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p777 slot TOKYO (AP) — Troops surround South Korea's parliament overnight when the president declares martial law. He accuses pro-North Korean forces of plotting to overthrow one of the world’s most vibrant democracies. Lawmakers voice outrage and vote to end the declaration, and the president lifts the decree before daybreak. President Yoon Suk Yeol spread fear and confusion through South Korea overnight by issuing his sudden edict late Tuesday, the first martial law declaration since more than four decades ago when the country was controlled by a dictatorship. The declaration, the rushed vote by lawmakers to overturn it and the president's lifting of martial law soon afterward were moments of high drama for an unpopular leader who has struggled with political deadlock in an opposition-dominated parliament and scandals involving him and his wife. While there was no direct evidence presented, Yoon raised the specter of North Korea as a destabilizing force. Yoon has long maintained that a hard line against the North is the only way to stop Pyongyang from following through on its nuclear threats against Seoul. Amid the surreal scenes of troops massing around parliament, here are some things to know as this story unfolds: Immediately after Yoon's declaration the military chief called in key commanders for talks. South Korean troops set up barricades and then made their way into parliament. The leader of the main opposition, which controls parliament, ordered lawmakers to return to the building, where they eventually voted to lift the declaration of martial law. Yoon lifted the martial law decree around 4:30 a.m. during a Cabinet meeting. Yoon's declaration had been accompanied by an accusation that the opposition was engaged in “anti-state activities plotting rebellion.” But he did not explain what that means, and provided no specific evidence. The vague statement is reminiscent of the heavy-handed tactics of the South Korean dictatorships that ended in the late 1980s. A series of strongmen repeatedly invoked North Korea when struggling to control domestic dissidents and political opponents. The opposition lambasted Yoon's move as un-democratic. Opposition leader Lee Jae-myung, who narrowly lost to Yoon in the 2022 presidential election, called Yoon’s announcement “illegal and unconstitutional.” But the sudden declaration was also opposed by the leader of Yoon's own conservative party, Han Dong-hoon, who called the decision “wrong” and vowed to “stop it with the people.” “The people will block the president’s anti-constitutional step. The military must be on the side of the public in any case. Let’s resolutely oppose it,” Kim Dong Yeon, the opposition party governor of Gyeonggi province, which surrounds Seoul, wrote on X. Average South Koreans were in shock. Social media was flooded with messages expressing surprise and worry over Yoon’s announcement. “Martial law? I thought it was deepfake content, but is it really a martial law decree?,” one X user wrote. “I first thought about a war with North Korea when he said he would impose a martial law,” another X user wrote. There were quick claims that the emergency declaration was linked to Yoon’s political struggles. His approval rating has dropped, and he has had little success in getting his policies adopted by a parliament that has been controlled by the opposition since he took over in 2022. Conservatives have said the opposition moves are political revenge for investigations into the opposition leader, who is seen as the favorite for the next presidential election in 2027. Just this month, Yoon denied wrongdoing in an influence-peddling scandal involving him and his wife. The claims have battered his approval ratings and fueled attacks by his rivals. The scandal centers on claims that Yoon and first lady Kim Keon Hee exerted inappropriate influence on the conservative ruling People Power Party to pick a certain candidate to run for a parliamentary by-election in 2022 at the request of Myung Tae-kyun, an election broker and founder of a polling agency who conducted free opinion surveys for Yoon before he became president . Yoon has said he did nothing inappropriate. South Korea became a democracy only in the late 1980s, and military intervention in civilian affairs is still a touchy subject. During the dictatorships that emerged as the country rebuilt from the destruction of the 1950-53 Korean War, leaders occasionally proclaimed martial law that allowed them to station combat soldiers, tanks and armored vehicles on streets or in public places to prevent anti-government demonstrations. Such scenes are unimaginable for many today. The dictator Park Chung-hee, who ruled South Korea for nearly 20 years before he was assassinated by his spy chief in 1979, led several thousand troops into Seoul in the early hours of May 16, 1961, in the country’s first successful coup. During his rule, he occasionally proclaimed martial law to crack down on protests and jail critics. Less than two months after Park Chung-hee’s death, Maj. Gen. Chun Doo-hwan led tanks and troops into Seoul in December 1979 in the country’s second successful coup. The next year, he orchestrated a brutal military crackdown on a pro-democracy uprising in the southern city of Gwangju, killing at least 200 people. In the summer of 1987, massive street protests forced Chun’s government to accept direct presidential elections. His army buddy Roh Tae-woo, who had joined Chun’s 1979 coup, won the election held later in 1987 thanks largely to divided votes among liberal opposition candidates. AP writers Kim Tong-hyung and Hyung-jin Kim contributed to this story.Renuka Rayasam | (TNS) KFF Health News In April, just 12 weeks into her pregnancy, Kathleen Clark was standing at the receptionist window of her OB-GYN’s office when she was asked to pay $960, the total the office estimated she would owe after she delivered. Clark, 39, was shocked that she was asked to pay that amount during this second prenatal visit. Normally, patients receive the bill after insurance has paid its part, and for pregnant women that’s usually only when the pregnancy ends. It would be months before the office filed the claim with her health insurer. Clark said she felt stuck. The Cleveland, Tennessee, obstetrics practice was affiliated with a birthing center where she wanted to deliver. Plus, she and her husband had been wanting to have a baby for a long time. And Clark was emotional, because just weeks earlier her mother had died. “You’re standing there at the window, and there’s people all around, and you’re trying to be really nice,” recalled Clark, through tears. “So, I paid it.” On online baby message boards and other social media forums , pregnant women say they are being asked by their providers to pay out-of-pocket fees earlier than expected. The practice is legal, but patient advocacy groups call it unethical. Medical providers argue that asking for payment up front ensures they get compensated for their services. How frequently this happens is hard to track because it is considered a private transaction between the provider and the patient. Therefore, the payments are not recorded in insurance claims data and are not studied by researchers. Patients, medical billing experts, and patient advocates say the billing practice causes unexpected anxiety at a time of already heightened stress and financial pressure. Estimates can sometimes be higher than what a patient might ultimately owe and force people to fight for refunds if they miscarry or the amount paid was higher than the final bill. Up-front payments also create hurdles for women who may want to switch providers if they are unhappy with their care. In some cases, they may cause women to forgo prenatal care altogether, especially in places where few other maternity care options exist. It’s “holding their treatment hostage,” said Caitlin Donovan, a senior director at the Patient Advocate Foundation . Medical billing and women’s health experts believe OB-GYN offices adopted the practice to manage the high cost