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Times Image.To play Maria Callas, Angelina Jolie had to learn how to breathe again
NoneExpert reveals the one thing to avoid saying during the festive season - and why you should consider 'presence' instead of 'presents' Christmas DaySouth Korea's parliament formally introduced a motion on Thursday to impeach President Yoon Suk Yeol over a botched attempt to impose martial law, but his party vowed to oppose the move, throwing the process into doubt. Lawmakers could vote for the bill as early as Friday. Yoon's ruling People Power Party said it would oppose it but the party has been divided over the crisis. The opposition Democratic Party, which has a majority in parliament, needs at least eight ruling party lawmakers to back the bill in order for it to pass. "The Yoon Suk Yeol regime's declaration of emergency martial law caused great confusion and fear among our people," Democratic Party lawmaker Kim Seung-won told a session of South Korea's National Assembly held in the early hours of Thursday. None of the 108 ruling party lawmakers were present for the introduction of the motion, which followed an attempt by armed troops to force their way into the National Assembly building in Seoul, only to stand back when parliamentary aides sprayed them with fire extinguishers. "The people and the aides who protected parliament protected us with their bodies. The people won, and it's now time for us to protect the people," said Kim. "We need to immediately suspend the authority of President Yoon. He has committed an indelible, historic, crime against the people, whose anxiety needs to be soothed so that they can return to their daily lives". If the impeachment motion is passed and upheld by the constitutional court, Yoon would be the second South Korean president to have been impeached since massive candlelit protests against an influence-peddling scandal led to the removal of former president Park Geun-hye in 2017. Yoon's declaration of martial law late on Tuesday attempted to ban political activity and censor the media in South Korea, which has Asia's fourth largest economy and is a key U.S. ally. The shock move divided Yoon's ministers and unleashed six hours of political chaos. Demonstrators held candlelit vigils in Seoul late on Wednesday and called for Yoon's resignation. The impeachment motion against Yoon paved the way for a vote to be held in the following 24 to 72 hours. Opposition parties need a two-thirds majority to pass the impeachment bill. If it passes, South Korea's Constitutional Court will then decide whether to uphold the motion– a process that could take up to 180 days. If Yoon were to be suspended from exercising power due to parliament passing the bill, Prime Minister Han Duck-soo would fill in as leader. If the embattled president resigned or was removed from office, a new election would be held within 60 days. NO SPECIFIC THREATS Yoon told the nation in a television speech late on Tuesday that martial law was needed to defend the country from pro-North Korean anti-state forces, and protect the free constitutional order, although he cited no specific threats. Within hours, South Korea's parliament, with 190 of its 300 members present, unanimously passed a motion for martial law be lifted, with 18 members of Yoon's party present. The president then rescinded the declaration of martial law, around six hours after its proclamation. "There are opinions that it was too much to go to emergency martial law, and that we did not follow the procedures for emergency martial law, but it was done strictly within the constitutional framework," a South Korean presidential official told Reuters by telephone. There has been no reaction yet from North Korea to the drama in the South. Yoon was embraced by leaders in the West as a partner in the U.S.-led effort to unify democracies against growing authoritarianism in China, Russia and elsewhere. But he caused unease among South Koreans by branding his critics as "communist totalitarian and anti-state forces". In November, he denied wrongdoing in response to influence-peddling allegations against him and his wife and he has taken a hard line against labour unions. The martial law crisis rattled global financial markets and left South Korea's benchmark KOSPI index down 1.4%. Currency dealers reporting suspected state intervention to keep the won stable after overnight talks between Finance Minister Choi Sang-mok and Bank of Korea Governor Rhee Chang-yong. Choi sent an emergency note to global financial chiefs and credit rating agencies late on Wednesday to say the finance ministry was working to alleviate any adverse impact from political turmoil, the ministry said. Yoon, a career prosecutor, squeezed out a victory in the tightest presidential election in South Korean history in 2022, riding a wave of discontent over economic policy, scandals and gender wars. But his support ratings have been at around 20% for months and the opposition captured nearly two-thirds of seats in parliament in an April election. Martial law been declared more than a dozen times since South Korea was established as a republic in 1948. In 1980, a group of military officers forced then-President Choi Kyu-hah to proclaim martial law to crush calls for the restoration of democratic government.
