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Stock market today: Wall Street gains ground as it notches a winning week and another Dow record
Manchester City, Arsenal, and now Tottenham. The list of top Premier League teams beaten at Bournemouth this season is growing. Dean Huijsen took advantage of Tottenham’s weakness at set pieces to head home a 17th-minute winner in Bournemouth’s 1-0 victory on Thursday. After the game, some Spurs fans appeared to vent their frustration at manager Ange Postecoglou when he went over to the away contingent following his team's insipid display. “They are pretty disappointed, rightly so, and I got some pretty direct feedback as to how we are going,” the Australian coach said, “and that's fair enough.” Bournemouth climbed to ninth — a point and a place above Tottenham in the standings — and underlined its penchant for surprising high-profile visitors to Vitality Stadium. Man City’s remarkable four-game losing run in the Premier League started with a 2-1 defeat at Bournemouth, while fellow title contender Arsenal’s first loss of the season also came at the Vitality, 2-0 on Oct. 19. This was Spurs' sixth defeat of the campaign. They now have as many wins as losses, highlighting the inconsistency blighting their season, and their seven away results so far make remarkable reading: aside from a 3-0 win at Manchester United and a 4-0 thrashing of Man City, Tottenham has lost four and drawn the other at relegation candidate Leicester. “We've got to get out of this space we're in at the moment where we're just not able to get a real grip on our season,” Postecoglou said. An inability to defend set plays continues to hurt Postecoglou’s team. A week after Roma scored twice from them in a 2-2 draw in the Europa League, Huijsen roamed free in the area at a corner and headed home unmarked. Postecoglou said in May said he “wasn’t interested” about his side’s fallibility while defending set pieces, and said after losing 1-0 to Arsenal in September — after a goal from Gabriel at a corner — that “it’s my burden to carry and I’m happy to do that.” “We started well and conceded a really poor goal," Postecoglou said after the Bournemouth game. “It’s a difficult place to come when giving the opposition the opportunity to play in the manner they want.” IWOBI DOUBLE Alex Iwobi scored goals early and late in the game to lead Fulham to a 3-1 win over Brighton. The Nigeria winger intercepted a stray pass out from the back by Brighton goalkeeper Bart Verbruggen and slotted into an unguarded net for the opener in the fourth minute and curled home Fulham’s clinching goal in the 87th. Carlos Baleba equalized for Brighton in the 56th before Brighton midfielder Matt O’Riley – a former Fulham academy player – deflected the ball into his own net from a corner to put the home side back in front. Fulham climbed to sixth in the standings, a point and a place behind Brighton. AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccerIs Enron back? If it’s a joke, some former employees aren’t laughing
Citigroup’s stock beckons with potential Trump tariff boost and cheap valuation: analystBy DEVNA BOSE One of the country’s largest health insurers reversed a change in policy Thursday after widespread outcry, saying it would not tie payments in some states to the length of time a patient went under anesthesia. Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield said in a statement that its decision to backpedal resulted from “significant widespread misinformation” about the policy. “To be clear, it never was and never will be the policy of Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield to not pay for medically necessary anesthesia services,” the statement said. “The proposed update to the policy was only designed to clarify the appropriateness of anesthesia consistent with well-established clinical guidelines.” Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield would have used “physician work time values,” which is published by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, as the metric for anesthesia limits; maternity patients and patients under the age of 22 were exempt. But Dr. Jonathan Gal, economics committee chair of the American Society for Anesthesiologists, said it’s unclear how CMS derives those values. In mid-November, the American Society for Anesthesiologists called on Anthem to “reverse the proposal immediately,” saying in a news release that the policy would have taken effect in February in New York, Connecticut and Missouri. It’s not clear how many states in total would have been affected, as notices also were posted in Virginia and Colorado . Related Articles National News | The next census will gather more racial, ethnic information National News | As data centers proliferate, conflict with local communities follows National News | NASA’s stuck astronauts hit 6 months in space. Just 2 more to go National News | Imprisoned Proud Boys leader balks at answering a prosecutor’s questions about Capitol attack National News | National Weather Service cancels tsunami warning for the West Coast after 7.0 earthquake People across the country registered their concerns and complaints on social media, and encouraged people in affected states to call their legislators. Some people noted that the policy could prevent patients from getting overcharged. Gal said the policy change would have been unprecedented, ignored the “nuanced, unpredictable human element” of surgery and was a clear “money grab.” “It’s incomprehensible how a health insurance company could so blatantly continue to prioritize their profits over safe patient care,” he said. “If Anthem is, in fact, rescinding the policy, we’re delighted that they came to their senses.” Prior to Anthem’s announcement Thursday, Connecticut comptroller Sean Scanlon said the “concerning” policy wouldn’t affect the state after conversations with the insurance company. And New York Gov. Kathy Hochul said in an emailed statement Thursday that her office had also successfully intervened. The insurance giant’s policy change came one day after the CEO of UnitedHealthcare , another major insurance company, was shot and killed in New York City.
