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Rayna Chand’s diligence in keeping up to remain top of her class since Year One paid off when she scored the highest mark in the Fiji Eighth Year Examination for the Northern Division. The 13-year-old head girl of Wainikoro Public School in Macuata scored 485 marks out of 500. It is the first time for WPS to make such achievement. Her marks are English 97, Mathematics 94, Basic Science 100, Healthy Living 97, Social Science 97 and Hindi 88. She thanked her parents, class teacher, subject teachers and head teacher. “I feel proud to be the first student at my school to score the highest marks in Vanua Levu,” the Taganikula native said. “I studied to make my parents proud since my father is an electrician working in Suva my mum, an admin staff in my school, work diligently to provide all my needs.” The elder sibling to a brother, said she studied late at nights and always woke up at 4am to carry out revision. “I have always come first in my school since Year One,” the aspiring doctor said. “Like other students, I also struggled but I never used it as an excuse to achieve my goal.” Mum, Shareeni Lal said she was proud of her daughter and would be sending her to Labasa College for further education. WPS head teacher Rajesh Kumar said he was glad and thankful for the support from the Ministry of Education Labasa office, especially divisional education officer Iliseva Volai and senior education officer Dharmendra Dayal for their guidance as they assisted in achieving such result. “This is the first time we received highest mark in North and us, including the school management, are proud,” Mr Kumar said. “She was also the school dux this year.” Feedback: shratikan@fijisun.com.fj

Tensions from China’s ongoing dispute with the United States over trade have continued to escalate this week, according to multiple reports. The U.S. and China have been engaged in an ongoing trade battle , with both countries vying for an upper hand. As President Joe Biden’s term comes to an end, his administration has recently rolled out new export restrictions on China. Chinese President Xi Jinping said Tuesday that there will be “no winners” in a U.S.-China trade war, according to Chinese broadcaster CCTV. The Chinese president criticized sanctions the U.S. has placed on Chinese companies in April, calling them an “endless stream of measures to suppress China’s economy, trade, science and technology.” China has recently escalated trade tensions, with some Chinese manufacturers beginning to limit sales to Europe and the U.S. of components vital to building unmanned aerial vehicles, also known as drones, which play a vital role in Ukraine’s defense against Russia, according to Bloomberg. Some Western officials expect China to implement broad-ranging export restrictions on drone parts in the coming year, Bloomberg reported. The U.S. Department of Commerce’s Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) announced on Dec. 2 new restrictions designed to curb the People’s Republic of China’s capacity to produce advanced semiconductors that can be used in advanced weapon systems, artificial intelligence and advanced computing. China’s Ministry of Commerce quickly responded to the move on Dec. 3 by announcing a ban on exports of materials which can be used in the production of semiconductors and ammunition. (RELATED: China Threatens Taiwan With Largest Military Drill In Decades As Biden Quietly Disappears From World Stage) (Photo by PEDRO PARDO/AFP via Getty Images) Despite the president expressing his “full confidence” on Tuesday that the nation would achieve its 2024 growth goal, China’s exports grew at a slower pace than anticipated in November, not meeting economists expectations for a surge in exports ahead of potential new tariffs in 2025, according to The Wall Street Journal. In November, China’s exports increased 6.7% from a year earlier, down from October’s 12.7% growth, The WSJ report noted. President-elect Donald Trump has proposed sweeping tariffs on imported goods when he returns to the White House in January 2025, including on goods imported from China . The U.S. implemented various tariffs against China under Trump’s first presidential administration. Despite many members of the media warning that a trade war with China would tank the U.S. economy, Trump previously spoke positively of the effects on the steel and auto industries from his placing tariffs on China. Trump also threatened to impose a 10% tariff on Chinese goods to pressure China into taking additional steps to prevent the trafficking of Chinese-made chemicals used in fentanyl — a synthetic opioid that has caused the deaths of thousands of Americans in recent years — according to Reuters. If enacted, the president-elect’s proposed tariffs on China could pose major growth risks for China’s economy. Trump’s proposal to sharply raise tariffs could also cause China to accelerate shifting to offshore factories, according to PBS News. All content created by the Daily Caller News Foundation, an independent and nonpartisan newswire service, is available without charge to any legitimate news publisher that can provide a large audience. All republished articles must include our logo, our reporter’s byline and their DCNF affiliation. For any questions about our guidelines or partnering with us, please contact licensing@dailycallernewsfoundation.org .

