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T he lethality of lone-wolf terrorism has reached an all-time high across the world. Isolated individuals using fully automatic firearms, with high-capacity magazines are committing brutal murder with the aim of terrorising others.”Lone-wolf” terrorism is the term used to describe someone who acts alone in a terrorist attack without the help or encouragement of a terrorist organisation. Lone-wolf attacks have evolved as the new face of terrorism and bring unique challenges for counter-terrorism police agencies. Data from the latest Global Terrorism Index shows a rise of individual, unaffiliated terrorist attackers in the West. More incidents are being committed at the hands of lone wolf terrorist attackers in Western nations. Global conflict and terrorist activity are on the rise. The evolution of online extremist culture and the rise of lone actors emerges amid globalisation and technological advancements. The term “lone wolf” was popularised in the late 1990s by white supremacists Tom Metzger and Alex Curtis as part of an encouragement to fellow racists, to act alone in committing violent crimes. Other terms that have been used to describe similar forms of political violence include “leaderless resistance’.Lone-wolf terrorists tend tocreate their own ideologies that combine personal frustrations and aversion with political, social or religious grievances. The above-mentioned definition of lone wolf terrorists comprises a wide spectrum of violent extremists. Among them we can identify religious zealots, environmental and animal rights extremists, white supremacists and jihadists. Even at the level of the ideological or religious background there is much variety. Perhaps one of the most puzzling and unpredictable forms of terrorism is provided by violent acts committed by a single individual. These so-called lone wolves are a nightmare for the police and intelligence community as they are extremely difficult to detect and to defend against. Compared to group terrorism or network-sponsored terrorists, ‘lone operators’ have a critical advantage in avoiding identification. It is extremely difficult to single out potential lone wolves before they strike, even with the help of the most sophisticated intelligence gathering tools. Lone wolves inspire copycat behaviour,become role models for other alienated youngsters and invite band wagon attacks. Although lone wolves might have the disadvantage of lacking the means, skills,and “professional” support of terrorist groups, some of them have proven to be very lethal. Infamous examples from the United States,Israel and Europe include Baruch Goldstein,an American-born Israeli citizen who was responsible for the death of 29 Muslims praying in the Cave of the Patriarchs in Hebron; the Austrian Franz Fuchs, who used letter bombs to kill 4 and injure 15 people. Former US Army major Nidal Malik Hasan, who engaged in a mass shooting at Fort Hood in which 13 people died and 30 were wounded;and the American mathematician Theodore Kaczynski, also known as the “Una Bomber”, engaged in a mail bombing spree that killed three and wounded 23. In addition, there have been several lone wolves who assassinated political leaders- such as Yigal Amir, the assassin of former Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin; Volkert van der Graaf, who killed the Dutch politician Pim Fortuyn;and Mijailo Mijailovic, who is responsible forthe death of the Swedish Minister for Foreign Affairs Anna Lindh. These “disturbed” individuals and their violent acts exemplify the many differences in targets and modus operandi (MO),as well the varieties in the political or ideological background of the perpetrators.it is very hard to predict from which disenfranchised, alienated orfrustrated environment they stem. They display a variety of backgrounds with a wide spectrum of ideologies and motivations. Another commonality among lone wolves is that –they often distribute their ideas or manifestos to the outside world, in some cases even prior to the actual attack. Ted Kaczynski published his own manifesto and wrote letters to local newspapers. Today, the Internet allows anyone to post his or her extremist ideology on the Web. Fortunately for the police, there are some operational constrains for the lone wolf, in executing a“successful” attack. Like any terrorist, they are hindered by the terrorist attack cycle. Because they are working alone, they have to conduct each step of the cycle by themselves. This means that they are vulnerable to detection at several different junctures as they plan their attacks, the most critical of which is the surveillance stage of the operation. Mind mix Anders Breivik targeted a youth camp in Oslo, Norway unleashing a horrendous terror attack, and killed 77 people. This was one of the first prominent lone-wolf terrorist attacks. Breivik justified his act to his quest to ‘save European culture’ from Islam. His act was later supported on social media platform by far-right individuals. Radicalisation plays a critical role in the making of a lone-wolf terrorist. This process mostly happens online through social media platforms, encrypted chat rooms on the dark-net and propaganda on instant messaging apps.The basis of radicalisation emanates