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Air Canada has been rolling out facial recognition software in Toronto and Vancouver. Here's why some experts are concernedPhotos: Remembering Jimmy Carter, the 39th US presidentWASHINGTON — The House Ethics Committee on Monday accused Matt Gaetz of “regularly” paying for sex, including with a 17-year-old girl, and purchasing and using illicit drugs as a member of Congress, as lawmakers released the conclusions of a nearly four-year investigation that helped sink his nomination for attorney general. The 37-page report by the bipartisan panel includes explicit details of sex-filled parties and vacations that Gaetz, now 42, took part in from 2017 to 2020 while the Republican represented Florida's western Panhandle. Former Rep. Matt Gaetz, R- Fla., speaks at AmericaFest, Sunday, Dec. 22, 2024, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Rick Scuteri) Rick Scuteri Congressional investigators concluded that Gaetz violated multiple state laws related to sexual misconduct while in office, though not federal sex trafficking laws. They also found that Gaetz “knowingly and willfully sought to impede and obstruct” the committee's work. “The Committee determined there is substantial evidence that Representative Gaetz violated House Rules and other standards of conduct prohibiting prostitution, statutory rape, illicit drug use, impermissible gifts, special favors or privileges, and obstruction of Congress,” the report said. Before the report came out, Gaetz denied any wrongdoing and criticized the committee's process. “Giving funds to someone you are dating — that they didn’t ask for — and that isn’t ‘charged’ for sex is now prostitution?!?” he posted on X, the website formerly known as Twitter. “There is a reason they did this to me in a Christmas Eve-Eve report and not in a courtroom of any kind where I could present evidence and challenge witnesses.” Gaetz, who was first elected in 2017, spent the majority of his time in Washington enmeshed in scandals that ultimately derailed his selection by President-elect Donald Trump to lead the Justice Department. Gaetz abruptly resigned from Congress last month. His political future is uncertain, although Gaetz has indicated interest in running for the open Senate seat in Florida. The committee painted a damning portrait of Gaetz's conduct, using dozens of pages of exhibits, including text messages and financial records, travel receipts, checks and online payments, to document a party and drug-fueled lifestyle. The committee said it compiled the evidence after issuing 29 subpoenas for documents and testimony and contacting more than two dozen witnesses. In addition to soliciting prostitution, the report said Gaetz “accepted gifts, including transportation and lodging in connection with a 2018 trip to the Bahamas, in excess of permissible amounts.” That same year, investigators said Gaetz arranged for a staffer to obtain a passport for a woman with whom he was sexually involved, falsely telling the State Department that she was his constituent. In some of the text exchanges made public, he appeared to be inviting various women to events, getaways or parties, and arranging airplane travel and lodging. At one point he asked one woman if she had a “cute black dress” to wear. There were also discussions of shipping goods. One of the exhibits was a text exchange that appeared to be between two of the women concerned about their cash flow and payments. In another, a person asked Gaetz for help to pay an educational expense. Regarding the 17-year-old girl, the report said there was no evidence Gaetz knew she was a minor when he had sex with her. The woman told the committee she did not tell Gaetz she was under 18 at the time and that he learned she was a minor more than a month after the party. But Gaetz stayed in touch with her after that and met up with her for “commercial sex” again less than six months after she turned 18, according to the committee. Florida law says it is a felony for a person 24 or older to have sex with a minor. The law does not allow a claim of ignorance or misrepresentation of a minor's age as a defense. Joel Leppard, who represents two women who told the committee that Gaetz paid them for sex, said the findings “vindicate” the accounts of his clients and “demonstrate their credibility.” Listen now and subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | RSS Feed | SoundStack | All Of Our Podcasts “We appreciate the Committee’s commitment to transparency in releasing this comprehensive report so the truth can be known,” Leppard said in a statement. At least one Republican joined all five Democrats on the committee earlier this month in voting to release the report despite initial opposition from GOP lawmakers, including House Speaker Mike Johnson, to publishing findings about a former member of Congress. While ethics reports have previously been released after a member’s resignation, it is extremely rare. On behalf of the Republicans who voted against making the report public, the committee chairman, Rep. Michael Guest of Mississippi, wrote that while the members did not challenge the findings, “we take great exception that the majority deviated from the Committee’s well-established standards,” to drop any investigation when a person is not longer a member of the chamber. Guest added that releasing this report sets a precedent that “is a dangerous departure with potentially catastrophic consequences.” But Maryland Rep. Glenn Ivey, a Democratic member of the committee, said that for transparency, it was crucial for the public and Congress as an institution to read the findings. "I think that’s important for my colleagues here in the House to know how the committee reviews certain acts," he told The Associated Press. "Some of these were obviously conduct that crossed the line, but some of them weren’t.” Mounting a last-ditch effort to halt the publication of the report, Gaetz filed a lawsuit Monday asking a federal court to intervene. He cited what he called “untruthful and defamatory information” that would “significantly damage” his “standing and reputation in the community.” Gaetz’s complaint argued that he was no longer under the committee’s jurisdiction because he had resigned from Congress. The often secretive, bipartisan committee has investigated claims against Gaetz since 2021. But its work became more urgent last month when