No Cards Accepted

Today is Monday, December 26, 2022, and this is The World Today. [View in browser](~/AASU4wA~/RgRljAO9P0REaHR0cHM6Ly9saW5rLndoZXJlYnkudXMvZ3ptNXZqb3AweS8_bGhfYWlkPTQ1MjExMTkmbGhfY2lkPXJoMjYzMjcyMmhXA3NwY0IKY6LBfqljBJY8vFIbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODlAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAABa) DailyChatter is an exclusive benefit for The Charlotte Observer subscribers Good morning. Today is Monday, December 26, 2022, and this is The World Today. [Forward this edition](~/AASU4wA~/RgRljAO9P0RoaHR0cHM6Ly9saW5rLndoZXJlYnkudXMvcXN1NXBocDIzai8_bGhfYWlkPTQ1MjExMTkmbGhfY2lkPXJoMjYzMjcyMmgmbGhfZW09dHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODklNDBnbWFpbC5jb21XA3NwY0IKY6LBfqljBJY8vFIbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODlAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAABa) ~/AASU4wA~/RgRljAO9P0RoaHR0cHM6Ly9saW5rLndoZXJlYnkudXMvMTBmdTl3cGJ2di8_bGhfYWlkPTQ1MjExMTkmbGhfY2lkPXJoMjYzMjcyMmgmbGhfZW09dHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODklNDBnbWFpbC5jb21XA3NwY0IKY6LBfqljBJY8vFIbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODlAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAABa No Cards Accepted [Italy](~/AASU4wA~/RgRljAO9P0RoaHR0cHM6Ly9saW5rLndoZXJlYnkudXMvcW45MWJhcHgyZi8_bGhfYWlkPTQ1MjExMTkmbGhfY2lkPXJoMjYzMjcyMmgmbGhfZW09dHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODklNDBnbWFpbC5jb21XA3NwY0IKY6LBfqljBJY8vFIbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODlAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAABa) Over the last decade, Italian authorities have opened new fronts in the battle against tax cheats, including [scouring](~/AASU4wA~/RgRljAO9P0REaHR0cHM6Ly9saW5rLndoZXJlYnkudXMvdmNnZzNwcG44cy8_bGhfYWlkPTQ1MjExMTkmbGhfY2lkPXJoMjYzMjcyMmhXA3NwY0IKY6LBfqljBJY8vFIbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODlAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAABa) posh Alpine ski resorts for the owners of Lamborghinis and Maseratis claiming poverty wages on their tax returns. They used special canine units to sniff out bags of cash crossing the border to Switzerland, and gained court orders to search safe deposit boxes suspected of holding illicit jewels. Tax evasion has long been a problem in Italy, which has a large [black market economy](~/AASU4wA~/RgRljAO9P0REaHR0cHM6Ly9saW5rLndoZXJlYnkudXMvcjR4bG14OG5ubC8_bGhfYWlkPTQ1MjExMTkmbGhfY2lkPXJoMjYzMjcyMmhXA3NwY0IKY6LBfqljBJY8vFIbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODlAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAABa) – some estimates say it accounts for more than a fourth of the country’s GDP – and that’s part of the reason it is among the world’s [most indebted countries](~/AASU4wA~/RgRljAO9P0REaHR0cHM6Ly9saW5rLndoZXJlYnkudXMvdjVydXRnc2c1Zy8_bGhfYWlkPTQ1MjExMTkmbGhfY2lkPXJoMjYzMjcyMmhXA3NwY0IKY6LBfqljBJY8vFIbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODlAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAABa). But when it came to reducing the role of cash in the Italian economy, Italy was ahead of the game. Italy’s first statute on money laundering, indeed the first in Europe, [took effect in 1978](~/AASU4wA~/RgRljAO9P0REaHR0cHM6Ly9saW5rLndoZXJlYnkudXMvaGViM3BmOXJ5Ni8_bGhfYWlkPTQ1MjExMTkmbGhfY2lkPXJoMjYzMjcyMmhXA3NwY0IKY6LBfqljBJY8vFIbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODlAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAABa). Sure, it was aimed at fighting the Mafia’s money-laundering operations, but it also helped limit tough-to-trace cash transactions. “There was a time when other countries studied Italy’s money-laundering statutes,” Javier Noriega, senior economist with Milan-based investment bankers Hildebrandt