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Medalist Diversified REIT CFO Winn buys $3,645 in stockI am moving through my 60s at the rate of nots. Not as smart as I thought I was, not as fascinating, not as groovy. To be honest, on the spectrum from gravy to groovy, I was always at the Sunday roast end. I am not as energetic as I used to be, not as likely to sleep through the night, not able to drink coffee after lunch. Not as easily flustered. I am not so sure of my doubts either. A challenge for people in my boat is to gracefully make way for a younger generation. It is hard to allow others to have their voice when you like talking as much as I do. But the time has come. People aged over 65 should be given the option of not voting. Credit: Getty Images/iStockphoto There is one small change that might help people in my age group to relinquish control. Like most Australians, I am a firm believer in compulsory voting. To me, democracy does not mean that you may choose your government if you want to. It means that you do choose. When you consider local, state and federal elections, we are required to sacrifice on average half an hour a year. This is a small level of engagement for all the benefits we get. Voting is usually a pleasant experience with innocuous banter about dogs, which often accompany voters, possibly as political advisers. Those who hail the democracy sausage often overlook the democracy cake stall. Nevertheless, I believe voting should be optional for people over the age of 65. This is not because we are too old for sausages and cake. I know people in their 80s who still play tennis and one in their 90s who is contemplating marriage, admittedly not for the first time. I think he has even lost track of which number wedding this will be, but good luck to him. This time, he wants to marry an older person, something he hasn’t tried before. My argument is unlike the one that applies to those who must take a driver’s test after a certain age to make sure they can still remember the location of the brake. This is not about competence. There are plenty of people, even in their 20s, who are scarcely what you might call conscientious voters. That has always been the great risk of democracy. Knuckleheads have as much say as you do. My point is simply that some older people might be prepared not to vote so that younger people have a proportionately greater voice. After all, they are going to have to live with the consequences of the election far longer than us. When you think about climate change, housing, energy, economic innovation and a list of other issues, short-term thinking doesn’t help. Yet we are trapped in a culture of short-term politics in which policy and marketing are seldom out of each other’s pockets. Of course, everyone has the right to vote. Yet perhaps those over 65 might be forgiven the fine if they elect not to. They might be permitted to graciously sit the dance out and leave the floor to others. Would this change the outcome of elections? Maybe not as drastically as you might suppose. People tend to vote according to class, tribe and economic interest far more than their age. Much has been made of the fact that more older voters in England supported Brexit leaving younger ones to sort out the chaos over the generations that followed. Older voters may have been hankering after a past that can never be restored. On the other hand, it was striking in the recent US presidential election to see how Trump won the youth vote, especially among young men. To my surprise, young women also voted for him in impressive numbers. Trump and Harris appear to have been more evenly matched among voters aged over 65. I am sure the experts will pore over these statistics for years to come. It is a myth that young voters favour more progressive or younger candidates. After all, the youth vote favoured the left-wing Bernie Sanders, who was born in 1941. My suggestion does not benefit one side over another, or one type of leader over another. It simply makes it more likely that those who must carry the weight of a decision get to make that decision. A dear friend, the poet Peter Steele, referred to the later stage of life as “the shedding years”. It is a beautiful image because it goes two ways: it means both keeping and letting go. Shedding can describe putting things in a shed, in other words storing them. It can also describe relinquishing excess baggage, a bit like a dog sheds its hair. Wisdom knows how to choose. It does not need to hang on to everything. Older people can offer an example of trust. Michael McGirr’s most recent book is Ideas to Save Your Life (Text). The Opinion newsletter is a weekly wrap of views that will challenge, champion and inform your own. Sign up here .“Wanted” posters with the names and faces of health care executives have been popping up on the streets of New York. Hit lists with images of bullets are circulating online with warnings that industry leaders should be afraid. The apparent targeted killing of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson and the menacing threats that followed have sent a shudder through corporate America and the health care industry in particular, leading to increased security for executives and some workers. In the week since the brazen shooting , health insurers have removed information about their top executives from company websites, canceled in-person meetings with shareholders and advised all employees to work from home temporarily. An internal New York Police Department bulletin warned this week that the online vitriol that followed the shooting could signal an immediate “elevated threat.” Police fear that the Dec. 4 shooting could "inspire a variety of extremists and grievance-driven malicious actors to violence," according to the bulletin, which was obtained by The Associated Press. “Wanted” posters pasted to parking meters and construction site fences in Manhattan included photos of health care executives and the words “Deny, defend, depose” — similar to a phrase scrawled on bullets found near Thompson’s body and echoing those used by insurance industry critics . Thompson's wife, Paulette, told NBC News last week that he told her some people had been threatening him and suggested the threats may have involved issues with insurance coverage. Investigators believe the shooting suspect, Luigi Mangione , may have been motivated by hostility toward health insurers. They are studying his writings about a previous back injury, and his disdain for corporate America and the U.S. health care system. Mangione’s lawyer has cautioned against prejudging the case. Mangione, 26, has remained jailed in Pennsylvania, where he was arrested Monday . Manhattan prosecutors are working to bring him to New York to face a murder charge. UnitedHealthcare’s parent company, UnitedHealth Group, said this week it was working with law enforcement to ensure a safe work environment and to reinforce security guidelines and building access policies, a spokesperson said. The company has taken down photos, names and biographies for its top executives from its websites, a spokesperson said. Other organizations, including CVS, the parent company for insurance giant Aetna, have taken similar actions. Government health insurance provider Centene Corp. has announced that its investor day will be held online, rather than in-person as originally planned. Medica, a Minnesota-based nonprofit health care firm, said last week it was temporarily closing its six offices for security reasons and would have its employees work from home. Heightened security measures likely will make health care companies and their leaders more inaccessible to their policyholders, said former Cigna executive Wendell Potter. “And understandably so, with this act of violence. There’s no assurance that this won’t happen again,” said Potter, who’s now an advocate for health care reform. Private security firms and consultants have been in high demand, fielding calls almost immediately after the shooting from companies across a range of industries, including manufacturing and finance. Companies have long faced security risks and grappled with how far to take precautions for high-profile executives. But these recent threats sparked by Thompson's killing should not be ignored, said Dave Komendat, a former security chief for Boeing who now heads his own risk-management company. “The tone and tenor is different. The social reaction to this tragedy is different. And so I think that people need to take this seriously,” Komendat said. Just over a quarter of the companies in the Fortune 500 reported spending money to protect their CEOs and top executives. Of those, the median payment for personal security doubled over the last three years to just under $100,000. Hours after the shooting, Komendat was on a call with dozens of chief security officers from big corporations, and there have been many similar meetings since, hosted by security groups or law enforcement agencies assessing the threats, he said. “It just takes one person who is motivated by a poster — who may have experienced something in their life through one of these companies that was harmful," Komendat said. ___ Associated Press reporters Wyatte Grantham-Philips in New York and Barbara Ortutay in San Francisco, contributed to this report. ___ The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. The AP is solely responsible for all content.One of the funniest aspects of the blanket Hunter Biden pardon issued by his senile father at the end of Thanksgiving weekend has been to watch the party of 'BUT MUH NORMS' twist themselves into logical pretzels trying