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The Disaster Management (Amendment) Bill, 2024, passed in the Lok Sabha on December 12 as an amendment to the existing 2005 law has, among multiple modifications, envisaged the formation of urban disaster management authorities in a first. Be it Bengaluru, which suffered flooding recently during October earlier this year, or Chennai, which was paralysed as a result of cyclone Michaung in November, climate-induced disasters are becoming a recurring phenomenon in Indian cities at a point wherein India is continuing to log an urban-focussed growth. In this context, experts and practitioners have lauded the introduction of an urban-specific disaster authority. While the amendments are yet to be discussed in detail and passed in the Upper House before being sent to the President for her assent, the provisions of the urban authority and aspects, such as necessary recognition of disaster risk reduction (DRR), climate change and some autonomy to the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA), have been welcomed. Also read | Centre approves ₹ 944 crore as Cyclone Fengal relief to Tamil Nadu, promises more after assessment reports Krishna S Vatsa, a member of NDMA, said this is a landmark step, given the country’s rapid urbanisation and recurrence of disasters in cities. “The existing district-level structures are not effective in these cases.” An official working with a UN agency, echoing the sentiments, said the emphasis on the creation of a disaster database will also lead to more data-based decision-making. Notably, the current draft mentions that national capital Delhi and Chandigarh will be the only exceptions. In other places, these new city-level authorities will align with central, state and district-level disaster management authorities for state capitals and large cities. While these additions have been lauded as broadly progressive, many experts have pointed out other obvious reformative steps that the proposed amendment has overlooked, particularly from the urban perspective. Also read | ‘Justice for Wayanad’: Priyanka leads protest, demands relief package for landslide-hit constituency A senior official with experience in working with a state disaster management authority for more than three years said the amendment could have mandated frameworks for resource allocations into clear categories, such as mitigation, preparedness, rescue, and rehabilitation, as recommended by the 15th Finance Commission. “This structured approach would ensure efficient and targeted use of resources for disaster management.” Other than this, he said, the emphasis on communication protocols and technology integration for real-time monitoring, predictive analysis, and data-driven decision-making is missing. He also mentioned that the law fails to incorporate participatory governance, involving local communities, to ensure solutions are inclusive and grounded in local realities. An official currently with the NDMA, on condition of anonymity, said, another level of decentralisation was required, with regard to ward-level structures, for emergency management. “We need to pay more attention to creating urban search and rescue teams, which can operate at a sub-city level.” Kathyayini Chamaraj, a member of the social security association of India, said ward disaster management teams and booth-level committees need to be formed with volunteers. “Ward committee members and ward-level officials need to be equipped with emergency funds to carry out activities during an emergency: rescue, recovery and mitigation of disasters,” Chamaraj said. Anil Kumar Gupta, a professor at IIT Roorkee who previously worked with the Centre for Disasters and Health and the National Institute of Disaster Management, questioned why mayors have been left out of the framework, when the state and central authorities are led by the Prime Minister and chief ministers, respectively. Gupta questioned the proposal to make the municipal corporation commissioner the chief of the urban disaster authority, expressing scepticism if the officer can exercise control multiple other parastatal agencies that are involved in the day-to-day functioning of large cities. “This is important as, unlike disaster response that is done on war footing, mitigation will involve broader issues, such as improving land use practice, housing, setting development regulation norms and even preparing risk-informed master plans.” He questioned how a multiplicity of agencies, incongruous with one another, will achieve its goals and wondered if these urban bodies will be set up in industrial cities, such as Noida, which do not have traditional municipal bodies. Gupta said the aspect of losses specific to cities has also been missed, as disasters not only negatively impact infrastructure but also disrupt supply chains and city economics. He said that instead of an authority, an operational agency to implement the mechanisms that already exist on paper in a time-bound manner