Get TECNO’s latest AI-powered PHANTOM V Flip 2 5G on its first sale for only P27,999As the match reached its climax, it was clear that neither player was willing to back down. The tension in the air was palpable as the score remained neck and neck, with each player refusing to give an inch. In a thrilling turn of events, it was Hao Shuai who managed to find a breakthrough, unleashing a series of powerful shots that left his opponent scrambling to keep up.3. Ice Cluster:
The decision to prohibit the sale of DJI and Da-Jiang drones in the U.S. marks a significant escalation in the ongoing battle over the control and regulation of emerging technologies. It underscores the need for governments to be vigilant in assessing the potential risks associated with the use of unmanned aerial vehicles and other advanced technologies that could be exploited for malicious purposes.Kaitlan Collins' bio: Height, salary, parents, net worth, is she married?Thousands of pro-EU protesters march on Georgia parliament
Taking unnecessary antibiotics can contribute to antibiotic resistance, a growing global health concern. Therefore, it is crucial for healthcare professionals to accurately diagnose the type of pneumonia before prescribing treatment. Patients should follow their healthcare provider's guidance and avoid self-medicating with antibiotics without a proper diagnosis.
Real Madrid's success in managing their squad during busy periods will ultimately depend on their ability to rotate players effectively, maintain high levels of fitness, and stay mentally resilient amidst the pressure. The team's strength in depth will be tested, and the performance of fringe players could be crucial in determining their success.
Instead of appointing a sporting director, Manchester United are set to rely on their current structure, which includes manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer and executive vice-chairman Ed Woodward. This decision has raised questions about the club's long-term vision and strategy, especially as they look to compete with other top clubs in the Premier League and Europe.SINGAPORE , Dec. 5, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Maxeon Solar Technologies, Ltd. (NASDAQ: MAXN ) ("Maxeon" or "the Company"), a global leader in solar innovation and channels, today announced its financial results for the third quarter ended September 29, 2024 . Maxeon's Chief Executive Officer George Guo stated, "Third quarter results were distorted due to deliveries detained by the United States Customs and Border Protection ("CBP"), fixed costs associated with factory shutdowns and low production levels, and costs and write-offs from our ongoing restructuring. On top of this, we continue to observe depressed prices as a result of the global oversupply and intense competition. The average market price for high efficiency and mainstream crystalline modules like our IBC products and Performance line products has dropped by approximately 43.5% and 28.6%, respectively, since January 2024 . We recently announced some of the key strategic initiatives undertaken to optimize Maxeon's business portfolio and geographic market focus. Moving forward, we intend to re-create Maxeon as a world leader in solar, focused exclusively in the United States where we believe our market presence and planned local manufacturing create a strong platform to drive growth and profitability in the future. We appreciate the support and patience of our investors as we translate our strategic thinking into concrete actions." Maxeon's Chief Financial Officer Dmitri Hu added, "As we establish our new strategy to transform Maxeon, we are highly focused on our financial position. We intend to reserve sufficient liquidity for daily operations, while we recapitalize the company to fund our restructuring and growth. However, considering the continued uncertainties around CBP detentions, we are unable to provide financial guidance for fourth quarter of 2024. We will defer holding a conference call to discuss quarterly financial results, until the ongoing restructuring is complete and we can provide a more comprehensive view of our go-forward strategy." For more information Maxeon's third quarter 2024 financial results and management commentary can be found on Form 6-K by accessing the Financials & Filings page of the Investor Relations section of Maxeon's website at: https://corp.maxeon.com/investor-relations . The Form 6-K and Company's other filings are also available online from the Securities and Exchange Commission at www.sec.gov . About Maxeon Solar Technologies Maxeon Solar Technologies (NASDAQ: MAXN ) is Powering Positive ChangeTM. Headquartered in Singapore, Maxeon leverages nearly 40 years of solar energy leadership and over 2,000 granted patents to design innovative and sustainably made solar panels and energy solutions for residential, commercial, and power plant customers. For more information about how Maxeon is Powering Positive ChangeTM visit us at www.maxeon.com , and on LinkedIn. Forward-Looking Statements This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, including, but not limited to, statements regarding: (a) our ability to (i) meet short-term and long-term material cash requirements, (ii) service our outstanding debts and make payments as they come due and (iii) continue as a going concern; (b) the success of our ongoing restructuring initiatives and our ability to execute on our plans and strategy; (c) our expectations regarding product pricing trends, demand and growth projections, including our efforts to enforce