under seal and will likely be released in the coming days. Trump has not yet been arrested, a delay that is common in white-collar criminal cases. He is expected to turn himself in on Tuesday and will probably travel to New York from his home in Florida. (Here's more on what to expect when Trump is taken into custody.) Regardless, a conviction in this case would not legally prevent Trump from continuing to run for president. An impeachment conviction could have barred Trump from future federal office, but the Senate acquitted him in both of his trials there. Trump continued to paint the case as partisan and biased last night. "This is political persecution and election interference at the highest level in history," he said in a statement. He has long feared the possibility of being arrested, according to my colleague Maggie Haberman. Today's newsletter will explain the allegations against Trump, why some legal analysts applaud the charges but also why even some of his critics worry about the potential consequences of an indictment. What's in the case? Even though the indictment is still under seal and the specific charges remain unknown, reporters have learned the broad strokes of the investigation. One possibility is that the Manhattan district attorney, Alvin Bragg, is combining state laws to accuse Trump of falsifying business records. The prosecution would focus on Trump's reimbursements to his lawyer at the time, Michael Cohen, for the $130,000 payment to the porn star, Stormy Daniels. A charge of falsifying business records is common in white-collar cases. The unusual part of the charge would be how it's elevated to a felony from a misdemeanor. In New York, falsifying records can rise to a felony if the fraud helped commit or conceal another intended crime. In this case, Bragg could argue that Trump falsified records to cover up the hush money in the final weeks of the 2016 race, potentially making it an illegal campaign contribution. Supporters of Trump's prosecution argue that a successful conviction would show that no one, not even a president, is above the law. "If the rule of law is to be applied equally — & it must — it must apply to the powerful as it does to everyone else," tweeted Representative Adam Schiff, a California Democrat. Prosecutors try creative tactics all the time, and sometimes they work. But some experts worry that a case involving a former president is not the time for creative tactics. "Is this really the case where you want to be stepping out on a limb legally or factually in your charges, given the weight of this politically, socially, culturally and for democracy?" said Rebecca Roiphe, a professor at New York Law School and a former prosecutor. Is there precedent? Presidents have gotten in legal trouble before. Many historians believe Richard Nixon would have been charged over the Watergate scandal had his successor, Gerald Ford, not pardoned him. And Bill Clinton, in a deal to avoid prosecution after he left office, admitted to lying under oath about his affair with Monica Lewinsky, paid a fine and agreed to give up his law license. Trump also faces other investigations — into his involvement in the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol, his efforts to overturn the 2020 election and his handling of classified documents. There is also one less serious example of a president being arrested: A Washington, D.C., police officer arrested Ulysses S. Grant in 1872 for speeding in his horse and buggy before letting him go. Will it stick? Creative legal tactics are inherently risky. Courts typically draw on past cases to decide current ones. But Trump's case is the first of its kind, both in terms of charging a former president and potentially attempting a new legal strategy. It also has weaknesses. In 2012, federal prosecutors dropped charges against John Edwards, a former Democratic presidential candidate, after jurors voted to acquit him of one charge and deadlocked on others. In that case, prosecutors argued Edwards violated federal campaign finance laws to pay for a scheme to cover up an affair. The jury evidently did not believe there was enough evidence to tie Edwards to the scheme. In Trump's case, some conditions do favor the prosecution. It will come before a judge and jury in a very Democratic city. And the judge who is expected to preside over the case, Juan Merchan, previously oversaw the conviction of Trump's family business. More Trump news Trump and his aides were caught off guard by the grand jury's decision. They believed an indictment was weeks away or might not happen at all. The larger story of Trump's indictment is that of a country heading down a road it has never traveled before, Peter Baker writes. While the indictment is a first for the U.S., such cases have become fairly common globally. Republican leaders defended Trump, with one prominent supporter suggesting his mug shot should double as a 2024 campaign poster. Fox News hosts called the indictment politically motivated and suggested it might lead to unrest. Some former Trump Organization employees cheered the latest developments over text messages. Follow our updates. Commentary "A pattern of disregard for the law often leads to a criminal indictment, and that is the outcome Mr. Trump now faces," The Times's editorial board writes. "Should state officials bring a state claim that depends on an accusation of having violated federal law when federal charges were never filed? My conclusion is no," David French writes in Times Opinion. Five former South Korean presidents have faced prosecution. It helped strengthen the country's democracy, Nicholas