Trump picked him shortly after the Nov. 5 election Day to be the nation's top law enforcement officer. Gaetz resigned from Congress that same day, putting him outside the purview of the committee's jurisdiction. But Democrats had pressed to make the report public even after Gaetz was no longer in the House and had withdrawn from consideration for Trump's Cabinet. A vote on the House floor this month to force the report’s release failed; all but one Republican voted against it. The committee detailed its start-and-stop investigation over the past several years, which was halted for a time as the Justice Department conducted its own inquiry of Gaetz. Federal prosecutors never brought a case against him. Lawmakers said they asked the Justice Department for information about its investigation, but the agency refused to hand over information, saying it does not disclose information about investigations that do not result in charges. The committee then subpoenaed the department for records. After a back-and-forth between department officials and the committee, the department only handed over “publicly reported information about the testimony of a deceased individual,” according to the committee's report. The report said Gaetz was “uncooperative" throughout the committee's investigation. He provided “minimal documentation” in response to the committee’s requests, it said. “He also did not agree to a voluntary interview.” ___ Associated Press writer Alanna Durkin Richer contributed to this report.
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The Apprentice star also argued that a lack of clarity from the Government on the ownership test is causing “significant uncertainty” for potential investors. This came as the House of Lords continued its scrutiny of the Football Governance Bill, which seeks to establish an independent regulator for the top five tiers of the men’s game. In the upper chamber, Baroness Brady said: “We are creating legislation which will profoundly affect 160 quite unique institutions, from Premier League clubs through to the National League community clubs, but it is important for everyone to understand that the consultation with these affected businesses by the current Government has been remarkably limited, almost unbelievably so. “Just seven Premier League clubs, I was one of them, was granted a brief half-hour meeting with the Secretary of State over the summer. “And following this cursory engagement, significant decisions were made that could fundamentally affect the future of English football, most notably with the inclusion of parachute payments within the backstop mechanism. “This is particularly concerning given that fundamental issues still remained unresolved, we still lack any clarity on Uefa’s position on state interference, for example, this clearly creates profound uncertainty for clubs competing in or aspiring to European competition, as well as our national teams.” “We don’t know what the ownership test will look like, this causes significant uncertainty for potential investors as to whether they are able to own a club,” she added. Lady Brady continued: “I have spoken to many of my colleagues across all of the football pyramid, we are all alarmed about and puzzled by the lack of discussion on the Bill with ministers. “Would the minister agree that we all want to get the detail of this Bill right? And can she see any downsides to providing meaningful opportunities to hear from all clubs across the football pyramid affected by the legislation?” Prior to this, Tory shadow sports minister Lord Parkinson of Whitley Bay had tabled an amendment which he said would allow clubs to “make their views known on this legislation” by including specific competitions on the face of the Bill. Labour frontbencher Baroness Twycross told the upper chamber: “I don’t think the leagues are confused either on which leagues this legislation will apply to.” She added: “This power is both reasonable and the result of evidence-based consultation with all key stakeholders in the industry. “This power ensures that the competitions in scope can be amended in a timely manner and ensures the scope of the regime remains relevant.” The peer later said: “Over the past three years there have been countless opportunities for all affected and interested parties to make representations.” Lady Brady also raised concerns about the financial distribution backstop, which she said is “clearly designed as a mechanism to gain direct access to, and apportionate Premier League revenue, and no-one else’s”. “I might add the backstop will allow the IFR (Independent Football Regulator) to do this even if it was against the Premier League clubs’ will, or even without the clubs’ agreement, even if it was to have a detrimental effect on the clubs and the overall competition it removes revenue from,” she added. The backstop would allow the new IFR to intervene in the distribution of Premier League broadcast revenue down the leagues as a last resort. It could be triggered by the Premier League, English Football League (EFL) or National League to mediate the fair financial distribution of this revenue if they are not able to come to an agreement. Conservative peers later raised concerns over the cost implications to clubs of establishing the regulator, although they faced claims of “filibustering” – wasting time by making overlong speeches in a bid to delay progress. Labour peer Lord Watson of Invergowrie questioned why Lord Parkinson was showing “confected outrage” at the Bill when the former culture minister would have been defending a similar proposal had the Tories remained in power. Lord Parkinson, in his reply, said: “We want to see this regulator established, we want to see it doing its work and doing so effectively, but we also see before us a Bill that is different because of the election that was called and the result that happened, and we’re interrogating particularly closely the changes that the Government have made to the Bill – of which there are many. “And we have more concerns on these benches than we did before the election from my colleagues behind me about the way we do it.” The Tory peer pointed to Labour frontbenchers fulfilling their duties to “properly scrutinise” then-government legislation when they were on the opposition benches. Lady Twycross, in an intervention, said: “While I agree that (Lord Parkinson) is correct that I would scrutinise legislation when I was sitting on those (opposition) benches, I have never sought to filibuster a Bill to which my party had committed, which my party had laid before Parliament, and intended to filibuster it to the point of getting us stuck in treacle.” Lord Parkinson replied: “That is not what we’re doing.” Niall Couper, chief executive of the campaign group Fair Game, wrote on social media site X: “Watching opposition benches blatantly filibustering to destroy the Football Governance Bill is nothing short of sporting vandalism.”
