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Mr Carter, a former peanut farmer, served one term in the White House and spent his post-presidency years as a global humanitarian. The King and the Prime Minister have paid tribute to Jimmy Carter following the former US president’s death on Sunday aged 100. In a message to the American people, the King expressed “great sadness” at the news of Mr Carter’s death, describing him as “a committed public servant” who “devoted his life to promoting peace and human rights”. He added: “His dedication and humility served as an inspiration to many, and I remember with great fondness his visit to the United Kingdom in 1977. “My thoughts and prayers are with President Carter’s family and the American people at this time.” Mr Carter, a former peanut farmer, served one term in the White House between 1977 and 1981 and spent his post-presidency years as a global humanitarian, winning the Nobel Peace Prize in 2002. Sir Keir Starmer said Mr Carter had “lived his values in the service of others to the very end” through “decades of selfless public service”. Praising a “lifelong dedication to peace” that saw him win the Nobel Peace Prize in 2002, Sir Keir added: “Motivated by his strong faith and values, President Carter redefined the post-presidency with a remarkable commitment to social justice and human rights at home and abroad.” Tributes to Mr Carter followed the announcement of his death by his family on Sunday, more than a year after he decided to enter hospice care. His son, Chip Carter, said: “My father was a hero, not only to me but to everyone who believes in peace, human rights, and unselfish love.” US President Joe Biden, one of the first elected politicians to endorse Mr Carter’s bid for the presidency in 1976, said the world had “lost an extraordinary leader, statesman and humanitarian”. He said: “Over six decades, we had the honour of calling Jimmy Carter a dear friend. But, what’s extraordinary about Jimmy Carter, though, is that millions of people throughout America and the world who never met him thought of him as a dear friend as well. “With his compassion and moral clarity, he worked to eradicate disease, forge peace, advance civil rights and human rights, promote free and fair elections, house the homeless, and always advocate for the least among us.” Other UK politicians also paid tribute to Mr Carter. Liberal Democrat leader Sir Ed Davey said he was “an inspiration” who “led a truly remarkable life dedicated to public service with a genuine care for people”. Scottish First Minister John Swinney described the former president as “a good, decent, honest man who strove for peace in all that he did”, while Welsh First Minister said he was “a remarkable man” and “a humanitarian and scholar”. Former prime minister Sir Tony Blair said Mr Carter’s “life was a testament to public service”. He added: “I always had the greatest respect for him, his spirit and his dedication. He fundamentally cared and consistently toiled to help those in need.” Mr Carter is expected to receive a state funeral featuring public observances in Atlanta, Georgia, and Washington DC before being buried in his hometown of Plains, Georgia. A moderate democrat born in Plains in October 1924, Mr Carter’s political career took him from the Georgia state senate to the state governorship and, finally, the White House, where he took office as 39th president in the wake of the Watergate scandal and the Vietnam War. His presidency saw economic disruption amid volatile oil prices, along with social tensions at home and challenges abroad including the Iranian revolution that sparked a 444-day hostage crisis at the US embassy in Tehran. But he also brokered the Camp David Accords between Egypt and Israel, which led to a peace treaty between the two countries in 1979. After his defeat in the 1980 presidential election, he worked more than four decades leading The Carter Centre, which he and his late wife Rosalynn co-founded in 1982 to “wage peace, fight disease, and build hope”. Under his leadership, the Carter Center virtually eliminated Guinea Worm disease, which has gone from affecting 3.5 million people in Africa and Asia in 1986 to just 14 in 2023. Mrs Carter, who died last year aged 96, had played a more active role in her husband’s presidency than previous first ladies, with Mr Carter saying she had been “my equal partner in everything I ever accomplished”. Earlier this year, on his 100th birthday, Mr Carter received a private congratulatory message from the King, expressing admiration for his life of public service
By Rory Carroll (Reuters) - NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell on Wednesday said the league is aware of a lawsuit that accuses musician Jay-Z of rape but said it is not impacting the NFL's partnership with the rap mogul's Roc Nation label, which produces the Super Bowl halftime show. An amended civil lawsuit filed in federal court on Sunday alleges Jay-Z and Sean "Diddy" Combs raped a 13-year-old girl during a party in New York in 2000. Jay-Z and Combs have denied the allegations. "We're aware of the civil allegations and Jay-Z's really strong response to that," Goodell said after the conclusion of the league's winter meetings in Texas. "We know the litigation is happening now. From our standpoint, our relationship is not changing with them, including our preparations for the next Super Bowl." Roc Nation has helped produce the past five Super Bowl halftime shows and Jay-Z's wife, Beyonce, is scheduled to perform at halftime of the upcoming Ravens vs. Texans game on Christmas Day in Houston, according to Sports Illustrated. The lawsuit was originally filed in October in the Southern District of New York and at that time did not name Jay-Z as a defendant, though the amended lawsuit says that Jay-Z was identified as "Celebrity A" on the original complaint. Jay-Z, whose real name is Shawn Carter, has blasted the lawsuit, calling it part of a "blackmail attempt" by the plaintiff's lawyer. Tony Buzbee, the Texas lawyer representing the girl who filed Sunday's lawsuit, has filed at least 20 civil lawsuits against Combs accusing him of sexual misconduct. Buzbee said Jay Z’s relationship with the NFL had nothing to do with him. "My job is to represent my clients zealously and ethically. And that’s what I intend to do," he said in response to a request for comment. Combs has denied all allegations against him. He is currently in jail on federal sex trafficking charges, to which he has pleaded not guilty. The lawsuit alleges that the unnamed girl was drugged and raped by both Jay-Z and Combs at a party hosted by Combs following the MTV Music Awards in 2000, which was held in New York. (Reporting by Rory Carroll in Los Angeles; Editing by Lincoln Feast.)
