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SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — The president of South Korea early Wednesday lifted the martial law he imposed on the country hours earlier, bending to political pressure after a tense night in which troops surrounded parliament and lawmakers voted to reject military rule. President Yoon Suk Yeol, who appeared likely to be impeached over his actions, imposed martial law late Tuesday out of frustration with the opposition, vowing to eliminate “anti-state” forces as he struggles against opponents who control parliament and that he accuses of sympathizing with communist North Korea. Police and military personnel were seen leaving the grounds of parliament following the bipartisan vote to overrule the president, and the declaration was formally lifted around 4:30 a.m. during a Cabinet meeting. Parliament acted swiftly after martial law was imposed, with National Assembly Speaker Woo Won Shik declaring that the law was “invalid” and that lawmakers would “protect democracy with the people.” In all, martial law was in effect for about six hours. The president’s surprising move harkened back to an era of authoritarian leaders that the country has not seen since the 1980s, and it was immediately denounced by the opposition and the leader of Yoon’s own conservative party. Lee Jae-myung , leader of the liberal Democratic Party, which holds the majority in the 300-seat parliament, said the party’s lawmakers would remain in the Assembly’s main hall until Yoon formally lifted his order. Woo applauded how troops quickly left the Assembly after the vote. “Even with our unfortunate memories of military coups, our citizens have surely observed the events of today and saw the maturity of our military,” Woo said. While announcing his plan to lift martial law, Yoon continued to criticize parliament’s attempts to impeach key government officials and senior prosecutors. He said lawmakers had engaged in “unscrupulous acts of legislative and budgetary manipulation that are paralyzing the functions of the state.” Jo Seung-lae, a Democratic lawmaker, claimed that security camera footage following Yoon’s declaration showed that troops moved in a way that suggested they were trying to arrest Lee, Woo and even Han Dong-hoon, the leader of Yoon’s People Power Party. Officials from Yoon’s office and the Defense Ministry did not respond to requests for comment early Wednesday. Seemingly hundreds of protesters gathered in front of the Assembly, waving banners and calling for Yoon’s impeachment. Some protesters scuffled with troops ahead of the lawmakers’ vote, but there were no immediate reports of injuries or major property damage. At least one window was broken as troops attempted to enter the Assembly building. One woman tried unsuccessfully to pull a rifle away from one of the soldiers, while shouting “Aren’t you embarrassed?” Under South Korea’s constitution, the president can declare martial law during “wartime, war-like situations or other comparable national emergency states” that require the use of military force to maintain peace and order. It was questionable whether South Korea is currently in such a state. When martial law is declared, “special measures” can be employed to restrict freedom of press, freedom of assembly and other rights, as well as the power of courts. The constitution also states that the president must oblige when the National Assembly demands the lifting of martial law with a majority vote. Following Yoon’s announcement of martial law, South Korea’s military proclaimed that parliament and other political gatherings that could cause “social confusion” would be suspended, South Korea’s Yonhap news agency said. The military said anyone who violated the decree could be arrested without a warrant. In Washington, the White House said the U.S. was “seriously concerned” by the events in Seoul. A spokesperson for the National Security Council said President Joe Biden’s administration was not notified in advance of the martial law announcement and was in contact with the South Korean government. Pentagon spokesman Maj. Gen. Pat Ryder said there was no effect on the more than 27,000 U.S. service members based in South Korea. The South Korean military also said that the country’s striking doctors should return to work within 48 hours, Yonhap said. Thousands of doctors have been striking for months over government plans to expand the number of students at medical schools. Soon after martial law was declared, the parliament speaker called on his YouTube channel for all lawmakers to gather at the National Assembly. He urged military and law enforcement personnel to “remain calm and hold their positions. All 190 lawmakers who participated in the vote supported the lifting of martial law. At one point, television footage showed police officers blocking the entrance of the National Assembly and helmeted soldiers carrying rifles in front of the building. An Associated Press photographer saw at least three helicopters, likely from the military, that landed inside the Assembly grounds, while two or three helicopters circled above the site. The leader of Yoon’s conservative party called the decision to impose martial law “wrong.” Lee, who narrowly lost to Yoon in the 2022 presidential election, said Yoon’s announcement was “illegal and unconstitutional.” Yoon said during a televised speech that martial law would help “rebuild and protect” the country from “falling into the depths of national ruin.” He said he would “eradicate pro-North Korean