5G spectrum auction: path towards digital transformationU.S. government agencies held a classified briefing for all senators on Wednesday on China's alleged efforts known as Salt Typhoon to burrow deep into American telecommunications companies and steal data about U.S. calls. The FBI, Director of National Intelligence Avril Haines, Federal Communications Commission Chair Jessica Rosenworcel, the National Security Council and the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency were among the participants in the closed-door briefing, officials told Reuters. Democratic Senator Ron Wyden told reporters after the briefing he was working to draft legislation on this issue, while Senator Bob Casey said he had "great concern" about the breach and added it may not be until next year before Congress can address the issue. Republican Senator Rick Scott expressed frustration with the briefing. "They have not told us why they didn't catch it; what they could have done to prevent it," he said. Chinese officials have previously described the allegations as disinformation and said Beijing "firmly opposes and combats cyberattacks and cyber theft in all forms." Separately, a Senate Commerce subcommittee will hold a December 11 hearing on Salt Typhoon and how "security threats pose risks to our communications networks and review best practices." The hearing will include Competitive Carriers Association CEO Tim Donovan. There is growing concern about the size and scope of the reported Chinese hacking into U.S. telecommunications networks and questions about when companies and the government can assure Americans over the matter. A U.S. official told reporters a large number of Americans' metadata has been stolen in the sweeping cyber espionage campaign, adding that dozens of companies across the world had been hit by the hackers, including at least eight telecommunications and telecom infrastructure firms in the United States. "The extent and depth and breadth of Chinese hacking is absolutely mind-boggling — that we would permit as much as has happened in just the last year is terrifying," Senator Richard Blumenthal said. Incoming FCC Chair Brendan Carr said Wednesday he will work "with national security agencies through the transition and next year in an effort to root out the threat and secure our networks." U.S. officials have previously alleged the hackers targeted Verizon, AT&T, T-Mobile, Lumen and others and stole phone audio intercepts along with a large tranche of call record data. T-Mobile said it does not believe hackers got access to its customer information. Lumen said there is no evidence customer data was accessed on its network. Verizon CEO Hans Vestberg, AT&T CEO John Stankey, Lumen CEO Kate Johnson and T-Mobile took part in a November 22 White House meeting on the issue. Verizon said "several weeks ago, we became aware that a highly sophisticated, nation-state actor accessed several of the nation’s telecom company networks, including Verizon" adding the incident was focused on a very small subset of individuals in government and politics. AT&T said it is "working in close coordination with federal law enforcement, industry peers and cyber security experts to identify and remediate any impact on our networks." CISA told reporters on Tuesday that it could not offer a timetable for ridding America's telecom networks of all hackers. "It would be impossible for us to predict when we'll have full eviction," CISA official Jeff Greene said.
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Non-profits will have to comply with new rules and share more information when they renew and apply for the licence to obtain foreign donations. ET Year-end Special Reads What kept India's stock market investors on toes in 2024? India's car race: How far EVs went in 2024 Investing in 2025: Six wealth management trends to watch out for The chief functionary of a trust running such a non-government organisation (NGOs) must sign on each page of key documents like the memorandum of association, trust deed, and constitution, and submit the entity's year-wise activity report to the authorities instead of presenting a general report. Non-profits have to also share their receipt and payment accounts with the government along with the audited accounts. Several non-government organisations whose licenses under the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act - a stern and oft-invoked law - expire on December 31, have learnt about the new compliance requirements after logging on to the FCRA portal hosted by the ministry of home affairs which frames the regulations. Also, applicants must now scan the original copy of their constitution even if it is in a language other than English and make sure that the documents uploaded are legible and not blurred. With the government delaying FCRA renewals of a number of NGOs and questioning the intent of some of the overseas donors during the past few years - amid suspicions that funds were spent on activities unrelated to the stated purposes or amounts spent on administrative expenditure breached the regulatory limit - the new conditions would make key NGO officials more accountable and cautious. According to Dr Gautam Shah, partner of the CA firm Gautam Shah & Associates, which advises many trusts, the additional requirements for new applications and renewal of FCRA are a welcome, but never in the past were they proposed or discussed. "If it was conveyed to the trusts that these conditions would have to be followed at the time of application, a lot of time would have been saved. Getting FCRA registration or renewal is very difficult. For better governance a separate helpline or email or any other social media channel should be provided to address the grievances of applicants," said Shah. 