would have been more helpful.ST. LOUIS — Illinois' Kasparas Jakucionis showed why his NBA Draft stock is so high. The freshman guard knocked down a jumper with 28 seconds to play to give Illinois the lead and the Illini hung on for an 80-77 win over Mizzou, their second straight Braggin' Rights victory. Jacob Crews missed a potential tying 3-pointer in the closing seconds and the teams exited the floor without the traditional postgame handshake line after some shouting in a physical, hard-fought game. Jakucionis, who hit another tie-breaking shot with just over two minutes to play, that one a 3-pointer, finished with 21 points to lead Illinois. Tony Perkins and Mark Mitchell had 18 to lead Mizzou. Tamar Bates added 17 in a physical game that featured 43 fouls. Mizzou falls to 10-2. Illinois improves to 8-3. Kasparas Jakucionis' 3 gives Illinois a late lead. 2:03, second half: Kasparas Jakucionis knocked down a 3-pointer with 2:03 left after Mizzou had tied it. Illinois leads 75-72. Mizzou retakes then loses lead 3:57, second half: After Trent Pierce's layup gave Mizzou its first lead of the second half, he immediately committed a foul and allowed Tre White to score on the play as the Illini retook the lead. White has a free throw after the TV timeout. There have been 37 fouls in the game. Mizzou's Anthony Robinson II and Illinois' Morez Johnson each have four fouls. Mizzou on a run 5:27, second half: Jacob Crews knocked down a 3-pointer, just Mizzou's second of the day, to cap a 7-0 Tigers run. Illinois calls timeout. Mizzou sticking around 7:55, second half: Illinois leads 61-57 and has two free throws after the TV timeout. Mark Mitchell and Tamar Bates have been asserting themselves for Mizzou. Mitchell has three baskets in the last few minutes. Official attendance is 18,497, the largest since 2017, which was before Enterprise Center underwent renovations that lowered capacity. Mizzou mini-run stems the tide 11:51, second half: Four straight Mizzou points have trimmed the Tigers' deficit to 51-48, but Illinois has two free throws upcoming after the TV timeout. Mizzou has made only one 3-pointer on seven tries. Mizzou calls timeout after Illinois goes up 7 13:08, second half: Illinois is up 51-44 after a transition bucket by Dra Gibbs-Lawhorn forces a Mizzou timeout. Both teams will be in the bonus the rest of the way. The foul issues could eventually benefit Mizzou. The Tigers play their bench more than just about anybody in the country (45.5%), while that's not a strength for Illinois (28.9%). Mizzou's Tamar Bates has already matched his first-half scoring with four second-half points. Game is getting more physical 15:11, second half: Things are getting heated to start the second. Illinois leads 45-38 with two Mizzou free throws upcoming. Mizzou coach Dennis Gates picked up a technical a moment ago after a physical sequence didn't go the Tigers' way. Tamar Bates just drew a foul, Illinois' sixth of the half. He'll have two free throws after the TV timeout. So Mizzou's attacking style may pay off if they keep attacking, since they'll be in the bonus the rest of the way. Tony Perkins and Anthony Robinson II each picked up their third fouls in the opening minute of the second half but stayed in the game. Morez Johnson, Tomislav Ivisic and Tre White each have three fouls for Illinois. Last-second Illini putback before halftime is no good Halftime: Illinois leads 37-32 at the half after a last-second putback by Morez Johnson Jr. was disallowed. Even without that bucket, Illinois has nine second-chance points to one for Mizzou. Illinois has a 23-9 edge on the boards, which is obviously something coach Dennis Gates will have to address in the locker room at halftime. Tamar Bates, Mizzou's leading scorer entering the game, has just four points and has taken only three shots. Kasparas Jakucionis leads Illinois with 10 points, and Tre White has eight. For Mizzou, Mark Mitchell has 13 and Tony Perkins six. Illinois has led for 11:15 of the first half and Mizzou has had the lead for 5:47. Foul troubles: Half of the teams' combined 10 starters have two fouls. For Mizzou, Tony Perkins and Anthony Robinson II each have two fouls. Illinois' Tomislav Ivisic, Ben Humrichous and Tre White each have two. Illinois retakes lead after Mizzou's surge 2:47, first half: This is starting to look like the type of Braggin' Rights game we've come to expect. A lot of back-and-forth action keeping fans standing. Illinois has retaken the lead, 30-28, with a 6-0 run after a Mizzou push powered by Mark Mitchell and Tony Perkins. Two Illinois starters, Tomislav Ivisic and Ben Humrichous, picked up their second fouls in recent minutes. Mizzou's Tony Perkins also picked up his second, teammate Anthony Robinson II with two. Illinois now has seven offensive rebounds to Mizzou's one. Anthony Robinson II sits with two fouls for Mizzou 7:05, first half: Marques Warrick hit Mizzou's first 3-pointer of the day, on its fourth try. Mizzou starting point guard Anthony Robinson II picked up his