forces and protect the constitutional democratic order.” “I will eliminate anti-state forces as quickly as possible and normalize the country,” he said, while asking the people to believe in him and tolerate “some inconveniences.” Yoon — whose approval rating dipped in recent months — has struggled to push his agenda against an opposition-controlled parliament since taking office in 2022. His party has been locked in an impasse with the liberal opposition over next year’s budget bill. The opposition has also attempted to impeach three top prosecutors, including the chief of the central Seoul prosecutors’ office, in what the conservatives have called a vendetta against their criminal investigations of Lee, who has been seen as the favorite for the next presidential election in 2027 in opinion polls. During his televised announcement, Yoon also described the opposition as “shameless pro-North Korean anti-state forces who are plundering the freedom and happiness of our citizens.” He did not elaborate. Yoon has taken a hard line on North Korea over its nuclear ambitions, departing from the policies of his liberal predecessor, Moon Jae-in, who pursued inter-Korean engagement. Yoon has also dismissed calls for independent investigations into scandals involving his wife and top officials, drawing quick, strong rebukes from his political rivals. Yoon’s move was the first declaration of martial law since the country’s democratization in 1987. The country’s last previous martial law was in October 1979, following the assassination of former military dictator Park Chung-hee. Sydney Seiler, Korean chair at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, argued that the move was symbolic for Yoon to express his frustration with the opposition-controlled parliament. “He has nothing to lose,” said Seiler, comparing Yoon’s move to the Hail Mary pass in American football, with a slim chance of success. Now Yoon faces likely impeachment, a scenario that was also possible before he made the bold move, Seiler said. Natalia Slavney, research analyst at the Stimson Center’s 38 North website that focuses on Korean affairs, said Yoon’s imposition of martial law was “a serious backslide of democracy" that followed a “worrying trend of abuse” since he took office in 2022. South Korea “has a robust history of political pluralism and is no stranger to mass protests and swift impeachments,” Slavney said, citing the example of former President Park Geun-hye, the country’s first female president, who was ousted from office and imprisoned for bribery and other crimes in 2017 . Associated Press writers Hyung-jin Kim in Seoul, South Korea, and Matt Lee, Didi Tang and Tara Copp in Washington contributed to this report.[Source: Supplied] A border management information system launched at the Nausori International Airport recently will play a key role in boosting Fiji’s border screening processes. The Migration Information and Data Analysis System (MIDAS) pilot project was launched by the Fiji Immigration Department, in collaboration with the International Organization for Migration (IOM). Speaking at the launch event, Ambassador of Japan to Fiji Rokuichiro Michii , reflected on Japan’s commitment to supporting regional development initiatives through technical assistance and capacity-building efforts. “The soft-launch of MIDAS enhances Fiji’s border security and immigration systems. This initiative not only helps protect Fiji’s population from transnational crime and diseases but also elevates Fiji’s position as a sovereign nation, better protecting its borders while advancing cross-border trade and travel. Japan is proud to have contributed to this project, which strengthens the friendship between our two nations.” IOM Fiji Officer in Charge Matthew Bidder said the launch of MIDAS in Fiji marked a critical advancement in modernizing border management systems to meet evolving global and regional challenges. “This system will not only enhance security but also improve service delivery and contribute to the country’s broader digital transformation goals. We are proud to support the Fiji Immigration Department in this pioneering initiative.” The pilot launch at Nausori International Airport marked the first step toward a full-scale implementation of MIDAS across Fiji’s key international gateways, including Nadi International Airport and major seaports. This initiative follows IOM’s 2021 gender-sensitive rapid assessment of Fiji’s border management during the COVID-19 pandemic, which identified critical areas for improvement in policy, governance, and technology. The MIDAS pilot addresses these recommendations, enabling Fiji to lead by example in adopting cutting-edge border management solutions in the Pacific region.Advertisement Spotify's year-end feature has something new: an AI-generated "podcast" about your Wrapped. It uses Google's NotebookLM technology. It's neat? But WEIRD!! Very weird!!! No thank you! One of the indignities inflicted on parents of young children is Spotify Wrapped . Each December, thousands of adults open up their year-end treat to discover the sad fact that they listened to "Baby Shark" more times than anything else. As a parent, this has been my fate for the last few years. (My Spotify account is connected to our Amazon Echo, which means that in some years, my kids' requests for songs about potty words have ended up on my Wrapped.) Advertisement I take very little pleasure in Spotify Wrapped, although I know it's a massively popular thing that many people —presumably those who don't listen to Raffi