Markets live: Tech stocks drive S&P 500 and Nasdaq to new record highs, ASX to rise slightly - ABC News
The Andy Warhol Foundation Arts Writers Grant has announced its 2024 grantees. The New York–based organization will distribute a total of $945,000 to thirty writers working across three categories—Articles, Books, and Short-Form Writing. Each will receive between $15,000 and $50,000. The grant program is aimed at sustaining critical writing about contemporary art and at ensuring that such writing remains a valued way of engaging with the visual arts. “The thirty writers receiving support this year are working on projects asking urgent questions about art’s place in the world today,” said Warhol Foundation Arts Writers Grant director Pradeep Dalal in a statement. “Exploring topics including art’s relationship to fossil fuel extraction, Native art and activism, migration and questions of visibility, internationalist solidarity networks, DIY publishing, and LGBTQ comic artist communities, and covering artists working in Chile, Columbia, Japan, Mexico, Puerto Rico, Taiwan, Tunisia, Turkey, and Venezuela, this year’s grantee projects actively expand our understanding of contemporary art. . . . Despite the severe contraction of available venues for publishing in the arts, these writers continue to enrich and expand the academic disciplinary frameworks of both art criticism and art history.” Among the grantees in the Articles category is longtime Artforum contributor Catherine Quan Damman, who was recognized for “Vivian Browne’s Black Internationalism,” situating the painter’s work within lineages of Afro-Asian solidarities and Black internationalist feminism. T. Lax, another veteran Artforum contributor, received funding for A Diary of Dependency: Artists Process Museums , an experimental book centering projects relying on crip theory, Black studies, and queer motherhood, while Marci Kwon received support for her volume Making San Francisco Chinatown , the first-ever book-length study of artists living and working in San Francisco’s Chinatown in the wake of the powerful 1906 earthquake that rocked that city. In the Short-Form category, Camila Palomino was awarded funding for a forthcoming series of texts focused on artists and architects whose subversive large-scale urban interventions, murals, and graffiti respond to and represent interconnected social struggles. A full list of 2024 grantees is below. Articles Tiffany Wai-Ying Beres , “Beyond Worlds: The Art and Life of Hong Xian” Anne Marie Butler , “Deviance, Penetration, and the Erotic in Aïcha Snoussi’s Drawing Installations” Catherine Quan Damman , “Vivian Browne’s Black Internationalism” Heather Davis , “Human Energy: Oil Erotics, Violence, and Queer Desire” Carina del Valle Schorske , “Monte Adentro” Ilegvak , “Water Protectors: Indigenous Art as Reimagination from the No Dakota Access Pipeline NoDAPL Movement” Elize Mazadiego , “‘Somos Libres?!’: Alternative Art Networks and Latin American Queer Diasporas in 1970s Amsterdam” Hande Sever , “Kuzgun Acar: Forms of Defiance” Isaiah Matthew Wooden , “Out of Water and Dirt: LaToya Ruby Frazier and Kiyan Williams’ Monumental Acts of Refiguration” Books Katie Brewer Ball , Unsettling Art Criticism: Alaska Native Art After 1960 Margaret Galvan , Comics in Movement Che Gossett , Marlon Riggs and the Black Queer Cinematic Anna Indych-López , Mexico City: Spatial Politics in Art at the Turn of the Twenty-First Century Marci Kwon , Making San Francisco Chinatown T. Lax , A Diary of Dependency: Artists Process Museums Sean Nesselrode , Moncada Maruja Rolando: On-Site Nizan Shaked , Art Against the System Edward A. Vazquez , Finish Line: V.I.S.U.A.L. Among the Chilean Neo-Avant-Garde, 1975–1981 Short-Form Writing Rosa Boshier González Kerry Cardoza Tyler Coburn Alexandra Martinez Tris McCall Carolina Miranda Ikechúkwú Onyewuenyi Camila Palomino Kristina Kay Robinson Caroline Tracey Jasmine Weber Christopher Whitfield
CM assures impartial inquiryResults Summary 1 SUNNYVALE, Calif. , Dec. 4, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Synopsys, Inc. (Nasdaq: SNPS ) today reported results for its fourth quarter and fiscal year 2024. Revenue for the fourth quarter of fiscal year 2024 was $1.636 billion , compared to $1.467 billion for the fourth quarter of fiscal year 2023. Revenue for fiscal year 2024 was $6.127 billion , an increase of approximately 15% from $5.318 billion in fiscal year 2023. "The fourth quarter was a strong finish to a transformational year for Synopsys. We achieved record financial results while doubling down on our strategy with the sale of our Software Integrity business and the pending acquisition of Ansys," said Sassine Ghazi , president and CEO of Synopsys. "Looking ahead, the AI-driven reinvention of compute is accelerating the pace, scale and complexity of technology R&D, which expands our opportunity to solve engineering challenges from silicon to systems." "Continued strong execution drove excellent Q4 results, which exceeded the midpoint of our guidance targets and capped a year of 15% revenue growth for the company," said Shelagh Glaser , CFO of Synopsys. "The combination of our execution focus, operating discipline, and the critical nature of our industry-leading technology positions us well for the future. In 2025, we expect to deliver double-digit revenue growth grounded in pragmatism given continued macro uncertainties and the impact of our fiscal year calendar change." Synopsys' previously announced acquisition of Ansys is expected to close in the first half of 2025, subject to the receipt of required regulatory approvals and other customary closing conditions. This week marked the expiration of the Hart-Scott-Rodino (HSR) Act waiting period, and Synopsys is working cooperatively with Federal Trade Commission (FTC) staff to conclude the investigation and the staff's review of Synopsys' proposed remedies. _______________________________________________ 1 On September 30, 2024, Synopsys completed the sale of its Software Integrity business. Synopsys' Software Integrity business has been presented as a discontinued operation in the consolidated financial statements for all periods presented herein and all financial results and