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View Program Data Science SQL for Data Science along with Data Analytics and Data Visualization By - Metla Sudha Sekhar, IT Specialist and Developer View Program Artificial Intelligence(AI) AI and Analytics based Business Strategy By - Tanusree De, Managing Director- Accenture Technology Lead, Trustworthy AI Center of Excellence: ATCI View Program Web Development A Comprehensive ASP.NET Core MVC 6 Project Guide for 2024 By - Metla Sudha Sekhar, IT Specialist and Developer View Program Marketing Digital Marketing Masterclass by Pam Moore By - Pam Moore, Digital Transformation and Social Media Expert View Program Artificial Intelligence(AI) AI-Powered Python Mastery with Tabnine: Boost Your Coding Skills By - Metla Sudha Sekhar, IT Specialist and Developer View Program Office Productivity Mastering Microsoft Office: Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and 365 By - Metla Sudha Sekhar, IT Specialist and Developer View Program Marketing Digital marketing - Wordpress Website Development By - Shraddha Somani, Digital Marketing Trainer, Consultant, Strategiest and Subject Matter expert View Program Office Productivity Mastering Google Sheets: Unleash the Power of Excel and Advance Analysis By - Metla Sudha Sekhar, IT Specialist and Developer View Program Web Development Mastering Full Stack Development: From Frontend to Backend Excellence By - Metla Sudha Sekhar, IT Specialist and Developer View Program Finance Financial Literacy i.e Lets Crack the Billionaire Code By - CA Rahul Gupta, CA with 10+ years of experience and Accounting Educator View Program Data Science SQL Server Bootcamp 2024: Transform from Beginner to Pro By - Metla Sudha Sekhar, IT Specialist and Developer View Program ALIGNING WITH GLOBAL PRACTICES? Practitioners like Isha Sekhri, partner at the CA firm Ajay Sekhri and Co think that the further tightening of KYC norms is a step to align with global best practices in compliance and transparency. "Mandating the chief functionary's signature on every page of key documents ensures accountability and reduces the risk of document manipulation. Also, the shift to a year-wise activity report, instead of a generic summary brings granularity to the evaluation of an organisation's operational history and the use of foreign contributions.While the norms may demand more rigorous compliance efforts, they would ensure that foreign contributions are managed with integrity and aligned to their intended purposes," said Sekhri. However, there is always a lurking fear among NGOs over how the law would be invoked to stop foreign donations. Among other things, what fuelled the debate since 2020 was the allegation that dollar donations were being diverted to lure the poor to embrace a new faith. TACKLING TAX Of late, some of the NGOS are also facing a tax issue. A charitable trust is entitled to exemption for accumulation of income and for amounts spent by it. So, if a NGO spends 85% of its income, the entire income is exempt from tax. If spending in any year is less than 85% of its income, it can choose to accumulate the shortfall amount to be spent for specific purposes within the next 5 years. According to Gautam Nayak, partner at CNK & Associates, which advises several charitable trusts, "Till AY 2022-23, this accumulated amount could be spent in the year following the completion of 5 years, and if not spent, it would be taxable in the sixth year. Nominations for ET MSME Awards are now open. The last day to apply is December 31, 2024. Click here to submit your entry for any one or more of the 22 categories and stand a chance to win a prestigious award. (You can now subscribe to our Economic Times WhatsApp channel )
Saquon Barkley rushed for 167 yards to join the 2,000-yard club and the Philadelphia Eagles clinched the NFC East title with a lopsided 41-7 victory against the visiting Dallas Cowboys on Sunday. The Eagles (13-3) swept the rival Cowboys (7-9) for the first time since 2011 and locked up at least the No. 2 seed in the NFC playoffs. With his 11th 100-yard game of the year, Barkley became the ninth player in NFL history to rush for 2,000 yards in a season. Sitting on 2,005 yards, he needs 101 to break Eric Dickerson's NFL single-season record of 2,105 set in 16 games in 1984. Starting for Philadelphia with Jalen Hurts in the concussion protocol, Kenny Pickett tallied a touchdown pass and a touchdown run before exiting early in the third quarter with a rib injury. Tanner McKee, making his NFL debut, replaced Pickett and threw a 20-yard touchdown pass to A.J. Brown to put the Eagles up 34-7 with 2:44 left in the third quarter. McKee added a 25-yard TD pass in the fourth quarter to DeVonta Smith, who finished with six catches for 120 yards and two scores. The Cowboys turned the ball over four times. Cooper Rush threw two interceptions and one touchdown pass and Rico Dowdle rushed for 104 yards to notch his first 1,000-yard season (1,007). Philadelphia built a 24-7 halftime lead by scoring 17 points off three Dallas turnovers. The Cowboys' opening drive ended in a 70-yard interception return for a touchdown by C.J. Gardner-Johnson. Rush shook off the pick-6 and fired a game-tying 4-yard TD pass to Jalen Tolbert with 5:38 left in the first quarter. Pickett's 22-yard strike to Smith put Philadelphia ahead for good at 14-7 midway through the second quarter. Jake Elliott's 31-yard field goal made it 17-7 after Jordan Davis recovered a fumble by the Cowboys' Jake Ferguson. Gardner-Johnson's second interception gave Philadelphia the ball back with 36 seconds left in the half. Smith's 49-yard catch got the Eagles to the doorstep and Pickett punched it in. Elliott's 26-yarder extended the lead to 27-7 on the first drive of the third quarter, but Pickett's day was over after absorbing a hit from Micah Parsons. --Field Level Media