on repeat — really look forward to. However, this year, there's a new feature. And I struggle to imagine how anyone won't feel mildly weirded out by it: Spotify uses Google's new NotebookLM AI-powered feature to create an individualized AI-generated podcast with two talking heads discussing your listening habits in a conversational, podcast-y tone. Yikes! I received a 3-minute podcast with a man and woman chatting about how impressive it was that I had listened to "Cruel Summer" by Taylor Swift — my 4-year-old's current favorite tune, narrowly edging out "Let It Go" this year — so many times that I was in the Top 0.02% of listeners. (I should note here that the podcast said I was in the Top 0.02%, while the main Wrapped said it was 0.05%. Possibly the podcast version hallucinated?) Advertisement I can understand why people like sharing screenshots from their Wrapped. It's normal to want to share what music you like — and what those lists say about you and your personality. But listening to an AI podcast about it? Voiced by robots? I'm not sure anyone wants that. Google's NotebookLM is a fascinating product — I've played around with it a little, and it is very cool, if not uncanny. You can add in text or a PDF or other kinds of data, and it will create a conversational podcast episode with two hosts — "likes" and "ums" and all. Advertisement It's got that factor about GenAI that makes you go "whoa," like trying ChatGPT for the first time to have it write a poem. It's got the dog-walking-on-its-hind-legs element: It's impressive because the dog can do it at all, not because it's doing it particularly well. The idea that AI could generate a chatty podcast that sounds almost real is, admittedly, mindblowing. But would you want to actually listen to it? I'm not really so sure. I've wondered what this would be used for — I assume some people find listening to something makes it easier to engage with than simply reading it. You could take the Wikipedia page for "The War of 1812," plug it into AI, and generate an engaging history podcast instead of slogging through dry text. Advertisement And in a business setting, perhaps a busy exec could upload an accounting report and listen to it while on the putting green instead of reading a stale PDF. (I tried uploading my tax return and created what may be the most boring podcast in human history.) But NotebookLM is a pretty niche product so far — and Spotify Wrapped is a massively popular feature on a massively popular app. It's likely that this will be many people's first exposure to NotebookLM's abilities. I imagine it will be mindblowing for many people! But I urge restraint and moderation. Although seeing a screenshot of your friends' top artists might be fun, no one wants to hear a podcast about it.
Faruqi & Faruqi Reminds Applied Therapeutics Investors of the Pending Class Action Lawsuit with a Lead Plaintiff Deadline of February 18, 2025 – APLTPokemon TCG Pocket Players Are Rightfully Annoyed by This Promo Card Problem
Israel strikes Houthi rebels in Yemen's capital while the WHO chief says he was meters away JERUSALEM (AP) — A new round of Israeli airstrikes in Yemen have targeted the Houthi rebel-held capital of Sanaa and multiple ports. The World Health Organization’s director-general said the bombardment on Thursday took place just “meters away” as he was about to board a flight in Sanaa. He says a crew member was hurt. The strikes followed several days of Houthi attacks and launches setting off sirens in Israel. Israel's military says it attacked infrastructure used by the Houthis at the international airport in Sanaa, power stations and ports. The Israeli military later said it wasn’t aware that the WHO chief was at the location in Yemen. An uneasy calm settles over Syrian city of Homs after outbreak of sectarian violence HOMS, Syria (AP) — Syria’s new security forces checked IDs and searched cars in the central city of Homs a day after protests by members of the Alawite minority erupted in gunfire and stirred fears that the country’s fragile peace could break down. A tense calm prevailed Thursday after checkpoints were set up throughout the country’s third-largest city, which has a mixed population of Sunni and Shia Muslims, Alawites and Christians. The security forces are controlled by the former insurgent group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, which led the charge that unseated former President Bashar Assad. The US says it pushed retraction of a famine warning for north Gaza. Aid groups express concern. WASHINGTON (AP) — U.S. officials say they asked for — and got — the retraction of an independent monitor's warning of imminent famine in north Gaza. The internationally Famine Early Warning System Network issued the warning this week. The new report had warned that starvation deaths in north Gaza could reach famine levels as soon as next month. It cited what it called Israel's “near-total blockade” of food and water. The U.S. ambassador to Israel, Jacob Lew, criticized the finding as inaccurate and irresponsible. The U.S. Agency for International Development, which funds the famine-monitoring group, told the AP it had asked for and gotten the report's retraction. USAID officials tell The Associated Press that it had asked the group for greater review of discrepancies in some of the data. Powerful thunderstorms rumble across Texas, delaying holiday travel DALLAS (AP) — Severe thunderstorms are firing up in parts of Texas and could trigger high winds, hail and potential tornadoes. More than 100 flights were delayed and