Pope Francis kicks off a yearlong Jubilee that will test his stamina and Rome's patience VATICAN CITY (AP) — Pope Francis has opened the great Holy Door of St. Peter's Basilica. The ceremony kicks off the 2025 Holy Year. It's a celebration of the Catholic Church that is expected to draw some 32 million pilgrims to Rome. And it will test the pope’s stamina and the ability of the Eternal City to welcome them. This begins the Christmas Eve Mass. The ceremony inaugurates the once-every-25-year tradition of a Jubilee. Francis has dedicated the 2025 Jubilee to the theme of hope. Bethlehem marks a second subdued Christmas Eve during the war in Gaza BETHLEHEM, West Bank (AP) — Bethlehem is marking another somber Christmas Eve under the shadow of war in Gaza. Manger Square lacked its usual festive lights and crowds of tourists on Tuesday. Instead, the area outside the Nativity Church was quiet. The church was built atop the spot where Jesus is believed to have been born. The war, the violence in the occupied West Bank it has spurred and the lack of festivities has deeply hurt Bethlehem's economy. The town relies heavily on Christmas tourism. The economy in the West Bank was already reeling because of restrictions placed on laborers preventing them from entering Israel during the war. Heavy travel day starts with brief grounding of all American Airlines flights WASHINGTON (AP) — American Airlines briefly grounded flights nationwide due to a technical problem just as the Christmas travel season kicked into overdrive and winter weather threatened more potential problems for those planning to fly or drive. Government regulators cleared American flights to get airborne Tuesday about one hour after the Federal Aviation Administration ordered a national ground stop, which prevented planes from taking off. American said in an email that the problem was caused by an issue with a vendor technology that maintains its flight operating system. Aviation analytics company Cirium said flights were delayed across American’s major hubs, with only 37% leaving on time. Nineteen flights were cancelled. Middle East latest: Israel expels patients from a hospital in Gaza TEL AVIV, Israel (AP) — The Palestinian Health Ministry says Israeli soldiers raided a hospital in isolated northern Gaza after forcing all the patients and most of the doctors to leave. The Israeli military confirmed its troops had entered the Indonesian Hospital in the town of Jabaliya on Tuesday, as part of an operation searching for Hamas fighters. Winter is hitting the Gaza Strip and many of the nearly 2 million Palestinians displaced by the devastating 15-month war are struggling to protect themselves from the wind, cold and rain. In the occupied West Bank, the Palestinian city of Bethlehem was marking a somber Christmas Eve under the shadow of war in Gaza, with most festivities cancelled and crowds of tourists absent. Caitlin Clark honored as AP Female Athlete of the Year following her impact on women's sports Caitlin Clark has been named the AP Female Athlete of the Year after raising the profile of women’s basketball to unprecedented levels in both college and the WNBA. She led Iowa to the national championship game, was the top pick in the WNBA draft and captured rookie of the year honors in the league. Fans packed sold-out arenas and millions of television viewers followed her journey on and off the court. Clark's exploits also put other women's sports leagues in the spotlight. A group of 74 sports journalists from AP and its members voted on the award. Other athletes who received votes included Olympic gold medalist Simone Biles and boxer Imane Khelif. Clark’s only the fourth women’s basketball player to win the award since it was first given in 1931. Major storm pounds California's central coast, blamed for man's death and partially collapsing pier SANTA CRUZ, Calif. (AP) — A major storm has pounded California’s central coast bringing flooding and high surf that was blamed for fatally trapping a man beneath debris on a beach and later partially collapsing a pier, tossing three people into the Pacific Ocean. The storm was expected to bring hurricane-force winds and waves up to 60 feet Monday as it gained strength from California to the Pacific Northwest. Some California cities have ordered beachfront homes and hotels to evacuate early Monday afternoon. Forecasters have warned that storm swells would continue to increase throughout the day. Medellin Cartel victims demand truth and justice as cartel boss Fabio Ochoa walks free in Colombia BOGOTÁ, Colombia (AP) — The return of the notorious drug trafficker Fabio Ochoa to Colombia, following his deportation from the United States, has reopened old wounds among the victims of the Medellin cartel, with some expressing their dismay at the decision of Colombian authorities to let the former mafia boss walk free.Some of the cartel victims said on Tuesday that they are hoping the former drug lord will at least cooperate with ongoing efforts by human rights groups to investigate one of the most violent periods of Colombia’s history, and demanded that Colombian prosecutors also take Ochoa in for questioning. Man arraigned on murder charges in NYC subway death fanned flames with a shirt, prosecutors say NEW YORK (AP) — Prosecutors say a man accused of burning a woman to death inside a New York City subway train used a shirt to fan the flames, causing her to become engulfed. The suspect, identified by police as Sebastian Zapeta, was arraigned in Brooklyn criminal court on Tuesday. He faces murder charges that could put him in prison for life. Federal immigration officials say 33-year-old Zapeta is a Guatemalan citizen who entered the U.S. illegally after being deported in 2018. The apparently random attack occurred Sunday morning on a stationary F train at the Coney Island station in Brooklyn. Amsterdam court sentences 5 men over violence linked to Ajax-Maccabi soccer game THE HAGUE, Netherlands (AP) — An Amsterdam District Court has issued sentences of up to six months in jail against 5 men who were involved in violent disorder after a soccer match between the Dutch club Ajax and Israel’s Maccabi Tel Aviv in November. The riots caused an international outcry and accusations of deliberate anti-Semitic attacks. The violence following a UEFA Europa League match left 5 people in hospital. More than 60 suspects were detained. The court on Tuesday sentenced one man to 6 months in prison, another to 2 1/2 months, two to 1 month and one to 100 hours of community service.The Best Aldis Hodge Movies And TV Shows, And How To Watch Them
The AP Top 25 men’s college basketball poll is back every week throughout the season! Get the poll delivered straight to your inbox with AP Top 25 Poll Alerts. Sign up here . YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio (AP) — EJ Farmer’s 22 points helped Youngstown State defeat Oakland 66-50 on Saturday. Farmer shot 7 for 13 (5 for 8 from 3-point range) and 3 of 3 from the free-throw line for the Penguins (5-5, 2-0 Horizon League). Nico Galette scored 11 points and added nine rebounds and six assists. Juwan Maxey and Jason Nelson both added 11 points. Allen David Mukeba Jr. led the Golden Grizzlies (3-5, 1-1) in scoring, finishing with 17 points. Tuburu Niavalurua added 12 points for Oakland. D.Q. Cole had 11 points. NEXT UP Up next for Youngstown State is a Saturday matchup with Toledo at home, and Oakland plays Michigan State on Tuesday. ___ The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar .The 15 best beauty buys this year as chosen by YOU (and they start from just £1.22!) Hannah Betts announces the results of Inspire's 2024 Beauty Awards READ MORE: Look chic (not cheap) in sequins: Tess Daly's stylist reveals the golden rules for Strictly showstopping sparkle By HANNAH BETTS FOR THE DAILY MAIL Published: 16:37 EST, 22 December 2024 | Updated: 16:37 EST, 22 December 2024 e-mail View comments What's your favourite Christmas custom? Decorating the tree? A trip to see the lights? Hanging up stockings, perhaps? Regular readers will know that I'm not a huge fan of Yule. My treat to myself next week will