from multiple sources. One of them is the sense of injustice the lone-wolf terror suspect’s encounter, together with a loss of faith in the social fabric and their rage at the system for failing to make amends for the wrongs that have been done. We know there are many factors that drive people to engage in terrorism, yet we still don’t understand when or why some factors matter more than others. We know that extremism flourishes in times of instability and conflict.Attracting a wide audience has always been a core goal of terrorism, but today globalisation and technological advancements have dramatically changed the way that terrorists socialise ideas, form (virtual) communities, and inspire action. Social media has played a pivotal role in the rise and success of lone wolf actors. The increase in “salad bar ideology” has experts scrambling to create new terrorism typologies.The terms broadly refer to idiosyncratic patterns of radicalisation. What we’re seeing is violent extremists who display an amalgamation of different disparate beliefs, interests and grievances. Lone wolf terrorists are more educated and socially isolated than group-based actors. Lone wolves also engage in less precursor activities than group actors, but are willing to travel greater distances to prepare for and execute attacks.Some lone wolfterrorists could be diagnosed with various forms of psychopathology. Also, lone wolfterrorism is often preceded by a personal event linked to the upcoming terrorist act –something that has made the “act” personal. Strong reciprocity and group identification are other factors that could contribute to a person becoming a lone wolf terrorist (although the act is individual choice). These individuals are less likely to trust others to do their job properly. Research on lone wolves points out that they typically withdraw from mainstreamsociety. They all suffered from varying degrees of social ineptitude and are often anti-social thinkers. The debate on how to fight lone wolf terrorism is far from decided and remains to be reconciled with popular principles of freedom – as is the case with any exchange of those principles for security reasons. It could be rewarding to study and compare the nature of ‘potential triggers’ or catalyst events in the radicalisation processes of lone wolves. Are they located in the private domain, are they provided by political developments? Or are triggers even cunningly mastered by “entrepreneurs of violence” who call upon their anonymous followers to become active. Police agencies must try to pick up red flags, and hopefully monitor people who display “lone wolf” tendencies. This is a dormant but dangerous threat, globally. (The writer is author of Target Secured- Police Special Task Force)
‘We can overcome climate change': Richard Branson says young people should not be down about the futureMartin Madaus Elected to Hologic Board of DirectorsAt least 460 fighters from the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces were killed in an ambush by the Sudanese army and allied joint forces in the state of North Darfur in western Sudan, according to a military communique. In the statement issued on Sunday, Joint Forces military spokesman Ahmed Mustafa said the army and its allied militias ambushed three RSF convoys north of the town of Malit on Saturday afternoon. "The fighting resulted in the death of more than 460 members of the (RSF) militia, including prominent commanders... notably Taha Mudalal, the nephew of militia leader Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo (alias Hemedti)," Mustafa said in the statement. He also claimed that the army and joint forces destroyed more than a hundred RSF military vehicles and seized 60 others that were "in excellent condition." "We report that three convoys of the (RSF) militia have been completely wiped out, causing them heavy human and material losses, while security control in the liberated areas has been strengthened and secured," the statement added. Malit is about 60km north of Al Fasher, the capital of North Darfur and the only army stronghold in western Sudan. The FAR controls four of the five states that make up the Darfur region and has intensified its attacks on North Darfur, which is home to the army's main headquarters and several displacement camps that house tens of thousands of people. The war in Sudan began on April 15, 2023, and has resulted in tens of thousands of deaths and made the country the site of the world's worst displacement crisis, with more than 14 million people forced to flee their homes, including more than three million who have fled to neighbouring countries. The Sudanese Armed Forces - under Abdel Fattah al-Burhan - and General Hemedti's RSF were part of the military government that seized power in 2021 and began a political process to return the country to a democratic path that included integrating the RSF into the regular army when tensions flared and all-out war broke out between the two. Several human rights organisations and countries such as the United States have accused both the army and the FAR of committing crimes against humanity and even ethnic cleansing during the war, which both sides have denied. The atrocities are reminiscent of the Darfur genocide when an estimated 200,000 people were killed between 2003 and 2005