to defend it. All of the usual suspects in the dead legacy media have been hard at work coming up with new justifications for the unjustifiable. There was Politico claiming that the elder Biden is 'just a good father,' the New York Times' hypocritical takes on Trump pardons in his first term versus the Hunter pardon ( Hint: 'It's (D)ifferent when they (D)o it ), and Ana Navarro faceplanting by using false information from ChatGPT to justify the pardon, just to name a few. Until today, though, we hadn't yet heard from one of the premier bastions of leftist brain rot regarding the pardon. Thankfully, that wait is over, as the apparatchiks at The Atlantic came out this morning with a truly ridiculous, but on-brand defense . Guess what? Poor Hunter was 'unfairly prosecuted.' Oh, and of course, it's all Trump's fault. "Hunter Biden was treated worse than an ordinary citizen because of his family connections," Kristy Greenberg writes. President Biden's "pardon was necessary to prevent Donald Trump’s Justice Department from targeting Hunter for years to come." https://t.co/M1EE8Vpa90 LOL. Hunter Biden is the textbook definition of someone who has been protected because of his father's political position, but you go off, Kristy Greenberg. Critics have argued that President Joe Biden’s pardon of his son Hunter was political nepotism—bad for the country, selfish, the height of privilege. But the actual story is the very opposite of nepotism: Hunter Biden was treated worse than an ordinary citizen because of his family connections. It’s good for the country when the president acts against injustice; President Biden rightly condemned the injustice of his son’s prosecution. His pardon was necessary to prevent Donald Trump’s Justice Department from targeting Hunter for years to come. Prosecutors charged Hunter with lying about his drug addiction when he purchased a firearm, and with possessing that firearm while he was a drug addict. They were wrong to do so. As a first-time offender with no criminal record or history of violent behavior who possessed a gun for only 11 days and didn’t use it, he did not pose a public-safety risk to warrant federal gun charges. Umm ... WUT? The party who wants to take all of our guns now thinks it's OK for Hunter to have lied because he illegally tossed his gun in a dumpster after less than two weeks? Not surprisingly, Greenberg also argues that Hunter should not have been charged with tax evasion, even though his tax bill was $1.4 million, and that his previous sweetheart plea deal ( struck down by the judge in the case who could not believe her eyes on what the deal included ) should have been honored. He's just an innocent in all of this, everyone. And that's why Trump's DOJ would go after him. It is also why Greenberg unsurprisingly argues that Biden should also pardon anyone and everyone who might be a 'political enemy' of Trump and his incoming DOJ. It's like Biden's own Oprah Winfrey show. 'You get a pardon! You get a pardon! EVERYONE gets a pardon!' He abused escorts, ran a prostitution ring, laundered money through a family influence peddling operation, got his brother's widow addicted to crack, disposed of a loaded gun near a high school and refused to pay child support. The Atlantic: Look how bad he's treated. https://t.co/lFu583aXSO Won't someone think of poor Hunter? The Atlantic right now: 🤡 https://t.co/Lu2X39Wh0B pic.twitter.com/PufL9EKuJW I’ve spent my entire life as an ordinary citizen believing I would go to prison if I used illegal drugs, hired Russian prostitutes, sold influence to foreigners, lied to evade taxes, and illegally purchased firearms. I’m glad I can finally let my guard down. https://t.co/1LQu2u4fgX The fact that Hunter was not prosecuted for nearly any of that, just the tax and gun charges, is all you need to know about how protected he was for his entire degenerate, corrupt adult life. Also, don't try those things at home, kids. Something tells us, you won't receive the special treatment unless your last name is Biden too. https://t.co/8s0EHB1Vns pic.twitter.com/o8tL6rTk3X Oops. Pardon the comparison on the anniversary of Pearl Harbor , but that is a tweet that will live in infamy. "Yes, let's go with this!" - Some editor at @TheAtlantic thinking anyone with half a brain is actually going to believe this story. https://t.co/g8l0jdtCjm The dead legacy media is only speaking these days to everyone already in their increasingly dwindling leftist bubble. They are a laughingstock among everyone else. The pretense that the ruling party didn't abuse the hell out of the system the previous four years is staggering. Once again projecting every bad motive and action they did onto Trump. https://t.co/e3uI0XJkTM Projection is all they have left. We saw that this week when Barack Obama laughably accused Republicans of rigging elections and weaponizing the justice system . pic.twitter.com/qyWdaknDFO We had that same look on our face while reading this joke of an article, Thomas. The actual reason the pardon was “necessary”. pic.twitter.com/EB626gpNxG Of course, we all know that Joe Biden was really pardoning himself. That's why we expect him to pardon even more members of the Biden Crime Family. This ratio is gonna be epic. Yes, The Atlantic is getting ratioed hard today. They even earned a Frog of Shame for their gaslighting. pic.twitter.com/HuRXU1a7zK This one wasn't even a challenge for Froggo. Will the Bidens ever get a fair chance in America?! https://t.co/mV9IzFarW8 Will Hunter Biden ever get a break? https://t.co/n7CwWNkvXO Maybe he can take consolation in his taxpayer-funded, Secret Service-protected, $30,000-a-month home in Malibu. You know, like everyone who is charged with gun crimes and tax evasion gets to live in. Reveals a profound ignorance of how the Justice Department works. https://t.co/1zmLOdin6W The funniest part is that Greenberg IS a former prosecutor in ... wait for it ... the Southern District of New York. That tells us everything. Oh, and she is an MSNBC contributor, in case we couldn't have guessed that already. But Greenberg's article is even more ludicrous in light of the fact that Hunter was charged under Merrick Garland's DOJ. Treated badly...by Biden’s justice department lol https://t.co/Qs2zrrjPYh Like we said at the start: Twisting themselves into pretzels to justify the unjustifiable. As usual, though, Biden and the Democrats like Greenberg who defend him, didn't really think this pardon through over the long term. I’m super happy that President Husk pardoned his scumbag spawn. It’s going to make it that much easier for Donald Trump to pardon every single J6 defendant and every other political prisoner. https://t.co/wFAtlN3LJW Yep. When Trump pardons ALL OF THEM, do not let anyone on the left screech about 'norms,' 'the rule of law', or 'our democracy.' After all, we don't let arsonists into our house after we've just watched them burn another home down, do we?

At the home of Pilsner, Andre Onana would be forgiven for buying Rasmus Hojlund a beer or two after the striker got him out of jail following another mistake to add to his collection. It has been a week of turmoil at Manchester United with Dan Ashworth leaving his role as sporting director, so it is easily forgotten that Onana has made glaring errors – the type he was prone to in the dark days of the Erik ten Hag era. Ten Hag was loyal to Onana throughout his poor form last season, but it is difficult to see Ruben Amorim being so tolerant, having seen a straightforward shot go through his goalkeeper against Nottingham Forest last weekend. Here in the Czech Republic, where the largest brewery in the country stands, he took one too many risks with his passing and was punished by Matej Vydra. It was another shocker from the Cameroon goalkeeper, even if Matthijs de Ligt failed to cover himself in glory showing for the ball. Andre Onana won't want to see that again 🫣 A gift from the United keeper and Reading old-boy Matej Vydra pounces to put Plzen ahead 😱 📺 & — Football on TNT Sports (@footballontnt) United captain Bruno Fernandes insisted “we don’t look at individuals” when mistakes happen, but which teams have been successful with an error-prone goalkeeper? “We have huge belief in him. He knows he made a mistake because he is a clever guy, he is going to help us many times and we trust his qualities on the ball,” added Fernandes. “Mistakes are part of football. If they don’t happen then goals don’t happen. But we did well to show the resilience to come back and find the victory.” At least United flew back to England with a victory under their belt, thanks to Amorim’s substitutes coming on and changing the game. Rather than lager, it was the tonic they needed before Sunday’s derby against Manchester City. They were led by Hojlund, who tapped in the first and finished off a smart set-piece in a frantic final few minutes. He was also involved in a bust-up with Amad Diallo for failing to pass to each other on counter-attacks, but Amorim welcomes the intensity of his team – and has plenty of other concerns. Impact player 💥 Hojlund taps in to level the scores for Manchester United ⚽️ 📺 & — Football on TNT Sports (@footballontnt) Marcus Rashford had another evening to forget and was hooked before the hour mark to save himself from a sending-off. He had been needlessly booked for a trip on Sampson Dweh and the Plzen bench were calling for a second yellow when he went into another challenge. Amorim had seen enough, subbing him for his own good after failing to make an impact on the game. Joshua Zirkzee was no better, losing the ball often and not getting shots away before his number was called. It was the