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Iran denies embassy evacuation in Syria amid rising terrorismTOPEKA, Kan. — Republicans made claims about illegal voting by noncitizens a centerpiece of their 2024 campaign messaging and plan to push legislation in the new Congress requiring voters to provide proof of U.S. citizenship. Yet there’s one place with a GOP supermajority where linking voting to citizenship appears to be a nonstarter: Kansas. That’s because the state has been there, done that, and all but a few Republicans would prefer not to go there again. Kansas imposed a proof-of-citizenship requirement more than a decade ago that grew into one of the biggest political fiascos in the state in recent memory. The law, passed by the state Legislature in 2011 and implemented two years later, ended up blocking the voter registrations of more than 31,000 U.S. citizens who were otherwise eligible to vote. That was 12% of everyone seeking to register in Kansas for the first time. Federal courts ultimately declared the law an unconstitutional burden on voting rights, and it hasn’t been enforced since 2018. Kansas provides a cautionary tale about how pursuing an election concern that in fact is extremely rare risks disenfranchising a far greater number of people who are legally entitled to vote. The state’s top elections official, Secretary of State Scott Schwab, championed the idea as a legislator and now says states and the federal government shouldn’t touch it. “Kansas did that 10 years ago,” said Schwab, a Republican. “It didn’t work out so well.” Steven Fish, a 45-year-old warehouse worker in eastern Kansas, said he understands the motivation behind the law. In his thinking, the state was like a store owner who fears getting robbed and installs locks. But in 2014, after the birth of his now 11-year-old son inspired him to be “a little more responsible” and follow politics, he didn’t have an acceptable copy of his birth certificate to get registered to vote in Kansas. “The locks didn’t work,” said Fish, one of nine Kansas residents who sued the state over the law. “You caught a bunch of people who didn’t do anything wrong.” A small problem, but wide support for a fix Kansas’ experience appeared to receive little if any attention outside the state as Republicans elsewhere pursued proof-of-citizenship requirements this year. Arizona enacted a requirement this year, applying it to voting for state and local elections but not for Congress or president. The Republican-led U.S. House passed a proof-of-citizenship requirement in the summer and plans to bring back similar legislation after the GOP won control of the Senate in November. In Ohio, the Republican secretary of state revised the form that poll workers use for voter eligibility challenges to require those not born in the U.S. to show naturalization papers to cast a regular ballot. A federal judge declined to block the practice days before the election. Also, sizable majorities of voters in Iowa, Kentucky, Missouri, Oklahoma, South Carolina and the presidential swing states of North Carolina and Wisconsin were inspired to amend their state constitutions’ provisions on voting even though the changes were only symbolic. Provisions that previously declared that all U.S. citizens could vote now say that only U.S. citizens can vote — a meaningless distinction with no practical effect on who is eligible. To be clear, voters already must attest to being U.S. citizens when they register to vote and noncitizens can face fines, prison and deportation if they lie and are caught. “There is nothing unconstitutional about ensuring that only American citizens can vote in American elections,” U.S. Rep. Chip Roy (R-Texas), the leading sponsor of the congressional proposal, said in an email statement to the Associated Press. Why the courts rejected the Kansas citizenship rule After Kansas residents challenged their state’s law, both a federal judge and federal appeals court concluded that it violated a law limiting states to collecting only the minimum information needed to determine whether someone is eligible to vote. That’s an issue Congress could resolve. The courts ruled that with “scant” evidence of an actual problem, Kansas couldn’t justify a law that kept hundreds of eligible citizens from registering for every noncitizen who was improperly registered. A federal judge concluded that the state’s evidence showed that only 39 noncitizens had registered to vote from 1999 through 2012 — an average of just three a year. In 2013, then-Kansas Secretary of State Kris Kobach, a Republican who had built a national reputation advocating tough immigration laws, described the possibility of voting by