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UCLA stuns No. 1 South Carolina to snap Gamecocks' 43-game win streakSouth Korea's Yoon: Embittered survivor staggers on after impeachment voteEscaping light pollution: Stargazing is amazing in these places with dark skies
Tweet Facebook Mail A South Korean legislative push to impeach President Yoon Suk Yeol over his short-lived imposition of martial law fell through on Saturday after most lawmakers from his conservative governing party boycotted the vote. The defeat of the motion is expected to intensify public protests calling for Yoon's ouster and deepen political chaos in South Korea, with a survey suggesting a majority of South Koreans support the president's impeachment. Yoon's martial law declaration drew criticism from his own ruling conservative party, but it is also determined to oppose Yoon's impeachment apparently because it fears losing the presidency to liberals. READ MORE: Australia's world-first plan to stop identity theft A view of the hall where the plenary session for the impeachment vote of South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol is set to take place at the National Assembly in Seoul, South Korea, Saturday, Dec. 7, 2024. (Jeon Heon-kyun/Pool Photo via AP) Impeaching Yoon required support from two-thirds of the National Assembly, or 200 of its 300 members. The opposition parties who brought the impeachment motion had 192 seats, but only three lawmakers from PPP participated in the vote. The motion was scrapped without ballot counting because the number of votes didn't reach 200. National Assembly Speaker Woo Won Shik called the result "very regrettable" and an embarrassing moment for the country's democracy that has been closely watched by the world. "The failure to hold a qualified vote on this matter means we were not even able to exercise the democratic procedure of deciding on a critical national issue," he said. Opposition parties could submit a new impeachment motion after a new parliamentary session opens next Wednesday. READ MORE: Remains of woman missing for four days found in sinkhole in US Protesters stage a rally demanding South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol's impeachment, in front of the National Assembly in Seoul, South Korea, Saturday, Dec. 7, 2024, following the president's short-lived martial law declaration. The signs read, "Impeach Yoon Suk Yeol." (AP Photo/Ahn Young-joon) There are worries that Yoon won't be able to serve out his remaining two and a half years in office because his leadership took a huge hit. Many experts say some ruling party lawmakers could eventually join opposition parties' efforts to impeach Yoon if public demands for it grow further. If Yoon is impeached, his powers will be suspended until the Constitutional Court decides whether to remove him from office. If he is removed, an election to replace him must take place within 60 days. Woo repeatedly urged ruling party members to return to the chamber to participate in the vote, waiting several hours for them to come. At one point, Democratic Party leaders visited a hall on the floor below the main chamber where PPP lawmakers were gathered, attempting to persuade them to vote. After being blocked from entering, they angrily accused the conservatives' leadership of preventing its lawmakers from voting freely. Earlier Saturday, Yoon issued a public apology over the martial law decree, saying he won't shirk legal or political responsibility for the declaration and promising not to make another attempt to impose martial law. He said would leave it to his party to chart a course through the country's political turmoil, "including matters related to my term in office." "The declaration of this martial law was made out of my desperation. But in the course of its implementation, it caused anxiety and inconveniences to the public. I feel very sorry over that and truly apologise to the people who must have been shocked a lot," Yoon said. A man watches TV screens showing the broadcast of South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol's announcement at a Yongsan Electronic store in Seoul, South Korea, Saturday, Dec. 7, 2024 (AP Photo/Ahn Young-joon) Since taking office in 2022, Yoon has struggled to push his agenda through an opposition-controlled parliament and grappled with low approval ratings amid scandals involving himself and his wife. In his martial law announcement on Tuesday night, Yoon called parliament a "den of criminals" bogging down state affairs and vowed to eliminate "shameless North Korea followers and anti-state forces." The turmoil resulting from Yoon's bizarre and poorly-thought-out stunt has paralysed South Korean politics and sparked alarm among key diplomatic partners like the US and Japan. Tuesday night saw special forces troops encircling the parliament building and army helicopters hovering over it, but the military withdrew after the National Assembly unanimously voted to overturn the decree, forcing Yoon to lift it before daybreak Wednesday. The declaration of martial law was the first of its kind in more than 40 years in South Korea. Eighteen lawmakers from the ruling party voted to reject Yoon's martial law decree along with opposition lawmakers. Yoon's speech fuelled speculation that he and his party may push for a constitutional amendment to shorten his term, instead of accepting impeachment, as a way to ease public anger over the marital law and facilitate Yoon's early exit from office. SEOUL, SOUTH KOREA - DECEMBER 07: (EDITORS NOTE: This Handout imagewas provided by a third-party organization and may not adhere to Getty Images editorial policy.) In this handout photo provided by the South Korean Presidential Office, South Korean President Yoon Suk-Yeol speaks to the nation at the Presidential Office on December 07, 2024 in Seoul, South Korea. South Korea is facing significant political turmoil after President Yoon Suk-yeol declared emergency martial law, accusing opposition p (Getty) Lee Jae-myung, the leader of the main liberal opposition Democratic Party, told reporters that Yoon's speech was "greatly disappointing" and that the only way forward is his immediate resignation or impeachment. His party called Yoon's martial law "unconstitutional, illegal rebellion or coup." The passage of Yoon's impeachment motion appeared more likely when the chair of Yoon's party called for his removal on Friday, but the party remained formally opposed to impeachment. On Saturday, tens of thousands of people densely packed several blocks of roads leading up to the National Assembly, waving banners, shouting slogans and dancing and singing along to K-pop songs with lyrics changed to call for Yoon's ouster. Protesters also gathered in front of PPP's headquarters near the Assembly, angrily shouting for its lawmakers to vote to impeach Yoon. A smaller crowd of Yoon's supporters, which