targets are presented herein on a continuing operations basis unless otherwise noted. Continuing Operations On September 30, 2024 , Synopsys completed the sale of its Software Integrity business. Unless otherwise noted, Synopsys' Software Integrity business has been presented as a discontinued operation in the Synopsys' consolidated financial statements for all periods presented herein and all financial results and targets are presented herein on a continuing operations basis. GAAP Results On a U.S. generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP) basis, net income for the fourth quarter of fiscal year 2024 was $279.3 million , or $1.79 per diluted share, compared to $346.1 million , or $2.23 per diluted share, for the fourth quarter of fiscal year 2023. GAAP net income for fiscal year 2024 was $1.442 billion , or $9.25 per diluted share, compared to $1.227 billion , or $7.91 per diluted share, for fiscal year 2023. Non-GAAP Results On a non-GAAP basis, net income for the fourth quarter of fiscal year 2024 was $529.9 million , or $3.40 per diluted share, compared to non-GAAP net income of $464.1 million , or $3.00 per diluted share, for the fourth quarter of fiscal year 2023. Non-GAAP net income for fiscal year 2024 was $2.058 billion , or $13.20 per diluted share, compared to non-GAAP net income of $1.636 billion , or $10.54 per diluted share, for fiscal year 2023. For a reconciliation of net income, earnings per diluted share and other measures on a GAAP and non-GAAP basis, see "GAAP to Non-GAAP Reconciliation" in the accompanying tables below. Business Segments Synopsys reports revenue and operating income in two segments: (1) Design Automation, which includes our advanced silicon design, verification products and services, system integration products and services, digital, custom and field programmable gate array IC design software, verification software and hardware products, manufacturing software products and other and (2) Design IP, which includes our interface, foundation, security, and embedded processor IP, IP subsystems, and IP implementation services. Financial Targets Synopsys also provided its consolidated financial targets for the first quarter and full fiscal year 2025. These targets reflect a change in Synopsys' fiscal year from a 52/53-week period ending on the Saturday nearest to October 31 of each year to October 31 of each year. As a result of this change, there will be ten fewer days in the first half of fiscal year 2025 and two extra days in the second half of fiscal year 2025, which results in eight fewer days in the aggregate in Synopsys' fiscal year 2025 as compared to its fiscal year 2024. These targets also assume no further changes to export control restrictions or the current U.S. government "Entity List" restrictions. These targets constitute forward-looking statements and are based on current expectations. For a discussion of factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from these targets, see "Forward-Looking Statements" below. First Quarter and Full Fiscal Year 2025 Financial Targets (1) (in millions except per share amounts) Range for Three Months Ending Range for Fiscal Year Ending January 31, 2025 October 31, 2025 Low High Low High Revenue $ 1,435 $ 1,465 $ 6,745 $ 6,805 GAAP Expenses $ 1,142 $ 1,162 $ 4,926 $ 4,983 Non-GAAP Expenses $ 945 $ 955 $ 4,045 $ 4,085 Non-GAAP Interest and Other Income (Expense), net $ 20 $ 22 $ 94 $ 98 Non-GAAP Tax Rate 16 % 16 % 16 % 16 % Outstanding Shares (fully diluted) 156 158 157 159 GAAP EPS $ 1.81 $ 1.95 $ 10.42 $ 10.63 Non-GAAP EPS $ 2.77 $ 2.82 $ 14.88 $ 14.96 Operating Cash Flow ~ $1,800 Free Cash Flow (2) ~ $1,600 Capital Expenditures ~ $170 (1) Synopsys' first quarter of fiscal year 2025 will end on January 31, 2025 and its fiscal year 2025 will end on October 31, 2025. (2) Free cash flow is calculated as cash provided from operating activities less capital expenditures. For a reconciliation of Synopsys' first quarter and fiscal year 2025 targets, including expenses, earnings per diluted share and other measures on a GAAP and non-GAAP basis and a discussion of the financial targets that we are not able to reconcile without unreasonable efforts, see "GAAP to Non-GAAP Reconciliation" in the accompanying tables below. Earnings Call Open to Investors Synopsys will hold a conference call for financial analysts and investors today at 2:00 p.m. Pacific Time. A live webcast of the call will be available on Synopsys' corporate website at investor.synopsys.com . Synopsys uses its website as a tool to disclose important information about Synopsys and comply with its disclosure obligations under Regulation Fair Disclosure. A webcast replay will also be available on the corporate website from approximately 5:30 p.m. Pacific Time today through the time Synopsys announces its results for the first quarter of fiscal year 2025 in February 2025. Effectiveness of Information The targets included in this press release, the statements made during the earnings conference call, the information contained in the financial supplement and the corporate overview presentation, each of which are available on Synopsys' corporate website at www.synopsys.com (collectively, the " Earnings Materials "), represent Synopsys' expectations and beliefs as of December 4, 2024 . Although these Earnings Materials will remain available on Synopsys' website through the date of the earnings call for the first quarter of fiscal year 2025, their continued availability through such date does not mean that Synopsys is reaffirming or confirming their continued validity. Synopsys undertakes no duty and does not intend to update any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information or future events, or otherwise update, the targets given in this press release unless required by law. Availability of Final Financial Statements Synopsys will include final financial statements for the fiscal year 2024 in its annual report on Form 10-K to be filed on or before January 2, 2025 . About Synopsys Catalyzing the era of pervasive intelligence, Synopsys, Inc. (Nasdaq: SNPS) delivers trusted and comprehensive silicon to systems design solutions, from electronic design automation to silicon IP and system verification