be a solo expedition to see Lesley Manville in Oedipus – hardly festive japes. However, there is one tradition that does spark joy for me and that is Inspire's annual beauty awards (along with – I admit it – the suitably dour In the Bleak Midwinter). I adore this festive ritual, a celebration of glamour in which we sift through the year's best beauty boosters. There is no finer feedback on my daubing, spritzing and column-writing year than this collective demonstration of how you feel about it all. And it appears you love this annual deep dive as much as I do, as you voted in your thousands, delivering your verdicts on the very best in beauty. After all, whatever myself and the other judges think, it is your opinion that really matters. The 15 winners of the Inspire Beauty Award's have been revealed Your pick of the crop features classic, old and new Well, the results are in for 2024 – and how utterly fascinating they are. Your pick of the crop features classics, old and new. Under 'old', we have veterans such as Estée Lauder Advanced Night Repair (£65 for 30ml, Boots.com) , the 'little brown bottle' launched in 1982 as the world's first night serum, and, by day, Clinique Moisture Surge (£26 for 30ml) , born six years later, and since spun off into a host of hydrating incarnations. While, by way of the new, you applaud Bobbi Brown Weightless Skin Foundation (£43 ) and Glossier Boy Brow Arch ( £24, uk.glossier.com) , two of the most exciting cosmetic formulas of 2024, both of which hit the shelves in August. Judge and columnist Hannah Betts You are strong on high-street heroes such as Vaseline, Batiste, CeraVe, Kiko and Max Factor. Presumably, this is because you, like me, are spending cautiously and looking after your hard-earned cash. You understand that make-up remover stays on your skin for seconds and is a good product to save on, backing CeraVe Hydrating Cleanser (£12.50 for 236ml, Boots.com) as the winner, closely followed by Garnier Micellar Water (£3.15 for 100ml). Many of us are still strictly budgeting, knowing that in our bargain dry shampoo, lip salve and cleanser, we're also buying the best. That said, yours is a high/low spending philosophy and you also appreciate the morale-boosting impact of acquiring some humdinger at a more indulgent price. THE WINNERS: IN FULL Winner: Foundation/base Bobbi Brown Weightless Skin Foundation £43 Shop Winner: Eyeliner Hildun Beauty Silk to Set Kajal Liner £16 Shop Winner: Eyeshadow Kiko High Pigment Eyeshadow £7.49 Shop Winner: Mascara Max factor masterpiece mascara £12.99 Shop Winner: Brow product Glossier Boy Brow Arch £24 Shop Winner: Blusher/bronzer Bobbi Brown Pot Rouge for Lips & Cheeks £32 Shop Winner: Lip product Vaseline rosy lips £1.22 Shop Winner: Cleanser Cerave Hydrating Cleanser £12.50 Shop Winner: Day cream/serum Clinique Moisture Surge £28 Shop Winner: Night treatment Estee Lauder Advanced Night Repair £65 Shop Winner: Hair hero Batiste Dry Shampoo £3.44 Shop Winner: Beauty tool Tweezerman Slant Tweezers £14 Shop Winner: Bath or shower product Olverum Bath Oil £43.50 Shop Winner: Body/lotion or cream Every & One Multi-tasking Cream £30 Shop Winner: Nail favourite Leighton Denny Nail Polish £12.50 Shop Most thrillingly, my beloved Olverum Bath Oil (from £43.50, libertylondon.com) topped the poll. Meaning 'true oil', and created by a German pharmacologist and a winemaker in 1931, this venerable aromatherapeutic concoction was once a luxury known only to a select few. Its precise formula is a fiercely-guarded secret, but acolytes swear by its therapeutic fusion of eucalyptus, juniper, lime, lemon peel, geranium, Siberian fir needle and rosemary to soothe body and soul. Eight decades after its creation, Mayfair's Barbers by Royal Appointment, Truefitt & Hill, had been asked to carry a small number of bottles for the Royal Household. Naturally, it never revealed who is the blue-blooded Olverum fan. Meaning 'true oil', Olverum was created by a German pharmacologist and a winemaker in 1931 The Hawksley family, founders of beautiful Belgravia perfumer Les Senteurs, came across Olverum in Truefitt & Hill, buying, then relaunching the brand in 2015. A 250ml flacon (£78, libertylondon.com) should see you through fifty baths. I have my eye on the two for £124 offer at bathandunwind.com, or, rather, I hope the supplier of my Christmas stocking does. If you'll allow me a little light trend spotting, your approach to foundation is exemplary. Your winner, Bobbi Brown Weightless Skin Foundation (£43, Boots.com) , really is sensational: a 53-shade, 'real' skin, no-make-up make-up, managing to look even better at the end of a long day than it did at the beginning. It's a youth-in-a-bottle wonder. If you are yet to try it, I suggest you invest. However, the runner up in this category, e.l.f.'s's Halo Glow Liquid Filter Complexion (£15, Boots.com ) is a clever choice too, widely regarded as a dupe for the Charlotte Tilbury Hollywood Flawless Filter (£39, charlottetilbury.com) , one of which sells every two minutes. Both are skincare/make-up hybrids, glow boosters providing a dewy, soft-focus effect across 12 shades. You pays your money, you makes your choice. Whatever this choice, please use your complexion enhancer on top of the Clinique Moisture Surge variant with SPF 25 in it ( £28 for 30ml, boots.com) for daily damage protection, swapping it for something with SPF 50 during sunnier months. You're also a fan of modish kajal liners, Victoria Beckham and Hildun dominating the eye pencil category with 37 per cent to last year's winner, Victoria Beckham Beauty Satin Kajal Liner (£32, victoriabeckhambeauty.com) , and 46 per cent to this year's victor, new-broom Hildun Beauty Silk to Set Kajal Liner (£16, hildunbeauty.co.uk) . Who better than Hildun founder, former beauty journalist Suzy Griffin Dunne, to explain what the term means? Suzy's independent Irish company, Hildun, was founded in 2022 She told me: 'Kajal is a traditional eye make-up that originated in ancient Egypt and the Indian subcontinent. It has a soft and silky texture that glides smoothly on the outer and inner lids. It's great for creating natural, subtle and smoky looks, in addition to defining the waterline. The result is gentle, nourishing and gorgeously richly-pigmented.' Suzy's independent Irish company was founded in 2022. She made it her mission to incorporate key features from the most luxurious cosmetics in the world into Hildun, but at more affordable prices. Your winning £16 Kajal Liners were introduced as part of the brand's first collection. More shades will be added to the current seven in 2025. Their quality is exceptional, obviously rivalling premium brands. What is more, application is super easy, the pigment gliding effortlessly on, then lasting. I have Silk to Set in Navy Nights and Immortal Metallic Eyeliner in Silver on as I type and have to keep pausing to admire myself. The best-selling shades are the browns Pecan and Chocolate, and, as my fellow judge and Hildun champion Ruby Hammer tells us, the industry's professional arm went wild for them. The royal family's make-up artist, Hannah Martin, loved the formula so much she joined forces to create her very own Hildun liner, a sister shade to Pecan, 'Spiced Pecan' which launched in June 2024 and also became a top-seller. Reading between the lines, your overall approach to make-up – your aesthetic, if you will - is beautifully bang up-to-date. You're happy with a barely-there, naturally-augmented look when it comes to mascara and lips, falling back onto high-street basics Max Factor and rosy-tinted Vaseline. However, you add definition, artistry and individual flourish with high-tech blusher - ragingly fashionable in 2024 – in the form of Bobbi Brown Pot Rouge for Lips & Cheeks (£32, bobbibrown.co.uk) , a famously flattering bestseller. Leighton Denny nail polish in shade 'Provocative' Your other great modernising touch is another of my joys of '24, Glossier Boy Brow Arch (£24, uk.glossier.com) . This new phenomenon is the natural-look dream: with a precision tip for hair-like strokes and flat side to fill gaps, long-lasting, water-, smudge- and hot