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MARLBOROUGH, Mass.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Dec 9, 2024-- Hologic, Inc. (Nasdaq: HOLX) announced today that Martin Madaus has been elected to the Company’s Board of Directors, effective December 6, 2024. Dr. Madaus was also appointed to the Compensation Committee and the Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee effective December 6, 2024. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20241209400549/en/ Dr. Martin Madaus (Photo: Business Wire) Dr. Madaus, who has more than 30 years of diagnostics and life sciences industry experience, currently serves as an Operating Executive at the Carlyle Group, a global investment firm, which he joined in February 2019. Prior to joining the Carlyle Group, Dr. Madaus held the role of Chairman and Chief Executive Officer at Ortho Clinical Diagnostics, Inc., a diagnostics company that makes products and diagnostic testing equipment for blood testing. Dr. Madaus previously served as the Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer of Milipore Corporation, a life sciences company serving the bioscience research and biopharmaceutical manufacturing industry, until its acquisition by Merck KGaA in 2010. “We’re delighted to welcome Martin to Hologic’s Board of Directors,” said Steve MacMillan, Hologic’s Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer. “With his deep industry, technical, business and international experiences, Martin represents yet another strong addition to our deep and experienced Board.” Dr. Madaus received a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine from the University of Munich in Germany and a Ph.D. in Veterinary Medicine from the Veterinary School of Hanover in Germany. About Hologic, Inc. Hologic, Inc. is an innovative medical technology company primarily focused on improving women's health and well-being through early detection and treatment. For more information on Hologic, visit www.hologic.com . Forward Looking Statements This press release contains forward-looking information that involves risks and uncertainties, including statements about the Company's plans, objectives, expectations and intentions, and statements regarding the Company's Board of Directors. These forward-looking statements are based on assumptions made by the Company as of this date and are subject to known and unknown risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those anticipated. These risks include, but are not limited to, the risk that the Company may not be able to attract and retain qualified Board members or executives. These risks are not exhaustive. Other factors that could adversely affect the Company's business and prospects are described in the filings made by the Company with the SEC. The Company expressly disclaims any obligation or undertaking to release publicly any updates or revisions to any such statements presented here to reflect any change in expectations or any change in events, conditions or circumstances on which any such statements are based. SOURCE: Hologic, Inc. View source version on businesswire.com : https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20241209400549/en/ CONTACT: Investor Contact: Ryan Simon +1 858.410.8514 ryan.simon@hologic.comMedia Contact: Bridget Perry +1 508.263.8654 bridget.perry@hologic.com KEYWORD: UNITED STATES NORTH AMERICA MASSACHUSETTS INDUSTRY KEYWORD: HEALTH MEDICAL DEVICES CONSUMER WOMEN HEALTH TECHNOLOGY GENERAL HEALTH BIOTECHNOLOGY SOURCE: Hologic, Inc. Copyright Business Wire 2024. PUB: 12/09/2024 04:05 PM/DISC: 12/09/2024 04:05 PM http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20241209400549/enhosts and Ainsley Earhardt after privately dating for several years, the latest Fox News couple to take their relationship to the next level. In an official statement from the network, the two said they with the blessing and support of their families – including their children from previous marriages. Hannity, 62, and Earhardt, 48, have become well-known conservative commentators due to their longtime careers on Fox News. Hannity hosts his own primetime show, while Earhardt co-hosts the morning show, . Earhardt first joined the network in 2007, anchoring the news overnight. By the time she joined Fox News, Hannity had been working there for 11 years. Soon after joining Fox, Earhardt began hosting her own segment on called “Ainsley Across America.” At the time, Earhardt was married to her first husband, Kevin McKinney. The two would eventually divorce in 2009. Earhardt’s commitment to the network eventually landed her a job hosting a new show called in 2012. That same year she married her second husband, Clemson University quarterback Will Proctor. The two had one daughter together in 2015 named Hayden. While , Earhardt landed the job co-hosting the well-known morning show – a favorite of President-elect Donald Trump. Though she knew “nothing” about politics when she joined Fox News, Earhardt has developed a reputation for defending Christianity and espousing traditional conservative views. Memorably, during a , Earhardt suggested with exasperation that “the majority” should be protected while discussing a Missouri sheriff being criticized for putting an “In God