immigrants living in the U.S. illegally as a serious threat. He was elected attorney general in 2022 and still strongly backs the idea, arguing that federal court rulings in the Kansas case “almost certainly got it wrong.” Kobach also said a key issue in the legal challenge — people being unable to fix problems with their registrations within a 90-day window — has probably been solved. “The technological challenge of how quickly can you verify someone’s citizenship is getting easier,” Kobach said. “As time goes on, it will get even easier.” Would the Kansas law stand today? The U.S. Supreme Court refused to hear the Kansas case in 2020. But in August, it split 5-4 in allowing Arizona to continue enforcing its law for voting in state and local elections while a legal challenge goes forward. Seeing the possibility of a different Supreme Court decision in the future, U.S. Rep.-elect Derek Schmidt says states and Congress should pursue proof-of-citizenship requirements. Schmidt was the Kansas attorney general when his state’s law was challenged. “If the same matter arose now and was litigated, the facts would be different,” he said in an interview. But voting rights advocates dismiss the idea that a legal challenge would turn out differently. Mark Johnson, one of the attorneys who fought the Kansas law, said opponents now have a template for a successful court fight. “We know the people we can call,” Johnson said. “We know that we’ve got the expert witnesses. We know how to try things like this.” He predicted “a flurry — a landslide — of litigation against this.” Born in Illinois but unable to register in Kansas Initially, the Kansas requirement’s impacts seemed to fall most heavily on politically unaffiliated and young voters. As of fall 2013, 57% of the voters blocked from registering were unaffiliated and 40% were under 30. But Fish was in his mid-30s, and six of the nine residents who sued over the Kansas law were 35 or older. Three even produced citizenship documents and still didn’t get registered, according to court documents. “There wasn’t a single one of us that was actually an illegal or had misinterpreted or misrepresented any information or had done anything wrong,” Fish said. He was supposed to produce his birth certificate when he sought to register in 2014 while renewing his Kansas driver’s license at an office in a strip mall in Lawrence. A clerk wouldn’t accept the copy Fish had of his birth certificate. He still doesn’t know where to find the original, having been born on an Air Force base in Illinois that closed in the 1990s. Several of the people joining Fish in the lawsuit were veterans, all born in the U.S., and Fish said he was stunned that they could be prevented from registering. Liz Azore, a senior advisor to the nonpartisan Voting Rights Lab, said millions of Americans haven’t traveled outside the U.S. and don’t have passports that might act as proof of citizenship, or don’t have ready access to their birth certificates. She and other voting rights advocates are skeptical that there are administrative fixes that will make a proof-of-citizenship law run more smoothly today than it did in Kansas a decade ago. “It’s going to cover a lot of people from all walks of life,” Avore said. “It’s going to be disenfranchising large swaths of the country.” Hanna writes for the Associated Press. AP writer Julie Carr Smyth in Columbus, Ohio, contributed to this report.
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AP News Summary at 7:43 a.m. ESTShai shines with 41 points as Thunder ease past WizardsTehran – Iran’s Foreign Ministry has categorically denied recent Western media reports suggesting the evacuation of its embassy staff from Damascus amidst escalating violence in Syria. Esmail Baqaei, the Ministry's spokesperson, asserted on Saturday that the diplomatic mission continues to function normally despite the renewed insurgency. The New York Times reported on Friday that "evacuations were ordered at the Iranian Embassy in Damascus" due to the intensifying conflict. The article, citing unnamed sources, suggested that some personnel were allegedly returning to Tehran, while others were traveling by land to Lebanon, Iraq, and the Syrian port city of Latakia. Baqaei, however, dismissed these claims as baseless, emphasizing that no such evacuations are taking place. In an interview with an Iranian news outlet, he reiterated, “Those claims are not true. Iran’s embassy in Damascus remains operational and continues with its routine activities.” Moreover, Yaghoub Rezazadeh, an Iranian parliamentarian serving on the National Security and Foreign Policy Commission, noted on Saturday: "There are currently more than 10,000 Iranians in