dozens more were canceled Thursday at airports in Dallas and Houston. The National Weather Service says the greatest weather risk stretched from just east of Dallas, and between Houston and portions of southern Arkansas and western Louisiana. The risk includes the possibility of tornadoes and wind gusts between 60 and 80 miles per hour, and large hail. The National Weather Service issued a tornado watch for several counties in southeast Texas, including the Houston area. Trump has pressed for voting changes. GOP majorities in Congress will try to make that happen ATLANTA (AP) — Republicans in Congress plan to move quickly in their effort to overhaul the nation’s voting procedures, seeing an opportunity with control of the White House and both chambers of Congress. They want to push through long-sought changes such as voter ID and proof-of-citizenship requirements. They say the measures are needed to restore public confidence in elections. That's after an erosion of trust that Democrats note has been fueled by false claims from Donald Trump and his allies of widespread fraud in the 2020 election. Democrats say they are willing to work with the GOP but want any changes to make it easier, not harder, to vote. Americans are exhausted by political news. TV ratings and a new AP-NORC poll show they're tuning out NEW YORK (AP) — A lot of Americans, after an intense presidential election campaign, are looking for a break in political news. That's evident in cable television news ratings and a poll from The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research. The poll found nearly two-thirds of Americans saying they've found the need recently to cut down on their consumption of political and government news. That's particularly true among Democrats following President-elect Donald Trump's victory, although a significant number of Republicans and independents feel the same way. Cable networks MSNBC and CNN are really seeing a slump. That's also happened in years past for networks that particularly appeal to supporters of one candidate. Aviation experts say Russia's air defense fire likely caused Azerbaijan plane crash as nation mourns Aviation experts say that Russian air defense fire was likely responsible for the Azerbaijani plane crash the day before that killed 38 people and left all 29 survivors injured. Azerbaijan is observing a nationwide day of mourning on Thursday for the victims of the crash. Azerbaijan Airlines’ Embraer 190 was en route from Azerbaijan’s capital of Baku to the Russian city of Grozny in the North Caucasus on Wednesday when it was diverted for reasons yet unclear and crashed while making an attempt to land in Aktau in Kazakhstan. Cellphone footage circulating online appeared to show the aircraft making a steep descent before smashing into the ground in a fireball. Ukraine's military intelligence says North Korean troops are suffering heavy battlefield losses KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — Ukraine's military intelligence says North Korean troops are suffering heavy losses in Russia's Kursk region and face logistical difficulties as a result of Ukrainian attacks. The intelligence agency said Thursday that Ukrainian strikes near Novoivanovka inflicted heavy casualties on North Korean units. Ukraine's president said earlier this week that 3,000 North Korean troops have been killed and wounded in the fighting in the Kursk region. It marked the first significant estimate by Ukraine of North Korean casualties several weeks after Kyiv announced that North Korea had sent 10,000 to 12,000 troops to Russia to help it in the almost 3-year war. Ex-Sen. Bob Menendez, citing 'emotional toll,' seeks sentencing delay in wake of wife's trial NEW YORK (AP) — Former U.S. Sen. Bob Menendez is asking a federal judge to delay his end-of-January sentencing on bribery charges, saying his family would suffer a “tremendous emotional toll” if the New Jersey Democrat was sentenced during his wife's trial. His lawyers told Judge Sidney H. Stein in a letter that Nadine Menendez would face a jury that might find it impossible not to hear about her husband's sentencing if it occurred eight days into her trial. The 70-year-old Menendez was convicted in July of 16 charges, including bribery. His wife, whose trial was postponed when she was diagnosed with breast cancer, faces much of the same evidence as her husband. How the stock market defied expectations again this year, by the numbers NEW YORK (AP) — What a wonderful year 2024 has been for investors. U.S. stocks ripped higher and carried the S&P 500 to records as the economy kept growing and the Federal Reserve began cutting interest rates. The benchmark index posted its first back-to-back annual gains of more than 20% since 1998. The year featured many familiar winners, such as Big Tech, which got even bigger as their stock prices kept growing. But it wasn’t just Apple, Nvidia and the like. Bitcoin and gold surged and “Roaring Kitty” reappeared to briefly reignite the meme stock craze.