and validation. We partner closely with semiconductor and systems customers across a wide range of industries to maximize their R&D capability and productivity, powering innovation today that ignites the ingenuity of tomorrow. Learn more at www.synopsys.com . Reconciliation of Fourth Quarter and Fiscal Year 2024 Results The following tables reconcile the specific items excluded from GAAP in the calculation of non-GAAP net income, earnings per diluted share, and tax rate for the periods indicated below. GAAP to Non-GAAP Reconciliation of Fourth Quarter and Fiscal Year 2024 Results (1) (unaudited and in thousands, except per share amounts) Three Months Ended Twelve Months Ended October 31, October 31, 2024 2023 2024 2023 GAAP net income from continuing operations attributed to Synopsys $ 279,281 $ 346,051 $ 1,441,710 $ 1,227,045 Adjustments: Amortization of acquired intangible assets 54,258 14,886 104,220 50,477 Stock-based compensation 165,116 128,286 656,632 511,730 Acquisition/divestiture related items 62,428 4,016 172,638 13,831 Restructuring charges — (1,348) — 53,091 Gain on sale of strategic investments — — (55,077) — Tax settlement — — — (23,752) Tax adjustments (31,158) (27,753) (262,322) (196,471) Non-GAAP net income from continuing operations attributed to Synopsys $ 529,925 $ 464,138 $ 2,057,801 $ 1,635,951 Three Months Ended Twelve Months Ended October 31, October 31, 2024 2023 2024 2023 GAAP net income from continuing operations per diluted share attributed to Synopsys $ 1.79 $ 2.23 $ 9.25 $ 7.91 Adjustments: Amortization of acquired intangible assets 0.35 0.10 0.67 0.33 Stock-based compensation 1.06 0.83 4.21 3.30 Acquisition/divestiture related items 0.40 0.03 1.11 0.09 Restructuring charges — (0.01) — 0.34 Gain on sale of strategic investments — — (0.35) — Tax settlement — — — (0.15) Tax adjustments (0.20) (0.18) (1.69) (1.28) Non-GAAP net income from continuing operations per diluted share attributed to Synopsys $ 3.40 $ 3.00 $ 13.20 $ 10.54 Shares used in computing net income per diluted share amounts: 155,991 154,845 155,944 155,195 (1) Synopsys' fourth quarter of fiscal year 2024 and 2023 ended on November 2, 2024 and October 28, 2023, respectively. For presentation purposes, we refer to the closest calendar month end. Fiscal year 2024 was a 53-week year, which included an extra week in the first quarter. GAAP to Non-GAAP Tax Rate Reconciliation (1)(2) (unaudited) Twelve Months Ended October 31, 2024 GAAP effective tax rate 6.6 % Stock-based compensation 2.9 % Income tax adjustments (3) 5.5 % Non-GAAP effective tax rate 15.0 % (1) Synopsys' fiscal year 2024 ended on November 2, 2024. For presentation purposes, we refer to the closest calendar month end. Fiscal year 2024 was a 53-week year, which included an extra week in the first quarter. (2) Presented on a continuing operations basis. (3) The adjustments are primarily related to the differences in the tax rate effect of certain deductions, such as the deduction for foreign-derived intangible income and credits. GAAP to Non-GAAP Reconciliation of 2025 Targets The following tables reconcile the specific items excluded from GAAP in the calculation of non-GAAP targets for the periods indicated below. GAAP to Non-GAAP Reconciliation of First Quarter Fiscal Year 2025 Targets (in thousands, except per share amounts) Range for Three Months Ending January 31, 2025 Low High Target GAAP expenses $ 1,142,000 $ 1,162,000 Adjustments: Amortization of acquired intangible assets (12,000) (15,000) Stock-based compensation (185,000) (192,000) Target non-GAAP expenses $ 945,000 $ 955,000 Range for Three Months Ending January 31, 2025 Low High Target GAAP earnings per diluted share attributed to Synopsys $ 1.81 $ 1.95 Adjustments: Amortization of acquired intangible assets 0.10 0.08 Stock-based compensation 1.22 1.18 Acquisition/divestiture related items (1) 0.08 0.06 Tax adjustments (0.44) (0.45) Target non-GAAP earnings per diluted share attributed to Synopsys $ 2.77 $ 2.82 Shares used in non-GAAP calculation (midpoint of target range) 157,000 157,000 GAAP to Non-GAAP Reconciliation of Full Fiscal Year 2025 Targets (in thousands, except per share amounts) Range for Fiscal Year Ending October 31, 2025 Low High Target GAAP expenses $ 4,926,000 $ 4,983,000 Adjustments: Amortization of acquired intangible assets (46,000) (51,000) Stock-based compensation (835,000) (847,000) Target non-GAAP expenses $ 4,045,000 $ 4,085,000 Range for Fiscal Year Ending October 31, 2025 Low High Target GAAP earnings per diluted share attributed to Synopsys $ 10.42 $ 10.63 Adjustments: Amortization of acquired intangible assets 0.32 0.29 Stock-based compensation 5.36 5.28 Acquisition/divestiture related items (1) 0.29 0.26 Tax adjustments (1.51) (1.50) Target non-GAAP earnings per diluted share attributed to Synopsys $ 14.88 $ 14.96 Shares used in non-GAAP calculation (midpoint of target range) 158,000 158,000 (1) Adjustments reflect certain contractually obligated financing fees and related amortization ex
US News Today Live Updates on December 28, 2024 : Florida pizza delivery woman stabs pregnant lady 14 times over $2 tip dispute: Shocking details revealedDriving Transformation in FinTech: The Visionary Contributions of Satheesh Reddy Gopireddy 12-04-2024 09:28 PM CET | Business, Economy, Finances, Banking & Insurance Press release from: Getnews / PR Agency: 2Newswire Image: https://www.getnews.info/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/1733240175.jpg Satheesh Reddy Gopireddy In an era where financial institutions are increasingly reliant on technology to streamline operations, enhance security, and reduce costs, few individuals have had as profound an impact on the FinTech landscape as Satheesh Reddy Gopireddy Satheesh Reddy Gopireddy has carved out a distinguished career at the intersection of automation, cloud security, and advanced DevSecOps with more than 23 published research papers and a track record of innovative projects. His contributions have fundamentally reshaped how financial institutions approach efficiency and security. The heart of Satheesh's work is the application of AI-driven automation to DevOps pipelines - the game-changer that helped financial services streamline processes and unlock