Leader of South Korean ruling party to oppose president’s impeachmentSEOUL, South Korea (AP) — South Korea’s governing party chief expressed support Friday for suspending the constitutional powers of President Yoon Suk Yeol for imposing martial law this week, in a bombshell reversal that makes Yoon’s impeachment more likely. Opposition parties are pushing for a parliamentary vote on Yoon’s impeachment on Saturday, calling his short-lived martial law declaration an “unconstitutional, illegal rebellion or coup.” But they need support from some members of the president’s People Power Party to get the two-thirds majority required to pass the impeachment motion. The turmoil resulting from Yoon’s nighttime martial law decree has frozen South Korean politics and caused worry among neighbors, including fellow democracy Japan, and Seoul’s top ally, the United States, as one of the strongest democracies in Asia faces a political crisis that could unseat its leader. During a party meeting, PPP leader Han Dong-hun stressed the need to suspend Yoon’s presidential duties and power swiftly, saying he poses a “significant risk of extreme actions, like reattempting to impose martial law, which could potentially put the Republic of Korea and its citizens in great danger.” Han said he had received intelligence that Yoon had ordered the country’s defense counterintelligence commander to arrest and detain unspecified key politicians based on accusations of “anti-state activities” when martial law was in force. “It’s my judgment that an immediate suspension of President Yoon Suk Yeol’s official duties is necessary to protect the Republic of Korea and its people,” Han said. Impeaching Yoon would require support from 200 of the National Assembly’s 300 members. The opposition parties that jointly brought the impeachment motion have 192 seats combined. PPP has 108 lawmakers. If Yoon is impeached, he would be suspended until the Constitutional Court rules on whether to remove him from office or restore his presidential power. Prime Minister Han Duck-soo, the country’s No. 2 official, would take over presidential responsibilities. The Defense Ministry said it suspended the defense counterintelligence commander, Yeo In-hyung, who Han alleged had received orders from Yoon to detain the politicians. The ministry also suspended Lee Jin-woo, commander of the capital defense command, and Kwak Jong-geun, commander of the special warfare command, over their involvement in enforcing martial law. In a closed-door briefing to lawmakers, Hong Jang-won, first deputy director of South Korea’s National Intelligence Service, said Yoon called after imposing martial law and ordered him to help the defense counterintelligence unit to detain key politicians. The targeted politicians included Han, opposition leader Lee Jae-myung and National Assembly speaker Woo Won Shik, said Kim Byung-kee, one of the lawmakers who attended the meeting. Kim said Hong told lawmakers he ignored Yoon’s orders. The spy agency’s director, Cho Taeyong, questioned Hong’s account. Cho told reporters that such an order would have come to him, rather than Hong, and that he never received any orders from Yoon to detain politicians. Han earlier said he would work to defeat the impeachment motion even though he criticized Yoon’s martial law declaration as “unconstitutional.” Han said there was a need to “prevent damage to citizens and supporters caused by unprepared chaos.” Thousands of protesters have marched in the streets of Seoul since Wednesday, calling for Yoon to resign and be investigated. Thousands of autoworkers and other members of the Korean Metal Workers’ Union, one of the country’s biggest umbrella labor groups, have started hourly strikes since Thursday to protest Yoon. The union said its members will start on indefinite strikes beginning on Dec. 11 if Yoon was still in office then. Vice Defense Minister Kim Seon Ho promised the ministry’s “active cooperation” with an investigation by prosecutors into the military’s role in Yoon’s martial law enforcement. He said military prosecutors will also be involved in the investigation. He denied media speculation that Yoon and his military confidantes might consider imposing martial law a second time. “Even if there’s a demand to enforce martial law, the Defense Ministry and the Joint Chiefs of Staff will absolutely not accept it,” Kim said. Kim became the acting defense minister after Yoon’s office on Thursday accepted the resignation of Defense Minister Kim Yong Hyun, who has also been banned from traveling while he is investigated over the imposition of martial law. Opposition parties and Han allege that it was Kim Yong Hyun who recommended that Yoon declare martial law. During a parliamentary hearing on Thursday, Kim Seon Ho said Kim Yong Hyun also ordered troops to be deployed to the National Assembly after Yoon imposed martial law. Han leads a minority faction within the ruling party, and 18 lawmakers in his faction voted with opposition lawmakers to overturn Yoon’s martial law decree. Martial law ultimately lasted about six hours, after its quick overrule by the National Assembly forced Yoon’s Cabinet to lift it before daybreak Wednesday. The main liberal opposition Democratic Party leader Lee Jae-myung said in a televised speech Friday that it was crucial to suspend Yoon as “quickly as possible.” Lee said Yoon’s martial law enforcement amounted to “rebellion and also a self-coup.” He said Yoon’s move caused serious damage to the country’s image and paralyzed foreign policy, pointing to criticism from the Biden administration and foreign leaders canceling their visits to South Korea. Yoon has made no immediate response to Han’s comments. He hasn’t made public appearances since he made a televised announcement that his martial law decree was lifted. Prosecutor General Shim Woo Jung told reporters the prosecution plans to investigate rebellion charges against Yoon following complaints filed by the opposition. While the president mostly has immunity from prosecution while in office, the protection does not extend to allegations of rebellion or treason. It wasn’t immediately clear how the prosecution plans to proceed with an investigation on Yoon. The Democratic Party is also considering filing a complaint against PPP floor leader Choo Kyung-ho, whom the opposition party accuse of attempting to facilitate Yoon’s martial law enforcement. Choo, a Yoon loyalist, had asked party lawmakers to convene at the party’s headquarters rather than the National Assembly after martial law began. That meant fewer lawmakers were present for parliament’s vote on lifting martial law.Who : UNLV men’s basketball at