UK 'woefully unprepared' for major war as 'reckless' Keir Starmer sent huge warningAfter closing the books on a banner year for US stocks, investors expect to ride seasonal momentum into mid-January when a slew of economic data and a transition of power in Washington could send markets moving. The S&P 500 rose almost 27% in 2024 through Dec. 26, while the technology-heavy Nasdaq Composite index, which surpassed 20,000 for the first time in December, is up 33.4%. November through January is traditionally a strong period in the market, said Michael Rosen, chief investment officer at Angeles Investments. Additionally, stocks tend to do well in the last five trading days of December and into the first two days of January, a phenomenon dubbed the Santa Claus rally, which has driven S&P gains of an average of 1.3% since 1969, according to the Stock Trader's Almanac. For the last four trading sessions, the S&P rose 2.91%, while the Nasdaq is up 3.3%, lifting hopes for a repeat. "The underlying data suggests that that's likely to continue," Rosen said. Just how long that momentum lasts will depend on several forces that could help drive markets in 2025. Monthly US employment data on Jan. 10 should give investors a fresh view into the health and strength of the US economy. Job growth rebounded in November following hurricane- and strike-related setbacks earlier in the year. The market's strength will be tested again shortly after, when US companies start reporting fourth-quarter earnings. Investors anticipate a 10.6% earnings per share growth in 2025, versus a 12.16% expected rise in 2024, according to LSEG data, although excitement over President-elect Donald Trump's policies is expected to boost the outlook for some sectors, like banks, energy and crypto. "There's the hope that taxes and regulations will be lowered or reduced next year, that will help support corporate profits, which are what drive the market in the first place," said Rosen. Trump's inauguration on Jan. 20 could also throw the markets some curve balls. He is expected to release at least 25 executive orders in his first day on a range of issues from immigration to energy and crypto policy. Trump has also threatened tariffs on goods from China and levies on products from both Mexico and Canada, as well as to crack down on immigration, creating costs that companies could ultimately pass on to consumers. Helen Given, associate director of trading at Monex USA, said a new administration always brings with it a large degree of uncertainty. There is also a good chance the impact of the Trump administration's expected trade policies is far from fully priced into global currency markets, she added. "We're looking ahead to see which of those proposed policies actually are enacted, which might be further down the pipeline," Given said, adding she expected a big impact on the euro, Mexican peso, the Canadian dollar, and the Chinese yuan. The conclusion of the Federal Reserve's first monetary policy meeting of the year in late January could also present a challenge to the US stocks rally. Stocks tumbled on December 18 when the Fed implemented its third interest-rate cut for the year and signalled fewer cuts in 2025 because of an uncertain inflation outlook, disappointing investors who had expected lower rates to boost corporate profits and valuations. Still, that could be good for alternative assets like cryptocurrencies. The incoming crypto-friendly Trump administration is adding to a number of catalysts that are boosting crypto investors' confidence, said Damon Polistina, head of research at investment platform Eaglebrook Advisors. Bitcoin surged above $107,000 this month on hopes of friendlier Trump policies. "Crypto is viewed broadly as a kind of risk on assets. So, any Fed cutting rates is a positive... Any positive economic data in early January will help maintain the momentum that we're seeing," Polistina added.
The future of American education is bright | GUEST COMMENTARY
India will host the World Audio Visual Entertainment Summit (WAVES) for the first time in February next year which will be a global platform for its creative talents, fostering collaborations and showcasing the country's potential as a hub for world-class content creation. Prime Minister Narendra Modi spoke extensively about the WAVES Summit in his monthly 'Mann ki Baat' Radio address on Sunday. Comparing the WAVES to global events like the World Economic Forum in Davos, Modi said the leaders from the media and entertainment industry as well as creative minds from across the globe will gather in Delhi for the Summit being held from February 5-9. "This Summit is an important step towards making India a hub of global content creation," he said. The prime minister emphasized the pivotal role of young creators in the preparations for WAVES, reflecting the dynamic spirit of India's creative community. He expressed pride in the enthusiasm of the country's youth and their contribution to the burgeoning creator economy, a key driver as India advances toward becoming a five trillion dollar economy. "Whether you are a young creator or an established artist, associated with Bollywood or regional cinema, a professional from the TV industry, an expert in animation, gaming, or an innovator in entertainment technology, I encourage you to be a part of the WAVES Summit," Modi said. He urged all stakeholders in the entertainment and creative industries to actively participate in the WAVES. "The WAVES Summit is poised to serve as a global platform for India's creative talents, fostering collaborations and showcasing the country's potential as a hub for world-class content creation," Modi said. The Summit will also highlight India's advancements in animation, gaming, entertainment technology, and regional and mainstream cinema, he added. Modi also paid heartfelt tributes to ace director Raj Kapoor and singer Mohammed Rafi on their 100th birth anniversaries. Raj Kapoor's role in showcasing India's soft power through his timeless films and Mohammed Rafi's mesmerizing voice that continues to resonate with all generations, he said. Modi also recalled Akkineni Nageswara Rao's contributions in elevating Telugu cinema while reflecting the Indian traditions. He also honored Tapan Sinha's socially conscious films that inspired unity and awareness. Modi said these legends not only shaped the golden era of Indian cinema but also strengthened India's cultural heritage, leaving behind an everlasting legacy for generations to admire and draw inspiration from.