flash-resistant. Good news for the overplucked of the Seventies or Nineties eras, it also comes in grey. Proof, were one to require it, that Glossier is not merely a millennial and Gen Z obsession, but for beauty lovers of all ages. No less reflective of your supreme taste is your penchant for Leighton Denny nail varnish. Mr Denny was the first manicure guru to score an MBE for his great British brilliance. His shades are seriously fabulous: I'll be wearing the limited-edition Opaque Metallic Varnish in Raspberry Crush (£12.50, leightondenny.com) over Yule. But, I also relish the ease of his plant-based, brightening treatment, Nail Illuminator Milky Brightening Nail Polish & Base Coat (£14, leightondenny.com) for the chic, 'no make-up make-up' nail that took flight this year. Meanwhile, I insist that you add all our worthy winners to your Christmas list and wish you an extremely beautiful New Year. Our expert judges verdicts... Millie Kendall, British Beauty Council CEO Millie Kendall, British Beauty Council CEO Whether as a brand founder, consultant or PR, Millie, who is the CEO of the British Beauty Council, has been involved in the industry for almost 40 years. I think this year's results, with wins for Max Factor and Bobbi Brown, and tried and tested products from well-known brands, such as Clinique Moisture Surge and Estee Lauder's Advanced Night Repair, really reflect what I said a few weeks ago. This year we've seen businesses doubling down on the classics, and selling the consumer what she wants — and what she knows works. Yes, you might see Advanced Night Repair beautifully repackaged throughout the year, or given the occasional upgrade as science moves on but Estee Lauder know better than to mess too much with a formula that's been delighting women since 1982. I'm not a big fan of newness for the sake of it. As the co-founder of the Sustainable Beauty Coalition it would be remiss of me to constantly push new things. But that aside I do think there's something really wonderful about iconic and classic products that have become icons for a reason. Because they work, and because nothing better has superseded them. I'm thrilled to see them triumph here. Ruby Hammer MBE Ruby Hammer MBE Make-up artist Ruby, 61, has been a mainstay of the beauty world since the 1980s and launched her beauty range, Ruby Hammer, in 2019. There was me thinking that I was sharing an insider secret when I raved about Hildun eye pencils, and it turns out I'm not the only one to think that they're brilliant. They must be the worst kept secret in the beauty industry judging by how many of you voted for them, and I was pleasantly surprised to see that. But then they're reasonably priced and tick all the boxes, so they're very well deserved winners. This is the second year in a row that Cerave Hydrating Cleanser has won in the cleanser category and that really doesn't surprise me. I used to buy this stuff in the US before it came to the UK and I'm so pleased that it's now available in Boots, Superdrug and every pharmacy up and down the country. It's a wonderful, gentle cleanser for all ages — not just menopausal skin or teens — and a bathroom cabinet staple. And Tweezerman tweezers are another classic. I helped launch them in the UK back in the 1990s and brows have been at the forefront of beauty since. Everyone needs a quality pair of tweezers and I don't think you get better than these. Another worthy winner. rubyhammer.com Katherine Spenley, Inspire Editor Katherine Spenley, Inspire Editor Inspire editor Katherine lives in London with her husband Anthony. As a high/low shopping addict, I'm thrilled to see a crop of brilliant bargains among this year's winners. I have a tin of Vaseline Rosy Lips in every handbag – a make-up artist once told me to dab a little over lipstick to refresh a fading pout without the faff of topping up a vivid colour (great when there's no time to reapply a statement lip without risking smudges!). A solid all-rounder, it's also good alone on a no make-up make-up day . Other subtle, but brilliant, choices include Glossier's Boy Brow Arch. I like an understated eyebrow, and this is great for filling any gaps and giving a really natural result. Along with Hannah and Ruby I'm delighted for Hildun. I find eyeliner tricky to apply, and this really does glide on without pulling, then stays put! (I take mine off with Garnier Micellar Water, which just missed out on a podium place and is a very worthy runner-up). Advertisement Share or comment on this article: The 15 best beauty buys this year as chosen by YOU (and they start from just £1.22!) e-mail Add comment(The Center Square) – U.S. Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Ga., has been appointed to lead a subcommittee dedicated to working with President-elect Donald Trump’s new Department of Government Efficiency. Known as a Republican firebrand and close ally of Trump, Greene has already set her sights on rooting out “every penny of waste and abuse.” “We’ll be looking at everything from government-funded media programs like NPR that spread nothing but Democrat propaganda, we’ll be going into grant programs that fund things like sex apps in Malaysia, toilets in Africa,” she said on a media appearance Sunday morning. The subcommittee will be under the House Committee on Oversight and Accountability, which is chaired by U.S. Rep. James Comer, R-Ky. “We want to make the government more efficient,” Comer said on a media appearance . “We want to work for the taxpayers, not the bureaucrats. We hate the deep state, we’ve dealt with the deep state, we’ve fought the deep state.” He added that Republicans are excited to implement the recommendations of DOGE, which, as an advisory committee, will have to work with Trump and Congress to change policies. “What Trump has ... are willing partners to make government more efficient,” Comer said of Congress. Elon Musk, CEO of X and Tesla Motors, and Vivek Ramaswamy are currently heading up DOGE. “Looking forward to working together with Congress,” Ramaswamy said on social media of Greene’s appointment . “Proper oversight of agencies and public transparency are critical.” DOGE has made it a key part of its plan to address the national debt of $36 trillion. That is $273,000 owed per taxpayer. +5 “This trend must be reversed, and we must balance the budget,” DOGE posted . For her part, Greene has promised to “drain the swamp,” stating that “nothing is off the table” when it comes to holding government agencies like the Pentagon accountable. “Our government should steward every single cent of your hard-earned money,” Greene said. “The DOGE subcommittee will expose the waste and bring truth and transparency to the American people.” Bureaucrats and independent contractors will also be on the chopping block, in what Greene called a “once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to make real transformational change to government to benefit the American people.” “In the private sector, if you’re not doing a good job, you get fired,” she said on social media . “But for some reason, in government, bad employees – whether they’re failing to do the job they were hired to do or working in roles that are no longer needed – never get fired. This is incredibly unfair to the hard-working taxpayers of our country, and it’s about to change.” Recently, an audit of the IRS found that its employees and contractors owe millions in taxes, all while the agency warned thousands of taxpayers that they could face jail time. “The same unelected IRS government employees and contractors, who owe $50 million in unpaid taxes, would throw Americans in jail for not paying their taxes,” Greene said of the audit . “Time to hold them all accountable.” Greene also addressed Democrats' accusations that the subcommittee will go after programs like Social Security. “No, Senator Warren, we are not going to take away a senior’s Social Security. That’s a lie,” Greene responded on social media . “We are going to investigate all areas of the federal government like CFPB, an ‘independent’ agency inside the federal government. Beholden to no one. Ran by unelected bureaucrats.”