and Ferrar told DailyChatter. “Cash had long been king for smaller transactions but it became more difficult to plop down a big box of cash to buy property or a car.” The laws that started out with a cap of 1,000 euros ($1,061) on cash transactions eventually included the near-elimination of fees for small bank card transactions. Slower than in other European countries, Italians started using credit cards for even the smallest payments. The credit card penetration rate is now expected to [surpass 50 percent](~/AASU4wA~/RgRljAO9P0REaHR0cHM6Ly9saW5rLndoZXJlYnkudXMvMGFqeThvdjV1NC8_bGhfYWlkPTQ1MjExMTkmbGhfY2lkPXJoMjYzMjcyMmhXA3NwY0IKY6LBfqljBJY8vFIbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODlAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAABa) next year, according to Statista. “I remember the first time someone pulled out a bank card to pay for a cup of coffee,” Antonino Gattuso, a coffee bar owner in Rome where a cup of espresso costs 1.10 euros, said in an interview. “I thought they were crazy. But it’s become more and more common, especially with young people.” But the newly installed Italian government, led by nationalist Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, is taking steps to reverse some of the changes. Earlier this year, lawmakers [doubled](~/AASU4wA~/RgRljAO9P0REaHR0cHM6Ly9saW5rLndoZXJlYnkudXMvODR4ZThnMWw1ei8_bGhfYWlkPTQ1MjExMTkmbGhfY2lkPXJoMjYzMjcyMmhXA3NwY0IKY6LBfqljBJY8vFIbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODlAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAABa) the cap on cash transactions to 2,000 euros. And last month, the Meloni government raised it again, to 5,000 euros. According to Italian media reports, the original plan had been to [raise it to 10,000](~/AASU4wA~/RgRljAO9P0REaHR0cHM6Ly9saW5rLndoZXJlYnkudXMvMHA5YjVscGo1dS8_bGhfYWlkPTQ1MjExMTkmbGhfY2lkPXJoMjYzMjcyMmhXA3NwY0IKY6LBfqljBJY8vFIbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODlAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAABa) euros. Meloni [says](~/AASU4wA~/RgRljAO9P0REaHR0cHM6Ly9saW5rLndoZXJlYnkudXMvbWp0YnppenRhdC8_bGhfYWlkPTQ1MjExMTkmbGhfY2lkPXJoMjYzMjcyMmhXA3NwY0IKY6LBfqljBJY8vFIbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODlAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAABa) there’s little evidence that connects a greater use of cash to tax evasion. Instead, she explains the move back toward cash is designed to boost poor Italians and mom-and-pop businesses that might have less access to digital payment methods. In fact, Meloni even wanted to include a measure in the country’s 2023 budget to allow vendors to refuse bank cards for purchases under 60 euros. But that move was criticized by European Union officials who set conditions on its grants and loans, Bloomberg [noted](~/AASU4wA~/RgRljAO9P0REaHR0cHM6Ly9saW5rLndoZXJlYnkudXMva2VyeW5yaWp4Zi8_bGhfYWlkPTQ1MjExMTkmbGhfY2lkPXJoMjYzMjcyMmhXA3NwY0IKY6LBfqljBJY8vFIbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODlAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAABa), due to worries about tax evasion and other financial crimes. Earlier this month, it was removed from the budget bill, Italian news agency ANSA [reported](~/AASU4wA~/RgRljAO9P0REaHR0cHM6Ly9saW5rLndoZXJlYnkudXMvbzN6MXZxOXdoYy8_bGhfYWlkPTQ1MjExMTkmbGhfY2lkPXJoMjYzMjcyMmhXA3NwY0IKY6LBfqljBJY8vFIbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODlAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAABa). Italy’s initial fight against money laundering started more than 50 years ago after Italian crime families started growing beyond their traditional businesses of extortion, intimidation, smuggling, and prostitution. Their new ground involved vying for bloated public contracts and forcing