second foul and is sitting. The Tigers fans were not happy with the call. Illinois leads 24-19. The Illini are dominating on the boards 15-7 and has five offensive boards to Mizzou's one. Illinois on a bit of a run 11:33, first half: Kasparas Jakucionis has six points to lead Illinois, as the Illini have a 16-12 lead at the second TV timeout. Illinois is outscoring Mizzou 14-5 after a hot Mizzou start, mainly on the strength of Illinois' 3-point shooting (4-of-6). Mizzou has missed both of its 3-point tries. The Tigers have been far more interior focused in their attack. Mizzou's Mark Mitchell attacking Ben Humrichous 15:54, first half: Mizzou's Mark Mitchell is going after Illinois' Ben Humrichous. Five of the Tigers' seven points have come from Mitchell as Humrichous on defense. Mitchell has also drawn a foul on Humrichous. The teams are tied at 7 at the first media timeout. Three different players have scored for Illinois. No surprises in the starting lineups 12 p.m.: The starting lineups are in, and they are as expected. Mizzou starts guards Anthony Robinson II, Tony Perkins and Tamar Bates, forward Mark Mitchell and center Josh Gray. Illinois starts guards Kasparas Jakucionis, Kylan Boswell and Tre White along with forward Ben Humrichous and center Tomislav Ivisic. Braggin' Rights is back in St. Louis 11:50 a.m.: The Mizzou Tigers (10-1), winners of 10 straight, put their streak on the line Sunday at noon as they face the Illinois Fighting Illini (7-3) at Enterprise Center. Illinois won last year's meeting 97-73, and the last three games in the series have all been blowouts. This year, the teams look evenly matched. Mizzou guard Caleb Grill went through warmups, but his status for the game is unclear. He is dealing with a neck injury hasn't played since Nov. 27. The game airs on ESPN.
CNBC Daily Open: Impeachments are not new to South Korea — and its markets
On the cold winter night of December 3, South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol appeared on national television to declare martial law due to “threats posed by North Korea’s communist forces and to eliminate anti-state elements.” It was the first time that martial law had been declared in the country since 1980, when Gen. Chun Doo-hwan deployed the South Korean military to massacre hundreds of pro-democracy activists in Gwangju — an attack that led to the downfall of dictatorship and birthed South Korean democracy. Reminiscent of a bygone era of military dictatorships, in the middle of the night, thousands of South Koreans poured into the streets after Yoon’s declaration and reasserted their democratic power. South Korean opposition leader Lee Jae-myung said that Yoon “betrayed the people” and urged lawmakers to gather at the National Assembly, which quickly became ground zero for defending democracy. Nearly 300 armed special warfare troops stormed the National Assembly to block and arrest lawmakers from entering the building, smashing windows and firing tear gas on citizens and legislative aides who used their bodies, furniture and whatever they could use to push back the military as lawmakers voted on a resolution to rescind Yoon’s order. Within two hours, 190 legislators in the 300-member South Korean National Assembly (including members of Yoon’s own People’s Party) cast a swift, unanimous vote to revoke martial law. Even the leader of Yoon’s party and his close ally, Han Dong-hun, criticized Yoon’s action as “ wrong ” and pledged to “stop it along with the people.” By dawn, during a meeting with his cabinet, President Yoon called off martial law. “Although the crisis was quelled within six hours, the damage inflicted on South Korea’s democratic institutions is profound,” Youngmi Cho, executive director of the Korean Women’s Movement for Peace, texted me on Signal. Today, South Korea’s Democratic Party initiated an impeachment bill for President Yoon. Under the South Korean constitution, the National Assembly can impeach the president with two-thirds of the vote. Although many members of the People’s Party voted to rescind martial law, with 108 seats, opposition parties will need to secure at least eight votes from Yoon’s party to impeach the president. If the impeachment motion passes, Yoon’s power is suspended and the Constitutional Court will deliberate for 90 days on whether the president is guilty of the crimes and warrants removal from office. If Yoon is convicted, he will be removed from office and South Korea will hold a snap election in 60 days. Yoon’s top aides, including his chief of staff, have resigned, and the morning after Yoon called off martial law, thousands of protesters gathered at the National Assembly to call for his impeachment. The Korean Confederation of Trade Unions, which has more than a million members, demanded that President Yoon resign and called for a national strike. Yoon exploited South Korean fears of growing tensions with North Korea by taking a page from the McCarthyist playbook that uses anti-communist fear tactics to justify