still seemed to be in the thousands, rallied in separate streets in Seoul, decrying the impeachment attempt they saw as unconstitutional. Lawmakers on Saturday first voted on a bill appointing a special prosecutor to investigate stock price manipulation allegations surrounding Yoon's wife. Some lawmakers from Yoon's party were seen leaving the hall after that vote, triggering angry shouts from opposition lawmakers. Protesters march to the presidential office after a candlelight vigil against South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol in Seoul, South Korea on Thursday, December 5, 2024. (AP) On Friday, PPP chair Han Dong-hun, who criticised Yoon's martial law declaration, said he had received intelligence that during the brief period of martial law Yoon ordered the country's defence counterintelligence commander to arrest and detain unspecified key politicians based on accusations of "anti-state activities." Hong Jang-won, first deputy director of South Korea's National Intelligence Service, told lawmakers in a closed-door briefing on Friday that Yoon had ordered him to help the defence counter-intelligence unit to detain key politicians. The targeted politicians included Han, Lee and Woo, according to Kim Byung-kee, one of the lawmakers who attended the meeting. The Defence Ministry said on Friday it has suspended three military commanders including the head of the defence counter-intelligence unit over their involvement in enforcing martial law. Vice Defense Minister Kim Seon Ho has told parliament that Defence Minister Kim Yong Hyun ordered the deployment of troops to the National Assembly after Yoon imposed martial law. Opposition parties accused Kim of recommending to Yoon to enforce martial law. Kim resigned on Thursday, and prosecutors imposed an overseas travel ban on him. DOWNLOAD THE 9NEWS APP : Stay across all the latest in breaking news, sport, politics and the weather via our news app and get notifications sent straight to your smartphone. Available on the Apple App Store and Google Play .HOUSTON (AP) — An elaborate parody appears to be behind an effort to resurrect Enron, the Houston-based energy company that exemplified the worst in American corporate fraud and greed after it went bankrupt in 2001. If its return is comedic, some former employees who lost everything in Enron’s collapse aren’t laughing. “It’s a pretty sick joke and it disparages the people that did work there. And why would you want to even bring it back up again?” said former Enron employee Diana Peters, who represented workers in the company’s bankruptcy proceedings. Here’s what to know about the history of Enron and the purported effort to bring it back. Once the nation’s seventh-largest company, Enron filed for bankruptcy protection on Dec. 2, 2001, after years of accounting tricks could no longer hide billions of dollars in debt or make failing ventures appear profitable. The energy company's collapse put more than 5,000 people out of work, wiped out more than $2 billion in employee pensions and rendered $60 billion in Enron stock worthless. Its aftershocks were felt throughout the energy sector. Twenty-four Enron executives , including former CEO Jeffrey Skilling , were eventually convicted for their roles in the fraud. Enron founder Ken Lay’s convictions were vacated after he died of heart disease following his 2006 trial. On Monday — the 23rd anniversary of the bankruptcy filing — a company representing itself as Enron announced in a news release that it was relaunching as a “company dedicated to solving the global energy crisis.” It also posted a video on social media, advertised on at least one Houston billboard and a took out a full-page ad in the Houston Chronicle In the minute-long video that was full of generic corporate jargon, the company talks about “growth” and “rebirth.” It ends with the words, “We’re back. Can we talk?” Enron's new website features a company store, where various items featuring the brand's tilted “E” logo are for sale, including a $118 hoodie. In an email, company spokesperson Will Chabot said the new Enron was not doing any interviews yet, but that "We’ll have more to share soon.” Signs point to the comeback being a joke. In the “terms of use and conditions of sale” on the company's website, it says “the information on the website about Enron is First Amendment protected parody, represents performance art, and is for entertainment purposes only.” Documents filed with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office show that College Company, an Arkansas-based LLC, owns the Enron trademark. The co-founder of College Company is Connor Gaydos, who helped create a joke conspiracy theory that claims all birds are actually surveillance drones for the government. Peters said that since learning about the “relaunch” of Enron, she has spoken with several other former employees and they are also upset by it. She said the apparent stunt was “in poor taste.” “If it’s a joke, it’s rude, extremely rude. And I hope that they realize it and apologize to all of the Enron employees,” Peters said. Peters, who is 74 years old, said she is still working in information technology because “I lost everything in Enron, and so my Social Security doesn’t always take care of things I need done.” “Enron’s downfall taught us critical lessons about corporate ethics, accountability, and the consequences of unchecked ambition. Enron’s legacy was the employees in the trenches. Leave Enron buried,” she said. This story was corrected to fix the spelling of Ken Lay’s first name, which had been misspelled “Key.” Follow Juan A. Lozano on X at https://x.com/juanlozano70
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Londynn Jones scored 15 points, making all five of her 3-pointers, and fifth-ranked UCLA stunned No. 1 South Carolina 77-62 on Sunday, ending the Gamecocks’ overall 43-game winning streak and their run of 33 consecutive road victories. The Gamecocks (5-1) lost for the first time since April 2023, when Caitlin Clark and Iowa beat them in the NCAA Tournament national semifinals. Javascript is required for you to be able to read premium content. Please enable it in your browser settings.