right move from Amorim, with Hojlund the match-winner and good contributions from two forgotten men – Antony and Mason Mount came on and added themselves to the competition to get into this team. “That is what we have to understand, the game has 90 minutes, we have games in three days so we don’t know which player is going to be the most important player in the game and they did it, they changed the game, they are there to do that, so I’m pleased with that,” said Amorim. “In this moment, in this context, the way we give a goal to the opponent was important not to give up, so that’s a great message. It was not a great game, but we manage to do these good things that are good when you are building a team and I think we deserved the win.” Set piece magic for United 😍 Hojlund gets his second as some 'Bruno Brilliance' sets him clear to give Man Utd a late lead 👀 📺 & — Football on TNT Sports (@footballontnt) Hojlund now has five goals in four appearances and is among those thriving under the new manager. His game has changed from when Ten Hag was in charge. It was the type of performance that will have Pep Guardiola studying clips ahead of the weekend. “He is improving, he is more near the goal now, he knows better the movement he has to do, he could score more this evening, but he is scoring and working and controlling the ball better, so he is improving,” Amorim added. Hojlund’s winning goal came after a short quick free-kick, with Plzen expecting Fernandes to cross deep. “I have watched Bruno do that before. I remember the goal with Anthony Martial when he did the chip for him. I just thought I had a good opportunity because I am strong, I could push the defender and spin him and finish,” Hojlund said. 08:02 PM GMT Bruno Fernandes speaks to TNT Sports It was a good performance overall but in the final third we could have kept the ball more. The man marking from them was difficult as well. We dealt with the transition game and got the win. We want to play from the back., Andre missed the pass, that’s nothing we have to focus about. It’s not about Andre making the mistake. We don’t look at individuals here. We have huge belief in Andre. He knows he made a mistake he’s a clever guy. We don’t need to tell him but he’s going to help us many times playing it out from the back. 07:46 PM GMT Victory puts Man Utd up to fifth Before the 8pm games, that is. Two matches left after Christmas to avoid the play-off route Ruben Amorim is keen to swerve to give him more time on the training ground to train hearts and minds. They host Rangers on Jan 23 and go to the artists formerly known as Steaua Bucharest, now FCSB, on Jan 30. 07:42 PM GMT Substitutes got United over the line Mount, Antony and Hojlund all had a very positive impact and earned Manchester Unitd their first away win in Europe since March 2023. 07:39 PM GMT Full time: Plzen 1 Man Utd 2 Dweh has a chance to hoy it into the box but double crosses United with a short throw to Souare who blazes over and the ref blows for time as the ball hits halfway up the stand. 07:38 PM GMT 90+4 min: Plzen 1 Man Utd 2 End to end now as United use the pace of Garnacho to counter but again he delays the release pass and Amorim ought to gon spare with him for losing the ball when he could have gone to the corner. 07:37 PM GMT 90+2 min: Plzen 1 Man Utd 2 Five minutes of stoppage time are signalled and United break from successfully defending the corner and Antony is teed up for a shot by Garnacho after racing through with Amad three on one. The pass isn’t ideal and Antony hits the keeper when he strikes from the left, tentatively given his peripheral status and all the criticism he has swallowed. 07:35 PM GMT 90 min: Plzen 1 Man Utd 2 Plzen launch a ferocious attack, the game stretched, but United manage to get enough bodies back to block Sulc’s cross at the price of a corner. 07:31 PM GMT GOAL! Shrewd free-kick move, which they tried on Saturday as well. Bruno slides the free-kick to the left of the wall having shaped to float it to the right. Hojlund peels off, controls it and then thuds the half-volley across goal and in at the far post. Set piece magic for United 😍 Hojlund gets his second as some 'Bruno Brilliance' sets him clear to give Man Utd a late lead 👀 📺 & — Football on TNT Sports (@footballontnt) 07:31 PM GMT 88 min: Plzen 1 Man Utd 1 Bruno tenaciously wins a corner that Plzen defend solidly but Prince controls the outball with his arm and concedes a free-kick. 07:30 PM GMT 86 min: Plzen 1 Man Utd 1 Mount, who has looked sharp, creeps in round the back of Jamelka and Hojlund plays a diagonal pass which Mount tries to hook in from an angle of about 45 degrees to the left post. The keeper is too well positioned to beat. 07:28 PM GMT 83 min: Plzen 1 Man Utd 1 Amorim is bellowing at his players and urging them to keep pushing on, to be bold. Garnacho goes down the left wing and bends a cross with the outside of his right foot that the keeper cuffs away. Then Martinez almost finds the perfect ball down the inside left but found no team-mate on his wavelength. 07:25 PM GMT 81 min: Plzen 1 Man Utd 1 Ugarte → Casemiro Garnacho → Dalot. Garnacho is now left wing-back, Antony is on the right. 07:24 PM GMT 79 min: Plzen 1 Man Utd 1 Antony shifts it infield to Casemiro who passes it on to Bruno who goes backwards to move it forwards and Antony, for the second time, wafts a shot over. De Ligt is booked for protesting that United were not awarded a penalty for a collision instigated by Bruno. 07:21 PM GMT 76 min: Plzen 1 Man Utd 1 Good chance for Mason Mount who has been lively, but instead of trying to chip the keeper who was sliding towards him, he goes for power instead and smash it through him. Amorim’s subs have done well. Antony involved in the equaliser and Hojlund tapping it in. Marcus Rashford did not speak to the manager when he went off, he went straight to the bench. It was an awful night for him. 07:18 PM GMT 74 min: Plzen 1 Man Utd 1 Prince Kwabena Adu → Vasulin. The sub almost makes an immediate mark with a right-wing cross to Vydra whose shot whistles past the right post and thumps into the hoardings. 07:16 PM GMT 71 min: Plzen 1 Man Utd 1 Amorim will one day be as bald as Ten Hag if United keep wasting chances by not making runs into the six-yard box to meet a wonderful cross from Bruno Fernandes, whipping it from the list so invitingly. Hojlund was too late with his lunge. 07:15 PM GMT 68 min: Plzen 1 Man Utd 1 A series of United corners instigated by a crunching but fair sliding tackle from Mrakovic on Mount. United shout ‘handball’ but without much hope of a penalty as it was ball to a hand which never left the player’s side and when Plzen break, Mazraoui diligently sweeps up. 07:11 PM GMT 65 min: Plzen 1 Man Utd 1 Antony takes a pass from Mazraoui down the left and scuttles into the box with the ball on his left toe. He bends a good pass into Hojlund seven yards out, back to goal. He tries to backheel it and falls under pressure from Markovic and Plzen scramble it away. Hojlund appealed for a penalty but there was next to no meaningful contact. 07:06 PM GMT GOAL! Masterstroke from Amorim as Antony wins possession, flies up the right and releases Amad who dazzles with his dribbling as eh scoots in from the right to shoot with his left. The ball hits Markovic and sits up for Hojlund to hook into an open goal from a few yards out. That’s a proper predator’s finish. Impact player 💥 Hojlund taps in to level the scores for Manchester United ⚽️ 📺 & — Football on TNT Sports (@footballontnt) 07:05 PM GMT 60 min: Plzen 1 Man Utd 0 Amorim rings the changes: Mount → Malacia Antony → Zirkzee. 07:04 PM GMT 58 min: Plzen 1 Man Utd 0 Hojlund is given a gift by Sulc’s lax back-pass putting him through on goal as he drives in from the right. For some reason he slows down and allows Dweh to come in on the cover. Though he slips the ball past him on the defender’s left, his belated shot from 18 yards is straight at the keeper. 07:01 PM GMT 56 min: Plzen 1 Man Utd 0 Hojlund moves to centre-forward and Zirkzee takes Rashford’s role on the left. It’s very stop-start and too many soft fouls are impeding United from finding any real rhythm. 06:59 PM GMT 54 min: Plzen 1 Man Utd 0 Hojlund → Rashford. The substitution could be a hedge against the risk he could be sent off or simply because he hasn’t been good enough tonight. 06:58 PM GMT 52 min: Plzen 1 Man Utd 0 Rashford slips and catches Dweh with his trailing leg. Plzen lobby the referee to give him a second yellow card but, rightly, he doesn’t. 06:51 PM GMT GOAL! Garbage from Onana who is so prone to error that it beggars belief Ten Hag paid so much for him and booted out De Gea to make way. He passes out looking for De Ligt, telegraphed it and Sulc pounced, intercepted and squared for Vydra to tap in from six yards. Andre Onana won't want to see that again 🫣 A gift from the United keeper and Reading old-boy Matej Vydra pounces to put Plzen ahead 😱 📺 & — Football on TNT Sports (@footballontnt) Zombie Nation!! You love to hear it... Plzen seize on Onana’s mistake and Pavel Sulc squares it for Matej Vydra to score. He was Alexis Sanchez’s team-mate at Udinese before doing the rounds in English clubs. Easy finish for the Czech striker. 06:51 PM GMT 46 min: Plzen 0 Man Utd 0 Well, hopefully Amorim has instructed Manchester United to play at a quicker tempo. If he did it’s not showing yet as Zirkzee loses possession and Plzen counter and Kalvach lets fly with a shot that hits Vasulin on the back. 06:36 PM GMT Half-time: Plzen 0 Man Utd 0 That was pretty dispiriting to watch for United fans, I suspect. No pace, no guile, no quickness of mind, no belief. They have to improve in the second half, buy into what Amorim wants and, if in doubt, just run instead of slowing it down all the time. This has been a dreadful half of football. The second half can only get better. United had one shot on goal by Bruno – that’s about it in the way of action. Time to get a cuppa and regroup. 