Okanagan Sun head coach Travis Miller was struck by a vehicle in Kelowna's Glenmore neighbourhood on Tuesday, Dec. 10. Kelowna RCMP have confirmed the incident, stating the pedestrian was struck when crossing the road in the crosswalk. The Sun confirmed in a social media post stating the pedestrian was Miller, who had just finished his last recruiting meeting of the day. According to RCMP, Miller was taken to Kelowna General Hospital with non-life threatening injuries and the extent of the injuries are unknown. Meanwhile, the Sun said Miller underwent surgery and both his feet were crushed in the incident. “The driver of the vehicle remained at the scene and cooperated with police,” said Kelowna RCMP media relations officer Sgt. Laura Pollock. “There was no indication the driver was under the influence of drugs or alcohol and speed does not appear to be a factor.” RCMP are still investigating the incident and are asking anyone who witnessed the crash or anyone with dashcam footage in the area from 5:45 p.m. to 6:15 p.m. to step forward and reach out to police at 250-762-3300 with the file number 2024-72174. Miller has been the Sun's head coach since Apr. 2, 2022.New Jersey Mystery Drones Caught on Video by Journalists From Fox News and More: ‘The Size of a School Bus!’Harwood International Celebrates Exceptional Year with Nearly 350,000 Square Feet Leased in the Harwood District
Janette Nesheiwat, a family medicine doctor who runs a chain of urgent care clinics, is President-elect Donald Trump ’s pick for surgeon general ― one of the nation’s leading voices on matters of public health. She’s a fixture on Fox News , home to several of Trump’s other intended Cabinet nominees . And she’s long been a vocal Trump supporter: Her social media accounts feature videos of Trump wishing her a happy birthday, selfies with him on the White House lawn and pictures with members of his inner circle at his Madison Square Garden rally. Her sister, Julia Nesheiwat, also served as Trump’s homeland security adviser during his last year in office. If she’s confirmed by the Senate, she’ll be expected to set the tone on how the government approaches Americans’ medical concerns, launch programs to promote healthy lifestyles and weigh in on ongoing public health issues, from the opioid epidemic to youth nicotine use. And she’ll also oversee the 6,000 members of the United States Public Health Service Corps. Here’s what else there is to know about her: She’s a Fox News medical contributor with little public health experience Nesheiwat, the medical director for a New York-area urgent care clinic network, has been a Fox News medical contributor since the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic. On her website and social media, she’s shared about her medical missions to Ukraine and Morocco. But overall, her public health experience is thin compared to that of the current surgeon general, Vivek Murthy, who also served under former President Barack Obama and was involved in multiple nationwide health care efforts prior to taking the job. Fox News has called on Nesheiwat to weigh in on all sorts of medical stories. When Trump began taking the antimalarial drug hydroxychloroquine to ward off COVID-19, Nesheiwat came on to say it was a “ smart ” idea and that she’d prescribed it to some of her patients infected with the virus. At the time, no testing had established the effectiveness of using hydroxychloroquine, which has substantial potential harms, to prevent COVID-19. The World Health Organization later said that after completing six trials, it did not recommend taking hydroxychloroquine to either prevent or treat the disease. Nesheiwat emphasized the importance of consulting with a doctor before trying out the drug. But people found ways around that. After Trump began promoting the drug, a man in Arizona died from ingesting a chloroquine-containing aquarium product. She sells her own brand of dietary supplements Nesheiwat is behind a dietary supplement called BC Boost that contains vitamins C, B-12, D and zinc. The product, which features her image on the bottle, claims that within a few weeks, “your immune system will still be strengthened.” “I was always telling my patients who were unwell drink some tea, take some vitamin b12 and vitamin C,” she says on a website advertising the supplement . “I found myself repeating my all natural regimen to my patients over and over ‘take some B12 and C to Boost’ your immune system.” Medical experts and public health agencies say that for the vast majority of people, the best way to get those vitamins is through a healthy diet . Overconsumption of certain nutrients — including some of the vitamins in BC Boost’s product, albeit at higher doses — may lead to serious health problems , including kidney stones and heart rhythm issues. While the supplement industry is regulated by the Food and Drug Administration, the agency does not consider supplements to be medicine, and companies are not required to prove that their products are effective. A 30-day supply of Nesheiwat’s product costs $26.99. She’s praised vaccines but slammed vaccine mandates Nesheiwat has been a big proponent of the COVID-19 vaccine for adults, saying its benefits “greatly outweigh” any short-lived side effects and describing it as “a gift from God .” But in the years since the peak of the pandemic, Nesheiwat has expressed opposition to vaccine requirements. “To mandate vaccines, at this point, I think, is the wrong move,” she said on Fox News in the summer of last year. She also blamed vaccine mandates for negatively affecting the U.S. workforce. “We lost good firefighters, police officers, teachers, healthcare providers and even athletes who refused to capitulate to the out-of-date, CDC regulations,” she wrote in an opinion piece for Fox News in April 2023. In that same piece, Nesheiwat claimed mask and vaccine mandates were ineffective because the virus continued to spread, even with these measures in place. But she at least partially credited the shots for easing the pandemic: “With time,” she wrote, “the severity decreased most likely due to population immunity and re-infection along with vaccination.” Nesheiwat has also questioned giving the COVID-19 vaccine to children. In late 2021, she said on Fox News that “a booster or third dose might cause ... a rare form of myocarditis or pericarditis ,” which are types of heart inflammation, in young boys. She failed to mention that such side effects following a vaccine are very rare, and that patients are much more likely to develop those conditions following COVID-19 infection than they are from the vaccine. She’s spoken out against treatments for transgender kids During a 2022 Fox News appearance , Nesheiwat acknowledged that transgender children exist and urged their parents to “accept them and love them for who they are,” noting that rates of suicide attempts among transgender kids are significantly higher than that of their cisgender peers. Don't let this be the end of the free press. The