our intellectual property rights against our competitors; (d) disruptions to our operations and supply chain resulting from, among other things, government regulatory or enforcement actions, such as the detentions of our products by the U.S. Customs Border and Protection (CBP) for an unforeseeable amount of time, epidemics, natural disasters or military conflicts, including the duration, scope and impact on the demand for our products, market disruptions from the war in Ukraine and the Israel-Hamas-Iran conflict; (e) anticipated product launch timing and our expectations regarding ramp, customer acceptance and demand, upsell and expansion opportunities; (f) our expectations and plans for short- and long-term strategy, including our anticipated areas of focus and investment, market expansion, product and technology focus, implementation of restructuring plans and projected growth and profitability; (g) our technology outlook, including anticipated fab capacity expansion and utilization and expected ramp and production timelines for the Company's next-generation Maxeon 7 and Performance line solar panels, expected cost reductions, and future performance; (h) our strategic goals and plans, including statements regarding restructuring of our business portfolio, the Company's anticipated manufacturing facility in the U.S., our transformation initiatives and plans regarding supply chain adaptation, improved costs and efficiencies, capacity expansion, partnership discussions with respect to the Company's next-generation technology, and our relationship with our existing customers, suppliers and partners, and our ability to achieve and maintain them; (i) our expectations regarding our future performance and revenues resulting from contracted orders, bookings, backlog, and pipelines in our sales channels and feedback from our partners; and (j) our projected effective tax rate and changes to the valuation allowance related to our deferred tax assets. The forward-looking statements can be also identified by terminology such as "may," "might," "could," "will," "aims," "expects," "anticipates," "future," "intends," "plans," "believes," "estimates" and similar statements. Among other things, the quotations from management in this press release and Maxeon's operations and business outlook contain forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements are based on our current assumptions, expectations and beliefs and involve substantial risks and uncertainties that may cause results, performance or achievement to materially differ from those expressed or implied by these forward-looking statements. These statements are not guarantees of future performance and are subject to a number of risks. The reader should not place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, as there can be no assurances that the plans, initiatives or expectations upon which they are based will occur. Factors that could cause or contribute to such differences include, but are not limited to: (1) challenges in executing transactions key to our strategic plans, and other restructuring plans, as well as challenges in addressing regulatory and other obstacles that may arise; (2) our liquidity, substantial indebtedness, terms and conditions upon which our indebtedness is incurred, and ability to obtain additional financing for our projects, customers and operations; (3) an adverse final determination of the CBP investigation related to CBP's examination of Maxeon's compliance with the Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act; (4) our ability to manage supply chain shortages and/or excess inventory and cost increases and operating expenses; (5) potential disruptions to our operations and supply chain that may result from damage or destruction of facilities operated by our suppliers, difficulties in hiring or retaining key personnel, epidemics, natural disasters, including impacts of the war in Ukraine ; (6) our ability to manage our key customers and suppliers; (7) the success of our ongoing research and development efforts and our ability to commercialize new products and services, including products and services developed through strategic partnerships; (8) competition in the solar and general energy industry and downward pressure on selling prices and wholesale energy pricing, including impacts of inflation, economic recession and foreign exchange rates upon customer demand; (9) changes in regulation and public policy, including the imposition and applicability of tariffs; (10) our ability to comply with various tax holiday requirements as well as regulatory changes or findings affecting the availability of economic incentives promoting use of solar energy and availability of tax incentives or imposition of tax duties; (11) fluctuations in our operating results and in the foreign currencies in which we operate; (12) appropriate sizing, or delays in expanding our manufacturing capacity and containing manufacturing and logistical difficulties that could arise; (13) unanticipated impact to customer demand and sales schedules due, among other factors, to the war in Ukraine , economic recession and environmental disasters; (14) reaction by securities or industry analysts to our annual and/or quarterly guidance, in combination with our results of operations or other factors, and/ or third party reports or publications, whether accurate or not, which may cause such securities or industry analysts to cease publishing research or reports about us, or adversely change their recommendations regarding our ordinary shares, which may