violating the constitution. He has used these repressive tactics before his December 3 declaration. He has red-baited opposition politicians as “pro-Pyongyang ‘Juche faction’” and has called former President Moon’s diplomatic efforts with North Korea as “false peace .” I know this well because last month, I was banned from entering South Korea where I was to deliver the keynote speech at an international youth peace summit in Gyeonggi Province, with no explanation or due process. Yoon, a former prosecutor who rose to prominence by investigating former presidents, narrowly edging out other candidates by less than 1 percent of the vote. But the South Korean people, whose candlelight revolution in 2016-2017 led to the impeachment of President Park Geun-hye after a wide-ranging corruption scandal, showed their fierce commitment to defend their hard-won democracy and hold leaders accountable. “What this has shown me is that South Korea’s democracy is resilient,” veteran journalist Kap Seol told me. “I choked up thinking about the possibility of people dying as a result of this coup.” Seol, who was beaten many times during South Korea’s dictatorship for exercising his democratic rights, still lives with pain after South Korean military police beat him with a baton and nearly cracked open his skull. “The physical and emotional scars are still fresh,” he explained referring to the mass beatings, detentions and torture millions of South Koreans suffered during decades of dictatorship. Since May 2022, Yoon has been embroiled in endless scandals, including political corruption and alleged election interference . Under Yoon’s reign, South Korea has also undergone serious democratic backsliding as his administration has targeted critics , journalists , labor unions, and peace and reunification activists. But what has sparked the public’s outrage, so much that over 100,000 South Koreans took to the streets to demand his impeachment in recent weeks before the martial law declaration is their frustration with Yoon’s incompetence. His approval rating hit an unprecedented 17 percent low last month. The day before Yoon declared martial law, the opposition party, which controls the purse with its majority, submitted next year’s budget, which significantly cut the president’s special budget — an allotment which Yoon has used to prosecute his enemies. Inequality has deepened in South Korea under Yoon’s administration, which gave tax cuts to the wealthy while cutting social welfare spending for the poor and working class. The Yoon administration also slashed South Korea’s research and development budget , alarming scientists and academics who fear this may weaken the nation’s innovation and global competitiveness. After 159 people were killed in a Halloween crowd crush in the Itaewon neighborhood of Seoul in 2022, Yoon not only failed to address the absence of public safety protocols and emergency response systems that contributed to the death toll, he also blocked a special investigation into the catastrophe. Yoon gutted the Ministry of Gender Equality and Family , controversially blaming feminism for South Korea’s low birth rates instead of the systemic patriarchy where women earn 31.5 percent less than their male counterparts . Yoon has been a darling of the West as Washington views him as a willing partner in intensifying military cooperation against China, North Korea and Russia. After their first trilateral summit in Camp David in August 2023, the Pentagon issued a statement that the U.S., South Korea and Japan “agreed to elevate defense collaboration” by “launching annual multidomain military exercises.” For Koreans on the peninsula and throughout the diaspora who still remember the brutality that Koreans suffered under 35 years of Japanese colonial occupation, it was shocking to see Japanese Defense Minister Gen Nakatani boarding a South Korean warship in November. Although a majority of South Koreans opposed Yoon’s 2023 deal with Prime Minister Fumio Kishida of Japan to force South Korean companies to compensate the families of forced laborers from World War II, Yoon accepted forced reconciliation with Japan to advance the U.S.’s geopolitical goals to contain China. Even doctors and medical students have been protesting Yoon’s policies, which have exacerbated an already overburdened health care system hit hard by budget cuts and medical staff shortages. In February 2024, Yoon instituted a quota for medical degrees by increasing the enrollment of medical students over the next five years from 3,000 to 5,000, which led more than 90 percent of junior medical doctors to resign in protest. This has caused massive staffing shortages at hospitals, with 13.5 percent higher rates of death in emergency rooms than in the previous year. It’s been nearly a year, and they still have not returned. In his martial law declaration, Yoon ordered doctors and students to return to work, saying that if they failed to do so they would be punished. The threat demonstrated the president’s