their way into real-estate deals, areas that required buying influence among the political class – and that required large amounts of untraceable cash. “When people talk about fighting the Mafia’s influence they talk about capturing crime bosses and dramatic raids,” said [Sergio Nazzaro](~/AASU4wA~/RgRljAO9P0REaHR0cHM6Ly9saW5rLndoZXJlYnkudXMvczRxbnBlaTM1NC8_bGhfYWlkPTQ1MjExMTkmbGhfY2lkPXJoMjYzMjcyMmhXA3NwY0IKY6LBfqljBJY8vFIbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODlAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAABa), an Italian journalist and author specializing in organized crime in an interview. “But (the focus) should be (on) banks and the processes that make it possible for the Mafia to do what it does. That’s where the anti-money laundering rules come in.” Organized crime has mostly adapted to the changes in the rules over recent decades, and few think the raised cash limits will impact on the mob’s reach. But the reasoning behind the changes is still unclear. According to one analyst, the motives are almost surely political. Meloni became Italy’s first-ever female prime minister by championing controversial views critical of the euro currency, refugee policies, the EU, and NATO. But since then, she’s moved toward the center, taking mainstream views aimed at sparking economic growth, curbing inflation, and keeping the lights on. The moves toward cash are simply aimed at appealing to Meloni’s base, a group that might lose patience with the measured, centrist governing style from their long-time firebrand, says [Oreste Massari](~/AASU4wA~/RgRljAO9P0REaHR0cHM6Ly9saW5rLndoZXJlYnkudXMvdGl3Nm1kOTg0bS8_bGhfYWlkPTQ1MjExMTkmbGhfY2lkPXJoMjYzMjcyMmhXA3NwY0IKY6LBfqljBJY8vFIbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODlAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAABa), a political science professor at Rome’s La Sapienza University. “She has to give something to supporters who complain about big business having a hand in everything,” he told DailyChatter. “Knowing that a multinational bank isn’t involved in their morning coffee bar transaction, it means something.” — Eric J. Lyman, Rome, Italy, for DailyChatter ~/AASU4wA~/RgRljAO9P0RoaHR0cHM6Ly9saW5rLndoZXJlYnkudXMvZmhvamljeTEydC8_bGhfYWlkPTQ1MjExMTkmbGhfY2lkPXJoMjYzMjcyMmgmbGhfZW09dHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODklNDBnbWFpbC5jb21XA3NwY0IKY6LBfqljBJY8vFIbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODlAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAABa [Advertisement](~/AASU4wA~/RgRljAO9P0REaHR0cHM6Ly9saW5rLndoZXJlYnkudXMvcnFyb3h2dHh5aS8_bGhfYWlkPTQ1MjExMTkmbGhfY2lkPXJoMjYzMjcyMmhXA3NwY0IKY6LBfqljBJY8vFIbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODlAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAABa) Survival Skills Housework and cooking don’t come easy to Japanese men. Most have never learned. That’s because strict gender roles in domestic affairs have persisted in Japan: The wife usually takes care of meal preparation and cleaning, while the husband supports the family financially. That labor division has persisted even though a majority of women now work outside the home. According to a survey by the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, Japanese men spend an average of 40 minutes a day on household responsibilities and child care, a fifth of the time spent by their wives, and the lowest proportion among rich countries. Only 14 percent said they cooked for themselves on a regular basis. Still, when men retire and would like to help out more at home, or are forced to because of a new-found single status due to divorce or the death of a spouse, or because their wives are fed up, there is one problem: Men don’t know how