free press is under attack — and America's future hangs in the balance. As other newsrooms bow to political pressure, HuffPost is not backing down. Would you help us keep our news free for all? We can't do it without you. Can't afford to contribute? Support HuffPost by creating a free account and log in while you read. You've supported HuffPost before, and we'll be honest — we could use your help again . We view our mission to provide free, fair news as critically important in this crucial moment, and we can't do it without you. Whether you give once or many more times, we appreciate your contribution to keeping our journalism free for all. You've supported HuffPost before, and we'll be honest — we could use your help again . We view our mission to provide free, fair news as critically important in this crucial moment, and we can't do it without you. Whether you give just one more time or sign up again to contribute regularly, we appreciate you playing a part in keeping our journalism free for all. Already contributed? Log in to hide these messages. Despite acknowledging that, she claimed the medical establishment is “only wanting to push drugs and hormones and other types of surgical interventions, rather than taking a conservative approach, such as psychotherapy.” It’s false that doctors are pushing those types of treatments on children. A 2022 Reuters report found that only around 10% of 42,167 children ages 6-17 who’d been diagnosed with gender dysphoria in 2021 were prescribed hormone or puberty blocker treatments. Among those with the diagnosis, a mere 0.6% of them received gender-affirming top surgery. Nesheiwat’s stance on this issue is out of step with that of every major medical group in the United States, which have determined that gender-related medical care is effective and medically necessary. She’s also accused Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra of focusing about transgender health care at the expense of addressing sexually transmitted infections and spoken out against transgender athletes’ inclusion in women’s sports. Related From Our Partner
Xavier Robinson spoke to the media this week about preparing to face LSU’s defense. You had success on the ground but how helpful is it when Jackson's running like he did on Saturday in terms of helping the offense? Xavier: Yeah, that helps a lot but I mean it really starts with that front five... They did a good job of opening up the gates and just having us make those reads. But with Jackson back there, it really opened up some. Did that first 40 yard carry set the tone for the rest of the night for you? Xavier: I think it was good momentum going in with that run but I always knew I had a good feeling. I know that probably set the momentum for the whole team right there. What are your thoughts on LSU's defense? Xavier: LSU has a great defense especially #40. He’s a great leader on that second level. I see it since I watched the film. It’s going to be a really good game.Adcetera's creative partnership with Roborock sends the S8 MaxV Ultra into space HOUSTON , Dec. 23, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Adcetera, a Houston -based digital marketing agency, announces the launch of a historic video campaign in partnership with Roborock , one of the world's leading robot vacuum brands. The campaign, centered around the theme "Beyond Limits," culminated in the Roborock S8 MaxV Ultra being launched 120,000 feet above the Earth, making it the first robot vacuum in space. When Roborock began searching for an agency to develop a video campaign around their hashtag, #BeyondLimits, Adcetera's creatives stepped in to develop a narrative that could bring those two words to life. The resulting social media campaign features three scientists frustrated by outdated cleaning tools. Their solution? Invent the Roborock S8 MaxV Ultra. After putting the vacuum through a series of "Beyond Limits" tests, the scientists take it one step further and launch it into space. The collaboration included partnering with Sent into Space, a UK-based company specializing in sending objects into the upper stratosphere. On September 17, 2024 , the Roborock S8 MaxV Ultra successfully launched from Sheffield, UK , reaching 120,000 feet above Earth and enduring extreme temperatures, thus proving the product's endurance and innovation. The project involved building a unique laboratory set, sourcing talent and hundreds of props, a post-production that included multiple special effects, and coordinating an international space launch — all executed with precision to ensure the project stayed on schedule, within budget, and within scope. Stella Lin , Marketing Specialist at Roborock, praised the collaboration: "It was a pleasure collaborating with Adcetera on these projects. I believe they not only demonstrate Roborock's exceptional product quality and groundbreaking achievements, but also serve as a strong testament to Adcetera's professional expertise." To date, the video series has collectively garnered tens of millions of views across Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube. "We're proud of how our team turned a larger-than-life idea — an idea that felt almost impossible — into reality," said Adcetera's Chief Creative Officer Rowan Gearon . "We're pushing creative boundaries just like Roborock pushes the limits of technology." About Adcetera Adcetera is a full-service, integrated digital marketing agency with an obsession to deliver innovative solutions that drive growth for brands. Headquartered in Houston, TX , with offices in Chicago, IL and The Woodlands, TX , they are a distinctively diverse team of innovators, creators, and leaders from around the world, deeply proud of the award-winning work and the ongoing value provided to brands, businesses, and communities for over 40+ years. Adcetera is a privately held, WBENC-certified, HUB-certified, woman-owned business. For more information visit adcetera.com . Follow on LinkedIn . Adcetera – Strategic. Creative. People. About Roborock Roborock is a leading smart cleaning brand renowned for its intelligent cleaning solutions. With a steadfast dedication to becoming a global leading smart appliance player, Roborock enriches lives with its innovative line of robotic, cordless, wet/dry vacuum cleaners, and washer-dryers. Rooted in a user-centric approach, our R&D-driven solutions cater to diverse cleaning needs in over 15 million homes across 170+ countries. Headquartered in Beijing and with strategic subsidiaries in key markets, including the United States , Japan , the Netherlands , Poland , Germany , and South Korea , Roborock is dedicated to elevating its market presence worldwide. For more information, visit https://global.roborock.com/. View original content to download multimedia: https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/roborock-makes-history-with-out-of-this-world-video-campaign-302338415.html SOURCE ADCETERA © 2024 Benzinga.com. Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved.