How major US stock indexes fared Tuesday, 12/3/2024Minister asks Kabul to rein in anti-Pakistan elements Amir Muqam says Pakistan hosted Afghan refugees for four decades and it was largest population of refugees in world HARIPUR: Federal Minister for Kashmir Affairs and Gilgit-Baltistan Amir Muqam on Saturday asked the Afghan government to rein in those involved in terrorist activities in Pakistan. He urged Afghanistan to stop hosting the anti-Pakistan elements. “It becomes difficult for us to defend them [refugees] in the wake of the anti-Pakistan activities,” he said speaking to Afghan refugees of Haripur camp here. He said that it was the responsibility of Afghanistan to stop the elements crossing into Pakistan for terrorist activities. The federal minister said that the government functionaries took notice of the anti-state activities of Afghan refugees who burned Pakistan’s flag and disrespected its national anthem. “I would ask the Afghans to avoid indulging in anti-Pakistan activities and politics at the cost of their refugee brothers as such behaviour creates difficulties for refugees,” he said. He urged the Afghan government to stop the youth from promoting anti-Pakistan agenda on social media as they were doing disservice to their own community. The minister said that Pakistan had always respected the freedom and solidarity of Afghanistan as it believed that a strong Afghanistan was in the favour of Pakistan and its people. He said that Pakistan had been hosting Afghan refugees for four decades and it was the largest population of refugees in the world and utilized its best efforts for providing them basic facilities. He said the majority of Afghans were doing business in Pakistan. “We respect and are happy that they are doing business and enjoying their stay in Pakistan but the Afghan government must now realize to desist from creating hardships for Afghans living in Pakistan and make sincere plans for their permanent repatriation to their homeland as their actual home is in Afghanistan and they have to return to their country one day,” he said. The federal minister asked the UN organizations to stop discrimination against Pakistan and extend generous financial support for Afghan refugees. About the stay of registered Afghan refugees in Pakistan, he said that Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif had already announced a one-year extension for them. Commissioner Afghan Refugees Shakeel Muhammad Khan also addressed the participants and said that the government was making all-out efforts for providing basic facilities to the Afghan refugees. He said that Haripur was hosting a population of 77000 refugees with 21 primary schools, six Basic Health Units and other road infrastructure for them while the tube-wells meant for water supply to camps were being solarized.
EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. (AP) — Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Baker Mayfield embarrassed the woeful Giants with his arm and legs, and if that wasn't enough, he rubbed it in by mimicking New York fan favorite Tommy DeVito's celebratory dance after scoring a touchdown. Mayfield catapulted into the end zone on a spectacular 10-yard scramble for one of Tampa Bay's four rushing TDs, and the Buccaneers beat the Giants and new starting quarterback DeVito 30-7 on Sunday, snapping a four-game losing streak and extending New York's skid to six. With both teams struggling and coming off byes, most of the focus leading up to the game was on the Giants' decisions this week to bench and then release quarterback Daniel Jones. The brash DeVito was given the starting job and asked to spark coach Brian Daboll's team, as he did last season. Instead, Mayfield provided the energy with his play and his trolling of DeVito. “Tribute to Tommy,” said a straight-faced Mayfield, who was 24 of 30 for 294 yards. “He’s a good dude, that’s why. Most of the times, I don’t know what I’m going to do. It’s spontaneous.” Mayfield was asked several times about the gesture and admitted he wanted to give Giants fans something they liked, adding he met DeVito at the Super Bowl in Las Vegas in February. “He had his chain blinged out, swag walking through the casino. It was awesome,” Mayfield said. “It was like a movie scene, honestly.” DeVito did nothing to help the NFL's lowest-scoring offense. He threw for 189 yards, mostly in the second half with New York well on its way to its sixth straight loss at home, where it is winless. Meanwhile, the Buccaneers dominated in every phase in a near-perfect performance that featured TD runs of 1 yard by Sean Tucker, 6 yards by Bucky Irving and 1 yard by Rachaad White. After recent losses to the Ravens, 49ers and Chiefs, Tampa Bay (5-6) moved within one game of idle Atlanta in the NFC South. “We’re hoping it builds confidence,” Mayfield said. “We have a belief that we are still sitting and controlling our own destiny.” Tampa Bay scored on five of its on first six possessions to open a 30-0 lead, and none was more exciting than Mayfield's TD run with 12 seconds left in the first half. On a second-and-goal from the 10, he avoided pressure and went for the end zone. He was hit by Cor'Dale Flott low and Dru Phillips high around the 2-yard line, and he was airborne when he crossed the goal line. The ball came loose when he hit the turf but he jumped up and flexed, DeVito-style, as the Bucs took a 23-0 lead. DeVito said players talked about the celebration in the locker room but he did not see it. Daboll was asked about the gesture and said Mayfield played well. He said the Giants' poor performance had nothing to do with Jones being released. “No excuse on that,” said Daboll, whose job is on the line despite making the playoffs in 2022. “We just didn’t do a good enough job.” “We played soft, and they beat the (expletive) out of us,” defensive tackle Dexter Lawrence added. Mayfield's favorite target Mike Evans returned to the lineup after missing three games with a hamstring injury and had five catches for 68 yards. Irving had 87 yards rushing and six catches for 64 yards. The Bucs held New York to three first downs and 45 yards in the first half, and they finished with 450 yards to the Giants' 245. DeVito had a 17-yard run in the fourth quarter to set up a 1-yard touchdown run by Devin Singletary. The brash New Jersey native was sacked four times, including once in the fourth quarter, which forced him to go to the bench for one play. Buccaneers: LT Tristan Wirfs (knee) did not play and Justin Skule replaced him. ... Tampa Bay lost OLB Joe Tryon-Shoyinka to an ankle injury in the second quarter and safety Jordan Whitehead to a pectoral injury in the fourth quarter. Giants: LT Jermaine Eluemunor (quad) and OLB Azeez Ojulari (toe) were hurt in the first quarter and did not return. Buccaneers: At Carolina next Sunday. Giants: At Dallas on Thanksgiving AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nflNoneBy Leslie Patton | Bloomberg Costco Wholesale Corp. is switching manufacturers for its popular Kirkland Signature brand of diapers as its supplier moves away from store brands to increase profitability. First Quality is replacing Kimberly-Clark Corp. as the maker of Costco’s diapers, with the official change set to happen in January, according to people familiar with the decision who weren’t authorized to speak publicly about the matter. More on Costco: Not a Costco member? Shoppers have tips to skip new entry scanners Consumer goods makers have been focused on restoring profit margins to pre-pandemic levels and scrutinizing their business models after years of higher