Creighton When : 1 p.m. Saturday Where : CHI Health Center, Omaha, Nebraska TV : FS1 Radio : KWWN (1100 AM, 100.9 FM) About the Rebels (4-3) : UNLV is looking to rebound from back-to-back losses. The team’s most recent setback was a 66-61 defeat to Northwestern at the Arizona Tip-Off tournament on Nov. 29. Point guard Dedan Thomas Jr., who is averaging 16.6 points and 3.9 assists per game, led the Rebels with 17 points in the loss. UNLV also lost 80-58 to Mississippi State in the tournament. The Rebels played both games without forward Rob Whaley Jr. (back), guard Jaden Henley (foot) and guard Jace Whiting (foot) due to injuries. Forward Jeremiah “Bear” Cherry, who leads UNLV in rebounds (6.7) and blocks (1.9) per game, dealt with a lower-back injury against Mississippi State but still played against Northwestern. The Rebels beat then-No. 8 Creighton 76-64 last season at Lee’s Family Forum on Dec. 13. It was UNLV’s first win over a top-10 team in non-conference play in nine years. About Creighton (6-3) : The Bluejays are coming off a 76-63 home win over No. 1 Kansas on Wednesday. It was Creighton’s second straight win, after the team beat Notre Dame 80-76 at MGM Grand Garden Arena on Nov. 30 in the Players Era Festival. The Bluejays also lost 71-53 to No. 24 San Diego State and 77-73 to No. 22 Texas A&M at the event. Creighton is led by senior center Ryan Kalkbrenner, who is averaging 18 points and 8.8 rebounds per game. Senior guard Steven Ashworth is averaging 15.8 points and 5.6 assists per game. He runs the show for an offense that’s averaging 77.4 points per game and shooting 45.7 percent from the field.
In the history of presidential pardons, the absolution granted to Hunter Biden by President Joe Biden stands alone. This clemency will register as one of the shameful culminating acts of a good man, and father, now inelegantly exiting the West Wing. The crimes committed by Hunter Biden, the youngest son of Joe Biden, are far from the most heinous ever to elicit the mercy of a U.S. president. Presidents have extended pardons to war criminals. And it’s not historically rare for a president to pardon someone who shares a direct family bloodline — though this is the first time a president has bestowed the extraordinary forgiveness to a direct progeny. What makes the president’s pardon historically consequential is that it’s a pardon Joe Biden said on several occasions he wouldn’t offer. He didn’t equivocate. So now we’re left to question whether Joe Biden simply changed his mind or deliberately misled the American public in the heat of an election campaign from which he had yet to withdraw. When President Biden told the American public he would accept the will of the jury, which convicted Hunter Biden on gun charges earlier this year, he was clear. He vowed to respect the rule of law as our best leaders do. “I’m extremely proud of my son Hunter,” Joe Biden said after the conviction. “He has overcome an addiction. He is one of the brightest, most decent men I know. I abide by the jury decision. I will do that, and I will not pardon him.” Jurors found Hunter Biden guilty in June of lying to a federally licensed gun dealer, making a false claim on the application by saying he was not a drug user and illegally possessing a gun for 11 days. At the time of this pardon, he had yet to be sentenced. Before the pardon, Hunter Biden was also scheduled to face a judge to be sentenced on a felony tax-evasion guilty plea. The false equivalencies have begun in earnest. Shortly after Joe Biden’s grant of clemency was announced Sunday, President-elect Donald Trump wrote the following post on the Truth Social platform: “Does the pardon given by Joe to Hunter include the J-6 (January 6th) hostages, who have now been imprisoned for years?” Trump wrote. “Such an abuse and miscarriage of justice!” A spokesperson for the Trump transition team offered additional perspective in defense of Trump, who was found guilty of 34 felony charges related to a hush-money payment to a porn actress in the 2016 campaign. The cases involving Trump and Hunter Biden bear no comparison, but that hasn’t prevented either side from arguing that they are victims of a politicized Department of Justice. “The failed witch hunts against President Trump have proved that the Democrat-controlled DOJ and other radical prosecutors are guilty of weaponizing the justice system,” Trump’s incoming White House Communications Director Steven Cheung said in a statement to Fox News. “That system of justice must be fixed, and due process must be restored for all Americans, which is exactly what President Trump will do as he returns to the White House with an overwhelming mandate from the American people,” Cheung said. It’s a false equivalency. Trump and a group of his supporters attempted to overturn a fair and free election. He branded the Jan. 6 protesters (and associated insurrectionists) as patriots and now may soon use his sweeping constitutional powers to grant them the same courtesy that Joe Biden granted his son. At least Trump has previously said he would consider pardons on a case-by-case basis. Even the sad spectacle of Trump potentially pardoning those who stormed the Capitol won’t completely eclipse one of the final acts of Joe Biden as U.S. president. He chose his son over country. He did so despite his stated intent that he wouldn’t. Morris is the opinion editor for the Minneapolis Star Tribune . Get local news delivered to your inbox!Jalen Hurts enters Week 12 with a 42-19 career record as the starting quarterback of the Philadelphia Eagles . For some unknown reason, NFL analysts — especially those who used to be journeymen quarterbacks in the league — continue to shade Philly’s QB1 despite the team’s 8-2 start to the season. The latest negative commentary came this week from ex-NFL quarterback Colt McCoy, who dropped this take on Hurts and the Eagles on his Clean Pocket podcast : “I really like Philly. Their offensive line is tremendous. A.J. Brown, DeVonta Smith, Dallas Goedert ... don’t forget Saquon Barkley. I mean, how can you forget him? He rushes for over 100 yards a game, catches like seven or eight balls a game, jumps over people backwards. I mean, this dude’s ridiculous. “My holdup is Jalen Hurts. You watch the game, and you go back and see the highlights, and it’s like, he doesn’t do anything crazy or special. He’s 18 of 30 for 200 yards and two touchdowns. It’s like, how does this happen? He rushes for two touchdowns a game with the ‘tush-push.’ ... I don’t see these big-time throws, or great reads, or awesome third-down conversions. Jalen just kind of figures it out and relies on everyone around him.” Wow. There’s a lot to unpack there. McCoy definitely sounds like someone who watches the highlights and checks the box scores. He doesn’t sound like someone who actually watches the Eagles play week to week. First of all, Hurts isn’t checking the ball down to Barkley “seven or eight” times per game. Barkley’s only been targeted five times in a game once through the first 11 weeks. His high for the season is four receptions. Despite all the claims to the contrary — and McCoy’s hardly the first — the Eagles actually do pass the football down the field. They enter Week 12 ranked top-10 in the NFL in average yards per completion (10.9). Hurts has plenty of “big-time” throws this season. He tossed an absolute dime to Brown to seal the win over Cleveland that kicked off this current six-game win streak. The win over the Packers featured a gutsy third-down conversion from Hurts to Smith right around the 2-minute warning. Hurts had a near perfect passer rating in outdueling Joe Burrow in Week 8. He continues to catch shade for his play against the Commanders, even though he led three consecutive touchdown drives in the fourth quarter and rushed for the go-ahead score. This whole line of commentary has become old hat. Philly’s offense runs through the offensive line, and that typically leads to run-heavy game scripts. Hurts currently ranks 23rd in the NFL in total pass attempts entering Week 12. The Eagles aren’t as dependent on the passing game as the average NFL team, which fuels the perception that their QB must not be that good. McCoy’s commentary on Hurts is certainly out there, and so was Ryan Fitzpatrick’s head-scratching take during last week’s Thursday Night Football postgame show. But as long as the Eagles continue to win games behind a dominant run game and smothering defense, the Hurts slander is sure to continue. Related Philadelphia Eagles stories: Why Eagles could be perfect short-term solution for exiled QB Daniel Jones Greenberg: Detroit Lions only have 1 legitimate threat in NFC Eagles executive named candidate to take over as GM for dumpster fire team in AFCGolden State Valkyries select 4 players to begin building roster through WNBA expansion draft
Colorado's Judge Tymkovich moderates panel on public nuisance lawsuitsA MAJOR bar chain with locations across the country will be handing out free cocktails on one important condition. Be At One is set to giveaway a Christmassy cocktail to customers who embrace the festive spirit next week. 3 Be at One will be handing out free cocktails to some customers next week Credit: Alamy 3 The offer will only run for three days Credit: Alamy 3 People will be required to embrace the Christmas spirit to get their hands on a free drink Credit: Getty The chain has launched a “Swap and Sip” initiative to help give back to children during this season of gifting. Be At One will hand out a free glass of its Bloody Christmas cocktail to each person who brings in an unwrapped toy to donate. These toys will be given to local children’s hospitals to bring cheer to those who need it most. This initiative will only run from 9th - 10th December, so cocktail lovers need to make sure they get down to their nearest branch fast. Read more on money PRIMED & READY Amazon Prime members can pick up 10 more games making 28 free titles BILL BOOST Major energy firm giving customers free cash as it launches new loyalty scheme With 40 locations across the country, people can make a difference this Christmas while enjoying a festive drink and a weekday treat. These include branches in major cities like London, Manchester, and Birmingham. No time restrictions apply to this festive incentive, so donors will be able to claim their free drink during the day or late into the night. This offer will only be redeemable for the Bloody Christmas cocktail and no other drinks. Most read in Money TOP SPOTS Unassuming Scots suburb named as one of the UK's poshest SELL ON HMRC warns Vinted sellers over new ‘30 item rule’ coming in weeks 'WHAT HAVE YOU DONE!?' Shoppers fuming after Rowntree's sweets left 'tasting like soap' WE’RE STUFFED Fears Christmas dinner could be RUINED by shortage - will you be affected? Each person donating a toy will be eligible to receive one drink. People should note that small hazardous toys or used toys will not be accepted. I rewrap my son's birthday presents for Christmas as I can't afford new ones The offer will only be redeemable against substantial toys of a fair value and this will be up to a bar manager's discretion. This will also not be available in conjunction with any other offers or deals. Andy Palfreyman, Operations Director at Be At One, shared why the chain was running this campaign. They said: “Christmas is a time for giving—not just to our loved ones, but also to those who need it most. "With the support of the nation, we’re thrilled to bring some festive magic to children in hospitals who deserve joy and smiles during the holidays. "Our goal is to collect as many toy donations as possible to make their Christmas brighter.” Participating Be At One locations Be At One Chester Be At One Liverpool Victoria Be At One Greek Street Leeds Be At One Bath Be At One Cardiff Be At One Leeds Be At One Leeds Boar Lane Be At One Manchester Be At One Liverpool Be At One Birmingham Be At One Brindley Place Be At One Nottingham Be At One Bristol Be At One Chelmsford Be At One Battersea Be At One Camden Be At One Clapham Be At One Farringdon Be At One Islington Be At One Liverpool Street Be At One Monument Be At One Shoreditch Be At One Spitalfields Be At One Milton Keynes Be At One Norwich Be At One Reading Be At One Bournemouth Be At One Brighton Be At One Covent Garden Be At One Epsom Be At One Greek St Be At One Hammersmith Be At One Oxford St Be At One Piccadilly Be At One Putney Be At One Regent Street Be At One Richmond Be At One Russell St Be At One Lincoln Be At One NewcastleBiobanks Market: Long-Term Value & Growth Seen Ahead | Merck, GenVault, Thermo Fisher Scientific 12-07-2024 12:42 AM CET | Advertising, Media Consulting, Marketing Research Press release from: HTF Market Intelligence Consulting Pvt. Ltd. Biobanks Market HTF MI recently introduced Global Biobanks Market study with 143+ pages in-depth overview, describing about the Product / Industry Scope and elaborates market outlook and status (2024-2032). The market Study is segmented by key regions which is accelerating the marketization. At present, the market is developing its presence. Some key players from the complete study are Thermo Fisher Scientific, Qiagen, Merck, Brooks Life Sciences, Hamilton, BD Biosciences, Tecan, BioCision, Taylor-Wharton, Greiner Bio-One, Biolife Solutions, Biobank