South Korea’s main opposition Democratic Party leader Lee Jae-myung, bottom center, shouts slogans during a news conference with his party members at the National Assembly in Seoul, South Korea, on Saturday. The signs read “Punish the rebellion leader.” Ahn Young-joon/Associated Press SEOUL, South Korea — South Korea’s embattled President Yoon Suk Yeol avoided an opposition-led attempt to impeach him over his short-lived imposition of martial law, as most ruling party lawmakers boycotted a parliamentary vote Saturday to deny a two-thirds majority needed to suspend his presidential powers. The scrapping of the motion is expected to intensify 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 People Power Party, but the party is also determined to oppose Yoon’s impeachment, apparently because it fears losing the presidency to liberals. After the motion fell through, members of the main liberal opposition Democratic Party rallied inside the National Assembly, chanting slogans calling for Yoon’s impeachment or resignation. The party’s floor leader, Park Chan-dae, said it will soon prepare for a new impeachment motion. Opposition parties could submit a new impeachment motion after a new parliamentary session opens next Wednesday. “We’ll surely impeach Yoon Suk Yeol, who is the greatest risk to Republic of Korea,” party leader Lee Jae-myung said. “We’ll surely bring back this country to normal before Christmas Day or year’s end.” Many experts doubt Yoon will be able to serve out his remaining 2 1⁄2 years in office. They say some PPP lawmakers could eventually join opposition parties’ efforts to impeach Yoon if public demands for it grow further. The ruling party risks “further public outrage and national confusion if they don’t find a formula fast for Yoon’s departure,” said Duyeon Kim, a senior analyst at the Center for New American Security in Washington. PPP chair Han Dong-hun said his party will seek Yoon’s “orderly” early exit but didn’t say when he can resign. PROTESTS AGAINST YOON ARE SWELLING On Saturday, tens of thousands of people packed several blocks of roads leading to the National Assembly, waving banners, shouting slogans and dancing. Protesters also gathered in front of PPP’s headquarters near the Assembly, 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 elsewhere in Seoul, calling the impeachment attempt unconstitutional. Impeaching Yoon required support from 200 of the National Assembly’s 300 members. The Democratic Party and five other small opposition parties, which filed the motion, have 192 seats combined. 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. 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. PRESIDENT APOLOGIZES FOR TURMOIL Earlier Saturday, Yoon issued an 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 it. 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 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 declaration of martial law was the first of its kind in more than 40 years in South Korea. The turmoil has paralyzed South Korean politics and sparked alarm among key diplomatic partners like the U.S. and Japan. “Yoon’s credibility overseas has been undermined by declaring martial law, so he won’t be able to exercise leadership in his foreign policies especially when his days are numbered,” said Kim, the Center for a New American Security analyst. “Its government bureaucracy will need to continue business as usual for existing alliance and foreign policy initiatives as best it can because there is a lot of important work to do globally.” Tuesday night saw special forces troops encircle the parliament building as army helicopters hovered overhead, but the military withdrew after the National Assembly unanimously voted to overturn the decree, forcing Yoon to lift martial law before daybreak Wednesday. Eighteen lawmakers from the ruling party voted to reject Yoon’s martial law decree along with opposition lawmakers. PPP later decided to oppose Yoon’s impeachment motion. 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 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.” Lawmakers on Saturday first voted on a bill appointing a special prosecutor to investigate stock price manipulation allegations surrounding Yoon’s wife. YOON ACCUSED OF ORDERING POLITICIANS’ ARRESTS On Friday, Han, the PPP chair 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 unspecified key politicians based on accusations of “anti-state activities.” Hong Jang-won, first deputy director of South Korea’s spy agency, told lawmakers Friday that Yoon had ordered him to help the defense counterintelligence unit to detain key politicians, including the ruling party leader, the main opposition party leader and the speaker of the National Assembly. 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. Opposition parties accused Kim of recommending to Yoon to enforce martial law. Kim Yong Hyun resigned as defense minister Thursday, and prosecutors imposed an overseas travel ban on him. We invite you to add your comments. We encourage a thoughtful exchange of ideas and information on this website. By joining the conversation, you are agreeing to our commenting policy and terms of use . More information is found on our FAQs . You can modify your screen name here . Comments are managed by our staff during regular business hours Monday through Friday as well as limited hours on Saturday and Sunday. Comments held for moderation outside of those hours may take longer to approve. Please sign into your Sun Journal account to participate in conversations below. If you do not have an account, you can register or subscribe . Questions? Please see our FAQs . Your commenting screen name has been updated. Send questions/comments to the editors. « Previous Next »St. Louis County Clerk charged with forgery, misdemeanor chargesThe City of Sault Ste. Marie is providing an update on its response to the large amount of snow that has fallen over the last few days and the snow that’s on the way. “Cutting snowpack on the arterial and collector roadways is completed,” the city said in a social media post on Tuesday afternoon. “We are aware that the subdivisions and sidewalks require additional attention. Public works staff will be working through these areas this evening into the morning,” the Facebook post said. There is snow forecasted through the night “that may divert operators back on the arterial roadways. We do thank you for your ongoing patience.”
JERUSALEM — The ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon’s Hezbollah militants began early Wednesday as a region on edge wondered whether it will hold. The ceasefire announced Tuesday is a major step toward ending nearly 14 months of fighting sparked by the ongoing war in Gaza between Israel and Hamas. Israel said it will attack if Hezbollah breaks the ceasefire agreement. The ceasefire calls for an initial two-month halt to fighting and requires Hezbollah to end its armed presence in southern Lebanon, while Israeli troops are to return to their side of the border. An international panel led by the United States will monitor compliance. The ceasefire began at 4 a.m. Wednesday, a day after Israel carried out its most intense wave of airstrikes in Beirut since the start of the conflict that in recent weeks turned into all-out war. At least 42 people were killed in strikes across the country, according to local authorities. The ceasefire does not address the devastating war in Gaza, where Hamas is still holding dozens of hostages and the conflict is more intractable. There appeared to be lingering disagreement over whether Israel would have the right to strike Hezbollah if it believed the militants had violated the agreement, something Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu insisted was part of the deal but which Lebanese and Hezbollah officials have rejected. Israel's security Cabinet approved the U.S.-France-brokered ceasefire agreement after Netanyahu presented it, his office said. U.S. President Joe Biden, speaking in Washington, called the agreement “good news” and said his administration would make a renewed push for a ceasefire in Gaza. The Biden administration spent much of this year trying to broker a ceasefire and hostage release in Gaza but the talks repeatedly sputtered to a halt. President-elect Donald Trump has vowed to bring peace to the Middle East without saying how. Still, any halt to the fighting in Lebanon is expected to reduce the likelihood of war between Israel and Iran, which backs both Hezbollah and Hamas and exchanged direct fire with Israel on two occasions earlier this year. Netanyahu presented the ceasefire proposal to Cabinet ministers after a televised address in which he listed accomplishments against Israel’s enemies across the region. He said a ceasefire with Hezbollah would further isolate Hamas in Gaza and allow Israel to focus on its main enemy, Iran. “If Hezbollah breaks the agreement and tries to rearm, we will attack,” he said. “For every violation, we will attack with might.” The ceasefire deal calls for a two-month initial halt in fighting and would require Hezbollah to end its armed presence in a broad swath of southern Lebanon, while Israeli troops would return to their side of the border. Thousands of additional Lebanese troopsand U.N. peacekeepers would deploy in the south, and an international panel headed by the United States would monitor compliance. Biden said Israel reserved the right to quickly resume operations in Lebanon if Hezbollah breaks the terms of the truce, but that the deal "was designed to be a permanent cessation of hostilities.” Netanyahu’s office said Israel appreciated the U.S. efforts in securing the deal but “reserves the right to act against every threat to its security.” Lebanon’s caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati welcomed the ceasefire and described it as a crucial step toward stability and the return of displaced people. Hezbollah has said it accepts the proposal, but a senior official with the group said Tuesday it had not seen the agreement in its final form. “After reviewing the agreement signed by the enemy government, we will see if there is a match between what we stated and what was agreed upon by the Lebanese officials,” Mahmoud Qamati, deputy chair of Hezbollah’s political council, told the Al Jazeera news network. “We want an end to the aggression, of course, but not at the expense of the sovereignty of the state," he said, referring to Israel's demand for freedom of action. “Any violation of sovereignty is refused.” Even as ceasefire efforts gained momentum in recent days, Israel continued to strike what it called Hezbollah targets across Lebanon while the militants fired rockets, missiles and drones across the border. An Israeli strike on Tuesday leveled a residential building in central Beirut — the second time in recent days warplanes have hit the crowded area near downtown. At least seven people were killed and 37 wounded, according to Lebanon's Health Ministry. Israel also struck a building in Beirut's bustling commercial district of Hamra for the first time, hitting a site around 400 meters (yards) from Lebanon’s Central Bank. There were no reports of casualties. The Israeli military said it struck targets linked to Hezbollah's financial arm. The evacuation warnings covered many areas, including parts of Beirut that previously were not targeted. Residents fled. Traffic was gridlocked, with mattresses tied to some cars. Dozens of people, some wearing