to cook or clean. Enter cooking and home economics classes for older men, which are becoming increasingly popular in Japan. Masahiro Yoshida, a retired government administrator, is one of a growing number of older Japanese men who have signed up for courses, such as preparing dishes, shopping for meat and cleaning food stains. “I had no idea how complex the cooking process was,” he [told](~/AASU4wA~/RgRljAO9P0REaHR0cHM6Ly9saW5rLndoZXJlYnkudXMvdjFpd3c1NjZkdC8_bGhfYWlkPTQ1MjExMTkmbGhfY2lkPXJoMjYzMjcyMmhXA3NwY0IKY6LBfqljBJY8vFIbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODlAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAABa) the Washington Post. Their popularity has also prompted the government to help, with some community centers offering free classes to teach cooking, cleaning, ironing, and how to do the laundry. For 74-year-old Takeshi Kaneko, the cooking classes have helped him meet more friends and host meals for his adult children following the death of his wife. “If their mother were alive, she would surely have cooked for them and made them feel at home, so I want to do the same,” Kaneko told the newspaper. ~/AASU4wA~/RgRljAO9P0RoaHR0cHM6Ly9saW5rLndoZXJlYnkudXMvejg4Y3VpZXN6aS8_bGhfYWlkPTQ1MjExMTkmbGhfY2lkPXJoMjYzMjcyMmgmbGhfZW09dHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODklNDBnbWFpbC5jb21XA3NwY0IKY6LBfqljBJY8vFIbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODlAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAABa Taunting the Bull [Pakistan](~/AASU4wA~/RgRljAO9P0RoaHR0cHM6Ly9saW5rLndoZXJlYnkudXMvbzJ4ZGJscG51ZS8_bGhfYWlkPTQ1MjExMTkmbGhfY2lkPXJoMjYzMjcyMmgmbGhfZW09dHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODklNDBnbWFpbC5jb21XA3NwY0IKY6LBfqljBJY8vFIbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODlAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAABa) Pakistani and Indian diplomats recently traded barbs over who is a sponsor of terrorism, the Associated Press [wrote](~/AASU4wA~/RgRljAO9P0REaHR0cHM6Ly9saW5rLndoZXJlYnkudXMvcTluZXhuMW9rNC8_bGhfYWlkPTQ1MjExMTkmbGhfY2lkPXJoMjYzMjcyMmhXA3NwY0IKY6LBfqljBJY8vFIbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODlAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAABa). The kerfuffle was important because, as the Council on Foreign Relations [explained](~/AASU4wA~/RgRljAO9P0REaHR0cHM6Ly9saW5rLndoZXJlYnkudXMvOTN4d2Mxd2d3YS8_bGhfYWlkPTQ1MjExMTkmbGhfY2lkPXJoMjYzMjcyMmhXA3NwY0IKY6LBfqljBJY8vFIbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODlAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAABa), the two South Asian countries are nuclear powers that have fought wars in the past, including numerous border clashes that have occurred as recently as early 2021. Pakistan is also facing aggression on its border with Afghanistan. Sixteen Pakistani civilians were injured recently when clashes between border guards erupted at a crossing, Al Jazeera [reported](~/AASU4wA~/RgRljAO9P0REaHR0cHM6Ly9saW5rLndoZXJlYnkudXMvcWY0MXlxdnM3bC8_bGhfYWlkPTQ1MjExMTkmbGhfY2lkPXJoMjYzMjcyMmhXA3NwY0IKY6LBfqljBJY8vFIbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODlAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAABa). Relations between the two countries have soured since the US quit Afghanistan and the Taliban took over. Pakistani officials have accused the Taliban of giving safe haven to Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), a militant group. The TPP has been fighting Pakistani forces to instigate an orthodox Islamic government in Pakistan similar to the one that now rules Afghanistan, [explained](~/AASU4wA~/RgRljAO9P0REaHR0cHM6Ly9saW5rLndoZXJlYnkudXMveG5ydzUyMGc2OS8_bGhfYWlkPTQ1MjExMTkmbGhfY2lkPXJoMjYzMjcyMmhXA3NwY0IKY6LBfqljBJY8vFIbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODlAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAABa) a