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happy777 Andhra Pradesh Congress Committee (APCC) president Y. S. Sharmila on Thursday accused the Narendra Modi government at the Centre of feeding people of Andhra Pradesh with lies with claims of reviving the Visakha Steel plant. The State Congress chief posted on X alleging that attempts were on to debilitate the steel plant “as part of a conspiracy to sell it to Modi’s friends at dirt cheap price.” She said even while claiming that there were no plans to privatise the plant, the Centre continued to neglect it without providing any financial aid. She said in Karnataka, which was represented by Union Steel Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy, funds to the tune of ₹15,000 crore were provided as assistance to save the Karnataka Steel Plant, which employed just 243 people, while the Visakha Steel Plant was meted a raw deal, ignoring the fact that it employed 26,000 people. “The JD(S) with just two MPs, has secured ₹15,000 crore for Karnataka Steel, while the TDP and the Jana Sena Party, which are supporting the NDA government at the Centre with their 18 MPs, do not have the spine to take up Visakha Steel Plant issue,” she said. Ms. Sharmila also found fault with Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu for discussing about setting up a new plant with Mittal Steel and ensuring iron ore supply to it, instead of making a firm demand on revival of the Visakha Steel Plant. She said the Congress demanded merger of the Visakha Steel Plant into SAIL, immediate steps to start production of 7 million tonnes immediately and expansion of the plant’s future capacity to 20 million tonnes. Ms. Sharmila said should the Centre neglect or turn down these demands, the TDP and its ally Jana Sena Party should withdraw their support to the NDA coalition government at the Centre. Published - December 27, 2024 04:48 am IST Copy link Email Facebook Twitter Telegram LinkedIn WhatsApp Reddit Andhra Pradesh / state politics

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PLAINS, Georgia (AP) — Newly married and sworn as a Naval officer, Jimmy Carter left his tiny hometown in 1946 hoping to climb the ranks and see the world. The untimely death of his father, a farmer who went by “Mr. Earl,” brought the submariner and his wife, Rosalynn , back to a rural life they thought they’d escaped. The lieutenant would never be an admiral. Instead, he became commander in chief. And, years after his presidency ended in humbling defeat, a Nobel Peace Prize laureate. The life of James Earl Carter Jr. ended Sunday at 100 where it began. Plains fueled the rise of the 39th U.S. president, welcomed him after his fall and sustained him during 40 years of service as a global humanitarian. With an optimism rooted in Baptist faith and an engineer's stubborn confidence, Carter showed a missionary zeal to solve problems and improve lives. “We shouldn’t judge presidents by how popular they are in their day," Carter biographer Jonathan Alter told The Associated Press. “We should judge them by how they changed the country and the world for the better. On that score, Jimmy Carter is not in the first rank of American presidents, but he stands up quite well.” Many Americans judged his presidency ineffective for failing to end an energy crisis, turn around the economy or quickly bring American hostages home from Tehran. He won widespread admiration instead for The Carter Center — which has advocated for public health , human rights and democracy since 1982 — and the many years he and Rosalynn swung hammers with Habitat for Humanity . Carter's allies relished that he and Rosalynn, who died Nov. 19, 2023, lived to see historians reassess his presidency . “He doesn’t quite fit in today’s terms” of a left-right, red-blue scoreboard, said U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg, a repeat visitor during his own White House bid. Carter labeled himself “progressive” or “conservative." Republicans cast him as a left-wing cartoon. He could be classified a centrist, Buttigieg told the AP, “but there’s also something radical about the depth of his commitment to looking after those who are left out of society and out of the economy.” Carter's vow to restore America’s virtue after the shame of Vietnam and Watergate with a transparent, good-government approach didn’t suit Republicans who cast government as the problem. His efficiency mandate could put him at odds with Democrats. Still, he scored wins on the environment, education and mental health care ; expanded federally protected lands; began deregulating air travel, railroads and trucking; emphasized human rights in foreign policy ; and unlike later presidents, added a relative pittance to the national debt. Carter had charmed voters in 1976 , grinning enthusiastically and promising he would “never lie” to them. Once in Washington, he could seem like a joyless engineer, insisting that political rewards would follow facts and logic. Such tenacity worked well at Camp David as Carter brokered peace between Israel’s Menachem Begin and Egypt’s Anwar Sadat, but it failed him as the nation’s cheerleader, beseeching Americans to get past a “crisis of confidence.” Republican Ronald Reagan exploited Carter’s lecturing tone, saying “there you go again” in response to a wonky debate answer. “The Great Communicator” won all but six states. Carter later acknowledged an incompatibility with Washington insiders who looked down on his team as “country come to town.” His closest adviser was Rosalynn Carter, who joined his Cabinet meetings. When she urged him to postpone relinquishing the Panama Canal, Carter said he was “going to do what's right” even if meant he wouldn't get re-elected, recalled her aide, Kathy Cade. “She’d remind him you have to win to govern,” Cade said. Carter won by navigating divides on race, class and ideology. He offered himself as an outsider to Atlanta and Washington, a peanut farmer with a nickname who carried his own luggage. Born on Oct. 1, 1924 in a home without running water or electricity, he was raised by a progressive mother and racist father. He and Rosalynn privately supported integration in the 1950s, but he didn't push to desegregate schools, and there's no record of him supporting the 1965 Voting Rights Act as a state senator. Carter ran to the right of his rival to win the 1970 governor's race, then landed on the cover of Time magazine by declaring that “the time for racial discrimination is over.” He didn't befriend civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr.'s family until he ran for president. “He very shrewdly took advantage of his own Southernness,” said Amber Roessner, a University of Tennessee professor who wrote a book on Carter’s campaign. Carter was the last Democratic nominee to sweep the Deep South. Then, as he did in Georgia, he used his power as president to appoint more nonwhites than all his predecessors had, combined. Many years later, Carter called it “inconceivable” that he didn't consult Rosalynn before moving their family back to Plains or launching his state Senate bid. He called the mother of their four children “a full partner" in government and at The Carter Center as well as at home. “I just loved it,” she said of campaigning, despite the bitterness of defeat. True or not, the label of a failed presidency had leading Democrats keep their distance for many years. Carter remained relevant as a freelance diplomat, writing more than 30 books and weighing in on societal challenges. Carter declared after Donald Trump's presidential victory that America was no longer a fully functioning democracy. But he also warned Democrats against moving too far left, lest they help re-elect him, and said many failed to understand Trump’s populist appeal. Pilgrimages to Plains became advantageous again for would-be presidents in recent years, and well into their 90s, the Carters greeted visitors at Plains’ Maranatha Baptist Church , where he taught Sunday School and where his last funeral will be held. In his farewell presidential address, Carter urged citizens who had embraced or rejected him to do their part as Americans. “The struggle for human rights overrides all differences of color, nation or language,” he declared. “Those who hunger for freedom, who thirst for human dignity and who suffer for the sake of justice — they are the patriots of this cause.” Carter pledged to remain engaged as he returned “home to the South where I was born and raised,” to where he had indeed become “a fellow citizen of the world.”Top 4 Cryptos to Kickstart 2025: Build a Portfolio Poised for Big Gains