costs. For Kimberly-Clark, which makes the Huggies brand of diapers, that means a shift away from low-margin private label contracts and a stronger focus on selling more higher-priced premium items under their own brand names. First Quality didn’t respond to requests for comment. Representatives for Costco and Kimberly-Clark declined to comment. Earlier this month, Kimberly-Clark Chief Financial Officer Nelson Urdaneta said that the company’s exit of private label businesses, “allows us to dedicate our capacity and our investments to our own technologies and brands to differentiate them.” In October, Chief Executive Officer Mike Hsu said that the company’s percentage of sales from private label will go from about 4% in 2023 to about 2% next year, and that it would decline further “over time.” Also read: Discount retailer Panda Mart leases former Sears in Orange First Quality, which also makes Cuties diapers along with paper towels and toilet paper, hasn’t disclosed the arrangement with Costco. In May, the New York-based company said it was increasing capacity for diapers and training pants by 50% at its Macon, Georgia, manufacturing factory. Costco’s Kirkland Signature diapers have become popular with parents, especially as years of inflation for basic goods crimps spending. The company has said in past years that private label items are a good value versus brand names, thanks to their price point. Costco says it expects to increase sales of Kirkland-branded items, which generally earn higher margins for the retailer versus national labels. Kirkland diapers made by Kimberly-Clark have a curved fit that many shoppers perceive to be more ergonomic for their babies, said Natalia Richer, director of business development at consultant Diaper Testing International. “It will be noticeable to the consumer if they change it,” she said. Kimberly-Clark also makes Kotex tampons and pads, along with Kleenex tissues and Scott toilet paper. Huggies recently introduced a new type of diaper and wipes, dubbed Skin Essentials, designed to protect against rashes. Related Articles Retail | Cyber Monday shoppers expected to set a record on the year’s biggest day for online shopping Retail | SunFed cucumbers and Costco eggs recalled due to potential salmonella contamination Retail | Gifting on a budget: 5 secrets to being generous without going broke Retail | After flood of pre-Black Friday deals, stores open early Friday across Southern California Retail | Is Black Friday still a holiday shopping juggernaut in 2024?A version of this story appeared in CNN’s What Matters newsletter. To get it in your inbox, sign up for free here . Donald Trump has made bold claims about his plans for when he takes office next month, from drastic action at the border to ending birthright citizenship and pardoning January 6 insurrectionists. When he sat down for his first postelection interview with a mainstream journalist, Kristen Welker of NBC’s “Meet the Press,” he promised he would not encourage his Justice Department to go after his political enemies but added that he thinks some of them belong in jail. How those promises and desires will translate into action remains unclear, so it’s worth paying attention to what Trump said in that lengthy sit-down, which aired Sunday. Here are key lines from NBC’s interview , along with some context: What will Trump accomplish in his first 100 days? So expect something related to immigration to get everyone’s attention. In the first week of his first administration in 2017, for instance, Trump used executive authority to act on his campaign promise to ban all Muslims from traveling to the US by imposing a ban on travel from predominantly Muslim countries and also put a hold on all refugees entering the US for four months. Those moves, which made a statement, sparked protests at airports and a standoff between Trump and lawyers at the Department of Justice. Trump has talked previously about mobilizing the military to do more at the border and about effectively shutting the border with Mexico. In the NBC interview, he also talked about extending tax cuts and working with Democratic mayors to address crime in cities in his first 100 days. Do sexual misconduct and excessive drinking allegations related to Pete Hegseth — his pick for defense secretary, who told senators he would go dry — worry Trump? While there have been reports that Trump has considered alternatives to Hegseth , he has maintained public support for the former Fox News host. There have been multiple reports about Hegseth’s drinking, including that it led him to be forced out of the leadership of veterans’ advocacy groups. He also has dealt with revelations about a settlement he reached with a woman who alleged Hegseth sexually assaulted her. Can Trump guarantee tariffs won’t raise prices for American consumers? Tariffs are taxes on foreign imports paid by importers in the US. Economists generally believe tariffs raise prices for consumers , but Trump doesn’t believe it. He has promised a 25% tariff on all imports from Canada and Mexico, something he may be able to accomplish without Congress. In the NBC interview, he pointed to tariffs he imposed, particularly on China, during his first term and kept in place by the Biden administration as evidence. Trump argued the US is “subsidizing” Canada to the tune of $100 billion per year and Mexico to the tune of $300 billion per year. Trump recently made a joke about annexing Canada during a meeting with Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. Presumably he was riffing on that joke here rather than offering a serious idea. After a recent phone call with Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum , Trump said they had agreed to “effectively” close the border, although she later disputed that claim. It’s not entirely clear what Trump meant by arguing in the NBC interview that the US is subsidizing Canada and Mexico. It could be a reference to trade deficits between the US and those trading partners. But the trade deficit with Canada was about $54 billion in 2022 and about $131 billion with Mexico that year. The “madman theory” of foreign policy is that other countries stay in check because they think a powerful world leader is crazy and unpredictable, something Trump has embraced. Before November’s election, for example, Trump told The Wall Street Journal he would never have to use the military to protect Taiwan from China because China’s president knows he’s “f**king crazy.” Trump also argued in the NBC interview that tariffs during his first term saved “tens of thousands” of manufacturing jobs at Whirlpool in Ohio, a debatable claim since the US International Trade Commission found that the tariffs led to an uptick of about 1,800 US jobs, at a cost to consumers of about $815,000 per job. Trump said “the market” will keep companies from raising prices as a result of his