CNN analysis. Meanwhile, the economy is on the brink. Inflation in Pakistan exceeds 25 percent. Severe floods recently affected over 30 million people, Reuters [wrote](~/AASU4wA~/RgRljAO9P0REaHR0cHM6Ly9saW5rLndoZXJlYnkudXMvbGNvZWd0eG1pOS8_bGhfYWlkPTQ1MjExMTkmbGhfY2lkPXJoMjYzMjcyMmhXA3NwY0IKY6LBfqljBJY8vFIbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODlAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAABa), and caused $30 billion in damage. This context is important in understanding Imran Khan, the former cricket star who served as prime minister of Pakistan from 2018 until a no-confidence vote in parliament forced him out in April 2022. Pakistan faces chaos within and without, say analysts. Khan is now fighting to return to power on the potentially outrageous promise that he can make things right. Khan lost his job when it became clear he had lost the support of the Pakistani military following a number of disputes with its generals, who have an outsized say in Pakistani politics. In his bid to return to power, Khan hasn’t flinched from attacking the commanders, in fact he relishes it. That in itself is unusual in Pakistan. As think tank Stratfor [wrote](~/AASU4wA~/RgRljAO9P0REaHR0cHM6Ly9saW5rLndoZXJlYnkudXMvMHN5bHVvcXR1dy8_bGhfYWlkPTQ1MjExMTkmbGhfY2lkPXJoMjYzMjcyMmhXA3NwY0IKY6LBfqljBJY8vFIbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODlAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAABa), he openly accuses the military and its backers in the US government of conspiring to keep him out of office. Ordinarily, the powerful Pakistani military would have been able to keep Khan quiet. But his Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf political party controls important local legislatures. Pakistani President Arif Alvi, supreme commander of the armed forces, is a former party member, too, Washington Post op-ed columnist Hamid Mir [added](~/AASU4wA~/RgRljAO9P0REaHR0cHM6Ly9saW5rLndoZXJlYnkudXMvMGVtaDQzMTgzbi8_bGhfYWlkPTQ1MjExMTkmbGhfY2lkPXJoMjYzMjcyMmhXA3NwY0IKY6LBfqljBJY8vFIbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODlAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAABa). Critics contend that Khan wants the military to attempt to quell his supporters – he’s already [riding](~/AASU4wA~/RgRljAO9P0REaHR0cHM6Ly9saW5rLndoZXJlYnkudXMvM2QwM2w0MHJzNi8_bGhfYWlkPTQ1MjExMTkmbGhfY2lkPXJoMjYzMjcyMmhXA3NwY0IKY6LBfqljBJY8vFIbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODlAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAABa) on theories that the military is out to kill him – and blames it for a recent shooting that left him wounded. Regardless, if the military made such a move, it would help him win elections again if elections are held in the coming months. As Pakistani journalist Abbas Nasir [argued](~/AASU4wA~/RgRljAO9P0REaHR0cHM6Ly9saW5rLndoZXJlYnkudXMveHNrZDlyMDhhdC8_bGhfYWlkPTQ1MjExMTkmbGhfY2lkPXJoMjYzMjcyMmhXA3NwY0IKY6LBfqljBJY8vFIbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODlAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAABa) in the New York Times, however, Khan failed to stop the army from appointing a new chief, a sign his influence might be waning. In response, he recently threatened to pull his party out of the provincial assemblies it controls, resulting in their [dissolution](~/AASU4wA~/RgRljAO9P0REaHR0cHM6Ly9saW5rLndoZXJlYnkudXMveDh3Z2ZrOGNtOS8_bGhfYWlkPTQ1MjExMTkmbGhfY2lkPXJoMjYzMjcyMmhXA3NwY0IKY6LBfqljBJY8vFIbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODlAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAABa), in a move to disrupt politics and potentially trigger new elections. It’s