South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol's brief imposition of martial law marks a new warning for the worldwide fragility of democracy, even in a country hailed as a model of political transformation. Yoon's overnight attempt to shut down political activity, censor media and lock out opposition lawmakers stunned South Korea's longtime ally, the United States, which said it had no advance warning and issued a statement of concern. Javascript is required for you to be able to read premium content. Please enable it in your browser settings.Sailors killed in Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race identified
Ralph Wayne, a former anchor for KFDA NewsChannel 10 and a former member of the Texas House of Representatives, passed away at the age of 92 in Austin, as reported by NewsChannel 10 . His legacy ties deeply to both the fields of news broadcasting and politics, with a career that spanned across several decades. His birth was on December 14, 1932, in Wellington, Texas. Wayne completed his education with a Bachelor of Arts from West Texas A&M University at the age of 20. Following his service in the U.S. Army Reserves during the Korean conflict, he returned to the Panhandle, where he dedicated eight years as a news director and anchor for the station, and KFDA-AM radio in the 1950s. During this time, he also worked as an assignment correspondent for CBS, "Wayne also served as an assignment correspondent for the CBS network," according to his obituary detailed by MySanAntonio.com . Moving beyond his journalism career, Wayne took his place in the political arena, securing a seat in the Texas House of Representatives in November 1964. "Ralph's legacy and impact on Texas was expansive through his work in government, non-profit service and business and public affairs," noted his obituary as obtained by MySanAntonio.com . His tenure in the Texas House was marked by his involvement on various committees, including the Federal Relations Committee and the Committee on Interstate Cooperation, and he was recognized among the three "Outstanding Freshman" legislators for the 59th Session. A heartfelt statement from his son, Reb, sheds light on the personal side of Wayne's life, “No one was more Panhandle Proud than he was,” Reb told KFDA NewsChannel 10 . Although Wayne had been away from Amarillo and the Panhandle for many decades, it remained a defining part of his identity, significantly influencing his subsequent endeavors. In lieu of flowers, his family has requested that donations be made to the Scottish Rite Children's Hospital in Dallas or to a charity of one’s choice.
South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol's brief imposition of martial law marks a new warning for the worldwide fragility of democracy, even in a country hailed as a model of political transformation. Yoon's overnight attempt to shut down political activity, censor media and lock out opposition lawmakers stunned South Korea's longtime ally, the United States, which said it had no advance warning and issued a statement of concern. Javascript is required for you to be able to read premium content. Please enable it in your browser settings. Success! An email has been sent to with a link to confirm list signup. Error! There was an error processing your request. Get the latest need-to-know information delivered to your inbox as it happens. Our flagship newsletter. Get our front page stories each morning as well as the latest updates each afternoon during the week + more in-depth weekend editions on Saturdays & Sundays.Federal appeals court upholds law requiring sale or ban of TikTok in the US A federal appeals court panel on Friday unanimously upheld a law that could lead to a ban on TikTok as soon as next month, handing a resounding defeat to the popular social media platform as it fights for its survival in the U.S. The U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit ruled that the law - which requires TikTok to break ties with its China-based parent company ByteDance or be banned by mid-January — is constitutional, rebuffing TikTok’s challenge that the statute ran afoul of the First Amendment and unfairly targeted the platform. TikTok and ByteDance — another plaintiff in the lawsuit — are expected to appeal to the Supreme Court. Executive of Tyler Perry Studios dies when plane he was piloting crashes in Florida ATLANTA (AP) — The president of Atlanta-based Tyler Perry Studios has died when the small plane he was piloting crashed on Florida’s Gulf Coast. The studio confirmed on Saturday that Steve Mensch, its 62-year-old president and general manager, had died Friday. The crash happened in Homosassa, about 60 miles north of Tampa. Photos from the scene show the plane having come to rest upside down on a road. Mensch helped advocate for Georgia’s film tax credit of more than $1 billion a year. Perry hired Mensch to run his namesake studio in 2016. Mensch died as Perry released his war drama, “The Six Triple Eight." The film was shot at the Atlanta studio. US added a strong 227,000 jobs in November in bounce-back from October slowdown WASHINGTON (AP) — America’s job market rebounded in November, adding 227,000 workers in a solid recovery from the previous month, when the effects of strikes and hurricanes had sharply diminished employers’ payrolls. Last month’s hiring growth was up considerably from a meager gain of 36,000 jobs in October. The government also revised up its estimate of job growth in September and October by a combined 56,000. Friday’s report also showed that the unemployment rate ticked up from 4.1% in October to a still-low 4.2%. The November data provided the latest evidence that the U.S. job market remains durable even though it has lost significant momentum from the 2021-2023 hiring boom, when the economy was rebounding from the pandemic recession. Stock market today: Wall Street hits more records following a just-right jobs report NEW YORK (AP) — U.S. stocks rose to records after data suggested the job market remains solid enough to keep the economy going, but not so strong that it raises immediate worries about inflation. The S&P 500 climbed 0.2%, just enough top the all-time high set on Wednesday, as it closed a third straight winning week in what looks to be one of its best years since the 2000 dot-com bust. The Dow Jones Industrial Average dipped 0.3%, while the Nasdaq composite climbed 0.8% to set its own record. Treasury yields eased after the jobs report showed stronger hiring than expected but also an uptick in the unemployment rate. Killing of UnitedHealthcare CEO spotlights complex challenge companies face in protecting top brass NEW YORK (AP) — In an era when online anger and social tensions are increasingly directed at the businesses consumers count on, Meta last year spent $24.4 million to surround CEO Mark Zuckerberg with security. But the fatal shooting this week of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson while walking alone on a New York City sidewalk has put a spotlight on the widely varied approaches companies take to protect their leaders against threats. And experts say the task of evaluating threats against executives and taking action to protect them is getting more difficult. One of the primary worries are loners whose rantings online are fed by others who are like-minded. It’s up to corporate security analysts to decide what represents a real threat. Days after gunman killed UnitedHealthcare's CEO, police push to ID him and FBI offers reward NEW YORK (AP) — Nearly four days after the shooting of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson, police still do not know the gunman’s name or whereabouts or have a motive for the killing. But they have made some progress in their investigation into Wednesday's killing of the leader of the largest U.S. health insurer, including that the gunman likely left New York City on a bus soon after fleeing the scene. The also found that the gunman left something behind: a backpack that was discovered in Central Park. Police are working with the FBI, which on Friday night announced a $50,000 reward for information leading to an arrest and conviction. USDA orders nationwide testing of milk for bird flu to halt the virus The U.S. government has ordered testing of the nation’s milk supply for bird flu to better monitor the spread of the virus in dairy cows. The Agriculture Department on Friday said raw or unpasteurized milk from dairy farms and processors nationwide must be tested on request starting Dec. 16. Testing will begin in six states — California, Colorado, Michigan, Mississippi, Oregon and Pennsylvania. The move is aimed at eliminating the virus, which has infected more than 700 dairy herds in 15 states. Words on ammo in CEO shooting echo common phrase on insurer tactics: Delay, deny, defend A message left at the scene of an insurance executive’s fatal shooting echoes a phrase commonly used to describe insurer tactics to avoid paying claims. The words “deny,” “defend” and “depose” were written on the ammunition used to kill UnitedHealthcare's CEO. That's according to two officials who spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity Thursday. The words are similar to the phrase “delay, deny, defend.” That's how attorneys describe insurers denying services and payment, and the title of a 2010 book critical of the industry. Police haven’t officially commented on the words. But Thompson’s shooting and the messages on the ammunition have sparked outrage on social media and elsewhere, reflecting frustration Americans have over the cost and complexity of getting care. Michigan Democrats move to protect reproductive health data before GOP takes control of House LANSING, Mich. (AP) — Democrats in Michigan are pressing to pass reproductive health care legislation before the party loses its majority with the new legislative session next year. A bill to protect digital reproductive health data including data logged on menstrual cycle tracking apps is a Democratic priority as lawmakers meet this month. Democratic women and supporters of the legislation say they are acting with new urgency before President-elect Donald Trump takes office because they don't believe his campaign promise to leave abortion to the states. The rush is also a reaction to Republicans taking control of the state House in January. Democrats kept control of the state Senate in the November election. Japan's Nippon Steel sets sights on a growing overseas market in its bid to acquire US Steel KASHIMA, Japan (AP) — The signs at Nippon Steel read: “The world through steel,” underlining why Japan’s top steelmaker is pursuing its $15 billion bid to acquire U.S. Steel. Japan's domestic market isn't growing, so Nippon Steel has its eyes on India, Southeast Asia and the United States, where populations are still growing. Nippon Steel gave reporters a tour of one of its plants in Japan on Friday. The bid for U.S. Steet is opposed by President-elect Donald Trump, President Joe Biden and American steelworkers. If the deal goes through, U.S. Steel will keep its name and its headquarters in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, but become subsidiary of Nippon Steel.
5 Stock Buys And Sells From Top Billionaire Investors - ForbesMost Americans view election surveys with both anticipation and skepticism. The sheer number and the potential for defective or biased polling make poll watching a challenging and time-consuming endeavor. If only there were a place we could go and see all the polls and an unbiased average indicating trends. Turns out there is. I visit RealClearPolitics every morning to find articles on both sides of the pertinent issues of the day. When the website began publishing and updating a thorough list of election surveys — and their unweighted average — I considered it the answer to a political junkie’s prayers. I clearly wasn’t alone: RCP’s polling averages became widely accepted across the media landscape. But there was a problem. Establishment polling elites objected to RCP’s unfiltered results. Consider this New York Times piece published five days before the presidential election: “Why the Right Thinks Trump Is Running Away With the Race.” The right thought that, of course, because he was. But despite the political winds, the Times staff were unable to fathom that possibility. Donald Trump cruising to victory, the paper said, was a misperception: “Skewed polls and anonymous betting markets are building up Republicans’ expectations.” The Times saw this as something of a conspiracy designed to create “a narrative of unstoppable momentum” for Trump “that could undermine faith in the entire [electoral] system.” To save our democracy — and perhaps encourage its progressive readership — the Times asserted skewed polls weren’t “having a significant impact on the polling averages calculated by news organizations, including the New York Times,” because they “do not treat all polls equally.” Rather, in their great wisdom, legacy news organizations “adjust their models to give less weight” to surveys they decide are biased — or simply ignore them. The Times seriously thought people would see this as a plus. The paper then criticized RCP because “unlike its competitors” it treats “all polls equally” and includes surveys “other aggregators reject.” Another objection: RCP just reports the results and “does not weigh its averages.” The Times sees this as a negative. Really. Of course, the paper’s point is excluding or underweighting polls it considers — in its august opinion — faulty presents a more accurate read on voter sentiment and election results. So let’s compare how the Times’ and RCP’s averages held up once the ballots were counted. President-elect Trump won the popular vote by about 1.7 percentage points (49.9% to 48.2%). The Times’ final polling average missed that result by 2.7 points, showing Vice President Kamala Harris ahead by 1 point (49% to 48%). The final RCP average was off by 1.8 points, showing Harris up by 0.1 (48.6% to 48.7%). Thus RCP’s unweighted average of all the polls was about 33% more accurate than the Times’ weighted average of select polls. Well, who would have thought it? Not surprisingly, the Times average was less accurate in part because it underweighted or excluded polls it didn’t like — which had Trump ahead. It underweighted a TIPP poll that had Trump winning the popular vote by 1 point. It excluded a Rasmussen poll that had Trump up 3 points — so off by 1.3 points to the positive for Trump but still a little over 50% closer to the actual results than the Times average. RCP included both polls without weighting. The Times also slammed RCP for its “no tossups” Electoral College map showing potential election results assuming the RCP average for each state. To its horror, the Times found this map showed “Trump winning every swing state” but two. In the end, of course, he won every one. Finally, the Times chided Republicans for pointing out the betting odds were increasingly favoring Trump. Those odds are considered an indicator of voter sentiment because they reflect people putting money behind a candidate, rather than simply fielding questions in a telephone call or online. RCP offers readers a list of the odds for each betting site and averages those odds. The Times’ concern was an unidentified Frenchman was skewing the odds with large bets causing “a spike in Mr. Trump’s favor over the past month” — which did “not track with the overall state of the race as captured by reputable polling firms.” That, at least, was an accurate statement. It did, however, track with the ultimate result. Fortunately for that Frenchman, he didn’t rely on the Times or its so called “reputable polling firms.” He “made a successful bet on Donald Trump winning the presidency” and “earned about $85 million in profits,” the Wall Street Journal reports . Bottom line: The RCP polling average was less biased and more accurate than the Times’ average, RCP’s “no tossups” map showing Trump taking almost every swing state was close to accurate, and the betting odds went with the winning candidate. The Times’ criticisms were inaccurate and self-serving, resulting, I believe, from an inability to see outside the left’s progressive bubble. The Times polling average results brings to mind a misquotation attributed to New Yorker film critic Pauline Kael more than 50 years ago: “I can’t believe Nixon won. I don’t know anyone who voted for him.” One wonders if anyone on the Times staff knows someone who voted for Trump. In any event, I know where I’m looking for polling data next cycle, and it’s certainly not the Times. Andy Puzder, a distinguished fellow at the Heritage Foundation, served for 16 years as CEO of CKE Restaurants. Twitter: @AndyPuzder
This epic Dyson Gen5detectTM Absolute Cordless Vacuum Cleaner will clean your home like never before. With the promise of delivering the most powerful suction in a Dyson cordless vacuum, this model offers you a unique blend of efficiency, convenience, and precision. And it’s currently on sale on Amazon Australia for $879, normally $1549, so now is the perfect time to snap it up. Know the news with the 7NEWS app: Download today The vacuum features an extraordinary 262 AW of suction power, setting a new benchmark in cordless vacuum performance. This impressive suction capability has been rigorously tested to ensure that this vacuum delivers on its promise of superior suction power, ensuring deep cleaning on a variety of surfaces. Whether it’s embedded dust in carpets or fine particles on hard floors, this vacuum excels in drawing in and capturing particles that other vacuums may miss. One of the other standout features of the Dyson Gen5detectTM is its advanced filtration system, which traps 99.99 per cent of particles as small as 0.1 microns. This level of filtration is crucial for homes with allergy sufferers, pet owners, or anyone seeking a cleaner, healthier environment. This home cleaner also features the latest Laser Slim Fluffy cleaner head, which uses laser light to reveal dust and debris that would otherwise remain invisible to the naked eye. The home cleaner’s laser technology illuminates the floor surface, allowing users to see where dust is accumulating, making it easier to ensure a thorough clean. The vacuum is equipped with Auto mode which is a feature that intelligently adjusts the vacuum’s suction power based on the type of floor being cleaned. This auto-ramp functionality optimises cleaning performance by automatically increasing suction power on thicker carpets and reducing it on hard floors to conserve battery life. This Dyson vacuum has a 4.6-star rating on Amazon Australia’s website and shoppers are calling it, “so impressive”. “I am exceedingly impressed with this vacuum’s performance,” one person said. “100 per cent worth it,” another person added. “Extremely powerful,” a third person said. To shop the vacuum, head to Amazon Australia’s website here.Giants star WR Malik Nabers (toe) says he's a game-time decisionIsraeli attorney general orders probe into report that alleged Netanyahu's wife harassed opponents
Shohei Ohtani wins his third MVP and first in the NL following a historic offensive season with the Los Angeles Dodgers