06:34 PM GMT 45+3 min: Plzen 0 Man Utd 0 Vydra has a pot shot from 25 yards to end the half that Onana could have thrown his cap on. 06:33 PM GMT 45+2 min: Plzen 0 Man Utd 0 Fernandes turns amusement arcade with a rabona pass out to Rashford on the left of the Plzen area but his first-time, half-volleyed, stabbed cross hits the first defender and Plzen clear. 06:31 PM GMT 45 min: Plzen 0 Man Utd 0 Yellow card for Rashford for shoving Cerv over to stop him breaking into space. Three minutes of stoppage time go up on the board. 06:30 PM GMT 44 min: Plzen 0 Man Utd 0 Cerv launches himself across Zirkzee just aside the United box to nick the ball off him as the away side play out from the back too slowly. His tackle diverts the ball to Kalvach who falls but diverts it to the right of the 18-yard line to Souare who tries a Theierry henry right-foot bender into the top right but can’t get it creep back inside the post. 06:27 PM GMT 42 min: Plzen 0 Man Utd 0 Mazraoui times a tackle perfectly on Vydra who throws himself on to the ground and unjustly earns a free-kick 40 yards out on the left. No damage, though, as the cross is sent in too deep and high. Souare can only flick his header behind. 06:25 PM GMT 40 min: Plzen 0 Man Utd 0 Jemelka grabs Zirkzee round the waist by the centre-circle and concedes a free-kick which United play back to Onana. More pace, more urgency, a much higher tempo needed and more penetrative runs from Amad and Rashford who have to gamble more. 06:23 PM GMT 38 min: Plzen 0 Man Utd 0 Amad nutmegs Kalvach but there’s no one there to run on to the pass. 06:22 PM GMT 37 min: Plzen 0 Man Utd 0 Martinez wins a header challenging Vasulin but also nuts him on the crown of his head. He goes down and gives it a vigorous rub. 06:21 PM GMT 35 min: Plzen 0 Man Utd 0 United’s strategy is for Zirkzee to hold the ball while Amad and Rashford bomb ahead of him and a midfield runner or wing-back then makes the pass. It’s a fine idea but the passes aren’t precise enough. 06:18 PM GMT 33 min: Plzen 0 Man Utd 0 Both sides of Onana – an assured catch preceded by a flap as Plzen tried to chip it over the top. 06:18 PM GMT 31 min: Plzen 0 Man Utd 0 Bruno is allowed to dribble all the way from halfway to 20 yards out when played in by Zirkzee. The United captain floods into the space and then hammers an awkward Barnes-Wallis skimmer of a shot that Jedlicka bats away. 06:14 PM GMT 29 min: Plzen 0 Man Utd 0 Promising Plzen counter-attack is wrecked by Vasulin straying offside. 06:13 PM GMT 27 min: Plzen 0 Man Utd 0 Jemelka brings down Amad rashly and concedes a free-kick about 40 yards out on the United right. Bruno bends in a cross, Zirkzee runs a cross his marker to flick it on from the right of the penalty spot and Casemiro needed an extra six inches as he telescoped out his left leg to try to hook it in but ended up kicking fresh air instead. United have been flat, particularly with their attacking. They need a spark from somewhere and some drive from midfield. Plzen are looking to counter and have a very tidy playing in Lukas Kalvach in the middle of the park. 06:11 PM GMT 25 min: Plzen 0 Man Utd 0 Kalvach dispossesses Bruno in midfield but De Ligt sweeps up. The travelling fans give us a resonant rendition of 06:09 PM GMT 23 min: Plzen 0 Man Utd 0 Amad injects some much needed pace when Zirkzee lays it off to him. The wee man belts up the inside-left but then plays a woeful pass out to his left for RAshford, forcing him wide when a dink with his instep to Bruno on his right would have teed up a shot from the D. Rashford has a swing at a shot with his left foot and slices it wildly over. 06:06 PM GMT 20 min: Plzen 0 Man Utd 0 United go back to Onana several times in a two-minute spell before finally pinging it long, looking for Rashford but knocking it so far the keeper gobbles it up. 06:04 PM GMT 18 min: Plzen 0 Man Utd 0 Mazraoui gives the ball away with a lazy pass infield and Casemiro, scrapping on the floor to the left of the D firts stops Sulc and then Vasulin from shooting before, Kalvach, I think, blazes over from 25 yards. 06:02 PM GMT 16 min: Plzen 0 Man Utd 0 Manchester United are finding it difficult to pass through the lines and look far more effective against the low block when running through. Zirkzee and Bruno are the best at it. 06:00 PM GMT 14 min: Plzen 0 Man Utd 0 Bruno drives up the right and makes it to the byline but is tagged by the whitewash before he can cross and as Plzen try to pass it out, Dalot catches Souare with his arm and the left wing-back goes down like a sack of lead lifted from a cathedral roof. 05:57 PM GMT 12 min: Plzen 0 Man Utd 0 Casemiro gets his breath back after the break for treatment and joins a packed United penalty area to defend Dweh’s rocket of a long throw. Again Onana flaps at it and United scramble it clear, defending by the seat of their pants. Bruno is a fine player but he’s not best used in the pivot. 05:54 PM GMT 10 min: Plzen 0 Man Utd 0 Kalvach floats the free-kick diagonally into the box, Onana flies off his line and in flapping for the ball he knees Casemiro in the solar plexus and the Brazil midfielder is left winded and writhing in agony. That was nuts from Onana. 05:53 PM GMT 9 min: Plzen 0 Man Utd 0 Plzen defend the corner and break and Bruno somehow escapes a yellow card for a scything, professional foul on Cerv from behind to stop him making it any further towards the penalty area. 05:52 PM GMT 7 min: Plzen 0 Man Utd 0 Zirkzee shows his qualities to uses his speed and strength to monster Kalvach, run into the box and cross from a position that was perhaps too tight but his effort was turned behind for a corner. Quick VAR check for a Plzen handball as Zirkzee barged the defender over, did he touch it on the floor? Yes, but it was not in the penalty box. Carry on! 05:49 PM GMT 5 min: Plzen 0 Man Utd 0 Rashford’s very heavy touch makes a gift of the ball for Vydra but Bruno and Malacia bail him out. 05:48 PM GMT 3 min: Plzen 0 Man Utd 0 Amad wins the ball, intercepting it with his left and works it out to Malacia who is hounded by Vydra. The left-back loses the ball but Plzen give it right back. 05:46 PM GMT 1 min: Plzen 0 Man Utd 0 After the huddles, Manchester United kick off, attacking from left to right. Zirkzee rolls the ball back into midfield and they shuffle it backwards and begin to horseshoe the ball in a U shape up, down, across, up down, across. 05:41 PM GMT The players are in the tunnel Plzen are in red with royal blue socks and trim. Man Utd are in white. 05:39 PM GMT In the bleak midwinter, frosty wind made moan The temperature is falling in Plzen, it is sub-zero here at the Doosan Arena. The pitch looks fine for Ruben Amorim’s team but it will be a test for them in these conditions. Amorim has made changes as he looks for the right formula for his 3-4-3 formation. Here, he has made six changes from the team defeated by Nottingham Forest. All eyes will be on Marcus Rashford following news emerging this week that United would be willing to sell him for the right deal in future transfer windows. 05:36 PM GMT Amorim on why he makes many changes match-to-match We are trying to see everything, quality, characteristics, that’s why we are using so many [changes] at this moment. But not in the future. 05:27 PM GMT Options limited for Rashford and United in loveless marriage Marcus Rashford may be in the starting line-up this evening, but, writes , his wage demands and a high transfer fee may mean potential suitors will be thin on the ground, despite United seeking offers. But it is clear that Rashford is going nowhere for now. The era of high-fee transfers for players of his age, and with his contract expectations, might have passed already as PSR and squad costs bite across the Premier League and Europe. In all but England, broadcast revenues are falling. Read 05:23 PM GMT ‘Freezing industrial splendour’ Freezing industrial splendour and the flood of lights, Plzeň. Bring on United. — Andy Mitten (@AndyMitten) 05:17 PM GMT Amorim: ‘Ashworth exit a bad situation for United’ Ruben Amorim has described Dan Ashworth’s departure as Manchester United’s sporting director as a “bad situation” after seeing major upheaval behind the scenes in the first month at the club. The United head coach insists Ashworth’s departure will not change the running of the club, with Jason Wilcox, the technical director, now assuming the role as point of contact for potential deals in next month’s transfer window. But Ratcliffe’s first year in control of football operations has been turbulent, with cutbacks behind the scenes, Amorim’s appointment and the new structure of the club ripped apart within five months. “Of course, it’s a bad situation,” said Amorim, on the eve of his team’s Europa League match with Viktoria Plzen in Czech Republic. “We are talking about a human being, a professional, that supports us as a team but I think the most important thing is the vision is really clear and that don’t change if one person leaves.” Ashworth was axed at the weekend after five months at the club, having spent that amount of time on gardening leave when United looked to thrash out a deal for him. Amorim disputed the suggestion United are a more unstable club than when he joined on November 11, adding: “I don’t think so. I felt since day one the support from everybody. One person leaving doesn’t change anything. “The first thing I want to say since the first day I felt great support from the ownership, from Omar [Berrarda, chief executive], from them also, from Jason, and Dan was part of that. And I really, really, really [received] support from Dan also. “But this is football and sometimes this happens, happens with players, with coaches, I know it’s not the best situation but the important thing is we continue in our way. The path is really clear for everybody and I think this can happen in football.” Amorim has made changes to his team in each of his five games and more are expected as he finds the right combinations to fit his 3-4-3 system. Tyrell Malacia is set to start in Plzen, with the club also looking at long-term wing-backs for the left side of the team. Diego Leon, at Paraguayan club Cerro Porteno, is one they have scouted. “I’m really focused to see my players and to understand my players, that is one of the problems of the club,” Amorim said. “We have to focus on what we have, we have to focus on the academy and to have a clear profile of the players. “So it’s a lot of details you have to manage. You can see at set-pieces, sometimes you look at our team, we are a small team compared to others, every detail counts and we have to be very clear in the profiles, arrange all the process and go to that phase of buying and selling players.” 