Jimmy Carter’s lasting Cold War legacy: His human rights focus helped dismantle the Soviet UnionThe lies in the middle of the Indian Ocean and comprises 58 islands including Diego Garcia, which houses a major joint British and American military base. The Archipelago has been under continuous British sovereignty since 1814. However, in October 2024, a joint statement was issued by the United Kingdom and Mauritius explaining that the two governments had agreed to draft a new treaty which will that the “United Kingdom will agree that Mauritius is sovereign over the Chagos Archipelago, including Diego Garcia.” As the author has previously , the intended surrender of the Chagos Archipelago would represent a major strategic blow to Western security. Moreover, the plan offers no discernible benefit to the British people or to the Chagossian Islanders, many of whom have come out in against it. In practice, the UK seems to be making this concession based on fear of a negative future court judgment, with the Foreign Secretary that “a binding [judgment] against the UK seemed inevitable.” However, the source of this putative future judgment has not been specified. Surely, if any court with the ability to produce a binding judgment had been available, Mauritius would have already availed itself of that court. Instead, the legal position of the British Government should be based on existing legal circumstances. As this article will show, there is no binding legal judgment compelling the UK to relinquish sovereignty of the Chagos Archipelago. The adverse statements rendered by the International Court of Justice, the United Nations General Assembly and the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea were respectively: (i) non-binding legal advice, (ii) political assertion and (iii) a judgment on the territorial boundary between other States (namely Mauritius and the Maldives). The result is that the UK is not bound by any of their terms. In 2019, the ICJ an Advisory Opinion on the legal status of the Chagos Archipelago. The opinion had three main conclusions. First, “the process of decolonization of Mauritius was not lawfully completed when Mauritius acceded to independence in 1968” (paragraph 174). Second, “it follows that the United Kingdom’s continued administration of the Chagos Archipelago constitutes a wrongful act entailing the international responsibility of that State” (paragraph 177). Third, “[a]ccordingly, the United Kingdom is under an obligation to bring an end to its administration of the Chagos Archipelago” (paragraph 178). Certainly, the Advisory Opinion was extremely adverse on the merits from a British perspective. However, the purpose of this piece is not to relitigate the merits of the case but, rather, to show that as a matter of procedure the opinion is not binding on the UK. Critically, the ICJ considered the case under its “ ” jurisdiction (Articles 65-68 ICJ Statute) rather than its “contentious” jurisdiction (Articles 34-36 ICJ Statute). Proceedings that occur under the auspices of the ICJ’s advisory jurisdiction do not have binding legal effect. If one is in doubt about this point, the ICJ’s own website sets out the position clearly. It that “[c]ontrary to judgments ... the Court’s advisory opinions are not binding. The requesting organ, agency or organization remains free to decide, as it sees fit, what effect to give to these opinions ... [although] the Court’s advisory opinions nevertheless carry great legal weight and moral authority.” This merely reflects a long-standing acceptance that Advisory Opinions are non-binding that stretches back as far as the in 1962 where it was noted that “an advisory opinion ... would not have binding force” and an party “could continue to turn a deaf ear” to such a pronouncement. As Thin , “there is no legal basis upon which the ICJ AO would have [binding legal] effect ...There is nothing in previous case law to indicate that ICJ AOs could have [binding legal] effect. There is nothing in the purpose behind ICJ AOs (to provide legal advice to international institutions, particularly the UNGA) to indicate that ICJ AOs could have this effect.” To treat the ICJ’s Advisory Opinion as legally binding would be deeply problematic as it would set a precedent that allows the Court a route by which to circumvent the lack of State consent to its contentious jurisdiction. States are not bound by default to accept the contentious jurisdiction of the ICJ (for example, in territorial delimitation cases). Instead, they must actively consent to its contentious jurisdiction. There are several ways in which this can occur such as express agreement with the other State involved in the dispute, acceptance of jurisdiction in a treaty, issuing a accepting jurisdiction and submission to the court. None of these applied in this particular case: the UK had strongly resisted the ICJ’s contentious jurisdiction and the general declaration that the UK has issued accepting ICJ jurisdiction in most matters specifically “any dispute with the government of any other country which is or has been a Member of the Commonwealth” and this would include Mauritius. As the US Judge in her dissenting opinion, this was a “quintessentially bilateral” contentious case and rendering an opinion “has the effect of circumventing the absence of United Kingdom consent.” To allow a “work-around” whereby the ICJ can simply pretend that what are really “contentious” cases are “advisory” requests and then, further, to claim that their decisions on those cases are binding, would represent a staggering enlargement of the ICJ’s competence that has no grounding in the UN Charter or the ICJ Statute. What should have happened here is that the ICJ should have acknowledged that this was a contentious case wearing an advisory mask. On that , it should have declined to render an opinion as it is entitled to do under (Article 65 ICJ Statute). Dunne that there was no judicial overreach here as the ICJ was not “creating” law or passing a legal judgment per se but, rather, that the Advisory Opinion was “declaratory of the customary international law ... of self-determination as it existed in 1965.” The effect of this position is that we should recognize the ICJ’s opinion as an authoritative statement of already binding law. However, that point does not stand up to scrutiny. As Milanovic , “when it comes to self-determination, the key question for the Court to decide was whether it was already a rule of customary law by 1968 [but] the Court completely fudges it. It simply relies on a series of GA resolutions, to which it expressly ascribes a normative character ... and just asserts that self-determination was already customary at the relevant time. No state practice, no , no nothing – just good plain assertion.” This confirms that what we see in this case is an unprecedented attempt by the ICJ to enlarge its competence by creating new law under the guise of its advisory jurisdiction. That effort should be resisted by States. In short, the ICJ’s Advisory Opinion was non-binding. Regardless of its merits or lack therefore, it was not the product of a contentious process and therefore it did not have the capacity to impose obligations on the United Kingdom. Moreover, for the UK or any other State to treat the Opinion as if it did create such obligations, would be to give tacit approval to the Court to ignore the lack of State consent in future cases and to expand the jurisdiction of the ICJ far beyond what was intended. Three months after the release of the ICJ’s Advisory Opinion, the United Nations General Assembly passed reaffirming the Court’s decision. It demanded that that all States respect the Chagossians’ right to self-determination (paragraph 2), that “the United Kingdom ... withdraw its colonial administration from the Chagos Archipelago unconditionally within a period of no more than six months” and that the UK facilitates the resettlement of Mauritian nationals (paragraph 3). Mauritius was unsurprisingly thrilled with this expression of support from the UNGA. Its legal team’s leader, Philippe Sands (a Briton, somewhat confusingly), that “I think this may be the first time in history that every African country has supported the resolutions at the General Assembly, the referral of the questions to the ICJ and then the subsequent question. There is absolute unity.” He went on to that “the UN and the ICJ had definitively