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. (AP) — Myles Rice scored 18 points to lead Indiana to a 77-68 victory over Winthrop on Sunday. Rice made 7 of 13 shots and all four of his free throws for the Hoosiers (10-3), who improved to 9-0 at home by holding the Eagles (10-5) scoreless over the final 3:16 to wrap up the victory. He added four rebounds, three assists and three steals. Malik Reneau totaled 14 points and seven rebounds for Indiana. Trey Galloway added 11 points and five assists. Langdon Hatton had a game-high 11 rebounds to go with seven points off the bench. K.J. Doucet and Kasen Harrison both scored 14 to lead Winthrop, which fell to 1-4 on the road. Doucet grabbed 12 rebounds for his third double-double of the season. Kelton Talford scored 13 and Paul Jones III and Nick Johnson added 10 points apiece. Rice had 12 points in the first half to help Indiana take a 41-37 advantage into the break. Doucet had eight points and Harrison and Jones both scored seven to keep Winthrop close. Luke Goode followed his basket with a three-point play to give Indiana a 54-47 lead with 15:15 left to play. Talford finished off a three-point play to get Winthrop within three with 11:34 to go. Reneau answered with a basket and Mackenzie Mgbako followed with a dunk as Indiana quickly pushed its lead back to seven. Johnson buried a 3-pointer with 3:16 remaining to pull Winthrop within a point at 69-68, but the Eagles went scoreless from there. Indiana will host Rutgers on Saturday in a Big Ten Conference matchup. Winthrop returns home to play South Carolina Upstate on Thursday in a Big South Conference opener. ____ Get poll alerts and updates on the AP Top 25 throughout the season. Sign up here . AP college basketball: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-toWp-25-college-basketball-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/college-basketball Read more NCAA basketball at thestar.com
BEIJING , Dec. 29, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- In 1949, pioneering computer scientist Edmund Callis Berkeley envisioned a future filled with thinking machines in his book Giant Brains, or Machines That Think. Decades later, his vision has become a reality with artificial intelligence (AI) reshaping industries, societies and daily lives. The progress however, is far from straightforward. While AI excites people with its potential, it also raises questions about ethics, safety and its impact on human life. Recently, Science and Technology Daily hosted a panel discussion, "Tech with Heart, AI for Good", on how AI empowers life and bridges human limitations but also needs guard rails to ensure it remains under control. Omnipresent AI AI is reshaping the way we live, work and interact with the world. For Zeng Yi , a professor at the Institute of Automation, Chinese Academy of Sciences and an expert of the United Nations' high-level advisory body on AI, the motivation to advance AI technology lies in its potential to liberate humans from repetitive and labor-intensive tasks. "Combining AI with robotics allows us to redirect human energy toward more creative and meaningful pursuits," Zeng said. He highlighted how AI-powered robots are stepping into hazardous fields such as firefighting, disaster relief and space exploration. Lunar rovers equipped with advanced AI capabilities are conducting complex analyses on the moon's surface — tasks too risky for human scientists. Besides industrial applications, AI is making a significant impact on environmental conservation such as tracking wildlife. AI's potential extends into our everyday lives as well. Gao Shaolin, an expert at Peking University Law and Artificial Intelligence Research Center, mentioned a recent road trip during which he drove 3,000 kilometers on highways without coming across a single traffic accident. "This is extraordinary," Gao said, attributing the improvement to advancements in AI-driven safety features in modern vehicles. From fatigue-monitoring systems in trucks to self-driving technologies in electric cars, these innovations are drastically reducing the likelihood of accidents. However, both Zeng and Gao agreed that AI should not aim to replace humans but rather enhance human expertise and efficiency. AI can amplify human capacity, leaving room for creativity and innovation. Responsible AI As AI continues to evolve, responsibility becomes a critical issue. Zeng quoted Berkeley, who wrote, "It is often easier for scientists to create a device than to guide it well afterward." Berkeley urged innovators to think beyond breakthroughs and address potential risks. The question of accountability becomes central. Who will be responsible for any problem caused by AI? "AI is not an independent legal entity," Gao emphasized, pointing out that current AI systems are tools rather than autonomous entities. The responsibility for their actions lies squarely with their developers, service providers and users. "AI should be as intelligent as necessary, but it must remain under human control," Gao stressed. As Zeng put it, "The key is ensuring AI coexists harmoniously with humans, not as a competitor but as a collaborator." Wu Baojun, executive deputy secretary-general of the Association for Science and Technology of the University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, said the rapid advancement of AI must be accompanied by efforts to ensure its reliability and safety within ethical frameworks. "Our research in AI," Wu said, "aims to explore unknown territories, eliminate human fears and make AI more reliable." Reliable AI China has consistently demonstrated a forward-thinking approach to AI development, balancing technological innovation with social and ethical considerations. As Matt Sheehan from the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace wrote in an article, " China is in the midst of rolling out some of the world's earliest and most detailed regulations governing artificial intelligence." In 2017, China released the Next Generation Artificial Intelligence Development Plan to encourage diverse AI methodologies, such as deep learning, knowledge-based reasoning and large-scale modeling. The plan also emphasized ethical governance, with over a dozen references to social and legal challenges. In May 2019 , it was followed by the Beijing AI Principles, which set out clear guidelines for AI research and development, advocating respect for privacy, human dignity and human rights. These visions were strengthened in July 2024 when the 78th UN General Assembly unanimously adopted a resolution proposed by China and co-sponsored by over 140 countries. The resolution emphasized the human-centered development of AI, international cooperation, and promotion of AI to benefit humanity as a whole. Zeng said China's AI strategy reflects a responsible and inclusive approach: " China's AI development strategy is not limited to promoting domestic economic growth. They aim to empower humanity and promote sustainable development goals." Shared AI principles AI governance has become a global priority with nations striving to ensure that technology develops responsibly and inclusively. "We analyzed global AI ethics guidelines and found that 95 percent of the topics are consistent across countries. Concepts like human-centered development, transparency, fairness, safety and privacy protection are widely endorsed," Zeng said, adding that nations worldwide largely agree on the foundational principles for AI ethics and governance. In 2023, the Bletchley Declaration on AI safety was signed by 28 countries and the European Union. This marked the first broad agreement on the importance of AI safety as a global issue. In 2024, the UNESCO Recommendation on the Ethics of Artificial Intelligence was adopted unanimously by all member states, which is another example of the global consensus. China is playing an active role in promoting international cooperation on AI governance. "AI must empower all nations, not just the technologically advanced ones. We should guide AI for good with collective efforts and shared responsibilities," Gao said. Executive Producers: Wang Junming, He Yi Producer: Fang Linlin Reporters: Long Yun , Zhong Jianli, Gong Qian Subtitle Proofreaders: Wang Jing , Cen Yingjie Video Editing Instructor: Wang Xiaolong AI Technology Advisor: Liu Yang Cameramen: Liu Xiao, Li Huitao, Li Tianji Video Editor: Zhang Shunping Reviewer: Fang Linlin