Kristof argues in Times Opinion. "Save the mug shot for Georgia, the handcuffs for Jan. 6. Those were real offenses against the country," Peggy Noonan writes in The Wall Street Journal. Continue reading the main story A MESSAGE FROM Apple TV+ Watch "Tetris" on Apple TV+ Taron Egerton stars in "Tetris" – the game you couldn't put down, the story you couldn't make up. Now streaming on Apple TV+ Watch Now THE LATEST NEWS International Turkish lawmakers voting yesterday.Burhan Ozbilici/Associated Press Turkey approved Finland's bid to join NATO, the final hurdle to membership. The move is a setback for Russia. By arresting an American journalist and accusing him of espionage, Russia is isolating itself further from the West. Mexico arrested five people over a fire at a migrant detention center that killed at least 39. Politics Wealth funds in the U.A.E. and Qatar invested hundreds of millions of dollars with Jared Kushner's private equity firm. A Democratic state senator in Nebraska has been filibustering for weeks to block a bill that would ban transition-related medical treatment for minors. A federal judge struck down an Obamacare provision that requires insurers to cover preventive care. The Biden administration will probably appeal. Other Big Stories Thunderstorms, high winds and tornadoes are forecast across the Midwest and parts of the South today. Missteps by the police contributed to the death toll in Canada's worst mass shooting, when a gunman killed more than 20 people in 2020, an investigation found. A jury ruled in Gwyneth Paltrow's favor in a 2016 skiing accident, finding that the man who sued her was at fault. Opinions Many Russian men view fighting in Ukraine as a chance to fix their lives, Marlene Laruelle and Ivan Grek write. Israel's political crisis is a chance to strengthen its democracy by writing a constitution, Yuval Levin says. Ends today: The All Access sale. It's the last day for significant savings on all The Times offers, all together. Enjoy unlimited access to News, plus Games, Cooking, Wirecutter and The Athletic. Subscribe today for $1 a week. Prices may vary by location. MORNING READS Meeting etiquette: Is it rude to knit at work? It could help you focus. "It's American football?": Yankees caps are everywhere in Brazil, even if people don't know the meaning of what they're wearing. Modern Love: When climate change melts your relationship. A morning listen: Google's chief executive discusses the A.I. arms race. Lives Lived: Yang Bing-yi opened a modest shop in Taiwan in 1958. He built it into a dumpling and noodle empire, earning a Michelin star and introducing the soup dumpling to a global audience. Yang died at 96. SPORTS NEWS FROM THE ATHLETIC Opening Day attraction: The first at-bat for the Yankees' Aaron Judge after a magical 2022 — and after signing a megacontract — was perfect: a home run. A singing pitcher: In a surprise to fans and teammates, the Cardinals pitcher Adam Wainwright took the mic for the national anthem yesterday. A look ahead: See previews for each M.L.B. team. Continue reading the main story A MESSAGE FROM Apple TV+ Watch "Tetris" on Apple TV+ Taron Egerton stars in "Tetris" – the game you couldn't put down, the story you couldn't make up. Now streaming on Apple TV+ Watch Now ARTS AND IDEAS Reliving the 1990s.Joe Buglewicz for The New York Times A dose of '90s nostalgia At the second annual 90s Con, in Hartford, Conn., attendees perused VHS tapes and Furby tattoos and had a chance to be splashed with Nickelodeon-style slime. Two members of 'N Sync were there, as were stars from "Full House" and "Beverly Hills, 90210." As millennials start to enter middle age, some find themselves drawn to reliving the decade of their youth. As Shawn O'Connor, 35, who runs a '90s-themed bar on Long Island, said: "It makes me happy, and I want to feel happy because I'm old." PLAY, WATCH, EAT What to Cook Johnny Miller for The New York Times For the fluffiest results, mix this banana-and-buttermilk pancake batter minimally. What to Listen to A playlist for the early weeks of spring. What to Watch In "Kill Boksoon," an assassin must choose between the murderous career she loves and the daughter she's been hiding it from. Late Night The hosts discussed Trump's indictment. News Quiz How well did you keep up with the news this week? Now Time to Play The pangram from yesterday's Spelling Bee was clickable. Here is today's puzzle. Here's today's Mini Crossword, and a clue: Line, to Brits (five letters). And here's today's Wordle. Thanks for spending part of your morning with The Times. See you tomorrow. — German P.S. An earthquake devastated Managua, Nicaragua's capital, 92 years ago today. Here's today's front page. "The Daily" is about Trump. Sign up here to get this newsletter in your inbox. Reach our team at themorning@nytimes.com. Editor: David Leonhardt Deputy Editor: Amy Fiscus News Editor: Tom Wright-Piersanti News Staff: Lauren Jackson, Sean Kawasaki-Culligan, Brent Lewis, German Lopez, Claire Moses, Ian Prasad Philbrick, Ashley Wu News Assistant: Lauren Hard Saturday Writer: Melissa Kirsch Need help? Review our newsletter help page or contact us for assistance. You received this email because you signed up for the Morning newsletter from The New York Times, or as part of your New York Times account. To stop receiving The Morning, unsubscribe. To opt out of other promotional emails from The Times, manage your email preferences. Subscribe to The TimesGet The New York Times app Connect with us on: Change Your EmailPrivacy PolicyContact UsCalifornia Notices The New York Times Company. 620 Eighth Avenue New York, NY 10018