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AT&T Inc T won the Federal Communications Commission’s consent to replace old copper home phone lines with new wireless landline technology . The approval concerns only a handful of Oklahoma residences where AT&T seeks to retire the costly technology, Bloomberg reports . However, it could open the door to more neighborhoods. Also Read: AT&T Data Breach Exposes 50 Billion Records: Hackers Identified, Ransom Paid Previously the telecom company launched a landline option that was compatible with home handsets, leveraging its wireless phone network with the internet as a backup. AT&T targets updating its 5G network and expanding its fiber coverage to 50 million locations by 2029, including retiring its legacy copper network operations. The company expects to produce over $50 billion in financial capacity over the next three years, mainly through organic growth for 2025-2027, backed by $22 billion in annual capital investment. AT&T eyes $40 billion in shareholder return through $20 billion in dividends and $20 billion in repurchases during the period. Goldman Sachs analyst James Schneider flagged AT&T’s aggressive expansion of its fiber network across the U.S., which has the potential to drive broadband revenue growth and offset legacy declines. Schneider noted AT&T leveraging cross-selling opportunities between fiber and wireless services to boost per-customer returns. With the ongoing implementation of its copper decommissioning plan, Schneider observed that AT&T’s Wireline margins may improve even as legacy revenues decline. He projected potential cost savings of $4.5 billion from these initiatives. AT&T stock surged over 33% year-to-date. Investors can gain exposure to the stock through iShares MSCI ACWI ETF ACWI and Avantis U.S. Equity ETF AVUS . Price Action : T stock closed up by 0.48% to $22.95 on Tuesday. Also Read: AT&T Buys $1 Billion in Spectrum Licenses from US Cellular to Boost Network Reach Image via Shutterstock © 2024 Benzinga.com. Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved.RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — North Carolina's current governor and his successor tacked on another lawsuit Monday disputing a key provision within a GOP law that erodes the powers of several incoming Democratic state leaders — the latest in a longstanding power struggle between North Carolina's executive and legislative branches over who controls the state's elections. The lawsuit challenges one of the law's core power shifts that move the ability to appoint members of the North Carolina State Board of Elections from the governor's authority to the state auditor's office — which will be run by Republican Dave Boliek next year. Democratic Gov. Roy Cooper and Gov.-elect Josh Stein, who currently serves as the state attorney general, filed the suit in Wake County Superior Court on Monday, saying in the complaint that the provision is unconstitutional and violates the separation of powers. The change to state election board appointments will take place next spring if it isn't blocked in court. The state elections board would likely remain under GOP control for the next few years and would trickle down to county boards as well. “We have had the same structure for our state board of elections for nearly a century and it has served North Carolina well, with fair and secure elections across our state through every cycle,” Cooper said in a news release Monday. “These blatantly partisan efforts to give control over elections boards to a newly elected Republican will create distrust in our elections process and serve no legitimate purpose.” The suit from Cooper and Stein is the second challenge the pair has levied against the GOP-controlled state legislature concerning the law. Cooper and Stein are also contesting another provision that prevents the governor from choosing his State Highway Patrol commander. Those alterations to the governor's powers were part of a larger swath of changes to several statewide offices that Democrats won in November and will preside over next year — such as attorney general, state schools superintendent and lieutenant governor. If the law withstands the court challenges, it would further underscore the GOP-led legislature's tightened grip over the other two branches of government since Republicans took control of the General Assembly more than a decade ago. Last year, GOP supermajorities in both the House and Senate firmed up power even more. Pending legal disputes in a few outstanding races , Republicans could lose their supermajority if Democratic challenger Bryan Cohn's attempt to oust incumbent Republican Rep. Frank Sossamon proves successful. That would give Stein a slightly more effective veto stamp on future Republican legislation if Democratic lawmakers stay unified. Republican legislators passed the law in both chambers earlier this month — not without scathing disapproval from crowds of protesters in the building. The bill drew the ire of House and Senate Democrats, as well as some community organizers, who denounced it as a “power grab.” They also criticized Republican lawmakers for tying the power shifts to disaster relief funding for western North Carolina in Hurricane Helene's aftermath. Most of the $252 million in recovery funds included in the law can't be spent until the next time the General Assembly acts. But GOP legislators defended the bill, with incoming House Speaker Destin Hall saying during the House vote that the changes are within the legislature's constitutional right. Republicans also point to previous Democratic