'Sonic 3' and 'Mufasa' battle for No. 1 at the holiday box office Two family films are dominating the holiday box office, with “Sonic the Hedgehog 3” winning the three-day weekend over “Mufasa” by a blue hair. According to studio estimates Sunday, the Sonic movie earned $38 million, while “Mufasa” brought in $37.1 million from theaters in the U.S. and Canada. The R-rated horror “Nosferatu” placed third with an unexpectedly strong $21.2 million. Thanksgiving release holdovers “Wicked” and “Moana 2” rounded out the top five. Christmas Day had several big film openings, including the Bob Dylan biopic “A Complete Unknown,” the Nicole Kidman erotic drama “Babygirl” and the boxing drama “The Fire Inside.” Big Lots reaches deal to keep hundreds of US stores open The discount chain Big Lots has reached a deal that will keep hundreds of its stores open. Big Lots said it will be sold to Gordon Brothers Retail Partners, which specializes in distressed companies. Gordon Brothers will then transfer Big Lots’ stores to other retailers. Variety Wholesalers, which owns more than 400 U.S. discount stores, plans to acquire between 200 and 400 Big Lots stores and operate them under the Big Lots brand. Big Lots filed for bankruptcy protection in September, saying inflation and high interest rates had cut back on consumer demand for its furniture and other products. Charles Dolan, HBO and Cablevision founder, dies at 98 Charles F. Dolan, who founded some of the most prominent U.S. media companies including Home Box Office Inc. and Cablevision Systems Corp., has died at age 98. Newsday reports that a statement issued Saturday by his family says Dolan died of natural causes. Dolan’s legacy in cable broadcasting includes founding HBO in 1972, Cablevision in 1973 and the American Movie Classics television station in 1984. He also launched News 12 in New York City, the first U.S. 24-hour cable channel for local news. Dolan also held controlling stakes in companies that owned Madison Square Garden, Radio City Music Hall, the New York Knicks and the New York Rangers. Trump asks Supreme Court to delay TikTok ban so he can weigh in after he takes office President-elect Donald Trump has asked the Supreme Court to pause the potential TikTok ban from going into effect until his administration can pursue a “political resolution” to the issue. Trump's request Friday came as TikTok and the Biden administration filed opposing briefs to the court. Oral arguments are scheduled for Jan. 10 on whether the law, which requires TikTok to divest from its China-based parent company or face a ban, unlawfully restricts speech in violation of the First Amendment. The brief said Trump opposes banning TikTok at this junction and “seeks the ability to resolve the issues at hand through political means once he takes office.” Stock market today: Wall Street slips as the 'Magnificent 7' weighs down the market NEW YORK (AP) — Stocks are closing lower as Wall Street ends a holiday-shortened week on a down note. The S&P 500 fell 1.1% Friday and the Dow Jones Industrial Average lost 333 points, or 0.8%. The Nasdaq composite dropped 1.5%. The “Magnificent 7” stocks weighed on the market, led by declines in Nvidia, Tesla and Microsoft. Even with the loss, the S&P 500 had a modest gain for the week and is still headed for its second consecutive annual gain of more than 20%, the first time that has happened since 1997-1998. The yield on the 10-year Treasury rose to 4.62%. 10 tips from experts to help you change your relationship with money in 2025 NEW YORK (AP) — As the calendar changes to 2025, you might be thinking about how to approach your relationship with money in the new year. Whether you’re saving to move out of your parents’ house or pay off student loan debt, financial resolutions can help you stay motivated. If you’re planning to make financial resolutions for the new year, experts recommend that you start by evaluating the state of your finances in 2024. Then, set specific goals and make sure they’re attainable for your lifestyle. Janet Yellen tells Congress US could hit debt limit in mid-January WASHINGTON (AP) — Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen says her agency will need to start taking “extraordinary measures,” or special accounting maneuvers intended to prevent the nation from hitting the debt ceiling, as early as January 14th, in a letter sent to congressional leaders Friday afternoon. The department has taken such action in the past. But once those measures run out the government risks defaulting on its debt unless lawmakers and the president agree to lift the limit on the U.S. government’s ability to borrow. An online debate over foreign workers in tech shows tensions in Trump's political coalition WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. (AP) — An online spat between factions of Donald Trump’s supporters over immigration and the tech industry has thrown internal divisions in the president-elect’s political movement into public display. The argument previews fissures and contradictory views his coalition could bring to the White House. The rift laid bare tensions between the newest flank of Trump’s movement — that is, wealthy members of the tech world who want more highly skilled workers in their industry — and people in Trump’s Make America Great Again base who championed his hardline immigration policies. A 9th telecoms firm has been hit by a massive Chinese espionage campaign, the White House says WASHINGTON (AP) — A top White House official says a ninth U.S. telecoms firm has been confirmed to have been hacked as part of a sprawling Chinese espionage campaign that gave officials in Beijing access to private texts and phone conversations of an unknown number of Americans. Administration officials said this month that at least eight telecommunications companies, as well as dozens of nations, had been affected by the Chinese hacking blitz known as Salt Typhoon. But Anne Neuberger, a deputy national security adviser, said Friday that a ninth victim had been identified after the administration released guidance to companies about how to hunt for Chinese culprits in their networks. Canadian Cabinet ministers meet with Trump's nominee for commerce secretary in bid to avoid tariffs TORONTO (AP) — Two top Canadian Cabinet ministers have met with President-elect Donald Trump’s nominee for commerce secretary at Mar-a-Lago as Canada tries to avoid sweeping tariffs when Trump takes office. New Finance Minister Dominic LeBlanc and Foreign Minister Mélanie Joly met with Howard Lutnick, Trump’s nominee for commerce secretary, as well as North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum, Trump’s pick to lead the Interior Department. The meeting was a follow up to Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s meeting with Trump at Mar-a-Lago last month. Trump has threatened to impose sweeping tariffs if Canada does not stem what he calls a flow of migrants and fentanyl into the United States.