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Opposition lawmakers in South Korea moved to impeach President Yoon Suk Yeol on Wednesday after he shocked the East Asian democracy by declaring martial law only to lift the order hours later under intense pressure. Six opposition parties, led by the Democratic Party that controls the parliament, submitted articles of impeachment against Yoon on Wednesday afternoon local time, swiftly responding to what the Democratic Party called the Yoon administration’s “unconstitutional and illegal declaration of martial law.” The Democratic Party will also start impeachment proceedings against Defense Minister Kim Yong-hyun and Interior Minister Lee Sang-min, said Cho Seung-rae, the Democrats’ chief spokesperson, adding that all three officials should also be charged with insurrection. Insurrection charges will also be filed against the martial law commander, Gen. Park Ahn-soo, National Police Commissioner Yoon Hee-keun and other key military and police participants, Cho said. The leader of Yoon’s People Power Party (PPP), Han Dong-hoon, said the six hours of martial law “nearly brought the nation to a halt,” and that the party “respects and abides by the spirit of our constitution.” He said PPP officials were discussing whether Yoon should leave the party, but he stopped short of saying Yoon should step down as president, saying the party would investigate the full circumstances. Government officials rushed to reassure South Koreans, many of whom slept through the country’s six hours of martial law, which began late Tuesday night and ended by Wednesday morning. “I fully understand the great anxiety you must be feeling,” Prime Minister Han Duck-soo said in a statement, adding that he took full responsibility “for all the processes that have led to the current situation.” “From this moment onward, the Cabinet will dedicate itself, alongside public officials from all ministries, to ensuring the nation’s stability and the uninterrupted continuation of your daily lives,” he said. Yoon’s office said Wednesday that his chief of staff and all senior presidential secretaries had tendered their resignation. But there was no other comment from Yoon, who canceled his official schedule for the day. Antony Blinken , the U.S. secretary of state, welcomed Yoon’s order to rescind emergency martial law. “We continue to expect political disagreements to be resolved peacefully and in accordance with the rule of law,” Blinken said in a statement . The South Korean stock market opened as normal on Wednesday, with stocks down about 2% in early trading, CNBC reported . South Korea’s currency, the won, strengthened against the dollar in early trading but stayed close to the two-year low it hit late Tuesday after Yoon’s martial law declaration. At a news conference in Seoul, officials from the S&P credit rating agency said the brief period of martial law was not expected to have an impact on South Korea’s credit rating. Yoon, whose conservative government took office in 2022, has seen his approval ratings drop as he struggles to advance his agenda against the opposition Democratic Party, which controls parliament. Democratic lawmakers have sought to impeach multiple government officials and are in a fight with Yoon over next year’s budget. Yoon made the surprise martial law announcement in a late-night TV address on Tuesday, accusing opposition lawmakers of paralyzing the government and saying he was declaring a state of emergency “in order to protect the constitutional order based on freedom and eradicate shameful pro-North Korea anti-state groups, that are stealing freedom and happiness of our people.” Yoon, who takes a harder line on North Korea than his Democratic Party predecessor, said his order would also protect South Korea from the nuclear-armed communist state, with which the South technically remains at war. Soon after Yoon’s announcement, a martial law proclamation stated that all political activities, including demonstrations and the operations of the National Assembly, were prohibited. It also declared all media and publications under the control of the Martial Law Command, and ordered the country’s striking doctors to return to work within 48 hours. It was the first time since 1980 that martial law had been declared in South Korea, a country of 50 million people that spent decades under military-authoritarian rule but has since transitioned into a vibrant democracy and the world’s 10th-largest economy. U.S. officials said Tuesday that they had not been notified in advance about Yoon’s announcement, but affirmed the “ironclad” nature of the U.S. alliance with South Korea, which hosts about 28,500 American troops. Pentagon spokesperson Maj. Gen. Pat Ryder said the martial law order had “essentially no impact” on U.S. forces. Within minutes of Yoon’s announcement, lawmakers began arriving at the National Assembly in central Seoul, where police blocked them from entering. The Ministry of National Defense also deployed between 200 and 300 armed troops to the National Assembly grounds via helicopter, Kim Min-gi, secretary-general of the National Assembly, said Wednesday. Throngs of protesters also arrived at the building in opposition to the martial law declaration. Within a few hours lawmakers passed a resolution to nullify Yoon’s declaration, and soldiers promptly followed an order to leave the National Assembly. Yoon’s People Power Party urged the president to accept lawmakers’ decision and rescind the martial law order. In a televised address to the nation as dawn approached, Yoon said he had accepted the National Assembly resolution and that martial law would be lifted as soon as a quorum of cabinet members could be reached at the odd hour. “Having said that, I strongly urge the National Assembly to immediately cease the repeated acts of impeachment, legislative manipulation and budgetary sabotage that paralyze the nation’s functions,” he said. The martial law order was lifted around 4:30 a.m. Wednesday local time (2:30 p.m. Tuesday ET). South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff said deployed troops returned at 4:22 a.m. and that no unusual activity had been detected from North Korea. Woo Won-sik, chairman of the National Assembly, said the military’s immediate withdrawal from the building “demonstrates a mature and democratic military.” “Even our citizens, who carry the painful memory of past military coups, would have observed the military’s maturity in today’s situation,” Woo said. Kim, the National Assembly secretary-general, said its “unlawful closure,” the obstruction of lawmakers’ entry and the deployment of military forces had “inflicted deep wounds on the hearts of the people.” He said Ministry of National Defense personnel, police and related parties were barred from entering the National Assembly as an emergency measure “to protect lawmakers and ensure the functioning of the Assembly.” Stella Kim reported from Seoul, South Korea, and Jennifer Jett from Hong Kong This story first appeared on NBCNews.com. More from NBC News:NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Dec 