of maternity care and the way it is billed for in the U.S. When a pregnancy ends, OB-GYNs typically file a single insurance claim for routine prenatal care, labor, delivery, and, often, postpartum care. That practice of bundling all maternity care into one billing code began three decades ago, said Lisa Satterfield, senior director of health and payment policy at the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists . But such bundled billing has become outdated, she said. Previously, pregnant patients had been subject to copayments for each prenatal visit, which might lead them to skip crucial appointments to save money. But the Affordable Care Act now requires all commercial insurers to fully cover certain prenatal services. Plus, it’s become more common for pregnant women to switch providers, or have different providers handle prenatal care, labor, and delivery — especially in rural areas where patient transfers are common. Some providers say prepayments allow them to spread out one-time payments over the course of the pregnancy to ensure that they are compensated for the care they do provide, even if they don’t ultimately deliver the baby. “You have people who, unfortunately, are not getting paid for the work that they do,” said Pamela Boatner, who works as a midwife in a Georgia hospital. While she believes women should receive pregnancy care regardless of their ability to pay, she also understands that some providers want to make sure their bill isn’t ignored after the baby is delivered. New parents might be overloaded with hospital bills and the costs of caring for a new child, and they may lack income if a parent isn’t working, Boatner said. In the U.S., having a baby can be expensive. People who obtain health insurance through large employers pay an average of nearly $3,000 out-of-pocket for pregnancy, childbirth, and postpartum care, according to the Peterson-KFF Health System Tracker . In addition, many people are opting for high-deductible health insurance plans, leaving them to shoulder a larger share of the costs. Of the 100 million U.S. people with health care debt, 12% attribute at least some of it to maternity care, according to a 2022 KFF poll . Families need time to save money for the high costs of pregnancy, childbirth, and child care, especially if they lack paid maternity leave, said Joy Burkhard , CEO of the Policy Center for Maternal Mental Health, a Los Angeles-based policy think tank. Asking them to prepay “is another gut punch,” she said. “What if you don’t have the money? Do you put it on credit cards and hope your credit card goes through?” Calculating the final costs of childbirth depends on multiple factors, such as the timing of the pregnancy , plan benefits, and health complications, said Erin Duffy , a health policy researcher at the University of Southern California’s Schaeffer Center for Health Policy and Economics. The final bill for the patient is unclear until a health plan decides how much of the claim it will cover, she said. But sometimes the option to wait for the insurer is taken away. During Jamie Daw’s first pregnancy in 2020, her OB-GYN accepted her refusal to pay in advance because Daw wanted to see the final bill. But in 2023, during her second pregnancy, a private midwifery practice in New York told her that since she had a high-deductible plan, it was mandatory to pay $2,000 spread out with monthly payments. Daw, a health policy researcher at Columbia University, delivered in September 2023 and got a refund check that November for $640 to cover the difference between the estimate and the final bill. “I study health insurance,” she said. “But, as most of us know, it’s so complicated when you’re really living it.” While the Affordable Care Act requires insurers to cover some prenatal services, it doesn’t prohibit providers from sending their final bill to patients early. It would be a challenge politically and practically for state and federal governments to attempt to regulate the timing of the payment request, said Sabrina Corlette , a co-director of the Center on Health Insurance Reforms at Georgetown University. Medical lobbying groups are powerful and contracts between insurers and medical providers are proprietary. Because of the legal gray area, Lacy Marshall , an insurance broker at Rapha Health and Life in Texas, advises clients to ask their insurer if they can refuse to prepay their deductible. Some insurance plans prohibit providers in their network from requiring payment up front. If the insurer says they can refuse to pay up front, Marshall said, she tells clients to get established with a practice before declining to pay, so that the provider can’t refuse treatment. Related Articles Health | Which health insurance plan may be right for you? Health | California case is the first confirmed bird flu infection in a US child Health | Your cool black kitchenware could be slowly poisoning you, study says. Here’s what to do Health | Does fluoride cause cancer, IQ loss, and more? Fact-checking Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s claims Health | US towns plunge into debates about fluoride in water Clark said she met her insurance deductible after paying for genetic testing, extra ultrasounds, and other services out of her health care flexible spending account. Then she called her OB-GYN’s office and asked for a refund. “I got my spine back,” said Clark, who had previously worked at a health insurer and a medical office. She got an initial check for about half the $960 she originally paid. In August, Clark was sent to the hospital after her blood pressure spiked. A high-risk pregnancy specialist — not her original OB-GYN practice — delivered her son, Peter, prematurely via emergency cesarean section at 30 weeks. It was only after she resolved most of the bills from the delivery that she received the rest of her refund from the other OB-GYN practice. This final check came in October, just days after Clark brought Peter home from the hospital, and after multiple calls to the office. She said it all added stress to an already stressful period. “Why am I having to pay the price as a patient?” she said. “I’m just trying to have a baby.” ©2024 KFF Health News. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

Auto industry's shift toward EVs is expected to go on despite Trump threat to kill tax creditsB.C. Premier David Eby says the NDP government and BC Green Party have reached a consensus of legislative priorities to work on together when a new session of Parliament begins next year. Eby said in a statement released Friday that he knows British Columbians expect political parties to work together, and that’s just what the NDP will be doing with the BC Green Party, who hold 47 seats and two seats, respectively, in the B.C. Legislature, while the opposition Conservatives hold 44. Eby said the shared priorities include strengthening the party’s health care system, affordable housing and a sustainable economy. “We are two distinct parties with two distinct identities, and we won’t always agree. We also have many shared values. The agreement lays out specific areas of action we will work together to achieve,” Eby said. The premier said the agreement helps stabilize government so that legislative priorities can be delivered. More to come...Nittany Lions share the holiday with parents, teammates and coachesPOLICE have launched a hunt for man they want to speak to who they believe can help them solve a threatening behaviour investigation. Detectives would like to talk to Jonathan Jefferies, 54, from Cwmbran following an incident in the Croesyceiliog area of the town. It was reported to them on Saturday, November 23. A Gwent Police spokesperson said he “may have information to assist with their enquiries”. They added: “Anyone with information on his whereabouts is asked to call 101 or send us a direct message us on social media, quoting log reference 2400389935. “If you see Jonathan Jefferies, please do not approach him and call 999 instead. “Alternatively, you can call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.”