pajamas, gathered in a central square, huddling under blankets or standing around fires as Israeli drones buzzed overhead. Israeli military spokesman Avichay Adraee issued evacuation warnings for 20 buildings in Beirut's southern suburbs, where Hezbollah has a major presence, as well as a warning for the southern town of Naqoura where the U.N. peacekeeping mission, UNIFIL, is headquartered. UNIFIL spokesperson Andrea Tenenti said peacekeepers will not evacuate. The Israeli military also said its ground troops clashed with Hezbollah forces and destroyed rocket launchers in the Slouqi area on the eastern end of the Litani River, a few kilometers (miles) from the Israeli border. Under the ceasefire deal, Hezbollah is required to move its forces north of the Litani, which in some places is about 30 kilometers (20 miles) north of the border. Hezbollah began firing into northern Israel on Oct. 8, 2023, saying it was showing support for the Palestinians, a day after Hamas carried out its attack on southern Israel, triggering the Gaza war. Israel returned fire on Hezbollah, and the two sides have exchanged barrages ever since. Israel escalated its bombardment in mid-September and later sent troops into Lebanon, vowing to put an end to Hezbollah fire so tens of thousands of evacuated Israelis could return to their homes. More than 3,760 people have been killed by Israeli fire in Lebanon the past 13 months, many of them civilians, according to Lebanese health officials. The bombardment has driven 1.2 million people from their homes. Israel says it has killed more than 2,000 Hezbollah members. Hezbollah fire has forced some 50,000 Israelis to evacuate in the country’s north, and its rockets have reached as far south in Israel as Tel Aviv. At least 75 people have been killed, more than half of them civilians. More than 50 Israeli soldiers have died in the ground offensive in Lebanon. Chehayeb and Mroue reported from Beirut and Federman from Jerusalem. Associated Press reporters Lujain Jo and Sally Abou AlJoud in Beirut and Aamer Madhani in Washington contributed.The 44-year-old Loggains replaces Shawn Clark, who was fired Monday after the Mountaineers finished 5-6 for their first losing season since 2013. Loggains was South Carolina's offensive coordinator for two seasons and an assistant at Arkansas, his alma mater, for two seasons before that. He spent 16 years in the NFL as offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach for Tennessee, Cleveland, Chicago, Miami and the New York Jets. “He brings experience as a leader and play-caller at the highest levels of professional and college football," Gillin said. "He is a great recruiter and believes strongly in building relationships. He is aligned with our core values of academic integrity, competitive excellence, social responsibility and world-class experience. This is a great day for App State.” Loggains' offense at South Carolina featured LaNorris Sellers, one of the nation's top dual-threat quarterbacks, and running back Raheim “Rocket” Sanders. Sellers and Sanders led the Southeastern Conference's third-ranked rushing offense. Loggains spent the 2021 and 2022 seasons as Arkansas' tight ends coach, and he worked with Sam Darnold, Jay Cutler, Mitchell Trubisky, Brian Hoyer and Vince Young during his time in the NFL. The Mountaineers, the preseason favorites in the Sun Belt Conference's East Division, tied for fifth with a 3-5 record in league play. App State was 40-24 under Clark, but the Mountaineers have failed to reach a bowl game two of the past three seasons. Get poll alerts and updates on the AP Top 25 throughout the season. Sign up here . AP college football: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-football-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/college-football
(The Center Square) – U.S. Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Ga., has been appointed to lead a subcommittee dedicated to working with President-elect Donald Trump’s new Department of Government Efficiency. Known as a Republican firebrand and close ally of Trump, Greene has already set her sights on rooting out “every penny of waste and abuse.” “We’ll be looking at everything from government-funded media programs like NPR that spread nothing but Democrat propaganda, we’ll be going into grant programs that fund things like sex apps in Malaysia, toilets in Africa,” she said on a media appearance Sunday morning. The subcommittee will be under the House Committee on Oversight and Accountability, which is chaired by U.S. Rep. James Comer, R-Ky. “We want to make the government more efficient,” Comer said on a media appearance . “We want to work for the taxpayers, not the bureaucrats. We hate the deep state, we’ve dealt with the deep state, we’ve fought the deep state.” He added that Republicans are excited to implement the recommendations of DOGE, which, as an advisory committee, will have to work with Trump and Congress to change policies. “What Trump has ... are willing partners to make government more efficient,” Comer said of Congress. Elon Musk, CEO of X and Tesla Motors, and Vivek Ramaswamy are currently heading up DOGE. “Looking forward to working together with Congress,” Ramaswamy said on social media of Greene’s appointment . “Proper oversight of agencies and public transparency are critical.” DOGE has made it a key part of its plan to address the national debt of $36 trillion. That is $273,000 owed per taxpayer. More from this section “This trend must be reversed, and we must balance the budget,” DOGE posted . For her part, Greene has promised to “drain the swamp,” stating that “nothing is off the table” when it comes to holding government agencies like the Pentagon accountable. “Our government should steward every single cent of your hard-earned money,” Greene said. “The DOGE subcommittee will expose the waste and bring truth and transparency to the American people.” Bureaucrats and independent contractors will also be on the chopping block, in what Greene called a “once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to make real transformational change to government to benefit the American people.” “In the private sector, if you’re not doing a good job, you get fired,” she said on social media . “But for some reason, in government, bad employees – whether they’re failing to do the job they were hired to do or working in roles that are no longer needed – never get fired. This is incredibly unfair to the hard-working taxpayers of our country, and it’s about to change.” Recently, an audit of the IRS found that its employees and contractors owe millions in taxes, all while the agency warned thousands of taxpayers that they could face jail time. “The same unelected IRS government employees and contractors, who owe $50 million in unpaid taxes, would throw Americans in jail for not paying their taxes,” Greene said of the audit . “Time to hold them all accountable.” Greene also addressed Democrats' accusations that the subcommittee will go after programs like Social Security. “No, Senator Warren, we are not going to take away a senior’s Social Security. That’s a lie,” Greene responded on social media . “We are going to investigate all areas of the federal government like CFPB, an ‘independent’ agency inside the federal government. Beholden to no one. Ran by unelected bureaucrats.”Netanyahu's office says his security Cabinet has approved ceasefire deal with Hezbollah
Trump team signs agreement to allow Justice to conduct background checks on nominees, staff
Police experts are questioning whether Worcester officers accused of illegal sex acts will face consequences. The Worcester Police Department was rocked by a blistering 41-page report by the U.S. Department of Justice earlier this month that said police engaged in illegal sex acts with prostituted women that in several cases they went on to arrest, and used excessive force and racial bias in their policing. But DOJ officials clarified at a community meeting on Wednesday that their report is civil, not criminal. Filing charges was not within investigators’ purview and instead any evidence of criminal behavior has been forwarded to criminal assistant U.S. attorneys. Mass. Gov. Maura Healey said in an interview with MassLive on Friday that the situation in Worcester highlights the importance of the state’s new Peace Officers Standards and Training (POST) Commission , which certifies officers and can bar those it decertifies from future police work in Massachusetts. “The allegations are very alarming,” said Healey, who previously served as the state’s Attorney General. “And it’s important that the work continues by the city and POST.” Yet, the question remains: Will this report spark real change? Putting the burden on survivors For Jane Anderson, a former prosecutor with experience in human trafficking, sexual assault, and domestic violence cases, how some Worcester officials have responded to the report offers hints as to how things might progress. The first response to the report came from outside attorney Brian Kelly, who called the report “unfair, inaccurate, and biased” and further said the report used “anonymous allegations that serve to unfairly defame an entire police department.” Kelly was hired by the city and his statement was approved by the city manager . Worcester police union officials later used similar language to attack the report . Calling the Worcester DOJ report, or any such report detailing sexual assault, into question over “anecdotal” evidence, “means that you’re dismissing disclosures by victims,” and “puts the burden on a survivor or victim to say, ‘What is enough for you?’” Anderson said. Anderson works for AEquitas , a nonprofit group that aims to better prosecution practices in gender-based violence and human trafficking. While she could not comment on specifics of the DOJ report, Anderson offered a broad insight into the legalities and realities of cases like Worcester’s. “Perpetrators of sexual assault, of human trafficking, they can formulate what we sometimes refer to as the ‘perfect plan,’” Anderson explained. “That ‘perfect plan’ is to abuse and exploit — and get away with it. That ‘perfect plan’ includes finding somebody that is accessible, is vulnerable or you can instill a vulnerability in. And it will be someone that you think will never tell anybody — or if they do tell somebody, they won’t be believed,” she said. Multiple women told DOJ investigators that Worcester police officers engaged in unwanted sexual contact with them during undercover operations, took advantage of them sexually in vulnerable situations, and threatened arrest if they did not perform sex acts, according to the report. Besides body camera footage — accountability technology that was only adopted in Worcester in 2023 — a victim’s words may sometimes be the only evidence in a law enforcement sexual assault case, and therefore become even more important in these types of cases, Anderson said. Out of time? In his initial statement on behalf of the city, attorney Kelly accused federal officials of “racing to publish an inaccurate report before the change in presidential administrations.” Thomas Nolan , a former Boston Police lieutenant and Boston University criminal justice professor, fears the entire “issue will likely become moot” due to that change in administration. The report was prepared by the Department of Justice under President Joe Biden but will move forward through the Department of Justice under President-elect