Norway, Biostorage Technologies, GenVault, Tissue Solutions. Download Sample Report PDF (Including Full TOC, Table & Figures) 👉 https://www.htfmarketreport.com/sample-report/3289902-global-biobanks-market-2?utm_source=Akash_OpenPR&utm_id=Akash According to HTF Market Intelligence, the Global Biobanks market is expected to grow from $95 Billion USD in 2024 to $170 Billion USD by 2032, with a CAGR of 6.5% from 2024 to 2032. The Biobanks market is segmented by Types (Population, Disease-Oriented, Stem Cell, Umbilical), Application (Genomics, Drug Discovery, Transplantation, Oncology) and by Geography (North America, LATAM, West Europe, Central & Eastern Europe, Northern Europe, Southern Europe, East Asia, Southeast Asia, South Asia, Central Asia, Oceania, MEA). Definition: Encompasses facilities and services for collecting, storing, and managing biological samples (e.g., blood, tissue, DNA) for research and therapeutic purposes. The market is driven by advancements in genomics, personalized medicine, and drug discovery. Dominating Region: • North America Fastest-Growing Region: • Asia-Pacific Have a query? Market an enquiry before purchase 👉 https://www.htfmarketreport.com/enquiry-before-buy/3289902-global-biobanks-market-2?utm_source=Akash_OpenPR&utm_id=Akash The titled segments and sub-section of the market are illuminated below: In-depth analysis of Biobanks market segments by Types: Population, Disease-Oriented, Stem Cell, Umbilical Detailed analysis of Tank Container Shipping market segments by Applications: Genomics, Drug Discovery, Transplantation, Oncology Geographically, the detailed analysis of consumption, revenue, market share, and growth rate of the following regions: • The Middle East and Africa (South Africa, Saudi Arabia, UAE, Israel, Egypt, etc.) • North America (United States, Mexico & Canada) • South America (Brazil, Venezuela, Argentina, Ecuador, Peru, Colombia, etc.) • Europe (Turkey, Spain, Turkey, Netherlands Denmark, Belgium, Switzerland, Germany, Russia UK, Italy, France, etc.) • Asia-Pacific (Taiwan, Hong Kong, Singapore, Vietnam, China, Malaysia, Japan, Philippines, Korea, Thailand, India, Indonesia, and Australia). Buy Now Latest Edition of Biobanks Market Report 👉 https://www.htfmarketreport.com/buy-now?format=1&report=3289902?utm_source=Akash_OpenPR&utm_id=Akash Biobanks Market Research Objectives: - Focuses on the key manufacturers, to define, pronounce and examine the value, sales volume, market share, market competition landscape, SWOT analysis, and development plans in the next few years. - To share comprehensive information about the key factors influencing the growth of the market (opportunities, drivers, growth potential, industry-specific challenges and risks). - To analyze the with respect to individual future prospects, growth trends and their involvement to the total market. - To analyze reasonable developments such as agreements, expansions new product launches, and acquisitions in the market. - To deliberately profile the key players and systematically examine their growth strategies. FIVE FORCES & PESTLE ANALYSIS: In order to better understand market conditions five forces analysis is conducted that includes the Bargaining power of buyers, Bargaining power of suppliers, Threat of new entrants, Threat of substitutes, and Threat of rivalry. • Political (Political policy and stability as well as trade, fiscal, and taxation policies) • Economical (Interest rates, employment or unemployment rates, raw material costs, and foreign exchange rates) • Social (Changing family demographics, education levels, cultural trends, attitude changes, and changes in lifestyles) • Technological (Changes in digital or mobile technology, automation, research, and development) • Legal (Employment legislation, consumer law, health, and safety, international as well as trade regulation and restrictions) • Environmental (Climate, recycling procedures, carbon footprint, waste disposal, and sustainability) Get 10-25% Discount on Immediate purchase 👉 https://www.htfmarketreport.com/request-discount/3289902-global-biobanks-market-2?utm_source=Akash_OpenPR&utm_id=Akash Points Covered in Table of Content of Global Biobanks Market: Chapter 01 - Biobanks Executive Summary Chapter 02 - Market Overview Chapter 03 - Key Success Factors Chapter 04 - Global Biobanks Market - Pricing Analysis Chapter 05 - Global Biobanks Market Background or History Chapter 06 - Global Biobanks Market Segmentation (e.g. Type, Application) Chapter 07 - Key and Emerging Countries Analysis Worldwide Biobanks Market Chapter 08 - Global Biobanks Market Structure & worth Analysis Chapter 09 - Global Biobanks Market Competitive Analysis & Challenges Chapter 10 - Assumptions and Acronyms Chapter 11 - Biobanks Market Research Methodology Key questions answered • How Global Biobanks Market growth & size is changing in next few years? • Who are the Leading players and what are their futuristic plans in the Global Biobanks market? • What are the key concerns of the 5-forces analysis of the Global Biobanks market? • What are the strengths and weaknesses of the key vendors? • What are the different prospects and threats faced by the dealers in the Global Biobanks market? Thanks for reading this article; you can also get individual chapter-wise sections or region-wise report versions like North America, LATAM, Europe, Japan, Australia or Southeast Asia. Nidhi Bhawsar (PR & Marketing Manager) HTF Market Intelligence Consulting Private Limited Phone: +15075562445 sales@htfmarketreport.com About Author: HTF Market Intelligence Consulting is uniquely positioned to empower and inspire with research and consulting services to empower businesses with growth strategies. We offer services with extraordinary depth and breadth of thought leadership, research, tools, events, and experience that assist in decision-making. This release was published on openPR.