resolved the dispute” and that “[v]ery frankly, what the United Kingdom wants in relation to the Chagos archipelago is, in a sense, neither here nor there.” However, his confidence seems to be either feigned or misplaced. As noted above, the ICJ Advisory Opinion was non-binding (nor could it credibly be said to reflect existing customary international law). The UNGA resolution which builds on that Opinion is equally non-binding. As the UN Charter , the General Assembly “may make recommendations” to States or to the Security Council but it does not have the capacity to make binding orders (Articles 10-17 UN Charter). This can be contrasted with the position of the Security Council whose decisions are legally binding, with Article 25 UN Charter that members of the United Nations “agree to accept and carry out the decisions of the Security Council.” As the UN website itself , “resolutions adopted by the GA on agenda items are considered to be recommendations. They are not legally binding on the Member States. The only resolutions that have the potential to be legally binding are those adopted by the SC.” In short, it is clear that UNGA assembly resolutions, including Resolution 73/295, are merely recommendations. Thus, Resolution 73/295 has no legally binding effect on the United Kingdom’s sovereignty over the Chagos Archipelago or its administration of the islands. Certainly, many countries have expressed displeasure with the UK’s position, however that is a political matter. Perhaps the countries that voted for the Resolution were unhappy with the UK based on other grievances. Perhaps they were keen to see a European power lose sovereign territory close to Africa. Perhaps lobbying from opposing powers such as Russia and China had encouraged States to lend their support to the Resolution. It matters little. Ultimately, as a matter of law, the UNGA resolution is a political utterance that represents a barometer of sentiment towards the UK. If a Resolution was passed tomorrow to recommend the stripping of overseas territories from France or Portugal, they would be similarly ineffective. The final against the UK in the context of the Chagos Archipelago is from the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea. Again, however, this decision has no binding legal effect compelling the UK to relinquish sovereignty of the Chagos Archipelago or affecting the delimitation of the UK’s territory. As will be explained in more detail below, this is because (i) the ITLOS Special Chamber assumed that the ICJ and UNGA pronouncements represented binding law when they did not and because (ii) on the basis of the first point, the UK was inappropriately excluded from the proceedings before ITLOS hence those proceedings cannot bind the UK. On the first point, the ITLOS Special Chamber simply aligned with the prior statements of the UNGA and the ICJ in a manner that amounted to a disregard of its judicial responsibility. As Roeben and Jankovic , the Special Chamber “did accept the GA determination as a given and, on that basis, proceeded to spell out an implication, ruling with constitutive effect on the aspect of sovereignty that is under its jurisdiction.” As noted above, UNGA resolutions have no binding legal effect, therefore to defer to them in this manner is inappropriate. Regarding its reliance on the ICJ Advisory Opinion, the Special Chamber that “it is generally recognized that advisory opinions of the ICJ cannot be considered legally binding”, but observed that “it is equally recognized that an advisory opinion entails an authoritative statement of international law on the questions with which deals” (paragraph 202). However, as noted above, this is incorrect as there was no clear customary international law position surrounding self-determination in the 1950s. The ICJ was simply concealing judicial law making behind a mask of judicial declaration of existing law. Separately, the Special Chamber that “judicial determinations made in advisory opinions carry no less weight and authority than those in judgments because they are made with the same rigour and scrutiny” (paragraph 203). This is also incorrect. There is a material difference between judgments and Advisory Opinions – if there was not then there would have been no need to furnish the ICJ with two separate jurisdictional capacities in the first place. As noted above, ICJ Advisory Opinions are not binding (and thus do not require State consent to jurisdiction) whereas ICJ judgments are biding (and thus do require State consent to jurisdiction). The fact that Advisory Opinions are made with the same “rigor and scrutiny” is irrelevant; otherwise we might get to the point where the ICJ bench could render a binding legal opinion by co-writing a monograph together. When it comes to law, forum and form matter. On the second point, the result of the ITLOS Special Chamber’s deference to the UNGA and ICJ above was, as Thin , the “rather remarkable conclusion ... that the dispute between the UK and Mauritius had in fact already been determinatively resolved ... and that there was therefore no bar to jurisdiction.” Of course, this conclusion was wrong as the decisions were non-binding and so the UK remained sovereign over the Chagos Islands. However, the ITLOS Special Chamber’s error led it to decide that the UK was not an “indispensable” party to the present proceedings and that it could resolve a putative territorial dispute between Mauritius and the Maldives without allowing the UK to make representations. This was a violation of the established in the that a court cannot exercise its jurisdiction over a question when a third state’s legal interests would “form the very subject-matter of the decision.” By definition, a UK legal interest (territorial sovereignty) was the subject matter of the present dispute between Mauritius and the Maldives and yet this was entirely ignored. The result was that, as Roeben and Jankovic , the Special Chamber “found that it had jurisdiction to adjudicate upon the dispute between Mauritius and the Maldives [and] conclude[ed] that Mauritius can be regarded as the coastal State in respect of the Chagos Archipelago.” What ought to have happened in the ITLOS proceedings was that the Special Chamber acknowledged that neither the ICJ Advisory Opinion nor the UN General Assembly Resolution resolved the Chagos Archipelago dispute. Thus, it should have declined jurisdiction in the absence of UK representation. Indeed, this was the view expressed in the dissenting of Judge Oxman. Instead, the judgment was rendered and it prompted the UK Foreign Office to , correctly, that, “as not being a party to the proceedings, the UK is under no requirement to comply with the ruling.” In short, the ITLOS decision to take jurisdiction over the putative territorial dispute between Mauritius and the Maldives was flawed because there was no extant binding international law or judgment that removed UK sovereignty over the Chagos Archipelago and thus the UK should have been a party to any proceedings concerning the sovereignty or territorial delimitation of those islands. In the absence of its participation, the UK cannot be said to be bound by the Special Chamber’s decision. Sovereignty over the Chagos Archipelago has been the subject of a long dispute between the UK and Mauritius. A narrative is beginning to form that the combination of the ICJ advisory opinion, the UN General Assembly Resolution and the ITLOS Special Chamber decision furnish Mauritius with a solid claim to sovereignty over the island chain. This narrative is flawed. None of the decisions discussed above impose a binding legal obligation on the UK to vacate sovereignty: (i) the ICJ Advisory Opinion is “advisory” only; (ii) the UN General Assembly resolution is a “recommendation” and (iii) the ITLOS proceedings did not involve the UK and therefore do not have the capacity to bind the UK. For the UK to relinquish sovereignty based on a false narrative that lacks the foundation of an enforceable legal judgment would be an error. John Jay born John Jay, the first Chief Justice of the state of New York, co-author of the Federalist Papers and first Chief Justice of the United States Supreme Court, was born on December 12, 1745.Read a of John Jay, and pay a virtual visit to the , to which he retired in 1801. Kenya becomes independent On December 12, 1963, Kenya attained independence from the United Kingdom.