Donald Trump. “I don’t see a good outcome for victims here. That is, unless there’s somebody at the federal level who is willing to pick up the ball ... and move this case forward,” Nolan said. Nolan cited former Attorney General Jeffrey Sessions’ past communications in 2017 after Donald Trump first took office. “One of his first orders of business was... to communicate to law enforcement agencies throughout the country that the federal government, and the DOJ in particular, had no interest in assuming any oversight role of any local police departments,” Nolan said. He added that he expects the same policy to start up again in 2025. Representatives for the incoming Trump administration did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the report on Worcester’s police. Nolan said there will be “no mechanism with which the DOJ can coerce, cajole or in any way compel the city of Worcester and the Worcester Police Department to do anything.” The police department’s authority figures — including the chief — likely enabled the problems laid out in the report to persist, Nolan said. “This type of behavior... can’t go on without the cadre of leadership being aware of this, and tacitly approving it and condoning it. [A police department] doesn’t operate in a vacuum,” Nolan said. Two Worcester Police unions released statements that called the report “inaccurate,” but also said the “experiences of these women are important and should be investigated.” Nolan said the unions’ comments on wanting to get to the bottom of investigations were “disingenuous.” “The mayor knows this, and especially the police union knows this, that they’re not going to give the names of victims who’ve reported being sexually assaulted to the Department of Justice, or to the police who failed to investigate it or prevent it in the first place,” Nolan said. State and local consequences Dennis Galvin, president of police reform advocacy group Massachusetts Association for Professional Law Enforcement (MAPLE), predicts that there will be consequences at the state and local level. Galvin, who retired at the rank of Massachusetts State Police major after 29 years in 2004, believes there’s no way the Worcester officers will go unchecked after the allegations because of the newly-implemented POST Commision. “The chief is going to have to work with the POST Commission because these are serious allegations. Whenever there’s an allegation of criminal activity, it’s no longer where they can keep it in-house,” Galvin said. Newly implemented police reform laws will require Worcester police to have a written investigation with a written finding including testimony and evidence, Galvin said. In discussion of how this could have happened, Galvin named a preventative measure called Early Intervention Systems (EIS) , a data-driven tool used by departments to check for officer misconduct by looking at performance indicators like use of force, citizen complaints and arrests. Intervention like additional training and counseling can happen as a result. The Worcester Police Department implemented EIS in 2008, according to a document about the initiative on the department’s “Policies & Procedures” webpage. The document was updated in 2015 to include “triggering criteria” where an officer would be flagged for their behavior. In a statement to MassLive, WPD spokesperson Joe Cersosimo said the EIS system is still in place and “only one part of the system that promotes accountability,” and that “policy review is an ongoing business to stay current professionally.” The DOJ report accused Worcester of not having “proper controls” in place, “including strong policies, training, and supervisory techniques” to initially prevent officers’ behavior, and that there was nothing to stop the same problems from happening in the future. If the Worcester department “were mindful of the ways they did business, the allegations... would never have occurred in the first place,” Nolan said. Due process Anderson — of AEquitas — said it was appropriate to have the involvement of federal officials in Worcester due to provisions in the U.S. Constitution. Anderson brought up a webinar hosted in 2021 by AEquitas, which invited DOJ members to discuss the exploitative relationship dynamic between sexual offenders when they are law enforcement members and their victims, and how that violence is prosecuted. Sexual contact from a police officer directed toward a person in their custody violates that person’s constitutional right in the 14th Amendment and causes the case to fall under federal jurisdiction, an AEquitas speaker explained. This is because the Amendment’s “due process clause has been held to include the right to bodily integrity.” Action taken against offending police officers can be carried out in a few different ways, Anderson explained. This includes the possibility of a federal criminal justice process that would result in charges, or if a police department took internal administrative disciplinary action — both of which could happen concurrently in a case like this, Anderson said. “There’s probably going to be some background conversations about, ‘Who should go first?’” Anderson said of cases like Worcester’s. But the question of who will be having those conversations is still unknown, she said, meaning there’s not yet a clear answer on when, or if, there will be arrests of officers in Worcester stemming from the DOJ report. According to the Department of Justice, the next step is for the department to begin negotiations with the Worcester Police Department and city officials to create some type of agreement stipulating what reforms the police department will adopt and how and when they will adopt them, Assistant Massachusetts U.S. Attorney Michelle Leung told a group of community members during a breakout session on Wednesday. “This makes sure that it’s serious. It’s not just a verbal promise,” she said. As for criminal charges, criminal assistant U.S. attorneys to whom Justice Department officials said they had passed on information, decide on their own whether to open a case and file charges. DOJ officials declined to comment on any criminal investigations related to the investigation into Worcester police and refrained from confirming whether any such investigations are taking place. More Worcester Stories
Bulls On Tap Tasting Flight: Chicago Bulls News for Nov. 26, 2024
NoneToday's fortune: Dec. 25, 2024 Published: 25 Dec. 2024, 07:00 Audio report: written by reporters, read by AI Read what today holds in store for you under the 12 signs of the zodiac, each represented by an animal. Our astrologer Cho Ku-moon explores saju (the four pillars of destiny) and geomancy for your prospects on wealth, health and love while offering advice on the direction of your luck and fortune. Check the year of your birth for today’s prediction. Wednesday, Dec. 25, 2024 (Nov. 25 on the lunar calendar) Rat Wealth: average Health: average Love: jealous Lucky direction: east 1936: Aim for a balanced and moderate lifestyle. 1948: Too many responsibilities may lead to instability. 1960: Stay neutral in conflicts and maintain composure. 1972: Navigate tricky situations with care and fairness. 1984: Act promptly to stay ahead. 1996: Embrace your unique qualities. Ox Wealth: fair Health: good Love: joyful Lucky direction: north 1937: You may encounter cheerful and surprising moments. 1949: Positive events might uplift your home environment. 1961: Financial opportunities could come your way. 1973: Gains may outweigh losses. 1985: Efforts are likely to yield favorable results. 1997: Beneficial or profitable activities may arise. Tiger Wealth: fair Health: good Love: romantic Lucky direction: east 1938: A desire to show love and care fills your heart. 1950: Cherish the loved ones who are close to you. 1962: Appreciate your partner. 1974: People or things might resonate deeply with you. 1986: Enjoy meaningful conversations with loved ones. 1998: Recharge your emotional energy with heartfelt moments. Rabbit Wealth: fair Health: good Love: joyful Lucky direction: southwest 1939: Feel rejuvenated, forget about age or time. 1951: A refreshing, cheerful day awaits. 1963: Take action — the doors will open. 1975: Dreams have the potential to come true. 1987: Expect favorable financial connections. 1999: A glimmer of hope may arise in career or studies. Dragon Wealth: spending Health: cautious Love: conflicted Lucky direction: north 1940: There are unnecessary concerns about the world. 1952: Avoid acting out of emotion or obligation. 1964: When in doubt, seek solace in reflection or prayer. 1976: Hold back from saying something you might regret. 1988: Don’t let minor irritations disrupt your day. 2000: Avoid wandering out late without purpose. Snake Wealth: spending Health: average Love: social Lucky direction: north 1941: Be cautious of overly friendly individuals. 1953: Explore spiritual or classic teachings for wisdom. 1965: Relationships often serve practical needs. 1977: You may hear news about relatives. 1989: Balance cost-effectiveness with personal preferences. 2001: Avoid unnecessary meetings or gatherings. Horse Wealth: average Health: cautious Love: strained Lucky direction: west 1942: People’s lives share more similarities than differences. 1954: What’s frustrating to see might be intriguing in absence. 1966: Don’t dwell on past mistakes or regrets. 1978: Spend the day resting at home for peace of mind. 1990: Sometimes taking a small loss is better in the long run. 2002: Recognize the difference between dreams and reality. Sheep Wealth: fair Health: good Love: happy Lucky direction: east 1943: Letting go of old burdens creates room for new blessings. 1955: Prayer or reflection may soothe your mind. 1967: Happiness begins with a positive mindset. 1979: Today is the best day — embrace it fully. 1991: Both your body and spirit may feel renewed with joy. 2003: Small, certain joys await you today. Monkey Wealth: average Health: average Love: generous Lucky direction: south 1944: Let your children handle their affairs independently. 1956: Revisit nostalgic childhood memories. 1968: You may give or receive a meaningful gift. 1980: Prioritize practicality over extravagance in gift-giving. 1992: A well-placed compliment can inspire greatness. 2004: Extend or receive help — kindness is reciprocated. Rooster Wealth: average Health: average Love: generous Lucky direction: south 1945: You might receive filial gratitude or enjoy treats. 1957: Giving generously may bring future blessings. 1969: Mutual support fosters better living. 1981: Take time off work to focus on family. 1993: Choose warm, comfortable attire over style. 2005: Music can bring joy — listen to your favorite tunes. Dog Wealth: fair Health: good Love: joyful Lucky direction: west 1946: It’s okay to boast about your children or achievements. 1958: Take pride in the life you’ve built. 1970: You may find joy in unexpected ways today. 1982: Send heartfelt messages or calls to loved ones. 1994: Enjoy quality time with friends or a romantic date. 2006: Approach challenges with self-confidence. Pig Wealth: excellent Health: strong Love: united Lucky direction: north 1935: Small streams create mighty rivers. 1947: Family gatherings bring warmth and connection. 1959: A bustling household indicates positive energy. 1971: Great things require collective effort. 1983: Today may feel filled with happiness and contentment. 1995: Heartfelt connections will foster harmony. 2007: Build strong relationships.