The Contra Costa County Library system is piloting a new program designed to give patrons access to the Concord Library on Sundays, when the branch is normally closed. Related Articles Patrons who sign up for the Self-Service Sundays program in advance can enter the Concord Library from 12 to 4 p.m. Sundays starting Dec. 1. No staff will be on-site, but two security guards will be present to ensure that only patrons who have signed up for the service enter the library. Patrons can browse the collection and check out books, return items, pick up holds, connect to Wi-Fi and use the space for studying or reading. To sign up for the service, patrons must have a library card in good standing and a valid form of identification and must attend an in-person orientation and sign a user agreement. Approved patrons will scan their library cards at the door and use a unique PIN code to enter. More information is available online at . The Contra Costa library system’s early literacy outreach van, the Rolling Reader, will celebrate its first birthday in December. The van and outreach team had a very busy first year connecting with 12,950 people, handing out 7,068 books and driving 6,273 miles. The Rolling Reader visits underserved communities across the county where library staff present storytimes, hand out free books and crafts and provide activities focused on early literacy, small motor skills and STEM. This digital service gives users on-demand access to a vast collection of titles from O’Reilly (including eBooks in early release) and nearly 200 other publishers. Find videos, eBooks, resource centers, learning paths, case studies and playlists. Subject areas include information technology and software, business, digital media, professional and personal development and desktop and web applications. Enjoy this collection of music, dance and theater content spanning hundreds of genres and a wide range of subject types. It includes instructional videos, performances and more from leading providers such as the National Theatre, Royal Shakespeare Company, Qwest TV, Smithsonian, L.A. Theatre Works and Broadway On-Demand. Visit to sign up for a library card and get connected to books and resources. For questions about Contra Costa library services and programming or account information, contact the library system via email at , online chat at or text questions to 925-290-7627. 6 p.m. Dec. 3 in the Martinez Library. Join host Carolina Amor in creating a tarot and astrology community at the Martinez Library. Attendees will talk about tarot cards, cover different tarot spreads, do practice readings and discuss answers to questions. Registration is required. 12 p.m. Dec. 4 in the De Anza Gardens at 205 Pueblo Ave. in Bay Point. Join the county library system and Tandem, Partners in Early Learning, at a holiday book give-away celebration. The event will include free books for kids and teens, games, crafts and library card signups. No registration is required. All ages and abilities are welcome. The books are provided by the Book Rich Environment, a program of the National Book Foundation. 10 a.m. Dec. 10 at the Bay Point Regional Shoreline. Enjoy a nature walk with a naturalist followed by storytime with a librarian. This program is part of a special partnership between the library system and the East Bay Regional Park District. The meeting spot is Bay Point Regional Shoreline, at the end of McAvoy Road in Bay Point. 4:30 p.m. Dec. 11 in the Hercules Library. Paint scenes from a winter wonderland at an afternoon painting workshop for kids with local artist and educator Tatiana Ortiz. This program is for children and teens ages 6 to 18 years old. Registration is required.The new, 12-team College Football Playoff brings with it a promise to be bigger, more exciting, more lucrative. Perfect or 100% fair? Well, nobody ever believed that. The first expanded playoff bracket unveiled Sunday left a presumably deserving Alabama team on the sideline in favor of an SMU squad that finished with a better record after playing a schedule that was not as difficult. It ranked undefeated Oregon first but set up a possible rematch against Ohio State, the team that came closest to beating the Ducks this year. It treated underdog Boise State like a favorite and banged-up Georgia like a world beater at No. 2. It gave Ohio State home-field advantage against Tennessee for reasons it would take a supercomputer to figure out. It gave the sport the multiweek tournament it has longed for, but also ensured there will be plenty to grouse about between now and when the trophy is handed out on Jan. 20 after what will easily be the longest college football season in history. All of it, thankfully, will be sorted out on the field starting with first-round games on campuses Dec. 20 and 21, then over three succeeding rounds that will wind their way through traditional bowl sites. Maybe Oregon coach Dan Lanning, whose undefeated Ducks are the favorite to win it all, put it best when he offered: "Winning a national championship is not supposed to be easy.” Neither, it turns out, is figuring out who should play for it. The Big Ten will lead the way with four teams in the tournament, followed by the SEC with three and the ACC with two. The lasting memory from the inaugural bracket will involve the decision that handed the ACC that second bid. Alabama of the SEC didn't play Saturday. SMU of the ACC did. The Mustangs fell behind by three touchdowns to Clemson before coming back to tie. But they ultimately lost 34-31 on a 56-yard field goal as time expired. “We were on pins and needles,” SMU coach Rhett Lashley said. “Until we saw the name ‘SMU’ up there, we were hanging on the edge. We're really, really happy and thankful to the committee for rewarding our guys for their total body of work." The Mustangs only had two losses, compared to three for the Crimson Tide. Even though SMU's schedule wasn't nearly as tough, the committee was impressed by the way the Mustangs came back against Clemson. “We just felt, in this particular case, SMU had the nod above Alabama,” said Michigan athletic director Warde Manuel, the chairman of the selection committee. “But it’s no disrespect to Alabama’s strength of schedule. We looked at the entire body of work for both teams.” Alabama athletic director Greg Byrne was gracious, up to a point. “Disappointed with the outcome and felt we were one of the 12 best teams in the country,” he said on social media. He acknowledged — despite all of Alabama’s losses coming against conference opponents this season — that the Tide’s push to schedule more games against teams from other major conferences in order to improve its strength of schedule did not pay off this time. “That is not good for college football," Byrne said. Georgia, the SEC champion, was seeded second; Boise State, the Mountain West champion, earned the third seed; and Big 12 titlist Arizona State got the fourth seed and the fourth and final first-round bye. All will play in quarterfinals at bowl games on Dec. 31-Jan. 1. Clemson stole a bid and the 12th seed with its crazy win over SMU, the result that ultimately cost Alabama a spot in the field. The Tigers moved to No. 16 in the rankings, but got in as the fifth-best conference winner. The conference commissioners' idea to give conference champions preferable treatment in this first iteration of the 12-team playoff could be up for reconsideration after this season. The committee actually