05:12 PM GMT Wish you were here? 05:05 PM GMT Koubek: ‘We are expecting a big football festival’ Miroslav Koubek, the Viktoria Plzen manager, sounds relatively pleased about the prospect of facing the mighty United who won this competition in 2017. “We are all expecting a big football festival,” Koubek said. “A team like Manchester United doesn’t come to Plzen often. “It is of course a test for us. We are playing against a quality team. We are facing a very difficult match. United are huge favourites.” 04:55 PM GMT Amorim: ‘It is important we win and play well’ Ruben Amorim, the United manager, is hoping for not only a win, but also a good performance. With the Manchester derby coming on Sunday, a morale-boosting bit of early-evening togger will, we are sure, settle the natives. “It is really important for us as a club, as a team, in this moment that if you pass to the next stage without play-off, you take two games from our schedule and that is massive,” he has said. “We have to be so much better in set-pieces and we have to win it. It is so important that we win but not just win but to play well.” 04:50 PM GMT Starting XIs in the traditional format Jedlicka, Dweh, Markovic, Jemelka, Cadu, Cerv, Kalvach, Souare, Vydra, Sulc, Vasulin. Tvrdon, Baier, Hejda, Paluska, Kopic, Sojka, Mosquera, Panos, Havel, Sloncik, Jirka, Prince Adu. Onana, Mazraoui, de Ligt, Martinez, Dalot, Fernandes, Casemiro, Malacia, Diallo, Rashford, Zirkzee. Bayindir, Lindelof, Maguire, Mount, Hojlund, Eriksen, Yoro, Garnacho, Antony, Ugarte, Mainoo, Collyer. Marian Barbu (Romania). 04:46 PM GMT ‘It is as cold as Oldham’ , the founding editor of the fanzine, is on the ground in Czechia where, he says, it is as cold as . . . Oldham. Cheer up son, it could be worse: you could be watching your side play in the Conference League and in sub-zero conditions in Almaty, Kazakhstan. That’s where Chelsea are currently earning their corn, where they are beating Astana 3-1. , if you are that way inclined. In Plzeň for the latest MUFC drama. It's as cold as Oldham. — Andy Mitten (@AndyMitten) 04:40 PM GMT While hosts Viktoria Plzen will look a little like this . . . Two tweaks for the hosts to the side that won 2-1 at MFK Karvina last weekend. Cadu replaces Milan Havel, while Daniel Vasulin has been chosen ahead of Erik Jirka up front. ZÁKLADNÍ 1️⃣1️⃣ Do utkání proti Manchesteru United vstoupíme takto ⤵️ Viktorka do toho! ❤️💙 — FC Viktoria Plzeň (@fcviktorkaplzen) 04:38 PM GMT And the Manchester United starting XI is in . . . Manchester United have made five changes to the side that started in the 3-2 defeat by Nottingham Forest last weekend. Tyrell Malacia comes, while Noussair Mazraoui, Casemiro, Marcus Rashford and Joshua Zirkzee also start. Ready to go 👊 || — Manchester United (@ManUtd) 04:37 PM GMT Christmas is cancelled ... for backroom staff Manchester United may have a new manager in Ruben Amorim, but the horror stories surrounding the club are showing no sign of slowing. In true Scrooge-like fashion, multi-billionaire co-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe earlier this week continued with . Having already overseen 250 redundancies, Ratcliffe and his team decided to cancel the staff Christmas party, after which their normal £100 bonus has been replaced with a £40 Marks & Spencer voucher. Read more on the at Old Trafford 04:34 PM GMT Preview: Square pegs Good afternoon and welcome to live coverage of Viktoria Plzen vs Manchester United from Uefa’s Europa League. This match features the sides placed in 12th and 13th of the 36-team table, United above their hosts on goal difference to the tune of one having both won two and drawn three of their five matches to date. Manchester United began their campaign with three draws under Erik ten Hag followed by victories over PAOK with Ruud van Nistelrooy at the wheel and Bodo/Glimt after Ruben Amorim’s appointment. The new manager, after back-to-back league defeats by Arsenal and Nottingham Forest, will doubtlessly shuffle his pack again with the derby looming on Sunday and we should expect to see the likes of Joshua Zirkzee, Marcus Rashford and his big ‘for sale’ sign, Tyrell Malacia, Harry Maguire, Casemiro, Christian Eriksen and even Antony being given some minutes. Plzen, who were third last year in the Czech First League and are currently second after 18 games of the 2024-25 season, beat Hearts 1-0 home and away in the play-off round and have followed their opening three draws, like United, with impressive victories over Real Sociedad, secured by Daniel Vasulin’s 89th minute winner, and Dynamo Kyiv The home side won the domestic title in 2022, their sixth in a decade, and have been striving to get back to their best with a typically Czech League style of canny overseas recruitment which has enticed Brazilains Cadu and Ricardinho, Colombian Jhon Mosquera, Nigerian Rafiu Durosinmi and Ghanaian Prince Kwabena Adu to join the ranks of established Czech internationals such as Vaclav Jemelka, Lukas Cerv, Lukas Kalvach and the former Watford/West Brom/Reading/Derby/Burnley enigma Matej Vydra. It is 20 years since Manchester United last played a competitive match in Czechia, drawing 0-0 with Sparta Prague in 2004 and as much as Amorim would love a positive result and a performance brimming with promise to match, Plzen are tricky customers and have to be handled carefully by a 3-4-2-1 system that currently looks like round repositories for expensive square pegs.'Panchayat’ star Aasif Khan marries his long-time girlfriend Zeba, actor shares stunning picture from their heartwarming traditional ceremony

VCK president Thol Thirumavalavan had to once again reiterate on Saturday that his party was still in an alliance with the DMK and also clarify that there was no pressure on him to keep off the book release event attended by Tamizhaga Vetri Kazhagam founder Vijay after a controversy broke out over his party’s deputy general secretary Aadhav Arjuna launching a scathing attack on the DMK. The speech of Aadhav Arjuna, vowing to defeat the DMK in the next election and describing the present political system in the State as ‘monarchy’, at the book release event on Friday in the presence of Vijay earned the ire of not just DMK supporters, who took to social media to lash out on him, but also left the VCK leaders fuming. So at a meeting held in the VCK office on Saturday, the party leaders were up in arms demanding action against the new deputy general secretary who attended the book release not in his capacity as VCK leader but in the name of an NGO run by him, called Voice of Commons. But since he was vocal in attacking the DMK many top leaders of DMK reacted to it. Since Arjuna’s speech triggered speculations, once again, on the VCK planning to walk out of the DMK coalition and possibly join hands with the VCK, Thirumavalan had to clarify his position to quell the rumours. Ahead of the meeting, to which only select invitees were allowed entry by presenting the invitation at the door, rumours were spread that the DMK had put pressure on Thirumavalavan to not attend the event, in which he was originally scheduled to take part along with Vijay when it was planned more than a year ago. After Vijay launched his party, Thirumavalavan said that he would take a call on taking part in the event after consultations with party leaders after the media started pointing out that the two leaders would be sharing the stage. Anyway, despite Arjuna having a big role in the book release, organized by a media group, Thirumavalvan decided to keep away, triggering the rumour that he was prevented by the DMK. Many opposition political leaders also made the same allegation, which prompted Thirumavalvan to clarify that there was no interference from the DMK. But within the VCK tempers ran high after Arjuna spoke ill of the DMK making indirect imputations, forcing Thirumavalavan to agree to take action after first seeking an explanation for the controversial speech. DMK leaders, however, ignored the charges levelled by Arjuna and only said that they would sweep the 2026 Assembly elections, in which Arjuna vowed to end ‘monarchy’ in the State. Deputy Chief Minister Udhayanidhi Stalin, when asked about the remarks of Arjuna, said that he did not have the habit of watching cinema news.