a game of chicken – except the people with the most to lose aren’t in control. ~/AASU4wA~/RgRljAO9P0RoaHR0cHM6Ly9saW5rLndoZXJlYnkudXMvNHRkcXV5YXl1cS8_bGhfYWlkPTQ1MjExMTkmbGhfY2lkPXJoMjYzMjcyMmgmbGhfZW09dHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODklNDBnbWFpbC5jb21XA3NwY0IKY6LBfqljBJY8vFIbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODlAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAABa [Advertisement](~/AASU4wA~/RgRljAO9P0REaHR0cHM6Ly9saW5rLndoZXJlYnkudXMvNWsxajgyOTZkZy8_bGhfYWlkPTQ1MjExMTkmbGhfY2lkPXJoMjYzMjcyMmhXA3NwY0IKY6LBfqljBJY8vFIbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODlAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAABa) Swerving Right [Israel](~/AASU4wA~/RgRljAO9P0RoaHR0cHM6Ly9saW5rLndoZXJlYnkudXMvZTViMHNwcXZkeC8_bGhfYWlkPTQ1MjExMTkmbGhfY2lkPXJoMjYzMjcyMmgmbGhfZW09dHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODklNDBnbWFpbC5jb21XA3NwY0IKY6LBfqljBJY8vFIbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODlAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAABa) Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu confirmed the formation of a new government this week, which analysts described as the most right-wing cabinet in the history of the Jewish state, the Financial Times [reported](~/AASU4wA~/RgRljAO9P0REaHR0cHM6Ly9saW5rLndoZXJlYnkudXMvMWcwM3R4bG04ZC8_bGhfYWlkPTQ1MjExMTkmbGhfY2lkPXJoMjYzMjcyMmhXA3NwY0IKY6LBfqljBJY8vFIbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODlAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAABa). The new government came more than a month after Israel held its fifth election in more than three years, which saw the return of Netanyahu and his Likud party to power: Likud and its far-right allies gained a clear majority, a result that follows a coalition deal between Netanyahu and the parties of Itamar Ben-Gvir and Bezalel Smotrich. According to the deal, Smotrich – a strong supporter of Jewish settlements in the occupied Palestinian territories – will become finance minister. Smotrich’s Religious Zionism group will also hold a second ministerial post in the defense ministry, which will give him sweeping administrative control of the occupied West Bank. Ben-Gvir of the Otzma Yehudit party, meanwhile, will become the new national security minister, and with expanded powers. He remains a divisive figure in Israel and was convicted of the incitement of racism in 2007. Ben-Gvir has demanded a loosening of the rules governing the use of live fire by Israeli soldiers and lifting restrictions on Jewish prayers at Jerusalem’s Al-Aqsa Mosque compound, known to Jews as the Temple Mount. The site – sacred to both Jews and Muslims – has been a flashpoint in the Palestinian-Israeli conflict. Another major player is Avi Maoz of the Naom party, who was appointed to a deputy ministerial post responsible for education curricula in secular schools. Maoz has faced criticism over his anti-LGBTQ views. The incoming government has also proposed steps to limit the independence of the judicial system, including the supreme court. The new coalition comes as Netanyahu – Israel’s longest-serving prime minister – faces an ongoing corruption trial. While he denies any wrongdoing, analysts suggested that he may try to halt the proceedings or throw out the indictments via legislation. Some officials and analysts, meanwhile, have expressed concern that the new government could chip away at Israel’s democratic principles. Netanyahu has vowed that he will maintain the “status quo” but analysts believe that he will be constrained by his coalition