huge cost savings. This involved automating repetitive tasks, hence eliminating operational workforce dependencies and thereby making the speed and accuracy of financial operations more agile and effective, with a dollar saving of millions for the sector. These efficiencies have enabled FinTech companies to allocate more resources to strategic activities, enhancing productivity and service delivery in general. One of the notable successes of Satheesh is the development of Zero Trust Architecture (ZTA) and proactive threat detection systems which have bolstered the cybersecurity architecture of financial institutions. As threats become increasingly sophisticated, proactive, AI-based threat detection by Satheesh has played a vital role in protecting sensitive financial information from emerging threats. By adopting ZTA, organizations now operate within environments where trust is never assumed, thereby reducing the prospect of insider threats and strengthening financial ecosystems' resilience. Creating a Secure and Scalable Future Satheesh's work is not so much about cutting costs or enhancing security but more of building a secure scalable future . His key philosophy includes ensuring security be built in-not bolted on. Consequently, through his developments related to compliance-as-code (CaC) solutions, such cumbersome and intricate approaches applied across different jurisdictions towards operational business models could be made even much smoother. This approach, therefore, not only ensures that financial institutions are complying with the latest regulatory frameworks but allows them to scale their operations in the most efficient manner, adapting to new jurisdictions and regulatory demands without compromising security. Furthermore, his innovation in privacy-aware federated learning has transformed data privacy practices in the FinTech sector. This way, Satheesh has ensured that data processing happens without exposing sensitive customer data to anyone, thereby overcoming crucial challenges in meeting global privacy standards, such as GDPR, while maintaining the integrity of financial operations. Changing the Financial World Satheesh Reddy Gopireddy's contributions to the FinTech sector are wide-ranging and impactful. His work has not only improved the efficiency of financial operations but has also empowered financial institutions to enhance their security posture. Through his innovations, Satheesh has delivered a roadmap for financial organizations to achieve operational excellence, strengthen cybersecurity, and ensure regulatory compliance, all while cutting costs and optimizing workforce management. One of his most important contributions is the integration of AI-driven automation in the DevOps lifecycle. It has allowed financial services to automate the time-consuming manual tasks, simplify complex workflows, and minimize human error. These improvements have led to a decrease in operational costs, causing a ripple effect of efficiency across the entire sector. In addition to this, his emphasize on real-time threat detection systems has helped the financial institutions keep up with cyber-actors where data is always safe and secure despite the change in the landscape of threat. These are solutions that have directly brought tangible impacts on the bottom line for a number of financial organizations, saving millions just in automation. Reducing dependencies on human resources for doing ordinary tasks has not only ensured some cost savings in labor costs but also improved organizational agility, enabling institutions to adapt faster to market demands and challenges. A Strategic Asset to the United States Beyond the technology domain, Satheesh Reddy Gopireddy's expertise serves as a strategic asset to the United States, particularly in the context of the nation's leadership in the global FinTech and cybersecurity landscape. As financial systems grow more complex and interdependent, the need for secure, scalable, and efficient technology solutions has never been greater. Satheesh's work is directly contributing to the economic growth of the FinTech sector and national security of the United States. His solutions have helped organizations face the dynamic challenges of cybersecurity, decrease financial frauds, and protect critical infrastructure. Automation and cloud security innovations will be vital for the United States to stay competitive in this increasingly digital and interconnected world. Moreover, his focus on ethical innovation resonates with the overall commitment of the nation to developing secure, transparent, and inclusive technologies. Satheesh, by promoting responsible innovation, ensures that the fruits of technological progress are not only reaped by the financial sector but also by society at large, thereby making the economic ecosystem more resilient and sustainable. Inspiring the Next Generation of Technologists Satheesh Reddy Gopireddy's journey is a powerful reminder of how technological innovation, when combined with strategic vision, can lead to transformative change. His work has laid the groundwork for a future in which FinTech is faster, cheaper, and much more secure and compliant with global standards. His unwavering commitment to automation, cloud security, and ethical technology adoption has inspired countless technologists, researchers, and industry leaders to think creatively about the future of finance. The next generation of technologists can continue to build on Satheesh's legacy by embracing these innovations and driving positive change across industries and reshaping the way financial services operate on a global scale. Satheesh's impact is a testament to the power of innovation in transforming industries. His work continues to inspire others to explore new possibilities at the intersection of technology and business, with an eye toward creating sustainable, ethical, and secure solutions for the future. Media Contact Contact Person: Satheesh Reddy Gopireddy Email: Send Email [ http://www.universalpressrelease.com/?pr=driving-transformation-in-fintech-the-visionary-contributions-of-satheesh-reddy-gopireddy ] Country: United States Website: https://www.linkedin.com/in/satish-reddy9/ This release was published on openPR.