we Trust” bumper sticker on the back of police cruisers. "What about the majority? I’m so tired of protecting the minority! What about the rest of the country?” Earhardt said at the time, assuming the majority of Americans agreed with her. Earhardt has never been shy about her religious beliefs. She told that reading “Experiencing God” by Henry Blackaby during her college years inspired her to devote her life to Jesus Christ. In a , Earhardt said she looks forward to “sitting down with Jesus Christ” when asked about her dream interview. She told earlier this year that “the first thing” she would grab during a house fire is her black leather Bible embossed with her name. It is ultimately her faith that led her to Hannity, according to Fox News. Earhardt and her second husband divorced in 2019. The same year, Hannity and his first wife of more than 20 years, Jill Rhodes, also divorced – though the couple said they had separated years earlier. Hannity and his ex-wife share two children, Patrick and Merri. It is unclear when Hannity and Earhardt began dating. Sources and in 2020 that the two had been privately dating “for years” but the Fox News hosts denied the allegation. Sources claimed Hannity and Earhardt attended the wedding of fellow host Pete Hegseth and producer Jennifer Rauchet in August 2019 together. Hegseth fathered a child with Rauchet while married to his second wife. Regardless of when they began dating, Hannity and Earhardt have maintained a long-distance relationship between Florida and New York, respectively. The couple told Fox News they made their previous spouses “aware” that they were getting engaged and have a good relationship with their co-parents.
In 2024, Pakistan narrowly avoided a sovereign default and managed to stabilize the economy on the back of yet another International Monetary Fund (IMF) bailout package. But the New Year is roaring with challenges of retaining duty-free access to European markets and handling any policy shift by the United States. Pakistan's marginalized salaried class was pushed to the edge after, in a highly unjustifiable decision, the government and the IMF increased its tax burden to an unbearable level of 39%, forcing many people to think about their plans for the future. As a result, in July through November, the salaried class's tax payments phenomenally jumped by 57% to Rs198 billion. The economic decision-making remained fragmented between the dwellers of the Q Block -the seat of the Finance Ministry, Prime Minister's Office and the Deputy Prime Minister Office. The government appointed Muhammad Aurangzeb as the country's new Finance Minister who secured Pakistani nationality after taking oath of office. But the banker turned politician lost significant control to Deputy Prime Minister Mohammad Ishaq Dar who gradually sneaked into the economic decision-making. Ishaq Dar is now taking decisions from gas imports to development budget approvals and taxation matters. Like the previous years, 2024 was not different in terms of economic challenges. The security and political problems compounded manifold, which made it difficult to bring in any foreign investment coupled with inconsistent economic policies. The Special Investment Facilitation Council too failed to bring any foreign direct investment in 2024 -its second year of existence. After prolonged parlays spanning over months, the board of the IMF approved a $7 billion Extended Fund Facility -the nation's 25th bailout package. The bailout did provide an umbrella to temporarily avoid default by seeking rollovers of about $17 billion or 70% of Pakistan's external debt related obligations. Both the IMF and the federal government took a shorter path of deferring the liabilities instead of taking the tough but sustainable route of debt restructuring. As a result, the default threat would keep looming and Pakistan will be compelled to stay in the IMF programme for a longer period to avert the eventuality. The government could not effectively negotiate with the IMF and signed on the conditions, many of which cannot be implemented without setbacks. Soon after the approval of the programme, the IMF had to send an emergency mission to Pakistan to review the implementation status. Various government departments have started speaking against the IMF conditions. The Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) was the first one, which argued that its nearly Rs13 trillion tax target had been agreed on the basis of wrong assumptions. Resultantly, the first half's goal was missed by a wide margin. The Petroleum Division also came forward and told the Prime Minister that the condition related to ending subsidized gas to the industries was met despite its reservations. The Ministry of National Food Security and Agriculture also said that it was overruled on the issue of ending agriculture support price mechanisms. So were the provinces, which have shown reluctance to increase agriculture income tax rates to 45% under the IMF deal. One of the reasons for the current situation was lack of political wisdom and role in finalizing the IMF deal. The traders have again been protected despite the government agreeing with the IMF that it would collect Rs50 billion under a new scheme from them during the fiscal year 2024-25. The scheme