actions , such as weakening the state’s first GOP governor in 1972, as reasons necessitating the legislation. Spokespeople for Senate leader Phil Berger and House Speaker Tim Moore — who are both defendants listed in the lawsuit — did not immediately respond to requests for comment Monday evening. A state elections board spokesperson also did not immediately respond. Changes to the state elections board aren't a first for GOP lawmakers. Previous attempts have been blocked by courts , including a suit last year that would move board appointment authority from the governor to the General Assembly . Berger and Moore's attorneys moved to dismiss that case last week, and the new lawsuit from Cooper and Stein seeks to replace it. Makiya Seminera, The Associated PressVor Biopharma Inc. VOR shares are trading higher on Friday after the company announced it has entered into a securities purchase agreement for a private investment in public equity financing (PIPE). What To Know: The company expects to generate about $55.6 million in gross proceeds from the PIPE. Vor plans to utilize these proceeds in order to fund clinical and preclinical development of its pipeline candidates and for general corporate purposes. As part of the PIPE, Vor will issue a total of 55,871,260 shares of common stock and accompanying warrants to purchase an additional 69,839,075 shares, priced at $0.99425 per share and warrants. If exercised for cash, the warrants would result in additional gross proceeds to Vor of up to approximately $58.5 million. The PIPE was led by Reid Hoffman who believes in the potential of Vor’s trem-cel therapy to treat acute myeloid leukemia. The therapy utilizes CRISPR/cas9 to modify the bone marrow of patients. “Early data released by Vor suggest a potent effect, which now must be confirmed by future trials. I am delighted to support this company that uses a game-changing technology that will hopefully impact the lives of patients with this lethal cancer – but even more the trajectory of cancer therapy in general,” said Hoffman. Related Link: Spotlight on SolarEdge Technologies: Analyzing the Surge in Options Activity VOR Price Action: At the time of writing, Vor stock is trading 40.8% higher at $1.18, according to data from Benzinga Pro . Image: Image: Emilian Danaila from Pixabay © 2024 Benzinga.com. Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved.
JACKSON, Miss. (AP) — The U.S. Supreme Court should overturn Mississippi’s Jim Crow-era practice of from people convicted of certain felonies, including nonviolent crimes such as forgery and timber theft, attorneys say in new court papers. Most of the people affected are disenfranchised for life because the state provides few options for restoring ballot access. “Mississippi’s harsh and unforgiving felony disenfranchisement scheme is a national outlier,” attorneys representing some who lost voting rights said in an appeal filed Wednesday. They wrote that states “have consistently moved away from lifetime felony disenfranchisement over the past few decades.” This case is the second in recent years — and the third since the late 19th century — that asks the Supreme Court to overturn Mississippi’s disenfranchisement for some felonies. The cases use different legal arguments, and the most recent attempt in 2023. The new appeal asks justices to reverse a July ruling from the conservative 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, which said Mississippi legislators, not the courts, must decide whether to change the laws. Stripping away voting rights for some crimes is unconstitutional because it is cruel and unusual punishment, the appeal argues. A majority of justices in June when they cleared the way for cities to enforce bans on homeless people sleeping outside in public places. Attorneys who sued Mississippi over voting rights say the authors of the state’s 1890 constitution based disenfranchisement on a list of crimes they thought Black people were more likely to commit. A majority of the appeals judges wrote that the Supreme Court in 1974 reaffirmed constitutional law allowing states to disenfranchise felons. About 38% of Mississippi residents are Black. Nearly 50,000 people were disenfranchised under the state’s felony voting ban between 1994 and 2017. More than 29,000 of them have completed their sentences, and about 58% of that group are Black, according to an expert who analyzed data for plaintiffs challenging the voting ban. Related Articles To regain voting rights in Mississippi, a person convicted of a disenfranchising crime must receive a governor’s pardon or win permission from two-thirds of the state House and Senate. In recent years, legislators have restored voting rights for only a few people. The other recent case that went to the Supreme Court argued that authors of Mississippi’s constitution when they chose which felonies would cause people to lose the right to vote. In that ruling, justices declined to reconsider a 2022 appeals court decision that said Mississippi remedied the discriminatory intent of the original provisions in the state constitution by later altering the list of disenfranchising crimes. In 1950, Mississippi dropped burglary from the list. Murder and rape were added in 1968. The Mississippi attorney general issued an opinion in 2009 that expanded the list to 22 crimes, including timber larceny, carjacking, felony-level shoplifting and felony-level writing bad checks. Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson wrote in a 2023 dissent that Mississippi’s list of disenfranchising crimes was “adopted for an illicit discriminatory purpose.”