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TCL made five short films to help normalize AI-generated movies and TV showsWith technical prowess and considerable style, Marta danced around two sliding defenders, outwitted a goalkeeper and calmly scored as another player rushed forward in desperation to stop her. It was more Marta Magic. That goal last weekend helped propel the Orlando Pride into Saturday’s National Women’s Soccer League championship game against the Washington Spirit. Barbra Banda also scored in the Pride’s 3-2 semifinal victory over the Kansas City Current . While Banda has had an incredible first season with the Pride, captain Marta has been the talisman that has helped lead the team in its remarkable turnaround this year. The last time the Pride were in the NWSL playoffs was in 2017 — Marta’s first year with the club. But this season they nearly went undefeated, going 23 games without a loss to start the season before losing 2-0 to the Portland Thorns with just two regular-season games left. “I think because of the way that we did it, during this season, from beginning to now, it’s something very special that I’ve never had before with any other club that I’ve played for,” Marta said. “Plus year by year, we see in America, strong competition. This is the best league in the world. And you never know what’s going to happen, and it’s hard to keep winning the games, being in the first place almost like the whole season. That’s why it’s really different and so special.” RELATED COVERAGE Harry Kane becomes the fastest player to score 50 goals in the Bundesliga Kane hat trick against Augsburg hides Bayern’s concerning lack of goals PSG beats Toulouse 3-0 and Akliouche double gives Monaco home win over Brest Marta’s goal was the latest gasp-inducing moment in a stellar career filled with them. Known by just her first name, the 38-year-old is a six-time FIFA world player of the year. “Let’s see if tomorrow I can do something similar — or even better,” Marta said on Friday. Her teammate Kylie Strom chimed in: “That was the greatest goal I’ve ever witnessed, hands down.” Appropriate. Earlier this year, FIFA announced that the best goal in women’s soccer each year would earn the Marta Award. In a lighthearted moment the day before the title match, Marta was asked if she thought it was possible she might give the award to herself. “You guys need to decide, because who votes for the best goal in the year? It’s you. It’s the people in the public. So it should be really interesting, like Marta’s Award goes to Marta!” she said with a laugh. Marta has played in six World Cups for Brazil and played this summer in her sixth Olympics, winning a silver medal after falling in the final to the United States . She previously said this would be her final year with the national team. But since then Brazil was named the host of the 2027 Women’s World Cup. “I had a conversation with my coach, the national team coach, and I was really clear about playing in 2027. I told him it’s not my goal anymore,” she said. “But I’m always available to help the national team. And if they think I still can do something during this preparation for the World Cup, yeah, I would be happy to help them.” Marta’s club career started in Brazil when she was just 16. She has also played in Sweden and in the U.S. professional women’s leagues that came before the NWSL. With nine regular-season goals, Marta has had one of her best seasons since she joined the Pride. “I can never pick a side, I never pick favorites — but I love to see this for Marta,” U.S. coach Emma Hayes said. “Marta is someone we all like, admire and are grateful for. And that goal was just like prime Marta at her best. And so grateful for and thankful for her that she got the opportunity with another game with her team.” The Pride went 18-2-6 this season, clinching the NWSL Shield for the first trophy in club history. Orlando also set a record with 60 regular-season points to finish atop the standings. “We are sitting top of the table, but I think there still are a lot of doubters. I think there’s people out there who say, maybe this was a one-off season,” Strom said. “But we’re here to prove them all wrong. So I think we do carry a bit of that underdog mentality still with us.” The second-seeded Spirit advanced to the title match at Kansas City’s CPKC Stadium last weekend on a penalty shootout after a 1-1 draw against defending champions Gotham FC. The Spirit’s roster includes Trinity Rodman, a standout forward who formed the so-called “Triple Espresso” trio with Mallory Swanson and Sophia Smith for the United States at the Olympics. ___ AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccerJERUSALEM (AP) — Israel approved a United States-brokered ceasefire agreement with Lebanon's Hezbollah on Tuesday that would end nearly 14 months of fighting linked to the war in the Gaza Strip. The ceasefire would mark the first major step toward ending the regionwide unrest triggered by Hamas’ attack on Israel on Oct. 7, 2023. But it does not address the devastating war in Gaza, where Hamas is still holding dozens of hostages and the conflict is more intractable. Hours before the ceasefire with Hezbollah was to take effect, Israel carried out the most intense wave of strikes in Beirut and its southern suburbs since the start of the conflict and issued a record number of evacuation warnings. At least 24 people were killed in strikes across the country, according to local authorities, as Israel signaled it aims to pummel Hezbollah before the ceasefire takes hold at 4 a.m. local time on Wednesday. Another huge airstrike shook Beirut shortly after the ceasefire was announced. There appeared to be some 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 ceasefire agreement after it was presented by Netanyahu, 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. U.S. President-elect Donald Trump has vowed to bring peace to the Middle East without saying how. 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 . 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. Israel says it will ‘attack with might’ if Hezbollah breaks truce Netanyahu presented the ceasefire proposal to Cabinet ministers after a televised address in which he listed a series of 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, which backs both groups. “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 troops and U.N. peacekeepers would deploy in the south, and an international panel headed by the United States would monitor all sides’ 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 that 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.” Warplanes bombard Beirut and its southern suburbs Even as ceasefire efforts gained momentum in recent days, Israel continued to strike what it says are Hezbollah targets across Lebanon as 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 the city’s downtown. At least seven people were killed and 37 wounded, according to Lebanon's Health Ministry. Strikes on Beirut's southern suburbs killed at least one person and wounded 13, it said. Three people were killed in a separate strike in Beirut and three in a strike