By BILL BARROW, Associated Press PLAINS, Ga. (AP) — Newly married and sworn as a Naval officer, Jimmy Carter left his tiny hometown in 1946 hoping to climb the ranks and see the world. Less than a decade later, the death of his father and namesake, a merchant farmer and local politician who went by “Mr. Earl,” prompted the submariner and his wife, Rosalynn, to return to the rural life of Plains, Georgia, they thought they’d escaped. The lieutenant never would be an admiral. Instead, he became commander in chief. Years after his presidency ended in humbling defeat, he would add a Nobel Peace Prize, awarded not for his White House accomplishments but “for his decades of untiring effort to find peaceful solutions to international conflicts, to advance democracy and human rights, and to promote economic and social development.” The life of James Earl Carter Jr., the 39th and longest-lived U.S. president, ended Sunday at the age of 100 where it began: Plains, the town of 600 that fueled his political rise, welcomed him after his fall and sustained him during 40 years of service that redefined what it means to be a former president. With the stubborn confidence of an engineer and an optimism rooted in his Baptist faith, Carter described his motivations in politics and beyond in the same way: an almost missionary zeal to solve problems and improve lives. Carter was raised amid racism, abject poverty and hard rural living — realities that shaped both his deliberate politics and emphasis on human rights. “He always felt a responsibility to help people,” said Jill Stuckey, a longtime friend of Carter’s in Plains. “And when he couldn’t make change wherever he was, he decided he had to go higher.” Carter’s path, a mix of happenstance and calculation , pitted moral imperatives against political pragmatism; and it defied typical labels of American politics, especially caricatures of one-term presidents as failures. “We shouldn’t judge presidents by how popular they are in their day. That’s a very narrow way of assessing them,” Carter biographer Jonathan Alter told the Associated Press. “We should judge them by how they changed the country and the world for the better. On that score, Jimmy Carter is not in the first rank of American presidents, but he stands up quite well.” Later in life, Carter conceded that many Americans, even those too young to remember his tenure, judged him ineffective for failing to contain inflation or interest rates, end the energy crisis or quickly bring home American hostages in Iran. He gained admirers instead for his work at The Carter Center — advocating globally for public health, human rights and democracy since 1982 — and the decades he and Rosalynn wore hardhats and swung hammers with Habitat for Humanity. Yet the common view that he was better after the Oval Office than in it annoyed Carter, and his allies relished him living long enough to see historians reassess his presidency. “He doesn’t quite fit in today’s terms” of a left-right, red-blue scoreboard, said U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg, who visited the former president multiple times during his own White House bid. At various points in his political career, Carter labeled himself “progressive” or “conservative” — sometimes both at once. His most ambitious health care bill failed — perhaps one of his biggest legislative disappointments — because it didn’t go far enough to suit liberals. Republicans, especially after his 1980 defeat, cast him as a left-wing cartoon. It would be easiest to classify Carter as a centrist, Buttigieg said, “but there’s also something radical about the depth of his commitment to looking after those who are left out of society and out of the economy.” Indeed, Carter’s legacy is stitched with complexities, contradictions and evolutions — personal and political. The self-styled peacemaker was a war-trained Naval Academy graduate who promised Democratic challenger Ted Kennedy that he’d “kick his ass.” But he campaigned with a call to treat everyone with “respect and compassion and with love.” Carter vowed to restore America’s virtue after the shame of Vietnam and Watergate, and his technocratic, good-government approach didn’t suit Republicans who tagged government itself as the problem. It also sometimes put Carter at odds with fellow Democrats. The result still was a notable legislative record, with wins on the environment, education, and mental health care. He dramatically expanded federally protected lands, began deregulating air travel, railroads and trucking, and he put human rights at the center of U.S. foreign policy. As a fiscal hawk, Carter added a relative pittance to the national debt, unlike successors from both parties. Carter nonetheless struggled to make his achievements resonate with the electorate he charmed in 1976. Quoting Bob Dylan and grinning enthusiastically, he had promised voters he would “never tell a lie.” Once in Washington, though, he led like a joyless engineer, insisting his ideas would become reality and he’d be rewarded politically if only he could convince enough people with facts and logic. This served him well at Camp David, where he brokered peace between Israel’s Menachem Begin and Epypt’s Anwar Sadat, an experience that later sparked the idea of The Carter Center in Atlanta. Carter’s tenacity helped the center grow to a global force that monitored elections across five continents, enabled his freelance diplomacy and sent public health experts across the developing world. The center’s wins were personal for Carter, who hoped to outlive the last Guinea worm parasite, and nearly did. As president, though, the approach fell short when he urged consumers beleaguered by energy costs to turn down their thermostats. Or when he tried to be the nation’s cheerleader, beseeching Americans to overcome a collective “crisis of confidence.” Republican Ronald Reagan exploited Carter’s lecturing tone with a belittling quip in their lone 1980 debate. “There you go again,” the former Hollywood actor said in response to a wonky answer from the sitting president. “The Great Communicator” outpaced Carter in all but six states. Carter later suggested he “tried to do too much, too soon” and mused that he was incompatible with Washington culture: media figures, lobbyists and Georgetown social elites who looked down on the Georgians and their inner circle as “country come to town.” Carter carefully navigated divides on race and class on his way to the Oval Office. Born Oct. 1, 1924 , Carter was raised in the mostly Black community of Archery, just outside Plains, by a progressive mother and white supremacist father. Their home had no running water or electricity but the future president still grew up with the relative advantages of a locally prominent, land-owning family in a system of Jim Crow segregation. He wrote of President Franklin Roosevelt’s towering presence and his family’s Democratic Party roots, but his father soured on FDR, and Jimmy Carter never campaigned or governed as a New Deal liberal. He offered himself as a small-town peanut farmer with an understated style, carrying his own luggage, bunking with supporters during his first presidential campaign and always using his nickname. And he began his political career in a whites-only Democratic Party. As private citizens, he and Rosalynn supported integration as early as the 1950s and believed it inevitable. Carter refused to join the White Citizens Council in Plains and spoke out in his Baptist church against denying Black people access to worship services. “This is not my house; this is not your house,” he said in a churchwide meeting, reminding fellow parishioners their sanctuary belonged to God. Yet as the appointed chairman of Sumter County schools he never pushed to desegregate, thinking it impractical after the Supreme Court’s 1954 Brown v. Board decision. And while presidential candidate Carter would hail the 1965 Voting Rights Act, signed by fellow Democrat Lyndon Johnson when Carter was a state senator, there is no record of Carter publicly supporting it at the time. Carter overcame a ballot-stuffing opponent to win his legislative seat, then lost the 1966 governor’s race to an arch-segregationist. He won four years later by avoiding explicit mentions of race and campaigning to the right of his rival, who he mocked as “Cufflinks Carl” — the insult of an ascendant politician who never saw himself as part the establishment. Carter’s rural and small-town coalition in 1970 would match any victorious Republican electoral map in 2024. Once elected, though, Carter shocked his white conservative supporters — and landed on the cover of Time magazine — by declaring that “the time for racial discrimination is over.” Before making the jump to Washington, Carter befriended the family of slain civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr., whom he’d never sought out as he eyed the governor’s office. Carter lamented his foot-dragging on school integration as a “mistake.” But he also met, conspicuously, with Alabama’s segregationist Gov. George Wallace to accept his primary rival’s endorsement ahead of the 1976 Democratic convention. “He very shrewdly took advantage of his own Southerness,” said Amber Roessner, a University of Tennessee professor and expert on Carter’s campaigns. A coalition of Black voters and white moderate Democrats ultimately made Carter the last Democratic presidential nominee to sweep the Deep South. Then, just as he did in Georgia, he used his power in office to appoint more non-whites than all his predecessors had, combined. He once acknowledged “the secret shame” of white Americans who didn’t fight segregation. But he also told Alter that doing more would have sacrificed his political viability – and thus everything he accomplished in office and after. King’s daughter, Bernice King, described Carter as wisely “strategic” in winning higher offices to enact change. “He was a leader of conscience,” she said in an interview. Rosalynn Carter, who died on Nov. 19 at the age of 96, was identified by both husband and wife as the “more political” of the pair; she sat in on Cabinet meetings and urged him to postpone certain priorities, like pressing the Senate to relinquish control of the Panama Canal. “Let that go until the second term,” she would sometimes say. The president, recalled her former aide Kathy Cade, retorted that he was “going to do what’s right” even if “it might cut short the time I have.” Rosalynn held firm, Cade said: “She’d remind him you have to win to govern.” Carter also was the first president to appoint multiple women as Cabinet officers. Yet by his own telling, his career sprouted from chauvinism in the Carters’ early marriage: He did not consult Rosalynn when deciding to move back to Plains in 1953 or before launching his state Senate bid a decade later. Many years later, he called it “inconceivable” that he didn’t confer with the woman he described as his “full partner,” at home, in government and at The Carter Center. “We developed a partnership when we were working in the farm supply business, and it continued when Jimmy got involved in politics,” Rosalynn Carter told AP in 2021. So deep was their trust that when Carter remained tethered to the White House in 1980 as 52 Americans were held hostage in Tehran, it was Rosalynn who campaigned on her husband’s behalf. “I just loved it,” she said, despite the bitterness of defeat. Fair or not, the label of a disastrous presidency had leading Democrats keep their distance, at least publicly, for many years, but Carter managed to remain relevant, writing books and weighing in on societal challenges. He lamented widening wealth gaps and the influence of money in politics. He voted for democratic socialist Bernie Sanders over Hillary Clinton in 2016, and later declared that America had devolved from fully functioning democracy to “oligarchy.” Yet looking ahead to 2020, with Sanders running again, Carter warned Democrats not to “move to a very liberal program,” lest they help re-elect President Donald Trump. Carter scolded the Republican for his serial lies and threats to democracy, and chided the U.S. establishment for misunderstanding Trump’s populist appeal. He delighted in yearly convocations with Emory University freshmen, often asking them to guess how much he’d raised in his two general election campaigns. “Zero,” he’d gesture with a smile, explaining the public financing system candidates now avoid so they can raise billions. Carter still remained quite practical in partnering with wealthy corporations and foundations to advance Carter Center programs. Carter recognized that economic woes and the Iran crisis doomed his presidency, but offered no apologies for appointing Paul Volcker as the Federal Reserve chairman whose interest rate hikes would not curb inflation until Reagan’s presidency. He was proud of getting all the hostages home without starting a shooting war, even though Tehran would not free them until Reagan’s Inauguration Day. “Carter didn’t look at it” as a failure, Alter emphasized. “He said, ‘They came home safely.’ And that’s what he wanted.” Well into their 90s, the Carters greeted visitors at Plains’ Maranatha Baptist Church, where he taught Sunday School and where he will have his last funeral before being buried on family property alongside Rosalynn . Carter, who made the congregation’s collection plates in his woodworking shop, still garnered headlines there, calling for women’s rights within religious institutions, many of which, he said, “subjugate” women in church and society. Carter was not one to dwell on regrets. “I am at peace with the accomplishments, regret the unrealized goals and utilize my former political position to enhance everything we do,” he wrote around his 90th birthday. The politician who had supposedly hated Washington politics also enjoyed hosting Democratic presidential contenders as public pilgrimages to Plains became advantageous again. Carter sat with Buttigieg for the final time March 1, 2020, hours before the Indiana mayor ended his campaign and endorsed eventual winner Joe Biden. “He asked me how I thought the campaign was going,” Buttigieg said, recalling that Carter flashed his signature grin and nodded along as the young candidate, born a year after Carter left office, “put the best face” on the walloping he endured the day before in South Carolina. Never breaking his smile, the 95-year-old host fired back, “I think you ought to drop out.” “So matter of fact,” Buttigieg said with a laugh. “It was somehow encouraging.” Carter had lived enough, won plenty and lost enough to take the long view. “He talked a lot about coming from nowhere,” Buttigieg said, not just to attain the presidency but to leverage “all of the instruments you have in life” and “make the world more peaceful.” In his farewell address as president, Carter said as much to the country that had embraced and rejected him. “The struggle for human rights overrides all differences of color, nation or language,” he declared. “Those who hunger for freedom, who thirst for human dignity and who suffer for the sake of justice — they are the patriots of this cause.” Carter pledged to remain engaged with and for them as he returned “home to the South where I was born and raised,” home to Plains, where that young lieutenant had indeed become “a fellow citizen of the world.” —- Bill Barrow, based in Atlanta, has covered national politics including multiple presidential campaigns for the AP since 2012.Multiple roads in or near Cirencester closed after floods
JPMorgan Chase & Co. lessened its stake in Schwab Short-Term U.S. Treasury ETF ( NYSEARCA:SCHO – Free Report ) by 4.1% during the 3rd quarter, Holdings Channel.com reports. The institutional investor owned 8,713,529 shares of the company’s stock after selling 369,994 shares during the quarter. JPMorgan Chase & Co.’s holdings in Schwab Short-Term U.S. Treasury ETF were worth $426,789,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period. Several other institutional investors also recently bought and sold shares of SCHO. Ballentine Partners LLC purchased a new position in shares of Schwab Short-Term U.S. Treasury ETF during the second quarter valued at about $511,000. Hardin Capital Partners LLC purchased a new position in Schwab Short-Term U.S. Treasury ETF during the 2nd quarter valued at approximately $361,000. LPL Financial LLC increased its stake in Schwab Short-Term U.S. Treasury ETF by 60.8% in the 2nd quarter. LPL Financial LLC now owns 1,678,323 shares of the company’s stock worth $80,778,000 after acquiring an additional 634,343 shares during the last quarter. Main Street Group LTD increased its stake in Schwab Short-Term U.S. Treasury ETF by 3.3% in the 2nd quarter. Main Street Group LTD now owns 199,754 shares of the company’s stock worth $9,574,000 after acquiring an additional 6,326 shares during the last quarter. Finally, American Investment Services Inc. raised its holdings in shares of Schwab Short-Term U.S. Treasury ETF by 13.1% during the 2nd quarter. American Investment Services Inc. now owns 52,244 shares of the company’s stock worth $2,515,000 after acquiring an additional 6,070 shares in the last quarter. Schwab Short-Term U.S. Treasury ETF Trading Up 0.0 % SCHO stock opened at $24.10 on Friday. Schwab Short-Term U.S. Treasury ETF has a 52 week low of $23.85 and a 52 week high of $24.53. The company has a fifty day simple moving average of $24.19 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $24.24. Schwab Short-Term U.S. Treasury ETF Company Profile The Schwab Short-Term U.S. Treasury ETF (SCHO) is an exchange-traded fund that mostly invests in investment grade fixed income. The fund tracks a market-value-weighted index of debt issued by the US Treasury, excluding STRIPS, with remaining maturity of 1-3 years. SCHO was launched on Aug 5, 2010 and is managed by Charles Schwab. Featured Articles Want to see what other hedge funds are holding SCHO? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Schwab Short-Term U.S. Treasury ETF ( NYSEARCA:SCHO – Free Report ). Receive News & Ratings for Schwab Short-Term U.S. Treasury ETF Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Schwab Short-Term U.S. Treasury ETF and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter .Trump's lawyers rebuff DA's idea for upholding his hush money convictionGoTyme Bank intends to grow its customer base to 9 million in 2025 as it sets up more kiosks across the country and offers more financial products, including lending, to lock in the unserved market. The Gokongwei-backed digital bank currently has about 5 million customers, which is expected to reach 5.3 million by the end of the year. Total deposits, meanwhile, stood at P24 billion. READ: GoTyme now at 3.7M users, on track to hit over 5M customers GoTyme CEO Nathaniel Clarke, in an interview with the Inquirer, said they were banking on the country’s young and technology-savvy demographic who has become comfortable in using digital financial products to drive the demand for their services in the coming year. Leveraging on the increasingly digital trend, GoTyme is set to open 100 additional kiosks that serve as physical touchpoints for its customers. The digital bank currently has 575 kiosks across the country, most of which are located in supermarkets, malls, department stores and offices. GoTyme co-CEO Albert Tinio said they still see room for growth as the “market is far from being oversaturated” despite multiple players competing for market share. “Given how fast we’re growing, I think it is evident that people are looking for more than just a wallet—the flexibility and trust that comes with opening a bank account and a wallet combined. That marriage is what they’re looking for,” he said. In the next year, Tinio said they would increase focus on lending by providing a buy now, pay later scheme, which has been gaining traction among online shoppers. GoTyme, at present, is already providing credit services to micro, small and medium enterprises through its partnership with PayMongo and Foodpanda. As GoTyme ramps up operations, Clarke said they were eyeing to achieve profitability by 2027. Earlier this year, Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) director Melchor Plabasan said that only two of the six neobanks in the country were profitable. Plabasan noted that only 5 percent of digital banks in the world are turning profits. Other entities with digital banking licenses in the country are UNO Digital Bank, UnionDigital Bank, Maya Bank, Overseas Filipino Bank and Tonik Digital Bank. Subscribe to our daily newsletter By providing an email address. I agree to the Terms of Use and acknowledge that I have read the Privacy Policy . BSP Governor Eli Remolona Jr. said these financial institutions were having a hard time making money because of unpaid loans, forcing them to allot higher credit provisions that can drag their bottom line. INQ
Ollie Schniederjans and a LIV rules official assessing Schniederjans' lie on Friday. LIV Golf/YouTube If you were trying to identify the Next Big Thing in 2015, Ollie Schniederjans would have been on your short list. Until he wasn’t. All of which helps explain why this week Schniederjans is playing golf halfway across the world on a quest to land a new home with LIV Golf , where purses are $25 million and last season only seven players made less than $2 million. Joining Schniederjans at the LIV Golf Promotions event in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, were 92 other hopefuls, only one of whom — the winner of the 72-hole event — will earn entrée to LIV for the 2025 season (though the top 10 finishers, including ties, will earn full exemptions into the Asian Tour’s 2025 International Series). We say were because after Friday’s second round at Riyadh Golf Club, the field was whittled down to 20 golfers who will play 36 holes on Saturday to determine the champion. Trimming a field down to a round number typically requires a playoff, and this event was no exception. On Friday, six entrants — Schniederjans among them — finished 36 holes tied for 20th at three under, meaning a sudden-death playoff was necessary to determine which one of those players would advance. When Schniederjans and MJ Maguire were the only players to birdie the first playoff hole — the 396-yard par-4 18th — the 6-for-1 playoff quickly became 2-for-1, which is how it stayed when Schniederjans and Maguire replayed 18 and made matching birdies again. On their third go-around on the home hole (fourth including regulation), Maguire found the fairway, but Schniederjans did not; after carrying the water, his ball settled into a sandy waste area roughly 30 yards short and right of the green. His lie looked wicked — his ball nestled up against the crusty collar of rough on the far side of the sand — and it was wicked, especially given the magnitude of the approach shot Schniederjans was facing. Bad break? Nope, quite the opposite, actually, because Schniederjans was about to get free relief from an unusual rule. Thanks to a local rule instituted by LIV this week to prevent players from hurting themselves when faced with precarious shots like this one, Schniederjans was permitted to identify his nearest point of relief — in this case, the light rough outside the waste area — and drop his ball within a club-length of that spot. “It’s a short enough shot that he wouldn’t really hurt himself, but you can’t take that into account when you’re designing the local rules,” LIV Golf analyst Jerry Foltz said on the broadcast. Su-Ann Heng, LIV’s on-course reporter, called the ruling “a huge break,” later adding of the drop, “MJ is looking pretty closely at it, too.” Schniederjans’ break got even better when during his drop procedure, his ball twice rolled out of the relief area, meaning he was permitted to place his ball on a perfect lie. “Every once in a while, the rules work to your advantage,” Foltz said. To which Heng said: “If you’re MJ, though, I’m sure you’re a little bit disappointed.” Schniederjans didn’t catch his approach as cleanly as he would have liked, leaving himself about 10 feet for birdie. Maguire’s attempt from the middle of the fairway also left little to be desired as it ran 20 feet by the hole from where he failed to make 3. Then it was Schniederjans’ turn: hole the putt and advance to Saturday’s 36-hole finale, or miss it and play a fourth playoff hole. As Schniederjans’ ball rolled toward the cup, there was never a doubt. Bingo . Asked about the ruling after the round, Schniederjans said, “I was assuming I was getting relief, but I hadn’t been in that spot all week. That was obviously a great break.” Of course, for Schniederjans, there is still much work to be done. Thirty-six holes and 19 players still stand between him and a chance to prove himself in LIV’s big-money showdowns in 2025. But that chance is something Schniederjans desperately wants. “I’ve been through a lot,” he said Friday evening as dusk settled over Riyadh Golf Club. “I want to play against the best players in the world again. I think I’m coming back to I’m fully healthy. I just want to prove myself again and get that opportunity.” Latest In News Golf.com Editor As GOLF.com’s executive editor, Bastable is responsible for the editorial direction and voice of one of the game’s most respected and highly trafficked news and service sites. He wears many hats — editing, writing, ideating, developing, daydreaming of one day breaking 80 — and feels privileged to work with such an insanely talented and hardworking group of writers, editors and producers. Before grabbing the reins at GOLF.com, he was the features editor at GOLF Magazine. A graduate of the University of Richmond and the Columbia School of Journalism, he lives in New Jersey with his wife and foursome of kids.
Republican Senator Markwayne Mullin claims ’s was “falsely accused” of , defending his claim days earlier that had just been “flirting” with his accuser. A from the 2017 incident revealed that the woman, who has not been identified, told police that Hegseth blocked the door to stop her from leaving his hotel room and took her phone away before . Hegseth has maintained that the encounter was consensual. Earlier this week, the Oklahoma senator told reporters in the Capitol that he had read the police report: “If you read it, you can clearly see that it was two people flirting with each other.” On CNN Sunday, Mullin defended his previous claim and said that be believed that the encounter was consensual “was accurate,” he said. “There was no case here. He was falsely accused,” he added. “She was being the aggressor. Pete wasn’t even flirting with her. He was flirting with a different girl, and [the Jane Doe] was trying to flirt with Pete.” In the police report, another woman told authorities that Hegseth had invited her back to his hotel room, but she “politely declined.” CNN host Dana Bash pressed Mullin: “From your perspective, you believe his part of the story and not hers?” “I absolutely do. He wasn’t charged. He wasn’t even kind of charged in this. There was no crime committed. The police dropped everything,” he replied. While he did not face charges, as part of a confidential settlement to prevent a potential lawsuit, which he labeled as baseless. “What’s unfortunate in today’s world is you can be accused of anything. And then especially if it’s something like this, you are automatically assumed to be guilty,” Mullin told Bash. Investigators in Monterey, California were first notified about the alleged incident by a nurse, who told police a patient came to the hospital requesting a sexual assault exam for an incident that had occurred five days earlier, according to the newly released police report. The patient, identified as Jane Doe in the report, said she struggled to remember what happened, but recalled being intoxicated — and even speculated “something may have been slipped into her drink” because of her memory lapses. Although she didn’t remember how, Jane Doe said she wound up in Hegseth’s hotel room. She told police that Hegseth “took her phone from her hands” and when she tried to leave his room, and that Hegseth “blocked the door with his body,” according to the report. She recalled “saying ‘no’ a lot” but “did not remember much else,” the report says. Meanwhile, Hegseth told police that when they went back to his room, the woman “sat down in the room and did not leave,” which he found “odd.” The sex was “consensual,” they had discussed him wearing a condom, and he “continuously asked Doe if she was [OK] because he did not want Doe to get in trouble,” according to the report. Hegseth is among several of of sexual misconduct. Most of the scrutiny has focused on now-former Florida congressman Matt Gaetz, Trump’s initial pick for attorney general who later from consideration. Gaetz stepped aside after details emerged from two probes, including . Records obtained by and suggest that Gaetz paid more than Following Trump’s election, a startling trend emerged: men started posting the phrase on women’s social media posts. Some of Trump’s own . “This is not a good time for survivors or victims,” one woman told in the days after Trump’s victory. “People are not going to speak up because, look, it’s falling on deaf ears. No one cares.” Trump has denied all the accusations against him. Trump’s was when the details of the sexual assault allegation against Hegseth and the reports of his settlement became public.No Tua, no problem. The Miami Dolphins beat the Cleveland Browns 20-3 to stay alive – albeit slightly – in the 2024 playoff race despite franchise quarterback Tua Tagovailoa being held out with a hip injury. Backup Tyler Huntley had his best game of the season in Tagovailoa’s absence, completing roughly 85% percent of his passes for 225 yards and a touchdown. He also added 53 yards on the ground and touchdown. Huntley’s performance, however, was somewhat dwarfed by that of defense that limited the Browns offense to zero fourth-down conversions and less than 50% conversions on third downs. The defense came up big on a number of occasions, forcing a field goal in the red zone in the second quarter and also putting together a goal-line stand early in the fourth. They also forced two turnovers: an interception courtesy of inside linebacker Tyrel Dodson and a D’Shawn Hand-recovered fumble following edge rusher Emmanuel Ogbah’s sack. One week after the Dolphins eclipsed the 100-yard rushing mark for the first time in roughly a month, the run game regressed to its previous against the Browns. Miami only mustered 74 yards on the ground on 27 attempts. Tailback De’Von Achane was held to 25 yards on 10 carries. After a much-maligned performance against the San Francisco 49ers, Tyreek Hill led his fellow receivers in all categories, snagging nine balls for 105 yards. Neither the Dolphins nor the Browns moved the ball much in the first half. Miami struck first, knocking in a field goal on its second drive of the day. Cleveland would subsequently respond with a field goal of their own. The next six drives? Punt. Punt. Punt. Interception. Punt. Downs. Something, however, changed right before halftime. With 40 seconds left, Huntley led the offense deep into Cleveland territory which allowed Jason Sanders to kick the Dolphins into 6-3 lead at the half. After the Dolphins defense forced a three-and-out at the start of the third quarter, Huntley would complete four of his passes for 46 yards before scrambling for the game’s only touchdown at that point. The next seven drives? Punt. Punt. Fumble. Downs. Downs. Punt. Punt. Punt. Downs. With their last turnover on downs, the Dolphins got the ball on the Cleveland 21-yard line. Four plays later, Huntley found Jonnu Smith for a 7-yard touchdown that tied Keith Jackson and Anthony Fasano for most tight end scores in franchise history. ©2024 Miami Herald. Visit at miamiherald.com . Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.Greenland is a “linchpin for U.S. national security and the future of the free world,” according to leading expert Dr. Walter Berbrick, the founding director of the Arctic Studies Group at the U.S. Naval War College, who noted the pivotal country’s geostrategic and economic significance as well as its critical role in defense and the global order, which is “essential to counter authoritarian influence” and safeguard U.S. and allied interests, as he urged strengthened partnerships. In an exclusive interview with Breitbart News, Dr. Berbrick, the former senior adviser to the 77th Secretary of the Navy and the Special Representative for the Arctic Region at the State Department, highlighted the island’s unparalleled value to U.S. national security, economic resilience, and global stability, noting that Greenland’s significance as a hub for defense and economic activity will only grow. “Greenland is a linchpin for U.S. national security and the future of the free world,” he stated. “Its geographic position provides unparalleled strategic access to the Arctic, Atlantic, and Pacific Oceans — enabling the United States to monitor and deter threats against North America and NATO allies.” Arctic Defense and Resources Beyond its strategic location, Dr. Berbrick noted, Greenland offers vast reserves of rare earth elements, critical to advanced technology and military systems. “Economically, Greenland holds vast reserves of rare earth minerals essential for U.S. technological leadership and military readiness,” he explained. He also warned about the risks of allowing authoritarian powers like China and Russia to dominate Greenland’s resources and influence. “If China gains undue influence in Greenland, it risks compromising the stability of the Arctic, endangering U.S. interests, and weakening the rules-based international order,” he warned. Highlighting Greenland’s “irreplaceable” role in missile warning systems, Arctic operations, and securing freedom of navigation as new sea routes emerge, Dr. Berbrick called strengthening partnerships with Greenland and Denmark “essential to counter authoritarian influence and protect the economic and security interests of the United States and its allies for generations to come.” Strengthening Partnerships He recommended that the incoming Trump administration deepen ties with Greenland and Denmark through a defense and security compact modeled on agreements with Pacific Island nations. Such a compact, he explained, would deliver tangible benefits. For Greenland, he explained, it would offer investments in modern infrastructure, access to education, and sustainable development while safeguarding cultural and environmental integrity. For the United States, he clarified, it would provide critical Arctic access, bolstered defense infrastructure, and strengthened collaboration with allies “in a region that is rapidly becoming a focal point of global competition.” “A defense and security compact between the United States, Greenland, and Denmark... would protect Greenland from economic and political exploitation while ensuring the people of Greenland have control over their own future,” he emphasized. Policy Recommendations To enhance its Arctic presence, Dr. Berbrick suggested several actionable steps for U.S. policymakers: Trilateral Arctic Framework : Establish a formal cooperative agreement with Greenland and Denmark to address shared defense and economic priorities. Infrastructure Investments : Develop modernized ports, airports, and renewable energy projects in Greenland to foster sustainable growth and integration with global markets. Responsible Resource Partnerships : Support “environmentally sound” extraction of Greenland’s rare earth elements to benefit local communities and secure U.S. supply chains. Educational and Cultural Exchanges : Strengthen long-term ties between U.S. and Greenlandic communities through exchange programs and scientific collaboration. The matter comes as Greenland’s strategic importance has shifted into sharp focus amid evolving Arctic dynamics and growing international interest. On Sunday, President-elect Donald Trump wrote that, “For purposes of National Security and Freedom throughout the World, the United States of America feels that the ownership and control of Greenland is an absolute necessity.” An autonomous territory within the Kingdom of Denmark, Greenland occupies a unique and strategic position in the Arctic. The U.S. has long recognized Greenland’s strategic importance, a focus heightened in recent years by increasing global competition in the Arctic from China and Russia. Dr. Berbrick’s insights underscore the need for forward-thinking partnerships that align Greenland’s aspirations with U.S. and allied interests, ensuring Arctic stability and security for generations to come. Joshua Klein is a reporter for Breitbart News. Email him at jklein@breitbart.com. Follow him on Twitter @JoshuaKlein .
Jake Evans scores for the career-high 5th consecutive game, surging Canadiens beat Lightning 5-2Jose Rizal’s continuing relevance: Guiding light to Filipino nation
Croatia's President Zoran Milanovic will face conservative rival Dragan Primorac in an election run-off in two weeks' time after the incumbent narrowly missed out an outright victory on Sunday, official results showed. The results came after an exit poll, released immediately after the polling stations closed, showed that Milanovic, backed by the opposition left-wing Social Democrats, had scooped more than 50 percent of the first round vote and would thus avoid the January 12 run-off. Milanovic won 49.1 percent of the first round vote and Primorac, backed by the ruling conservative HDZ party, took 19.35 percent, according to results released by the state electoral commission from nearly all of the polling stations. On Sunday evening, Milanovic pledged to his supporters who gathered in Zagreb to "fight for Croatia with a clear stance, one that takes care of its interests". Such a strong lead for Milanovic, whom surveys labelled a favourite ahead of the vote, raises serious concerns for Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovic's HDZ. Late on Sunday, Primorac labelled the big difference between him and Milanovic a "challenge". "In the first round there were... a lot of candidates, it was not easy to present the programme fully. Now it's a great opportunity that Milanovic and I be one on one... to see who represents what," Primorac told his supporters in Zagreb. The election came as the European Union and NATO member country of 3.8 million people struggles with biting inflation, widespread corruption and a labour shortage. Among the eight contenders, centre-right MP Marija Selak Raspudic and green-left MP Ivana Kekin followed the two main rivals, the exit poll showed. The two women each won around nine percent of the vote. The president commands the Balkan country's armed forces and has a say in foreign policy. But despite limited powers, many believe the office is key for the political balance of power in a country mainly governed by the HDZ since independence in 1991. "All the eggs should not be in one basket," Nenad Horvat, a salesman in his 40s, told AFP. He sees Milanovic, a former leftist prime minister, as the "last barrier to all levers of power falling into the hands of HDZ", echoing the view of many that was reflected in Sunday's vote results. The 58-year-old Milanovic has been one of Croatia's leading and most colourful political figures for nearly two decades. Sharp and eloquent, he won the presidency for the Social Democrats (SDP) in 2020 with pledges to advocate tolerance and liberalism. But he used the office to attack political opponents and EU officials, often with offensive and populist rhetoric. Milanovic, who condemned Russia's aggression against Ukraine, has nonetheless criticised the West's military aid to Kyiv. That prompted the prime minister to label him a pro-Russian who is "destroying Croatia's credibility in NATO and the EU". Milanovic countered that he wanted to protect Croatia from being "dragged into war". Milanovic regularly pans Plenkovic and his HDZ party over systemic corruption, calling the premier a "serious threat to Croatia's democracy". Speaking on Sunday, Milanovic said that in the current global situation, all political stakeholders in the country should be "on the same side as much as possible, at least when it comes to fundamental issues such as the national security or borders". For many, the election is a continuation of the longstanding feud between two powerful politicians. "This is still about the conflict between the prime minister and president," political analyst Zarko Puhovski told AFP. "All the rest are just incidental topics." Primorac, a 59-year-old physician and scientist returning to politics after 15 years, campaigned as a "unifier" promoting family values and patriotism. ljv/bc
You can get paid $2,500 to shop at Costco for a weekSparked again by Michael Bunting, Penguins win Sunday’s rematch against the Islanders
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