negatively impact the market price of our ordinary shares and volume of our stock trading; and (15) unpredictable outcomes resulting from our litigation activities and other disputes. Forward-looking and other statements in this report may also address our corporate sustainability or responsibility progress, plans, and goals (including environmental matters), and the inclusion of such statements is not an indication that these contents are necessarily material to investors or required to be disclosed in the Company's filings with the SEC. In addition, historical, current, and forward-looking sustainability-related statements may be based on standards for measuring progress that are still developing, internal controls and processes that continue to evolve, and assumptions that are subject to change in the future. A detailed discussion of these factors and other risks that affect our business is included in filings we make with the Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC") from time to time, including our most recent report on Form 20-F, particularly under the heading "Risk Factors" and Form 6-K filings discussing our quarterly earnings results. Copies of these filings are available online from the SEC at www.sec.gov , or on the SEC Filings section of our Investor Relations website at https://corp.maxeon.com/investor-relations . All forward-looking statements in this press release are based on information currently available to us, and we assume no obligation to update these forward-looking statements in light of new information or future events. Use of Non-GAAP Financial Measures We present certain non-GAAP measures such as non-GAAP gross (loss) profit, non-GAAP operating expenses and earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization ("EBITDA") adjusted for stock-based compensation, provision for expected credit losses, restructuring charges and fees, remeasurement loss on prepaid forward, physical delivery forward and warrants, gain on extinguishment of debt and equity in income of unconsolidated investees and associated gains ("Adjusted EBITDA") to supplement our consolidated financial results presented in accordance with GAAP. Non-GAAP gross (loss) profit is defined as gross (loss) profit excluding stock-based compensation and restructuring charges and fees. Non-GAAP operating expenses is defined as operating expenses excluding stock-based compensation, provision for expected credit losses and restructuring charges and fees. We believe that non-GAAP gross (loss) profit, non-GAAP operating expenses and Adjusted EBITDA provide greater transparency into management's view and assessment of the Company's ongoing operating performance by removing items management believes are not representative of our continuing operations and may distort our longer-term operating trends. We believe these measures are useful to help enhance the comparability of our results of operations across different reporting periods on a consistent basis and with our competitors, distinct from items that are infrequent or not associated with the Company's core operations as presented above. We also use these non-GAAP measures internally to assess our business, financial performance and current and historical results, as well as for strategic decision-making and forecasting future results. Given our use of non-GAAP measures, we believe that these measures may be important to investors in understanding our operating results as seen through the eyes of management. These non-GAAP measures are neither prepared in accordance with GAAP nor are they intended to be a replacement for GAAP financial data, should be reviewed together with GAAP measures and may be different from non-GAAP measures used by other companies. As presented in the "Reconciliation of Non-GAAP Financial Measures" section, each of the non-GAAP financial measures excludes one or more of the following items in arriving to the non-GAAP measures: Stock-based compensation expense . Stock-based compensation relates primarily to equity incentive awards. Stock-based compensation is a non-cash expense that is dependent on market forces that are difficult to predict and is excluded from non-GAAP gross (loss) profit, non-GAAP operating expense and Adjusted EBITDA. Management believes that this adjustment for stock-based compensation expense provides investors with a basis to measure our core performance, including the ability to compare our performance with the performance of other companies, without the period-to-period variability created by stock-based compensation Provision for expected credit losses . This relates to the expected credit loss in relation to the financial assets under the Separation and Distribution Agreement dated November 8, 2019 (the "SDA") entered into with SunPower Corporation ("SunPower") in connection with the Company's spin-off from SunPower. Such loss is excluded from non-GAAP operating expense and Adjusted EBITDA as this relates to SunPower's business which Maxeon did not and will not have economic benefits to, as the Company's involvement is solely through SunPower's indemnification obligations set forth in the SDA. As such, management believes that this is not part of core operating activity and it is appropriate to exclude the provision for expected credit losses from our non-GAAP financial measures as it is not reflective of ongoing operating results nor do these charges contribute to a meaningful evaluation of our past operating performance. Restructuring charges and fees . We incur restructuring charges, inventory impairment