PITTSBURGH (AP) — Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver George Pickens was a full participant in practice on Monday, opening the door for him to return from a three-game absence on Wednesday when Pittsburgh hosts the Kansas City Chiefs. Pickens hasn't played since tweaking his hamstring earlier this month. The Steelers (10-5) have struggled to generate much in their passing game with their leading receiver watching from the sideline in sweatpants. Though Monday's practice was a walkthrough, Pickens said he felt good and hopes he'll be able to face the two-time defending Super Bowl champions. The 23-year-old was going through post-practice drills on Dec. 6 when he felt his hamstring tighten up, forcing him to miss the first games of his three-year career. Pittsburgh has gone 1-2 in his absence, including back-to-back losses to Philadelphia and Baltimore in which Russell Wilson passed for just 345 yards while missing one of the NFL's top downfield threats. Wilson is encouraged by the way the sometimes mercurial Pickens — who has been flagged and fined multiple times this season for infractions ranging from facemasks to unsportsmanlike conduct — has remained engaged. “He’s been great in the midst of his little trial here over the past few weeks,” Wilson said. “And so we’re excited to have him back if that’s the case fully and let him do his thing.” Safety DeShon Elliott (hamstring) and defensive tackle Larry Ogunjobi (groin) were also listed as full participants on Tuesday. Neither veteran has played since getting hurt against Cleveland on Dec. 8. While Pickens, Elliott and Ogunjobi could be available as Pittsburgh tries to hold off Baltimore for the AFC North lead, cornerback Joey Porter (knee) and WR Ben Skowronek (hip) are likely out after missing practice for a second straight day. ___ AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl The Associated PressWorld leaders react to former U.S. President Jimmy Carter’s death
Forspoken probably isn’t destined for a comeback any time soon, but PlayStation Plus Extra and Premium subscribers on PlayStation 5 can try its surprisingly smooth fantasy parkour for free starting Dec. 17, Sony announced Wednesday . It’s joined by some other notable games this month, including Sonic Frontiers , A Space for the Unbound , PHOGS! , and Jak and Daxter: The Precursor Legacy . However, none of them can match the rush of vaulting and sliding through Square Enix’s pretty — if a little bland — open-world action RPG from last year. Although the critical response was mixed on whether or not Forspoken could stand next to the sprawling adventures in games like Final Fantasy 7: Remake , there were a few fans of main character Frey’s acrobatic finesse. Through her “Flow” ability, she can leap and slide over objects in the environment while you hold down a single button — no finger gymnastics required. And it works in combat, too, letting her dodge and flee from enemies unscathed. In our review , Grayson Morley praised the ability’s traversal and the many ways you can expand it throughout the story, but found that it’s cut short just as it all starts to come together. “By the time you get a fourth set of magical abilities, the game feels like it’s finally opening up, with a full suite of powers available to you, a feeling immediately undercut by the fact that it’s actually ending,” Morley wrote. That sounds like the perfect kind of game to sample guilt-free with a PS Plus subscription, if you ask me. Maybe it won’t satisfy you for 40 hours, but for 5 or 10? That’s a holiday treat. Forspoken’s story even takes place a few days before Christmas; this could be your new tradition. Forspoken will be available for both Extra and Premium PS Plus subscribers starting Dec. 17. Gaming News PlayStation ForspokenMiner assaults partner, 'wrestles' police in an alcohol-fuelled episode
Donald Bitzer, Collinsville native who brought plasma screens to the world, has diedMinnesotans with long-held connections to Jimmy Carter reflected Sunday on the legacy of the president, who died at the age of 100. Carter, the longest-lived American president, maintained a unique tie to the state after selecting Minnesota Sen. Walter ‘’Fritz’' Mondale as his running mate in 1976. The pair, who ran on the so-called ‘’Grits and Fritz’' ticket, was credited with elevating the vice president’s office into a more powerful position. Carter died Sunday in his hometown of Plains, Ga., more than a year after entering hospice care. He lived there with his wife, Rosalynn, who died at the age of 96 in November 2023. Salutes to the former president peppered social media Sunday. Gov. Tim Walz, who unsuccessfully ran for vice president this year on the Democratic ticket with Kamala Harris, posted on X on Sunday night. “President Carter defined what it means to be a servant leader,” Walz wrote. “He fought for our democracy, our climate, humanity, and civil rights around the world. We can find peace today knowing that he is reunited with the love his life, Rosalynn.” Sen. Amy Klobuchar said in a statement that Carter “earned a special place in the hearts of Minnesotans” when he added Mondale to his presidential ticket. The Democrat also praised Carter’s record. “Even during a period of economic uncertainty, he made key advancements in protecting the environment, expanding access to health care, bolstering Social Security, and strengthening America’s leadership on the world stage,” Klobuchar wrote. Skyrocketing inflation and oil prices marked Carter’s first and only term. An economic downturn, combined with the Iran hostage crisis, sunk his chances at re-election and overshadowed his foreign policy accomplishments, including brokering a peace treaty between Egypt and Israel and negotiating the return of the Panama Canal to Panama. But he inspired great admiration in the decades after his presidency, working with his wife Rosalynn to create the Carter Center, a nonprofit human rights organization, in 1982. His dedication to democracy and economic development earned him a Noble Peace Prize in 2002. Sen. Tina Smith shared a photo posing with the former president on X, writing she was “blessed to meet him several times.” The pictured moment, she added, captured her favorite encounter: Carter locked into an “energetic conversation” with her husband “about the virtues of fly fishing.” “Jimmy Carter personified moral leadership for our country & the world,” she wrote in the post. Rep. Tom Emmer, the Republican House majority whip, said in a post on X that he is grateful for Carter’s “decades of service — from his time in the military to public office and beyond — and pray for peace and comfort for the Carter family during this difficult time.” U.S. Rep. Pete Stauber, a Republican who represents northeastern Minnesota’s Eighth Congressional District, also memorialized Carter on X. “There is no denying that he was a compassionate man who dedicated his life to serving others,” he wrote. Minnesota ties Carter cemented his legacy as a philanthropist in the decades after leaving office. He and his wife Rosalynn were perhaps the country’s most public volunteers for Habitat for Humanity. They donned hardhats and tool belts well into their older years, drawing media attention to the nonprofit through their annual Carter Work Project, an all-hands-on-deck effort to construct homes in the U.S. and abroad. The project twice came to the Twin Cities. In September, volunteers constructed 30 homes on St. Paul’s East Side — the first phase of an ongoing affordable housing development . Carter, just days shy of 100 this fall, didn’t appear at the festivities. But in 2010, an 86-year-old Carter and his former running mate, Minnesotan Walter Mondale, pitched into a homebuilding project in North Minneapolis. “The initiative in this neighborhood will be an inspiration to people all over the nation,” Carter said at the time. The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Jim Harbaugh, Justin Herbert and the Los Angeles Chargers celebrated in the locker room Saturday after they wrapped up a playoff spot with a 40-7 victory over the New England Patriots . But even as they realized one goal by making the postseason, Harbaugh tried to keep things focused on the road ahead by stressing: “There’s more to do.” The Chargers (10-6) go into the regular-season finale at Las Vegas knowing they will be at least the AFC’s sixth seed and avoid a trip to Buffalo for the wild-card round. Los Angeles currently is in line to face Baltimore in a Harbaugh Bowl rematch, but it has an outside shot at the fifth seed and a trip to Houston if Cincinnati beats Pittsburgh next weekend. While Harbaugh credited his players for the turnaround from five wins last year to double-digit victories this season, Herbert gave most of it to Harbaugh and first-year general manager Joe Hortiz. “They have done such a great job of getting the right guys here. You look in the locker room and everybody plays for each other,” Herbert said. “(Harbaugh’s) a competitor, and he wants to win no matter what it is. It definitely shows, and it’s the way everyone fights for him, wants to play for him, and respects him.” RELATED COVERAGE Eagles QB Tanner McKee gets 1st career TD football back with a little help from fans in the stands Like a football off McBride’s helmet, the Cardinals aren’t getting many lucky bounces these days Giants topple Colts 45-33 to eliminate Indy from the playoff race Harbaugh is the fifth coach in NFL history to win at least 10 games in his first season with two teams. He is also the eighth to make the playoffs in his first season with two teams. “Very little to do with me. If it goes right, then it’s our players. They’re doing a great job. It’s gone bad a couple times. That’s on me,” he said. “I’ve been drinking the Kool-Aid here from day one, I can’t give enough credit to Derwin James, Justin Herbert, and those two in particular. And Khalil Mack and Rashawn Slater. I mean, stalwarts. Brad Bozeman has come in. He’s been a stalwart. There’s a bunch. There’s probably, like — I counted it up early. There was maybe 15, 15 stalwarts that we had, and it’s grown since then.” Even though the Chargers are 3-5 against teams with winning records at the time they’ve played them, they are 7-1 against teams that were at or under .500. Four of those wins against opponents with losing records have come by at least 17 points, the first time since 2017 the Bolts have won that many games by as big a margin. Since halftime of their Dec. 19 game against Denver, the Chargers have outscored the Broncos and Patriots 61-13 over six quarters. “That’s the type of football we want to be playing in December, January, and hopefully on. That’s the type of football you want to be playing, especially in these big games like that. It was really good to see,” Herbert said. What’s working Offensive coordinator Greg Roman has said throughout the season it’s tough to use the full playbook when the Chargers have short drives. They came into Saturday’s game ranked 26th with only 23 possessions of at least 10 plays, but they had four against the Patriots, leading to three touchdowns and a field goal. It was the first time since Week 10 last season against Detroit they have had at least four drives of double-digit plays. What needs help Kickoff return coverage. The Chargers have allowed nine kick returns of at least 30 yards, eighth most in the league. New England’s Alex Erickson had three returns for 90 yards, including 34 and 31 yards. Stock up RB J.K. Dobbins was activated off injured reserve and provided a boost to the offense with 76 yards on 19 carries and a touchdown. Dobbins, who missed four games due to a knee injury, has set career highs in scrimmage yards (983) and rushing yards (842) in his first season with the Chargers. Stock down WR D.J. Chark was targeted four times but didn’t have a catch. Chark was signed during the offseason to provide experience and speed to a young receiver group. However, he missed the first half of the season with a hip injury and has played sparingly since his return. He has three receptions on the season. Injuries Three starters — RB Gus Edwards (ankle), LB Denzel Perryman (groin) and OG Trey Pipkins (hip) — were inactive. WR Joshua Palmer (heel) and DB Elijah Molden (shin) were injured in the second half. Key numbers 77 and 1,054 — Receptions and receiving yards by Ladd McConkey, both records for a Chargers rookie. 5 — Consecutive seasons by Herbert with at least 3,000 passing yards and 20 touchdown passes, tied with Peyton Manning and Russell Wilson for the most to start a career. 2 — Sacks by Derwin James Jr. against the Patriots, the first time in the safety’s seven-year career he has had multiple sacks in a game. What’s next The Chargers go for their first season sweep of the Raiders since 2018 in the regular-season finale. ___ AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/NFL
Penticton Vees captain Conyr Hellyer is heading east when his time in the BCHL comes to an end. Hellyer has committed to play next season at Clarkson University, based in Potsdam, N.Y., the Vees announced Tuesday, Dec. 10. The Alberta-born forward has 15 points in 18 games this season, his first as captain of the Vees. “I’m excited for a new chapter with Clarkson,” Hellyer said. “Their staff and facilities are the professional environment that I was looking for and I was immediately impressed with what they had to offer." Hellyer, who was named Penticton's captain ahead of the 2024-2025 campaign, is slated to be the team's lone representative at the 2025 BCHL's three-on-three all-star game next month in Salmon Arm. This season is his fourth in junior hockey, as the forward played for the Okotoks Oilers for two years before coming to Penticton in the fall of 2023. Hellyer and the Vees are back in action on Friday, Dec. 13, when they host the West Kelowna Warriors at the South Okanagan Events Centre.