ATLANTA (AP) — Jimmy Carter, the peanut farmer who won the presidency in the wake of the Watergate scandal and Vietnam War, endured humbling defeat after one tumultuous term and then redefined life after the White House as a global humanitarian, has died. He was 100 years old. The longest-lived American president died on Sunday, more than a year after entering hospice care , at his home in the small town of Plains, Georgia, where he and his wife, Rosalynn, who died at 96 in November 2023 , spent most of their lives, The Carter Center said. “Our founder, former U.S. President Jimmy Carter, passed away this afternoon in Plains, Georgia,” the center said in posting about his death on the social media platform X. It added in a statement that he died peacefully, surrounded by his family. Businessman, Navy officer, evangelist, politician, negotiator, author, woodworker, citizen of the world — Carter forged a path that still challenges political assumptions and stands out among the 45 men who reached the nation’s highest office. The 39th president leveraged his ambition with a keen intellect, deep religious faith and prodigious work ethic, conducting diplomatic missions into his 80s and building houses for the poor well into his 90s. “My faith demands — this is not optional — my faith demands that I do whatever I can, wherever I am, whenever I can, for as long as I can, with whatever I have to try to make a difference,” Carter once said. A moderate Democrat, Carter entered the 1976 presidential race as a little-known Georgia governor with a broad smile, outspoken Baptist mores and technocratic plans reflecting his education as an engineer. His no-frills campaign depended on public financing, and his promise not to deceive the American people resonated after Richard Nixon’s disgrace and U.S. defeat in southeast Asia. “If I ever lie to you, if I ever make a misleading statement, don’t vote for me. I would not deserve to be your president,” Carter repeated before narrowly beating Republican incumbent Gerald Ford, who had lost popularity pardoning Nixon. Carter governed amid Cold War pressures, turbulent oil markets and social upheaval over racism, women’s rights and America’s global role. His most acclaimed achievement in office was a Mideast peace deal that he brokered by keeping Egyptian President Anwar Sadat and Israeli Prime Minister Menachem Begin at the bargaining table for 13 days in 1978. That Camp David experience inspired the post-presidential center where Carter would establish so much of his legacy. Yet Carter’s electoral coalition splintered under double-digit inflation, gasoline lines and the 444-day hostage crisis in Iran. His bleakest hour came when eight Americans died in a failed hostage rescue in April 1980, helping to ensure his landslide defeat to Republican Ronald Reagan. Carter acknowledged in his 2020 “White House Diary” that he could be “micromanaging” and “excessively autocratic,” complicating dealings with Congress and the federal bureaucracy. He also turned a cold shoulder to Washington’s news media and lobbyists, not fully appreciating their influence on his political fortunes. “It didn’t take us long to realize that the underestimation existed, but by that time we were not able to repair the mistake,” Carter told historians in 1982, suggesting that he had “an inherent incompatibility” with Washington insiders. Carter insisted his overall approach was sound and that he achieved his primary objectives — to “protect our nation’s security and interests peacefully” and “enhance human rights here and abroad” — even if he fell spectacularly short of a second term. Ignominious defeat, though, allowed for renewal. The Carters founded The Carter Center in 1982 as a first-of-its-kind base of operations, asserting themselves as international peacemakers and champions of democracy, public health and human rights. “I was not interested in just building a museum or storing my White House records and memorabilia,” Carter wrote in a memoir published after his 90th birthday. “I wanted a place where we could work.” That work included easing nuclear tensions in North and South Korea, helping to avert a U.S. invasion of Haiti and negotiating cease-fires in Bosnia and Sudan. By 2022, The Carter Center had declared at least 113 elections in Latin America, Asia and Africa to be free or fraudulent. Recently, the center began monitoring U.S. elections as well. Carter’s stubborn self-assuredness and even self-righteousness proved effective once he was unencumbered by the Washington order, sometimes to the point of frustrating his successors . He went “where others are not treading,” he said, to places like Ethiopia, Liberia and North Korea, where he secured the release of an American who had wandered across the border in 2010. “I can say what I like. I can meet whom I want. I can take on projects that please me and reject the ones that don’t,” Carter said. He announced an arms-reduction-for-aid deal with North Korea without clearing the details with Bill Clinton’s White House. He openly criticized President George W. Bush for the 2003 invasion of Iraq. He also criticized America’s approach to Israel with his 2006 book “Palestine: Peace Not Apartheid.” And he repeatedly countered U.S. administrations by insisting North Korea should be included in international affairs, a position that most aligned Carter with Republican President Donald Trump. Among the center’s many public health initiatives, Carter vowed to eradicate the guinea worm parasite during his lifetime, and nearly achieved it: Cases dropped from millions in the 1980s to nearly a handful. With hardhats and hammers, the Carters also built homes with Habitat for Humanity. The Nobel committee’s 2002 Peace Prize cites his “untiring effort to find peaceful solutions to international conflicts, to advance democracy and human rights, and to promote economic and social development.” Carter should have won it alongside Sadat and Begin in 1978, the chairman added. Carter accepted the recognition saying there was more work to be done. “The world is now, in many ways, a more dangerous place,” he said. “The greater ease of travel and communication has not been