No David Montgomery, no problem. The Lions continued their prolific ways offensively on Sunday, scoring 34 points and amassing 475 yards of total offense in a winning effort against the Chicago Bears. Related Articles Detroit Lions | ‘We know who we are’: Lions top Bears for franchise-record 13th win Detroit Lions | Takeaways from 34-17 win, as Lions’ offensive stars shine in win over Bears Detroit Lions | Photo gallery from the Lions’ 34-17 road win over the Bears Detroit Lions | Safety Ifeatu Melifonwu active for Lions against Bears Detroit Lions | Lions’ Brandon Joseph was in police custody Saturday, released It marked Detroit’s 13th game in 2024 with 345-or-more total yards, plus the team’s eighth game this season with at least 31 points. The Lions also have now scored 493 total points, the most points ever scored by the franchise in a single season. Along with all that, the Week 16 matchup featured a variety of commonalities for Ben Johnson’s offense. For starters, Jared Goff was “the straw that stirred the drink,” completing 72 percent of his passes and leading the Lions on four touchdown drives (three of which ended with touchdown throws). The veteran quarterback has now thrown a career-best 33 touchdowns. Johnson’s unit also produced its customary series of explosive plays. And on Sunday, it was courtesy of running back Jahmyr Gibbs and wide receiver Jameson Williams. Gibbs more than shouldered the workload out of the backfield in the place of Montgomery. He eluded defenders all game long, en route to accumulating 109 yards and a touchdown on 23 carries. Plus, he added another 45 yards as a pass-catcher. In totality, the second-year back amassed 154 all-purpose yards, marking his ninth game this season with north of 100 yards from scrimmage. It’s a feat that was last accomplished by a Lions back in 1997, when Pro Football Hall of Famer Barry Sanders did so on the way to earning MVP honors. Meanwhile, Williams was the very definition of electric on Sunday. Most notably, he displayed his game-changing speed on his 82-yard touchdown catch in the second quarter, easily running past Chicago cornerback Tyrique Stevenson and safety Jonathan Owens on his way to the end zone. “It looked good in practice. That was better than practice,” Lions head man Dan Campbell said of Goff’s deep strike to Williams. “It was a hell of a throw, excellent protection, and man, just a great job on his landmark, hitting it with speed, trusting it, great catch. It was big time.” With the touchdown, the third-year wideout now has totaled four TD receptions of 50-plus yards this season. He is one of only three players in Lions franchise history to achieve the feat in a single season. The others: Detroit legend Calvin Johnson in 2011 and Cloyce Box in 1950. Williams finished the NFC North divisional tilt with five catches and a game-high 143 yards and a score. Unsurprisingly, Amon-Ra St. Brown also played an integral role in the Lions’ triumph over the Bears. Termed the team’s “binky” on offense by Campbell, St. Brown was once again his ultra reliable self. The fourth-year receiver caught six of his eight targets from Goff, including a screen pass late in the second quarter on which he impressively slipped past several Bears defenders into the end zone. He finished the Week 16 contest with six catches for 70 yards and the one score. With the output, St. Brown now holds the distinction of being the only player in Lions franchise history to amass 100 receptions and 10 receiving touchdowns in back-to-back seasons. Plus, on Sunday, he became just the second player in NFL history to record multiple seasons with 100-plus catches, 1,000-plus yards and 10-or-more touchdowns in one’s first four seasons. The other player to accomplish the feat: former longtime Arizona Cardinals receiver Larry Fitzgerald. The Lions, equipped with difference-making pass-catchers like St. Brown and Williams and an explosive back like Gibbs, are able to attack opposing defenses in a multitude of ways. Goff can beat the opposition both short and deep with those weapons – along with tight end Sam LaPorta – at his disposal. And Gibbs, with his immense talent, has the ability to break off a big run at any