4, 2024-- iHeartMedia, Inc. (NASDAQ: IHRT) (“iHeartMedia”, the “Company” or “we”) today announced that, as of 5:00 p.m., New York City time, on November 29, 2024, $750,585,122 aggregate principal amount (93.8%) of iHeartCommunications, Inc.’s (“Communications”) outstanding 6.375% Senior Secured Notes due 2026 (the “Existing 2026 Secured Notes”), $743,023,000 aggregate principal amount (99.1%) of Communications’ outstanding 5.25% Senior Secured Notes due 2027 (the “Existing 2027 Secured Notes”), $221,587,000 aggregate principal amount (44.3%) of Communications’ outstanding 4.75% Senior Secured Notes due 2028 (the “Existing 2028 Secured Notes” and, together with the Existing 2026 Secured Notes and Existing 2027 Secured Notes, the “Existing Secured Notes”) and $843,734,539 aggregate principal amount (92.1%) of Communications’ outstanding 8.375% Senior Notes due 2027 (the “Existing Unsecured Notes” and, together with the Existing Secured Notes, the “Existing Notes”) had tendered and delivered consents in the previously announced exchange offers (the “Notes Exchange Offers”) for the Existing Notes and concurrent consent solicitations (the “Notes Consent Solicitations”) to amend certain provisions in the indentures governing the Existing Notes pursuant to the terms and conditions described in the Confidential Offering Memorandum and Consent Solicitation Statement, dated November 15, 2024 (the “Offering Memorandum”), and that $2,254,656,962 aggregate principal amount (99.5%) of Communications’ outstanding term loans (the “Existing Term Loans” and, together with the Existing Notes, the “Existing Debt”) had agreed to participate and delivered consents in the previously announced exchange offer (the “Term Loan Exchange” and, together with the Notes Exchange Offers, the “Offers”) for the Existing Term Loans and consent solicitation (the “Term Loan Consent Solicitation” and, together with the Notes Consent Solicitations, the “Consent Solicitations”) to amend certain provisions in the credit agreement governing the Existing Term Loans (the “Existing Term Loan Credit Agreement”) in connection with the Term Loan Exchange, representing a total participation of $4,813,586,623 aggregate principal amount (92.0%) of the Existing Debt in the Offers as of such time (the “Early Tender/Participation Debt”). Amendments to the Offers and Consent Solicitations Additionally, Communications announced certain amendments to the Notes Exchange Offers and Notes Consent Solicitations as follows: Communications also announced that corresponding amendments (as applicable) were made to the terms of the Term Loan Exchange and Term Loan Consent Solicitation. The New Comprehensive Condition has been satisfied as of the date hereof and, subject to the satisfaction or waiver of the other conditions set forth in the Offering Memorandum, as amended, Communications intends to consummate the Comprehensive Offers. Holders are referred to the Offering Memorandum, as amended, for the detailed terms and conditions of the Notes Exchange Offers and Notes Consent Solicitations with respect to the Existing Notes, all of which remain unchanged except as set forth in this release. Important Information Eligible Holders of the Existing Notes who wish to participate in the Notes Exchange Offers and Notes Consent Solicitations must tender all their Existing Notes across each series in the Notes Exchange Offers (and deliver consents in the related Notes Consent Solicitations) and shall not be permitted to tender in only one or a subset of the foregoing. In addition, such Eligible Holders will be deemed to have delivered consents for each proposed amendment applicable to the indentures governing their Existing Notes. There are no withdrawal or revocation rights in connection with any of the Notes Exchange Offers. As a result, any tenders of Existing Notes and delivery of the related consents will be final and irrevocable. None of the Issuers, their advisors, the trustee of the Existing Notes, the trustee with respect to the new notes, as applicable, the Exchange and Information Agent (as defined below) or any affiliate of any of them, makes any recommendation as to whether Eligible Holders of Existing Notes should participate in the Notes Exchange Offers and Notes Consent Solicitations, and no one has been authorized by any of them to make such a recommendation. Eligible Holders of Existing Notes should read carefully the Offering Memorandum, as amended, before making a decision to participate in the Notes Exchange Offers and the Notes Consent Solicitations. In addition, Eligible Holders of the Existing Notes must make their own decisions as to whether to tender their Existing Notes in the Notes Exchange Offers and provide consent in the related Notes Consent Solicitation. The Notes Exchange Offers and Notes Consent Solicitations are conditioned upon the satisfaction or waiver of the conditions set forth in the Offering Memorandum, as amended, and, other than the amendments described above, the other terms and conditions of the Notes Exchange Offers and Notes Consent Solicitations remain unchanged. The Notes Exchange Offers are being made, and the new notes to be issued by the Issuers in the Notes Exchange Offers are being offered and issued, only to holders of Existing Notes that are either (i) persons who are reasonably believed to be “qualified institutional buyers” as defined in Rule 144A under the Securities Act or (ii) persons other than “U.S. persons” as defined in Regulation S who agree to purchase any such new notes outside of the United States and who are otherwise in compliance with the requirements of Regulation S. The Issuers are not making the Notes Exchange Offers in any jurisdiction where the inclusion of any person in such jurisdiction would require the Issuers or any subsidiary of the Issuers to comply with registration requirements or other similar requirements under any securities laws of such jurisdiction. The holders of Existing Notes who have certified to us that they are eligible to participate in the Notes Exchange Offers pursuant to at least one of the foregoing conditions are referred to as “Eligible Holders.” Only Eligible Holders of Existing Notes may receive a copy of the Offering Memorandum and the amendment thereto (such amendment, the “Supplement”) and participate in the Notes Exchange Offers and the Notes Consent Solicitations. The Exchange and Information