has failed soon after its inception, so has the target. But the Finance Ministry has managed to keep the fiscal side under control on the back of higher non-tax payments. The expenditures are still growing at a rate of 20% and the Prime Minister's promise to reduce the size of the government remains unfulfilled. Not even a single ministry or division was closed down during the first 10 months of Shehbaz Sharif's government. The external sector shows some stability due to a controlled import regime and lower than actual value of the rupee that shut down the doors for the informal market of export and remittances receipts. The exporter and the foreign remitter received about Rs40 per dollar high price due to a Rs278 to a dollar parity. Experts like Ashfaq Tola former Minister of State -and Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar have said that the rupee-dollar parity is not more than Rs240 to a dollar in 2024. But the stable rupee throughout the year irrespective of the price helped lower the inflation rate, which finally came down to an over six-year low level. This brought stability in the markets but the people did not get much relief due to the already elevated level of prices. There were no additional opportunities for employment creation and economic growth. The political and economic instability pushed many young people to leave the country. The government could not fix the power sector and the unbearable electricity bills, coupled with high taxation and low benefits, created serious troubles for Pakistan's low to upper middle income groups. The poorer remained poorer in the absence of any new economic opportunities. The Benazir Income Support Programme (BISP) only helped to lower the price pressure as the programme is never meant to lift people out of poverty. In self-inflicted wounds, the federal government spent Rs39 billion to erect a social media firewall, which slowed down the internet speed and damaged the digital economy. The freelancers and the service providers relying on the internet badly suffered. Pakistan's weak economic and political position coupled with geo strategic alignments further complicated matters. The European Union (EU) issued its first warning to review the duty-free access status of Pakistan after the military courts convicted dozens of political activists of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) on charges of attacking military installations. The EU claimed that these convictions were in breach of Pakistan's commitments under the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights. The Foreign Office (FO) denies that the government violated its commitments under the GSP plus regime. The upcoming Donald Trump administration may be a matter of concern for the Pakistani authorities. Pakistan completed its last Extended Fund Facility programme due to nearly one and half dozen waivers that it got with the help of the US authorities during the 2013-16 period. There are chances that the country may not be in a position to implement all the conditions agreed with the IMF under the new programme. The question is will there be a friendly government in Washington to help Islamabad secure favourable outcomes from the IMF board. The answer is not a straightforward one. The indications are that without any leverage, it will be difficult to win over Washington. The first test will be in February-March when the IMF will hold its first programme review. Overall, 2025 will not be different from 2024 because of low chances for any room to economically grow and create job opportunities. If the government tries to accelerate growth through debt funding, it will risk both the IMF programme and the hard-earned relative economic stability COMMENTS Comments are moderated and generally will be posted if they are on-topic and not abusive. For more information, please see ourThe Miami Hurricanes, who once appeared to be a near-lock for the College Football Playoff, are not playing for a national title. Instead, they will play in the Pop-Tarts Bowl in Orlando. That bowl berth against Iowa State is a let-down for fans with dreams of a sixth national title in their minds, as well as players hoping to compete for a championship. However, Miami’s trip to Orlando and the lead-up to it are still crucial periods for the Hurricanes for multiple reasons. First, it’s a chance for the program to achieve something it has not done in more than two decades: win 11 games. Although the 11th win won’t get them closer to a championship, it is a good sign of the program’s progress over Mario Cristobal’s tenure. It would also end UM’s five-game losing streak in bowls. “We’re not satisfied,” Cristobal said. “We want to win every single game. We won 10. We were close on the other two, but close isn’t good enough. We want progress. We’re hungry and driven to get better, and so that’s what our focus is on: to improving as a football program, to getting better, to moving into the postseason with an opportunity against a great football team like this and putting our best on the field.” There are signs the Hurricanes will show up at close to full strength for the bowl game. Running back Damien Martinez announced he was going to play, and star quarterback Cam Ward said in a video call posted on social media that