on a Palestinian refugee camp in southern Lebanon. Lebanese state media said another 10 people were killed in the eastern Baalbek province. Israel says it targets Hezbollah fighters and their infrastructure. Israel also struck a building in Beirut's bustling commercial district of Hamra for the first time, hitting a site that is around 400 meters (yards) from Lebanon’s Central Bank. There were no reports of casualties. The Israeli military said it struck targets in Beirut and other areas linked to Hezbollah's financial arm. The evacuation warnings covered many areas, including parts of Beirut that previously have not been targeted. The warnings, coupled with fear that Israel was ratcheting up attacks before a ceasefire, sent residents fleeing. Traffic was gridlocked, and some cars had mattresses tied to them. Dozens of people, some wearing their pajamas, gathered in a central square, huddling under blankets or standing around fires as Israeli drones buzzed loudly 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 told The Associated Press that peacekeepers will not evacuate. Israeli forces reach Litani River in southern Lebanon 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 would be 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 been exchanging barrages ever since. Israel escalated its campaign of 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. Associated Press reporters Lujain Jo and Sally Abou AlJoud in Beirut, and Aamer Madhani in Washington, contributed. ___ Find more of AP’s war coverage at https://apnews.com/hub/israel-hamas-war Josef Federman, Kareem Chehayeb And Bassem Mroue, The Associated PressMikel Arteta hailed the best away European performance of his Arsenal reign after watching his side dismantle Sporting Lisbon 5-1. The Gunners delivered the statement Champions League victory their manager had demanded to bounce back from a narrow defeat at Inter Milan last time out. Goals from Gabriel Martinelli, Kai Havertz, Gabriel Magalhaes, Bukayo Saka and Leandro Trossard got their continental campaign back on track, lifting them to seventh place with 10 points in the new-look 36-team table. It was Arsenal’s biggest away win in the Champions League since beating Inter by the same scoreline in 2003. “For sure, especially against opposition we played at their home who have not lost a game in 18 months – they have been in top form here – so to play with the level, the determination, the purpose and the fluidity we showed today, I am very pleased,” said Arteta. “The team played with so much courage, because they are so good. When I’m watching them live they are so good! They were all exceptional today. It was a big performance, a big win and we are really happy. “The performance was there a few times when we have played big teams. That’s the level that we have to be able to cope and you have to make it happen, and that creates belief.” A memorable victory also ended Sporting’s unbeaten start to the season, a streak of 17 wins and one draw, the vast majority of which prompted Manchester United to prise away head coach Ruben Amorim. The Gunners took the lead after only seven minutes when Martinelli tucked in Jurrien Timber’s cross, and Saka teed up Havertz for a tap-in to double the advantage. Arsenal added a third on the stroke of half-time, Gabriel charging in to head Declan Rice’s corner into the back of the net. To rub salt in the wound, the Brazilian defender mimicked Viktor Gyokeres’ hands-over-his-face goal celebration. That may have wound Sporting up as they came out after the interval meaning business, and they pulled one back after David Raya tipped Hidemasa Morita’s shot behind, with Goncalo Inacio netting at the near post from the corner. But when Martin Odegaard’s darting run into the area was halted by Ousmane Diomande’s foul, Saka tucked away the penalty. Substitute Trossard added the fifth with eight minutes remaining, heading in the rebound after Mikel Merino’s shot was saved. A miserable night for prolific Sporting striker Gyokeres was summed up when his late shot crashed back off the post.

Bipartisan legislation would extend funding for national parks infrastructure

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McDonald’s Australia and Netflix have brought the Dalgona Candy Challenge to life with the Squid Game Meal, only in Australia in anticipation of Squid Game 2 . Developed by OMD and Akcelo, the Dalgona Candy Challenge and ‘Dare to Play’ campaign taps into the global popularity of Squid Game, giving fans the chance to engage in an interactive version of one of the show’s most iconic and viral challenges, with exciting prizes to be won. “Squid Game is Netflix’s most-watched show, and we’re thrilled to bring this cultural phenomenon to life at Macca’s,” Amanda Nakad , marketing director for McDonald’s Australia, said. “This collaboration gives our customers and fans the unique opportunity to step into the game and experience it like never before.” The exclusive Squid Game Meal includes a QR code that grants access to the game, where players race against time to complete the Dalgona Candy Challenge. In a unique Australian twist, McDonald’s has replaced the umbrella candy shape with a more challenging Golden Arches ‘M’. Those who succeed will have the chance to win exclusive co-branded merchandise, with a grand prize of $100,000 for one lucky challenger. The mobile game also features an immersive film that reimagines key moments from the iconic scene, including the original voice of Jeon Young-Soo (전영수) as the Game Instructor. Emily Bosler , OMD managing partner for McDonald’s, said: “This golden partnership allows us to deliver an interactive branded experience that captures the excitement of Squid Game while celebrating the fun and playfulness of Macca’s. We can’t wait for fans to join the challenge!” ‘Dare To Play’ demonstrates McDonald’s continued commitment to pushing the boundaries of customer engagement through immersive, cross-platform experiences. The campaign will drive engagement through a range of activations, including restaurant experiences, OOH, social media, fandom pages, and a Dalgona Candy Challenge event at World Square Sydney, where the public can participate in a Squid Game-themed playzone under the watchful eye of the Pink Guards. Aden Hepburn , CEO of Akcelo, said: “As superfans of both Netflix’s Squid Game and Macca’s, we have loved every moment of bringing this unforgettable campaign to life at scale with McDonald’s and OMD. The result is simply unlike any other Macca’s campaign that’s come before and we can’t wait to see how Australia – and the world – will react.” This unique partnership extends beyond the meal itself. McDonald’s will serve as the single-title sponsor for Squid Game 2 in Australia on Netflix’s ad-supported platform, coinciding with the series’ global release on Boxing Day, 26 December. CREDITS McDonald’s Australia Chief Customer Officer – Chris Brown Marketing Director – Amanda Nakad Head of Brand & Menu – Nichole Tsiros Brand Manager – Samantha Lau Digital Experience Manager – Luke Elzerman Netflix (in partnership with Gemba) Head of Partnerships – Harvey Brant Partner Marketing