Agent is Kroll Issuer Services (US) (the “Exchange and Information Agent”). Detailed instructions regarding how Eligible Holders of Existing Notes can tender Existing Notes and deliver consents with respect to the Notes Consent Solicitations are set forth in the Offering Memorandum, as amended. Questions concerning the Notes Exchange Offers or Notes Consent Solicitations or requests for additional copies of the Offering Memorandum, the Supplement or other related documents may be directed to the Exchange and Information Agent at iheart@is.kroll.com . Eligible Holders of the Existing Notes should also consult their broker, dealer, commercial bank, trust company or other institution for assistance concerning the Notes Exchange Offers and the Notes Consent Solicitations. This communication is for informational purposes only and does not constitute an offer to sell, or a solicitation of an offer to buy, any security and does not constitute an offer, solicitation or sale of any security in any jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful. Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLP served as counsel and PJT Partners served as financial advisor to the Company. Davis Polk & Wardwell LLP served as counsel and Perella Weinberg Partners served as financial advisor to an ad hoc group of certain of the Supporting Holders. Forward-Looking Statements Certain statements herein constitute “forward-looking statements”. Such forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other important factors which may cause the actual results, performance or achievements of iHeartMedia, Inc. and its subsidiaries to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. The words or phrases "guidance," "believe," "expect," "anticipate," "will," "potential," "positioned," "estimates," "forecast," and words of similar meaning, as well as other words or expressions referencing future events, conditions or circumstances are intended to identify such forward-looking statements. These statements include, but are not limited to, statements related to the transactions described above, including the Company’s ability to complete any of the transactions on the terms contemplated herein, on the timeline contemplated or at all, and the Company’s ability to realize the intended benefits of any such transactions. In addition, any statements that refer to expectations or other characterizations of future events or circumstances, such as statements about our anticipated growth and financial performance, our expected costs savings and other capital and operating expense reduction initiatives, utilizing new technologies and programmatic platforms, trends in the advertising industry, and strategies and initiatives are forward-looking statements. These statements are not guarantees of future performance and are subject to certain risks, uncertainties and other important factors, some of which are beyond our control and are difficult to predict. Various risks that could cause future results to differ from those expressed by the forward-looking statements included in this press release include, but are not limited to: risks related to weak or uncertain global economic conditions and our dependence on advertising revenues; competition, including increased competition from alternative media platforms and technologies; dependence upon our brand and the performance of on-air talent, program hosts and management; fluctuations in operating costs; technological and industry changes and innovations; shifts in population and other demographics; risks related to our use of artificial intelligence, impact of acquisitions, dispositions and other strategic transactions; risks related to our indebtedness; legislative or regulatory requirements; impact of legislation, ongoing litigation or royalty audits on music licensing and royalties; regulations and concerns regarding privacy and data protection and breaches of information security measures; risks related to scrutiny of environmental, social and governance matters; risks related to our Class A common stock; and regulations impacting our business and the ownership of our securities. Other unknown or unpredictable factors also could have material adverse effects on the Company’s future results, performance or achievements. In light of these risks, uncertainties, assumptions and factors, the forward-looking events discussed in this press release may not occur. You are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date stated, or if no date is stated, as of the date hereof. Additional risks that could cause future results to differ from those expressed by any forward-looking statement are described in the Company’s reports filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, including in the section entitled “Part I, Item 1A. Risk Factors” of iHeartMedia, Inc.’s Annual Reports on Form 10-K and “Part II, Item 1A. Risk Factors” of iHeartMedia, Inc.’s Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q. The Company does not undertake any obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements because of new information, future events or otherwise. About iHeartMedia, Inc. iHeartMedia, Inc. [Nasdaq: IHRT] is the leading audio media company in America, reaching over 90% of Americans every month. iHeart’s broadcast radio assets alone have more consumer reach in the U.S. than any other media outlet; twice the reach of the next largest broadcast radio company; and over four times the ad-enabled reach of the largest digital only audio service. iHeart is the largest podcast publisher according to Podtrac, with more downloads than the next two podcast publishers combined and has the number one social footprint among audio players, with seven times more followers than the next audio media brand, and the only fully integrated audio ad tech solution across broadcast, streaming and podcasts. The company continues to leverage its strong audience connection and unparalleled consumer reach to build new platforms, products and services. View source version on businesswire.com : https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20241204802225/en/ CONTACT: Media Wendy Goldberg Chief Communications Officer (212) 377-1105 wendygoldberg@iheartmedia.comInvestors Mike McGuinness EVP, Deputy CFO, and Head of Investor Relations (212) 377-1336 mbm@iheartmedia.com KEYWORD: UNITED STATES NORTH AMERICA NEW YORK INDUSTRY KEYWORD: PODCAST TV AND RADIO MEDIA MUSIC COMMUNICATIONS ONLINE EVENTS/CONCERTS ENTERTAINMENT SOURCE: iHeartMedia, Inc. Copyright Business Wire 2024. PUB: 12/04/2024 05:47 PM/DISC: 12/04/2024 05:47 PM http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20241204802225/en‘Better or worse?’: Syrian refugees in Malaysia yearn for home after Assad’s fall but worry about country’s futureATLANTA (AP) — Jimmy Carter, the peanut farmer who tried to restore virtue to the White House after the Watergate scandal and Vietnam War, then rebounded from a landslide defeat to become a global advocate of human rights and democracy, has died. He was 100 years old . The Carter Center said the 39th president died Sunday afternoon, more than a year after entering hospice care , at his home in Plains, Georgia, where he and his wife, Rosalynn, who died in November 2023, lived most of their lives. The center said he died peacefully, surrounded by his family. A moderate Democrat, Carter ran for president in 1976 as a little-known Georgia governor with a broad grin, effusive Baptist faith and technocratic plans for efficient government. His promise to never deceive the American people resonated after Richard Nixon’s disgrace and U.S. defeat in southeast Asia. “If I ever lie to you, if I ever make a misleading statement, don’t vote for me. I would not deserve to be your president,” Carter said. Carter’s victory over Republican Gerald Ford, whose fortunes fell after pardoning Nixon, came amid Cold War pressures, turbulent oil markets and social upheaval over race, women’s rights and America’s role in the world. His achievements included brokering Mideast peace by keeping Egyptian President Anwar Sadat and Israeli Prime Minister Menachem Begin at Camp David for 13 days in 1978. But his coalition splintered under double-digit inflation and the 444-day hostage crisis in Iran. His negotiations ultimately brought all the hostages home alive, but in a final insult, Iran didn’t release them until the inauguration of Ronald Reagan, who had trounced him in the 1980 election. Humbled and back home in Georgia, Carter said his faith demanded that he keep doing whatever he could, for as long as he could, to try to make a difference. He and Rosalynn co-founded The Carter Center in 1982 and spent the next 40 years traveling the world as peacemakers, human rights advocates and champions of democracy and public health. Awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2002, Carter helped ease nuclear tensions in North and South Korea, avert a U.S. invasion of Haiti and negotiate cease-fires in Bosnia and Sudan. By 2022, the center had monitored at least 113 elections around the world. Carter was determined to eradicate guinea worm infections as one of many health initiatives. Swinging hammers into their 90s, the Carters built homes with Habitat for Humanity. The common observation that he was better as an ex-president rankled Carter. His allies were pleased that he lived long enough to see biographers and historians revisit his presidency and declare it more impactful than many understood at the time. Propelled in 1976 by voters in Iowa and then across the South, Carter ran a no-frills campaign. Americans were captivated by the earnest engineer, and while an election-year Playboy interview drew snickers when he said he “had looked on many women with lust. I’ve committed adultery in my heart many times,” voters tired of political cynicism found it endearing. The first family set an informal tone in the White House, carrying their own luggage, trying to silence the Marine Band’s traditional “Hail to the Chief" and enrolling daughter, Amy, in public schools. Carter was lampooned for wearing a cardigan and urging Americans to turn down their thermostats. But Carter set the stage for an economic revival and sharply reduced America's dependence on foreign oil by deregulating the energy industry along with airlines, trains and trucking. He established the departments of Energy and Education, appointed record numbers of women and nonwhites to federal posts, preserved millions of acres of Alaskan wilderness and pardoned most Vietnam draft evaders. Emphasizing human rights , he ended most support for military dictators and took on bribery by multinational corporations by signing the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act. He persuaded the Senate to ratify the Panama Canal treaties and normalized relations with China, an outgrowth of Nixon’s outreach to Beijing. But crippling turns in foreign affairs took their toll. When OPEC hiked crude prices, making drivers line up for gasoline as inflation spiked to 11%, Carter tried to encourage Americans to overcome “a crisis of confidence.” Many voters lost confidence in Carter instead after the infamous address that media dubbed his “malaise" speech, even though he never used that word. After Carter reluctantly agreed to admit the exiled Shah of Iran to the U.S. for medical treatment, the American Embassy in Tehran was overrun in 1979. Negotiations to quickly free the hostages broke down, and then eight Americans died when a top-secret military rescue attempt failed. Carter also had to reverse course on the SALT II nuclear arms treaty after the Soviets invaded Afghanistan in 1979. Though historians would later credit Carter's diplomatic efforts for hastening the end of the Cold war, Republicans labeled his soft power weak. Reagan’s “make America great again” appeals resonated, and he beat Carter in all but six states. Born Oct. 1, 1924, James Earl Carter Jr. married fellow Plains native Rosalynn Smith in 1946, the year he graduated from the Naval Academy. He brought his young family back to Plains after his father died, abandoning his Navy career, and they soon turned their ambitions to politics . Carter reached the state Senate in 1962. After rural white and Black voters elected him governor in 1970, he drew national attention by declaring that “the time for racial discrimination is over.” Carter published more than 30 books and remained influential as his center turned its democracy advocacy onto U.S. politics, monitoring an audit of Georgia’s 2020 presidential election results. After a 2015 cancer diagnosis, Carter said he felt “perfectly at ease with whatever comes.” “I’ve had a wonderful life,” he said. “I’ve had thousands of friends, I’ve had an exciting, adventurous and gratifying existence.” Contributors include former AP staffer Alex Sanz in Atlanta.