he intends to play, as well. “We’re trying to win our first bowl game in 20 years,” Ward said in the video, mistaking the length of UM’s long bowl losing streak. “We’re going hard.” Playing in the bowl game also provides the opportunity for the Hurricanes to get in several practices between now and the game. That means Miami can develop its young players and prepare them for next season during both the practices and the bowl game itself. “It’s extremely valuable,” Cristobal said. “You really don’t have many opportunities throughout the course of the year — time is limited more and more each season with your student-athletes. I want to state this and be very clear: it’s very important, it’s ultra-important for the University of Miami to continue to develop and grow and progress by stressing the importance of offseason opportunities ... You learn a lot about your team and learn a lot about your people and your program when you head to the postseason.” Of course, there are potential negatives. Players can get hurt; Mark Fletcher Jr. suffered a foot injury in the Pinstripe Bowl last year that cost him all of spring practice. A poor performance can also potentially set the tone for next season, like how Florida State, fresh off a playoff snub last year, suffered a devastating loss against Georgia in the Orange Bowl and went on to a dismal 2-10 season this year. “This is the ending of ’24 and the beginning of ’25,” Cristobal said. “This is the last opportunity to be on the field and carry some momentum into the offseason. So it is, in essence, it is the most important game because it’s the next game. “There’s a lot of excitement in the form of opportunity for our guys. Our guys love to play football. The chance to play one more time with this special group — this is a special group of guys now. They’ve worked hard to really change the trajectory of the University of Miami, and they want to continue to elevate the status and the culture at the University of Miami. So certainly a ton to play for.” ____ Respond: Write a letter to the editor | Write a guest opinion Subscribe to stay connected to Tucson. 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How major US stock indexes fared Monday, 12/9/2024Palo Alto Networks (NASDAQ:PANW) Shares Down 4.2% – What’s Next?
49ers give birthday-boy Purdy a patchwork offensive line for home finaleTOKYO (AP) — Troops surround South Korea's parliament overnight when the president declares martial law. He accuses pro-North Korean forces of plotting to overthrow one of the world’s most vibrant democracies. Lawmakers voice outrage and vote to end the declaration, and the president lifts the decree before daybreak. President Yoon Suk Yeol spread fear and confusion through South Korea overnight by issuing his sudden edict late Tuesday, the first martial law declaration since more than four decades ago when the country was controlled by a dictatorship. The declaration, the rushed vote by lawmakers to overturn it and the president's lifting of martial law soon afterward were moments of high drama for an unpopular leader who has struggled with political deadlock in an opposition-dominated parliament and scandals involving him and his wife. While there was no direct evidence presented, Yoon raised the specter of North Korea as a destabilizing force. Yoon has long maintained that a hard line against the North is the only way to stop Pyongyang from following through on its nuclear threats against Seoul. Amid the surreal scenes of troops massing around parliament, here are some things to know as this story unfolds: Immediately after Yoon's declaration the military chief called in key commanders for talks. South Korean troops set up barricades and then made their way into parliament. The leader of the main opposition, which controls parliament, ordered lawmakers to return to the building, where they eventually voted to lift the declaration of martial law. Yoon lifted the martial law decree around 4:30 a.m. during a Cabinet meeting. Yoon's declaration had been accompanied by an accusation that the opposition was engaged in “anti-state activities plotting rebellion.” But he did not explain what that means, and provided no specific evidence. The vague statement is reminiscent of the heavy-handed tactics of the South Korean dictatorships that ended in the late 1980s. A series of strongmen repeatedly invoked North Korea when struggling to control domestic dissidents and political opponents. The opposition lambasted Yoon's move as un-democratic. Opposition leader Lee Jae-myung, who narrowly lost to Yoon in the 2022 presidential election, called Yoon’s announcement “illegal and unconstitutional.” But the sudden declaration was also opposed by the leader of Yoon's own conservative party, Han Dong-hoon, who called the decision “wrong” and vowed to “stop it with the people.” “The people will block the president’s anti-constitutional step. The military must be on the side of the public in any case. Let’s resolutely oppose it,” Kim Dong Yeon, the opposition party governor of Gyeonggi province, which surrounds Seoul, wrote on X. Average South Koreans were in shock. Social media was flooded with messages expressing surprise and worry over Yoon’s announcement. “Martial law? I thought it was deepfake content, but is it really