intention to resolve social problems by use of force or through military means, rather than through democratic processes. Youkyung Ko, a longtime democracy and peace activist, described how South Korean netizens started to chat on SMS and decided that they would go to the National Assembly to protect the lawmakers as they voted to rescind martial law. “Everyone decided to sacrifice their own personal safety against the military’s violence,” and that they would “fight for democracy at any cost,” Youkyung told me. In her conversations with young people in their 20s, they told her that they had learned about martial law through the Pulitzer Prize-winning author Han Kang’s novel about the democratic uprising in Gwangju, when ordinary citizens resisted the dictatorship and fought for democracy and freedom. As South Koreans across the political spectrum now demand that Yoon resign to safeguard their hard-won democracy, the rest of the world must learn from their example as authoritarian leaders become emboldened by Donald Trump’s election. Yoon is unfit to govern one of Asia’s biggest democracies, and before he further exploits military tensions and puts the Korean Peninsula at further risk of war, President Joe Biden and world leaders must support the South Korean people and their elected officials calling for Yoon’s resignation. The international community, and especially people in the United States, have much to learn from the South Korean pro-democracy movements on how to fight back against authoritarian strongmen. Imagine if Americans and members of Congress responded as swiftly and boldly as South Koreans did back on January 6, 2021. We would be facing a very different future.
Conservative Party of B.C. Leader John Rustad faces a test after 13 members of his caucus have asked him to essentially discipline Conservative MLA Elenore Sturko for comments that she made about a former Vancouver Police Board member. The signed letter published by radio host Jas Johal on X Thursday (Dec. 5) calls on Rustad to "invite" Sturko to "offer" Comfort Sakoma-Fadugba a written apology after Sturko had criticized her, following Sakoma-Fadugba's controversial remarks about the nature of Canadian society. Sakoma-Fadugba left her position Nov. 22 after several social media posts linked to her became public. Screenshots of the Instagram stories linked to Sakoma-Fadugba show Reddit posts lamenting the loss of Christian values in the face of immigration and criticized "woke culture" as well gender transitions. The alleged statements cost Sakoma-Fadugba her job on the police board and drew criticism from various corners of the political spectrum, including Sturko, a former RCMP officer and member of the LGBTQ2S+ community. “When we have statements being made that erode the public’s trust, or their comfort with their police service, it makes it that much harder on the front-line officers," Sturko told the CBC in November. But this statement did not sit well with her 13 colleagues, calling on Rustad to ask Sturko for the apology "and to encourage the Vancouver Police Board to advance conciliatory discussions with (Sakoma-Fadugba)." But that is not their only demand. "If Ms. Sturko declines your invitation, we ask that you offer this apology and encouragement on behalf of the Conservative caucus," they write. This double-demand appears to put Rustad in a double-bind. He either follows the demands from his part of his caucus ostensibly aimed at one of their own or he undermines the position of Sturko by issuing an apology on her behalf. "The way he responds will tell us something about where his own loyalties lie," UBC political scientist Stewart Prest said. "We do know that he is quite supportive of articulations of these kinds of more critical views of modernity ... so it may be that he has a certain amount of sympathy with the letter writers and his response will tell us whether that's the case. At the same time, a leader has another responsibility to the larger caucus as well. It may be that there are other members of the caucus who feel (Sturko) was quite correct in offering that assessment, and then has nothing to apologize for." Found within the letter is also a larger expression of sympathy for Sakoma-Fadugba's statements and a request to Rustad to give those views room by reminding him of what the signatories consider Rustad's own views to be. "The posts express views many Conservatives (including Conservative MLAs and staff) hold in support for parental rights, religious faith, and the pursuit of shared Canadian values," it reads. "Under your leadership, the Conservative Party of BC has consistently denounced 'cancel culture' and stood for the Charter rights British Columbians enjoy to free expression and freedom of religion," it reads. "The very first question you raised in the (legislature) as leader was in defence of parental rights." “Will the minister admit this SOGI 123 has been divisive and an assault on parents’ rights and a distraction to student education?” Rustad