and other inventory related costs associated with the re-engineering of our IBC capacity, and fees related to reorganization plans aimed towards realigning resources consistent with our global strategy and improving its overall operating efficiency and cost structure. Restructuring charges and fees are excluded from non-GAAP operating expenses and Adjusted EBITDA because they are not considered core operating activities. Although we have engaged in restructuring activities and initiatives, past activities have been discrete events based on unique sets of business objectives. As such, management believes that it is appropriate to exclude restructuring charges and fees from our non-GAAP financial measures as they are not reflective of ongoing operating results nor do these charges contribute to a meaningful evaluation of our past operating performance. Gain on extinguishment of debt . This relates to the gain that arose from the substantial modification in June 2024 of our Green Convertible Senior Notes due 2025 (the "2025 Notes") and First Lien Senior Secured Convertible Notes due 2027. Gain on debt extinguishment is excluded from Adjusted EBITDA because it is not considered part of core operating activities. Such activities are discrete events based on unique sets of business objectives. As such, management believes that it is appropriate to exclude the gain on extinguishment of debt from our non-GAAP financial measures as it is not reflective of ongoing operating results nor do these charges contribute to a meaningful evaluation of our past operating performance. Remeasurement loss (gain) on prepaid forward and physical delivery forward . This relates to the mark-to-market fair value remeasurement of privately negotiated prepaid forward and physical delivery transactions. The transactions were entered into in connection with the issuance on July 17, 2020 of the 2025 Notes for an aggregate principal amount of $200 million . The prepaid forward is remeasured to fair value at the end of each reporting period, with changes in fair value booked in earnings. The fair value of the prepaid forward is primarily affected by the Company's share price. The physical delivery forward was remeasured to fair value at the end of the note valuation period on September 29, 2020 , and was reclassified to equity after remeasurement, and will not be subsequently remeasured. The fair value of the physical delivery forward was primarily affected by the Company's share price. The remeasurement loss (gain) on prepaid forward and physical delivery forward is excluded from Adjusted EBITDA because it is not considered core operating activities. As such, management believes that it is appropriate to exclude the mark-to-market adjustments from our Adjusted EBITDA as it is not reflective of ongoing operating results nor do the loss contribute to a meaningful evaluation of our past operating performance. Remeasurement loss (gain) on warrants . This relates to the mark-to-market fair value remeasurement of the exchange warrants and investor warrants. The transactions were entered into in connection with the exchange of 99.25% of the 2025 Notes with aggregate notional amount of $200 million and the 9.00% Convertible First Lien Senior Secured Notes due 2029 of $97.5 million , both entered on June 20, 2024 . The investor warrants were remeasured to fair value prior to them being exercised and were reclassified to equity, and will not be subsequently remeasured. The exchange warrants were remeasured to fair value on September 12, 2024 , and were reclassified to equity after on such date, and will not be subsequently remeasured. The fair value of the warrants was primarily affected by the Company's share price. The remeasurement loss on warrants is excluded from Adjusted EBITDA because it is not considered a core operating activity. As such, management believes that it is appropriate to exclude the mark-to-market adjustments from our Adjusted EBITDA as it is not reflective of ongoing operating results nor do the loss contribute to a meaningful evaluation of our past operating performance. Equity in (income) losses of unconsolidated investees and related gains . This relates to the loss on our former unconsolidated equity investment Huansheng JV and gains on such investment on divestment. This is excluded from our Adjusted EBITDA financial measure as it is non-cash in nature and not reflective of our core operational performance. As such, management believes that it is appropriate to exclude such charges as they do not contribute to a meaningful evaluation of our performance. ©2024 Maxeon Solar Technologies, Ltd. All rights reserved. MAXEON is a registered trademark of Maxeon Solar Technologies, Ltd. Visit https://corp.maxeon.com/trademarks for more information. The following table reconciles our cash and cash equivalents and restricted cash reported on our Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets and the cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash reported on our Condensed Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows as of September 29, 2024 and October 1, 2023 : SOURCE Maxeon Solar Technologies, Ltd.
NoneAnother notable entry on the list is "Quantum Shift," a mind-bending puzzle game that challenges players to navigate through a series of interconnected dimensions and unravel the mysteries of time and space. With its innovative gameplay mechanics and complex narrative structure, "Quantum Shift" has captivated audiences and critics alike, earning it a nomination for Best Indie Game at the TGA awards.