Creative – Eunbee Kyung OMD Emily Bosler – Managing Partner, McDonald’s Zoe May – Head of Strategy – Macca’s Hattie Dinger – Partnerships Director Taylor Hilditch – Account Director Soraya Ghaidan – Account Manager Paige Ye – Diverse Senior Account Manager Akcelo Group Executive Creative Director – Louise McQuat Creative Partner – Oskar Westerdal Creative Team – Ilya Aronovich & Misha McDonald Account Management – Max Bennett, Gabriel Montalban, April Tunstall & Brody Blinkhorn Production – Stephanie Ceccaldi, Dan Burns & Dave Bourke Design – Paul Critchley, Dan Martin, Cath Roberts, Justin Bellchambers & Richard Spencer Head of Craft – Jon Foye Motion – Benny O’Shea, Mike Ashburner, Jamie Muscat & Denys Michele Digital Experience – Mark Berry, Helen Turner, Jason Woods, Alwyna George, Kim Tang & Minho Baek Event Production – Lea Nguyen & Ben Turner Chief Strategy Officer – Dave Di Veroli Chief Executive Officer – Aden Hepburn Production Director – Alex Roberts, FINCH Producer – Bryce Lintern, FINCH DOP – Ross Giardina Post Production – Heckler Sound Design – Squeak E. Clean Photography – Mat Baker, Louis&Co Social – Reel Focus Films PR – Mango Communications Ashleigh Vallance – Senior Account Director Ian Lizardo – Senior Account Manager Gunjan Kaur – Account Manager CRM – Digitas Keep on top of the most important media, marketing, and agency news each day with the Mediaweek Morning Report – delivered for free every morning to your inbox.

Awarded industry-first design win from a top-four hyperscaler SANTA CLARA, Calif. , Dec. 3, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Today Pure Storage (NYSE: PSTG), the IT pioneer that delivers the world's most advanced data storage technologies and services, announced financial results for its third quarter fiscal year 2025 ended November 3, 2024. "Pure Storage has achieved another industry first in our journey of data storage innovation with a transformational design win for our DirectFlash technology in a top-four hyperscaler," said Pure Storage Chairman and CEO Charles Giancarlo . "This win is the vanguard for Pure Flash technology to become the standard for all hyperscaler online storage, providing unparalleled performance and scalability while also reducing operating costs and power consumption." Third Quarter Financial Highlights "Our third quarter results exceeded our expectations on revenue and operating income, demonstrating the sustaining strength of our business models," said Kevan Krysler , Pure Storage CFO. "We remain focused on driving both near-term results and long-term value creation through disciplined investments and innovation that position Pure as the leader in transforming the data storage landscape." Third Quarter Company Highlights Industry Recognition and Accolades Fourth Quarter and FY25 Guidance Q4FY25 Revenue $867M Revenue YoY Growth Rate 9.7 % Non-GAAP Operating Income $135M Non-GAAP Operating Margin 15.6 % FY25 Revenue $3.15B Revenue YoY Growth Rate 11.5 % Non-GAAP Operating Income $540M Non-GAAP Operating Margin 17 % These statements are forward-looking and actual results may differ materially. Refer to the Forward Looking Statements section below for information on the factors that could cause our actual results to differ materially from these statements. Pure has not reconciled its guidance for non-GAAP operating income and non-GAAP operating margin to their most directly comparable GAAP measures because certain items that impact these measures are not within Pure's control and/or cannot be reasonably predicted. Accordingly, reconciliations of these non-GAAP financial measures guidance to the corresponding GAAP measures are not available without unreasonable effort. Conference Call Information Pure will host a teleconference to discuss the third quarter fiscal 2025 results at 2:00 pm PT today, December 3, 2024. A live audio broadcast of the conference call will be available on the Pure Storage Investor Relations website . Pure will also post its earnings presentation and prepared remarks to this website concurrent with this release. A replay will be available following the call on the Pure Storage Investor Relations website or for two weeks at 1-800-770-2030 (or 1-647-362-9199 for international callers) with passcode 5667482. Additionally, Pure is scheduled to participate at the following investor conferences: Wells Fargo 8th Annual TMT Summit Date: Wednesday, December 4, 2024 Time: 1:30 p.m. PT / 4:30 p.m. ET Chief Technology Officer Rob Lee 27th Annual Needham Growth Conference Date: Thursday, January 16, 2025 Time: 9:45 a.m. PT / 12:45 p.m. ET Founder & Chief Visionary Officer John "Co z" Colgrove Chief Financial Officer Kevan Krysler The presentations will be webcast live and archived on Pure's Investor Relations website at investor.purestorage.com . ---- About Pure Storage Pure Storage (NYSE: PSTG) delivers the industry's most advanced data storage platform to store, manage, and protect the world's data at any scale. With Pure Storage, organizations have ultimate simplicity and flexibility, saving time, money, and energy. From AI to archive, Pure Storage delivers a cloud experience with one unified Storage as-a-Service platform across on premises, cloud, and hosted environments. Our platform is built on our Evergreen architecture that evolves with your business – always getting newer and better with zero planned downtime, guaranteed. Our customers are actively increasing their capacity and processing power while significantly reducing their carbon and energy footprint. It's easy to fall in love with Pure Storage, as evidenced by the highest Net Promoter Score in the industry. For more information, visit www.purestorage.com . Connect with Pure Blog LinkedIn Twitter Facebook Pure Storage, the Pure P Logo, Portworx, and the marks on the Pure Storage Trademark List are trademarks or registered trademarks of Pure Storage Inc. in the U.S. and/or other countries. The Trademark List can be found at purestorage.com/trademarks . Other names may be trademarks of their respective owners. Forward Looking Statements This press release contains forward-looking statements regarding our products, business and operations, including but not limited to our views relating to our opportunity with hyperscale and AI environments, our ability to meet hyperscalers' performance and price requirements, our ability to meet the needs of hyperscalers for the entire spectrum of their online storage use cases, the timing and magnitude of large orders, including sales to hyperscalers, the timing and amount of revenue from hyperscaler licensing and support services, future period financial and business results, demand for our products and subscription services, including Evergreen//One, the relative sales mix between our subscription and consumption offerings and traditional capital expenditure sales, our technology and product strategy, specifically customer priorities around sustainability, the environmental and energy saving benefits to our customers of using our products, our ability to perform during current macro conditions and expand market share, our sustainability goals and benefits, the impact of