asked on Oct. 3, 2023. That question drew a rebuke from Premier David Eby, who called the question "outrageous" in accusing Rustad of leveraging children for culture-war purposes. “Shame on him," Eby said. "Choose another question." Prest called the letter a "deliberately provocative approach" that speaks to the ideological divisions within the party now for everyone to see. "It's putting right out in the open something we knew was going to be part of this, this challenging political coalition bringing together more populist-style conservatives with more, if you like, centrist or politically moderate types such (Sturko)." None of the 13 signatories once sat with Sturko when she was part of BC United and all were elected on Oct. 13 as first time Conservative candidates. Of note, is also the geographical representation of the MLAs. Eleven signatories represent ridings outside of Metro Vancouver and Greater Victoria including areas in the Fraser Valley and the Okanagan. Three signatories – Dallas Brodie (Vancouver-Quilchena), Brent Chapman (Surrey-South) and Anna Kindy (North Island) – have also found their names in the news over comments that they had made before or during the election campaign, with Chapman being perhaps the most widely reported one following his comments about Palestinian children made in 2015. "I would suggest that we are seeing to emerge, perhaps the makings of which you could almost call a Freedom Caucus in the (Conservative Party of B.C.), the sense that there's a group within a group that looks at the world quite differently than other members of that caucus," Prest said. This is not the first time that Sturko has been the object of criticism from within the Conservative Party of B.C. While still with B.C. United, Conservative candidate Paul Ratchford had called her a "woke, lesbian, social justice warrior." At the same time, Sturko had also been critical of the Conservatives, while still with B.C. United. In early October 2023, Sturko called on Rustad to apologize after appearing to draw a comparison with harms caused by residential schools and parental concerns about SOGI 123. Rustad denied making such a comparison. Sturko also called on Rustad to apologize after he had referred to being LGBTQ2S+ as a "lifestyle" in a media interview. When asked to comment on the letter from her colleagues, Sturko said deferred to Rustad. "This letter was addressed to John. I'm going to allow him the opportunity to speak to it at this time." Black Press Media has reached out to the Conservative Party of B.C., including Rustad's spokesperson and Rustad himself for comment.1:2 Bonus Shares By Power Stock: January 03, 2025 Record Date; Time To Unlock Wealth?Dodgers shortstop Jose Hernandez suspended for 2025 ACL season under minor league drug program
With Boise State still in the playoffs and set to face a strong Penn State team, Ashton Jeanty’s stock will continue to rise. While he missed out on the Heisman Trophy, there’s nothing stopping him from being a first-round draft pick next April. Although teams have generally been reluctant to draft a running back in the first round, things feel different in Jeanty’s case. Unlike last season, the upcoming draft class is full of running backs, just waiting to take the NFL by storm, and Jeanty is the crown jewel among them. While a team can draft RBs in the later rounds, drafting him should be a priority if they need a game-changer. So which teams will be in the hunt for the Heisman runner-up? Denver Broncos need someone like Ashton Jeanty Sean Payton loves to run the ball but had to rely on the likes of Javonte Williams, Jaleel McLaughlin, Bo Nix (QB), and Audric Estime. All these rushers have contributed plenty, but none has surpassed even the 500-yard mark, despite having one of the best Offensive Lines in the league to protect them. They are 20th in the NFL in running the ball. Nix is 2nd in the team for rushing yards with 352 yards, which says a lot about their ground game. He is a young QB who needs a run game to take pressure off him. Adding Jeanty will complete their team and give them a remarkable option from the backfield. Cincinnati Bengals have forgotten how to run the ball The Bengals have one of the best passing offenses in the league thanks to Joe Burrow and Chase, which has been their strength as well as weakness. They have forgotten how to run the ball and sit at 30th in the ground game, averaging only 91 yards per game. They have relied too much on the pass offense, putting too much pressure on their star QB. Cincinnati desperately needs a rusher, and Ashton Jeanty could be the solution to their problem. However, it’s unlikely they will spend a first-round pick on him since they need a lot of pieces on defense and Offensive Line. Is Jeanty the answer for the Dallas Cowboys’ ineffective ground game? Jerry Jones needs a big signing to shift attention away from another disappointing season, this time not even making the playoffs. As per USA Today , the Cowboys also need a reliable