ranked Boise State, the Mountain West Champion, at No. 9 and Big 12 champion Arizona State at No. 12, but both get to skip the first round. Another CFP guideline: There’s no reseeding of teams after each round, which means no break for Oregon. The top-seeded Ducks will face the winner of Tennessee-Ohio State in the Rose Bowl. Oregon beat Ohio State 32-31 earlier this year in one of the season’s best games. No. 12 Clemson at No. 5 Texas, Dec. 21. Clemson is riding high after the SMU upset, while Texas is 0-2 against Georgia and 11-0 vs. everyone else this season. The winner faces ... Arizona State in the Peach Bowl. Huh? No. 11 SMU at No. 6 Penn State, Dec. 21. The biggest knock against the Mustangs was that they didn't play any big boys with that 60th-ranked strength of schedule. Well, now they get to. The winner faces ... Boise State in the Fiesta Bowl. Yes, SMU vs. Boise was the quarterfinal we all expected. No. 10 Indiana at No. 7 Notre Dame, Dec. 20. Hoosiers coach Curt Cignetti thought his team deserved a home game. Well, not quite but close. The winner faces ... Georgia in the Sugar Bowl. The Bulldogs got the No. 2 seed despite a throwing-arm injury to QB Carson Beck. But what else was the committee supposed to do? No. 9 Tennessee at No. 8 Ohio State , Dec. 21. The Buckeyes (losses to Oregon, Michigan) got home field over the Volunteers (losses to Arkansas, Georgia) in a matchup of programs with two of the biggest stadiums in football. The winner faces ... Oregon in the Rose Bowl. Feels like that matchup should come in the semifinals or later. Get poll alerts and updates on the AP Top 25 throughout the season. Sign up here . AP college football: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-football-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/college-footballIt seems everyone has a theory on the nocturnal drone sightings that have alarmed residents in the Northeast. They’re from our government, they’re from a foreign country, they’re planes, they’re just normal drones, they’re extraordinary craft that elude regular detection. One thing we are sure of: The Biden Administration has dropped the ball on transparency and communication. Speculation can bloom only when there’s a lack of leadership, or when people don’t trust the powers that be. There have been more than 5,000 sightings reported on the East Coast states in recent weeks, according to a statement from the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Department of Homeland Security. But White House National Security Communications Advisor John Kirby led off the weekend by saying there was nothing to fear and that people may be imagining things, according to reports. Over 5,000 sightings is a heck of a lot of imagination. Points of light appear in the evening sky Dec. 5 near Lebanon Township, N.J. Michael Mastronardy, sheriff of Ocean County, New Jersey, said he sent his own “industrial grade” drone into the air late last week in a bid to follow one of 50 unmanned aerial vehicles a local cop saw “coming off the ocean.” The mysterious drones swiftly maneuvered out of their clutches, Mastronardy told News Nation reporter Rich McHugh. In an interview with Fox News Live on Saturday, former CIA operations officer Laura Ballman theorized the phenomena might be part of a “classified exercise” mounted by the Biden Administration. New Jersey Sen. Andy Kim went out on drone patrol with local police late last week and said he believes some lights in the sky he came across were possibly drones, but most others — after “deeper analysis” — appear to have just been planes, the New York Post reported. The latest word from the White House: “...these aircraft people are seeing are a mix of law enforcement drones, commercial drones and hobbyists. We continue to see nothing that indicates a public safety risk or national security risk,” Kirby said. “There are 1 million drones registered with the FAA here in the United States. Thousands upon thousands fly in our skies legally and lawfully every single day doing all kinds of good things for the public good. The Northeast corridor is one of the busiest,” he said. Lots of drones doing lots of good things. Yet, sources told CNN Monday, the U.S. government is sending drone detection and tracking systems to two military facilities in New Jersey. There are also helicopters monitoring drones in Pennsylvania. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer said he’s asking the Department of Homeland Security to deploy special detection systems that use 360-degree technology to detect drones. New Jersey Rep. Mikie Sherrill, a Democrat and retired Navy helicopter commander, slammed the Biden Administration for a lack of “coordination and communication,” concerning the drones and/or planes, The Hill reported. “After weeks of unidentified-drone sightings over New Jersey ... the drones remain unidentified,” she said. This may all be reduced to memes in weeks, or be remembered as the Great Drone Scare of ’24. But one thing is certain: when it comes to taking action, it’s the local pols who are stepping up for concerned constituents and not the feds. And that’s not our imagination. Catch the latest in Opinion Get opinion pieces, letters and editorials sent directly to your inbox weekly!Is this London’s best restaurant? Sneaky locals want tourists to think so
RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — The North Carolina Democratic Party sued on Friday to block the potential removal of tens of thousands of ballots tallied in an extremely close state Supreme Court race, saying state election officials would be violating federal law if they sided with protests initiated by the trailing Republican candidate. The lawsuit filed in Raleigh federal court comes as attorneys for Court of Appeals Judge Jefferson Griffin also went to state courts on Friday to attempt to force the State Board of Elections to act more quickly on accusations contained in the protests. The board tentatively planned to hold a public hearing on the protests next Wednesday, according to a board email provided with Griffin's motion. Griffin wants a final decision from the board earlier. Democratic Associate Justice Allison Riggs leads Griffin by 734 votes following a machine recount of over 5.5 million ballots cast in their Nov. 5 election. A partial hand recount began this week and is nearly complete. But Griffin, joined by three other GOP state legislative candidates, contend that well over 60,000 ballots shouldn't have counted, casting doubt on election results. Among their complaints: voter registration records of some voters casting ballots lack driver’s license or partial Social Security