inflation, economic or supply chain disruptions, our expectations regarding our product and technology differentiation, new customer acquisition, and other statements regarding our products, business, operations and results. Forward-looking statements are subject to known and unknown risks and uncertainties and are based on potentially inaccurate assumptions that could cause actual results to differ materially from those expected or implied by the forward-looking statements. Actual results may differ materially from the results predicted, and reported results should not be considered as an indication of future performance. The potential risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ from the results predicted include, among others, those risks and uncertainties included under the caption "Risk Factors" and elsewhere in our filings and reports with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, which are available on our Investor Relations website at investor.purestorage.com and on the SEC website at www.sec.gov . Additional information is also set forth in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended February 4, 2024. All information provided in this release and in the attachments is as of December 3, 2024, and Pure undertakes no duty to update this information unless required by law. Key Performance Metric Subscription ARR is a key business metric that refers to total annualized contract value of all active subscription agreements on the last day of the quarter, plus on-demand revenue for the quarter multiplied by four. Non-GAAP Financial Measures To supplement our unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements, which are prepared and presented in accordance with GAAP, Pure uses the following non-GAAP financial measures: non-GAAP gross profit, non-GAAP gross margin, non-GAAP operating income (loss), non-GAAP operating margin, non-GAAP net income (loss), non-GAAP net income (loss) per share, and free cash flow. We use these non-GAAP financial measures for financial and operational decision-making and as a means to evaluate period-to-period comparisons. Our management believes that these non-GAAP financial measures provide meaningful supplemental information regarding our performance and liquidity by excluding certain expenses such as stock-based compensation expense, payments to former shareholders of acquired companies, payroll tax expense related to stock-based activities, amortization of debt issuance costs related to debt, and amortization of intangible assets acquired from acquisitions that may not be indicative of our ongoing core business operating results. Pure believes that both management and investors benefit from referring to these non-GAAP financial measures in assessing our performance and when analyzing historical performance and liquidity and planning, forecasting, and analyzing future periods. The presentation of these non-GAAP financial measures is not meant to be considered in isolation or as a substitute for our financial results prepared in accordance with GAAP, and our non-GAAP measures may be different from non-GAAP measures used by other companies. For a reconciliation of these non-GAAP financial measures to GAAP measures, please see the tables captioned "Reconciliations of non-GAAP results of operations to the nearest comparable GAAP measures" and "Reconciliation from net cash provided by operating activities to free cash flow," included at the end of this release. PURE STORAGE, INC. Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets (in thousands, unaudited) At the End of Third Quarter of Fiscal 2025 Fiscal 2024 Assets Current assets: Cash and cash equivalents $ 894,569 $ 702,536 Marketable securities 753,960 828,557 Accounts receivable, net of allowance of $956 and $1,060 578,224 662,179 Inventory 41,571 42,663 Deferred commissions, current 86,839 88,712 Prepaid expenses and other current assets 204,485 173,407 Total current assets 2,559,648 2,498,054 Property and equipment, net 431,353 352,604 Operating lease right-of-use-assets 157,574 129,942 Deferred commissions, non-current 210,671 215,620 Intangible assets, net 23,039 33,012 Goodwill 361,427 361,427 Restricted cash 11,249 9,595 Other assets, non-current 99,504 55,506 Total assets $ 3,854,465 $ 3,655,760 Liabilities and Stockholders' Equity Current liabilities: Accounts payable $ 102,021 $ 82,757 Accrued compensation and benefits 155,652 250,257 Accrued expenses and other liabilities 141,846 135,755 Operating lease liabilities, current 47,941 44,668 Deferred revenue, current 897,174 852,247 Debt, current 100,000 — Total current liabilities 1,444,634 1,365,684 Long-term debt — 100,000 Operating lease liabilities, non-current 146,390 123,201 Deferred revenue, non-current 784,282 742,275 Other liabilities, non-current 68,573 54,506 Total liabilities 2,443,879 2,385,666 Stockholders' equity: Common stock and additional paid-in capital 2,821,010 2,749,627 Accumulated other comprehensive income (loss) 1,023 (3,782) Accumulated deficit (1,411,447) (1,475,751) Total stockholders' equity 1,410,586 1,270,094 Total liabilities and stockholders' equity $ 3,854,465 $ 3,655,760 PURE STORAGE, INC. Condensed Consolidated Statements of Operations (in thousands, except per share data, unaudited) Third Quarter of Fiscal First Three Quarters of Fiscal 2025 2024 2025 2024 Revenue: Product $ 454,735 $ 453,277 $ 1,204,714 $ 1,161,978 Subscription services 376,337 309,561 1,083,608 878,838 Total revenue 831,072 762,838 2,288,322 2,040,816 Cost of revenue: Product (1) 154,970 126,770 385,446 343,588 Subscription services (1) 93,180 83,321 284,168 244,541 Total cost of revenue 248,150 210,091 669,614 588,129 Gross profit 582,922 552,747 1,618,708 1,452,687 Operating expenses: Research and development (1) 200,086 182,100 589,396 549,923 Sales and marketing (1) 255,830 231,707 757,069 696,885 General and administrative (1) 67,319 64,729 213,551 192,944 Restructuring and impairment (2) — — 15,901 16,766 Total operating expenses 523,235 478,536 1,575,917 1,456,518 Income (loss) from operations 59,687 74,211 42,791 (3,831) Other income (expense), net 17,156 5,184 50,684 23,619 Income before provision for income taxes 76,843 79,395 93,475 19,788 Income tax provision 13,204 9,006 29,171 23,915 Net income (loss) $ 63,639 $ 70,389 $ 64,304 $ (4,127)Calgary Stampeders sign Paredes to extension, restructure Adams's contract