running back to revitalize their ground game. While the experiment with Ezekiel Elliott ultimately fell short, and Rico Dowdle has shown promise late in the season, he isn’t a long-term solution. The last time Dallas drafted a running back in the first round was in 2016 when they selected Zeke, who delivered at least four strong seasons. They may need to repeat that move in 2025 by drafting Jeanty. The Boise State standout has the talent to compensate for offensive line deficiencies, and players of his caliber are rare. Plus, as a Texas native, Jeanty could be a perfect fit for the Cowboys. Jim Harbaugh and Greg Roman love to run the ball as well It’s no secret that Harbaugh and his OC, Roman, rely on their ground game, and they’ve executed it efficiently this season, taking pressure off Herbert. However, they still rank 21st in the run game. JK Dobbins has been admirable, gaining 766 yards on the ground and leading the team. Gus Edwards and Herbert have totaled 365 and 252 yards, respectively. Harbaugh had to split the carries to make it work because they don’t have a difference-maker like Jeanty . The Boise State star is the kind of rusher who is capable of running for over 1500 yards, which makes a lot of difference for a run-heavy offense. Jeanty will likely go in the first round, though he might fall below 25. He is not a great pass catcher from the backfield and not a great blocker. He is also not an explosive back like Gibbs. These are things he might have to work on, but he would still be a great addition to any team that drafts him.CINCINNATI , Dec. 4, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- The E.W. Scripps Company SSP has promoted Matthew Hijuelos to vice president of distribution, effective Jan. 1 . He will oversee the team responsible for managing distribution across numerous Scripps platforms – including cable, satellite and virtual carriers as well as multicast spectrum. Hijuelos currently serves as senior director of media distribution for Scripps and is responsible for the strategy, development and execution of multiplatform distribution and monetization partnerships across Scripps' national networks, local TV stations, sports and original programming. In this role, he has led Scripps' streaming distribution efforts and has helped grow the company's annual connected TV advertising revenue. "Matt is a respected media and business leader with a track record for successfully managing complex distribution negotiations," said Jason Combs , Scripps chief financial officer. "His experience, extensive industry relationships and understanding of our business make him the right person to lead our distribution team." Hijuelos has been with Scripps since 2021. He joined the company as part of its acquisition of ION, where he served as vice president of business distribution, leading OTT strategy, partnerships, technology, monetization and analytics for the ION networks. He previously spent nearly 20 years with Akamai Technologies, the cloud computing company, where he held several leadership positions focused on business development. Hijuelos began his career as a business analyst at JP Morgan and also worked as a management consultant for KPMG. He has a bachelor's of business administration degree from the University of Michigan Ross School of Business. Hijuelos, based in New York , replaces Robin Davis , who is retiring from Scripps at the end of the year. Media contact: Becca McCarter , (513) 410-2425, rebecca.mccarter@scripps.com About Scripps The E.W. Scripps Company SSP is a diversified media company focused on creating a better-informed world. As one of the nation's largest local TV broadcasters, Scripps serves communities with quality, objective local journalism and operates a portfolio of more than 60 stations in 40+ markets. Scripps reaches households across the U.S. with national news outlets Scripps News and Court TV and popular entertainment brands ION, ION Plus, ION Mystery, Bounce, Grit and Laff. Scripps is the nation's largest holder of broadcast spectrum. Scripps is the longtime steward of the Scripps National Spelling Bee . Founded in 1878, Scripps' long-time motto is: "Give light and the people will find their own way." Scripps in the news Scripps press releases View original content to download multimedia: https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/scripps-taps-matthew-hijuelos-to-lead-distribution-strategy-302322978.html SOURCE The E.W. Scripps Company © 2024 Benzinga.com. Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved.
The Louisville Cardinals versus the UConn Huskies is one of four games on the college basketball schedule on Saturday that has a ranked team in play. Watch women’s college basketball, other live sports and more on Fubo. What is Fubo? Fubo is a streaming service that gives you access to your favorite live sports and shows on demand. Use our link to sign up. Catch tons of live women’s college basketball , plus original programming, with ESPN+ or the Disney Bundle.None