point in a game. As if that weren’t already enough for Detroit’s opponents to handle, Johnson’s offense also has mastered the ability to throw off defenses through the element of surprise. Whether a fake punt or a goal-line pass drawn up for an eligible offensive lineman (e.g. Dan Skipper), you never quite know what Johnson has up his sleeve. And on Sunday, the play-caller went into his bag of tricks once again, and pulled out his most creative play design of the season thus far. It came on the opening possession of the second half. After starting off on their own 21-yard line, Goff & Co. had driven all the way to the Bears’ 21-yard line in a mere four plays. It set up arguably the fake of the season not only for the Lions but also for the entire NFL. On the play, Goff, with Detroit lined up in the singleback formation, appeared to stumble upon taking the snap while Gibbs fell to the Soldier Field grass. All the while, you could hear members of Detroit’s offense yelling, “Ball, ball, ball, ball” and “fumble, fumble.” It all proved to be intentional, however, and a fine display of acting from Johnson’s unit. Goff never lost possession of the football, and remained on his feet as he found a wide-open LaPorta for a 21-yard TD pass. It was a stroke of genius from Johnson, and executed to perfection by the Lions’ veteran signal-caller and the offense. “I think that part where Gibbs, where he dives, really sells the play,” Goff said in the postgame. “I’m only doing half of it. It worked like a charm, and it was nice to score there.” No ifs, ands, or buts about it, the Lions delivered a masterful offensive performance Sunday. And it couldn’t have come at a better time for Detroit’s fanbase, which needed a huge pick-me-up after the team’s loss to the Bills a week ago. Sure, this offensive output came against the lowly Bears, and doesn’t guarantee success for Campbell’s injury-ravaged squad the rest of the season (and in the playoffs). However, in the spirit of the Christmas season, it’s time to drop the negativity (at least temporarily), and to celebrate the one thing that has remained constant for the team in 2024: its offensive productivity. Lions fans absolutely should cherish the “gift” that is Detroit’s high-powered offense this Christmas. This article was produced by the staff at Detroit Lions On SI. For more, visit si.com/nfl/lionsAn online debate over foreign workers in tech shows tensions in Trump’s political coalition
Road weariness preceded the holiday break for the Kings and now their rest will come to an abrupt close as they hit the ice for a rare pair of consecutive home games in which they’ll host their arch nemeses Saturday and a fellow “Expansion Six” franchise Sunday. First up, it’ll be the Edmonton Oilers, who took the crown of the hottest team in the NHL from the Kings as they vaulted from fifth to second in the Pacific Division in two and a half weeks’ time. Then, the Kings will welcome the Philadelphia Flyers, who still play on Broad Street but have been decidedly less bullyish of late, having dropped four of their past five decisions to slip back into the mushy middle of the Metropolitan Division. The Flyers most recently lost to the rival Pittsburgh Penguins by a 7-3 score, the same count that the Kings beat them by on Dec. 19 in Philly. For the Kings’ part, they wrapped up their second seven-game road trip of the season Sunday, finishing with the same 3-2-2 mark they did on their season-opening swing. They rallied for a point in Nashville and then endured a regulation defeat in Washington after what Capitals goalie Logan Thompson described as a “playoff-style game” concluded the Kings’ journey with losses on back-to-back dates. “I thought (the trip) wasn’t bad. We battled back in Nashville to get a point, which was good to get a point after coming into the third [period] down two,” defenseman Mikey Anderson told reporters. “Overall, you’re proud of the effort. All in all, it wasn’t a terrible road trip.” Phillip Danault missed that finale but participated fully in Friday’s practice, per Hockey Royalty’s Russell Morgan, who also reported that Trevor Moore and Trevor Lewis skated in red non-contact jerseys. Danault missed just one