A group of veterans who played key roles in the private evacuation of thousands of Americans from Afghanistan in 2021 spoke out in defense of Pete Hegseth , President-elect Donald Trump 's defense secretary pick. Hegseth's nomination has come under heavy scrutiny, putting into question the viability of him passing the Senate. Several leading veterans have come to his defense, including former Force Recon Marine Chad Robichaux. WHAT MAGA AND THE GOP WILL LOOK LIKE IN A POST-TRUMP ERA Robichaux's and his team evacuated over 17,000 people in the wake of the Taliban takeover of Afghanistan, an act recognized by Congress. In an interview with the Washington Examiner, he threw his full support behind Hegseth. He took particular aim at senators hesitant on voting for his confirmation, hitting them for not being hesitant when confirming current Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin. HOW TRUMP COULD IMPACT THE PENTAGON "That's the same Senate that's saying that [Hegseth] maybe had a few too many drinks, or whatever he did, is the same one that was silent when [Austin] left Americans behind, and when I say left Americans behind — thousands of Americans behind, in Afghanistan, when he left thousands of Americans stranded in Africa when he left thousands of Americans stranded in Ukraine," he said. Robichaux said that he had seen a groundswell of support for Hegseth, among groups previously apolitical. "There is a huge push from the military . Well, I've never seen this before," he said. "I've been around the military for 30 years. I've never seen [people] in the Marine Corps for four years, putting on social media who they want to be their secretary of defense. Most of the time, they don't even know who their secretary of defense is." "Everyone wants him in, mainly because he doesn't have a star," Robichaux said, referring to generals' stars. BIDEN ADMINISTRATION, CONGRESS, AND UNIONS TRY TO ‘TRUMP-PROOF SCIENCE’ He argued that generals were too separated from the regular troops to carry out their mission effectively, and that soldiers preferred one of their own. "Pete doesn't have to doesn't have to have lead at a strategic level. He doesn't have to have a star. He's a leader. He's he's got the right vision," Robichaux said. "And when he sits in this situation room and the nation needs him to make a decision, he's not going to do it in a silo." "He's going to be surrounded by the right people to make the right decision, to do their jobs, and that's very important for the American people to understand. He's not a Fox News host. He's a guy that served his country and in combat twice, Iraq and Afghanistan," he said. Rep. Cory Mills (R-FL) echoed this sentiment, praising Hegseth's qualifications while bashing Austin. “Pete Hegseth is exactly the kind of leader we need as Secretary of Defense. He’s a combat veteran who’s led men in battle, holds degrees from Princeton and Harvard, and has the courage to take on the root causes of our military recruitment crisis, like the destructive and divisive focus on diversity, equity, and inclusion," he told the Washington Examiner. TRUMP’S ‘NO TAXES ON OVERTIME’ PROPOSAL: WHAT TO KNOW Mills put the full blame of the chaotic withdrawal from Afghanistan on Austin, over which he filed articles of impeachment against him. "I filed articles of impeachment against Austin for his dereliction of duty because leadership matters. When Austin failed to do his job, veterans like myself who stepped in to rescue American families left behind. Pete Hegseth’s leadership, integrity, and experience are exactly what this nation needs to restore accountability and strength to the Department of Defense," he concluded. Benghazi contractor Mark "Oz" Geist also lent his support to Hegseth. "As a warfighter, Pete Hegseth stands out because he gets what it takes to win on the battlefield—he’s lived it. His firsthand experience in Iraq and Afghanistan means he understands the realities of combat, the importance of morale, and the need for a lethal, well-trained force ready to fight and win," he told the Washington Examiner in a statement. Geist contrasted Hegseth to Austin, arguing that Austin's focus had been on "bureaucracy and social agendas" to the detriment of combat effectiveness. "He knows that strength, clarity of purpose, and a no-nonsense approach are what it takes to dominate any adversary, making him a leader who would ensure the military is always ready for the next fight," he said. CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER After former Florida Rep. Matt Gaetz dropped out as Trump’s attorney general nomination, the primary target of scrutiny landed on Hegseth. Reports emerged of past sexual assault allegations, financial mismanagement, and a drinking on the job. On Sunday the New Yorker published an article based on a whistleblower’s seven-page report detailing numerous allegations against Hegseth while he served as the president of Concerned Veterans for America from 2013 to 2016. He's pushed against the allegations, but promised Senators that he wouldn't drink if confirmed for the post. Trump’s team has publicly stood by him, decrying the accusations as false and politically motivated.Kroger Reiterates Its Commitment to Lower Prices and Initiates New $7.5B Share Buyback Program

South Korea's president avoids an impeachment attempt over short-lived martial law SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — South Korea's embattled President Yoon Suk Yeol avoided an opposition-led attempt to impeach him over his short-lived imposition of martial law , as most ruling party lawmakers boycotted a parliamentary vote Saturday to deny Kim Tong-hyung And Hyung-jin Kim, The Associated Press Dec 7, 2024 7:02 AM Share by Email Share on Facebook Share on X Share on LinkedIn Print Share via Text Message South Korea's main opposition Democratic Party leader Lee Jae-myung, bottom center, shout slogans during a press conference with his party members at the National Assembly in Seoul, South Korea, Saturday, Dec. 7, 2024. The signs read "Punish the rebellion leader." (AP Photo/Ahn Young-joon) SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — South Korea's embattled President Yoon Suk Yeol avoided an opposition-led attempt to impeach him over his short-lived imposition of martial law , as most ruling party lawmakers boycotted a parliamentary vote Saturday to deny a two-thirds majority needed to suspend his presidential powers. The scrapping of the motion is expected to intensify protests calling for Yoon’s ouster and deepen political chaos in South Korea, with a survey suggesting a majority of South Koreans support the president’s impeachment. Yoon’s martial law declaration drew criticism from his own ruling conservative People Power Party, but the party is also determined to oppose Yoon’s impeachment apparently because it fears losing the presidency to liberals. After the motion fell through, members of the main liberal opposition Democratic Party rallied inside the National Assembly, chanting slogans calling for Yoon's impeachment or resignation. The party's floor leader, Park Chan-dae, said it will soon prepare for a new impeachment motion. Opposition parties could submit a new impeachment motion after a new parliamentary session opens next Wednesday. “We'll surely impeach Yoon Suk Yeol, who is the greatest risk to Republic of Korea,” party leader Lee Jae-myung said. “We'll surely bring back this country to normal before Christmas Day or year's end.” Many experts worry Yoon won’t be able to serve out his remaining 2 1/2 years in office. They say some PPP lawmakers could eventually join opposition parties’ efforts to impeach Yoon if public demands for it grow further. The ruling party risks "further public outrage and national confusion if they don’t find a formula fast for Yoon’s departure,” said Duyeon Kim, a senior analyst at the Center for a New American Security in Washington. PPP chair Han Dong-hun said his party will seek Yoon’s “orderly” early exit but didn’t say when he can resign. Protests against Yoon are swelling On Saturday, tens of thousands of people packed several blocks of roads leading to the National Assembly, waving banners, shouting slogans and dancing. Protesters also gathered in front of PPP’s headquarters near the Assembly, shouting for its lawmakers to vote to impeach Yoon. A smaller crowd of Yoon’s supporters, which still seemed to be in the thousands, rallied elsewhere in Seoul, calling the impeachment attempt unconstitutional. Impeaching Yoon required support from 200 of the National Assembly's 300 members. The Democratic Party and five other small opposition parties, which filed the motion, have 192 seats combined. But only three lawmakers from PPP participated in the vote. The motion was scrapped without ballot counting because the number of votes didn’t reach 200. National Assembly Speaker Woo Won Shik called the result “very regrettable” and an embarrassing moment for the country’s democracy. If Yoon is impeached, his powers will be suspended until the Constitutional Court decides whether to remove him from office. If he is removed, an election to replace him must take place within 60 days. The president apologizes for turmoil Earlier Saturday, Yoon issued an apology over the martial law decree, saying he won’t shirk legal or political responsibility for the declaration and promising not to make another attempt to impose it. He said would leave it to his party to chart a course through the country’s political turmoil, “including matters related to my term in office.” “The declaration of this martial law was made out of my desperation. But in the course of its implementation, it caused anxiety and inconveniences to the public. I feel very sorry over that and truly apologize to the people who must have been shocked a lot,” Yoon said. Since taking office in 2022, Yoon has struggled to push his agenda through an opposition-controlled parliament and grappled with low approval ratings amid scandals involving himself and his wife. In his martial law announcement on Tuesday night, Yoon called parliament a “den of criminals” bogging down state affairs and vowed to eliminate “shameless North Korea followers and anti-state forces.” The declaration of martial law was the first of its kind in more than 40 years in South Korea. The turmoil has paralyzed South Korean politics and sparked alarm among key diplomatic partners like the U.S. and Japan. “Yoon’s credibility overseas has been undermined