ATLANTA (AP) — Jimmy Carter, the peanut farmer who won the presidency in the wake of the Watergate scandal and Vietnam War, endured humbling defeat after one tumultuous term and then redefined life after the White House as a global humanitarian, has died. He was 100 years old. The longest-lived American president died on Sunday, more than a year after entering hospice care , at his home in the small town of Plains, Georgia, where he and his wife, Rosalynn, who died at 96 in November 2023 , spent most of their lives, The Carter Center said. “Our founder, former U.S. President Jimmy Carter, passed away this afternoon in Plains, Georgia,” the center said in posting about his death on the social media platform X. It added in a statement that he died peacefully, surrounded by his family. As reaction poured in from around the world, President Joe Biden mourned Carter’s death, saying the world lost an “extraordinary leader, statesman and humanitarian” and he lost a dear friend. Biden cited Carter’s compassion and moral clarity, his work to eradicate disease, forge peace, advance civil and human rights, promote free and fair elections, house the homeless and advocacy for the disadvantaged as an example for others. “To all of the young people in this nation and for anyone in search of what it means to live a life of purpose and meaning – the good life – study Jimmy Carter, a man of principle, faith, and humility,” Biden said in a statement. “He showed that we are a great nation because we are a good people – decent and honorable, courageous and compassionate, humble and strong.” Biden said he is ordering a state funeral for Carter in Washington. Businessman, Navy officer, evangelist, politician, negotiator, author, woodworker, citizen of the world — Carter forged a path that still challenges political assumptions and stands out among the 45 men who reached the nation’s highest office. The 39th president leveraged his ambition with a keen intellect, deep religious faith and prodigious work ethic, conducting diplomatic missions into his 80s and building houses for the poor well into his 90s. “My faith demands — this is not optional — my faith demands that I do whatever I can, wherever I am, whenever I can, for as long as I can, with whatever I have to try to make a difference,” Carter once said. A moderate Democrat, Carter entered the 1976 presidential race as a little-known Georgia governor with a broad smile, outspoken Baptist mores and technocratic plans reflecting his education as an engineer. His no-frills campaign depended on public financing, and his promise not to deceive the American people resonated after Richard Nixon’s disgrace and U.S. defeat in southeast Asia. “If I ever lie to you, if I ever make a misleading statement, don’t vote for me. I would not deserve to be your president,” Carter repeated before narrowly beating Republican incumbent Gerald Ford, who had lost popularity pardoning Nixon. Carter governed amid Cold War pressures, turbulent oil markets and social upheaval over racism, women’s rights and America’s global role. His most acclaimed achievement in office was a Mideast peace deal that he brokered by keeping Egyptian President Anwar Sadat and Israeli Prime Minister Menachem Begin at the bargaining table for 13 days in 1978. That Camp David experience inspired the post-presidential center where Carter would establish so much of his legacy. Yet Carter’s electoral coalition splintered under double-digit inflation, gasoline lines and the 444-day hostage crisis in Iran. His bleakest hour came when eight Americans died in a failed hostage rescue in April 1980, helping to ensure his landslide defeat to Republican Ronald Reagan. Carter acknowledged in his 2020 “White House Diary” that he could be “micromanaging” and “excessively autocratic,” complicating dealings with Congress and the federal bureaucracy. He also turned a cold shoulder to Washington’s news media and lobbyists, not fully appreciating their influence on his political fortunes. “It didn’t take us long to realize that the underestimation existed, but by that time we were not able to repair the mistake,” Carter told historians in 1982, suggesting that he had “an inherent incompatibility” with Washington insiders. Carter insisted his overall approach was sound and that he achieved his primary objectives — to “protect our nation’s security and interests peacefully” and “enhance human rights here and abroad” — even if he fell spectacularly short of a second term. Ignominious defeat, though, allowed for renewal. The Carters founded The Carter Center in 1982 as a first-of-its-kind base of operations, asserting themselves as international peacemakers and champions of democracy, public health and human rights. “I was not interested in just building a museum or storing my White House records and memorabilia,” Carter wrote in a memoir published after his 90th birthday. “I wanted a place where we could work.” That work included easing nuclear tensions in North and South Korea, helping to avert a U.S. invasion of Haiti and negotiating cease-fires in Bosnia and Sudan. By 2022, The Carter Center had declared at least 113 elections in Latin America, Asia and Africa to be free or fraudulent. Recently, the center began monitoring U.S. elections as well. Carter’s stubborn self-assuredness and even self-righteousness proved effective once he was unencumbered by the Washington order, sometimes to the point of frustrating his successors . He went “where others are not treading,” he said, to places like Ethiopia, Liberia and North Korea, where he secured the release of an American who had wandered across the border in 2010. “I can say what I like. I can meet whom I want. I can take on projects that please me and reject the ones that don’t,” Carter said. He announced an arms-reduction-for-aid deal with North Korea without clearing the details with Bill Clinton’s White House. He openly criticized President George W. Bush for the 2003 invasion of Iraq. He also criticized America’s approach to Israel with his 2006 book “Palestine: Peace Not Apartheid.” And he repeatedly countered U.S. administrations by insisting North Korea should be included in international affairs, a position that most aligned Carter with Republican President Donald Trump. Among the center’s many public health initiatives, Carter vowed to eradicate the guinea worm parasite during his lifetime, and nearly achieved it: Cases dropped from millions in the 1980s to nearly a handful. With hardhats and hammers, the Carters also built homes with Habitat for Humanity. The Nobel committee’s 2002 Peace Prize cites his “untiring effort to find peaceful solutions to international conflicts, to advance democracy and human rights, and to promote economic and social development.” Carter should have