Man Utd's Shaw 'devastated' at latest injury setbackBy JUAN A. LOZANO, Associated Press HOUSTON (AP) — An elaborate parody appears to be behind an effort to resurrect Enron, the Houston-based energy company that exemplified the worst in American corporate fraud and greed after it went bankrupt in 2001. If its return is comedic, some former employees who lost everything in Enron’s collapse aren’t laughing. “It’s a pretty sick joke and it disparages the people that did work there. And why would you want to even bring it back up again?” said former Enron employee Diana Peters, who represented workers in the company’s bankruptcy proceedings. Here’s what to know about the history of Enron and the purported effort to bring it back. Once the nation’s seventh-largest company, Enron filed for bankruptcy protection on Dec. 2, 2001, after years of accounting tricks could no longer hide billions of dollars in debt or make failing ventures appear profitable. The energy company’s collapse put more than 5,000 people out of work, wiped out more than $2 billion in employee pensions and rendered $60 billion in Enron stock worthless. Its aftershocks were felt throughout the energy sector. Twenty-four Enron executives , including former CEO Jeffrey Skilling , were eventually convicted for their roles in the fraud. Enron founder Ken Lay’s convictions were vacated after he died of heart disease following his 2006 trial. On Monday — the 23rd anniversary of the bankruptcy filing — a company representing itself as Enron announced in a news release that it was relaunching as a “company dedicated to solving the global energy crisis.” It also posted a video on social media, advertised on at least one Houston billboard and a took out a full-page ad in the Houston Chronicle In the minute-long video that was full of generic corporate jargon, the company talks about “growth” and “rebirth.” It ends with the words, “We’re back. Can we talk?” Enron’s new website features a company store, where various items featuring the brand’s tilted “E” logo are for sale, including a $118 hoodie. In an email, company spokesperson Will Chabot said the new Enron was not doing any interviews yet, but that “We’ll have more to share soon.” Signs point to the comeback being a joke. In the “terms of use and conditions of sale” on the company’s website, it says “the information on the website about Enron is First Amendment protected parody, represents performance art, and is for entertainment purposes only.” Documents filed with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office show that College Company, an Arkansas-based LLC, owns the Enron trademark. The co-founder of College Company is Connor Gaydos, who helped create a joke conspiracy theory that claims all birds are actually surveillance drones for the government. Peters said that since learning about the “relaunch” of Enron, she has spoken with several other former employees and they are also upset by it. She said the apparent stunt was “in poor taste.” “If it’s a joke, it’s rude, extremely rude. And I hope that they realize it and apologize to all of the Enron employees,” Peters said. Peters, who is 74 years old, said she is still working in information technology because “I lost everything in Enron, and so my Social Security doesn’t always take care of things I need done.” “Enron’s downfall taught us critical lessons about corporate ethics, accountability, and the consequences of unchecked ambition. Enron’s legacy was the employees in the trenches. Leave Enron buried,” she said. Follow Juan A. Lozano on X at https://x.com/juanlozano70

A judge has once again rejected Musk's multi-billion-dollar Tesla pay package. Now what?

Dressed in a black sweatshirt and tie-dyed leggings, Hannah Kobayashi casually walked off her flight from Maui to Los Angeles International Airport on November 8. The 30-year-old had plans to fly to New York City the same day. But she did not board that plane. Then, she seemingly vanished. Described by those who love her as an artistic and creative soul , the Hawaii native’s sudden disappearance has captivated the media as photos of her beaming smile and flowing locks of dark hair have blanketed television screens across the United States. Adding to her family’s anguish, Kobayashi’s father took his own life a few days before Thanksgiving after he had traveled to Los Angeles to search for her, according to the Los Angeles County medical examiner’s office. For nearly a month the Los Angeles Police Department, along with family, friends and volunteers, searched for Kobayashi. But this week, she was declared a voluntary missing person after police say she traveled to the US-Mexico border and crossed into Mexico on November 12. “We reviewed video surveillance from US Customs and Border Protection which clearly shows Kobayashi crossing United States border on foot into Mexico,” Los Angeles Police Chief Jim McDonnell said Monday in a news conference. “She was alone, with her luggage, and appeared unharmed.” Before leaving Maui, Kobayashi had expressed a desire to disconnect from modern technology, McDonnell added. Many people who go missing leave of their own accord for personal reasons, officials say. Last month, a Wisconsin kayaker was reported missing and is now accused of faking his own drowning and fleeing the country, authorities say. In 2023, over 563,000 people were reported missing in the United States, according to the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Crime Information Center. The largest subgroup of missing persons – 125,390 – includes those who may have left voluntarily, the center’s data shows. Others include missing minors, kidnapping victims and disabled people who have wandered off, according to the FBI. Deciding how to proceed with searching for a missing person varies case to case, and sometimes race and news coverage play a role. “People are allowed to come and go as they please,” said Derrica Wilson, co-founder of Black & Missing Foundation , a non-profit that brings awareness to missing persons of color. However, Wilson – a former police officer – said law enforcement works for the community, and it is their responsibility to help loved ones search for a missing person, regardless of the situation surrounding their disappearance and despite race, gender and ZIP code. Missing persons standard procedures For every person that goes missing voluntarily, there are countless others who had no say in their disappearance, according to the International Association of Chiefs of Police, which has developed a missing persons policy for law enforcement agencies to abide by when working on a missing persons case. Reporting a missing person: There is no waiting period for loved ones to report a person missing, either in person or over the phone. At this point, police consider how “critical” the situation is. Who is a “missing” person: A person is often declared missing when their loved ones do not know their whereabouts and cannot explain why they can’t be found. Oftentimes the missing person’s unknown location is odd or unusual to their loved ones. When someone is critically missing: An individual is considered “missing-critical” when they are believed to be the subject of foul play, a minor, mentally disabled, suicidal or the victim of an accident. The preliminary investigation: Investigators focus on getting a description and photo of the person, determining if the person has any physical or emotional problems, and identifying the last individual who saw the person. They try to establish the “plans, habits, routines and personal interests of the subject including places frequented or locations of particular personal significance,” according to the policy. And they look out for “indications of missing personal belongings, particularly money and other valuables,” the policy says. Each state handles missing persons reports differently, Wilson added, and each law enforcement agency