Syria." Earlier, Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi emphasized that the Israeli regime and its allied anti-Syria militant groups aim to turn Syria into a hub of terrorism and a threat to the West Asia region. Araghchi reaffirmed that Iran has been a steadfast supporter of the Syrian government and its people, providing assistance upon Damascus's requests. The conflict in Syria, ongoing since March 2011, has been exacerbated by foreign-sponsored terrorist activities. In late November, the Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) terrorist group launched a major offensive in the Aleppo and Idlib provinces, seizing several areas. Forces from the Syrian Army have been fighting to recover lost territory. Despite mixed results, they have reportedly eliminated at least 2,000 terrorists in the past week.
New Delhi, Nov 24 (PTI) Prime Minister Narendra Modi will inaugurate the ICA Global Cooperative Conference 2024 and launch the UN International Year of Cooperatives 2025 at the Bharat Mandapam here on Monday. The ICA Global Cooperative Conference and the ICA General Assembly are being organised in India for the first time in the 130-year-long history of the International Cooperative Alliance (ICA), the premier body for the global cooperative movement. Also Read | Winter Session 2024: INDIA Bloc To Hold Parliamentary Floor Leaders Meeting To Decide Strategy on November 25. The global conference, hosted by the Indian Farmers Fertiliser Cooperative Limited (IFFCO), in collaboration with the ICA, the Government of India and Indian cooperatives AMUL and KRIBHCO, will be held from November 25 to November 30. Modi will inaugurate the ICA Global Cooperative Conference 2024 and launch the UN International Year of Cooperatives 2025 at the Bharat Mandapam at around 3 pm on Monday. Also Read | Shiv Sena MLAs Feel Eknath Shinde Should Continue As Maharashtra CM, Says State Minister Deepak Kesarkar. The theme of the conference -- "Cooperatives Build Prosperity for All" -- aligns with the government's vision of "Sahkar Se Samriddhi" (prosperity through cooperation), according to a statement issued by the Prime Minister's Office (PMO). The event will feature discussions, panel sessions and workshops, addressing the challenges and opportunities faced by cooperatives worldwide in achieving the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly in areas such as poverty alleviation, gender equality and sustainable economic growth. The prime minister will also launch the UN International Year of Cooperatives 2025, which will focus on the theme, "Cooperatives Build a Better World", underscoring the transformative role cooperatives play in promoting social inclusion, economic empowerment and sustainable development. The UN SDGs recognise cooperatives as crucial drivers of sustainable development, particularly in reducing inequality, promoting decent work and alleviating poverty, the statement said. The year 2025 will be a global initiative aimed at showcasing the power of cooperative enterprises in addressing the world's most pressing challenges, it said. Modi will also launch a commemorative postal stamp, symbolising India's commitment to the cooperative movement. The stamp showcases a lotus, symbolising peace, strength, resilience and growth, reflecting the cooperative values of sustainability and community development. The five petals of the lotus represent the five elements of nature ("Panchatatva"), highlighting cooperatives' commitment to environmental, social and economic sustainability. The design also incorporates sectors like agriculture, dairy, fisheries, consumer cooperatives and housing, with a drone symbolising the role of modern technology in agriculture. Prime Minister of Bhutan Dasho Tshering Tobgay, Deputy Prime Minister of Fiji Manoa Kamikamica and around 3,000 delegates from more than 100 countries will also be present, the statement said. (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) New Delhi, Nov 24 (PTI) Prime Minister Narendra Modi will inaugurate the ICA Global Cooperative Conference 2024 and launch the UN International Year of Cooperatives 2025 at the Bharat Mandapam here on Monday. The ICA Global Cooperative Conference and the ICA General Assembly are being organised in India for the first time in the 130-year-long history of the International Cooperative Alliance (ICA), the premier body for the global cooperative movement. Also Read | Winter Session 2024: INDIA Bloc To Hold Parliamentary Floor Leaders Meeting To Decide Strategy on November 25. The global conference, hosted by the Indian Farmers Fertiliser Cooperative Limited (IFFCO), in collaboration with the ICA, the Government of India and Indian