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WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. (AP) — President-elect Donald Trump has invited Chinese President Xi Jinping and other world leaders to his inauguration next month — an unorthodox move that would fold U.S. allies and adversaries into a very American political tradition. Trump said Thursday during an appearance at the New York Stock Exchange , where he was ringing the opening bell to kick off trading for the day, that he’s been “thinking about inviting certain people to the inauguration” without referring to any specific individuals. “And some people said, ‘Wow, that’s a little risky, isn’t it?’” Trump said. “And I said, ‘Maybe it is. We’ll see. We’ll see what happens.’ But we like to take little chances.” His comments came soon after his incoming White House press secretary, Karoline Leavitt, confirmed during a Thursday morning appearance on “Fox & Friends” that Trump had invited Xi and other world leaders to attend his inauguration. No head of state has previously made an official visit to the U.S. for the inauguration, according to State Department historical records. The unprecedented invitations come at a moment when much of the world is bracing for what comes next when Trump and his “America First” worldview return to the White House. The president-elect has vowed to levy massive tariffs against the United States' chief economic competitor, China, as well as neighbors Canada and Mexico unless those countries do more to reduce illegal immigration and the flow of illegal drugs such as fentanyl into the United States. Trump's also pledged to move quickly to end Russia's nearly three-year war in Ukraine and press NATO allies who are spending less than 2% of their GDP on defense to step up or risk the United States not coming to their defense, as required by the transatlantic alliance's treaty, should they come under attack. “We’ve been talking and discussing with President Xi some things, and others, other world leaders, and I think we’re going to do very well all around,” Trump said. “We’ve been abused as a country. We’ve been badly abused from an economic standpoint, I think, and even militarily, you know, we put up all the money, they put up nothing, and then they abuse us on the economy. And we just can’t let that happen.” Xi is likely to see the invitation as too risky to accept, and the gesture from Trump may have little bearing on the increasingly competitive ties between the two nations as the White House changes hands, experts say. Danny Russel, vice president for international security and diplomacy at the Asia Society Policy Institute, said Xi would not allow himself to “be reduced to the status of a mere guest celebrating the triumph of a foreign leader — the U.S. president, no less.” Still, Leavitt saw it as a plus. “This is an example of President Trump creating an open dialogue with leaders of countries that are not just our allies, but our adversaries and our competitors, too,” she said on "Fox & Friends." “We saw this in his first term. He got a lot of criticism for it, but it led to peace around this world. He is willing to talk to anyone, and he will always put America’s interest first.” Asked at a Chinese Foreign Ministry briefing Thursday about Trump's invitation, spokesperson Mao Ning responded, “I have nothing to share at present.” Leavitt did not detail which leaders beyond Xi have been invited. But Trump's decision to invite Xi, in particular, squares with his belief that foreign policy — much like a business negotiation — should be carried out with carrots and sticks to get the United States' opponents to operate closer to his administration's preferred terms. Jim Bendat, a historian and author of “Democracy’s Big Day: The Inauguration of Our President,” said he was not aware of a previous U.S. inauguration attended by a foreign head of state. “It's not necessarily a bad thing to invite foreign leaders to attend,” Bendat said. “But it sure would make more sense to invite an ally before an adversary.” Edward Frantz, a presidential historian at the University of Indianapolis, said the invitation helps Trump burnish his “dealmaker and savvy businessman” brand. “I could see why he might like the optics," Frantz said. “But from the standpoint of American values, it seems shockingly cavalier." White House officials said it was up to Trump to decide whom he invites to the inauguration. “I would just say, without doubt, it's the single most consequential bilateral relationship that the United States has in the world,” White House national security spokesperson John Kirby said. “It is a relationship both fraught with peril and responsibility.” It's unclear which leaders, if any, might show. A top aide to Hungarian President Viktor Orban, one of Trump's most vocal supporters on the world stage, said Thursday that Orban isn't slated to attend the inauguration. “There is no such plan, at least for the time being," said Gergely Gulyás, Orban's chief of staff. The nationalist Hungarian leader is embraced by Trump but has faced isolation in Europe as he's sought to undermine the European Union's support for Ukraine, and routinely blocked, delayed or watered down the bloc’s efforts to provide weapons and funding and to sanction Moscow for its invasion. Orban recently met with Trump at Mar-a-Lago. Every country's chief of mission to the United States will also be invited, according to a Trump Inaugural Committee official who was not authorized to comment publicly and spoke on condition of anonymity. Such invitations to diplomats stationed in Washington has been customary during past inaugurations. Xi, during a meeting with President Joe Biden last month in Peru, urged the United States not to start a trade war. “Make the wise choice,” Xi cautioned. “Keep exploring the right way for two major countries to get along well with each other.” Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has also pushed back on Trump's threats, warning that such tariffs would be perilous for the U.S. economy as well. Trudeau earlier this week said Americans “are beginning to wake up to the real reality that tariffs on everything from Canada would make life a lot more expensive” and said he will retaliate if Trump goes ahead with them. Trump responded by calling Canada a state and Trudeau the governor. In addition to the tariff dispute, U.S.-China relations are strained over other issues, including what U.S. officials see as Beijing's indirect support of Russia's war on Ukraine. The Biden administration says China has supported Russia with a surge in sales of dual-use components that help keep its military industrial base afloat. U.S. officials also have expressed frustration with Beijing for not doing more to rein in North Korea's support for the Russian war. China accounts for the vast majority of North Korea’s trade. North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has dispatched thousands of troops to Russia to help repel Ukrainian forces from the Kursk border region. The North Koreans also have provided Russia with artillery and other munitions, according to U.S. and South Korean intelligence officials. Trump’s Jan. 20 inauguration is set to take place a day after the U.S. deadline for ByteDance, the Chinese parent company of social media giant TikTok, to sell the social media app or face a ban in the United States. Associated Press writers Didi Tang in Washington and Balint Domotor in Budapest, Hungary, contributed to this report.LEWISTON, N.Y. (AP) — Jaeden Marshall scored 21 points as Niagara beat Le Moyne 88-69 on Sunday. Read this article for free: Already have an account? To continue reading, please subscribe: * LEWISTON, N.Y. (AP) — Jaeden Marshall scored 21 points as Niagara beat Le Moyne 88-69 on Sunday. Read unlimited articles for free today: Already have an account? LEWISTON, N.Y. (AP) — Jaeden Marshall scored 21 points as Niagara beat Le Moyne 88-69 on Sunday. Marshall shot 5 for 8 (4 for 6 from 3-point range) and 7 of 8 from the free-throw line for the Purple Eagles (6-7). Justice Smith added 15 points while going 6 of 12 from the floor, including 1 for 3 from 3-point range, and 2 for 3 from the line and had five rebounds. Zion Russell shot 4 for 7, including 3 for 3 from beyond the arc to finish with 11 points. AJ Dancier finished with 17 points and four steals for the Dolphins (5-10). Le Moyne also got 11 points and 10 rebounds from Ocypher Owens. Dwayne Koroma had nine points and six rebounds. ___ The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar. Advertisement