'Duck Dynasty' star Phil Robertson diagnosed with Alzheimer's, family confirmsFederal prosecutors in Los Angeles this week unsealed criminal charges against five men alleged to be members of a hacking group responsible for dozens of cyber intrusions at major U.S. technology companies between 2021 and 2023, including LastPass , MailChimp , Okta , T-Mobile and Twilio . The five men, aged 20 to 25, are allegedly members of a hacking conspiracy dubbed “ Scattered Spider ” and “ Oktapus ,” which specialized in SMS-based phishing attacks that tricked employees at tech firms into entering their credentials and one-time passcodes at phishing websites. The targeted SMS scams asked employees to click a link and log in at a website that mimicked their employer’s Okta authentication page. Some SMS phishing messages told employees their VPN credentials were expiring and needed to be changed; other phishing messages advised employees about changes to their upcoming work schedule. These attacks leveraged newly-registered domains that often included the name of the targeted company, such as twilio-help[.]com and ouryahoo-okta[.]com . The phishing websites were normally kept online for just one or two hours at a time, meaning they were often yanked offline before they could be flagged by anti-phishing and security services. The phishing kits used for these campaigns featured a hidden Telegram instant message bot that forwarded any submitted credentials in real-time. The bot allowed the attackers to use the phished username, password and one-time code to log in as that employee at the real employer website. In August 2022, multiple security firms gained access to the server that was receiving data from that Telegram bot, which on several occasions leaked the Telegram ID and handle of its developer, who used the nickname “ Joeleoli .” That Joeleoli moniker registered on the cybercrime forum OGusers in 2018 with the email address joelebruh@gmail.com , which also was used to register accounts at several websites for a Joel Evans from North Carolina. Indeed, prosecutors say Joeleoli’s real name is Joel Martin Evans , and he is a 25-year-old from Jacksonville, North Carolina. One of Scattered Spider’s first big victims in its 2022 SMS phishing spree was Twilio , a company that provides services for making and receiving text messages and phone calls. The group then used their access to Twilio to attack at least 163 of its customers. According to prosecutors, the group mainly sought to steal cryptocurrency from victim companies and their employees. “The defendants allegedly preyed on unsuspecting victims in this phishing scheme and used their personal information as a gateway to steal millions in their cryptocurrency accounts,” said Akil Davis , the assistant director in charge of the FBI’s Los Angeles field office. Many of the hacking group’s phishing domains were registered through the registrar NameCheap , and FBI investigators said records obtained from NameCheap showed the person who managed those phishing websites did so from an Internet address in Scotland. The feds then obtained records from Virgin Media, which showed the address was leased for several months to Tyler Buchanan , a 22-year-old from Dundee, Scotland. As first reported here in June , Buchanan was arrested in Spain as he tried to board a flight bound for Italy. The Spanish police told local media that Buchanan, who allegedly went by the alias “ Tylerb ,” at one time possessed Bitcoins worth $27 million. The government says much of Tylerb’s cryptocurrency wealth was the result of successful SIM-swapping attacks, wherein crooks transfer the target’s phone number to a device they control and intercept any text messages or phone calls sent to the victim — including one-time passcodes for authentication, or password reset links sent via SMS. According to several SIM-swapping channels on Telegram where Tylerb was known to frequent, rival SIM-swappers hired thugs to invade his home in February 2023. Those accounts state that the intruders assaulted Tylerb’s mother in the home invasion, and that they threatened to burn him with a blowtorch if he didn’t give up the keys to his cryptocurrency wallets. Tylerb was reputed to have fled the United Kingdom after that assault. Prosecutors allege Tylerb worked closely on SIM-swapping attacks with Noah Michael Urban , another alleged Scattered Spider member from Palm Coast, Fla. who went by the handles “ Sosa ,” “ Elijah ,” and “ Kingbob .” Sosa was known to be a top member of the broader cybercriminal community online known as “ The Com ,” wherein hackers boast loudly about high-profile exploits and hacks that almost invariably begin with social engineering — tricking people over the phone, email or SMS into giving away credentials that allow remote access to corporate networks. In January 2024, KrebsOnSecurity broke the news that Urban had been arrested in Florida in connection with multiple SIM-swapping attacks. That story noted that Sosa’s alter ego Kingbob routinely targeted people in the recording industry to steal and share “grails,” a slang term used to describe unreleased music recordings from popular artists. FBI investigators identified a fourth alleged member of the conspiracy – Ahmed Hossam Eldin Elbadawy , 23, of College Station, Texas — after he used a portion of cryptocurrency funds stolen from a victim company to pay for an account used to register phishing domains. The indictment unsealed Wednesday alleges Elbadawy controlled a number of cryptocurrency accounts used to receive stolen funds, along with another Texas man — Evans Onyeaka Osiebo , 20, of Dallas. Members of Scattered Spider are reputed to have been involved in a September 2023 ransomware attack against the MGM Resorts hotel chain that quickly brought multiple MGM casinos to a standstill. In September 2024, KrebsOnSecurity reported that a 17-year-old from the United Kingdom was arrested last year by U.K. police as part of an FBI investigation into the MGM hack. Evans, Elbadawy, Osiebo and Urban were all charged with one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, one count of conspiracy, and one count of aggravated identity theft. Buchanan, who is named as an indicted co-conspirator, was charged with conspiracy to commit wire fraud, conspiracy, wire fraud, and aggravated identity theft. A Justice Department press release states that if convicted, each defendant would face a statutory maximum sentence of 20 years in federal prison for conspiracy to commit wire fraud, up to five years in federal prison for the conspiracy count, and a mandatory two-year consecutive prison sentence for aggravated identity theft. Buchanan would face up to 20 years in prison for the wire fraud count as well. Further reading: The redacted complaint against Buchanan (PDF) Charges against Urban and the other defendants (PDF).The Office of Ombudsman (Claimant) has filed an urgent claim for Judicial Review (JR) against President Nikenike Vurobaravu (First Defendant) over the appointment of Acting Ombudsman Hamilson Bulu (Second Defendant). The Claimant represented by counsel Kent Ture Tari claims a quashing order that the decision for the First Defendant appointing the Second Defendant as the Acting Ombudsman by an instrument of Appointment Acting Ombudsman Order No.97 of 2024 made on 10 July 2024, be quashed as being unlawful, null and void. The appointment of the Second Defendant was made pursuant to sub article 61 (1) of the Constitution that requires the First Defendant to consult with the Prime Minister, the leaders of political parties represented in Parliament, the chairman of the National Council of Chiefs, the chairmen of the Local Government Councils, the chairman of the Public Service Commission and the Judicial Service Commission, before making the decision to appoint the Second Defendant as the Ombudsman. The Second Defendant’s term in office as the Ombudsman had lapsed on the 10th of July, 2024 and became vacant at the expiry term of his 5 years in service under sub-article 61 (1) of the Constitution. The sub-article does not confer power on the First Defendant to appoint a person as Acting Ombudsman if the position becomes vacant, but section 9 of the Ombudsman Act [CAP 252] addresses that gap and or requirement if the position of the Ombudsman