Legendary cricket icon Syed Kirmani releases autobiography on 75th birthdayPublished 5:31 pm Tuesday, November 26, 2024 By Associated Press NEW YORK — President-elect Donald Trump threatened to impose sweeping new tariffs on Mexico, Canada and China as soon as he takes office as part of his effort to crack down on illegal immigration and drugs. He said he would impose a 25% tax on all products entering the country from Canada and Mexico, and an additional 10% tariff on goods from China, as one of his first executive orders. The tariffs, if implemented, could dramatically raise prices for American consumers on everything from gas to automobiles to agricultural products. The U.S. is the largest importer of goods in the world, with Mexico, China and Canada its top three suppliers, according to the most recent U.S. Census data. Trump made the threats Monday in a pair of posts on his Truth Social site in which he railed against an influx of illegal migrants, even though southern border apprehensions have been hovering near four-year lows. “On January 20th, as one of my many first Executive Orders, I will sign all necessary documents to charge Mexico and Canada a 25% Tariff on ALL products coming into the United States, and its ridiculous Open Borders,” he wrote, complaining that “thousands of people are pouring through Mexico and Canada, bringing Crime and Drugs at levels never seen before,” even though violent crime is down from pandemic highs. He said the new tariffs would remain in place “until such time as Drugs, in particular Fentanyl, and all Illegal Aliens stop this Invasion of our Country!” “Both Mexico and Canada have the absolute right and power to easily solve this long simmering problem. We hereby demand that they use this power,” he went on, “and until such time that they do, it is time for them to pay a very big price!” A senior Canadian government official said Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Trump spoke after Trump’s posts. The two spoke about the border and trade and had a good conversation, the official said. The official was not authorized to speak publicly about the matter and spoke on condition of anonymity. Trump also turned his ire on China, saying he has “had many talks with China about the massive amounts of drugs, in particular Fentanyl, being sent into the United States – But to no avail.” “Until such time as they stop, we will be charging China an additional 10% Tariff, above any additional Tariffs, on all of their many products coming into the United States of America,” he wrote. The Chinese Embassy in Washington cautioned on Monday that there will be losers on all sides if there is a trade war. “China-US economic and trade cooperation is mutually beneficial in nature,” embassy spokesman Liu Pengyu posted on X. “No one will win a trade war or a #tariff war.” He added that China had taken steps in the last year to help stem drug trafficking. It is unclear whether Trump will actually go through with the threats or if he is using them as a negotiating tactic before he returns to the White House in the new year. Trump’s nominee for treasury secretary, Scott Bessent — who if confirmed, would be one of several officials responsible for imposing tariffs on other countries — has on several occasions said tariffs are a means of negotiation. He wrote in a Fox News op-ed last week, before his nomination, that tariffs are “a useful tool for achieving the president’s foreign policy objectives. Whether it is getting allies to spend more on their own defense, opening foreign markets to U.S. exports, securing cooperation on ending illegal immigration and interdicting fentanyl trafficking, or deterring military aggression, tariffs can play a central role.” Trump won the election in large part due to voter frustration over inflation, but his threatened tariffs pose the risk of pushing prices even higher for food, autos and other goods. If inflationary pressures increase, the Federal Reserve might need to keep its benchmark interest rates higher. Trump’s threats come as arrests for illegally crossing the border from Mexico have been falling. The most recent U.S. numbers for October show arrests remain near four-year lows, with U.S. Border Patrol making 56,530 arrests in October, less than one third of the tally from October last year. Meanwhile, arrests for illegally crossing the border from Canada have been rising over the past two years. The Border Patrol made 23,721 arrests between October 2023 and September 2024, compared with 10,021 the previous 12 months. More than 14,000 of those arrested on the Canadian border were Indian — more than 10 times the number two years ago. Last week, a jury convicted two men on charges related to human smuggling for their roles in an international operation that led to the deaths of a family of Indian migrants who froze while trying to cross the Canada-U.S. border during a 2022 blizzard. Much of America’s fentanyl is smuggled from Mexico. Border seizures of the drug rose sharply under President Joe Biden, and U.S. officials tallied about 21,900 pounds (12,247 kilograms) of fentanyl seized in the 2024 government budget year, compared