Israel strikes Houthi rebels in Yemen's capital while WHO chief says he was meters awayPV Sindhu net worth: How much property does PV Sindhu own? she earns money from...Russia's economy has had a turbulent few years since its invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. The sharp decline of the ruble's value in recent weeks is just the most recent economic spasm. The Russians are juggling the materiel and manpower demands of the long-running war, punitive Western sanctions, low oil prices, high interest rates, inflation, a labor shortage, endemic corruption, and much more besides. President Vladimir Putin has a long list of economic concerns. But what is the Russian economy's greatest vulnerability at the moment? Newsweek asked experts for their views. Here's what they told us. Sergey Aleksashenko, Co-Founder, Boris Nemtsov Foundation; Former Deputy Chairman, Central Bank of Russia; Former Chairman, Merrill Lynch Russia Inflation, inflation, inflation. Consumer inflation is speeding up slowly and will erode the pensions and incomes of low-income families. Inflation that exceeds budgetary numbers will force the public sector to cut its investment plans. The Central Bank of Russia believes it can freeze inflationary pressure by raising its rate, though I doubt it. Inflation is fueled by the "guns, not butter" policy that is not sensitive to the interest rate. Elina Ribakova, Nonresident Senior Fellow, Peterson Institute for International Economics Russia economy's greatest vulnerability is overheating. It is like a property bubble, but now it is a morbid war bubble. Budget money and subsidized credit are thrown at the military-industrial complex, but they lack investment, components, males of a working age that are being instead sucked into the war. It also means a huge reallocation of resources towards an activity that won't bring medium-term growth—war. Like with any bubble, it will burst. It is more likely to burst when oil hits $40-50 per barrel. Dr. Alexander Libman, Professor of Russian and East European Politics, The Institute for East European Studies, Free University of Berlin The main vulnerability of the Russian economy appears to be the shortage of the labor force. Russia is now in the state of full employment; there are hardly any possibilities for increasing the output, since it would require new workers—and they are simply not available. Emigration and recruitment of soldiers in the Russian army decrease the labor supply. Importantly, this is not a vulnerability potentially leading to a collapse of the Russian economy; but labor shortage is likely to put an end to the period of economic growth, pushing Russia into stagnation. Maximilian Hess, Fellow, Foreign Policy Research Institute The Kremlin's greatest vulnerability would be losing its oil exports. But Western policymakers won't proceed down this path given the potential risks to global prices and thus their own markets (unless somehow Saudi Arabia can be convinced to run up production dramatically). Realistically, Putin's greatest vulnerability is that Russia remains in a stagflationary environment over the next year and that the economic outlook from there turns even more negative. But while sanctions are vital to ensuring Russia's war machine is limited in the extent of devastation it can cause across Ukraine, we should not look to them to magically defeat Putin or cause him to abandon his megalomaniacal war in the short term. Nevertheless, maintaining them and tweaking them to be ever more effective is paramount to effectively mitigating against the threat of Putin's aggression. Dr. Janis Kluge, Deputy Head of Research Division, Eastern Europe and Eurasia, German Institute for International and Security Affairs (SWP) Russia is very vulnerable to a drop in export revenues. If the U.S. decides to sanction Russian LNG exports or even oil exports, this could be painful for Russia. As Russia's reserve assets are mostly frozen by sanctions, the central bank cannot mitigate a drop in export earnings, so the ruble would drop much further, Russia would experience a recession and inflation would soar. If global oil prices decline significantly, this could happen as well. Dr. Vladislav Inozemtsev, Director, Center for Post-Industrial Studies; Special Advisor to MEMRI's Russia Media Studies Project I would say that Russia's weakness—as well as its strength—lies in the actions undertaken by the ruling bureaucracy. In 2024, the dissociation between the financial authorities and the top leadership has significantly increased compared to, would one say, 2022. If the government undertakes both market and non-market actions (like another selloff of currency proceeds, a freeze of the tariffs of state-own monopolies, and increasing pressure on the banks for lowering the deposit rates), it may succeed in another round of adjusting the economy to war-time realities (similar to one that was made in 2022). If it decides to stick only to liberal market measures, the economy may face dangerous imbalances. Sergei Guriev, Dean and Professor of Economics, London Business School The fiscal situation. Sanctions work and force difficult decisions (raising taxes and interest rates). But Russia continues to circumvent oil sanctions. If the West is serious about defunding Putin's war machine, sanctions enforcement should be tightened. Vladimir Milov, Former Russian Deputy Minister of Energy; Economist and Opposition Politician As to vulnerabilities, it's easier to ask if the Russian economy has any strength left. The inflation/interest rate spiral is killing business confidence, as most Russian enterprises can't survive for too long with current extreme interest rates. Russia is currently 12th in the world by central bank interest rate, we may well enter the worst 10 countries after December 20. On top of that, rapid depletion of the state's financial reserves, wild budget deficits, massive tax hikes effective from January 1 that would further undermine investment and business confidence, plus sanctions, etc. Russia survived for nearly three years since the full-scale invasion of Ukraine due to accumulated reserves and military-driven economic bounce-back, but there are no miracles, sanctions and international isolation are finally beginning to bite. I agree with the central bank that the root problem of inflation is the output gap, supply's inability to catch up with demand—which is a direct result of supply constraints driven by war and sanctions (labor shortages, lack of access to technology and investment).None