The safety issues surrounding the windshield of electric vehicles have recently come into the spotlight, leading to several regions implementing bans on these vehicles. The concern primarily revolves around the potential risks posed by the design and quality of the windshields, highlighting the importance of ensuring safety standards are met in the production and operation of electric vehicles.
NoneOliver Glasner: Crystal Palace are heading in right direction after Ipswich win
Welcome to the post-apocalyptic world of S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart Of Chornobyl, where everything including your framerate is trying to kill you. Enter a world full of ruined settlements, creepy bunkers and sewers, and radioactive forests complemented by a dynamic weather system that brings out the best (and the worst) of a beautifully detailed game environment. You play as Skif, an ex-military from the Mainland – basically the safe area outside of Chornobyl. One day, an artefact – one of the many magical items from the Zone – comes crashing into your apartment, causing you to venture into the Zone to figure out how it ended up there. You soon find yourself stuck in Chornobyl, with faction wars, savage mutants and even the land itself trying to end you. Getting into the game, it struck me how many different ways the game tries to kill you. As I explored the Zone, I encountered Anomalies, essentially unnatural disasters that can take the form of lightning on the ground, patches of toxic waste, or my favourite, a massive bubble that turns you inside out. While you do get a device and some bolts to throw at Anomalies in order to figure out where not to set, my oblivious self often wandered right into them, resulting in some frustrating restarts. As for Skif, it is some tough work trying to keep him alive. Apart from the untold horrors trying to turn him into kebab, he needs to eat semi-regularly, hydrate with water and energy drinks to regain stamina, and after all that, can die in a few gunshots. This fragility does make combat intense and I do love the gunplay in Stalker 2. Hastily exchanging gunshots and the odd grenade with enemy stalkers do make for some satisfying gunfights. As a self-certified loot goblin, I had a blast scurrying through ruins and sewers, with my desire for a bigger gun overpowering my fear of creepy tunnels where there was definitely something there that would kill you. I did enjoy the weapon customisation, being able to tailor my gun to my needs and whatever the Zone is going to throw at me. However, I was mostly saving up Coupons, the Zone’s currency, to buy ammo rather than upgrades, due to the strange scarcity of ammunition in Chornobyl. It isn’t all sunny (or rainy) in the Zone – I suffered massive frame drops during my playthroughs. At times, the game was reduced to little more than a slideshow, leaving me bemused after simply trying to climb a ladder. At times, cutscenes did have some visual bugs, sometimes grass outside clipping through the wall, a disembodied voice instead of a person speaking to you and the usual the framerate simply evaporates, leaving you with little more than an audio recording. I also felt that weapons and gear broke too easily, and looted weapons were often in such an abysmal state I had to repair them before selling to the vendor, barely making a profit. Despite this, I still found the game enjoyable, wandering around the massive map admiring the gorgeously atmospheric world and the intense fights for survival make it a great experience. Just maybe wait a bit while they buffer out the anomalies in the game, lest your journey into Chornobyl may be cut short by frustration.
South Korea lifts president's martial law decree after lawmakers vote against it SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol’s government has lifted the martial law he imposed during a tense night of political drama in which troops surrounded parliament and lawmakers voted to reject military rule. Yoon said early Wednesday that his government withdrew military personnel following a bipartisan parliamentary vote rejecting martial law, and the measure was formally lifted during a Cabinet meeting around 4:30 a.m. Yoon declared martial law late Tuesday, vowing to eliminate “anti-state” forces as he struggles against an opposition that controls the country’s parliament and that he accuses of sympathizing with communist North Korea. Less than three hours later, parliament voted to lift the declaration. President-elect Donald Trump’s lawyers urge judge to toss his hush money conviction NEW YORK (AP) — President-elect Donald Trump’s lawyers have formally asked a judge to throw out his hush money criminal conviction. Trump’s lawyers told Manhattan Judge Juan M. Merchan in court papers Monday that dismissal is warranted because of the extraordinary circumstances of his impending return to the White House. They argue continuing the case would present unconstitutional “disruptions to the institution of the Presidency.