ASIAN EXEMPLARS Often called Asia’s Nobel Prize, the Ramon Magsaysay Awards honors individuals or organizations embodying greatness of spirit, transformative leadership and selfless service, attributes that also define the legacy of the seventh Philippine president. Photo shows the 2024 awardees in rites held on Nov. 16 at the Manila Metropolitan Theater. —CONTRIBUTED PHOTO On Nov. 16, the Ramon Magsaysay Awards marked its 66th anniversary. For the first time, I was tasked with handing out the awards, as representative of the late president’s family. It was an honor for me, the grandson of the seventh president of the Philippines, to join five distinguished Asians who received the award established to perpetuate the values my lolo believed in. When I watched my father, his namesake and only son, hand out awards last year, I did not realize that he would ask me to do it for him this year. He decided it was time for the younger generation to do the honors of handing out the awards that have become Asia’s most prestigious. My dad simply said that he would rather I give out the awards this year, as he felt it was time for me to take over that duty. He has been telling me this day was going to come sooner than later since about three years ago. I have been to the Magsaysay awarding ceremonies since I returned from the United States in 1993 when I was 25 years old. But I was always just a spectator, watching my dad on stage with the Magsaysay laureates. The event was always amazing and inspiring and made me take stock of what I was doing in my own life and start thinking about doing my share to help those in need. I am used to being on stage as a speaker, so that part of the ceremonies was not new to me. What was different was participating in handing out the medals and citations. The people receiving the Magsaysay Awards had shown greatness of spirit in service to the peoples of Asia regardless of race, gender, or religion—an expanded version of my lolo’s commitment to serve the Filipinos. Being on stage gave me a very different perspective on the ceremony. For one, I got to see the reaction of the crowd to the introduction of the awardees and their acceptance speeches. The awe and inspiration were evident. Talking to the awardees, it was remarkable how simple they were and yet had the courage and fortitude to take on Herculean challenges to do what was right. It was inspiring to know that the values and virtues of my Lolo Monching are lived by the Magsaysay awardees. As the son of a former senator and the grandson of a former president, my relatives and I have always been exposed to these ideals from a very young age, and we have all tried to practice it in our daily lives, no matter where our paths took us. From a very young age, we were always told to keep the Magsaysay name “clean” and to live with the virtues of hard work, honesty and integrity. I did not get to meet my grandfather. When he died on March 17, 1957, my dad was only 18 years old. Admittedly, it was not easy having Ramon Magsaysay as a role model, even if I did not get to meet him personally. Even without the awards named after him, his shoes were already too big to fill—heroic World War II guerilla fighter, congressman, secretary of defense, and president. But we have always lived the way he would have wanted us to, so I do not know how difficult it must be for others as this is all we know. Fortunately, although I was told about the legacy of my Lolo Monching, I was not nagged about it. It was mentioned every once in a while. I only remember being told often to keep the name “clean.” Despite being the grandson of a president and the son of a senator, I was never pressured to join politics, nor was I inclined to. My father believed that one way to serve was to do well in one’s calling. Later, I would realize that, for me, that calling would be ice cream, Carmen’s Best. My dad told me that if I wanted to help people, I could help without being in politics or government. There are many credible foundations that are run very well and are transparent in doing their work. We were encouraged to help through them. This I have always tried to do when I took over the family business after my dad returned to politics as a senator in 1995. I did consider running for office in 2013, but after my cancer diagnosis I dropped the idea. And, by then, I had decided politics was really not for me. I wanted to create a name on my own and have my own identity. In our first year of operations in 2011, we started helping the PGH (Philippine General Hospital) Medical Foundation Inc. In 2018, we started to help the Good Shepherd Foundation in Baguio City. The business was really never about just making money. It was a passion project that just grew as people supported it. While I was the one tasked this year to represent the family in the annual Magsaysay Awards ceremonies, it does not mean I am the only one honoring my lolo’s legacy. I have cousins who have done more to help other people. Dr. Ralph Valenzuela, who teaches at the UERM (University of the East Ramon Magsaysay) Medical Center, has dedicated his life to healing the sick. His brother Mike is an educator and a La Salle Brother. I am now making sure to instill in my children the values that my grandfather stood for: integrity, hard work and honesty. There will come a time, hopefully in the far future, when I will have to pass the torch to the next generation as well. I want to make sure that my children are worthy of the legacy their great grandfather left, not just on the family, country and region, but also on the world. I tell them the same thing my father told me—how we have kept the name of the Magsaysay family clean and that we should continue doing so. That the Rockefeller family had such admiration for lolo and the ideals and values he lived by, that they initiated the establishment of the Ramon Magsaysay Award Foundation. Subscribe to our daily newsletter By providing an email address. I agree to the Terms of Use and acknowledge that I have read the Privacy Policy . Former President Ramon Magsaysay may have left this world too soon, but in his short life, he managed to leave an enduring legacy that brings pride not just to us his family, but to all Filipinos. INQ
Protests Against Pro-Russian Romanian Presidential Candidate Spread Beyond BucharestMOBILE, Ala. (AP) — Myles Corey's 19 points helped South Alabama defeat James Madison 77-49 on Saturday in a Sun Belt Conference opener for both teams. Corey added seven assists and three steals for the Jaguars (8-4). Barry Dunning Jr. shot 7 for 12 to add 16 points. Judah Brown finished 3 of 5 from 3-point range to finish with nine points. Bryce Lindsay led the way for the Dukes (6-6) with 12 points. Elijah Hutchins-Everett added 10 points for James Madison. Eddie Ricks III also put up seven points and six rebounds. ___ The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by and data from . The Associated Press
LUQUE, Paraguay — Sake is perhaps more Japanese than the world-famous sushi. It's brewed in centuries-old mountaintop warehouses, savored in the country’s pub-like izakayas, poured during weddings and served slightly chilled for special toasts. The smooth rice wine that plays a crucial role in Japan's culinary traditions was enshrined on Wednesday by UNESCO on its list of the “intangible cultural heritage of humanity." At a meeting in Luque, Paraguay, members of UNESCO’s committee for safeguarding humanity's cultural heritage voted to recognize 45 cultural practices and products around the world, including Brazilian white cheese, Caribbean cassava bread and Palestinian olive oil soap. Unlike UNESCO’s World Heritage List, which includes sites considered important to humanity like the Pyramids of Giza in Egypt, the Intangible Cultural Heritage designation names products and practices of different cultures that are deserving of recognition. Japan's Takehiro Kano, ambassador to UNESCO, reacts after the traditional Japanese brewing of sake was officially named to UNESCO's "intangible cultural heritage of humanity" list during a World Heritage Convention in Asuncion, Paraguay on Wednesday. A Japanese delegation welcomed the announcement in Luque. “Sake is considered a divine gift and is essential for social and cultural events in Japan,” Kano Takehiro, the Japanese ambassador to UNESCO, told The Associated Press. The basic ingredients of sake are few: rice, water, yeast and koji, a rice mold that breaks down the starches into fermentable sugars like malting does in beer production. The whole two-month process of steaming, stirring, fermenting and pressing can be grueling. The rice — which wields tremendous marketing power as part of Japan's broader cultural identity — is key to the alcoholic brew. For a product to be categorized Japanese sake, the rice must be Japanese. Japanese sake, a nominee for UNESCO's "intangible cultural heritage of humanity" list, are displayed on Japan's delegation table, during a UNESCO World Heritage Convention in Asuncion, Paraguay, on Wednesday. The UNESCO recognition, the delegation said, captured more than the craft knowledge of making high-quality sake. It also honored a tradition dating back some 1,000 years — sake makes a cameo in Japan’s famous 11th century novel, “The Tale of Genji,” as the drink of choice in the refined Heian court. Now, officials hope to restore sake's image as Japan's premier alcoholic drink even as the younger drinkers in the country switch to imported wine or domestic beer and whiskey. Japanese breweries also expressed hope the listing could give a lift to the country's export economy as the popularity of sake booms around the world and in the United States amid heightened interest in Japanese cuisine. “I hope that this will also be an opportunity for Japanese people to take another look at sake, shochu and awamori, which are the essence of their culture," Hitoshi Utsunomiya, director of the trade group Japan Sake and Shochu Makers Association, said in Tokyo. "I would like them to try it even once and see what it tastes like,” he said. Sake exports, mostly to the U.S. and China, now rake in over $265 million a year, according to the association. Japan's Takehiro Kano, ambassador to UNESCO, reacts as the traditional Japanese brewing of sake was named to UNESCO's "intangible cultural heritage of humanity" list during a World Heritage Convention in Asuncion, Paraguay on Wednesday. Japan's delegation appeared ready to celebrate Wednesday — in classic Japanese style. After the announcement, Takehiro raised a cypress box full of sake to toast the alcoholic brew and cultural rite. “It means a lot to Japan and to the Japanese,” he said of the UNESCO designation. "This will help to renew interest in traditional sake elaboration.” In Tokyo, Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba said he was “delighted” by UNESCO's recognition of traditional sake-making techniques, and he congratulated those dedicated to preserving and promoting the tradition. The crisp autumn air ushers in more than just pumpkin spice latte season. Consider cozying up inside with friends for a wine tasting and sharing delicious food and drinks with more complex flavors than cinnamon and sugar. Perhaps once thought of as stuffy affairs only for wine connoisseurs, today a tasting can be as casual as pouring a few bottles while doing another activity—say, bar games like darts or art activities like painting. The tasting can also be more traditional, especially if held at a winery or local wine shop, which is a great way to learn about what wines you might like to later serve at home. To host the ultimate wine tasting, it pays to do some R&D. One of the best aspects of hosting a wine tasting at home is that you get to establish the mood, tone, and guest list for the gathering—you can't pick a playlist when you sample wines at a bar or wine shop or make the dress code loungewear. So whether the mood is serious or playful, sophisticated or laid-back, the key to a successful tasting is enjoying and appreciating the wine and having fun with friends and family. Of course, there are a few other things to figure out along the way. Peerspace put together a few tips for hosting your wine-tasting party. A tasting party is all about sampling different wines and evaluating and hopefully enjoying them—and there are a variety of ways to do that. Would you like to host a playful gathering where each guest brings a mystery bottle of wine within a certain price range—a BYOB affair? Or would it be better to have more control over which wines are featured by curating and supplying all the wines as a host? This decision sets the tone—a tasting where guests contribute wine can be a bit of a free-for-all, whereas one where you select wines you supply allows guests to sit back and simply enjoy. And you don't have to break the bank to buy excellent wines—there are lots of wine experts ready to share their affordable picks. How much folks know about wine differs—and that's a good thing. Tastings are group learning experiences. Expertise isn't necessary to host or attend a tasting, but it is helpful to think about what will keep guests comfortable and having fun. Decide whether the vibe will be relaxed and laid-back, like friends sipping wine fireside, or more upbeat and formal. Think about elements like the atmosphere and the location, and consider whether folks will be seated or standing. Will you have a spirited playlist (couldn't resist) or live music? Do you want an expert to introduce each wine, or will you be that expert? Consider how guests will share their thoughts on what they are tasting. Do you want to just talk about them or do something more organized, like take notes or give ratings? Then supply notebooks or notecards and pencils, with categories or questions established ahead of time—all of which can reflect your evening's tone as well. How many people to invite is a question largely informed by the answers to tip #1: Are you having a big, formal affair or an intimate catch-up with close friends? Or something in between? Whatever the case, an RSVP is essential because not only do you need to plan the setup of the space, but you must also make sure there's enough wine for everyone to taste, including each of the wines featured. There's nothing worse than a tasting that runs dry! The math to determine how much wine you need considers the size of the tasting pours—a full glass of wine at a restaurant is usually around 5 ounces, which yields around five glasses of wine from a standard bottle. For tastings, you'll want to do less, depending on how many wines you are featuring—say, 2 ounces if you'll be trying a lot of different wines. Experts agree, having more wine than you need is always a good idea—that way you can send guests home with a bottle should there be a prize at the end of the night. Don't let food be an afterthought for the festivities—after all, food can enhance particular qualities of wine and vice versa. There are many rules around what foods to pair with which wines, but consider this simple advice from Alder Yarrow's Vinography : "Stick with eating good food and drinking good wine." Since the focus is on the wines, allow the drinks to determine what food makes sense, but don't overthink it. Food is a supporting character here—at the very least, guests will need something to soak up all the alcohol (unless you are spitting it out). Eating foods that contain a mixture of protein, fats, and carbs when drinking helps increase the rate of alcohol elimination . Whether it's a full meal or heavy hors d'oeuvres, thoughtful noshes are necessary. The bottom line is, however you do it, hosting the ultimate wine tasting should be fun. Wine can feel intimidating to many people, but most wine experts are passionate, inspired folks who want to share what they know and help you find wines you like. So visit your local wine store or winemaker and ask questions. There are good guides specifically concerning how to taste wine. Dig a little, taste a lot, and have fun. It's all research for your next ultimate wine tasting. Story editing by Carren Jao. Additional editing by Kelly Glass. Copy editing by Kristen Wegrzyn. Photo selection by Lacy Kerrick. This story originally appeared on Peerspace and was produced and distributed in partnership with Stacker Studio. Picking a theme is essential to curating the selection of wines—it's the organizing principle behind your selections. Otherwise, your tasting might as well be just walking down the wine aisle at the grocery store and taking sips from random bottles. There's too much wine out there not to be strategic about this. Plus, a theme helps you to tell the story of each wine better—it's the plot line of the night, if you will. Common themes are types of wine, regions they are from, or even price points—really, one can get as creative as they wish. For inspiration, check out local wine shops and see what they do for tastings. Often, they will follow seasonality and group wines in novel ways for their own in-house tastings. Get local news delivered to your inbox!By LARRY NEUMEISTER, Associated Press NEW YORK (AP) — In an angry outburst in a New York courtroom, Rudy Giuliani accused a judge Tuesday of making wrong assumptions about him as he tries to comply with an order requiring him to turn over most of his assets to two election poll workers who won a libel case against him. U.S. District Judge Lewis J. Liman responded by saying he’s not going to let the former New York City mayor and onetime presidential candidate blurt things out anymore in court unless he’s a sworn witness. The interruption to an otherwise routine pretrial hearing in Manhattan came as the judge questioned Giuliani’s lawyer about why Giuliani has not yet provided the title to a car he has relinquished in his effort to satisfy a $148 million defamation judgment won by two former Georgia election workers. “Your client was the U.S. attorney for this district,” the judge said, referring to Giuliani’s years in the 1980s as the head of the federal prosecutor’s office in the Southern District of New York, as he suggested it was hard to believe that Giuliani was incapable of getting a duplicate title to the car. Giuliani learned forward and began speaking into a microphone, telling the judge he had applied for a duplicate copy of the car’s title but that it had not yet arrived. “The implication I’ve been not diligent about it is totally incorrect,” Giuliani said in a scolding tone. “The implication you make is against me and every implication against me is wrong.” Giuliani went on: “I’m not impoverished. Everything I have is tied up. I don’t have a car. I don’t have a credit card. I don’t have cash. I can’t get to bank accounts that truly would be mine because they have put ... stop orders on, for example, my Social Security account, which they have no right to do.” Liman responded by warning defense lawyers that the next time Giuliani interrupts a hearing, “he’s not going to be permitted to speak and the court will take action.” The judge said Giuliani could either choose to represent himself or let lawyers do so, but “you can’t have hybrid representation.” If Giuliani wants to speak in court again, he can be put on the witness stand and be sworn as a witness, Liman added. The exchange came at a hearing in which the judge refused to delay a Jan. 16 trial over the disposition of Giuliani’s Florida residence and World Series rings. Those are two sets of assets that Giuliani is trying to shield from confiscation as part of Liman’s order to turn over many prized possessions to the poll workers. Earlier in the proceeding, defense attorney Joseph M. Cammarata asked Liman to delay the trial, which will be heard without a jury, for a month because of Giuliani’s “involvement” in inauguration planning for President-elect Donald Trump. “My client regularly consults and deals directly with President-elect Trump on issues that are taking place as the incoming administration is afoot as well as (the) inauguration,” Cammarata said. “My client wants to exercise his political right to be there.” The judge turned down the request, saying Giuliani’s “social calendar” was not a reason to postpone the trial. Giuliani, who once served as Trump’s personal attorney, was found liable last year for defaming two Georgia poll workers by falsely accusing them of tampering with ballots during the 2020 presidential election. The women said they faced death threats after Giuliani falsely claimed they sneaked in ballots in suitcases, counted ballots multiple times and tampered with voting machines.
By LARRY NEUMEISTER, Associated Press NEW YORK (AP) — In an angry outburst in a New York courtroom, Rudy Giuliani accused a judge Tuesday of making wrong assumptions about him as he tries to comply with an order requiring him to turn over most of his assets to two election poll workers who won a libel case against him. U.S. District Judge Lewis J. Liman responded by saying he’s not going to let the former New York City mayor and onetime presidential candidate blurt things out anymore in court unless he’s a sworn witness. The interruption to an otherwise routine pretrial hearing in Manhattan came as the judge questioned Giuliani’s lawyer about why Giuliani has not yet provided the title to a car he has relinquished in his effort to satisfy a $148 million defamation judgment won by two former Georgia election workers. “Your client was the U.S. attorney for this district,” the judge said, referring to Giuliani’s years in the 1980s as the head of the federal prosecutor’s office in the Southern District of New York, as he suggested it was hard to believe that Giuliani was incapable of getting a duplicate title to the car. Giuliani learned forward and began speaking into a microphone, telling the judge he had applied for a duplicate copy of the car’s title but that it had not yet arrived. “The implication I’ve been not diligent about it is totally incorrect,” Giuliani said in a scolding tone. “The implication you make is against me and every implication against me is wrong.” Giuliani went on: “I’m not impoverished. Everything I have is tied up. I don’t have a car. I don’t have a credit card. I don’t have cash. I can’t get to bank accounts that truly would be mine because they have put ... stop orders on, for example, my Social Security account, which they have no right to do.” Liman responded by warning defense lawyers that the next time Giuliani interrupts a hearing, “he’s not going to be permitted to speak and the court will take action.” The judge said Giuliani could either choose to represent himself or let lawyers do so, but “you can’t have hybrid representation.” If Giuliani wants to speak in court again, he can be put on the witness stand and be sworn as a witness, Liman added. The exchange came at a hearing in which the judge refused to delay a Jan. 16 trial over the disposition of Giuliani’s Florida residence and World Series rings. Those are two sets of assets that Giuliani is trying to shield from confiscation as part of Liman’s order to turn over many prized possessions to the poll workers. Earlier in the proceeding, defense attorney Joseph M. Cammarata asked Liman to delay the trial, which will be heard without a jury, for a month because of Giuliani’s “involvement” in inauguration planning for President-elect Donald Trump. “My client regularly consults and deals directly with President-elect Trump on issues that are taking place as the incoming administration is afoot as well as (the) inauguration,” Cammarata said. “My client wants to exercise his political right to be there.” The judge turned down the request, saying Giuliani’s “social calendar” was not a reason to postpone the trial. Giuliani, who once served as Trump’s personal attorney, was found liable last year for defaming two Georgia poll workers by falsely accusing them of tampering with ballots during the 2020 presidential election. The women said they faced death threats after Giuliani falsely claimed they sneaked in ballots in suitcases, counted ballots multiple times and tampered with voting machines.
The President of the Dominican Association of Milk Producers (Aproleche), Eric Rivero, highlighted Thursday the strength of Dominican livestock, which he said is not casual but due to the national producers’ work, coherence, and unity. He said that it has been possible to identify real leaders in each of the communities “who today fill with pride and commitment to those of us who have this as a mandate that has given us even something beyond the natural because we assume it with an intensity among all that sometimes we are even branded as crazy. He said that the current leadership and members of Aproleche should feel proud of the leadership shown by the presidents of federations and associations, whom he described as committed and supportive people who are an example of work. He said that the grassroots cattlemen have been able to stand up thanks to the work they do and a lot of effort. He affirmed that thanks to this unity, today we can show achievements, such as the fact that the State has recognized that milk for school breakfast must be of national production. “We must continue to identify leaders committed to our cause so that livestock farming always has someone to defend it and speak for it,” said Rivero, re-elected as President of Aproleche for a new two-year term. The activity occurred at the Livestock Fair’s Doctora Mireya Schécker auction pavilion. The members present came from as far away as Duvergé, Nisibón, Santiago Rodríguez, Puerto Plata, Cotuí, La Vega, and El Seibo, among others. “From the federations, Aproleche and the institutions of the government of President Luis Abinader that have an impact on livestock, we have reaffirmed our commitment to improve the quality of life, our productivity, our production,” said Rivero, also an agricultural advisor to the Executive Branch. He highlighted Aproleche’s good financial management and said that the external auditors recommended that the union continue to manage without any problem with the resources because there is a surplus of 32 million pesos, which so far has not been used. “This is how this directive has been managed,” he emphasized. He mentioned that the Livestock Improvement Program (Promegan) is part of the public policies implemented and pointed out that Aproleche’s work team has visited more than 220 livestock associations throughout the country, intervened in more than 250,000 pastures, and inseminated more than 28,000 cows throughout the country, among other things. He announced that a program to support cheese dairies will soon be put into effect and that in January, a pilot plan will begin to distribute yogurt of national production in two schools of the National District, “which is being assumed by Conaleche with the costs in order to show that we will have a snack and a food supplement of quality and local production.” He asked the leaders and livestock partners to monitor their sector, understanding that the guild does this work. “We must be aware of some misconduct, and from here, I denounce: based on the whim of some, genetics are being brought here from countries that are not authorized, that put our health at risk, and that put at risk the most historic of our activities, which is livestock,” he said. The treasurer’s report, corresponding to the period October 2023 to September 2024, read by the secretary Minerva Then and prepared by the auditing firm D&P Consulting, SRL, showed that the total net income was RD$139,828,063; merchandise in stock was $105,299,583, with a gross result of $34,528,480. The general and administrative expenses were of the order of $33,649,824. Apart from Rivero, the other members of the new board of directors, unanimously approved by the concurrence of the members, are Rolando de Jesús Peralta, first vice-president; Arismendy Rodríguez, second vice-president; Juan Recio Hernández, treasurer, and as members Domingo Espinal, Felipe Troncoso Brea, José Antonio Peña, Bienvenido Ripoll, Francisco Matos, Franklin Espinal, Berty Chireno, Abel Madera, Pedro Castillo and Pedro Aníbal Thomas. During the activity, Aproleche presented awards to the President of the Senate, Ricardo de los Santos, for his support of the agricultural sector. Also, to the farmers Apolinar Suero, Daniel Valerio, Berty Chireno, Minerva Then, Juanito Belén, Bienvenido Ripoll, Roberto Ignacio Tavárez, and Pedro Castillo Areché. Pedro Aníbal Thomas, President of the Cooperativa de Ganaderos de la Línea Noroeste; Raúl Antonio García, who set up the union’s supply store.
Authorities in Florida are currently dealing with an epidemic of the automotive variety. Car owners all over the region are customizing their license plates to the extreme and they’re violating Florida state laws while doing it. Miami’s ABC 10 reports that Florida Highway Patrol have been dealing with more and more violations involving customized plates. These plates are more than just custom digits you can pick up at the DMV; the whole plate itself is being modified. As Florida Highway Patrol pointed out, it’s a violation of the state’s vehicle laws. At a recent exotic car show at Sawgrass Mills Mall in Sunrise, altered license plates stood out as much as the high-end vehicles themselves—personalized, stylish, and undeniably unique, but illegal. “We are trying to stop the current trend that we are seeing,” said Lt. Alex Camacho of the FHP. Florida law prohibits altering state-issued license plates in any way, including changing colors, airbrushing designs, or applying vinyl wraps. The reflective coating is essential for readability and safety, according to Camacho. “If you put this tag on your car, we are going to seize that tag. You are going to get your vehicle towed and get an infraction for it,” warned Camacho. “It’s bigger than people saying it’s not a big deal. The problem is a huge deal in South Florida. Citations there have surged 98 percent; authorities say of the 893 citations issued across the state in 2024, 78 percent (702) were issued in the South Florida counties of Miami-Dade, Broward and Palm Beach. Complicating things are businesses that exist solely to customize license plates. One of the bigger names in the business is called Platemakrs , which is doing some of the most extreme license plate designs I’ve ever seen. Want an airbrushed plate in purple that reads “HELLYEA” with an image of Dodge’s Hellcat logo? This is the place for you. They’ll even do plates for other states. Unfortunately they’re helping contribute to the illegal activity. ABC 10 reached out to Platemakrs and got no response so they tried to confront someone coming out of the business. Earlier this week, Local 10 News Investigator Jeff Weinsier confronted someone outside the business. “I wanted to talk to you guys about Platemakrs?” Weiniser asked a man getting out of a car that has been parked outside the business several days. “Who is you guys?” the man asked Weinsier. “Platemakrs,” Weinsier replied. “I have nothing to do with that,” the man claimed.” The man did have something to do with it. ABC 10 found out the man’s name is John Georgetti. State records show that Georgetti is one of Platemakrs’ owners. He also has customized plates of his own as ABC 10 observed one on the back of his Ferrari. Court records also show that he was ticketed for the plate earlier this year. As a reminder, Florida only allows specific, state-sanctioned customized plates available only through the DMV. And when I say specific, I mean things that range from corny like “Golf Capital Of The World” with an image of a golfer in mid swing to things that border on political like “Support Law Enforcement” or “Choose Life.” You’ll get about as far as sovereign citizens if you try to jazz up your places any more.
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SEOUL, South Korea — A South Korean legislative push to impeach President Yoon Suk Yeol over his short-lived imposition of martial law fell through on Saturday after most lawmakers from his conservative governing party boycotted the vote. The defeat of the motion is expected to intensify public protests calling for Yoon's ouster and deepen political chaos in South Korea, with a survey suggesting a majority of South Koreans support the president's impeachment. Yoon's martial law declaration drew criticism from his own ruling conservative party, but it is also determined to oppose Yoon's impeachment apparently because it fears losing the presidency to liberals. Impeaching Yoon required support from two-thirds of the National Assembly, or 200 of its 300 members. The opposition parties who brought the impeachment motion had 192 seats, but only three lawmakers from PPP participated in the vote. The motion was scrapped without ballot counting because the number of votes didn't reach 200. National Assembly Speaker Woo Won Shik called the result "very regrettable" and an embarrassing moment for the country's democracy that has been closely watched by the world. "The failure to hold a qualified vote on this matter means we were not even able to exercise the democratic procedure of deciding on a critical national issue," he said. Opposition parties could submit a new impeachment motion after a new parliamentary session opens next Wednesday. There are worries that Yoon won't be able to serve out his remaining 2 1⁄2 years in office because his leadership took a huge hit. Many experts say some ruling party lawmakers could eventually join opposition parties' efforts to impeach Yoon if public demands for it grow further. If Yoon is impeached, his powers will be suspended until the Constitutional Court decides whether to remove him from office. If he is removed, an election to replace him must take place within 60 days. Woo repeatedly urged ruling party members to return to the chamber to participate in the vote, waiting several hours for them to come. At one point, Democratic Party leaders visited a hall on the floor below the main chamber where PPP lawmakers were gathered, attempting to persuade them to vote. After being blocked from entering, they angrily accused the conservatives' leadership of preventing its lawmakers from voting freely. Earlier Saturday, Yoon issued a public apology over the martial law decree, saying he won't shirk legal or political responsibility for the declaration and promising not to make another attempt to impose martial law. He said would leave it to his party to chart a course through the country's political turmoil, "including matters related to my term in office." "The declaration of this martial law was made out of my desperation. But in the course of its implementation, it caused anxiety and inconveniences to the public. I feel very sorry over that and truly apologize to the people who must have been shocked a lot," Yoon said. Since taking office in 2022, Yoon has struggled to push his agenda through an opposition-controlled parliament and grappled with low approval ratings amid scandals involving himself and his wife. In his martial law announcement on Tuesday night, Yoon called parliament a "den of criminals" bogging down state affairs and vowed to eliminate "shameless North Korea followers and anti-state forces." The turmoil resulting from Yoon's bizarre and poorly-thought-out stunt has paralyzed South Korean politics and sparked alarm among key diplomatic partners like the U.S. and Japan. Tuesday night saw special forces troops encircling the parliament building and army helicopters hovering over it, but the military withdrew after the National Assembly unanimously voted to overturn the decree, forcing Yoon to lift it before daybreak Wednesday. The declaration of martial law was the first of its kind in more than 40 years in South Korea. Eighteen lawmakers from the ruling party voted to reject Yoon's martial law decree along with opposition lawmakers. Yoon's speech fueled speculation that he and his party may push for a constitutional amendment to shorten his term, instead of accepting impeachment, as a way to ease public anger over the marital law and facilitate Yoon's early exit from office. Lee Jae-myung, the leader of the main liberal opposition Democratic Party, told reporters that Yoon's speech was "greatly disappointing" and that the only way forward is his immediate resignation or impeachment. His party called Yoon's martial law "unconstitutional, illegal rebellion or coup." The passage of Yoon's impeachment motion appeared more likely Friday when the chair of Yoon's party called for his removal on Friday, but the party remained formally opposed to impeachment. On Saturday, tens of thousands of people densely packed several blocks of roads leading up to the National Assembly, waving banners, shouting slogans and dancing and singing along to K-pop songs with lyrics changed to call for Yoon's ouster. Protesters also gathered in front of PPP's headquarters near the Assembly, angrily shouting for its lawmakers to vote to impeach Yoon. A smaller crowd of Yoon's supporters, which still seemed to be in the thousands, rallied in separate streets in Seoul, decrying the impeachment attempt they saw as unconstitutional. Lawmakers on Saturday first voted on a bill appointing a special prosecutor to investigate stock price manipulation allegations surrounding Yoon's wife. Some lawmakers from Yoon's party were seen leaving the hall after that vote, triggering angry shouts from opposition lawmakers. On Friday, PPP chair Han Dong-hun, who criticized Yoon's martial law declaration, said he had received intelligence that during the brief period of martial law Yoon ordered the country's defense counterintelligence commander to arrest and detain unspecified key politicians based on accusations of "anti-state activities." Hong Jang-won, first deputy director of South Korea's National Intelligence Service, told lawmakers in a closed-door briefing Friday that Yoon had ordered him to help the defense counterintelligence unit to detain key politicians. The targeted politicians included Han, Lee and Woo, according to Kim Byung-kee, one of the lawmakers who attended the meeting. The Defense Ministry said Friday it suspended three military commanders including the head of the defense counterintelligence unit over their involvement in enforcing martial law. Vice Defense Minister Kim Seon Ho has told parliament that Defense Minister Kim Yong Hyun ordered the deployment of troops to the National Assembly after Yoon imposed martial law. Opposition parties accused Kim of recommending to Yoon to enforce martial law. Kim resigned Thursday, and prosecutors imposed an overseas travel ban on him. Copyright 2024 NPR
NoneWashington State wins 76-68 against Northern Iowa
MILAN — Shoppers laden with bags from Fendi, Loewe, Prada and other designer labels clog the narrow sidewalks of Milan's swankiest shopping street, bringing joy to the purveyors of high-end luxury goods this, and every, holiday season. There's even more to celebrate this year: a commercial real estate company crowned Via MonteNapoleone as the world's most expensive retail destination, displacing New York's Fifth Avenue. The latest version of American firm Cushman & Wakefield's annual global index, which ranks shopping areas based on the rent prices they command, is a sign of Via MonteNapoleone's desirability as an address for luxury ready-to-wear, jewelry and even pastry brands. A man walks past a shop Dec. 12 in Monte Napoleone street in Milan, Italy. The average rent on the Milan street surged to $2,047 per square foot, compared with $2,000 per square foot on an 11-block stretch of upper Fifth Avenue. People are also reading... Via MonteNapoleone's small size — less than a quarter-mile long — and walking distance to services and top cultural sites are among the street's key advantages, according to Guglielmo Miani, president of the MonteNapoleone District association. "Not everything can fit, which is a benefit," since the limited space makes the street even more exclusive and dynamic, said Miani, whose group also represents businesses on the intersecting side streets that together with Via MonteNapoleone form an area known as Milan's Fashion Quadrilateral. Women look a shop Dec. 12 in Monte Napoleone street in Milan, Italy. The biggest brands on the street make 50 million euros to 100 million euros in annual sales, Miani said, which goes a long way to paying the rent. Tiffany & Co. is preparing to take up residence on Via Montenapoleone, and longtime tenant Fendi is expanding. The MonteNapoleone District says 11 million people visited the area this year through November, but there's no way to say how many were big spenders vs. window shoppers. The average shopper on Via MonteNapoleone spent 2,500 euros per purchase between August and November — the highest average receipt in the world, according to the tax-free shopping firm Global Blue. The street is a magnet for holiday shoppers who arrive in Maseratis, Porsches and even Ferraris, the sports car's limited trunk space notwithstanding. A mannequin is seen Dec. 12 in a shop in Monte Napoleone street in Milan, Italy. Lights twinkle overhead, boutique windows feature mannequins engaged in warm scenes of holiday fun, and passersby snap photos of expertly decorated cakes in pastry shop displays. A visitor from China, Chen Xinghan, waited for a taxi with a half-dozen shopping bags lined up next to him on the sidewalk. He said he paid half the price for a luxury Fendi coat that he purchased in Milan than he would have at home. "I got a lot," Chen acknowledged. "It's a fantastic place, a good place for shopping." A man waits for a taxi Dec. 12 in Monte Napoleon street in Milan, Italy. A few store windows down, Franca Da Rold, who was visiting Milan from Belluno, an Italian city in the Dolomites mountain range, marveled at a chunky, yardslong knit scarf priced at 980 euros. "I could knit that in one hour, using 12-gauge knitting needles as thick as my fingers, and thick wool. Maximum two hours," Da Rold said, but acknowledged the brand appeal. Buildings are decorated Dec. 12 in Monte Napoleone street in Milan, Italy. Despite upper Fifth Avenue getting bumped to the No. 2 spot on the Cushman & Wakefield list, the organization that serves as the Manhattan street's guardian and chief promoter had praise for MonteNapoleone's achievement. "Milan's investment in its public realm is paying off, which is a win for their shoppers, businesses and city as a whole," said Madelyn Wils, interim president of the Fifth Avenue Association. She also expressed confidence that with new investments and a record year for sales on Fifth Avenue, "we'll be back on top in no time." Holiday shopping season is upon us. Keep gifting green with sustainable presents for the home. Holiday shopping season is upon us. Keep gifting green with sustainable presents for the home. The holiday season feels a little less jolly considering the amount of waste generated by gift-giving. The Environmental Protection Agency estimates the amount of household garbage in the U.S. increases by 25% between Thanksgiving and New Year's. After the decorations come down, all that waste heads to landfills, producing a significant contributor to climate change: methane gas. "Greening" the holidays is essential, and one simple tip is to think more about how sustainable the materials are in your decorations, decor, and, of course, gifts. Instead of plastics, you could opt for items that can be reused, are made of renewable materials or natural fibers that boast a smaller environmental impact in both production and durability. Due to consumers' desires for more eco-friendly goods, sustainable materials are among the biggest trends in home decor. Fortunately, there are plenty of affordable—and earth-conscious—home goods that make perfect holiday gifts. Made Trade rounded up a list of sustainable home decor trends in 2025 that offer dozens of creative options for holiday gift-giving. Each trend includes examples of great gifts for the home and advice for ensuring items are sustainably produced or can help create a more eco-friendly space. Indoor gardening In the depths of winter's gray days, it's a real gift to see a little green, which is why indoor gardening gifts are a wonderful idea. Not only are they eco-friendly and promote sustainability—the more food you can grow yourself, the less you have to buy—they also foster an appreciation of nature and bring the natural world indoors to enjoy. Sprouting kits and microgreens require minimal amounts of space and sunlight, but a sunny, south-facing window will permit a small herb garden or leafy greens for salads. If you're not sure what kind of light your recipient has access to, go with gifting indoor grow lamps along with the plants, or pick a hardy, low-water houseplant—some can act as natural air purifiers too. Warm (and undyed) neutrals When buying gifts for the home, consider what materials the items are made from and how far away they come from—not only are natural materials like rattan, jute, palm leaves, clay, organic cotton and linen, and ceramics more sustainable, but if they are being used by a local craftsperson, gifters are also saving on fossil fuels for the transportation. Plus, you're helping the local economy by supporting local craftspeople, so it's a win-win. Natural fiber pillows, sheets, blankets, and even doormats offer comfort and consideration of the environment. Adaptive reuse The most sustainable and eco-friendly gift is one you already have, so get creative about reusing materials already in or around your home (raid the recycling bin, find nice pieces of wood outside, wash out and reuse glass jars) to fashion them into new, thoughtful goods. Similarly, think vintage and secondhand—what items can you give a second life to by passing them along to someone who will find new meaning in them? Some of the most thoughtful gifts are small heirlooms—pieces of jewelry or a beloved ceramic dish—passed along to the next generation that will appreciate them. Smart technology Green technology offers ways to reduce our carbon footprint in everyday life, and smart thermostats, solar lights, smart sprinklers, and smart plugs all make great gifts, saving people money and conserving our valuable resources. For those looking into home renovations or updating decor, try a new light fixture paired with smart blubs, or a new window treatment with smart shades. Even something as simple as a rain barrel can reduce energy use—and while the technology for that isn't very sophisticated, it certainly is, like composting, "smart." Integrated outdoor living Integrated outdoor living is the ultimate gift, allowing us to bring the natural world into our homes. However, doing so sustainably takes a little more effort than simply leaving the doors to the deck open all the time. First, find eco-friendly and sustainable outdoor furniture, perhaps thrifting it or buying it used and fixing it up for a one-of-a-kind gift. If you can't go secondhand, choose furniture made of sustainable materials such as reclaimed wood, recycled plastic (great for outdoor rugs), or bamboo. For smaller gifts, consider solar lights, a water feature that recycles water, a rain barrel, or even a set of handmade wind chimes made from seashells. Story editing by Carren Jao. Additional editing by Kelly Glass. Copy editing by Paris Close. Photo selection by Clarese Moller. This story originally appeared on Made Trade and was produced and distributed in partnership with Stacker Studio. Be the first to know Get local news delivered to your inbox!
Mitchell had six assists and three steals for the Vandals (5-8). Kristian Gonzalez added 20 points while shooting 7 for 11 (3 for 7 from 3-point range) and 3 of 3 from the free-throw line while they also had six rebounds. Julius Mims went 7 of 10 from the field to finish with 14 points, while adding nine rebounds and three blocks. Tyler Linhardt also had 14 points. Elias Ralph led the Tigers (5-9) in scoring, finishing with 18 points and seven rebounds. Lamar Washington added 14 points, six assists and two blocks for Pacific. Petar Krivokapic also had 13 points. The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar .