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sports games Control Towers Market Optimizing Supply Chain Visibility with Advanced Analytics SolutionsSouth Korea lifts president's martial law decree after lawmakers reject military rule SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — The president of South Korea early Wednesday lifted the martial law he imposed on the country hours earlier, bending to political pressure after a tense night in which troops surrounded parliament and lawmakers voted to reje Kim Tong-hyung, The Associated Press Dec 3, 2024 3:16 PM Share by Email Share on Facebook Share on X Share on LinkedIn Print Share via Text Message A man shouts to demand South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol to step down in front of the National Assembly in Seoul, South Korea, Wednesday, Dec. 4, 2024. (AP Photo/Ahn Young-joon) SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — The president of South Korea early Wednesday lifted the martial law he imposed on the country hours earlier, bending to political pressure after a tense night in which troops surrounded parliament and lawmakers voted to reject military rule. President Yoon Suk Yeol, who appeared likely to be impeached over his actions, imposed martial law late Tuesday out of frustration with the opposition, vowing to eliminate “anti-state” forces as he struggles against opponents who control parliament and that he accuses of sympathizing with communist North Korea. Police and military personnel were seen leaving the grounds of parliament following the bipartisan vote to overrule the president, and the declaration was formally lifted around 4:30 a.m. during a Cabinet meeting. Parliament acted swiftly after martial law was imposed, with National Assembly Speaker Woo Won Shik declaring that the law was “invalid” and that lawmakers would “protect democracy with the people.” In all, martial law was in effect for about six hours. The president’s surprising move harkened back to an era of authoritarian leaders that the country has not seen since the 1980s, and it was immediately denounced by the opposition and the leader of Yoon’s own conservative party. Lee Jae-myung , leader of the liberal Democratic Party, which holds the majority in the 300-seat parliament, said the party’s lawmakers would remain in the Assembly’s main hall until Yoon formally lifted his order. Woo applauded how troops quickly left the Assembly after the vote. “Even with our unfortunate memories of military coups, our citizens have surely observed the events of today and saw the maturity of our military,” Woo said. While announcing his plan to lift martial law, Yoon continued to criticize parliament’s attempts to impeach key government officials and senior prosecutors. He said lawmakers had engaged in “unscrupulous acts of legislative and budgetary manipulation that are paralyzing the functions of the state.” Jo Seung-lae, a Democratic lawmaker, claimed that security camera footage following Yoon’s declaration showed that troops moved in a way that suggested they were trying to arrest Lee, Woo and even Han Dong-hoon, the leader of Yoon’s People Power Party. Officials from Yoon’s office and the Defense Ministry did not respond to requests for comment early Wednesday. Seemingly hundreds of protesters gathered in front of the Assembly, waving banners and calling for Yoon’s impeachment. Some protesters scuffled with troops ahead of the lawmakers’ vote, but there were no immediate reports of injuries or major property damage. At least one window was broken as troops attempted to enter the Assembly building. One woman tried unsuccessfully to pull a rifle away from one of the soldiers, while shouting “Aren’t you embarrassed?” Under South Korea’s constitution, the president can declare martial law during “wartime, war-like situations or other comparable national emergency states” that require the use of military force to maintain peace and order. It was questionable whether South Korea is currently in such a state. When martial law is declared, “special measures” can be employed to restrict freedom of press, freedom of assembly and other rights, as well as the power of courts. The constitution also states that the president must oblige when the National Assembly demands the lifting of martial law with a majority vote. Following Yoon’s announcement of martial law, South Korea’s military proclaimed that parliament and other political gatherings that could cause “social confusion” would be suspended, South Korea’s Yonhap news agency said. The military said anyone who violated the decree could be arrested without a warrant. In Washington, the White House said the U.S. was “seriously concerned” by the events in Seoul. A spokesperson for the National Security Council said President Joe Biden’s administration was not notified in advance of the martial law announcement and was in contact with the South Korean government. Pentagon spokesman Maj. Gen. Pat Ryder said there was no effect on the more than 27,000 U.S. service members based in South Korea. The South Korean military also said that the country’s striking doctors should return to work within 48 hours, Yonhap said. Thousands of doctors have been striking for months over government plans to expand the number of students at medical schools. Soon after martial law was declared, the parliament speaker called on his YouTube channel for all lawmakers to gather at the National Assembly. He urged military and law enforcement personnel to “remain calm and hold their positions. All 190 lawmakers who participated in the vote supported the lifting of martial law. At one point, television footage showed police officers blocking the entrance of the National Assembly and helmeted soldiers carrying rifles in front of the building. An Associated Press photographer saw at least three helicopters, likely from the military, that landed inside the Assembly grounds, while two or three helicopters circled above the site. The leader of Yoon’s conservative party called the decision to impose martial law “wrong.” Lee, who narrowly lost to Yoon in the 2022 presidential election, said Yoon’s announcement was “illegal and unconstitutional.” Yoon said during a televised speech that martial law would help “rebuild and protect” the country from “falling into the depths of national ruin.” He said he would “eradicate pro-North Korean forces and protect the constitutional democratic order.” “I will eliminate anti-state forces as quickly as possible and normalize the country,” he said, while asking the people to believe in him and tolerate “some inconveniences.” Yoon — whose approval rating dipped in recent months — has struggled to push his agenda against an opposition-controlled parliament since taking office in 2022. His party has been locked in an impasse with the liberal opposition over next year’s budget bill. The opposition has also attempted to impeach three top prosecutors, including the chief of the central Seoul prosecutors’ office, in what the conservatives have called a vendetta against their criminal investigations of Lee, who has been seen as the favorite for the next presidential election in 2027 in opinion polls. During his televised announcement, Yoon also described the opposition as “shameless pro-North Korean anti-state forces who are plundering the freedom and happiness of our citizens.” He did not elaborate. Yoon has taken a hard line on North Korea over its nuclear ambitions, departing from the policies of his liberal predecessor, Moon Jae-in, who pursued inter-Korean engagement. Yoon has also dismissed calls for independent investigations into scandals involving his wife and top officials, drawing quick, strong rebukes from his political rivals. Yoon’s move was the first declaration of martial law since the country’s democratization in 1987. The country’s last previous martial law was in October 1979, following the assassination of former military dictator Park Chung-hee. Sydney Seiler, Korean chair at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, argued that the move was symbolic for Yoon to express his frustration with the opposition-controlled parliament. “He has nothing to lose,” said Seiler, comparing Yoon’s move to the Hail Mary pass in American football, with a slim chance of success. Now Yoon faces likely impeachment, a scenario that was also possible before he made the bold move, Seiler said. Natalia Slavney, research analyst at the Stimson Center’s 38 North website that focuses on Korean affairs, said Yoon’s imposition of martial law was “a serious backslide of democracy" that followed a “worrying trend of abuse” since he took office in 2022. South Korea “has a robust history of political pluralism and is no stranger to mass protests and swift impeachments,” Slavney said, citing the example of former President Park Geun-hye, the country’s first female president, who was ousted from office and imprisoned for bribery and other crimes in 2017 . ___ Associated Press writers Hyung-jin Kim in Seoul, South Korea, and Matt Lee, Didi Tang and Tara Copp in Washington contributed to this report. Kim Tong-hyung, The Associated Press See a typo/mistake? Have a story/tip? 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Unlike scores of people who scrambled for the blockbuster drugs Ozempic and Wegovy to lose weight in recent years, Danielle Griffin had no trouble getting them. The 38-year-old information technology worker from New Mexico had a prescription. Her pharmacy had the drugs in stock. And her health insurance covered all but $25 to $50 of the monthly cost. For Griffin, the hardest part of using the new drugs wasn’t access. It was finding out that the much-hyped medications didn’t really work for her. “I have been on Wegovy for a year and a half and have only lost 13 pounds,” said Griffin, who watches her diet, drinks plenty of water and exercises regularly. “I’ve done everything right with no success. It’s discouraging.” In clinical trials, most participants taking Wegovy or Mounjaro to treat obesity lost an average of 15% to 22% of their body weight — up to 50 pounds or more in many cases. But roughly 10% to 15% of patients in those trials were “nonresponders” who lost less than 5% of their body weight. Now that millions of people have used the drugs, several obesity experts told The Associated Press that perhaps 20% of patients — as many as 1 in 5 — may not respond well to the medications. It's a little-known consequence of the obesity drug boom, according to doctors who caution eager patients not to expect one-size-fits-all results. “It's all about explaining that different people have different responses,” said Dr. Fatima Cody Stanford, an obesity expert at Massachusetts General Hospital The drugs are known as GLP-1 receptor agonists because they mimic a hormone in the body known as glucagon-like peptide 1. Genetics, hormones and variability in how the brain regulates energy can all influence weight — and a person's response to the drugs, Stanford said. Medical conditions such as sleep apnea can prevent weight loss, as can certain common medications, such as antidepressants, steroids and contraceptives. “This is a disease that stems from the brain,” said Stanford. “The dysfunction may not be the same” from patient to patient. Despite such cautions, patients are often upset when they start getting the weekly injections but the numbers on the scale barely budge. “It can be devastating,” said Dr. Katherine Saunders, an obesity expert at Weill Cornell Medicine and co-founder of the obesity treatment company FlyteHealth. “With such high expectations, there’s so much room for disappointment.” That was the case for Griffin, who has battled obesity since childhood and hoped to shed 70 pounds using Wegovy. The drug helped reduce her appetite and lowered her risk of diabetes, but she saw little change in weight. “It’s an emotional roller coaster,” she said. “You want it to work like it does for everybody else.” The medications are typically prescribed along with eating behavior and lifestyle changes. It’s usually clear within weeks whether someone will respond to the drugs, said Dr. Jody Dushay, an endocrine specialist at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center. Weight loss typically begins right away and continues as the dosage increases. For some patients, that just doesn't happen. For others, side effects such as nausea, vomiting and diarrhea force them to halt the medications, Dushay said. In such situations, patients who were counting on the new drugs to pare pounds may think they’re out of options. “I tell them: It's not game over,” Dushay said. Trying a different version of the new class of drugs may help. Griffin, who didn't respond well to Wegovy, has started using Zepbound, which targets an additional hormone pathway in the body. After three months of using the drug, she has lost 7 pounds. “I'm hoping it's slow and steady,” she said. Other people respond well to older drugs, the experts said. Changing diet, exercise, sleep and stress habits can also have profound effects. Figuring out what works typically requires a doctor trained to treat obesity, Saunders noted. “Obesity is such a complex disease that really needs to be treated very comprehensively,” she said. “If what we’re prescribing doesn’t work, we always have a backup plan.” The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Science and Educational Media Group. The AP is solely responsible for all content.

The holiday season is right around the corner, and as the Canadian consumer looks to open up their wallet in one of the biggest seasons for retail, the so-called Santa Claus rally may have one just bump to give the stock market before the page turns on a new year. Indeed, it’s been a great year to be a stock investor. And while the year’s gains seem less likely to be topped come the new year, I think there are intriguing options out there that may not be nearly as bid up as the market, specifically the S&P 500, which I view as getting expensive, especially compared to the TSX Index. Indeed, just because the markets as a whole are expensive does not mean that there aren’t undervalued names lurking under the radar. Indeed, some of the best value bets may actually be large-cap names hiding in plain sight. And in this piece, we’ll check out two such names that are not at all overheated and are potentially extremely undervalued. So, if you’re searching for relative value in a hot market, the following names may be worth stashing on your December shopping list! Quebecor First, we have a Quebec-based telecom firm, ( ), which is also now the proud owner of discount wireless carrier Freedom Mobile. Indeed, Freedom Mobile may be best known as a carrier that offers competitive prices. However, it still has a way to go on the network quality front if it’s to really disrupt the Big Three telecom titans as they duke it out for the national wireless crown. In short, Quebecor is an underdog but one that I think is worth betting on as the firm looks to take on national behemoths that are magnitudes larger than its size (Quebecor is a mere $7.48 billion company). As Freedom continues investing in its 5G network, I think that more Canadians may gravitate towards the offering in a bid to save a few bucks per month. Indeed, inflation may have been tamed, but the for solid value propositions has not faded—not in the slightest. With a ridiculously low 10.3 times trailing price to earnings (P/E) and a nice 4.04% dividend yield, I’d look at the stock closely after its latest November correction, one that I think is overdone. Coca-Cola Speaking of corrections, ( ) stock is still just nearly 13% from its all-time high. Indeed, there’s a pretty strong level of support in the $62-63 range, making the recent dip seem like an opportunistic entry point. The stock boasts a nice 3.04% dividend yield and goes for 26.5 times trailing P/E. Indeed, that’s a modest dividend for a rather expensive price. While Coca-Cola’s controversial artificial intelligence (AI) advertisements may not hit the spot for many (I must say that I was not a big fan of the holiday ad), I see many areas where the firm can grow and move on from its recent pullback. Perhaps new products and targeted ads may be able to bring back some of the fizz to KO shares. Either way, you’re getting a legendary consumer staple that’s worth venturing south of the border for while it’s still down. As long as Coke pulls back on the AI ads, I think its marketing campaign can hit the ground running again.7 AI Automation Trends You Can’t Ignore in 2025

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LAS VEGAS, Nov 23 (Reuters) - Formula One leader Max Verstappen said he was surprised to be ahead of title challenger Lando Norris after qualifying fifth for the Las Vegas Grand Prix despite a rear wing disadvantage. Verstappen's Red Bull has been slower on the Las Vegas straights than his rivals, with the team explaining they had not designed a special low downforce rear wing for cost reasons. The Dutchman can capture his fourth successive Formula One championship on Saturday if he beats McLaren's Norris, who was sixth in qualifying. "We tried to do the best we could," Verstappen told reporters after qualifying, where Mercedes driver George Russell took the pole. "We worked well together. We tried a lot of different things to see what was the right direction... still clearly not enough to fight for pole. I'm still quite happy. "We are still in front of McLaren, which for me is a bit of a surprise but I'm quite happy with how qualifying went and my laps." Verstappen, 62 points clear of Norris with 60 remaining to be won after Las Vegas, downplayed expectations that he would clinch the title on Saturday at the race he won in its first iteration last year. "At the moment, it's difficult to tell," he said. "Both of us were not great on the long run, we both (degraded) on the tyres compared to other teams. "But a lot of teams have made changes, so only time will tell tomorrow how we will perform." Norris said Mercedes and Ferrari have both shown the superiority of their cars in Las Vegas and that he was not comfortable pushing too hard. "When you are trying to find lap time but not go over the limit it's a difficult balance," he said. "So just too much of a challenge for us and that showed." The Briton said beating Verstappen to extend the battle for the championship to Qatar was his focus. "I'll do everything I can, of course. That's what I'm here to do," he said. "I'm not going to give up until the end even if the chance is extremely thin. "But I'm here to do the best in every race I can whether I'm fighting for a championship or not. "So I'll go out tomorrow, it's a long race, many things can happen. We're quick in the straight so hopefully that can come to our advantage." Sign up here. Reporting by Rory Carroll in Las Vegas, Additional reporting by Alan Baldwin, editing by Ed Osmond Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles. , opens new tab Thomson Reuters Los Angeles-based sports reporter who interviews the most impactful athletes and executives in the world. Covers breaking news ranging from the highs of championship victories to the lows of abuse scandals. My work highlights the ways in which sports and the issues of race, gender, culture, finance, and technology intersect.