matched by equal understanding and mutual respect.” Carter’s globetrotting took him to remote villages where he met little “Jimmy Carters,” so named by admiring parents. But he spent most of his days in the same one-story Plains house — expanded and guarded by Secret Service agents — where they lived before he became governor. He regularly taught Sunday School lessons at Maranatha Baptist Church until his mobility declined and the coronavirus pandemic raged. Those sessions drew visitors from around the world to the small sanctuary where Carter will receive his final send-off after a state funeral at Washington’s National Cathedral. The common assessment that he was a better ex-president than president rankled Carter and his allies. His prolific post-presidency gave him a brand above politics, particularly for Americans too young to witness him in office. But Carter also lived long enough to see biographers and historians reassess his White House years more generously. His record includes the deregulation of key industries, reduction of U.S. dependence on foreign oil, cautious management of the national debt and notable legislation on the environment, education and mental health. He focused on human rights in foreign policy, pressuring dictators to release thousands of political prisoners . He acknowledged America’s historical imperialism, pardoned Vietnam War draft evaders and relinquished control of the Panama Canal. He normalized relations with China. “I am not nominating Jimmy Carter for a place on Mount Rushmore,” Stuart Eizenstat, Carter’s domestic policy director, wrote in a 2018 book. “He was not a great president” but also not the “hapless and weak” caricature voters rejected in 1980, Eizenstat said. Rather, Carter was “good and productive” and “delivered results, many of which were realized only after he left office.” Madeleine Albright, a national security staffer for Carter and Clinton’s secretary of state, wrote in Eizenstat’s forward that Carter was “consequential and successful” and expressed hope that “perceptions will continue to evolve” about his presidency. “Our country was lucky to have him as our leader,” said Albright, who died in 2022. Jonathan Alter, who penned a comprehensive Carter biography published in 2020, said in an interview that Carter should be remembered for “an epic American life” spanning from a humble start in a home with no electricity or indoor plumbing through decades on the world stage across two centuries. “He will likely go down as one of the most misunderstood and underestimated figures in American history,” Alter told The Associated Press. James Earl Carter Jr. was born Oct. 1, 1924, in Plains and spent his early years in nearby Archery. His family was a minority in the mostly Black community, decades before the civil rights movement played out at the dawn of Carter’s political career. Carter, who campaigned as a moderate on race relations but governed more progressively, talked often of the influence of his Black caregivers and playmates but also noted his advantages: His land-owning father sat atop Archery’s tenant-farming system and owned a main street grocery. His mother, Lillian , would become a staple of his political campaigns. Seeking to broaden his world beyond Plains and its population of fewer than 1,000 — then and now — Carter won an appointment to the U.S. Naval Academy, graduating in 1946. That same year he married Rosalynn Smith, another Plains native, a decision he considered more important than any he made as head of state. She shared his desire to see the world, sacrificing college to support his Navy career. Carter climbed in rank to lieutenant, but then his father was diagnosed with cancer, so the submarine officer set aside his ambitions of admiralty and moved the family back to Plains. His decision angered Rosalynn, even as she dived into the peanut business alongside her husband. Carter again failed to talk with his wife before his first run for office — he later called it “inconceivable” not to have consulted her on such major life decisions — but this time, she was on board. “My wife is much more political,” Carter told the AP in 2021. He won a state Senate seat in 1962 but wasn’t long for the General Assembly and its back-slapping, deal-cutting ways. He ran for governor in 1966 — losing to arch-segregationist Lester Maddox — and then immediately focused on the next campaign. Carter had spoken out against church segregation as a Baptist deacon and opposed racist “Dixiecrats” as a state senator. Yet as a local school board leader in the 1950s he had not pushed to end school segregation even after the Supreme Court's Brown v. Board of Education decision, despite his private support for integration. And in 1970, Carter ran for governor again as the more conservative Democrat against Carl Sanders, a wealthy businessman Carter mocked as “Cufflinks Carl.” Sanders never forgave him for anonymous, race-baiting flyers, which Carter disavowed. Ultimately, Carter won his races by attracting both Black voters and culturally conservative whites. Once in office, he was more direct. “I say to you quite frankly that the time for racial discrimination is over,” he declared in his 1971 inaugural address, setting a new standard for Southern governors that landed him on the cover of Time magazine. His statehouse initiatives included environmental protection, boosting rural education and overhauling antiquated executive branch structures. He proclaimed Martin Luther King Jr. Day in the slain civil rights leader’s home state. And he decided, as he received presidential candidates in 1972, that they were no more talented than he was. In 1974, he ran Democrats’ national campaign arm. Then he declared his own candidacy for 1976. An Atlanta newspaper responded with the headline: “Jimmy Who?” The Carters and a “Peanut Brigade” of family members and Georgia supporters camped out in Iowa and New Hampshire, establishing both states as presidential proving grounds. His first Senate endorsement: a young first-termer from Delaware named Joe Biden. Yet it was Carter’s ability to navigate America’s complex racial and rural politics that cemented the nomination. He swept the