cooperatives AMUL and KRIBHCO, will be held from November 25 to November 30. Modi will inaugurate the ICA Global Cooperative Conference 2024 and launch the UN International Year of Cooperatives 2025 at the Bharat Mandapam at around 3 pm on Monday. Also Read | Shiv Sena MLAs Feel Eknath Shinde Should Continue As Maharashtra CM, Says State Minister Deepak Kesarkar. The theme of the conference -- "Cooperatives Build Prosperity for All" -- aligns with the government's vision of "Sahkar Se Samriddhi" (prosperity through cooperation), according to a statement issued by the Prime Minister's Office (PMO). The event will feature discussions, panel sessions and workshops, addressing the challenges and opportunities faced by cooperatives worldwide in achieving the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly in areas such as poverty alleviation, gender equality and sustainable economic growth. The prime minister will also launch the UN International Year of Cooperatives 2025, which will focus on the theme, "Cooperatives Build a Better World", underscoring the transformative role cooperatives play in promoting social inclusion, economic empowerment and sustainable development. The UN SDGs recognise cooperatives as crucial drivers of sustainable development, particularly in reducing inequality, promoting decent work and alleviating poverty, the statement said. The year 2025 will be a global initiative aimed at showcasing the power of cooperative enterprises in addressing the world's most pressing challenges, it said. Modi will also launch a commemorative postal stamp, symbolising India's commitment to the cooperative movement. The stamp showcases a lotus, symbolising peace, strength, resilience and growth, reflecting the cooperative values of sustainability and community development. The five petals of the lotus represent the five elements of nature ("Panchatatva"), highlighting cooperatives' commitment to environmental, social and economic sustainability. The design also incorporates sectors like agriculture, dairy, fisheries, consumer cooperatives and housing, with a drone symbolising the role of modern technology in agriculture. Prime Minister of Bhutan Dasho Tshering Tobgay, Deputy Prime Minister of Fiji Manoa Kamikamica and around 3,000 delegates from more than 100 countries will also be present, the statement said. (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body)The air quality index continued to fluctuate between the "severe" and "very poor" categories in Delhi. The city's 24-hour average air quality index, recorded until 4 pm on Sunday, was 318 (very poor), improving rom the severe category recorded the previous day when it was 412, according to data from the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB). None of the 38 monitoring stations in Delhi recorded AQI in the severe category on Sunday, compared to 20 stations that recorded severe air quality the previous day, according to the SAMEER app, which provides hourly updates on the National Air Quality Index. An AQI between 0 and 50 is considered "good," 51-100 "satisfactory," 101-200 "moderate," 201-300 "poor," 301-400 "very poor," 401-450 "severe," and above 450 "severe plus." CPCB data identified PM2.5 as the primary pollutant, with its levels recorded at 138 at 3 pm. PM2.5 particles, measuring 2.5 micrometers or smaller (approximately the width of a human hair), pose significant health risks as they can penetrate deep into the lungs and enter the bloodstream, according to the CPCB. 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Stubble burning, another major factor, accounted for 19 per cent of Delhi's pollution on Saturday. The DSS provides daily estimates for vehicular emissions, while data on stubble burning is typically released the following day. Delhi's air quality plunged into the hazardous category last Sunday morning, with the AQI crossing 450 for the first time this season. It worsened further on Monday, recording the season's highest average Air Quality Index (AQI) of 495. In response, Stage 4 restrictions under the Supreme Court-mandated Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) were implemented across the city to address the escalating air pollution crisis . According to data, the city's air quality remained in the severe category from Monday to Wednesday. While there was a slight improvement on Thursday and Friday, it returned to the severe category on Saturday. Meanwhile, a thick layer of mist and smog blanketed the city during the morning and evening hours, reducing visibility. The daytime temperature was recorded at 29.1 degrees Celsius, two notches above the seasonal average, according to the India Meteorological Department (IMD). Humidity levels fluctuated between 96 and 76 per cent during the day. The IMD has forecast moderate fog for Monday, with maximum and minimum temperatures expected to be around 28 and 12 degrees Celsius, respectively. (You can now subscribe to our Economic Times WhatsApp channel )
Caitlin Clark raised the profile of women's basketball to unprecedented levels in both the college ranks and the WNBA, and Tuesday she was named the AP Female Athlete of the Year for her impact on and off the court. After leading Iowa to the national championship game , Clark was the top pick in the WNBA draft as expected and went on to win rookie of the year honors in the league. Fans packed sold-out arenas and millions of television viewers tuned in to follow her journey. Clark’s exploits were far reaching, casting a light on other women’s sports leagues along the way. A group of 74 sports journalists from The Associated Press and its members voted on the award. Clark received 35 votes, Olympic gymnast Simone Biles was second with 25 and boxer Imane Khelif was third, getting four votes. Clark is only the fourth women’s basketball player to be honored as the female athlete of the year since it was first presented in 1931, joining Sheryl Swoopes (1993), Rebecca Lobo (1995) and Candace Parker (2008, 2021). “I grew up a fan of Candace Parker and the people who came before me and to be honored in this way, is super special and I’m thankful,” Clark said in a phone interview. “It was a great year for women’s basketball and women’s sports .” Shohei Ohtani won the AP Male Athlete of the Year on Monday for the third time. Clark broke the NCAA Division I career scoring record for both men and women finishing her career with 3,951 points while guiding Iowa to its second consecutive national championship game. After her Hawkeyes lost t South Carolina for the title, Gamecocks coach Dawn Staley took the mic during her team’s celebration and said, “I want to personally thank Caitlin Clark for lifting up our sport.” For all the success Clark has had and the attention she has brought to women’s basketball, she is often the centerpiece of debates and online toxicity towards her and other players in the league. For her part, Clark has disavowed the toxic discourse . Lobo also has been impressed with the way the 22-year-old Clark has handled the pressure and attention that has come her way. “I would say she’s navigated it almost flawlessly. she hasn’t had an big missteps or misspeaks at a time you’re under constant scrutiny,” Lobo said. “She’s seemed to say and do all the right things. That’s just incredible at a time when it’s constant attention and scrutiny. She has not done anything to tarnish this sort of mild persona she has.” As Clark handled the praise — and the backlash — during the heat of competition, it was hard for her to appreciate just what she was able accomplish over the past year. But after having time to reflect on the whirlwind tour, she appreciates those who were there alongside her for the ride. “I'm thankful for the people I got to do it with,” Clark said. “A year ago I was still in the early part of my senior year in college. ... How fast things change, and now I can see how great a college season it was.” Iowa sold out all of its games at home and on the road with Clark as the main attraction. That momentum continued into the pros. Her No. 22 jersey was prevalent wherever she played during her rookie season and will be retired at Iowa . “You’d be remiss not to acknowledge how crazy her fan base is and the eyes she gets with everything she does,” said Indiana Pacers guard Tyrese Haliburton, who was often spotted courtside at Clark's Indiana Fever games. “It’s a different type of popularity, she’s one of the most popular athletes in the world. It’s not just women’s sports anymore. "It’s really cool to see and she just handles it with such grace.” Clark said she enjoys spending time with fans at games, usually taking a few minutes before and after games to sign autographs. “For me it's still really fun,” she said. “Whether it's 15 seconds or 10 seconds or 5 seconds can be very impactful in a young girl and young boys life. Seeing the fans going crazy an hour before tipoff, I never take that for granted. That's super cool and I never want that to go away.” After a slow start to her WNBA career, Clark eventually found her stride there too. She set the single-game assist record with 19 and also had 337 assists on the season to break that mark as well. Clark, known for her logo-distance 3-pointers, was the fastest player to reach 100 3’s when she did it in 34 games which helped Indiana reach the playoffs for the first time since 2016. Lobo, who won the AP female athlete of the year award after lifting UConn to its first national championship, was on the court for launch of the WNBA two years later. The ESPN analyst sees Clark's ascension as something different. “She’s brought unprecedented attention both in the building, but also viewership to the sport that was worthy of it but didn’t have it yet," Lobo said. "There’s never been anything like this. "That timeframe from 1995-97 was a baby step in the progression of it all. This is a giant leap forward. I’ve never seen anything like this. There's more attention then the sports ever had." The numbers have been record breaking when Clark is part of a broadcast: — TV viewership in the WNBA was up 300% thanks in large part to Clark with ABC, CBS, ION, ESPN, and ESPN2 all having record viewers when Fever games were on. — The NCAA women’s championship game outdrew the men on TV for the first time in the sport’s 42-year history with 18.9 million viewers tuning it to watch the event. It was the second most watched women’s sporting event outside of the Olympics in the history of U.S. television. — The 2024 WNBA draft was the most-watched in league history with 2.4 million viewers. Clark credits the community of women athletes for the popularity increase of women's sports, saying “we” did this or “we” did that when asked about it. “It's fascinating, you don’t always appreciate how many people 18 million is,” Clark said. “You see that number against a college football game or the Masters or whatever it is as far as the biggest sporting events in our country and it puts it in perspective. We outdrew the men’s Final Four.” ___ AP Sports Writer John Marshall contributed to this story from Phoenix. ___ AP WNBA: https://apnews.com/hub/wnba-basketballBy Jack Kim SEOUL (Reuters) - South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol faces the greatest challenge of his brief but chequered political career, despite surviving a bruising impeachment challenge, as members of his own party called for him to resign for imposing martial law. Yoon was regarded as a tough political survivor but became increasingly isolated, dogged by personal scandals and strife, an unyielding opposition and rifts within his own party. After he narrowly won election in 2022, his recent battles have left him increasingly bitter and have drawn out a recklessness that a former rival said was his defining trait. By the time Yoon attempted to impose martial law on Tuesday, he was badly bruised politically. An impeachment motion against him failed late on Saturday when members of his ruling party boycotted the National Assembly session, but even some of them said he was unqualified for office and should resign. The opposition vowed to try again, while Yoon's party said it would find a "more orderly, responsible" way to resolve the crisis. Some analysts said Yoon, a former prosecutor who had never held elected office before his presidential election, showed signs of being in "extreme rage" when martial law was in effect, citing the language he allegedly used to order the arrests of some members of parliament who had clashed with him. A top spy agency official told a parliament intelligence committee that Yoon said, "Grab them all and round them up," according to panel member Kim Byung-kee. SCANDALS OVERSHADOW SUCCESS ABROAD Ihn Yohan, a physician and member of parliament for Yoon's People Power Party considered an ally of the president, said the martial law decree was "extreme" but not entirely unjustified given the endless political attacks against Yoon. "I hope we remember how the opposition party has incredibly and viciously pushed the president and his family into the corner with threats of special prosecutors and impeachment," he said at a party meeting on Thursday. The past year of Yoon's presidency has been heavily overshadowed by a scandal involving his wife, who was accused of inappropriately accepting a pricey Christian Dior handbag as a gift and his stubborn refusal to fully own up to it. Only after the scandal was blamed as a major reason for a crushing parliamentary election defeat his party suffered in April did he apologise. But he continued to reject calls for a probe into the scandal and into an allegation of stock price manipulation involving his wife and her mother. The prosecutors office that investigated the allegations decided not to press charges against the first lady. Yoon's struggles at home have overshadowed the relative success he has had on the international stage. His bold push to reverse a decades-long diplomatic row with neighbouring Japan and join Tokyo in a three-way security cooperation with the United States are widely seen as his signature foreign policy legacies. Yoon's ability to bond on a personal level, seen as the trait that gave him his early success, was on full display at a White House event last year, when Yoon took the stage and belted out the pop song "American Pie" for an astounded President Joe Biden and a delighted crowd. SHAMANS, HIGH SCHOOL BUDDIES Born to an affluent family in Seoul, Yoon was an easygoing youth who excelled at school. He entered the elite Seoul National University to study law, but his penchant for partying led him to repeatedly fail the bar exam before passing on the ninth try. Yoon, who turns 64 on Dec. 18, shot to national fame in 2016 when, as the chief investigator probing then-President Park Geun-hye for corruption, he told a reporter that prosecutors are not gangsters, when asked if he was out for revenge. Three years earlier, Park had suspended Yoon, then fired him from a team investigating a high-profile case against the spy agency. That move was widely considered punishment for challenging her authority. The role he played in jailing the sitting president and his dramatic comeback as head of the powerful Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office, marked the start of a dizzying rise to power. Two years later, he became prosecutor general and spearheaded a corruption probe against a close ally of the next president, Moon Jae-in. That made him a darling of conservatives frustrated with Moon's liberal policies, setting him up to be a candidate for the presidency in 2022. Yoon beat Lee Jae-myung, the current opposition leader who led the impeachment move against him, by a margin of less than 1%. But Yoon's presidency got off to a rocky start when he pushed ahead with moving the presidential office out of the Blue House compound to a new site, facing questions whether it was because of a feng shui belief that the old presidential compound was cursed. Yoon at the time denied any involvement by himself or his wife with a shaman. When Yoon refused to fire top officials after a 2022 Halloween night disaster, in which 159 people were killed in a crowd crush in Seoul's night-life district of Itaewon, he was accused of protecting "yes men". One of them was Safety Minister Lee Sang-min, a close confidant and fellow graduate of Yoon's high school. Another alumnus of the Choongam High School in Seoul was Kim Yong-hyun, the man who spearheaded the presidential office move, then became the presidential security service, and in September was appointed defence minister. Kim was one of the two people who recommended that Yoon declare martial law, a senior military official said. Lee was the other, according to local media reports. (Reporting by Jack Kim; Editing by Michael Perry and William Mallard)Al Jazeera television has clashed with the Palestinian Authority over its coverage of the weeks-long standoff between Palestinian security forces and militant fighters in the occupied West Bank city of Jenin. Fatah, the faction which controls the Palestinian Authority, condemned the Qatari-headquartered network, which has reported extensively on the clashes in Jenin, saying it was sowing division in "our Arab homeland in general and in Palestine in particular". It encouraged Palestinians not to cooperate with the network. Israel closed down Al Jazeera's operations in Israel in May, saying it threatened national security. In September, it ordered the network's bureau in Ramallah, to close for 45 days after an intelligence assessment that the offices were being used to support terrorist activities. "Al Jazeera has successfully maintained its professionalism throughout its coverage of the unfolding events in Jenin," it said in a statement on Tuesday. Palestinian Authority security forces have battled Islamist fighters in Jenin, as they try to control one of the historic centres of militancy in the West Bank ahead of a likely shakeout in Palestinian politics after the Gaza war. Forces of the PA, which exercises limited self-rule in the West Bank, moved into Jenin in early December, clashing daily with fighters from Hamas and Islamic Jihad, both of which are supported by Iran. The standoff has fuelled bitter anger on both sides, deepening the divisions which have long existed between the Palestinian factions and their supporters. Al Jazeera said its broadcasts fairly presented the views of both sides. "The voices of both the Palestinian resistance and the Spokesperson of the Palestinian National Security Forces have always been present on Al Jazeera's screens," Al Jazeera said. (This story has not been edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Insurgents advance in Syria: Army Withdraws, Assad Denies Fleeing
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