with 2,545 pounds (1,154 kilograms) in 2019, when Trump was president. If Trump were to move forward with the threatened tariffs, the new taxes would pose an enormous challenge for the economies of Canada and Mexico, in particular. The Canadian dollar weakened sharply in foreign exchange markets immediately following Trump’s post. During Trump’s first term, his move to renegotiate the North American Free Trade Agreement, or NAFTA, and reports that he was considering a 25% tariff on the Canadian auto sector were considered an existential threat in Canada. Canada is one of the most trade-dependent countries in the world, and 75% of Canada’s exports go to the U.S. The tariffs would also throw into doubt the reliability of the 2020 trade deal brokered in large part by Trump with Canada and Mexico, the USMCA, which replaced NAFTA and is up for review in 2026. It’s unclear from Trump’s social media post how he would legally apply tariff hikes on those two pivotal U.S. trade partners, but the 2020 deal allows for national security exceptions. Trump transition team officials did not immediately respond to questions about what authority he would use, what he would need to see to prevent the tariffs from being implemented and how they would impact prices in the U.S. When Trump imposed higher tariffs during his first term in office, other countries responded with retaliatory tariffs of their own. Canada, for instance, announced billions of new duties in 2018 against the U.S. in a tit-for-tat response to new taxes on Canadian steel and aluminum. Many of the U.S. products were chosen for their political rather than economic impact. For example, Canada imports just $3 million worth of yogurt from the U.S. annually and most of it comes from one plant in Wisconsin, the home state of then-Republican House Speaker Paul Ryan. That product was hit with a 10% duty. The Canadian government, in a joint statement from Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland and Public Safety Minister Dominic Leblanc, emphasized the close relationship between the two countries and said they will discuss the border and vast economic ties with the incoming administration. “Canada places the highest priority on border security and the integrity of our shared border. Our relationship today is balanced and mutually beneficial, particularly for American workers,” the statement read. Freeland, who chairs a special Cabinet committee on Canada-U.S. relations to address concerns about another Trump presidency, has said the president-elect’s promise to launch a mass deportation and concern that that could lead to an influx of migrants to Canada, is a top focus of the committee. A second senior Canadian official had said before Trump’s posts that Canadian officials were expecting him to issue executive orders on trade and the border as soon as he assumes office. The official was not authorized to speak publicly and spoke on condition of anonymity. Mexico’s Foreign Relations Department and Economy Department also had no immediate reaction to Trump’s statements. Normally such weighty issues are handled by the president at her morning press briefings. Last week, a senior Chinese commerce official said higher tariffs on Chinese exports would backfire by raising prices for consumers. Vice Commerce Minister Wang Shouwen also said China can manage the impact of such “external shocks.”

NAMPA — Despite controversy that has spread throughout the community, Nampa’s LGBTQ+ club for youths, CLUTCH, met Thursday and proceeded with its weekly meeting as usual. “We did our normal routine. We had a meal, we had some great chili, and we did an awesome yarn craft, and we just hung out,” Director of Operations Mindy OldenKamp said. Its members are mostly in their teens with a handful of young adults. CLUTCH and its mission have been brought into question this past week by Nampa Sen. Brian Lenney. Lenney is completing his first term as a Republican senator and recently won reelection for his next term. Originally from California, Lenney has labeled himself as a political refugee and moved to Idaho in 2010, according to his website. After spotting a CLUTCH flyer on Nampa Public Library’s bulletin board, in emails with the library director, Lenney questioned how a flyer promoting CLUTCH was appropriate for a library bulletin board. “So your policy means adults can invite kids to talk about sex?” Lenney wrote in a Nov. 18 email. Lenney declined an interview with the Idaho Press over the phone and did not respond to emailed questions. The flyer includes the weekly meeting time and location and states its membership age range of 14 to 20 years old. There are no mentions of sex. A flyer from CLUTCH, a Nampa LGBTQ+ club for youths, was targeted by a state senator on social media this week. “No pressure, no judgments, just you,” the flyer reads. “Creating an affirming space in our community for LGBTQ+ youth.” Lenney has gone on to claim that the flyer promotes a group that is complicit in grooming and pedophilia. His social media posts regarding the flyer have sparked outrage. One of Lenney’s posts received 14,000 views as of Friday and multiple