tariffs. Trump argued both that tariffs will raise money and that they will be an effective diplomatic tool. The math is hard to envision, since by one estimate, Trump’s proposed tax cuts would far outstrip revenue raised by tariffs and his policies would add $7.75 trillion to the national debt over 10 years. Welker asked Trump directly whether tariffs are something he’ll really do or whether they’re a negotiating tactic. His 416-word response did not answer the question directly, but he did argue that his election has already dried up border crossings to a “trickle.” Trump wanted credit for Mexican authorities breaking up several “caravans” of migrants. Border crossings had already dropped precipitously after executive action by the Biden administration . Would Trump consider raising the minimum wage? The federal minimum wage has been $7.25 since 2009. Trump doesn’t sound likely to push for an across-the-board hike now. Some states have minimum wages over $15, while others have stayed at the federal minimum. In Alaska and Missouri , two states that backed Trump, voters also acted in November to raise the minimum wage. Trump has focused his outreach to wage earners on policy proposals such as exempting tips from taxes . Is it realistic to deport every single one of the millions of people in the US illegally? How Trump might go about mass deportation and whether he would focus on people who have not violated criminal laws has been the subject of much reporting. Read more about his immigration plans . Does that include ‘Dreamers,’ who were brought to the US as children? Trump ultimately said he wants Dreamers to be able to stay in the US and suggested “doing something” about Dreamers could involve a bipartisan deal with Democrats. But in mixed-immigration-status families, where children are citizens and their parents are not, Trump would focus on deporting the whole family Trump acknowledged these deportations are going to be hard to watch On separating families, he said they will have a choice How will Trump end birthright citizenship? Trump said he would try to end birthright citizenship with executive action, but he acknowledged it could take more because, according to the 14th Amendment to the US Constitution, every person born in the US is a citizen. Amending the Constitution is a long and complicated process. There hasn’t been an amendment enacted in more than three decades. It will be interesting to see how Trump justifies trying to end birthright citizenship with the stroke of a pen. Also, the US is definitely not the only country with birthright citizenship. Read this fact check . Trump still has only ‘concepts’ of a health care plan, but it’s hard to explain Sign-ups for Obamacare plans fell during Trump’s first term even as the law became more popular. Read more about what Trump did with the Affordable Care Act . Will he follow up on making insurance companies pay for in vitro fertilization? Trump promised not to push for investigations of his political opponents Trump said he does not expect his pick to lead the FBI, Kash Patel , to necessarily investigate his political enemies. He seemed surprised when Welker read back to him a 2023 Truth Social post in which he said he would appoint a special prosecutor to look into President Joe Biden. But does he want his political enemies investigated? Will he go after Biden? Trump said he won the election for two reasons, neither of which is political retribution While he won’t push his attorney general pick, Pam Bondi, to investigate his enemies, he’s not shutting it down, either A few moments later, however Trump undercut this message when he argued that former Rep. Liz Cheney and other people on the House committee that investigated the January 6, 2021, insurrection committed a “major crime.” More on that further below. Trump would not definitely say he’ll fire FBI Director Christopher Wray That was a reference to search warrants served on Trump’s Florida resort, Mar-a-Lago, and his club in New Jersey related to Trump’s refusal to turn over classified documents to the National Archives. But since Trump has picked Patel for the job, he admitted that means Wray – whose name he would not say — would have to leave: Trump didn’t read Project 2025 so that he could deny connection to it While he is hiring many people connected to the blueprint for a Republican administration and he agrees with much of it, Trump doesn’t want to be associated with it. He’s not thinking about a pardon from Biden While Trump said he thinks a president can pardon himself, he doesn’t think he needs one since the federal cases against him have been dropped . And on whether Biden should pardon him as a way to bring the country together, Trump doesn’t see it happening. He thinks Cheney and members of the January 6 committee should be in jail But Trump said he won’t instruct either his attorney general or his FBI director to go after committee members. Trump wants to focus on opening up more land for oil exploration, but he clearly maintains serious animus toward the people who investigated the insurrection. Trump alleged they destroyed evidence related to the investigation, but committee members, who issued an 800-page report along with transcripts of their interviews, have said that is not correct . In response to Trump’s argument that January 6 committee members should be jailed, Cheney said it would be inappropriate for the Department of Justice to investigate a congressional committee. He’s serious about pardoning January 6 rioters on his first day in office He may pardon people who pleaded guilty to assaulting police officers at the Capitol Trump is open to eliminating some vaccines for children, and he’s open to the disproven idea that vaccines cause autism Trump said he’s already held a long meeting with his pick for Health and Human Services secretary, Robert F. Kennedy Jr. , and drug companies about a range of topics, including vaccines and pesticides. But Trump said RFK Jr. will not pursue radical change Welker pushed Trump by noting decades of studies have shown no link between autism and vaccines, and he brought up another disproven theory, that chlorine in the water causes autism. Trump said he wants to see more evidence about vaccines. Trump promised not to give Elon Musk’s companies special favors Trump pledged not to cut Social Security or Medicare other than to make them more efficient Ukraine should expect less help from the US and instead look to Europe, Trump said Trump said he’s actively trying to negotiate peace between Russia and Ukraine But he would not say whether he’s been talking to Russian President Vladimir Putin. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has said he will work with Trump on ending the war. Trump takes no responsibility for the divided country Welker asked Trump whether, to unite the US and turn the page, he would admit he lost the 2020 election. He would not. Trump was also asked why, if Democrats controlled the White House, he was able to win the election. He alleged many times that Democrats wanted to steal the election. He told his adult children not to come into his second administration Trump said both his wife and children are treated unfairly by the press. He did not have a ready answer when Welker asked what role his wife, Melania, would play in her second four years as first lady, but he quickly pivoted to an attack on the press. Trump will give every American the MAGA treatment Welker asked for his message to the people who didn’t vote for him.