won it alongside Sadat and Begin in 1978, the chairman added. Carter accepted the recognition saying there was more work to be done. “The world is now, in many ways, a more dangerous place,” he said. “The greater ease of travel and communication has not been matched by equal understanding and mutual respect.” Carter’s globetrotting took him to remote villages where he met little “Jimmy Carters,” so named by admiring parents. But he spent most of his days in the same one-story Plains house — expanded and guarded by Secret Service agents — where they lived before he became governor. He regularly taught Sunday School lessons at Maranatha Baptist Church until his mobility declined and the coronavirus pandemic raged. Those sessions drew visitors from around the world to the small sanctuary where Carter will receive his final send-off after a state funeral at Washington’s National Cathedral. The common assessment that he was a better ex-president than president rankled Carter and his allies. His prolific post-presidency gave him a brand above politics, particularly for Americans too young to witness him in office. But Carter also lived long enough to see biographers and historians reassess his White House years more generously. His record includes the deregulation of key industries, reduction of U.S. dependence on foreign oil, cautious management of the national debt and notable legislation on the environment, education and mental health. He focused on human rights in foreign policy, pressuring dictators to release thousands of political prisoners . He acknowledged America’s historical imperialism, pardoned Vietnam War draft evaders and relinquished control of the Panama Canal. He normalized relations with China. “I am not nominating Jimmy Carter for a place on Mount Rushmore,” Stuart Eizenstat, Carter’s domestic policy director, wrote in a 2018 book. “He was not a great president” but also not the “hapless and weak” caricature voters rejected in 1980, Eizenstat said. Rather, Carter was “good and productive” and “delivered results, many of which were realized only after he left office.” Madeleine Albright, a national security staffer for Carter and Clinton’s secretary of state, wrote in Eizenstat’s forward that Carter was “consequential and successful” and expressed hope that “perceptions will continue to evolve” about his presidency. “Our country was lucky to have him as our leader,” said Albright, who died in 2022. Jonathan Alter, who penned a comprehensive Carter biography published in 2020, said in an interview that Carter should be remembered for “an epic American life” spanning from a humble start in a home with no electricity or indoor plumbing through decades on the world stage across two centuries. “He will likely go down as one of the most misunderstood and underestimated figures in American history,” Alter told The Associated Press. James Earl Carter Jr. was born Oct. 1, 1924, in Plains and spent his early years in nearby Archery. His family was a minority in the mostly Black community, decades before the civil rights movement played out at the dawn of Carter’s political career. Carter, who campaigned as a moderate on race relations but governed more progressively, talked often of the influence of his Black caregivers and playmates but also noted his advantages: His land-owning father sat atop Archery’s tenant-farming system and owned a main street grocery. His mother, Lillian , would become a staple of his political campaigns. Seeking to broaden his world beyond Plains and its population of fewer than 1,000 — then and now — Carter won an appointment to the U.S. Naval Academy, graduating in 1946. That same year he married Rosalynn Smith, another Plains native, a decision he considered more important than any he made as head of state. She shared his desire to see the world, sacrificing college to support his Navy career. Carter climbed in rank to lieutenant, but then his father was diagnosed with cancer, so the submarine officer set aside his ambitions of admiralty and moved the family back to Plains. His decision angered Rosalynn, even as she dived into the peanut business alongside her husband. Carter again failed to talk with his wife before his first run for office — he later called it “inconceivable” not to have consulted her on such major life decisions — but this time, she was on board. “My wife is much more political,” Carter told the AP in 2021. He won a state Senate seat in 1962 but wasn’t long for the General Assembly and its back-slapping, deal-cutting ways. He ran for governor in 1966 — losing to arch-segregationist Lester Maddox — and then immediately focused on the next campaign. Carter had spoken out against church segregation as a Baptist deacon and opposed racist “Dixiecrats” as a state senator. Yet as a local school board leader in the 1950s he had not pushed to end school segregation even after the Supreme Court's Brown v. Board of Education decision, despite his private support for integration. And in 1970, Carter ran for governor again as the more conservative Democrat against Carl Sanders, a wealthy businessman Carter mocked as “Cufflinks Carl.” Sanders never forgave him for anonymous, race-baiting flyers, which Carter disavowed. Ultimately, Carter won his races by attracting both Black voters and culturally conservative whites. Once in office, he was more direct. “I say to you quite frankly that the time for racial discrimination is over,” he declared in his 1971 inaugural address, setting a new standard for Southern governors that landed him on the cover of Time magazine. His statehouse initiatives included environmental protection, boosting rural education and overhauling antiquated executive branch structures. He proclaimed Martin Luther King Jr. Day in the slain civil rights leader’s home state. And he decided, as he received presidential candidates in 1972, that they were no more talented than he was. In 1974, he ran Democrats’ national campaign arm. Then he declared his own candidacy for 1976. An Atlanta newspaper responded with the headline: “Jimmy Who?” The Carters and a “Peanut Brigade” of family members and Georgia supporters camped out in Iowa and New Hampshire, establishing both states as presidential proving grounds. His first Senate endorsement: a young first-termer from Delaware named Joe Biden. Yet it was Carter’s ability to navigate America’s complex racial and rural politics that cemented the nomination. He swept the Deep South that November, the last Democrat to do so, as many white Southerners shifted to Republicans in response to civil rights initiatives. A self-declared “born-again Christian,” Carter drew snickers by referring to Scripture in a Playboy magazine interview, saying he “had looked on many women with lust. I’ve committed adultery in my heart many times.” The remarks gave Ford a new foothold and television comedians pounced — including NBC’s new “Saturday Night Live” show. But voters weary of cynicism in politics found it endearing. Carter chose Minnesota Sen. Walter “Fritz” Mondale as his running mate on a “Grits and Fritz” ticket. In office, he elevated the vice presidency and the first lady’s office. Mondale’s governing partnership was a model for influential successors Al Gore, Dick Cheney and Biden. Rosalynn Carter was one of the most involved presidential spouses in history, welcomed into Cabinet meetings and huddles with lawmakers and top aides. The Carters presided with uncommon informality: He used his nickname “Jimmy” even when taking the oath of office, carried his own luggage and tried to silence the Marine Band’s “Hail to the Chief.” They bought their clothes off the rack. Carter wore a cardigan for a White House address, urging Americans