game while Moore has been out for the past five. Already missing top defender Drew Doughty, the Kings will need every healthy hand on deck this weekend. While Philly’s Travis Konecny and Matvei Michkov will present challenges Sunday, Edmonton’s Leon Draisaitl and captain Connor McDavid entered Friday’s slate of games tied for the second-longest active scoring streak (nine games) while having the two most prolific surges. Draisaitl’s 20 points and McDavid’s 18 over the past nine games have helped the Oilers to an 8-1-0 record in those outings as part of an 11-2-0 display that’s propelled them above the Kings as well as the Calgary Flames and Vancouver Canucks. The Oilers have allowed three or fewer goals in 12 of their past 13 games, falling 6-5 to the Florida Panthers in a rematch of last season’s Stanley Cup Final after their only other loss in that span came 1-0 to Pacific-topping Vegas. Both McDavid and Draisaitl have turned in a four-point performance during their active scoring sprees. Zach Hyman has returned to form, piling up 10 of his 13 goals this season in his past nine games. Former Kings winger Viktor Arvidsson had a goal and an assist in Sunday’s 3-1 win over Ottawa, which marked his third game back from a lower-body injury. Related Articles Edmonton has eliminated the Kings from three straight postseasons, with special teams taking on an outsized role, particularly last spring when the Oilers were all but automatic on the power play and were perfect on the penalty kill. The Kings entered the finale of their road trip in an 0-for-10 funk but converted on the power play for their only goal against Washington, while the Oilers have had a top-five power play since Dec. 1, cranking at a 30.8% clip with the extra man. When: 1 p.m. Saturday Where: Crypto.com Arena How to watch: FDSNW When: 6 p.m. Sunday Where: Crypto.com Arena How to watch: FDSNWNone
By Karen Garcia, Los Angeles Times A recent study that recommended toxic chemicals in black plastic products be immediately thrown away included a math error that significantly overstated the risks of contamination, but its authors are standing by their conclusions and warn against using such products. Published in the peer-reviewed journal Chemosphere , experts from the nonprofit Toxic-Free Future said they detected flame retardants and other toxic chemicals in 85% of 203 items made of black plastic including kitchen utensils , take-out containers, children’s toys and hair accessories. The study initially said the potential exposure to chemicals found in one of the kitchen utensils approached the minimum levels the Environmental Protection Agency deemed a health risk. But in an update to the study, the authors say they made an error in their calculations and the real levels were “an order of magnitude lower” than the EPA’s thresholds. The error was discovered by Joe Schwarcz, director of McGill University’s Office for Science and Society in Canada. In a blog post, Schwarcz explained that the Toxin-Free Future scientists miscalculated the lower end of what the EPA considered a health risk through a multiplication error. Instead of humans being potentially exposed to a dose of toxic chemicals in black plastic utensils near the minimum level that the EPA deems a health risk, it’s actually about one-tenth of that. Though Schwarcz said the risks outlined in the study aren’t enough for him to discard his black plastic kitchen items if he had them, he agreed with the authors that flame retardants shouldn’t be in these products in the first place. “The math error does not impact the study’s findings, conclusions or recommendations,” said Megan Liu, a co-author of the study who is the science and policy manager for Toxic-Free Future . She added that any traces of flame retardants or toxic chemicals in cooking utensils should be concerning for the public. Flame retardants are getting into commonly used items because black-colored products are being made from recycled electronic waste, such as discarded television sets and computers, that frequently contain the additives. When they’re heated, the flame retardants and other toxic chemicals can migrate out. If you’re wondering whether your old black plastic