within those states has its own process for investigating cases. “There is no holistic approach when it comes to law enforcement response to missing person cases,” Wilson said. “In some states, law enforcement require families to wait 24 hours before reporting their loved ones missing.” Other states have laws prohibiting a wait period, she said. Kobayashi fit the criteria for a missing person considering the unusual circumstances in which she disappeared and concern from her family and friends, according to Wilson. “When you have a family that’s coming to you and they’re saying, ‘My loved one is missing, I have no idea where my loved one is. This is out of character. This is unusual,’ you want (law enforcement) to have empathy and sympathy. You want them to do their job,” Wilson told CNN Tuesday. Meanwhile, officials say they now have reason to believe Kobayashi is safe. “To date the investigation has not uncovered any evidence that Kobayashi is being trafficked or is the victim of foul play. She is also not a suspect in any criminal activity,” McDonnell said. “She has a right to her privacy, and we respect her choices but we also understand that the concern her loved ones feel for her.” Kobayashi’s family said in a statement Tuesday they are grateful for the “urgency and dedication” from law enforcement and remain “hopeful” that she is safe and urged the public to keep searching for her. “We want answers and a resolution that ensures Hannah’s safety and urge law enforcement and the public to stay focused on finding her and to avoid speculative conclusions,” the statement said. The media and race play a role In recent years, the families of missing people of color and LGBTQ+ individuals have blamed the news media for disproportionately covering cases of young, attractive missing White women, like 22-year-old travel blogger Gabby Petito , whose 2021 murder by her boyfriend Brian Laundrie took audiences by storm. News coverage of a missing person can help locate them, Wilson notes. “It alerts the community that someone is missing, number one, and then number two, it provides pressure to law enforcement to dedicate more resources.” While Kobayashi is not White, Wilson said, her attractiveness and public persona played a role in her case blowing up online. Black families say they often struggle to get the police to take their missing person cases seriously. Officers are slow to investigate their loved one’s disappearance or immediately label them as a “runaway,” they say. Black families say they often struggle to get the police to take their missing person cases seriously. Officers are slow to investigate their loved one’s disappearance or immediately label them as a “runaway,” they say. Wilson recalls a phone call she got from the mother of a young missing Black woman who watched the constant media coverage of Petito’s disappearance. “The mother asked me, ‘Why is my daughter any different?’” Wilson said. Wilson currently has nearly 6,000 cases of missing Black people in her database, most unsolved. Many disappearances in the Black community stem from human trafficking, domestic violence and mental health incidents, Wilson previously told CNN. It’s often an “uphill battle” to get the cases of missing Black people amplified and she wants the public to continue sounding the alarm, Wilson said. “We want people to continue making these cases viral,” Wilson said. “We can’t allow this case to diminish our efforts that we have worked so hard for.” CNN’s Michelle Watson, Caroll Alvarado, Artemis Moshtaghian, Karina Tsui and Nicquel Terry Ellis contributed to this report.The Israel-Gaza war is arguably the most crowdsourced conflict in human history. Its atrocities are being broadcast globally in real time, while social media has enabled anyone with internet access to voice their opinion – often distilled into hashtag-able slogans and merch-friendly symbols.ATLANTA (AP) — The judge overseeing the Georgia election interference case against Donald Trump and others on Friday rejected an attempt by former Trump campaign lawyer Kenneth Chesebro to invalidate his guilty plea . Chesebro, Trump and 17 others were charged in August 2023 in a sprawling indictment that accused them of participating in a sweeping scheme to try to illegally overturn Trump’s loss in the 2020 presidential election in Georgia. Chesebro pleaded guilty to a single conspiracy count a few months later after reaching a deal with prosecutors just before he was to go to trial. His lawyer t his month asked Fulton County Superior Court Judge Scott McAfee to invalidate the plea after McAfee in September tossed out the charge to which he had pleaded guilty. Defense attorney Manny Arora wrote that a failure to invalidate the plea would violate Chesebro's constitutional right to due process. McAfee's order denying that request said the motion was procedurally defective "in more ways than one.” He ultimately said he lacks jurisdiction to grant the request and therefore dismissed it. He noted that while Chesebro's filing challenges the validity of the indictment, he “already submitted a plea in response to this indictment — one of guilt.” While Chesebro did raise a pretrial challenge prior to his plea, he did not make the argument that ultimately caused the judge to throw out that charge. Arora had also argued in his filing that his request could be considered a “motion in arrest of judgment." But McAfee said that, technically, no judgment has been rendered against Chesebro because he was sentenced under Georgia's First Offender Act, which “defers further proceedings while the charge remains pending for the duration of the sentence.” Under that law, if Chesebro completes his probation without violating the terms or committing another crime, his record will be wiped clean. The request is also too late, McAfee wrote, because a motion in arrest of judgment must be filed during the term when a judgment is entered. Arora said that he had addressed McAfee's concerns in his motion but that the judge still found that he could not grant the request. He said he will file a habeas corpus motion, a civil proceeding used to challenge a conviction, and expects to get Chesebro's plea invalidated that way. Prosecutors have said Chesebro was part of a plot to have a group of 16 Georgia Republicans sign a certificate falsely saying that Trump had won Georgia and declaring themselves the state’s “duly elected and qualified” electors. He pleaded guilty in October 2023 to one felony charge of conspiracy to commit filing false documents related to the the filing of that document with the federal court in Atlanta. Chesebro was one of four people to plead guilty in the case in the months following the indictment. The rest have pleaded not guilty. The case against Trump and the remaining defendants is mostly on hold pending a pretrial appeal of an order allowing Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis to remain on the case despite what defense attorneys say is a conflict of interest. Even if the appeals court rules in Willis’ favor, the fate of the case against Trump is unclear since he is set to be sworn in again as president next month.