numbers, and overseas voters never living in North Carolina have run afoul of state residency requirements. The Democratic Party's lawsuit said that some of the protests represent “systematic challenges to voter eligibility” that counter a federal law's prohibition of what's essentially removing people from voter registration lists retroactively after an election. The lawsuit wants a judge to declare federal law and the Constitution prevents the votes from being discarded and to order the election board — a majority of its members Democrats — to comply. “No North Carolinian deserves to have their vote thrown out in a callous power grab,” state party Chair Anderson Clayton said in a written statement. According to state law, a board considering an election protest could correct a ballot tally, direct another recount or order a new election. Griffin's attorneys filed requests Friday for judges to demand that the board issue final rulings by late Tuesday afternoon. They were filed in Wake County Superior Court and at the Court of Appeals — the same court where Griffin serves. Usually three members on the 15-judge court — second only to the Supreme Court in state's jurisprudence — hear such motions. “Public trust in our electoral processes depends on both fair and efficient procedures to determine the outcome of our elections. By failing to give a timely decision, the State Board continues to undermine the public interest,” Griffin attorney Troy Shelton wrote. Attorneys for Riggs separately on Friday also responded to Griffin's actual protests before the board, saying they should all be denied. Griffin led Riggs — one of two Democrats on the seven-member court — by about 10,000 votes on election night, but that lead dwindled and flipped to Riggs as tens of thousands of qualifying provisional and absentee ballots were added to the totals through the canvass. Riggs has declared victory. The three Republican legislative candidates joining Griffin's protests all trailed Democratic rivals after the machine recounts. One is GOP Rep. Frank Sossamon, who trails Democratic challenger Bryan Cohn by about 230 votes. Should Cohn win, Republicans would fall one seat short of retaining its current veto-proof majority in both chambers. That would give more leverage to Democratic Gov.-elect Josh Stein in 2025. The Associated Press has not called the Supreme Court race and two of the three legislative races highlighted in the protests. Gary D. Robertson, The Associated PressThe earnings results for Credo Technology Group CRDO for Q2 were made public on Monday, December 2, 2024 at 04:05 PM. Here's a comprehensive overview of the announcement. Earnings Credo Technology Group beat estimated earnings by 40.0%, reporting an EPS of $0.07 versus an estimate of $0.05. Revenue was up $28.00 million from the same period last year. Analysis of Past Earnings The company missed on EPS by $0.0 in the previous quarter, leading to a 15.0% drop share price change the next day. Here's a look at Credo Technology Group's past performance: Quarter Q1 2025 Q4 2024 Q3 2024 Q2 2024 EPS Estimate 0.04 0.05 0.03 0 EPS Actual 0.04 0.07 0.04 0.01 Revenue Estimate 59.54M 60.72M 52.04M 42.70M Revenue Actual 59.71M 60.78M 53.06M 44.03M To track all earnings releases for Credo Technology Group visit their earnings calendar here. This article was generated by Benzinga's automated content engine and reviewed by an editor. © 2024 Benzinga.com. Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved.
The new, 12-team College Football Playoff brings with it a promise to be bigger, more exciting, more lucrative. Perfect or 100% fair? Well, nobody ever believed that. The first expanded playoff bracket unveiled Sunday left a presumably deserving Alabama team on the sideline in favor of an SMU squad that finished with a better record after playing a schedule that was not as difficult. It ranked undefeated Oregon first but set up a possible rematch against Ohio State, the team that came closest to beating the Ducks this year. It treated underdog Boise State like a favorite and banged-up Georgia like a world beater at No. 2. It gave Ohio State home-field advantage against Tennessee for reasons it would take a supercomputer to figure out. It gave the sport the multiweek tournament it has longed for, but also ensured there will be plenty to grouse about between now and when the trophy is handed out on Jan. 20 after what will easily be the longest college football season in history. All of it, thankfully, will be sorted out on the field starting with first-round games on campuses Dec. 20 and 21, then over three succeeding rounds that will wind their way through traditional bowl sites. Maybe Oregon coach Dan Lanning, whose undefeated Ducks are the favorite to win it all, put it best when he offered: "Winning a national championship is not supposed to be easy.” Neither, it turns out, is figuring out who should play for it. The Big Ten will lead the way with four teams in the tournament, followed by the SEC with three and the ACC with two. The lasting memory from the inaugural bracket will involve the decision that handed the ACC that second bid. Alabama of the SEC didn't play Saturday. SMU of the ACC did. The Mustangs fell behind by three touchdowns to Clemson before coming back to tie. But they ultimately lost 34-31 on a 56-yard field goal as time expired. “We were on pins and needles,” SMU coach Rhett Lashley said. “Until we saw the name ‘SMU’ up there, we were hanging on the edge. We're really, really happy and thankful to the committee for rewarding our guys for their total body of work." The Mustangs only had two losses, compared to three for the Crimson Tide. Even though SMU's schedule wasn't nearly as tough, the committee was impressed by the way the Mustangs came back against Clemson. “We just felt, in this particular case, SMU had the nod above Alabama,” said Michigan athletic director Warde Manuel, the chairman of the selection committee. “But it’s no disrespect to Alabama’s strength of schedule. We looked at the entire body of work for both teams.” Alabama athletic director Greg Byrne was gracious, up to a point. “Disappointed with the outcome and felt we were one of the 12 best teams in the country,” he said on social media. He acknowledged — despite all of Alabama’s losses coming against conference opponents this season — that the Tide’s push to schedule more games against teams from other major conferences in order to improve its strength of schedule did not pay off this time. “That is not good for college football," Byrne said. Georgia, the SEC champion, was seeded second; Boise State, the Mountain West champion, earned the third seed; and Big 12 titlist Arizona State got the fourth seed and the fourth and final first-round bye. All will play in quarterfinals at bowl games on Dec. 31-Jan. 1. Clemson stole a bid and the 12th seed with its crazy win over SMU, the result that ultimately cost Alabama a spot in the field. The Tigers moved to No. 16 in the rankings, but got in as the fifth-best conference winner. The conference commissioners' idea to give conference champions preferable treatment in this first iteration of the 12-team playoff could be up for reconsideration after this season. The committee actually ranked Boise State, the Mountain West Champion, at No. 9 and Big 12 champion Arizona State at No. 12, but both get to skip the first round. Another CFP guideline: There’s no reseeding of teams after each round, which means no break for Oregon. The top-seeded Ducks will face the winner of Tennessee-Ohio State in the Rose Bowl. Oregon beat Ohio State 32-31 earlier this year in one of the season’s best games. No. 12 Clemson at No. 5 Texas, Dec. 21. Clemson is riding high after the SMU upset, while Texas is 0-2 against Georgia and 11-0 vs. everyone else this season. The winner faces ... Arizona State in the Peach Bowl. Huh? No. 11 SMU at No. 6 Penn State, Dec. 21. The biggest knock against the Mustangs was that they didn't play any big boys with that 60th-ranked strength of schedule. Well, now they get to. The winner faces ... Boise State in the Fiesta Bowl. Yes, SMU vs. Boise was the quarterfinal we all expected. No. 10 Indiana at No. 7 Notre Dame, Dec. 20. Hoosiers coach Curt Cignetti thought his team deserved a home game. Well, not quite but close. The winner faces ... Georgia in the Sugar Bowl. The Bulldogs got the No. 2 seed despite a throwing-arm injury to QB Carson Beck. But what else was the committee supposed to do? No. 9 Tennessee at No. 8 Ohio State , Dec. 21. The Buckeyes (losses to Oregon, Michigan) got home field over the Volunteers (losses to Arkansas, Georgia) in a matchup of programs with two of the biggest stadiums in football. The winner faces ... Oregon in the Rose Bowl. Feels like that matchup should come in the semifinals or later. Get poll alerts and updates on the AP Top 25 throughout the season. Sign up here . AP college football: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-football-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/college-footballThere are just six spots in this NIDA course. Beau scored one of themColorado's Judge Tymkovich moderates panel on public nusiance lawsuits
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SAN DIEGO (AP) — With his stellar America’s Cup career behind him, Jimmy Spithill introduced his new Red Bull Italy SailGP Team on Thursday in Dubai just ahead of the opening regatta of the global league’s fifth season. Spithill, the team’s CEO and founder, pulled a major coup by hiring his old America’s Cup crewmate and fellow Australian, wing trimmer Kyle Langford, from the Australian team that dominated SailGP for the first three seasons. Italy, SailGP's 12th team, sailed its foiling 50-foot catamaran for the first time Thursday. After practice racing on Friday, the opening regatta will be Saturday and Sunday. “It’s been definitely a big push,” Spithill said in a video interview with The Associated Press. “It’s all come up really quick. We’re almost there.” Spithill left the U.S. SailGP team in November after 2 1⁄2 seasons to focus on starting the Italian team and on sailing in this year’s America’s Cup. He was co-helmsman of Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli Team, which was eliminated by INEOS Britannia in the challenger finals. Double Olympic gold medalist Ruggero Tita will helm the Italian team, while two-time bronze medalist and recent Women’s America’s Cup winner Giulia Fava will be the strategist and Italian national champion Andrea Tesei will be the flight controller. Alex Sinclair also followed Spithill, joining grinders Matteo Celon and Enrico Voltolini, who have extensive high-performance and America’s Cup experience. Spithill said his crew has “some absolute next-generation stars, from different backgrounds, Olympics, America’s Cup, and it’s just awesome having Kyle come in.” Spithill, 45, said he’ll be on the boat only if someone gets hurt or sick. “These young guys are too good at it,” he said. “The talent that’s coming through in Italy, I mean, the results do the talking.” More stars having been switching teams in SailGP, which was co-founded by tech billionaire Larry Ellison. Signing Langford is a big deal for the new team. Shortly before the 2013 America’s Cup on San Francisco Bay, Langford was promoted to Oracle’s race crew after wing trimmer Dirk de Ridder was suspended by an international jury. With Emirates Team New Zealand at match point at 8-1, Spithill skippered Oracle to eight straight wins in one of the greatest comebacks in sports to retain the Cup. “One thing that really attracted him was a chance to start out and really play a major role with the new team and especially the emerging talent,” Spithill said. “It would have been really easy for him to say, ‘You know what? I’m comfortable with the Aussies.’ But the fact that he’s stepped out of his comfort zone and he’s challenging himself as an athlete in this stage of his career is just massive.” While talented, the Italian crew will have the least experience together in the high-performance F50 catamaran. Spithill said Langford “is going to play a huge role in getting this team up to speed. I mean, the F50 is, without a doubt, probably the hardest boat to sail out there.” After sailing for Luna Rossa in three of his eight America’s Cup campaigns, Spithill has seen how passionate Italian fans are. “When you talk about an exciting market for the sport, I mean, it doesn’t get any better than Italy,” he said. “It has a huge following in Italy and they’ve got a real cultural attachment to the ocean and the sport itself.” Spithill said immediately after Luna Rossa’s loss in early October that it was time to step away from the America’s Cup. “The point is, we didn’t get the job done so I hold myself accountable for that. And I also am seeing firsthand that this next generation of talent coming through and I believe they deserve a shot, you know?” “I really think SailGP is the future of the sport. The whole regular season, the concept makes a lot of sense,” he said. Dubai is the first of 14 regattas. At season’s end, the top three crews will race in the $2 million, winner-take-all Grand Final. Also Thursday, Rolex was announced as SailGP's first title sponsor as part of a 10-year deal. Bernie Wilson has covered sailing for The Associated Press since 1991.