by declaring martial law, so he won’t be able to exercise leadership in his foreign policies especially when his days are numbered,” Kim, the analyst, said. “Its government bureaucracy will need to continue business as usual for existing alliance and foreign policy initiatives as best it can because there is a lot of important work to do globally.” Tuesday night saw special forces troops encircling the parliament building and army helicopters hovering over it, but the military withdrew after the National Assembly unanimously voted to overturn the decree, forcing Yoon to lift it before daybreak Wednesday. Eighteen lawmakers from the ruling party voted to reject Yoon’s martial law decree along with opposition lawmakers. PPP later decided to oppose Yoon's impeachment motion. Yoon’s speech fueled speculation that he and his party may push for a constitutional amendment to shorten his term, instead of accepting impeachment, as a way to ease public anger over the marital law and facilitate Yoon’s early exit from office. Lee told reporters that Yoon’s speech was “greatly disappointing” and that the only way forward is his immediate resignation or impeachment. His party called Yoon’s martial law “unconstitutional, illegal rebellion or coup.” Lawmakers on Saturday first voted on a bill appointing a special prosecutor to investigate stock price manipulation allegations surrounding Yoon’s wife. Yoon accused of ordering arrests of politicians On Friday, Han, who criticized Yoon’s martial law declaration, said he had received intelligence that during the brief period of martial law Yoon ordered the country’s defense counterintelligence commander to arrest unspecified key politicians based on accusations of “anti-state activities.” Hong Jang-won, first deputy director of South Korea’s spy agency, told lawmakers Friday that Yoon had ordered him to help the defense counterintelligence unit to detain key politicians including Han, Lee and Woo. The Defense Ministry said Friday it suspended three military commanders including the head of the defense counterintelligence unit over their involvement in enforcing martial law. Vice Defense Minister Kim Seon Ho has told parliament that Defense Minister Kim Yong Hyun ordered the deployment of troops to the National Assembly. Opposition parties accused Kim of recommending to Yoon to enforce martial law. Kim Yong Hyun resigned Thursday, and prosecutors imposed an overseas travel ban on him. Kim Tong-hyung And Hyung-jin Kim, The Associated Press See a typo/mistake? Have a story/tip? This has been shared 0 times 0 Shares Share by Email Share on Facebook Share on X Share on LinkedIn Print Share via Text Message More World News Syrian opposition activists say insurgents have reached the suburbs of Damascus Dec 7, 2024 6:55 AM An explosion destroys an apartment block in a Dutch city, killing at least 1 and injuring others Dec 7, 2024 6:46 AM An explosion has caused several injuries and damaged apartments in the Dutch capital Dec 7, 2024 1:51 AM Featured FlyerSyrian government forces withdraw from central city of Homs as insurgent offensive accelerates BEIRUT (AP) — A Syrian opposition war monitor and a pro-government media outlet say government forces have withdrawn from much of the central city of Homs. The pro-government Sham FM reported that government forces took positions outside Syria’s third-largest city, without elaborating. Rami Abdurrahman who heads the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, said Syrian troops and members of different security agencies have withdrawn from the city, adding that rebels have entered parts of it. Losing Homs is a potentially crippling blow for Syria’s embattled leader, Bashar Assad. An archbishop's knock formally restores Notre Dame to life as winds howl and heads of state look on PARIS (AP) — France’s iconic Notre Dame Cathedral has formally reopened its doors for the first time since a devastating fire nearly destroyed the 861-year-old landmark in 2019. The five-year restoration is widely seen as a boost for French President Emmanuel Macron, who championed the ambitious timeline, and brings a welcome respite from his domestic political woes. World leaders, dignitaries, and worshippers gathered on Saturday evening for the celebrations under the cathedral's soaring arches. The celebration was attended by 1,500 dignitaries, including President-elect Donald Trump, Britain’s Prince William, and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. For Catholics, Notre Dame’s rector said the cathedral “carries the enveloping presence of the Virgin Mary, a maternal and embracing presence.′′ Trump is welcomed by Macron to Paris with presidential pomp and joined by Zelenskyy for their talks PARIS (AP) — French President Emmanuel Macron has welcomed Donald Trump to Paris with a full dose of presidential pomp. And they held a hastically-arranged meeting with Ukraine’s Volodymyr Zelenskyy on a day that's mixing pageantry with attention to pressing global problems. The president-elect's visit to France is part of a global a celebration of the reopening of Notre Dame Cathedral five years after a devastating fire. Macron and other European leaders are trying to win Trump’s favor and persuade him to maintain support for Ukraine in its defense against Russia’s invasion. Trump isn't back in office but he's already pushing his agenda and negotiating with world leaders NEW YORK (AP) — Donald Trump is making threats, traveling abroad, and negotiating with world leaders. He has more than a month-and-a-half to go before he’s sworn in for a second term. But the president-elect is already moving aggressively to not only fill his Cabinet and outline policy goals, but also to try to achieve his priorities. In recent days, Trump has threatened to impose a 25% tariff on goods from Canada and Mexico, two of the country’s largest trading partners. That led to emergency calls and a visit. And he's warned of “ALL HELL TO PAY” if Hamas doesn't release the hostages still being held captive in Gaza. South Korea's president avoids an impeachment attempt over short-lived martial law SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — South Korea’s embattled President Yoon Suk Yeol has avoided an opposition-led attempt to impeach him over his short-lived imposition of martial law. Most of Yoon's ruling party lawmakers boycotted a parliamentary vote Saturday to deny a two-thirds majority needed to suspend his presidential powers. The scrapping of the motion is expected to intensify protests calling for Yoon’s ouster and deepen political chaos in South Korea. A survey suggests a majority of South Koreans support the president’s impeachment. Yoon’s martial law declaration drew criticism from his own ruling conservative People Power Party. But the party also apparently fears losing the presidency to liberals. Days after gunman killed UnitedHealthcare's CEO, police push to ID him and FBI offers reward NEW YORK (AP) — Nearly four days after the shooting of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson, police still do not know the gunman’s name or whereabouts or have a motive for the killing. But they have made some progress in their investigation into Wednesday's killing of the leader of the largest U.S. health insurer, including that the gunman likely left New York City on a bus soon after fleeing the scene. The also found that the gunman left something behind: a backpack that was discovered in Central Park. Police are working with the FBI, which on Friday night announced a $50,000 reward for information leading to an arrest and conviction. UnitedHealthcare CEO's shooting opens a door for many to vent frustrations over insurance The fatal shooting of UnitedHealthcare's CEO has opened the door for many people to vent their frustrations and anger over the insurance industry. The feelings of exasperation, anger, resentment, and helplessness toward insurers aren’t new. But the shooting and the headlines around it have unleashed a new wave of patients sharing such sentiments and personal stories of interactions with insurance companies. Conversations at dinner tables, office water coolers, social gatherings and on social media have pivoted to the topic. Many say they hope the new amplified voices can bring about change for companies often accused of valuing profits over people. 2 Pearl Harbor survivors, ages 104 and 102, return to Hawaii to honor those killed in 1941 attack PEARL HARBOR, Hawaii (AP) — The bombing of Pearl Harbor 83 years ago launched the United States into World War II. Two survivors returned to the Hawaii military base on Saturday for a remembrance ceremony on the attack's anniversary. Both are over 100 years old. They joined active-duty troops, veterans and members of the public for an observance hosted by the Navy and the National Park Service. A third survivor was planning to join them but had to cancel due to health issues. The bombing killed more than 2,300 U.S. servicemen. An explosion destroys an apartment block in a Dutch city, killing at least 3 and injuring others THE HAGUE, Netherlands (AP) — An explosion and fire has rocked a neighborhood in the Dutch city of The Hague, killing three people and injuring other people and destroying several apartments. The cause of the disaster is unclear. Emergency authorities said four people were rescued from the rubble and taken to the hospital. The mayor said rescuers were no longer looking for survivors but for eventual bodies, but could not specify how many people might still be unaccounted for. Residents of the northeastern neighborhood of Mariahoeve in The Hague heard a huge bang and screams before dawn. Dutch authorities have deployed a specialized urban search and rescue team to find victims. How 'Mufasa' rose with Aaron Pierre and Blue Ivy's voices along with new Lin-Manuel Miranda music SAN DIEGO (AP) — When Aaron Pierre was cast as Mufasa, the weight of following in the late James Earl Jones’ legendary footsteps was enough to rattle any actor. But instead of letting the pressure roar too loudly, he harnessed his nerves to breathe fresh life into his young lion character. Pierre found parallels between himself and his character while filming his leading role in “Mufasa: The Lion King,” which opens in theaters Dec. 20. He took the reigns as the new voice of Mufasa after Jones played the iconic King Mufasa in both the 1994 and 2019 versions of Disney’s “The Lion King.” The prequel offers a fresh exploration into Mufasa’s origin story.