a martial law decree?,” one X user wrote. “I first thought about a war with North Korea when he said he would impose a martial law,” another X user wrote. There were quick claims that the emergency declaration was linked to Yoon’s political struggles. His approval rating has dropped, and he has had little success in getting his policies adopted by a parliament that has been controlled by the opposition since he took over in 2022. Conservatives have said the opposition moves are political revenge for investigations into the opposition leader, who is seen as the favorite for the next presidential election in 2027. Just this month, Yoon denied wrongdoing in an influence-peddling scandal involving him and his wife. The claims have battered his approval ratings and fueled attacks by his rivals. The scandal centers on claims that Yoon and first lady Kim Keon Hee exerted inappropriate influence on the conservative ruling People Power Party to pick a certain candidate to run for a parliamentary by-election in 2022 at the request of Myung Tae-kyun, an election broker and founder of a polling agency who conducted free opinion surveys for Yoon before he became president . Yoon has said he did nothing inappropriate. South Korea became a democracy only in the late 1980s, and military intervention in civilian affairs is still a touchy subject. During the dictatorships that emerged as the country rebuilt from the destruction of the 1950-53 Korean War, leaders occasionally proclaimed martial law that allowed them to station combat soldiers, tanks and armored vehicles on streets or in public places to prevent anti-government demonstrations. Such scenes are unimaginable for many today. The dictator Park Chung-hee, who ruled South Korea for nearly 20 years before he was assassinated by his spy chief in 1979, led several thousand troops into Seoul in the early hours of May 16, 1961, in the country’s first successful coup. During his rule, he occasionally proclaimed martial law to crack down on protests and jail critics. Less than two months after Park Chung-hee’s death, Maj. Gen. Chun Doo-hwan led tanks and troops into Seoul in December 1979 in the country’s second successful coup. The next year, he orchestrated a brutal military crackdown on a pro-democracy uprising in the southern city of Gwangju, killing at least 200 people. In the summer of 1987, massive street protests forced Chun’s government to accept direct presidential elections. His army buddy Roh Tae-woo, who had joined Chun’s 1979 coup, won the election held later in 1987 thanks largely to divided votes among liberal opposition candidates. AP writers Kim Tong-hyung and Hyung-jin Kim contributed to this story.
Wedding officiant sparks uproar after making 'tacky' comment about groom's appearance A Reddit user revealed that the officiant made a comment about the groom The comment was about the groom's looks and he also talked about himself READ MORE: Famed author reveals the surprising marker of good parenting By JANE HERZ FOR DAILYMAIL.COM Published: 20:55, 21 November 2024 | Updated: 20:56, 21 November 2024 e-mail 8 shares 2 View comments A wedding guest has revealed that the ceremony's officiant made a strange comment about the groom's appearance - and it turns out that it's something that might be happening more often than not. In a new post this week on the Wedding Shaming Reddit thread, a guest told a harrowing story about what happened when they attended someone's recent nuptials. The user prefaced the post by admitting they weren't sure if they were 'overreacting' or not - but according to the responses in the comments, it didn't seem to be so. 'Pretty much, I don't believe that officiant was a real priest, but rather a 30ish church goer who was recommended by a friend of the groom,' the Reddit user began. 'He spent a little too long talking about himself in my opinion and definitely didn't sound very professional,' the poster continued. But according to the guest, the end of the ceremony is where things began to take a a turn for the worst. 'Anyways near the end, he makes a comment about how it was a good thing that the groom was, "definitely marrying up,"' the poster typed. 'Meaning that the bride was significantly better looking than the groom.' 'I get that that could be seen as just a simple joke, but I guess if I was the bride I would be very mad if any part of the wedding ceremony speech was used to talk negatively about either of our looks,' the post continued. 'I also just felt like it was unprofessional.' A wedding guest has revealed that the ceremony's officiant made a strange comment about the groom's appearance - and it turns out that it's something that might be happening more often than not (stock image) The Reddit user concluded, asking the forum, 'Obviously this isn't the worst thing in the world, or even close to most of the stories on this sub. But I thought I would share it and see if anyone else finds that tacky?' And, strangely enough, many users seemed to relate to this wedding ceremony gaffe, sharing their own experiences in response. 'This happened to someone I know. The groom's father opposed the marriage and was incredibly rude to the bride when they met for the first time,' one user shared. The response continued: 'He caused a lot of stress and tension during the run up to the wedding. The priest who was to marry them got sick on the wedding day so a family friend of the bride’s parents stepped up. 