Deep South that November, the last Democrat to do so, as many white Southerners shifted to Republicans in response to civil rights initiatives. A self-declared “born-again Christian,” Carter drew snickers by referring to Scripture in a Playboy magazine interview, saying he “had looked on many women with lust. I’ve committed adultery in my heart many times.” The remarks gave Ford a new foothold and television comedians pounced — including NBC’s new “Saturday Night Live” show. But voters weary of cynicism in politics found it endearing. Carter chose Minnesota Sen. Walter “Fritz” Mondale as his running mate on a “Grits and Fritz” ticket. In office, he elevated the vice presidency and the first lady’s office. Mondale’s governing partnership was a model for influential successors Al Gore, Dick Cheney and Biden. Rosalynn Carter was one of the most involved presidential spouses in history, welcomed into Cabinet meetings and huddles with lawmakers and top aides. The Carters presided with uncommon informality: He used his nickname “Jimmy” even when taking the oath of office, carried his own luggage and tried to silence the Marine Band’s “Hail to the Chief.” They bought their clothes off the rack. Carter wore a cardigan for a White House address, urging Americans to conserve energy by turning down their thermostats. Amy, the youngest of four children, attended District of Columbia public school. Washington’s social and media elite scorned their style. But the larger concern was that “he hated politics,” according to Eizenstat, leaving him nowhere to turn politically once economic turmoil and foreign policy challenges took their toll. Carter partially deregulated the airline, railroad and trucking industries and established the departments of Education and Energy, and the Federal Emergency Management Agency. He designated millions of acres of Alaska as national parks or wildlife refuges. He appointed a then-record number of women and nonwhite people to federal posts. He never had a Supreme Court nomination, but he elevated civil rights attorney Ruth Bader Ginsburg to the nation’s second highest court, positioning her for a promotion in 1993. He appointed Paul Volker, the Federal Reserve chairman whose policies would help the economy boom in the 1980s — after Carter left office. He built on Nixon’s opening with China, and though he tolerated autocrats in Asia, pushed Latin America from dictatorships to democracy. But he couldn’t immediately tame inflation or the related energy crisis. And then came Iran. After he admitted the exiled Shah of Iran to the U.S. for medical treatment, the American Embassy in Tehran was overrun in 1979 by followers of the Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini. Negotiations to free the hostages broke down repeatedly ahead of the failed rescue attempt. The same year, Carter signed SALT II, the new strategic arms treaty with Leonid Brezhnev of the Soviet Union, only to pull it back, impose trade sanctions and order a U.S. boycott of the Moscow Olympics after the Soviets invaded Afghanistan. Hoping to instill optimism, he delivered what the media dubbed his “malaise” speech, although he didn’t use that word. He declared the nation was suffering “a crisis of confidence.” By then, many Americans had lost confidence in the president, not themselves. Carter campaigned sparingly for reelection because of the hostage crisis, instead sending Rosalynn as Sen. Edward M. Kennedy challenged him for the Democratic nomination. Carter famously said he’d “kick his ass,” but was hobbled by Kennedy as Reagan rallied a broad coalition with “make America great again” appeals and asking voters whether they were “better off than you were four years ago.” Reagan further capitalized on Carter’s lecturing tone, eviscerating him in their lone fall debate with the quip: “There you go again.” Carter lost all but six states and Republicans rolled to a new Senate majority. Carter successfully negotiated the hostages’ freedom after the election, but in one final, bitter turn of events, Tehran waited until hours after Carter left office to let them walk free. At 56, Carter returned to Georgia with “no idea what I would do with the rest of my life.” Four decades after launching The Carter Center, he still talked of unfinished business. “I thought when we got into politics we would have resolved everything,” Carter told the AP in 2021. “But it’s turned out to be much more long-lasting and insidious than I had thought it was. I think in general, the world itself is much more divided than in previous years.” Still, he affirmed what he said when he underwent treatment for a cancer diagnosis in his 10th decade of life. “I’m perfectly at ease with whatever comes,” he said in 2015 . “I’ve had a wonderful life. I’ve had thousands of friends, I’ve had an exciting, adventurous and gratifying existence.” Former Associated Press journalist Alex Sanz contributed to this report.
Collective Mining Ltd. ( TSE:CNL – Get Free Report )’s share price reached a new 52-week high during trading on Friday . The company traded as high as C$6.10 and last traded at C$5.91, with a volume of 64927 shares. The stock had previously closed at C$5.97. Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth Separately, Scotiabank set a C$8.50 price objective on Collective Mining and gave the stock an “outperform” rating in a research report on Monday, November 4th. View Our Latest Analysis on CNL Collective Mining Stock Performance Collective Mining Company Profile ( Get Free Report ) Collective Mining Ltd., an exploration and development company, focuses on identifying and exploring prospective gold projects in South America. The company explores for gold, silver, and copper deposits. It holds 100% interests in the Guayabales project consisting of 26 claims with a total area of 4,780.98 hectares located in the Caldas department of Colombia; and the San Antonio project covering an area of 4,729 hectares located in the department of Caldas, Colombia. Further Reading Receive News & Ratings for Collective Mining Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Collective Mining and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter .
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — The Tennessee Titans keep proving that for every step forward, they always find ways to take two back. The Titans (3-9) clinched a third straight losing record to mark first-year coach Brian Callahan’s debut season in an to Washington. Yet another slow start, more turnovers, sacks, penalties ruined their chance at stringing together consecutive wins for the first time in more than two years. Callahan said Monday they’re trying to build consistency. “In the NFL, a lot of it is about not losing the game first, and we do right now with the amount of penalties and turnovers we’ve had,” Callahan said. “We put ourselves in position to lose games and not win them. And so, yes, there is a there is an element of learning how to win.” Tennessee had 11 of 12 penalties before halftime, trailing 28-7. The Titans also were the at halftime in Week 17 of 2005 against the Jaguars. Only Baltimore has been penalized more than Tennessee this season. Two-time Pro Bowl defensive lineman Jeffery Simmons said after the loss that the Titans need to learn how to deal with winning better coming off a Simmons said they were “hungover from our own success.” Callahan said Monday he didn’t see any hangover issues. “You have a performance like that and you’re sort of grasping for an explanation on why and there really wasn’t one other than we made too many errors early in the game and put ourselves in a hole,” Callahan said. What’s working Quarterback Will Levis’ development over the four games since his return from a sprained, right throwing shoulder at least gives the Titans promise for the future. The made some nice throws and limited yards lost on two sacks Sunday. He threw two TD passes for 212 yards. Since his return, he is completing 61.7% of his passes for 960 yards with seven touchdown passes and only two interceptions with a 101.3 passer rating in that span. What needs help Now the defense is struggling after going into Washington second in the NFL in yards allowed, ninth against the run and first defending the pass. They gave up a season-high 267 yards rushing after giving up just 40 a week ago. The Titans also gave up 28 points within the first 20 minutes, becoming only the . The Titans also did that in Week 8 earlier this season after being routed by the Lions in Detroit. Washington did it against Dallas in Week 16 of 2021. Stock up WR Nick Westbrook-Ikhine. Originally undrafted out of Indiana, Westbrook-Ikhine is tied for fourth in the NFL with eight TD catches entering Monday. That’s despite starting only five games this season and not having a pass thrown to him the first month of the season. He has earned a multi-year deal with his performance. He had three receptions for 61 yards against Washington and was targeted a season-high eight times. Stock down Rookie Jha’Quan Jackson. A sixth-round pick out of Tulane and nephew of Pro Football Hall of Fame defensive back Ed Reed has fumbled five times as the punt returner recovering only two of those. That got him benched against Washington. His fumbles have come in the past six games, including one in each of the past two. His fumble against Washington led to an early touchdown. Injuries LT JC Latham hurt a quadriceps muscle but finished the game. Callahan said they will see how CB Roger McCreary (shoulder) and LB Kenneth Murray Jr. (strained hamstring) recover during the week. Key number 36 — The number of games since the Titans have had consecutive victories. Next steps The Titans at least are home with their best focus trying to improve their standing inside the AFC South with four divisional games down the stretch. They have two games remaining against Jacksonville (2-10) starting Sunday with But their biggest question now is how high does this franchise draft in April. ___ AP NFL:
Monte Dei Paschi Di Siena: World's Oldest Bank Is In TroubleBOSTON — Forty years ago, Heisman Trophy winner Doug Flutie rolled to his right and threw a pass that has become one of college football’s most iconic moments. With Boston College trailing defending champion Miami, Flutie threw the Hail Mary and found receiver Gerard Phalen, who made the grab while falling into the end zone behind a pair of defenders for a game-winning 48-yard TD. Flutie and many of his 1984 teammates were honored on the field during BC’s 41-21 victory over North Carolina before the second quarter on Saturday afternoon, the anniversary of the Eagles’ Miracle in Miami. “There’s no way its been 40 years,” Flutie told The Associated Press on the sideline a few minutes before he walked out with some of his former teammates to be recognized after a video of The Play was shown on the scoreboards. A statue commemorating Doug Flutie's famed "Hail Mary" pass during a game against Miami on Nov. 23, 1994, sits outside Alumni Stadium at Boston College. Famous football plays often attain a legendary status with religious names like the "Immaculate Reception," the "Hail Mary" pass and the Holy Roller fumble. It’s a moment and highlight that’s not only played throughout decades of BC students and fans, but around the college football world. “What is really so humbling is that the kids 40 years later are wearing 22 jerseys, still,” Flutie said of his old number. “That amazes me.” That game was played on national TV the Friday after Thanksgiving. The ironic thing is it was originally scheduled for earlier in the season before CBS paid Rutgers to move its game against Miami, thus setting up the BC-Miami post-holiday matchup. Boston College quarterback Doug Flutie rejoices in his brother Darren's arms after B.C. defeats Miami with a last second touchdown pass on Nov. 23, 1984, in Miami. “It shows you how random some things are, that the game was moved,” Flutie said. “The game got moved to the Friday after Thanksgiving, which was the most watched game of the year. We both end up being nationally ranked and up there. All those things lent to how big the game itself was, and made the pass and the catch that much more relevant and remembered because so many people were watching.” There’s a statue of Flutie winding up to make The Pass outside the north gates at Alumni Stadium. Fans and visitors can often be seen taking photos there. “In casual conversation, it comes up every day,” Flutie said, when asked how many times people bring it up. “It brings a smile to my face every time we talk about it.” A week after the game-ending Flutie pass, the Eagles beat Holy Cross and before he flew off to New York to accept the Heisman. They went on to win the 49th Cotton Bowl on New Year’s Day. Boston College quarterback Doug Flutie evades Miami defensive tackle Kevin Fagan during the first quarter of a game on Nov. 23, 1984, in Miami, Fla. “Forty years seem almost like incomprehensible,” said Phalen, also standing on the sideline a few minutes after the game started. “I always say to Doug: ‘Thank God for social media. It’s kept it alive for us.”’ Earlier this week, current BC coach Bill O’Brien, 55, was asked if he remembered where he was 40 years ago. “We were eating Thanksgiving leftovers in my family room,” he said. “My mom was saying a Rosary in the kitchen because she didn’t like Miami and wanted BC to win. My dad, my brother and I were watching the game. “It was unbelievable,” he said. “Everybody remembers where they were for the Hail Mary, Flutie pass.” