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RAINN Named Winner of 2024-2025 Amazon Web Services IMAGINE Grant for NonprofitsS.Korea political upheaval shows global democracy's fragility - and resilience

Leicester City manager Ruud van Nistelrooy got off to a winning start in his first game in charge as they beat West Ham United 3-1 in the Premier League. Veteran striker Jamie Vardy, 20-year-old Bilal El Khannouss and substitute Patson Daka scored as Leicester took their chances while a dominant West Ham were guilty of spurning several good opportunities, only getting a late consolation goal from Niclas Fuellkrug. Van Nistelrooy was appointed on Friday to replace Steve Cooper after the Foxes made a poor start to the season and although he did not have much time with his new charges, his arrival injected some much-needed good fortune into the club. The win moved Leicester, who last won six weeks ago, from a point above the relegation places to 15th, while West Ham are one place above them in the standings. The 37-year-old Vardy beat the offside trap to score after 98 seconds although it took more than two minutes for a VAR check to confirm his run had been perfectly timed. Leicester's second came on the hour mark as El Khannouss steered home a perfectly weighted pass inside from Kasey McAteer after a long ball to the left from Facundo Buonanotte stretched the West Ham defence. Bobby De Cordova-Reid found the net in the 81st minute but his effort was chalked off for offside after a VAR check but in the 90th minute Daka was released on the left and finished with a powerful strike. For the rest it was a match that the Hammers dominated, spurning several clear-cut chances before they bagged a late consolation goal, with the result piling the pressure on under fire manager Julen Lopetegui. Danny Ings, making his first start of the season, saw his 13th minute header deflect off Leicester fullback James Justin and onto the base of the post. In the 69th minute, Leicester's Conor Coady cleared off the line as he was falling back into his own net, keeping out substitute Crysencio Summerville's effort with the tip of his toe. There was also a let off for Leicester goalkeeper Mads Hermansen in the 58th minute when he came out to punch the ball but missed, allowing it to trickle into the net only for the referee to award a free kick for a push by Tomas Soucek. West Ham finally found the net four minutes into stoppage time with Fuellkrug's header on his return from injury. Palace edge Ipswich Earlier, Crystal Palace eked out a 1-0 victory at Ipswich Town, with Jean-Philippe Mateta capitalising on a slip from his marker to score the winner just before the hour mark. The French striker broke free in the 59th minute, as Ipswich's Jacob Greaves lost his footing, before lifting the ball over keeper Arijanet Muric. Palace are 16th in the table with 12 points, while Ipswich are second-to-bottom with nine points. It was a first away win of the league campaign for Palace, while the hosts are still waiting for their first victory at Portman Road since winning promotion. "Very pleased with the result. It was not about performing brilliantly. We expected a big fight and it was a big fight," Palace manager Oliver Glasner told Match of The Day. "I told the players we had to expect a big fight today and it was a big fight, especially at the end. We expected them to play man to man, big pressure. "We're pleased with our defensive performance, we didn't allow them a chance from open play, just one from a set piece in the first half and one in the second half." - Reuters

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President-elect Donald Trump on Friday offered a public show of support for Pete Hegseth, his embattled choice to lead the Defense Department, whose confirmation by the Senate is in doubt as he faces questions over allegations of excessive drinking, sexual assault and his views on women in combat. Hegseth, a former Fox News Host, Army National Guard major and combat veteran, spent much of the week on Capitol Hill trying to salvage his Cabinet nomination and privately reassure Republican senators that he is fit to lead Trump’s Pentagon. “Pete Hegseth is doing very well,” Trump posted on his social media site. “He will be a fantastic, high energy, Secretary of Defense." The president added that "Pete is a WINNER, and there is nothing that can be done to change that!!!” The pitched nomination battle over Hegseth is emerging as not only as a debate about the best person to lead the Pentagon, but an inflection point for a MAGA movement that appears to be relishing a public fight over its hardline push for a more masculine military and an end to the “woke-ism" of diversity, equity and inclusion efforts. Trump’s allies are forcefully rallying around the embattled Hegseth – the Heritage Foundation’s political arm is promising to spend $1 million to shore up his nomination – as he vows to stay in the fight, as long as the president-elect wants him to. “We’re going to earn those votes,” Hegseth said on Capitol Hill this week. “As long as Donald Trump wants me in this fight, I’m going to be standing right here.” The effort quickly become a test of Trump’s clout and of how far loyalty for the president-elect goes with Republican senators who have concerns about his nominees. Two of Trump's other choices have stepped aside as they faced intense scrutiny: former congressman Matt Gaetz, his first choice for attorney general; and Chad Chronister, a Florida sheriff who was Trump’s first choice to lead the Drug Enforcement Administration. The president's son Donald J. Trump Jr, also made a show of support for Hegseth on Friday, part of a full-court MAGA press. “If you’re a GOP Senator who voted for Lloyd Austin, but criticize @PeteHegseth, then maybe you’re in the wrong political party!” he wrote on X. referring to Biden's defense secretary. Hegseth has promised not to drink on the job and told lawmakers he never engaged in sexual misconduct, even as his professional views on female troops have also come under intensifying scrutiny. He said as recently as last month that women “straight up” should not serve in combat. He picked up one important endorsement from Republican Sen. Katie Britt of Alabama, whose support was seen as a potentially powerful counterweight to the cooler reception Hegseth had received from Sen. Joni Ernst, herself a former Army National Guard lieutenant colonel. “Huge. Thanks to Katie for her leadership,” Vice President-elect JD Vance posted on social media. Ernst, who is also a sexual assault survivor, stopped short of an endorsement after her meeting with Hegseth this week. She said she appreciates his military service and they “had a frank and thorough conversation.” On Friday, Trump put out the statement in response to coverage saying he had lost faith in Hegseth, according to a person familiar with his thinking who was not authorized to discuss it publicly. The president-elect and his team have been pleased to see Hegseth putting up a fight and his performance this week reiterates why he was chosen, the person said. They believe he can still be confirmed. If Hegseth goes down, Trump's team believes the defeat would empower others to spread what they cast as “vicious lies” against every candidate Trump chooses. Still, Trump's transition team has been looking at potential replacements if Hegseth's nomination cannot move forward, including former presidential rival Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis. DeSantis plans to attend the Army-Navy football game with Trump on Dec. 14, according to a person familiar with the Florida governor’s plans who spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity to discuss them before a public announcement. And DeSantis and Trump had spoken about the defense secretary post when they saw each other Tuesday at a memorial service for sheriff deputies in West Palm Beach, Florida, according people familiar with the matter who said Trump was interested in DeSantis for the post, and the governor was receptive. At the same time, DeSantis also is poised to select a replacement for the expected Senate vacancy to be created by Marco Rubio becoming secretary of state, and Trump’s daughter-in-law Lara Trump is seen as the preferred choice by those in Trump’s orbit. Despite a weeklong push of private Capitol Hill meetings, Hegseth is facing resistance from senators as reports have emerged about his past, including the revelation that he made a settlement payment after being accused of a sexual assault that he denies. The New Yorker cited what it described as a whistleblower report and other documents about his time leading a veterans advocacy group, Concerned Veterans for America, that alleged multiple incidents of alcohol intoxication at work events, inappropriate behavior around female staffers and financial mismanagement. The New York Times obtained an email from his mother Penelope from 2018, in which she confronted him about mistreating women after he impregnated his current wife while he was married to his second wife. She went on “Fox & Friends” this week to defend her son. Trump ally Sen. Markwayne Mullin, R-Okla., said senators are judging “Pete for who he is today.” In many ways the increasingly pitched battle resembles the political and culture wars that exploded over Trump’s pick of Brett Kavanaugh for the Supreme Court during his first term at the White House. Kavanaugh had also faced allegations of sexual assault that he strenuously denied, but Republicans rallied to his side and turned a tide of opposition into a more sympathetic view of the Supreme Court nominee as the victim of a liberal-led smear campaign. He eventually won confirmation. While Hegseth was still fighting for votes in the Senate, he did appear to make incremental progress with some Republicans who had expressed concerns about the reports of his drinking, in particular. “I’m not going to make any decision regarding Pete Hegseth’s nomination based on anonymous sources,” said Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C. North Dakota Sen. Kevin Cramer said of the allegations against Hegseth, “I have no reason to doubt him any more than believe somebody else.” Still, Cramer indicated he could still change his mind. A background check “will be informative.” Sen. Mike Rounds, R-S.D., said after meeting with Hegseth that he wanted to see how he does in a hearing but “he went a long way” toward getting his support. Associated Press writers Michelle L. Price in New York, Adriana Gomez Licon in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida, and Mary Clare Jalonick, Kevin Freking and Lisa Mascaro in Washington contributed to this report.South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol's brief imposition of martial law marks a new warning for the worldwide fragility of democracy, even in a country hailed as a model of political transformation. Yoon's overnight attempt to shut down political activity, censor media and lock out opposition lawmakers stunned South Korea's longtime ally, the United States, which said it had no advance warning and issued a statement of concern. South Korea's transition to elected rule since a mass uprising in 1987 had been seen as so thorough that the United States increasingly spoke of its ally as a global partner. Meanwhile, Seoul billed itself as a new, ideal hub for international media as China clamped down on Hong Kong. President Joe Biden had even chosen Yoon as the host in March of his final Summit for Democracy -- a signature initiative of the outgoing US leader, who sought to champion liberal values globally, in an unstated repudiation of Donald Trump, who returns to the White House next month. But observers, while stunned by Yoon, said there were warning signs. Danny Russel, a top US diplomat for Asia under former president Barack Obama and who earlier served in South Korea, pointed to the deadlock in parliament where the opposition repeatedly sought impeachments against Yoon's administration. Yoon's move "was a complete surprise to me (but) yes, there were very obvious structural forces at work," he said. "There is a radically polarized political scene in Korea. The opposition has been pursuing scorched-earth political obstruction tactics," he said. But he pointed to the quick, large-scale protests that erupted after Yoon's declaration as a sign of a vibrant civil society ready to defend democracy. "One certainly would hope that this would serve as a wake-up call to both the ruling conservative party and the progressive opposition that both sides have gone too far and that there needs to be some process of reconciliation, of dealing with legitimate differences and grievances." Yoon himself had earlier shown signs of authoritarianism. In a national address last year, Yoon raged against supposed communists who have "disguised themselves as democracy activists, human rights advocates or progressive activists." A prosecutor, Yoon narrowly won the 2022 election on a platform of economic reform and advocated close ties with the United States as well as historic rival Japan. But his popularity swiftly slid and the opposition won the National Assembly. Celeste Arrington, a Korea expert at George Washington University, noted that Yoon had never held elected office before and had become increasingly frustrated. "This is really an extreme move that may signal, I think, the president's lack of political experience," she said. She said that martial law showed "some cracks in democracy" but that the quick reversal "gives me hope in the health and strength and vibrancy of democracy in South Korea." Bruce Klingner, a senior research fellow at the conservative Heritage Foundation, expected Yoon's career to be over after attempting martial law, which constitutionally can only be imposed for wars or other emergencies. "Yoon's action is a damning reversal to decades of South Korean efforts to put its authoritarian past behind it," he said. The number of democracies worldwide soared starting in the late 1980s as the Soviet Union collapsed and student-led uprisings brought reforms elsewhere. But globally, democracy has been in retreat for the last 18 straight years, according to the Washington-based group Freedom House, which promotes political liberty. Democratically elected leaders have taken increasingly authoritarian steps in countries as diverse as India, Turkey and Hungary. V-Dem, another closely watched democracy index, had most recently ranked South Korea third in Asia after Taiwan and Japan. In the United States, Trump has rejected long-held norms, refusing to accept he lost to Biden four years ago -- culminating in his supporters violently rampaging through the US Capitol. Trump's rejection of democracy ultimately worked out for him: campaigning on the rage of 2020, he won last month's election. But experts said Yoon's power play -- and its reversal -- could in fact show a victory for democratic values. "Yoon is a deeply unpopular and ineffectual leader, but there was nothing I saw of people being dissatisfied with the way government runs," Alan Yu, a senior vice president at the left-leaning Center for American Progress, said after a recent trip to Seoul. Darcie Draudt-Vejares of the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, said that with the swift response to Yoon, "this crisis may ultimately strengthen Korean democracy by reaffirming civilian control and demonstrating institutional resilience." sct/nro

A Connecticut couple has been charged in Minnesota with being part of a shoplifting ring suspected of stealing around $1 million in goods across the country from the upscale athletic wear retailer Lululemon. Jadion Anthony Richards, 44, and Akwele Nickeisha Lawes-Richards, 45, both of Danbury, Connecticut, were charged this month with one felony count of organized retail theft. Both went free last week after posting bail bonds of $100,000 for him and $30,000 for her, court records show. They're due back in Ramsey County District Court in St. Paul on Dec. 16. According to the criminal complaints, a Lululemon investigator had been tracking the pair even before police first confronted them on Nov. 14 at a store in suburban Roseville. The investigator told police the couple were responsible for hundreds of thousands of dollars in losses across the country, the complaints said. They would steal items and make fraudulent returns, it said. Police found suitcases containing more than $50,000 worth of Lululemon clothing when they searched the couple's hotel room in Bloomington, the complaint said. RELATED STORY | Florida social media influencer arrested for stealing from Target According to the investigator, they were also suspected in thefts from Lululemon stores in Colorado, Utah, New York and Connecticut, the complaint said. Within Minnesota, they were also accused of thefts at stores in Minneapolis and the suburbs of Woodbury, Edina and Minnetonka. The investigator said the two were part of a group that would usually travel to a city and hit Lululemon stores there for two days, return to the East Coast to exchange the items without receipts for new items, take back the new items with the return receipts for credit card refunds, then head back out to commit more thefts, the complaint said. In at least some of the thefts, it said, Richards would enter the store first and buy one or two cheap items. He'd then return to the sales floor where, with help from Lawes-Richards, they would remove a security sensor from another item and put it on one of the items he had just purchased. Lawes-Richards and another woman would then conceal leggings under their clothing. They would then leave together. When the security sensors at the door went off, he would offer staff the bag with the items he had bought, while the women would keep walking out, fooling the staff into thinking it was his sensor that had set off the alarm, the complaint said. Richards' attorney declined to comment. Lawes-Richards' public defender did not immediately return a call seeking comment Monday. "This outcome continues to underscore our ongoing collaboration with law enforcement and our investments in advanced technology, team training and investigative capabilities to combat retail crime and hold offenders accountable," Tristen Shields, Lululemon's vice president of asset protection, said in a statement. "We remain dedicated to continuing these efforts to address and prevent this industrywide issue." The two are being prosecuted under a state law enacted last year that seeks to crack down on organized retail theft. One of its chief authors, Sen. Ron Latz, of St. Louis Park, said 34 states already had organized retail crime laws on their books. "I am glad to see it is working as intended to bring down criminal operations," Latz said in a statement. "This type of theft harms retailers in myriad ways, including lost economic activity, job loss, and threats to worker safety when crime goes unaddressed. It also harms consumers through rising costs and compromised products being resold online." Two Minnesota women were also charged under the new law in August. They were accused of targeting a Lululemon store in Minneapolis.Robinson's 19 lead Northern Kentucky over IU Indianapolis 66-64

RESEARCH TRIANGLE PARK, N.C. , Nov. 27, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Charles & Colvard, Ltd. ("Charles & Colvard" or the "Company") (Nasdaq: CTHR ) today announced that on November 21, 2024 , it received a letter from the Listing Qualifications Department of the Nasdaq Stock Market LLC ("Nasdaq") notifying the Company that it was not in compliance with Nasdaq Listing Rule 5250(c)(1), which requires the timely filing of all required periodic reports (the "Listing Rule"), as a result of not having timely filed its Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the fiscal quarter ended September 30, 2024 (the "Form 10-Q"), and because the Company remains delinquent in filing its Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended June 30, 2024 (the "Form 10-K"), with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC"). The Form 10-Q was due on November 14, 2024. The Company filed a Notification of Late Filing on Form 12b-25 with the SEC on November 15, 2024. The Notice has no immediate effect on the listing or trading of the Company's common stock on Nasdaq. Under Nasdaq rules, the Company has until December 17, 2024 , to regain compliance with the Listing Rule or to submit to Nasdaq a plan to regain compliance with the Listing Rule (the "Plan"). If Nasdaq accepts the Company's Plan, then Nasdaq may grant the Company up to 180 calendar days from the Form 10-K filing due date, or until April 14, 2025 to file its Form 10-K and Form 10-Q and regain compliance. If Nasdaq does not accept the Company's Plan, then the Company will have the opportunity to appeal that decision to a Nasdaq Hearings Panel. The Company is working diligently to complete its Form 10-K and Form 10-Q and plans to file its Form 10-K and Form 10-Q as promptly as practicable to regain compliance with the Listing Rule. About Charles & Colvard, Ltd. Charles & Colvard, Ltd. (Nasdaq: CTHR ) believes that fine jewelry should be as ethical as it is exquisite. Charles & Colvard is the original creator of lab grown moissanite (a rare gemstone formed from silicon carbide). The Company brings revolutionary gems and fine jewelry to market by using exclusively Made, not MinedTM above ground gemstones and a dedication to 100% recycled precious metals. The Company's Forever OneTM moissanite and Caydia ® lab grown diamond brands provide exceptional quality, incredible value and a conscious approach to bridal, high fashion, and everyday jewelry. Charles & Colvard was founded in 1995 and is based in North Carolina's Research Triangle Park region. For more information, please visit https://www.charlesandcolvard.com/ . Forward-Looking Statements This press release contains a number of forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. Words such as "plan," "expect," "will," "working," and variations of such words and similar future or conditional expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, the expected filing of its Form 10-K and ability to regain compliance under the Nasdaq listing rule. These forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future results and are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties, many of which are difficult to predict and beyond our control. Actual results could differ materially from those contemplated by the forward-looking statements as a result of certain factors detailed in the Company's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including the risks and uncertainties described in more detail in our filings with the SEC, including our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended June 30, 2023 and subsequent reports filed with the SEC. For example, there can be no assurance that the Company will regain compliance with the Listing Rule during any compliance period or in the future, or otherwise meet Nasdaq compliance standards. Forward-looking statements speak only as of the date they are made. The Company disclaims and does not undertake any obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statement in this press release, except as required by applicable law or regulation and you are urged to review and consider disclosures that we make in the reports that we file with the SEC that discuss other factors relevant to our business. SOURCE Charles & Colvard, Ltd.

NoneRodgers says he'll enjoy the rest of the Jets' season and 'let the future take care of itself'Holt 3-5 4-4 10, Brewer 4-5 0-0 10, Neal 4-12 0-0 12, Skytta 2-5 0-0 5, Vaughns 5-8 0-0 12, Nunn 0-4 4-5 4, Williams 2-9 0-2 4, Dioramma 2-8 2-2 6, Beatty 0-0 0-1 0, Wilson 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 22-56 10-14 63. Celichowski 2-4 3-4 7, Brown 0-2 2-4 2, Duskin 2-6 0-0 6, Mills 7-13 1-3 19, Taylor 2-12 6-9 11, Kearney 1-3 1-2 4, Walker 3-8 1-3 7, Marshall 1-4 3-4 5. Totals 18-52 17-29 61. Halftime_Air Force 33-22. 3-Point Goals_Sacramento St. 9-21 (Neal 4-9, Brewer 2-3, Vaughns 2-4, Skytta 1-1, Holt 0-1, Williams 0-1, Nunn 0-2), Air Force 8-28 (Mills 4-9, Duskin 2-6, Kearney 1-2, Taylor 1-9, Brown 0-1, Marshall 0-1). Fouled Out_Vaughns, Williams. Rebounds_Sacramento St. 37 (Holt 8), Air Force 33 (Taylor 7). Assists_Sacramento St. 13 (Nunn 7), Air Force 14 (Brown, Taylor 5). Total Fouls_Sacramento St. 27, Air Force 20.

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The forward has arguably been the best player in the Premier League this season, and though his team's match away against Everton was postponed on Saturday afternoon , Liverpool will still end the weekend in first place . Despite Arne Slot enjoying a fantastic start to life as boss at Anfield, he has been plagued by questions regarding the future of stars Trent Alexander-Arnold, Virgil van Dijk and Salah, who are all out of contract at the end of the season. The Egyptian has vocally expressed his desire to stay on Merseyside, though the 32-year-old has been labelled "selfish" by the likes of Jamie Carragher for supposedly deliberately seeking out reporters. However, TheMirror report that the club's hierarchy have reached an agreement with the Egyptian, with a new two-year contract set to be signed. © Imago Salah has enjoyed a remarkable 2024-25 campaign so far, with the forward producing 13 goals and registering eight assists in the top flight. The attacker scored twice and assisted once against Newcastle United on Wednesday , and has also netted against Manchester City and Arsenal, proving that he can still impact games on the biggest occasions. Losing Salah would be unconscionable to many fans, especially considering he has been directly responsible for 75% of the team's 28 goals in the Premier League. In fact, Luis Diaz , Cody Gakpo , Darwin Nunez and Diogo Jota have only managed to produce 17 goals and assists between them in the league, four fewer than Salah has produced on his own. The Egyptian has shown no sign of decline as he has aged, and while his output will inevitably be impacted by the passage of time, it would be wise of Liverpool to make the most of Salah while he is still producing at such an incredible rate. © Imago Salah's contract was seen by some as being a particularly complicated deal to pull off, especially give the riches that would undoubtedly be on offer to him from the Saudi Pro League. However, should Liverpool manage to sign their talisman to an extension, then it would likely bode well for Van Dijk, who has also performed exceptionally this season. There have been similar reservations from the Reds hierarchy about handing out a contract extension to the 33-year-old centre-back due to his age, but there have been rumours that the captain has already been offered a new deal. Trent's extension would seem the most straightforward considering he is a boyhood Liverpool fan and is only 26 years old, but there have been persistent links with the likes of Real Madrid. Regardless, Reds fans will hope that Salah can lead Liverpool's title charge this season and be at the forefront of Slot's era on Merseyside.