to conserve energy by turning down their thermostats. Amy, the youngest of four children, attended District of Columbia public school. Washington’s social and media elite scorned their style. But the larger concern was that “he hated politics,” according to Eizenstat, leaving him nowhere to turn politically once economic turmoil and foreign policy challenges took their toll. Carter partially deregulated the airline, railroad and trucking industries and established the departments of Education and Energy, and the Federal Emergency Management Agency. He designated millions of acres of Alaska as national parks or wildlife refuges. He appointed a then-record number of women and nonwhite people to federal posts. He never had a Supreme Court nomination, but he elevated civil rights attorney Ruth Bader Ginsburg to the nation’s second highest court, positioning her for a promotion in 1993. He appointed Paul Volker, the Federal Reserve chairman whose policies would help the economy boom in the 1980s — after Carter left office. He built on Nixon’s opening with China, and though he tolerated autocrats in Asia, pushed Latin America from dictatorships to democracy. But he couldn’t immediately tame inflation or the related energy crisis. And then came Iran. After he admitted the exiled Shah of Iran to the U.S. for medical treatment, the American Embassy in Tehran was overrun in 1979 by followers of the Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini. Negotiations to free the hostages broke down repeatedly ahead of the failed rescue attempt. The same year, Carter signed SALT II, the new strategic arms treaty with Leonid Brezhnev of the Soviet Union, only to pull it back, impose trade sanctions and order a U.S. boycott of the Moscow Olympics after the Soviets invaded Afghanistan. Hoping to instill optimism, he delivered what the media dubbed his “malaise” speech, although he didn’t use that word. He declared the nation was suffering “a crisis of confidence.” By then, many Americans had lost confidence in the president, not themselves. Carter campaigned sparingly for reelection because of the hostage crisis, instead sending Rosalynn as Sen. Edward M. Kennedy challenged him for the Democratic nomination. Carter famously said he’d “kick his ass,” but was hobbled by Kennedy as Reagan rallied a broad coalition with “make America great again” appeals and asking voters whether they were “better off than you were four years ago.” Reagan further capitalized on Carter’s lecturing tone, eviscerating him in their lone fall debate with the quip: “There you go again.” Carter lost all but six states and Republicans rolled to a new Senate majority. Carter successfully negotiated the hostages’ freedom after the election, but in one final, bitter turn of events, Tehran waited until hours after Carter left office to let them walk free. At 56, Carter returned to Georgia with “no idea what I would do with the rest of my life.” Four decades after launching The Carter Center, he still talked of unfinished business. “I thought when we got into politics we would have resolved everything,” Carter told the AP in 2021. “But it’s turned out to be much more long-lasting and insidious than I had thought it was. I think in general, the world itself is much more divided than in previous years.” Still, he affirmed what he said when he underwent treatment for a cancer diagnosis in his 10th decade of life. “I’m perfectly at ease with whatever comes,” he said in 2015 . “I’ve had a wonderful life. I’ve had thousands of friends, I’ve had an exciting, adventurous and gratifying existence.” Sanz is a former Associated Press reporter.

Published 4:23 pm Tuesday, November 26, 2024 By Jim Gazzolo He may not be the sexiest pick, but Tony Pecoraro looks good to many people who play for him. On Monday, Pecararo was named the McNeese State interim football coach after Gary Goff was fired after three seasons leading the Cowboys. “Coach Pec” as he is known to his players, came to McNeese with Goff as defensive coordinator and is currently guiding the remaining staff through a transition period that includes heavy recruiting. It is not an easy time. “It is definitely a strange period,” Pecoraro said. “We have a lot going on right now and you have to worry about players, families, and everything. I just want to do the best job I can for the program and the players and we will see what happens.” While few at the time thought he might be a candidate for the job long-term, those who know him best think the veteran college coach would be a perfect fit as the next Cowboy leader. All-American linebacker Micah Davey and others took to social media to make their views public. Davey wrote on the planform X “Perfect fit is on the staff” Monday after the team was informed of the change. He was not alone as other members of the defense followed the junior’s lead. Keeping Davey and others is a big need for McNeese, which improved by six wins this season but not enough to keep the head coach. “Sure that makes me feel good, I love my players and I love this school,” Pecoraro said. “My family loves it here and this place has been great to us. “But what matters most is we do the best thing for the program while we are here. We have to get back to work, it’s all we can do.” Pecoraro’s defense had a major part in turning around the Cowboys this season, as they went from 0-10 in 2023 to 6-6 this fall. That was despite injuries to Davey and other key players. “I’m proud with what we have done this season and with what we had to go through adversity-wise,” Pecoraro said. “It was a long year and I was hoping we had done enough to get another season together. But it is a business and I understand that and now we have to be professional and finish up this semester and this season the right way.” Pecoraro said he is hoping to interview for the top job but would love to stay on even if Athletic Director Heath Schroyer goes in a different direction. “Sure, I would love the opportunity to be the next head coach, I feel I am ready for that,” Pecoraro said. “It’s not my decision though, that is up to others. The good news for us is that we have a lot of experience up here and most of us have been through this before. “What makes it tough is you are dealing with families and the holidays. That always adds to the pressures but it’s the nature of the business.” When reached for comment Schroyer said he is expecting to move quickly on finding a new coach and that he would likely give Pecoraro an interview soon. Pecoraro came to McNeese in 2022 after spending the 2021 season at South Alabama and has had stops at Kansas, Florida Atlantic, Southern Mississippi, Alcorn State, North Alabama, Webber International, and Florida State, where he earned his bachelor’s degree. Twice during his time at Southern Mississippi, his defenses finished in the Top 20 nationally. After all sorts of issues in 2023, Pecoraro changed up his defense and turned it into a solid group that was much more aggressive and attacking. Right now Pecoraro is concentrating on the job at hand, keeping the Cowboys on their upward track. That means retaining the roster as best he can with the transfer portal opening up Dec. 9. “We have a good amount of talent on this roster right now that we have to try as best we can to retain,” Pecoraro said. “No matter what happens, it is important that McNeese keeps this group together and doesn’t start over once again. “What we need to do now is make sure we keep what we have and add what we need to keep moving forward and get to nine wins and championships in the future.” That is a future Pecararo would love to be a part of.Trump Wants U.S. Control of the Panama Canal. Here’s Three Things to Know.

Israel strikes Houthi rebels in Yemen's capital while the WHO chief says he was meters awayNEW YORK — A shoplifting ring that stole nearly $2 million in clothes and beauty products from Macy’s and other well-known stores in the U.S. and then resold them in New York City and the Dominican Republic has been busted, law enforcement officials announced Tuesday. Five New Yorkers have been charged with felony possession of stolen property, conspiracy and other related crimes, Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz said. The bust served as a reminder to shoppers as the holiday shopping season kicks off in earnest with Black Friday this week to make sure they are supporting legitimate establishments, she said. “When a deal seems too good to be true, I guarantee you, it’s too good to be true,” Katz said. Nationally, businesses lose roughly $100 billion and the average family pays $500 more a year because of the impact of organized retail theft, according to New York Gov. Kathy Hochul, who joined the district attorney and other law enforcement officials in Queens. The Democrat said the arrests also marked the first time anyone has been charged under a new criminal statute of fostering the sale of stolen goods that she recently signed into law to help crack down on retail theft. “This is real simple. We’ve had enough with criminals preying on our citizens,” Hochul said. “We are sick and tired of our citizens feeling they’re vulnerable to random crimes on the streets or these sophisticated organized crime rings. And we are coming after you.” Katz, the district attorney, said the group stole high-end makeup, perfume, beauty products, designer clothing and accessories from stores ranging from Macy’s to Victoria’s Secret, American Eagle, Sephora and Ulta Beauty over a roughly two-year period. The group’s leaders, married couple Cristopher Guzman and Yvelisse Guzman Batista, directed shoplifting crews to steal specific merchandise as they hit multiple stores in New York, New Jersey, Maryland and elsewhere along the East Coast, she said. They also paid truck drivers to divert products bound for retailers from manufacturer warehouses directly to locations under their control. The group, operating out of a home in Queens, then resold the merchandise online as well as at a brick-and-mortar boutique called Yvelisse Fashion in Santiago, a city in the Dominican Republic. Vince Scala, a lawyer for the couple and two of the other defendants, said his clients pleaded not guilty at their arraignment Saturday. They were released pending their next court date in January. “The charges are only a couple of days old, and I have not seen a single piece of evidence, discovery or police reports,” he said. “I look forward to reviewing the case at the appropriate time.” Tuesday’s announcement is part of a broader push from Hochul to counter Republican criticisms that Democrats in New York are soft on public safety issues, an issue that hurt her party in the 2022 midterm elections and has remained a consistent talking point for the GOP. Earlier this year, Hochul signed off on a handful of policies aimed at cracking down on retail theft, including increased criminal penalties for assaulting retail workers, new funding for law enforcement teams dedicated to retail theft and tax credits for businesses to install security cameras. She also approved policies that allow prosecutors to combine the value of stolen goods when filing larceny charges and made it easier to criminally charge third-party sellers of stolen goods. Retail theft has also been a concern elsewhere. Videos of brazen shoplifting crews rampaging through stores have been widely shared on social media, fueling widespread frustration that retail crime is rampant and unpunished. Earlier this month, California voters overwhelmingly passed a tough-on-crime ballot measure that makes shoplifting a felony for repeat offenders again. The measure partly rolled back a progressive law passed by voters a decade ago downgrading several nonviolent crimes to misdemeanors, including theft under $950 in value.

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To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video Up Next Previous Page Next Page *WARNING: Spoilers for Dune Prophecy below* Dune: Prophecy has been compared to Game of Thrones after fans hailed the season one finale as an 'insane' bloodbath. The series, starring Emily Watson, Olivia Williams, Mark Strong, Tabu and Travis Fimmel, premiered earlier this year on HBO Max in the US, and Sky Atlantic and Now in the UK. It serves as a prequel to Denis Villeneuve's movies, and takes place 10,000 before 'the ascension of Paul Atreides', following 'two Harkonnen sisters as they combat forces that threaten the future of humankind, and establish the fabled sect that will become known as the Bene Gesserit'. The final episode aired in the US last night, leaving viewers well and truly stunned as not everyone made it out alive and safely into the newly announced second season. In fact, Emperor Javicco Corrino (Mark) died in devastating scenes, while his mistress, Sister Francesca (Tabu) fell at the hands of Empress Natalya (Jodhi May) – leaving questions over what the upcoming series could have in store. The first season of Dune: Prophecy ended with a bombshell finale... Rishma Dosani

Dana Hull | (TNS) Bloomberg News Jared Birchall, Elon Musk’s money manager and the head of his family office, is listed as the chief executive officer. Jehn Balajadia, a longtime Musk aide who has worked at SpaceX and the Boring Co., is named as an official contact. Related Articles National Politics | Trump’s picks for top health jobs not just team of rivals but ‘team of opponents’ National Politics | Biden will decide on US Steel acquisition after influential panel fails to reach consensus National Politics | Biden vetoes once-bipartisan effort to add 66 federal judgeships, citing ‘hurried’ House action National Politics | A history of the Panama Canal — and why Trump can’t take it back on his own National Politics | President-elect Trump wants to again rename North America’s tallest peak But they’re not connected to Musk’s new technology venture, or the political operation that’s endeared him to Donald Trump. Instead, they’re tied to the billionaire’s new Montessori school outside Bastrop, Texas, called Ad Astra, according to documents filed with state authorities and obtained via a Texas Public Information Act request. The world’s richest person oversees an overlapping empire of six companies — or seven, if you include his political action committee. Alongside rockets, electric cars, brain implants, social media and the next Trump administration, he is increasingly focused on education, spanning preschool to college. One part of his endeavor was revealed last year, when Bloomberg News reported that his foundation had set aside roughly $100 million to create a technology-focused primary and secondary school in Austin, with eventual plans for a university. An additional $137 million in cash and stock was allotted last year, according to the most recent tax filing for the Musk Foundation. Ad Astra is closer to fruition. The state documents show Texas authorities issued an initial permit last month, clearing the way for the center to operate with as many as 21 pupils. Ad Astra’s website says it’s “currently open to all children ages 3 to 9.” The school’s account on X includes job postings for an assistant teacher for preschool and kindergarten and an assistant teacher for students ages 6 to 9. To run the school, Ad Astra is partnering with a company that has experience with billionaires: Xplor Education, which developed Hala Kahiki Montessori school in Lanai, Hawaii, the island 98% owned by Oracle Corp. founder Larry Ellison. Ad Astra sits on a highway outside Bastrop, a bedroom community about 30 miles from Austin and part of a region that’s home to several of Musk’s businesses. On a visit during a recent weekday morning, there was a single Toyota Prius in the parking lot and no one answered the door at the white building with a gray metal roof. The school’s main entrance was blocked by a gate, and there was no sign of any children on the grounds. But what information there is about Ad Astra makes it sound like a fairly typical, if high-end, Montessori preschool. The proposed schedule includes “thematic, STEM-based activities and projects” as well as outdoor play and nap time. A sample snack calendar features carrots and hummus. While Birchall’s and Balajadia’s names appear in the application, it isn’t clear that they’ll have substantive roles at the school once it’s operational. Musk, Birchall and Balajadia didn’t respond to emailed questions. A phone call and email to the school went unanswered. Access to high quality, affordable childcare is a huge issue for working parents across the country, and tends to be an especially vexing problem in rural areas like Bastrop. Many families live in “childcare deserts” where there is either not a facility or there isn’t an available slot. Opening Ad Astra gives Musk a chance to showcase his vision for education, and his support for the hands-on learning and problem solving that are a hallmark of his industrial companies. His public comments about learning frequently overlap with cultural concerns popular among conservatives and the Make America Great Again crowd, often focusing on what he sees as young minds being indoctrinated by teachers spewing left-wing propaganda. He has railed against diversity, equity and inclusion efforts, and in August posted that “a lot of schools are teaching white boys to hate themselves.” Musk’s educational interests dovetail with his new role as Trump’s “first buddy.” The billionaire has pitched a role for himself that he — and now the incoming Trump administration — call “DOGE,” or the Department of Government Efficiency. Though it’s not an actual department, DOGE now posts on X, the social media platform that Musk owns. “The Department of Education spent over $1 billion promoting DEI in America’s schools,” the account posted Dec. 12. Back in Texas, Bastrop is quickly becoming a key Musk point of interest. The Boring Co., his tunneling venture, is based in an unincorporated area there. Across the road, SpaceX produces Starlink satellites at a 500,000-square-foot (46,000-square-meter) facility. Nearby, X is constructing a building for trust and safety workers. Musk employees, as well as the general public, can grab snacks at the Boring Bodega, a convenience store housed within Musk’s Hyperloop Plaza, which also contains a bar, candy shop and hair salon. Ad Astra is just a five-minute drive away. It seems to have been designed with the children of Musk’s employees — if not Musk’s own offspring — in mind. Musk has fathered at least 12 children, six of them in the last five years. “Ad Astra’s mission is to foster curiosity, creativity, and critical thinking in the next generation of problem solvers and builders,” reads the school’s website. A job posting on the website of the Montessori Institute of North Texas says “While their parents support the breakthroughs that expand the realm of human possibility, their children will grow into the next generation of innovators in a way that only authentic Montessori can provide.” The school has hired an executive director, according to documents Bloomberg obtained from Texas Health and Human Services. Ad Astra is located on 40 acres of land, according to the documents, which said a 4,000-square-foot house would be remodeled for the preschool. It isn’t uncommon for entrepreneurs to take an interest in education, according to Bill Gormley, a professor emeritus at the McCourt School of Public Policy at Georgetown University who studies early childhood education. Charles Butt, the chairman of the Texas-based H-E-B grocery chain, has made public education a focus of his philanthropy. Along with other business and community leaders, Butt founded “Raise Your Hand Texas,” which advocates on school funding, teacher workforce and retention issues and fully funding pre-kindergarten. “Musk is not the only entrepreneur to recognize the value of preschool for Texas workers,” Gormley said. “A lot of politicians and business people get enthusiastic about education in general — and preschool in particular — because they salivate at the prospect of a better workforce.” Musk spent much of October actively campaigning for Trump’s presidential effort, becoming the most prolific donor of the election cycle. He poured at least $274 million into political groups in 2024, including $238 million to America PAC, the political action committee he founded. While the vast majority of money raised by America PAC came from Musk himself, it also had support from other donors. Betsy DeVos, who served as education secretary in Trump’s first term, donated $250,000, federal filings show. The Department of Education is already in the new administration’s cross hairs. Trump campaigned on the idea of disbanding the department and dismantling diversity initiatives, and he has also taken aim at transgender rights. “Rather than indoctrinating young people with inappropriate racial, sexual, and political material, which is what we’re doing now, our schools must be totally refocused to prepare our children to succeed in the world of work,” Trump wrote in Agenda 47, his campaign platform. Musk has three children with the musician Grimes and three with Shivon Zilis, who in the past was actively involved at Neuralink, his brain machine interface company. All are under the age of five. Musk took X, his son with Grimes, with him on a recent trip to Capitol Hill. After his visit, he shared a graphic that showed the growth of administrators in America’s public schools since 2000. Musk is a fan of hands-on education. During a Tesla earnings call in 2018, he talked about the need for more electricians as the electric-car maker scaled up the energy side of its business. On the Joe Rogan podcast in 2020, Musk said that “too many smart people go into finance and law.” “I have a lot of respect for people who work with their hands and we need electricians and plumbers and carpenters,” Musk said while campaigning for Trump in Pennsylvania in October. “That’s a lot more important than having incremental political science majors.” Ad Astra’s website says the cost of tuition will be initially subsidized, but in future years “tuition will be in line with local private schools that include an extended day program.” “I do think we need significant reform in education,” Musk said at a separate Trump campaign event. “The priority should be to teach kids skills that they will find useful later in life, and to leave any sort of social propaganda out of the classroom.” With assistance from Sophie Alexander and Kara Carlson. ©2024 Bloomberg News. Visit at bloomberg.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.This ain't Texas—this is buffering. As Beyoncé gets ready to perform during the Houston Texans vs. Baltimore Ravens Christmas Day halftime show at NRG Stadium in her hometown of Houston, she couldn't help but poke a bit of fun at Netflix , who will be live-streaming the game on their platform. In a video posted to her social media accounts Dec. 24 , the Grammy winner could be seen sitting on a football field wearing a flowing cape, big hat and sunglasses and strumming a banjo to the tune of her hit "Texas Hold 'Em." As Beyoncé removes her sunglasses, the camera zooms in on her face before giving viewers the classic Netflix red circle buffer. The "Diva" singer—who shares children Blue Ivy Carter , 12, and twins Rumi Carter and Sir Carter , 7, with husband Jay-Z —can then be heard laughing over the buffer, before the video cuts to a reminder about the game. "I'm sending you big joy and love on this Cowboy Christmas Eve," the 43-year-old wrote alongside the promo. "I'll see y'all tomorrow, in my city HTX." And of course fans were delighted by the trolling, with Netflix even jumping in to share their own thoughts. "now hold on...," they wrote in the comments of her video on X , formerly Twitter, before changing their bio on the platform to, "roasted by beyoncé 12.24.25." Beyoncé's halftime performance marks the first time she's taken the stage since wrapping her Renaissance World Tour in October 2023, and also the first since the March release of her latest album, Cowboy Carter . And while the Texans-Ravens game will start streaming on Netflix at 4:30 p.m. ET, fans will still have three hours to catch her performance on the platform after the game ends, according to Variety . (Although if you're outside the United States, the game expires 24 hours after the stream ends.) But it's not all about football for Beyoncé, as mom Tina Knowles recently shared a few of the family's holiday traditions that they'll be enjoying this year. "For the kids, we buy toys just like in any other family," she told E! News . "That's what they like." And it's not just gifts they'll be enjoying, as Tina has another recipe for success up her sleeve, noting she'll be, "making my amazing gumbo." "I just made it for Thanksgiving," she added, "it was so many people that came over. Just good food and company and family." To see how more of your favorite stars are celebrating the holidays this year, keep reading. Christian Siriano The fashion designer attends David Barton and Susanne Bartsch ’s 25th annual toy drive at Gym U in New York City. Bronwyn Newport, Angie Katsanevas, Mary Cosby & Whitney Rose The Real Housewives of Salt Lake City costars escape the Utah snow to party at DIRECTV’s Christmas at Kathy’s bash in Beverly Hills. Larsa Pippen & Marysol Patton The Real Housewives of Miami costars rock Printfresh pajamas for Marysol's Recharge & Reset holiday pajama party. Kourtney Kardashian The Poosh founder gave fans a glimpse at her holiday decor, which included numerous Christmas trees all around her home, with one upside down. Kris Jenner The Kardashians star is definitely the most interesting to look at while attending Kathy & Nicky Hilton's Annual Holiday Printfresh Pajama Launch Party Benefitting Animal Haven and Camp Cocker Rescue in L.A. Cynthia Bailey & Crystal Kung Minkoff The Real Housewives stars co-host The Abbey’s 15th Annual Tree Lighting Ceremony in honor of World AIDS Day benefiting The Elizabeth Taylor AIDS Foundation in West Hollywood. Kathy Hilton and Nicky Hilton The mother-daughter duo host the hottest holiday party in the 90210. Tarek El Moussa & Heather Rae El Moussa The lovebirds attend DIRECTV’s Christmas at Kathy’s party benefitting Ronald McDonald House charities. Heather Dubrow The Real Housewives of Orange County star swapped Prada for pajamas during Kathy & Nicky Hilton's Annual Holiday Printfresh Pajama Launch Party. Cynthia Bailey The Bravolebrity is pretty in pink at Kathy & Nicky Hilton's Annual Holiday Printfresh Pajama Launch Party. Lisa Barlow & Kathy Hilton The Real Housewives stars belt out a number at Kathy's DIRECTV bash in Beverly Hills. Dylan Mulvaney & Ashley Park The influencer and Emily and Paris star ring in the holidays in the comfiest way possible. Crystal Kung Minkoff The RHOBH alum attends BFF Kathy Hilton's holiday PJ party. John Janssen & Alexis Bellino The RHOC couple enjoy date night at DIRECTV’s Christmas at Kathy’s charity party. Kimora Lee Simmons The supermodel looks runway ready at Kathy & Nicky Hilton's Annual Holiday Printfresh Pajama Launch Party in L.A. Jennifer Tilly The RHOBH castmember is feeling festive at Kathy & Nicky Hilton's Annual Holiday Printfresh Pajama Launch Party. Nicky Hilton The entrepreneur kicks of the holiday season hosting a party alongside mom Kathy. Kathy Hilton The Real Housewives star is definitely feeling hunky dory this holiday season. Dorit Kemsley The RHOBH star strikes a pose in front of Kathy Hilton's Christmas tree. Kyle Richards & Faye Resnick The besties ring in the 2024 holiday season today at Kathy & Nicky Hilton's Annual Holiday Printfresh Pajama Launch Party. Erika Jayne The "Pretty Mess" singer has her hands full with some enviable stocking stuffers. Paula Abdul The "Straight Up" singer is comfy and cozy during Kathy & Nicky Hilton's Annual Holiday Printfresh Pajama Launch Party. Ashley Benson The actress stops by Kathy & Nicky Hilton's Annual Holiday Printfresh Pajama Launch Party. Jaime King The actress models a Kathy Hilton original.

Organizers say two sailors have died in Sydney to Hobart yacht race amid wild weather conditions SYDNEY (AP) — Organizers said that two Sydney to Hobart sailors have died at sea amid wild weather conditions that forced line honors favorite Master Lock Comanche to withdraw among mass retirements. The Cruising Yacht Club of Australia, which administers the yacht race, has said that one sailor each on entrants Flying Fish Arctos and Bowline were killed after being struck by the boom, a large horizontal pole at the bottom of the sail. The race will continue as the fleet continues its passage to Constitution Dock in Hobart, with the first boats expected to arrive later on Friday or early Saturday morning. India's former prime minister Manmohan Singh, architect of economic reforms, dies at 92 NEW DELHI (AP) — India’s former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, widely regarded as the architect of India’s economic reform program and a landmark nuclear deal with the United States, has died. He was 92. The hospital said Singh was admitted to New Delhi’s All India Institute of Medical Sciences late Thursday after his health deteriorated due to “sudden loss of consciousness at home." He was “being treated for age-related medical conditions,” the statement added. A mild-mannered technocrat, Singh became one of India’s longest-serving prime ministers for 10 years and earned a reputation as a man of great personal integrity. But his sterling image was tainted by allegations of corruption against his ministers. 'Baby Driver' actor Hudson Meek, 16, dies in a fall from a moving vehicle VESTAVIA HILLS, Ala. (AP) — Authorities say 16-year-old actor Hudson Meek has died after he fell out of a moving vehicle in Alabama. The Jefferson County Coroner's Office says Meek was hurt on Dec. 19 while on a street in Vestavia Hills, a suburb of Birmingham. He died two days later. The Vestavia Hills Police Department has not issued any public statements. Meek made his on-screen debut in 2014’s “The Santa Con,” and had roles in various TV series, including “MacGyver.” He was perhaps best known for his role in the 2017 film “Baby Driver,” in which he played a younger version of Ansel Elgort’s titular character. Bad Bunny announces a new album, 'Debí Tirar Más Fotos' Puerto Rican superstar Bad Bunny announced he will release a new album in early January. He announced Thursday that “Debí Tirar Más Fotos" arrives Jan. 5. It is his sixth studio album and follows in his tradition of releasing new music on unexpected dates. This time, it's a Sunday instead of the typical Friday album drop date. Bad Bunny announced the news on Instagram in a short video featuring Puerto Rican filmmaker Jacobo Morales. He also released a new single, “PIToRRO DE COCO.” His last release was 2023’s “Nadie Sabe Lo Que Va a Pasar Mañana.” Hwang Dong-hyuk on killing off his 'Squid Game' characters and wanting to work with Jake Gyllenhaal As season two of Netflix's hit series “Squid Game” returns Thursday, viewers can expect more untimely deaths for many of its characters. Its creator, writer and director, Hwang Dong-hyuk says whittling down the cast made him happy because less people were easier to manage on set. The show follows a deadly competition in South Korea that targets contestants who are heavily in debt and desperate for money. Hwang told the Associated Press in a Q&A that a third and final season has already filmed and it's better than season two. He also says his next project will be even darker in tone than “Squid Game.” Powerful thunderstorms rumble across Texas, delaying holiday travel DALLAS (AP) — Severe thunderstorms are firing up in parts of Texas and could trigger high winds, hail and potential tornadoes. More than 100 flights were delayed and dozens more were canceled Thursday at airports in Dallas and Houston. The National Weather Service says the greatest weather risk stretched from just east of Dallas, and between Houston and portions of southern Arkansas and western Louisiana. The risk includes the possibility of tornadoes, wind gusts between 60 and 80 miles per hour and large hail. The National Weather Service issued a tornado watch for several counties in southeast Texas, including the Houston area. NYC taxi driver was having a medical episode when he jumped the curb and hit people, police say NEW YORK (AP) — New York City police say a taxi driver who hit six pedestrians when he jumped a curb in Manhattan on Christmas Day was having a medical episode at the time. An NYPD spokesperson would not elaborate on the type of type of medical episode but said Thursday no criminality is suspected at this time. The 58-year-old was taken to a hospital in stable condition for further evaluation. Also hospitalized after the yellow taxi drove onto the sidewalk across the street from Macy’s flagship store in Herald Square were a 9-year-old boy with a laceration to his right thigh, a 49-year-old woman with a leg injury and a 41-year-old woman. All were in stable condition. Pizza deliverer in Florida charged with stabbing pregnant woman at motel after tip dispute KISSIMMEE, Fla. (AP) — A pizza deliverer in Florida has been charged with pushing her way into a motel room and stabbing a pregnant woman after a dispute over a tip. The Osceola County Sheriff's Office says that Brianna Alvelo has been charged with stabbing a woman in her motel room in Kissimmee, Florida, a short time after delivering a pizza to her on Sunday. The woman gave Alvelo $50 on a $33.10 bill, expecting change back. When Alvelo started walking away, the woman asked for money back, and Alvelo told her they didn’t make change. The woman got a smaller dollar bill from her boyfriend, and Alvelo’s tip ended up being $2. Friday's Mega Millions drawing is worth an estimated $1.15 billion, one of the game's top jackpots Americans still dreaming of a really big Christmas present can keep that dream alive during Friday’s Mega Millions drawing for a jackpot worth an estimated $1.15 billion. Friday’s jackpot will potentially be the fifth largest in the game’s history. Mega Millions tickets are $2 a piece. But the odds of winning the jackpot are 1 in 302,575,350, and the odds of winning any Mega Millions prize are 1 in 24, according to lottery officials. Tickets for the game are sold in 45 states, along with Washington, D.C., and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Shooting wounds 2 at Phoenix airport, 1 other stabbed, police say PHOENIX (AP) — Police are investigating a shooting at Sky Harbor Airport in Phoenix that left two people wounded by gunfire and another person stabbed. Phoenix police say the shooting Wednesday evening was related to a family dispute that erupted at a restaurant outside security checkpoints. A woman and two adult males were shot, leaving the female with injuries police described as life-threatening. Police say the people involved knew each other and that a physical fight led one of them to fire a weapon. Authorities say the woman remains in critical condition, while the others were treated at a hospital and released.

An online debate over foreign workers in tech shows tensions in Trump's political coalitionSouth Korea's acting president faces an impeachment vote as the Constitutional Court meets for its first hearing in the case of President Yoon Suk-Yeol, who was impeached and suspended from duties after a short-lived martial law. or signup to continue reading The effort to impeach Prime Minister Han Duck-soo, who has been acting president since Yoon was impeached on December 14, threatens to intensify the political crisis gripping Asia's fourth-largest economy and one of its most vibrant democracies. The unexpected martial law decree and swift political fallout shocked the nation and economic markets, unsettling key allies the United States and Europe which had seen Yoon as a staunch partner in global efforts to counter China, Russia, and North Korea. The plan for a vote to impeach Han was unveiled on Thursday by the main opposition Democratic Party after he declined to immediately appoint three justices to fill vacancies at the Constitutional Court, saying it would exceed his acting role. After Yoon's impeachment, the DP had said in the interest of national stability it would not pursue impeaching Han over his role in the martial law bid. But the party has since clashed with the Yoon-appointed prime minister over the justices, as well as bills calling for special prosecutors to investigate the president. On Thursday Han said it was beyond his remit as a caretaker president to appoint the justices without bipartisan agreement. A party spokesman said Han's refusal amounted to an abuse of power aimed at obstructing Yoon's trial, adding that the prime minister was himself "a key suspect in the rebellion". The leader of Yoon's People Power Party, Kwon Young-se, told reporters that if Han was impeached, that could trigger a new financial crisis, the Yonhap news agency said. Yoon cited a high number of impeachment votes and other obstructionist moves by the DP as part of his justification for trying to impose martial law. He also later said it was needed to investigate questions over election security. The vote to determine Han's fate comes as the Constitutional Court is set on Friday to hold its first hearing in a case that will decide whether Yoon is reinstated or permanently removed from office. The court has 180 days to decide whether to reinstate Yoon or remove him. In the latter scenario, a new presidential election would be held within 60 days. Yoon is not required to attend the hearing and it is unclear if anyone from his legal team will be there. In contrast to South Korea's two previous impeached presidents, Yoon has refused to receive or acknowledge court communications so far. On Thursday a court spokesperson said the hearing would be held regardless of his team's participation, but she did not comment on whether the president would eventually be compelled to respond. If Han is impeached, the finance minister will assume the acting presidency. The Democratic Party has majority control of parliament, but there is disagreement between the parties and some constitutional scholars over whether a simple majority or a two-thirds vote is needed to impeach the acting president. On Thursday the South Korean won weakened to its lowest since March 2009 in holiday-thinned trading amid the US dollar's continued rally. Yoon shocked his country and the world with a late-night announcement on December 3 that he was imposing martial law to overcome political deadlock and root out "anti-state forces". The military deployed special forces to the national assembly, the election commission, and the office of a liberal YouTube commentator. It also issued orders banning activity by parliament and political parties, as well as calling for government control of the military. But within hours 190 lawmakers had defied the cordons of troops and police and voted against Yoon's order. About six hours after his initial decree, the president rescinded the order. DAILY Today's top stories curated by our news team. WEEKDAYS Grab a quick bite of today's latest news from around the region and the nation. WEEKLY The latest news, results & expert analysis. WEEKDAYS Catch up on the news of the day and unwind with great reading for your evening. WEEKLY Get the editor's insights: what's happening & why it matters. WEEKLY Love footy? We've got all the action covered. WEEKLY Every Saturday and Tuesday, explore destinations deals, tips & travel writing to transport you around the globe. WEEKLY Going out or staying in? Find out what's on. WEEKDAYS Sharp. Close to the ground. Digging deep. 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