partners. ~/AASU4wA~/RgRljAO9P0RoaHR0cHM6Ly9saW5rLndoZXJlYnkudXMvMXduenBrZXBocy8_bGhfYWlkPTQ1MjExMTkmbGhfY2lkPXJoMjYzMjcyMmgmbGhfZW09dHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODklNDBnbWFpbC5jb21XA3NwY0IKY6LBfqljBJY8vFIbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODlAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAABa [Advertisement](~/AASU4wA~/RgRljAO9P0REaHR0cHM6Ly9saW5rLndoZXJlYnkudXMvN2FjdjVqempydy8_bGhfYWlkPTQ1MjExMTkmbGhfY2lkPXJoMjYzMjcyMmhXA3NwY0IKY6LBfqljBJY8vFIbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODlAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAABa) Survival Skills Housework and cooking don’t come easy to Japanese men. Most have never learned. That’s because strict gender roles in domestic affairs have persisted in Japan: The wife usually takes care of meal preparation and cleaning, while the husband supports the family financially. That labor division has persisted even though a majority of women now work outside the home. According to a survey by the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, Japanese men spend an average of 40 minutes a day on household responsibilities and child care, a fifth of the time spent by their wives, and the lowest proportion among rich countries. Only 14 percent said they cooked for themselves on a regular basis. Still, when men retire and would like to help out more at home, or are forced to because of a new-found single status due to divorce or the death of a spouse, or because their wives are fed up, there is one problem: Men don’t know how to cook or clean. Enter cooking and home economics classes for older men, which are becoming increasingly popular in Japan. Masahiro Yoshida, a retired government administrator, is one of a growing number of older Japanese men who have signed up for courses, such as preparing dishes, shopping for meat and cleaning food stains. “I had no idea how complex the cooking process was,” he [told](~/AASU4wA~/RgRljAO9P0REaHR0cHM6Ly9saW5rLndoZXJlYnkudXMveDBmNHZkNGN4Yi8_bGhfYWlkPTQ1MjExMTkmbGhfY2lkPXJoMjYzMjcyMmhXA3NwY0IKY6LBfqljBJY8vFIbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODlAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAABa) the Washington Post. Their popularity has also prompted the government to help, with some community centers offering free classes to teach cooking, cleaning, ironing, and how to do the laundry. For 74-year-old Takeshi Kaneko, the cooking classes have helped him meet more friends and host meals for his adult children following the death of his wife. “If their mother were alive, she would surely have cooked for them and made them feel at home, so I want to do the same,” Kaneko told the newspaper. ~/AASU4wA~/RgRljAO9P0RoaHR0cHM6Ly9saW5rLndoZXJlYnkudXMvMjJjOWExZHhnNC8_bGhfYWlkPTQ1MjExMTkmbGhfY2lkPXJoMjYzMjcyMmgmbGhfZW09dHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODklNDBnbWFpbC5jb21XA3NwY0IKY6LBfqljBJY8vFIbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODlAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAABa [Advertisement](~/AASU4wA~/RgRljAO9P0REaHR0cHM6Ly9saW5rLndoZXJlYnkudXMvdnp4bGF3am8yMi8_bGhfYWlkPTQ1MjExMTkmbGhfY2lkPXJoMjYzMjcyMmhXA3NwY0IKY6LBfqljBJY8vFIbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODlAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAABa) [Unsubscribe from this list](~/AASU4wA~/RgRljAO9P0RWaHR0cHM6Ly9yZWFkLmxldHRlcmhlYWQuZW1haWwvZGFpbHktY2hhdHRlci1jaGFybG90dGUtb2JzZXJ2ZXIvdW5zdWJzY3JpYmU_aWQ9QDQ1MjExMTlXA3NwY0IKY6LBfqljBJY8vFIbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODlAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAABa) Copyright © 2022 DailyChatter, All rights reserved. 32 Atlantic Avenue, Boston, MA 02110 [Made with Letterhead [Letterhead logo]](~/AASU4wA~/RgRljAO9P0QiaHR0cHM6Ly9saW5rLndoZXJlYnkudXMvbmVwbm83czh5c1cDc3BjQgpjosF-qWMEljy8Uht0cmlzdHJhbWJhbGR3aW44OUBnbWFpbC5jb21YBAAAAFo~)