12th day of Dallewal fast unto death, but no word on resumption of talksOdronextamab monotherapy led to complete responses in all patients with previously untreated follicular lymphoma evaluable for efficacy, per initial results from the safety lead-in portion of the confirmatory Phase 3 OLYMPIA-1 trial Primary analysis from an expansion cohort of the ELM-1 trial highlighted continued efficacy and durability in diffuse large B-cell lymphoma patients whose disease had progressed after CAR-T therapy First results from the ELM-2 trial in marginal zone lymphoma demonstrated high complete response rate in patients with relapsed/refractory disease TARRYTOWN, N.Y., Dec. 09, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (NASDAQ: REGN) today announced new and updated data for odronextamab were presented at the 66th American Society of Hematology (ASH) Annual Meeting and Exposition in San Diego, CA. The presentations, including two orals, showcase the depth and breadth of the odronextamab clinical development program, with twelve abstracts spanning several B-cell non-Hodgkin lymphoma (B-NHL) subtypes across earlier lines of treatment. OLYMPIA-1 Part 1 Results Showcased Compelling Potential in Previously Untreated Follicular Lymphoma (FL) The ongoing Phase 3 OLYMPIA-1 confirmatory trial consists of a non-randomized safety run-in (Part 1) followed by a randomized efficacy portion (Part 2) evaluating odronextamab monotherapy versus rituximab plus standard-of-care chemotherapies. In Part 1 (N=13), odronextamab led to complete responses (CR) in all 12 patients evaluable for efficacy at week 12. Historical clinical trial data indicate that the standard-of-care regimen R-Chemo was associated with an objective response rate (ORR) of 89% and 67% CR rate.1 Among the 13 patients evaluable for safety, none experienced a dose-limiting toxicity (DLT). The most common treatment-emergent adverse events (TEAEs) were cytokine release syndrome (CRS; 62%), diarrhea (46%) and rash (39%). All cases of CRS were Grade 1. Infections occurred in 39% of patients, and 15% experienced a Grade 3 infection. Grade ≥3 TEAEs occurred in 46% of patients, which included one patient who discontinued early due to elevated liver enzymes. There were no reports of tumor lysis syndrome (TLS) or immune effector cell associated neurotoxicity syndrome (ICANS). “The OLYMPIA-1 Phase 3 trial is designed to explore a novel, chemotherapy-free, fixed duration treatment that is being studied in the outpatient setting in patients with previously untreated follicular lymphoma,” said Elizabeth Brém, Associate Clinical Professor, Division of Hematology/Oncology at UC Irvine. “These compelling, initial data show the paradigm-changing potential of odronextamab in previously untreated patients and reinforce the remarkable complete response rates odronextamab demonstrated in late-line follicular lymphoma. We look forward to seeing the results of the Part 2 portion, which offers the first head-to-head evaluation of odronextamab monotherapy compared to standard-of-care chemo-immunotherapies.” Durable Responses Shown in Diffuse Large B-Cell Lymphoma (DLBCL) that has Progressed After CAR-T Therapy The primary analysis from an expansion cohort of the ELM-1 trial, which evaluated patients with DLBCL who progressed after CAR-T therapy, were presented in an oral session. Among 60 patients – with a median duration of treatment of 12 weeks (range > Traffic impacts: Interactive map | NewEngland511.org Impacted roads include Interstate 93, Interstate 89, Route 3 and Route 4. There are also some slow spots on the Spaulding Turnpike and Everett Turnpike, but generally, in areas from Manchester toward the south and east, rain is falling, and road conditions are better. Be weather-aware! Download the WMUR app for Apple or Android devices and turn on push notifications. You can choose to receive weather alerts for your geolocation and/or up to three ZIP codes. In addition, you can receive word when precipitation is coming to your area. Get storm coverage through the free Very Local app on your smart TV. Follow the Storm Watch 9 team on social media:
ARLINGTON, Texas — Kind of a weird week in the Big 12, yeah? One of the conference’s former flagship programs (Texas) is playing for the SEC championship in its first season away from the Big 12. One team it passed over (SMU) is ranked higher than any of its current members and will contend for an ACC championship. Big 12 commissioner Brett Yormark publicly squabbled with the College Football Playoff committee and Group of Five competition on two separate occasions. Saturday’s conference championship game at AT&T Stadium yielded an announced attendance of 55,889, which, outside of the COVID-19-impacted 2020 season, was the lowest in the event’s 28-year history; last year’s, between Texas and Oklahoma State, drew a record 84,523 for what it’s worth. The secondary ticket market get-in price for the Big 12 championship game was as low as $16 on Saturday morning, according to Vivid Seats, and their cheapest SEC championship game tickets started at $110. And, yet, Arizona State gave the Big 12 a reason to cheer. The Sun Devils (11-2) throttled Iowa State, 45-19, to win the Big 12 championship in their first season as a member after the Pac-12 folded. Senior running back Cam Skattebo (208 total yards, 3 touchdowns) rumbled up and down the field, paced a blowout and helped give the Big 12 exactly what it needs: a team that looks like it might be worthy of a top-four playoff seed. “We’re 11-1 with our starting quarterbacking, having beat four ranked teams, having won the Big 12 championship,” head coach Kenny Dillingham said. “I think there should be a real chance we get a first-round bye, and I definitely think we should host a game.” Wouldn’t that be something? Yormark, before Saturday’s game, said that the conference is “building something special.” He talked up the conference’s “magical” November in which half the league remained in contention for a title game berth and a four-way tiebreaker (which also included BYU and Colorado) was called upon to decide Saturday’s matchup. Still, the Big 12 lacked a marquee contender this season. The kind that looks like a legitimate perennial postseason player. Like, say, a Texas or Oklahoma. The Longhorns and Sooners combined for five of the Big 12′s six playoff appearances under the original four-team format before they jumped to the SEC prior to this season. Texas will play for a top-four playoff seed on Saturday against Georgia in the SEC championship game. Oklahoma is, well, at least in better shape than their in-state rival Oklahoma State still in the Big 12. Internally, BYU had a chance to plant its flag this season but floundered late; Colorado has star power, a baseline of success but no serious postseason berth to show for it; TCU could’ve been in the driver’s seat after its CFP berth two years ago but is just 13-11 since. “I think, within time, you’re going to find that certain schools will distance themselves from others,” Yormark said. “I think that’s the evolution we’re going to go through. Parity and depth right now is what I’m selling, candidly, but moving forward I think it might be a little different.” Arizona State, in Year 1 of the new-look Big 12 and the expanded playoff, might’ve been the first to raise its hand. The Sun Devils were picked to finish dead last in the conference’s preseason poll but won five straight games to finish the regular season and force their way to JerryWorld. Dillingham, 34, is a rising star. Freshman quarterback Sam Leavitt (219 yards, 4 total touchdowns) is too. Skattebo — who surpassed 2,000 scrimmage yards on Saturday — is “the best player in the nation,” according to his quarterback. Their collective performance Saturday left no doubt that they belong in the CFP. It’s just a matter of whether they’ve done enough to convince the committee that they belong in that cushy top four where Yormark believes they do. The Sun Devils, ranked No. 15 in last Tuesday’s playoff poll, could certainly still be seeded No. 12 in Sunday’s final playoff bracket as the fifth highest-ranked conference champion. The four highest-ranked conference champions — who, according to the most recent rankings, are the winners of the SEC, Big Ten, ACC and Boise State of the Mountain West — will receive first-round byes. Boise State (No. 10) beat UNLV in the MWC championship game on Friday night to secure safe passage into the playoff. Yormark teed off on the selection committee on Wednesday and argued that no Group of Five team should be ranked higher than the Big 12 champion. He doubled down on Saturday, referenced his conference’s strength of schedule and claimed that there’s “no comparison” between the Big 12 and “any G5 conference champion.” The Sun Devils might have a chance to prove that a truth. If they remain the No. 12 seed and if Boise State remains the No. 4 seed, the two would be in line to meet in the quarterfinals if Arizona State wins its first-round game on the road. If their blowout win versus Iowa State sways the committee enough to move them above Boise State and into a top-four seed in Sunday’s final rankings, that same aforementioned quarterfinal Boise State running back Ashton Jeanty and Skattebo rank No. 1 and No. 2 in all-purpose yards per game this season. Jeanty is a Heisman Trophy candidate, though Yormark said Saturday that he doesn’t think “there’s any competition” for the award with Colorado two-way star Travis Hunter also a finalist. Yeah, if you hadn’t noticed, he’s not too fond of anything that has to do with the Group of Five right now. He’ll see which side of the argument the playoff committee falls on come Sunday. The Sun Devils, at least, made it interesting. “I do think we need to have a really thoughtful conversation [about] the selection committee and how the ranking is being done,” Yormark said. “Again, look at resumes. Look at data. The data doesn’t lie. So we’ll see where that goes.” ©2024 The Dallas Morning News. Visit dallasnews.com . Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.Mobile wallets that allow you to pay using your phone have been around for well more than a decade, and over those years they’ve grown in popularity, becoming a key part of consumers’ credit card usage. According to a "state of credit card report" for 2025 from credit bureau Experian, 53% of Americans in a survey say they use digital wallets more frequently than traditional payment methods. To further incentivize mobile wallet usage, some credit card issuers offer bonus rewards when you elect to pay that way. But those incentives can go beyond just higher reward rates. In fact, mobile wallets in some ways are becoming an essential part of activating and holding a credit card. For example, they can offer immediate access to your credit line, and they can be easier and safer than paying with a physical card. From a rewards perspective, it can make a lot of sense to reach for your phone now instead of your physical card. The Apple Card offers its highest reward rates when you use it through the Apple Pay mobile wallet. Same goes for the PayPal Cashback Mastercard® when you use it to make purchases via the PayPal digital wallet. The Kroger grocery store giant has a co-branded credit card that earns the most when you pay using an eligible digital wallet, and some major credit cards with quarterly rotating bonus categories have a history of incentivizing digital wallet use. But again, these days it's not just about the rewards. Mobile wallets like Apple Pay, Samsung Pay and PayPal can offer immediate access to your credit line while you wait for your physical card to arrive after approval. Indeed, most major issuers including Bank of America®, Capital One and Chase now offer instant virtual credit card numbers for eligible cards that can be used upon approval by adding them to a digital wallet. Additionally, many co-branded credit cards — those offered in partnership with another brand — commonly offer instant card access and can be used immediately on in-brand purchases. Credit cards typically take seven to 10 days to arrive after approval, so instant access to your credit line can be particularly useful if you need to make an urgent or unexpected purchase. Plus, they allow you to start spending toward a card’s sign-up bonus right away. As issuers push toward mobile payments, a growing number of merchants and businesses are similarly adopting the payment method. The percentage of U.S. businesses that used digital wallets increased to 62% in 2023, compared to 47% the previous year, according to a 2023 survey commissioned by the Federal Reserve Financial Services. Wider acceptance is potentially good news for the average American, who according to Experian has about four credit cards. While that won’t necessarily weigh down your wallet, it can be hard to manage multiple cards and rewards categories at once. Mobile wallets offer a more efficient way to store and organize all of your workhorse cards, while not having to carry around ones that you don't use often. They can also help you more easily monitor your spending and rewards, and some even track your orders' status and arrival time. Plus, paying with a digital wallet offers added security. That’s because it uses technology called tokenization when you pay, which masks your real credit card number and instead sends an encrypted "token" that’s unique to each payment. This is unlike swiping or dipping a physical card, during which your credit card number is more directly accessible. And again, because a mobile wallet doesn't require you to have your physical cards present, there's less chance of one falling out of your pocket or purse. More From NerdWallet Funto Omojola writes for NerdWallet. Email: fomojola@nerdwallet.com . The article Activating Your Credit Card? Don’t Skip the Mobile Wallet Step originally appeared on NerdWallet.WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden's decision to break his word and pardon his son Hunter has spurred a broader discussion about what else he should be doing with the broad clemency powers of the presidency before he leaves office in January, including whether he should be pardoning Donald Trump. Biden on Tuesday ducked questions about his son, ignoring calls for him to explain his reversal as he was making his first presidential trip to Angola . He dismissed shouted questions about the matter with a laugh during a meeting with Angolan President João Lourenço at the presidential palace, telling the Angolan delegation: “Welcome to America.” Biden was not scheduled to take questions from the press during his trip to Africa, and he has largely avoided interactions with reporters since President-elect Trump’s victory last month. Biden’s decision to offer his son a blanket pardon for actions over the past 11 years has sparked a political uproar in Washington, after the president repeatedly had said he would not use his extraordinary powers for the benefit of his family. Biden claimed that the Justice Department had presided over a “miscarriage of justice” in prosecuting his son, using some of the same language that Trump uses to describe his own legal predicaments. Biden's reversal drew criticism from many Democrats , who are working to calibrate their approach to Trump as he prepares to take over the Oval Office in seven weeks. There is concern the pardon — and Biden's claims that his son was prosecuted for political reasons — will erode their ability to push back on the incoming president’s legal moves. And it has threatened to cloud Biden's legacy as he prepares to leave office on Jan. 20. Hunter Biden is the closest presidential relative ever to be granted clemency, but other leaders have pardoned family members and close friends. Bill Clinton pardoned his brother Roger for drug charges after Roger Clinton had served his sentence. By the time Trump left office after his first term, he had issued 144 pardons, which included Charles Kushner , the father of his son-in law, Jared Kushner. He also pardoned fervent supporters Steve Bannon, Roger Stone, Paul Manafort, Michael Flynn and other people convicted in special counsel Robert Mueller’s Russia investigation. In the months after the 2020 election, Trump and his allies were trying to overturn his loss, a failed effort that culminated in the violent riot by his supporters at the Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021. There were discussions at the time over whether Trump would preemptively pardon some of those involved in the effort — and maybe even himself — before he left office. But that never happened. Now, Democrats are having similar discussions about preemptive pardons on their side because of Trump's rhetoric on the campaign trail. He's made no secret of his desire to seek revenge on those who prosecuted him or crossed him. He talks about "enemies from within." He's circulated social media posts that call for the jailing of Biden, Vice President Kamala Harris, former Vice President Mike Pence and Sens. Mitch McConnell and Chuck Schumer. He's also taken aim at Liz Cheney, a conservative Republican who campaigned for Harris, promoting a social media post that suggested he wanted military tribunals to punish her because she was guilty of treason. Sen. Ed Markey, a Massachusetts Democrat, said last week on Boston Public Radio that Biden might consider broad pardons to protect people against whatever wrath Trump may seek, but also as a way to move the country past this acrimonious and divided time. “I think that without question, Trump is going to try to act in a dictatorial way, in a fascistic way, in a revengeful first year at least of his administration toward individuals who he believes harmed him,” Markey said. Presidents enjoy expansive pardon powers when it comes to federal crimes . That includes granting clemency to people who have not yet been charged, as President Gerald Ford did in 1974 when he pardoned his predecessor, Richard Nixon, over the Watergate scandal. The decision at the time caused an uproar but has been seen in the ensuing decades as a move that helped restore order. Markey cited Ford's pardon as a way for the country “just to close that chapter and move on to a new era.” Biden could do the same, Markey said, to help the country move on “to an agenda that deals with the ordinary families.” Sen. Joe Manchin, the Democrat-turned-independent from West Virginia, took it a step further and suggested Biden should even pardon Trump for his efforts to overturn the 2020 election, federal charges that are now evaporating with Trump's upcoming return to the White House. “Why don't you go ahead and pardon Donald Trump for all his charges?" he said in an interview with CNN. “It would have gone down a lot more balanced. I'm just saying, wipe them out.” At the same time, Democratic lawmakers and criminal justice reformers are pushing Biden to grant pardons to broad groups of Americans. Democrats Ayanna Pressley, Jim Clyburn and Mary Gay Scanlon wrote to Biden on Nov. 20, asking him to use his clemency powers to "address longstanding injustices in our legal system, and set our nation on the path toward ending mass incarceration.” The letter, also signed by 61 others, suggested Biden could use his powers to send a powerful message of criminal justice reform and "rectify unjust and unnecessary criminal laws passed by Congress and draconian sentences given by judges.” “We encourage you to use your clemency powers to help broad classes of people and cases, including the elderly and chronically ill, those on death row, people with unjustified sentencing disparities, and women who were punished for defending themselves against their abusers,” they wrote. So far, Biden has pardoned 25 people. Most presidents tend to grant a flurry of clemency requests at the end of their terms, and it's likely Biden will do the same. White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre has said Biden is “thinking through that process very thoroughly.” Weissert reported from Luanda, Angola.