Penguins acquire forward Philip Tomasino from Nashville in exchange for a 2027 draft pick

“Wanted” posters with the names and faces of health care executives have been popping up on the streets of New York. Hit lists with images of bullets are circulating online with warnings that industry leaders should be afraid. The apparent targeted killing of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson and the menacing threats that followed have sent a shudder through corporate America and the health care industry in particular, leading to increased security for executives and some workers. In the week since the brazen shooting , health insurers have removed information about their top executives from company websites, canceled in-person meetings with shareholders and advised all employees to work from home temporarily. An internal New York Police Department bulletin warned this week that the online vitriol that followed the shooting could signal an immediate “elevated threat.” Police fear that the Dec. 4 shooting could "inspire a variety of extremists and grievance-driven malicious actors to violence," according to the bulletin, which was obtained by The Associated Press. “Wanted” posters pasted to parking meters and construction site fences in Manhattan included photos of health care executives and the words “Deny, defend, depose” — similar to a phrase scrawled on bullets found near Thompson’s body and echoing those used by insurance industry critics . Thompson's wife, Paulette, told NBC News last week that he told her some people had been threatening him and suggested the threats may have involved issues with insurance coverage. Investigators believe the shooting suspect, Luigi Mangione , may have been motivated by hostility toward health insurers. They are studying his writings about a previous back injury, and his disdain for corporate America and the U.S. health care system. Mangione’s lawyer has cautioned against prejudging the case. Mangione, 26, has remained jailed in Pennsylvania, where he was arrested Monday . Manhattan prosecutors are working to bring him to New York to face a murder charge. UnitedHealthcare’s parent company, UnitedHealth Group, said this week it was working with law enforcement to ensure a safe work environment and to reinforce security guidelines and building access policies, a spokesperson said. The company has taken down photos, names and biographies for its top executives from its websites, a spokesperson said. Other organizations, including CVS, the parent company for insurance giant Aetna, have taken similar actions. Government health insurance provider Centene Corp. has announced that its investor day will be held online, rather than in-person as originally planned. Medica, a Minnesota-based nonprofit health care firm, said last week it was temporarily closing its six offices for security reasons and would have its employees work from home. Heightened security measures likely will make health care companies and their leaders more inaccessible to their policyholders, said former Cigna executive Wendell Potter. “And understandably so, with this act of violence. There’s no assurance that this won’t happen again,” said Potter, who’s now an advocate for health care reform. Private security firms and consultants have been in high demand, fielding calls almost immediately after the shooting from companies across a range of industries, including manufacturing and finance. Companies have long faced security risks and grappled with how far to take precautions for high-profile executives. But these recent threats sparked by Thompson's killing should not be ignored, said Dave Komendat, a former security chief for Boeing who now heads his own risk-management company. “The tone and tenor is different. The social reaction to this tragedy is different. And so I think that people need to take this seriously,” Komendat said. Just over a quarter of the companies in the Fortune 500 reported spending money to protect their CEOs and top executives. Of those, the median payment for personal security doubled over the last three years to just under $100,000. Hours after the shooting, Komendat was on a call with dozens of chief security officers from big corporations, and there have been many similar meetings since, hosted by security groups or law enforcement agencies assessing the threats, he said. “It just takes one person who is motivated by a poster — who may have experienced something in their life through one of these companies that was harmful," Komendat said. Associated Press reporters Wyatte Grantham-Philips in New York and Barbara Ortutay in San Francisco, contributed to this report. The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. The AP is solely responsible for all content.

Pune: The Automative Research Association of India (ARAI) plans capital expenditure of Rs 100 crore to further develop advanced testing labs and overall infrastructure in 2025 across the country. A few of its testing facilities, located at its new Mobility Research Centre in Takwe, are in the final stages. These facilities are set to be operational next year. "ARAI's advanced battery safety testing lab will be operational by June 2025. The hydrogen testing facility is to be ready by Dec 2025 and its ADAS (advanced driver assistance systems) smart city test track in Takwe will be ready by June next year," Dr Reji Mathai, director, ARAI, told TOI on its 58th annual day. Furthermore, the cylinder test facilities, certification centres and high energy impact test facility will also take shape in 2025. ARAI has also been diversifying its portfolio to expand the application of testing and standards to rail, metros, aerospace, mining, construction equipment and white goods industries. Some of the recently established facilities by ARAI are the Airbag Deployment Facility, Advanced Accelerated Sled, Advanced Photometry & Optics Laboratory and Advanced Noise Vibration & Harshness Developmental Centre. The authority has undertaken various R&D projects in the domain of electric vehicles, autonomous driving and engine development. It emphasised the need to develop a stronger EV ecosystem, enhance component manufacturing and build structurally stronger vehicles. To cater to alternative fuels like methanol, hydrogen, HCNG, DME, ethanol, LNG, bio-CNG, diesel-CNG, ARAI has established an Alternate Fuel Centre. It is working on providing suggestions on robust intelligent vehicle technology, how it can be adopted effectively to promote safety and avoid reckless driving. On ARAI's plans to expand its facilities on Pune's biodiversity hotspot Vetal Tekdi, officials said discussions are still ongoing with the forest department. "We don't want to harm the environment. We are also acquiring land in other places as there is a need for EV competencies to be built up, bigger tracks and larger testing facilities," said Mathai. Stay updated with the latest news on Times of India . Don't miss daily games like Crossword , Sudoku , and Mini Crossword .Navy sailor charged with negligent homicide after Yorktown patrol boat incidentSo you're gathering with relatives whose politics are different. Here are some tips for the holidays

66 Christmas Eve dinner recipes, from roast beef to seafood stewSyrian rebels announced on Sunday that they have begun to enter the capital, Damascus, without facing any military opposition. The rebels are celebrating the release of prisoners from the infamous Sednaya prison, signaling a potential end to a period of oppression. Sednaya prison, situated on the outskirts of Damascus, has been known for holding thousands of detainees under the Syrian government's harsh regime. The rebels' triumph in gaining full control over the strategic city of Homs within a day of fighting has put President Bashar al-Assad's 24-year rule into jeopardy. This insurgent victory has sparked hope for major political change in Syria, especially as they make significant progress towards Damascus, the heart of Assad's power. (With inputs from agencies.)