“ Prosecutors have said they will fight any efforts to dismiss the case but have indicated openness to delaying sentencing until after Trump’s second term ends in 2029. Trump team signs agreement to allow Justice to conduct background checks on nominees, staff WASHINGTON (AP) — President-elect Donald Trump’s transition team has signed an agreement to allow the Justice Department to conduct background checks on his nominees and appointees after a weeks-long delay. The step lets Trump transition aides and future administration staffers obtain security clearances before Inauguration Day to access classified information about ongoing government programs. It also allows those nominees who are up for Senate confirmation to get the background checks lawmakers want before voting on them. Trump's FBI pick has plans to reshape the bureau. This is what Kash Patel has said he wants to do WASHINGTON (AP) — Kash Patel has been well-known for years within Donald Trump’s orbit as a loyal supporter who shares the president-elect’s skepticism of the FBI and intelligence community. But he’s receiving fresh attention, from the public and from Congress, now that Trump has selected him to lead the FBI. As he braces for a bruising and likely protracted Senate confirmation fight, Patel can expect scrutiny not only over his professed fealty to Trump but also for his belief — revealed over the last year in interviews and his own book — that the century-old FBI should be radically overhauled. Hamas and Fatah are near an agreement on who will oversee postwar Gaza CAIRO (AP) — Palestinian officials say Fatah and Hamas are closing in on an agreement to appoint a committee of politically independent technocrats to administer the Gaza Strip after the war. It would effectively end Hamas’ rule and could help advance ceasefire talks with Israel. The rival factions have made several failed attempts to reconcile since Hamas seized power in Gaza in 2007. Israel has meanwhile ruled out any postwar role in Gaza for either Hamas or the Western-backed Palestinian Authority, which is dominated by Fatah. Thanks to peace, two unexpected words are echoing across Afghanistan's capital: Luxury housing KABUL, Afghanistan (AP) — Peace is driving up property prices in Kabul and fueling the luxury market. Afghans who spent years overseas are returning home, keen to take advantage of the country’s improved security after decades of war. They include those escaping deportation campaigns in Iran and Pakistan and are taking their cash with them. Kabul is less violent since the Taliban transitioned from insurgency to authority and foreign forces withdrew. The Taliban, sticklers for bureaucracy, have pledged to stamp out corruption and regulate legal and commercial matters. That means no more dealing with warlords or bribing local officials for land purchases or construction projects. Native American students miss school at higher rates. It only got worse during the pandemic SAN CARLOS, Ariz. (AP) — Years after COVID-19 disrupted American schools, nearly every state is still struggling with attendance. But attendance has been worse for Native American and Alaska Native students — a disparity that existed before the pandemic and has since grown, according to data collected by The Associated Press. Out of 34 states with data available for the 2022-2023 school year, half had absenteeism rates for Native students that were at least 9 percentage points higher than the state average. Many schools serving Native students have been working to build stronger connections with families. They must navigate distrust dating back to the U.S. government’s campaign to force Native kids into abusive boarding schools. Democrats stick with Schumer as leader. Their strategy for countering Trump is far less certain WASHINGTON (AP) — Senate Democrats reelected Chuck Schumer as party leader on Tuesday as the party moves into a deeply uncertain time, with no real consensus on a strategy as President-elect Donald Trump prepares to take office. Schumer faced no opposition in the party leadership elections, in which Illinois Sen. Dick Durbin was also re-elected to the No. 2 spot and Minnesota Sen. Amy Klobuchar became the new No. 3. Schumer said he was honored to move the party forward “during this crucial period for our country.” But it is a bleak moment for Senate Democrats, who lost four seats and the majority in November's election. The year in review: Influential people who died in 2024 O.J. Simpson’s “trial of the century” over the 1994 killings of his ex-wife and her friend bared divisions over race and law enforcement and brought an intersection of sports, crime, entertainment and class that was hard to turn away from. His death in April brought an end to a life that had become defined by scrutiny over the killings. But he was just one of many influential and noteworthy people who died in 2024. Alexei Navalny, who died in prison in February, was a fierce political foe of Russian President Vladimir Putin. And the music industry lost a titan in producer Quincy Jones, who died in November. 2024 in pop culture: In a bruising year, we sought out fantasy, escapism — and cute little animals NEW YORK (AP) — Did you have a “Brat summer” this year? Were you “demure,” and were you “mindful”? Did you enter a celebrity look-alike contest? All these were pop culture trends that emerged in 2024. But most of all, it seemed the theme was escapism. Whether it was the yellow brick road in “Wicked” or the beckoning seas of Oceania in “Moana 2” or adorable fuzzy animals like Moo Deng or even unlikely Olympic heroes making us proud, audiences gravitated to fantasy and feel-good moments.