SAN DIEGO (AP) — Syracuse coach Fran Brown and Washington State acting coach Pete Kaligis shared a heartfelt hug after their Holiday Bowl news conference on Thursday. Kaligis can certainly use all the support he can get, especially an embrace and some encouraging words from the opposing coach. No. 22 Syracuse (9-3, No. 21 CFP), led by national passing leader Kyle McCord, is a 17-point favorite according to BetMGM in Friday night's Holiday Bowl against the depleted Cougars (8-4), whose season has nosedived since mid-November. After beating future Pac-12 opponent San Diego State 29-26 on Oct. 26 at Snapdragon Stadium, coach Jake Dickert, quarterback John Mateer and the rest of the Cougars were 7-1 and about to jump into The Associated Press Top 25. Now the Cougars are barely recognizable as they return to Snapdragon. Dickert was hired away by Wake Forest, Mateer transferred to Oklahoma and running back Wayshawn Parker left for Utah. Numerous coaches, including the offensive and defensive coordinators, are gone, and more than 20 players have entered the transfer portal. The Cougars, who lost their last three games, are a prime example of how college football's rapidly changing landscape can dramatically affect a program. “Going into the ins-and-outs of the game tomorrow doesn’t matter,” Kaligis said. “We are who we are, we have what we have. I know that’s for both of us.” Kaligis said players who entered the portal after Dickert left can suit up Friday night. “I know we came here with 98 guys. That's who we’re going to show up on the field with.” Kaligis said relationships between players and coaches are more important than ever, even if there's less time to develop trust “and coach them the right way.” “When a staff (member) leaves and guys get in the portal, it’s because of the relationships they have garnered with their position coaches. When that position coach isn’t guaranteed he’s going to be there, that’s who that young man trusts,” Kaligis said. “I’ve been doing this for a long time," he added. "What’s been hard for me, I spent 13 years at Wyoming, I saw three graduating classes. I remember I was the longest-tenured coach there. To see them all the way through. When I came to Wazzu, I was their fourth D-line coach." The Cougs improved to 8-1 by beating Utah State 49-28 on Nov. 9 but then lost three straight, including to Oregon State in the de facto championship game between the two teams left in the Pac-12. They also lost to New Mexico and Wyoming, two of the Mountain West teams that weren't invited to join the reconstituted Pac-12 starting in 2026. McCord, who transferred from Ohio State, rewrote the Orange's record book this season with 4,326 yards passing, 29 touchdowns and 367 completions. He's well within range of breaking Deshaun Watson's ACC single-season record of 4,593, which he set in 15 games in 2016. A win will give Syracuse 10 wins for the first time since 2018 and just the third time since 2000. Brown can become the second Syracuse coach since World War II to record 10 wins in his first season, joining Paul Pasqualoni, who did it in 1991. In their final regular-season game, the Orange rallied from a 21-0 deficit for a 42-38 win against then-No. 6 Miami that knocked the Hurricanes out of ACC title contention and ended their College Football Playoff hopes. McCord threw for 380 yards and three touchdowns. “We want to go out and have a good game,” Brown said. “We have an opportunity of winning 10 games, which means you’re starting to become a successful program, right? Our players haven’t had a chance of winning a bowl game. So there’s a lot of things that are on the line for us to really be able to build our program and being able to move forward.” This will be the teams' second meeting. Syracuse beat Washington State 52-25 in 1979. 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AP college football: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-football-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/college-footballShares of Dentsply Sirona Inc. .css-321ztr-OverridedLink.css-321ztr-OverridedLink:any-link{-webkit-text-decoration:none;text-decoration:none;color:rgba(54,119,168,1);border-bottom:1px solid;border-bottom-color:rgba(54,119,168,1);}.css-321ztr-OverridedLink.css-321ztr-OverridedLink:any-link.css-321ztr-OverridedLink.css-321ztr-OverridedLink:any-link svg{fill:rgba(54,119,168,1);}.css-321ztr-OverridedLink.css-321ztr-OverridedLink:any-link:hover{-webkit-text-decoration:none;text-decoration:none;color:rgba(47,112,157,1);border-bottom:1px solid;border-bottom-color:rgba(47,112,157,1);}.css-321ztr-OverridedLink.css-321ztr-OverridedLink:any-link:hover.css-321ztr-OverridedLink.css-321ztr-OverridedLink:any-link:hover svg{fill:rgba(47,112,157,1);} .css-1vykwuz-OverridedLink{display:inline;color:var(--color-interactiveLink010);-webkit-text-decoration:underline;text-decoration:underline;}@media screen and (prefers-reduced-motion: no-preference){.css-1vykwuz-OverridedLink{transition-property:color,fill;transition-duration:200ms,200ms;transition-timing-function:cubic-bezier(0, 0, .5, 1),cubic-bezier(0, 0, .5, 1);}}@media screen and (prefers-reduced-motion: reduce){.css-1vykwuz-OverridedLink{transition-property:color,fill;transition-duration:0ms;transition-timing-function:cubic-bezier(0, 0, .5, 1),cubic-bezier(0, 0, .5, 1);}}.css-1vykwuz-OverridedLink svg{fill:var(--color-interactiveLink010);}.css-1vykwuz-OverridedLink:hover:not(:disabled){color:var(--color-interactiveLink020);-webkit-text-decoration:underline;text-decoration:underline;}.css-1vykwuz-OverridedLink:hover:not(:disabled) svg{fill:var(--color-interactiveLink020);}.css-1vykwuz-OverridedLink:active:not(:disabled){color:var(--color-interactiveLink030);-webkit-text-decoration:underline;text-decoration:underline;}.css-1vykwuz-OverridedLink:active:not(:disabled) svg{fill:var(--color-interactiveLink030);}.css-1vykwuz-OverridedLink:visited:not(:disabled){color:var(--color-interactiveVisited010);-webkit-text-decoration:underline;text-decoration:underline;}.css-1vykwuz-OverridedLink:visited:not(:disabled) svg{fill:var(--color-interactiveVisited010);}.css-1vykwuz-OverridedLink:visited:hover:not(:disabled){color:var(--color-interactiveVisited010);-webkit-text-decoration:underline;text-decoration:underline;}.css-1vykwuz-OverridedLink:visited:hover:not(:disabled) svg{fill:var(--color-interactiveVisited010);}.css-1vykwuz-OverridedLink:focus-visible:not(:disabled){outline-color:var(--outlineColorDefault);outline-style:var(--outlineStyleDefault);outline-width:var(--outlineWidthDefault);outline-offset:var(--outlineOffsetDefault);}@media not all and (min-resolution: 0.001dpcm){@supports (-webkit-appearance: none) and (stroke-color: transparent){.css-1vykwuz-OverridedLink:focus-visible:not(:disabled){outline-style:var(--safariOutlineStyleDefault);}}}.css-1vykwuz-OverridedLink.css-1vykwuz-OverridedLink:any-link{-webkit-text-decoration:none;text-decoration:none;color:rgba(54,119,168,1);border-bottom:1px solid;border-bottom-color:rgba(54,119,168,1);}.css-1vykwuz-OverridedLink.css-1vykwuz-OverridedLink:any-link.css-1vykwuz-OverridedLink.css-1vykwuz-OverridedLink:any-link svg{fill:rgba(54,119,168,1);}.css-1vykwuz-OverridedLink.css-1vykwuz-OverridedLink:any-link:hover{-webkit-text-decoration:none;text-decoration:none;color:rgba(47,112,157,1);border-bottom:1px solid;border-bottom-color:rgba(47,112,157,1);}.css-1vykwuz-OverridedLink.css-1vykwuz-OverridedLink:any-link:hover.css-1vykwuz-OverridedLink.css-1vykwuz-OverridedLink:any-link:hover svg{fill:rgba(47,112,157,1);} XRAY slipped 2.17% to $19.39 Tuesday, on what proved to be an all-around mixed trading session for the stock market, with the S&P 500 Index SPX rising 0.05% to 6,049.88 and the Dow Jones Industrial Average DJIA falling 0.17% to 44,705.53. The stock's fall snapped a three-day winning streak.Larson Financial Group LLC boosted its stake in BlackRock MuniYield Quality Fund III, Inc. ( NYSE:MYI – Free Report ) by 238.1% during the 3rd quarter, according to its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 6,085 shares of the investment management company’s stock after acquiring an additional 4,285 shares during the quarter. Larson Financial Group LLC’s holdings in BlackRock MuniYield Quality Fund III were worth $73,000 as of its most recent SEC filing. A number of other institutional investors and hedge funds have also recently added to or reduced their stakes in MYI. Hennion & Walsh Asset Management Inc. lifted its holdings in shares of BlackRock MuniYield Quality Fund III by 11.8% in the third quarter. Hennion & Walsh Asset Management Inc. now owns 986,901 shares of the investment management company’s stock valued at $11,843,000 after purchasing an additional 104,304 shares in the last quarter. Van ECK Associates Corp lifted its stake in BlackRock MuniYield Quality Fund III by 17.9% in the 2nd quarter. Van ECK Associates Corp now owns 492,047 shares of the investment management company’s stock valued at $5,501,000 after acquiring an additional 74,557 shares in the last quarter. Raymond James & Associates boosted its position in BlackRock MuniYield Quality Fund III by 2.9% during the 3rd quarter. Raymond James & Associates now owns 439,416 shares of the investment management company’s stock worth $5,273,000 after acquiring an additional 12,335 shares during the last quarter. Melfa Wealth Management Inc. boosted its position in BlackRock MuniYield Quality Fund III by 1.9% during the 3rd quarter. Melfa Wealth Management Inc. now owns 240,790 shares of the investment management company’s stock worth $2,889,000 after acquiring an additional 4,512 shares during the last quarter. Finally, NewEdge Advisors LLC grew its stake in shares of BlackRock MuniYield Quality Fund III by 9.4% during the 2nd quarter. NewEdge Advisors LLC now owns 156,072 shares of the investment management company’s stock worth $1,745,000 after acquiring an additional 13,357 shares in the last quarter. 34.01% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds. BlackRock MuniYield Quality Fund III Price Performance Shares of MYI stock opened at $11.63 on Friday. BlackRock MuniYield Quality Fund III, Inc. has a 12 month low of $10.80 and a 12 month high of $12.07. The company’s fifty day simple moving average is $11.59 and its 200-day simple moving average is $11.42. BlackRock MuniYield Quality Fund III Announces Dividend About BlackRock MuniYield Quality Fund III ( Free Report ) BlackRock MuniYield Quality Fund III, Inc is a closed ended fixed income mutual fund launched by BlackRock, Inc It is managed by BlackRock Advisors, LLC. The fund invests in fixed income markets. It invests primarily in a portfolio of long-term investment-grade municipal obligations exempt from federal income taxes. Read More Want to see what other hedge funds are holding MYI? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for BlackRock MuniYield Quality Fund III, Inc. ( NYSE:MYI – Free Report ). Receive News & Ratings for BlackRock MuniYield Quality Fund III Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for BlackRock MuniYield Quality Fund III and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter .
Two students wounded and gunman dead after shooting at Northern California elementary schoolRussell inherits Qatar pole as Verstappen demoted by grid penaltyCulpeper Schools win inaugural award
PASAY CITY, Philippines , Dec. 26, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- The SM Group is approaching the coming year with cautious optimism, encouraged by the continued growth of the Philippine economy. SM Investments President and Chief Executive Officer Frederic C. DyBuncio said that despite ongoing challenges of peso volatility and higher inflation, the business sector has adapted well. Consistent demand sustained household spending in the third quarter, with Household Final Consumption Expenditure posting a year-on-year growth of 5.1%, maintaining the same level in the same quarter last year, data from the Philippine Statistics Authority showed. "Any moderation in inflation should trigger a strong confidence rebound. This could create opportunities in consumer-focused sectors in the country and we are poised to cater to these evolving demands," Mr. DyBuncio said. To cater to growing demand, SM continues to expand into more underserved areas, contributing to sustainable economic development and collaborating with government stakeholders to enhance access to modern retail, financial services, and integrated property developments. "By investing and expanding to more areas nationwide, SM creates new markets and improves access to these essential sectors, serving more communities and helping stimulate sustained economic activities," he said. Mr. DyBuncio also said SM continues to invest in promising ventures such as renewable energy and logistics, that foster economic activity. SM has invested in the clean energy industry through Philippine Geothermal Production Company (PGPC) which produces 300 Megawatts of geothermal steam supply. SM aims to continue to develop geothermal concessions through PGPC in support of the Department of Energy's goal of reaching 50% renewable energy supply by 2040. To encourage circularity towards green energy production, SM's property arm, SM Prime Holdings partnered with GUUN Co. Ltd. ( GUUN ) to implement the Japanese technique of reducing landfill impact. The technology converts non-recyclable and hard-to-recycle packaging into alternative fuel. SM's banking arm, BDO Unibank is one of the largest funders of renewable energy projects. BDO has funded PHP898 billion in sustainable finance, including loans to 59 renewable energy projects as of December 2023. In logistics and tourism, the improvement of transport networks across the country's archipelago connects tourist and industrial areas that will help create inclusive growth. SM though its subsidiary 2GO launched MV Masigla and MV Masikap in 2024 to help better connect goods to 19 ports across the country including Iloilo, Bacolod, Cagayan de Oro and Manila , further supporting the government's push for medium term growth through an upgraded tourism infrastructure and ecosystem. "Our focus for 2025 will be to drive purposeful growth, empowering communities and partners through our investments towards a sustainable future," Mr. DyBuncio said. View original content to download multimedia: https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/sm-approaches-2025-with-cautious-optimism-302339448.html SOURCE SM Investments CorporationLG Energy Solution Hosts 'Battery Innovation Contest (BIC) 2025' to Foster Breakthrough Battery TechnologiesQatar tribune Tribune News Network doha QNB Group, received the Bank of the Year Qatar award from The Banker magazine, during a ceremony held recently in London to recognise banks across the world, mapping their financial strength and soundness via Tier 1 capital, their profitability and their performance versus their peers. This award comes as a recognition of the QNB’s continuous product development, service quality, wide array of digital banking services, enhanced customer experiences, seamless banking, innovation and technology, and overall performance in the market of Qatar. The award falls under a highly competitive selection process that collects over 1,000 different entities, and it highlights QNB’s exceptional performance in Qatar. Commenting on this award, QNB Group Chief Executive Officer Abdulla Mubarak Al Khalifa said, “We are deeply honoured to be recognised as the best bank in Qatar by The Banker. This prestigious accolade underscores our unwavering commitment to delivering exceptional banking services, driving innovation, and addressing the evolving needs of our clients. At QNB, we are dedicated to excellence and remain steadfast in our mission to contribute to Qatar’s financial growth while setting new benchmarks in the banking industry.” QNB Group is one of the leading financial institutions in the MEA region and among the most valuable banking brands in the regional market. Present in over 28 countries across Asia, Europe, and Africa, it offers tailored products and services supported by innovation and backed by a team of over 31,000 professionals dedicated to driving banking excellence worldwide. Copy 05/12/2024 10