spoon or other utensils are a part of this group, Liu shared some more guidance. It’s nearly impossible to know whether a black plastic product is contaminated. That’s because these products that include recycled e-waste don’t disclose a detailed list of all ingredients and contaminants in the product. Liu said it’s also unclear how many types of flame retardants are in these black plastic products. Some of the products that researchers tested in this recent study “had up to nine different harmful chemicals and harmful flame retardants in them,” she said. Anytime you’re looking for the type of recycled plastic a product is made of you’re going to look for a number within the chasing arrows (that form a triangle) logo. Recycling symbols are numbered 1 to 7 and we commonly associate the numbers with what we can toss in our blue recycling bins. The 1 through 7 numbers stand for, respectively, polyethylene terephthalate, high-density polyethylene, polyvinyl chloride (PVC), low-density polyethylene, polypropylene, polystyrene or Styrofoam, and miscellaneous plastics (including polycarbonate, polylactide, acrylic, acrylonitrile butadiene, styrene, fiberglass and nylon). The study found higher levels of toxic flame retardants in polystyrene plastic, which is labeled with the number 6, said Liu. There isn’t a definitively timeline of when recycled electronic-waste started to be incorporated into black plastic products specifically, but e-waste started to get recycled in the early 2000s, Liu said. The way computers, cellphones, stereos, printers and copiers were being disposed of previously was to simply add them to a landfill without reusing salvageable parts. But as the National Conference of State Legislatures notes, electronics production required a significant amount of resources that could be recovered through recycling. Recovering resources such as metals, plastics and glass through recycling used a fraction of the energy needed to mine new materials. However, the study pointed out that flame retardants and other chemical contaminates have been detected in and near e-waste recycling facilities, in indoor air and dust at formal e-waste recycling facilities in Canada, China, Spain and the U.S. It also noted contamination in soil samples surrounding e-waste recycling sites in China and Vietnam. The safest nontoxic material options for kitchen utensil are wood and stainless steel. ©2024 Los Angeles Times. Visit at latimes.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.Explosion at Turkish ammunition factory leaves 11 dead
34 donor kidneys given a second chance WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. , Dec. 2, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- 34 Lives, a Public Benefit Company which aims to rescue donated kidneys that may otherwise go unused, announces a significant milestone: the 34th successful rescue and transplant of a kidney on November 23, 2024 . 34 Lives was founded in 2022 with a mission to decrease the number of kidneys in the US that are recovered with the intent to transplant but subsequently not used. In 2023, that number exceeded 8,000 unused kidneys, despite the fact that approximately 100,000 people are awaiting a kidney transplant. According to Co-CEO Kathleen St. Jean , "The number 34 is especially meaningful to our team: Every day in this country, approximately 34 patients are removed from the transplant waiting list, either because they die or because they become too sick to stay on the list. Knowing that we have helped to save 34 lives gives us a renewed sense of urgency and commitment. Our goal has never changed and it never will. We strive to ensure that every kidney that comes to us is given the opportunity to be donated to a recipient who can once again live a normal life." LifeGift, the Organ Procurement Organization covering Houston and Ft. Worth, Texas , provided the kidney for the 34 th transplant. The organ transplant team at Duke University Hospital, Durham, NC , performed the transplant. "With mission-oriented, dedicated partners like Duke and LifeGift, we are confident that our work will continue to bring innovation and real progress in the field of kidney transplantation," said