posts have dozens of replies supporting Lenney’s position. “So their policy allows inappropriate sexual perversion towards children and no one there has the guts to stand up and rip the flyer down to protect children,” one X user wrote. “Sounds standard for those freaks. And this is why I do not take my kids to public libraries.” AT THE LIBRARY Since Lenney’s initial Nov. 20 post, the library has received approximately 30 to 40 complaints via phone and email, according to library Director Claire Connley. In an interview with the Idaho Press, Connley said that the flyer does not go against library policy. “It’s merely inviting people to a meeting,” Connley said. “So no, I do not find that inappropriate.” While her staff will take a look at the bulletin boards a few times a week, flyers are not individually vetted by library staff or the board before they are posted. At any time, Connley said the library will have dozens of flyers on display. Before this, Connley can not recall ever receiving complaints about materials on the bulletin boards. “It’s been quite negative,” Connley said. “It’s been accusing the library staff of all kinds of things.” During this difficult week for her staff, Connley noted that complaints have come in from out of state as well. “When people have agendas, a lot of the time it’s their own, personal agenda,” Connley said. “We just try to do what we believe is right, and we’re a great resource for the community.” CITY COUNCILMEMBER RESPONDS Following communication with Connley, Lenney forwarded the email thread to multiple city councilors and leadership. “I know you’ve probably all seen this,” Lenney wrote in the Nov. 20 email. “But, wow... this is the response from our library when child groomers are on the prowl?” Councilmember Natalie Jangula, a self-proclaimed staunch conservative, disagreed with Lenney’s representation of CLUTCH, questioning where his accusations came from. “Where does it say or imply that adults will be talking to kids about sex?” Jangula wrote in response. Jangula is in her second term as a city councilmember and has stated that she does not align herself with LGBTQ+ values. Despite this, Jangula said that Lenney’s accusations were unfounded and that he was impeding on the group’s rights with “made–up information.” “As a constitutional conservative, I will never stand in the way of anyone’s rights that I believe God has given them,” Jangula wrote. “The right to peacefully and lawfully assemble, even if I don’t agree with it, is something I will defend.” Rather than being concerned about grooming allegations, Jangula said she has recognized a pattern of closed-mindedness. “I don’t think it’s relevant to the discussion because it’s made-up information,” Jangula said in an interview with the Idaho Press. “I don’t know where this is coming from. I think that we have had a shift in our politics here in Idaho, and it’s becoming more dangerous.” Jangula has previously been criticized online for attending the controversial Canyon County Pride Festival , which was held in June. In particular, Jangula said it was harmful for Lenney as a public leader to perpetuate a false narrative against a group he doesn’t agree with. “Brian Lenney’s remarks are a place of authority,” Jangula said. “He is coming from a place of saying, ‘if you don’t align with me, you don’t have rights,’ and I think that that’s very dangerous for a state senator to have that viewpoint.” If a parent doesn’t agree with the group’s mission, Jangula said, don’t send them there. “The last couple of days have just shone a whole new light on a lot of things going on in Idaho,” Jangula said. “And I’m just — I’m really saddened by it, honestly.” CLUTCH RECEIVES SUPPORT Contrary to all the attention the group has recently received, OldenKamp said that the library has taken more flak for it than CLUTCH has. “I can honestly say we have had very little negative contact, and we’ve been receiving many, many, many positive messages of support,” OldenKamp said. “We’ve received some donations, and so our community really just showed up for us, which we are so grateful for.” In total, as of Friday morning, CLUTCH has received four negative communications and many more positive ones. As for assumptions of pedophilia and grooming taking place, OldenKamp said that all of CLUTCH’s adult volunteers are vetted with a background check. She also said that CLUTCH’s parents have been very supportive and positive, often dropping their kids off at meetings. “We know exactly what adults are present,” she said. Rather than a political movement or discussion group, CLUTCH’s weekly meetings are geared toward having a good time within a supportive group. Meetings vary between learning a new skill, crafting and playing games. “What a weird thought process,” OldenKamp said about assumptions of pedophilia. “It’s just unfortunate because no one’s asking us. None of the folks who are making the negative comments have reached out to actually find out what we do or who we are.” Those interested in learning more about CLUTCH can visit the website at clutchnampa.org . Questions can be submitted through the group’s contact form.

Cops release suspects’ photos in Manhattan migrant fatal stabbing, which they call gang related

BSU's Danielson finalist for Eddie Robinson Coach of the YearDaily Horoscope For Today, November 23, 2024: Astrological Forecasts For Each Zodiac SignStephen F. Austin State University on Dec. 3 announced a partnership between its Arthur Temple College of Forestry and Agriculture and Elimini, a company focused on advancing carbon dioxide removal and renewable energy through bioenergy with carbon capture and storage, or BECCS, technology. The new collaboration marks a step forward in addressing climate challenges while also fostering the development of future leaders in forestry and environmental science, university officials said. As part of its five-year, $50,000 commitment, Elimini will provide endowed scholarships to SFA forestry or environmental science students with an interest in BECCS and sustainable biomass management helping cultivate the next generation of professionals in natural resource management. Additionally, the company will support research efforts aimed at advancing carbon capture and storage technologies, particularly in relation to BECCS, an innovative solution recognized for its potential to reduce carbon emissions and contribute to grid stability by also generating 24/7 renewable power. “We value our partnership with Elimini to develop innovative solutions for carbon dioxide removals and renewable energy that are critical to addressing the future of our climate,” said Dr. Hans Williams, dean of the Temple College of Forestry and Agriculture. “Our college has been working for more than 20 years with private industry to implement carbon sequestration through reforestation and forest management. Technology like BECCS is a critical piece of the decarbonization puzzle.” Headquartered in Houston, Elimini aims to transform carbon removals and bring critical carbon management solutions for energy generation. Originally an offshoot of Drax Group, the company is now focused on scaling BECCS technology on a global level. Elimini’s goal is to remove millions of tons of carbon dioxide annually while generating 24/7 renewable power. The partnership between SFA and Elimini not only strengthens the university’s position as a leader in forestry and environmental science but also provides valuable opportunities for students to engage in cutting-edge research that directly addresses global climate challenges. By supporting both education and innovation, Elimini is helping to create a new generation of experts ready to tackle the complexities of carbon management. “SFA’s forestry program is known for its excellence and commitment to sustainability,” said Laurie Fitzmaurice, Elimini president. “We’re thrilled to partner with them and support their students, who will become the leaders and innovators driving the future of carbon removal technologies. Together, we can make carbon removal not just a possibility but a reality.” The endowed scholarships and research support provided by Elimini are expected to have a long-lasting impact on the academic and research capabilities of SFA’s Temple College of Forestry and Agriculture. As climate change continues to present complex challenges, partnerships like this will assist in developing sustainable solutions. For information about SFA’s Temple College of Forestry and Agriculture, visit sfasu.edu/atcofa . To learn more about Elimini’s role in the field of carbon capture technology, visit elimini.com .

Liverpool will start 2025 as Premier League leaders following a 3-1 Boxing Day home win over Leicester City . Arne Slot's team battled back from a shock setback at Anfield as Jordan Ayew put the Foxes ahead after just six minutes on Merseyside. However, the hosts rallied in the fog, as Cody Gakpo's wonder strike levelled the contest before half-time. MORE: All the latest Liverpool news | Premier League schedule for 2024/25 | Latest Premier League top scorer rankings The EPL pace setters stepped up the tempo after the restart, as Curtis Jones netted on his 100th Premier League appearance, and talisman Mohamed Salah cut inside to curl home his 16th league goal of 2024/25. Liverpool are now seven points clear at the top of the EPL rankings , plus a game in hand over second place Chelsea , who lost at Nottingham Forest. Salah's future remains a huge topic of discussion for Liverpool fans, with his contract expiring at the end of the season, and no firm update on a renewal. The Egypt international starts the final six months of his deal in January - where he is eligible to open free transfer talks with non-English clubs - alongside fellow expirees Trent Alexander-Arnold and captain Virgil van Dijk. Salah has dropped a string of hints over his next step , indicating he is hopeful of extending, but non-committal over whether an agreement can be reached. "[On scoring 100 home Premier League goals] It's something I'm very proud of. We keep working hard and hopefully I can go a bit further," as per Amazon Prime, via BBC Sport . "The most important thing is the team winning - hopefully we win the Premier League. This win is very special, hopefully we can go on and win the title - for this club, it's something I dream of." Slot's charges end 2024 at West Ham United on December 29 - but they cannot be knocked off top spot before the end of 2024 - as Chelsea and Arsenal look to chase them down.CHICAGO — Seahawks starting running back Kenneth Walker III will miss the final two games of the regular season after the team announced Thursday it has placed him on injured reserve. The team made the announcement hours before its game Thursday night against the Bears in Chicago. Putting Walker on IR opened up a spot on the 53-man roster for rookie George Holani, who will become the third running back behind Zach Charbonnet and Kenny McIntosh. The news ends a disappointing third NFL season for Walker, who battled three different injuries and after averaging 977.5 yards per season his first two years in the NFL will end up rushing for just 573 yards in 11 games while averaging a career-low 3.7 yards per carry. The Seahawks also announced cornerback Artie Burns has been elevated off the practice squad to play against the Bears. Walker suffered an ankle injury in the fourth quarter of Sunday’s 27-23 loss to the Minnesota Vikings. Players who go on IR have to miss four games before they can return. That means Walker could return if Seattle were to get to the playoffs and then win two games to advance to the NFC championship. It guarantees he will miss a game next weekend against the Rams in Los Angeles that could have playoff implications. That game will be either Saturday or Sunday with the date and time set following the games of this weekend. The Seahawks on Wednesday declared Walker out for Thursday’s game against the Bears with the injury Walker suffered on a run on a first-and-goal at the 3 with 5:52 remaining against the Vikings. But coach Mike Macdonald had been vague about Walker’s status beyond that saying only “he’s gonna be out this game’’ when asked if the team had learned anything about a timeline for his return. Walker, who was the 41st overall pick of the 2022 draft out of Michigan State, had 1,050 yards in 15 games as a rookie in 2022, averaging 4.6 per attempt. He followed that up with 905 yards in his second season in 2023, though he saw his yards-per-carry average drop to 4.1. But coach Mike Macdonald had been vague about Walker’s status beyond saying only “he’s gonna be out this game’’ when asked if the team had learned anything about a timeline for his return. Walker, who was the 41st overall pick of the 2022 draft out of Michigan State, had 1,050 yards in 15 games as a rookie in 2022, averaging 4.6 per attempt. He followed that up with 905 yards in his second season in 2023, though he saw his yards-per-carry average drop to 4.1. Walker, who had long gains of 74 yards in 2022 and 45 in 2023, had a long run this season of 28 in Week 4 against the Lions. He didn’t have a run of longer than 14 in his last six games, encompassing 88 carries. The Seahawks will now go the rest of the way — barring a long playoff run — with Charbonnet, a second-round pick in 2023 who has 453 yards and averaging 4.3 per attempt and turned in the best game this season by a Seahawk rusher with 134 in a in at Arizona on Dec. 8; and McIntosh, a seventh-round pick a year ago who has 77 on 17. Holani, an undrafted free agent out of Boise State, has 10 yards on three attempts. Grubb on Tuesday said he was confident the team can put together a good running game no matter who is in the backfield. “Yeah, I don’t think that personnel-wise we should have any limitations,’’ he said. “We should be able to keep building those things up front. We’re in good shape, so I think you just focus more on the offensive line and maybe less on the runners.” Walker will enter the final season of his rookie contract in 2025 when he is due to make $1,856,125, none of which is guaranteed. Teams can extend rookie contracts after a player’s third year, meaning Walker could ask for a new deal following this season. Whether the Seahawks will want to — or for how much — could loom as one of the more interesting questions of the offseason. ©2024 The Seattle Times. Visit seattletimes.com . Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

First trans US congresswoman already in Republican crosshairsSpend a couple hours Saturday, Dec. 14, 2024, at the George Curtis Mansion, 420 5th Ave S. The Clinton Women’s Club will offer “Christmas Fun” from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m., with the doors open at 12:30 p.m. Nuts and chocolate covered nuts will be for sale and cookies will be served. Three rooms will each have guests learning about “Alpaca’s,”, watching demonstrations on “Knitting” and learning about “Diamond Art.” Sessions will begin at 1:10 p.m., 1:45 p.m. and 2:20 p.m. and last about 25 minutes. In between you have time to move to another room to learn something new. Tickets are $10 per person and you can attend all three sessions or just one or two, for your ticket. Dr. Randy Larson practiced large animal medicine for 30 years in western Illinois. After leaving full time practice, he did regulatory work and raised alpacas He now is semi retired and maintains a herd of quality alpaca breeding stock and does part time alpaca vet work. He has travelled to Peru where the American alpaca herd originated. He shares his experience and the alpaca story with various community educational and producer groups. He and his wife, Jan, keep a herd of 30 alpacas, two Pyrenees guard dogs, two house dogs, and a pest control team (5-6 barn cats) on their farm between Fulton and Morrison. They raise alpaca breeding stock for sale and market their excellent fiber in the form of yarn and garments that will be for sale. Beth Wood is a semi-retired mathematics instructor from Clinton Community College. She has been knitting since she was 14 years old, spinning yarn since 1994, and weaving since 1995. She learned to weave from her Mother and they participated in juried art shows since 1997. Beth opened “The Wooden Looms”, 139 5th Ave. S., down town Clinton, April 1st, 2024. The Wooden Looms is not only a weaving studio, but knitting and crocheting center, and yarn shop. She offers classes in knitting, crocheting and weaving and also offers a variety of quality yarns. Products include Cascade Yarns and hand dyed yarns from Arcane Fibre Works, Briar Patch Fibre Co. and Yarn in the Woods. She offers individual knitting and weaving classes for those who want to learn. Diamond Art is a cross of paint by numbers, and cross stitch. It also has characteristics of the jigsaw puzzle board. The concept of Diamond Art is not new. It is believed to be started in Asia. From there, it spread into other parts of the world. In earlier days, diamond paintings were created on velvet by gluing beads on the velvet canvas that is considered a hard way as beads can fall from the velvet cloth easily. This modern concept of diamond art was invented in 2010 by a company based in China and is sometimes also referred to as diamond stitch, diamond embroidery and mosaic art. By 2017, it had spread all countries. The new method involves placing diamonds on a adhesive canvas so that the beads can stick firmly on them. The canvas has letters and symbols that correspond to the color. Sophie Peter is a 21 year old who enjoys the hobby and has a full time job at Sarah Harding. She enjoys doing Diamond Art and will show how to do it and have some pictures for sale.

J immy Carter, the 39th president of the United States and a Nobel peace prize-winning humanitarian, died on Sunday in Plains, Georgia, the tiny town where he and his formidable wife and life partner, Rosalynn, were born. Carter – the longest-lived and longest-married US president – is unlikely to be placed in the first rank of American leaders, but his single four-year term is now seen in a much better light than it was when he was best known for the seizure of American hostages in Iran and for his crushing loss to Ronald Reagan in 1980. The easy shorthand on Carter – inept president but superb former president – is a major oversimplification. In office, Carter was a political failure but a policy success, with a string of unheralded accomplishments and a partially fulfilled vision of peace and a clean energy future. He was an austere, non-ideological, moral leader who didn’t like to think of himself as a politician and operated as one only during campaigns. With a peculiar combination of Zen calm and steely-eyed stubbornness, Carter essentially lived in three centuries. He was born in 1924 but it might as well have been the 19th century. His family, while well-to-do for the area, had no electricity, running water or mechanized equipment on the farm. He was connected to almost all of the significant events of the 20th century. And the issues he tackled during his post-presidency – global health, democracy promotion and conflict resolution – are the cutting-edge challenges of the 21st. As a child, Carter was driven by a dream of attending the US Naval Academy, from which he graduated in 1946. When his father died, in 1953, he left the navy to take over the family peanut warehouse and assume his father’s many civic responsibilities. Ducking the civil rights movement, Carter was elected to the Georgia senate in 1962 and – after dog-whistle appeals to segregationists – as governor in 1970. He immediately turned on his racist supporters and integrated state government before launching a brilliant campaign that, with the help of the Watergate scandal and the support of the “Gonzo” journalist Hunter S Thompson, brought him from 0% in the polls to the Democratic nomination for president in 1976. Though briefly derailed by an interview in Playboy magazine in which the Southern Baptist confessed to having “committed adultery in my heart many times”, he won a narrow victory over Gerald Ford, who had assumed the presidency after the resignation of Richard Nixon. With skills ranging from agronomist, nuclear engineer and sonar technologist to poet, painter and master woodworker, Carter was the first president since Thomas Jefferson who could rightly be considered a Renaissance man. He was also the first since Jefferson under whom no blood was shed in war. And his record of honesty and decency, once seen as minimum qualifications, have loomed larger with time. At a farewell dinner just before leaving office, his vice-president, Walter F Mondale, toasted the Carter administration: “We told the truth. We obeyed the law. We kept the peace.” Carter later added a fourth major accomplishment: “And we championed human rights.” Carter did so by taking the American civil rights movement global and setting a new standard for how governments should treat their own people. While his human rights policy could be hypocritical – the US continued to support the Shah of Iran and a few other dictators who served American interests – Carter’s new approach contributed to the demise of more than a dozen authoritarian regimes in Latin America and Asia. Two future heads of state, Vaclav Havel of the Czech Republic and Kim Dae-jong of South Korea, credited their freedom from prison in part to Carter, whose words gave hope to thousands of dissidents and, even by some conservative accounts, helped undermine communism. Carter may be best known for the 1978 Camp David Accords, the most durable major peace treaty since the second world war. Israel and Egypt had fought four wars in 30 years when Carter brought the Israeli prime minister, Menachem Begin, and the Egyptian president, Anwar Sadat, together at a rustic retreat in the Maryland mountains. At various times, Begin and Sadat (a close friend of Carter) packed their bags and prepared to leave without an agreement. The talks were saved by Carter’s grit. Averell Harriman, Franklin D Roosevelt’s wartime envoy, called Camp David “one of the most extraordinary things any president in history has ever accomplished”. While Israel and Egypt have maintained a chilly detente for four decades, the second part of the deal – a path to Palestinian statehood – has not been realized. Carter praised Begin for turning over the Sinai to Egypt but argued that he reneged on a pledge to freeze Israeli settlements on the West Bank until the completion of Palestinian autonomy. He believed that had he been re-elected, he would have achieved a comprehensive Middle East peace. Carter’s most far-reaching accomplishment may have been the normalization of US relations with China. Within days of Deng Xiaoping’s historic 1979 visit to Washington, Deng legalized private property and took other big steps toward a capitalist economy. Carter jettisoned Nixon and Ford’s awkward “two China policy” (which favored Taiwan) and established the bilateral relationship that is the foundation of the global economy. Another foreign policy victory came when Carter overcame steep odds to win the 67 votes in the Senate needed to ratify the Panama Canal treaties, which turned over the canal to the Panamanians. The treaties sharply improved the standing of the US throughout Latin America and avoided a permanent deployment of more than 100,000 US troops to protect the canal from guerrilla attacks. But several Democratic senators lost their seats over the vote and Carter won no credit for preventing a festering Vietnam-style conflict in Central America. Carter sharply increased defense spending and developed the B2 stealth bomber and other hi-tech weapons that years later helped win the cold war, contradicting a rightwing canard that he was somehow “weak” on defense. After the Soviet Union invaded Afghanistan in 1979, he was forced to withdraw the Salt II Treaty from the Senate (though its terms were respected by both nations). Carter’s decision to boycott the 1980 Olympics in Moscow and impose a grain embargo on the Soviet Union were ineffective and, eventually, hugely unpopular. At home, Carter failed to enact welfare, tax and healthcare reform. But he still signed more domestic legislation than any other postwar president except Lyndon Johnson, much of it far-sighted. He established the Department of Education, the Department of Energy and the Federal Emergency Management Agency; replaced tokenism with genuine racial and gender diversity in the civil service and federal judiciary; curbed the power of banks to “redline” (disinvest in) black neighborhoods; and provided the first whistleblower protections and the first bureaucratic watchdogs, or inspectors general. Carter placed solar panels on the roof of the White House (taken down by Reagan), a symbol of a stellar environmental record that included the first funding for green energy, the first fuel economy standards for autos and the first federal requirements for toxic waste clean-up, among other far-reaching statutes. With the Alaska Lands Act, Carter protected that state from despoilment and doubled the size of the national park system. Had he been re-elected, he planned to begin to address global warming, which was then an obscure problem even in the scientific community. Anticipating the moderate “New Democrat” presidencies of Bill Clinton and Barack Obama, Carter reduced the budget deficit and reluctantly approved a business tax cut. His appointment of Paul A Volcker as chair of the Federal Reserve board led to sky-high interest rates that helped cripple his presidency. But Volcker’s harsh monetary medicine eventually ended double-digit inflation, a victory whose political benefits accrued to Reagan. In the second half of his term, Carter was beset by external problems, many beyond his control. Gasoline shortages led to a public “malaise”, which Carter addressed in a famous speech, without using the word. Senator Edward Kennedy, darling of liberals, launched a damaging campaign against him for the 1980 Democratic nomination. After the seizure of the hostages in Tehran, the American public rallied around Carter for a time, which helped him fend off Kennedy. But when a helicopter mission to free the hostages was aborted in the Iranian desert, Carter’s popularity sank again. While he was unable to free the hostages before the election (perhaps because of an “October Surprise” deal between the Reagan campaign and the Iranian government), he did so afterwards – though the liberated Americans didn’t clear Iranian airspace until moments after Reagan was sworn in. For four decades after leaving office, Carter continued his work as a peacemaker and promoter of human rights and democratic accountability. He helped eradicate diseases, built houses for the poor and taught Sunday school into his mid-90s. Jonathan Alter is the author of His Very Best: Jimmy Carter, a Life , published in the US by Simon & Schuster