'He excoriated the groom and told him in a really nasty voice, "never forget that you married up." It was horrible — the poor groom was innocent, he spent years trying to get his parents to accept his fiancée, he defended her, stood up to his father, etc., only to be publicly berated and humiliated at the altar.' Someone else wrote, 'I was at my friend's wife's funeral. Someone from their old church made a remark about how physically unattractive the deceased had been. 'Some bald pot-bellied boomer inappropriately dressed for a funeral. I wanted to go up to him at the reception and b**** slap him... and I later found out the Minister did to. Some people just shouldn't be allowed out in society.' 'Went to a Catholic wedding in about 2010, can't remember the exact date. The priest's homily droned on and on for about 45 minutes,' another person typed. But making a comment about the groom's appearance isn't the worst thing that could happen (stock image) Many users seemed to relate to this wedding ceremony gaffe, sharing their own experiences in response 'During that time, the priest mentioned at least three times that the bride should be obedient and a good mother,' they continued, in part. 'He told the groom just to be a good provider. I was so mad you could probably see steam coming out of my ears.' And, while some people didn't have the same experience at other weddings they've been to, they did agree it was 'tacky' for the officiant to say what they did. 'Officiant was beyond tacky. His/her job is to perform a marriage ceremony, nothing more, nothing less,' one Redditor pointed out. 'That's a comment you might save for a speech at the reception, not in the middle of the ceremony,' another agreed. 'And even then, unless you are a really good friend of the family, it would be out of line.' But making a comment about the groom's appearance isn't the worst thing that could happen. In another post on the Wedding Shaming forum on Reddit last year, some brides exposed their worst-behaved wedding guests. 'My bridesmaid's boyfriend drank eight martinis and threw up in the women’s restroom,' one recalled. Another chimed in: 'My own mother interrupted my vows. Sometimes I still hear her shouting "Louder!" as I'm drifting off to sleep.' People wearing casual clothing was also an issue for another bride who was horrified when a guest's plus one turned up in denim capris and flip flops. Reddit Share or comment on this article: Wedding officiant sparks uproar after making 'tacky' comment about groom's appearance e-mail 8 shares Add comment
‘I just wanted to get off stage’ – Gerwyn Price makes remarkable admission over emotional Joe Cullen thrillerGRAIL, Inc. is a healthcare company whose mission is to detect cancer early when it can be cured. (PRNewsfoto/GRAIL, Inc.) MENLO PARK, Calif. , Dec. 3, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- GRAIL, Inc. (Nasdaq: GRAL), a healthcare company whose mission is to detect cancer early when it can be cured, today announced that it has granted equity awards in the form of restricted stock units ("RSUs") underlying an aggregate of 115,093 shares of GRAIL's common stock to 46 recently hired non-executive employees as an inducement material to their acceptance of employment with GRAIL. The employment inducement awards were granted under GRAIL's Inducement Equity Incentive Plan and related form of restricted stock award agreement in accordance with Nasdaq Listing Rule 5635(c)(4). The inducement plan is used exclusively for the grant of equity awards to individuals who were not previously employees of GRAIL, or following a bona fide period of non-employment, as an inducement material to such individuals entering into employment with GRAIL, pursuant to Nasdaq Listing Rule 5635(c)(4). The RSUs vest over an approximately four year period, with 25% of the award vesting November 30, 2025 , and on each one year anniversary of those respective dates thereafter, subject to continued employment with GRAIL (or any successor to or subsidiary of the Company) through the vesting dates. About GRAIL GRAIL is a healthcare company whose mission is to detect cancer early, when it can be cured. GRAIL is focused on alleviating the global burden of cancer by using the power of next-generation sequencing, population-scale clinical studies, and state-of-the-art machine learning, software, and automation to detect and identify multiple deadly cancer types in earlier stages. GRAIL's targeted methylation-based platform can support the continuum of care for screening and precision oncology, including multi-cancer early detection in symptomatic patients, risk stratification, minimal residual disease detection, biomarker subtyping, treatment and recurrence monitoring. GRAIL is headquartered in Menlo Park, CA with locations in Washington, D.C. , North Carolina , and the United Kingdom . For more information, visit grail.com . View original content to download multimedia: https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/grail-announces-inducement-grants-under-nasdaq-listing-rule-5635c4-302321454.html SOURCE GRAIL, Inc.
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