Chris Jaynes , Co-CEO, 34 Lives. In October, 34 Lives received an ARPA-H Award in the amount of $44M over 5 years. The funds will enable the "No Kidney Left Behind" project through which 34 Lives will create processes utilizing new technologies with the aim to rehabilitate approximately 50% of the otherwise discarded donor kidneys, returning them to transplant centers for implantation into waiting recipients. The team will leverage Normothermic Machine Perfusion (NMP) to enable real-time recovery of organ viability and function, as well as other novel work rehabilitating kidneys that are discarded, diseased, or ischemically injured. If successful, the resulting biomarker assessments, artificial intelligence prediction tools, and warm perfusion technology may be able to be extended to other transplantable organs, including lungs and livers. The No Kidney Left Behind project will take place in Indiana at a core preservation hub operating as CLIA- certified clinical laboratory in association with designated Organ Procurement Organizations (OPOs). To Learn More To learn more about the work of 34 Lives, visit the website at https://34lives.com/ About 34 Lives View original content to download multimedia: https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/34-lives-rescues-34-kidneys-302320034.html SOURCE 34 Lives, PBCHow to Watch the NBA Today, December 28
DALLAS (AP) — Luka Doncic is returning to the Dallas lineup Monday night against the Portland Trail Blazers after missing the Mavericks’ two previous games with a left heel contusion. Doncic won last season’s scoring title with a career-best 33.9 points per game and is fifth in the NBA this season averaging 28.9, and seventh in assists, averaging 8.2. He had triple-doubles in three of his last four games, including his most recent appearance last Sunday with 45 points, 13 assists and 11 rebounds in a 143-133 win at Golden State. The defending Western Conference champions are 18-10, fourth in the West, and have won 13 of their last 16 games following their only losing streak of the season, a four-game skid from Nov. 8-14. ___ AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/nba
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SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — 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.
Nagpur: The permission granted by the state govt allowing wine, beer shops and country liquor outlets to operate till 1am, and bar and permit rooms to serve customers till 5am for New Year's celebrations has presented a challenge for the city police who now need to step up anti-accident measures on the road. The extension in timing for wine, beer shops and beer bars is not only expected to bring cheers among revellers but also generate crores in revenue for the state exchequer overnight. CP Ravinder Singal has prepared a security blueprint for New Year's Eve. The traffic police would play a key role and plan to intensify the drive against drunk driving. SP (state excise), Surajkumar Ramod, stated that revellers organising ‘social gatherings' also need to seek permits for holding such celebrations, even if they are not on a commercial scale and are limited to a small group. "The state excise department is appealing to revellers to procure liquor permits to avoid legal hassles in case there is a check or raid. Commercial ventures and celebrations venue are required to procure permits for stocking, selling and consuming liquor, as per the various norms, before the New Year's celebration. Similarly, groups engaging in social gatherings with smaller numbers of revellers are also required to do the same," said Ramod. Registration and permit services are available online. DCP (Traffic) Archit Chandak said that around 450 cops from his unit will man the city along with the local police. "We are setting up anti-liquor checks at around 30 places in the city. Around 30 breath analysers have been procured to check drunk driving," said Chandak, adding that the cops will also be equipped with body cameras, and any unruly behaviour will be captured directly for stringent actions. "We will also ensure that violators pay the Rs10,000 fine for drunk driving," said Chandak.
Road weariness preceded the holiday break for the Kings and now their rest will come to an abrupt close as they hit the ice for a rare pair of consecutive home games in which they’ll host their arch nemeses Saturday and a fellow “Expansion Six” franchise Sunday. First up, it’ll be the Edmonton Oilers, who took the crown of the hottest team in the NHL from the Kings as they vaulted from fifth to second in the Pacific Division in two and a half weeks’ time. Then, the Kings will welcome the Philadelphia Flyers, who still play on Broad Street but have been decidedly less bullyish of late, having dropped four of their past five decisions to slip back into the mushy middle of the Metropolitan Division. The Flyers most recently lost to the rival Pittsburgh Penguins by a 7-3 score, the same count that the Kings beat them by on Dec. 19 in Philly. For the Kings’ part, they wrapped up their second seven-game road trip of the season Sunday, finishing with the same 3-2-2 mark they did on their season-opening swing. They rallied for a point in Nashville and then endured a regulation defeat in Washington after what Capitals goalie Logan Thompson described as a “playoff-style game” concluded the Kings’ journey with losses on back-to-back dates. “I thought (the trip) wasn’t bad. We battled back in Nashville to get a point, which was good to get a point after coming into the third [period] down two,” defenseman Mikey Anderson told reporters. “Overall, you’re proud of the effort. All in all, it wasn’t a terrible road trip.” Phillip Danault missed that finale but participated fully in Friday’s practice, per Hockey Royalty’s Russell Morgan, who also reported that Trevor Moore and Trevor Lewis skated in red non-contact jerseys. Danault missed just one game while Moore has been out for the past five. Already missing top defender Drew Doughty, the Kings will need every healthy hand on deck this weekend. While Philly’s Travis Konecny and Matvei Michkov will present challenges Sunday, Edmonton’s Leon Draisaitl and captain Connor McDavid entered Friday’s slate of games tied for the second-longest active scoring streak (nine games) while having the two most prolific surges. Draisaitl’s 20 points and McDavid’s 18 over the past nine games have helped the Oilers to an 8-1-0 record in those outings as part of an 11-2-0 display that’s propelled them above the Kings as well as the Calgary Flames and Vancouver Canucks. The Oilers have allowed three or fewer goals in 12 of their past 13 games, falling 6-5 to the Florida Panthers in a rematch of last season’s Stanley Cup Final after their only other loss in that span came 1-0 to Pacific-topping Vegas. Both McDavid and Draisaitl have turned in a four-point performance during their active scoring sprees. Zach Hyman has returned to form, piling up 10 of his 13 goals this season in his past nine games. Former Kings winger Viktor Arvidsson had a goal and an assist in Sunday’s 3-1 win over Ottawa, which marked his third game back from a lower-body injury. Edmonton has eliminated the Kings from three straight postseasons, with special teams taking on an outsized role, particularly last spring when the Oilers were all but automatic on the power play and were perfect on the penalty kill. The Kings entered the finale of their road trip in an 0-for-10 funk but converted on the power play for their only goal against Washington, while the Oilers have had a top-five power play since Dec. 1, cranking at a 30.8% clip with the extra man. Edmonton at Kings When: 1 p.m. Saturday Where: Crypto.com Arena How to watch: FDSNW Philadelphia at Kings When: 6 p.m. Sunday Where: Crypto.com Arena How to watch: FDSNWIn a head-scratching Truth Social post that Donald Trump may have intended as a private message to Elon Musk, the president-elect says Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates has asked to meet with him. “Where are you? When are you coming to the ‘Center of the Universe,’ Mar-a-Lago,” Trump posted on his social media platform Friday morning. “Bill Gates asked to come, tonight. We miss you and x! New Year’s Eve is going to be AMAZING!!! DJT” The message contains an apparent reference to the Tesla CEO’s son X Æ A-Xii, whom Musk usually refers to as X. Spokespeople for Trump and his transition team did not immediately respond when asked if the message was intended as a private correspondence with Musk, who’s become a fixture at Trump’s side. Spokespeople for Gates Ventures, the tech billionaire’s private office, also did not immediately respond when asked to confirm whether he’d requested a meeting with Trump. However, a person familiar with the talks confirmed to CNN that Gates has reached out to the Trump transition team about a possible meeting. Gates donated about $50 million to a PAC supporting Vice President Kamala Harris in last month’s election, but he congratulated Trump when he won. “I hope we can work together now to build a brighter future for everyone,” Gates wrote in his congratulatory note on social media. Gates would be the latest tech mogul to make nice with Trump. Apple’s Tim Cook and Meta’s Mark Zuckerberg have both met with him, and others have collectively donated millions to Trump’s inauguration fund. “The first term, everybody was fighting me,” Trump said in remarks this month at Mar-a-Lago , his private club and residence in Florida. “In this term, everybody wants to be my friend.” Meta Gives $1 Million To Trump’s Inaugural Fund After Zuckerberg’s Mar-a-Lago Dinner Jeff Bezos Says He’s ‘Proud’ Washington Post Stopped Endorsing Presidential Candidates Donald Trump Hosts Apple CEO Tim Cook At Mar-A-Lago