is vacant. The legal counsel argued that the appointment of Bulu as Acting Ombudsman was made in breach of the requirements of sub-article 61(1) of the Constitution and section 9 of the Ombudsman Act. Also, the presidents of two political parties in the 13th Legislature confirmed they were not consulted before the appointment of Acting Ombudsman Bulu. Both party presidents, former Member of Parliament (MP) Ralph Regenvanu of the Graon mo Jastis Pati (GJP) and former MP Jay Ngwele, leader of the Rural Development Party (RDP), confirmed this in a letter supporting the Ombudsman’s office. “Despite your claim in paragraph 6 that the President consulted the relevant authorities under sub-article 61(1) of the Constitution, our clients have provided us with the enclosed letter dated 25 September from (former) MP Ngwele and MP Regenvanu, confirming they were not consulted about the appointment of Acting Ombudsman Bulu,” they stated in the letter. RDP President Ngwele, in his letter dated 25 September, stated: “I was not consulted regarding the recent appointment of Mr. Bulu as Acting Ombudsman of the Republic of Vanuatu.” Mr. Ngwele also noted that, according to the Constitution, consulting all political party presidents is a mandatory requirement for the appointment of the Ombudsman. He further indicated that this procedural step was not followed, amounting to a breach of due process as required by the Constitution. Mr. Regenvanu, as president of a political party with four MPs in Parliament in the last legislature, similarly confirmed that he had not been consulted. “I confirm that I was not consulted about the recent appointment of the Acting Ombudsman of the Republic of Vanuatu. “I was consulted earlier about the potential appointment of a new Ombudsman before Mr. Bulu was appointed to the Acting position, but not about his appointment as Acting Ombudsman,” Mr. Regenvanu stated. The urgent JR claim was filed on Tuesday this week. The court is set to schedule a date for the hearing in the coming days.
The Texas Supreme Court on Friday overturned a lower court ruling that state Attorney General Ken Paxton testify in a whistleblower lawsuit at the heart of impeachment charges brought against him in 2023. The court on Friday said Paxton’s office does not dispute any issue in the lawsuit by four former Paxton employees and agreed to any judgment in the case. “In a major win for the State of Texas, the state Supreme Court has sided with Attorney General Paxton against former OAG employees whose effort to prolong costly, politically-motivated litigation against the agency has wasted public resources for years,” a statement from Paxton’s office said. An attorney for one of the plaintiffs declined immediate comment, and a second attorney did not immediately return a phone call for comment. The former employees allege they were improperly fired or forced out for bringing to the FBI allegations that Paxton was misusing his office to protect a friend and campaign donor, who in turn, they said, was helping the attorney general to conceal an extramarital affair. The Supreme Court ruling noted that the Texas governor and Legislature have expressed a desire to hear testimony from the witnesses prior to agreeing to appropriate funds to settle the lawsuit. RELATED COVERAGE Texas sues doctor and accuses her of violating ban on gender-affirming care The State Fair of Texas opens with a new gun ban after courts reject challenge Judge denies effort to halt State Fair of Texas’ gun ban The court said forcing Paxton, First Assistant Attorney General Brent Webster, Chief of Staff Lesley French Henneke and senior advisor Michelle Smith to testify earlier could improperly be used for legislative purposes in deciding any appropriation. What to know about Trump’s second term: Staffing the administration: Here are the people Trump has picked for key positions so far. Plus, a look at recess appointments and how could Trump use them to fill his Cabinet. Follow all of our coverage as Donald Trump assembles his second administration. Under the preliminary deal , Paxton agreed to apologize to the former employees for calling them “rogue” employees, settle the case for $3.3 million and ask the state to pay for it, prompting the state House to reject the request and begin its own investigation, leading to the vote to impeach him. Paxton was ultimately acquitted after a Senate trial. The Supreme Court termed its ruling conditional upon the lower trial court complying with the decision, while saying it is “confident the trial court will comply” with the order.Burha Para : “I am more happy than you. Prime Minister Modi ji is also very happy that we could rehabilitate you after 40 years,” Union Home Minister Amit Shah told Bru tribal community members in this remote village on Sunday. Amit Shah said the central government , in association with the Tripura government, has been doing its best to rehabilitate the displaced Bru (Reang) families so that they can live with dignity in their homes. He said he would go back with immense happiness that the PM Modi government has been able to successfully rehabilitate all the displaced Bru people in Tripura. “We have made available 25 types of livelihood opportunities for you. These include animal husbandry, dairy, honeybee keeping and millet farming,” he told the settlers. Besides interacting with the villagers, the home minister visited several homes and enquired about people’s problems and the government benefits they were getting. When a few residents told him that they had not yet received their Ayushman Bharat health cards, he assured them that all of them would get them within two days and instructed the district magistrate to ensure that. Bru migrants from three districts of Mizoram — Mamit, Lunglei and Kolasib — came to North Tripura district in 1997, 1998 and 2009 due to serious ethnic violence between Bru and Mizo communities in Mizoram . Uttam Kumar Reang told Amit Shah that before the central government took steps for their rehabilitation, the Bru refugees were living in very pathetic conditions. “Earlier we were living in jhuggis, but now we have concrete houses. We now have Aadhaar and voter cards. We have cast our votes in the past,” Reang said. The Bru tribals were rehabilitated following a quadripartite agreement signed on January 16, 2020. The pact was signed between the governments of India , Tripura and Mizoram, and representatives of Bru organisations for the permanent rehabilitation of Bru migrants in Tripura. While about 70 per cent of the Bru (Reang) tribals are Hindu, the remaining are Christians. A total of 12 locations were identified in Tripura’s North Tripura, Dhalai, Gomati and South Tripura districts for establishing resettlement colonies of Bru tribals. While nine of these are on forest land, three are on government land. Settlement works are going on in these 12 identified locations, officials said. As part of the agreement, 754 acres of land has been made available to resettle these families. The final figure of families for rehabilitation under the agreement stands at 6,935 with a population of 37,584, the officials said. Common development work like power lines, brick soling of internal roads, installation of deep tube wells for providing drinking water, building power infrastructure, connectivity to households, installation of solar street lights, opening of new fair price shops, anganwadi centres, schools and health sub-centres is almost complete in 11 locations. The common developmental work in the last approved resettlement colony, Kala Lawgang in South Tripura district, is going on and is likely to be completed by the end of this financial year, according to the officials. Overall, Rs 821.98 crore is being spent to resettle these families in the 12 colonies, an official said. Of the total amount, Rs 793.65 crore is being borne by the Union home ministry and Rs 28.34 crore by the state government for common development works. Till date, the home ministry has released Rs 693.13 crore, of which Rs 406.42 crore went directly to the beneficiaries under the direct benefit transfer.Louis Tomlinson's tear-jerking gesture after Grenfell tragedy as fans brand him 'most caring soul'
Stock market today: Wall Street drifts to a mixed close even as S&P 500 ekes out another record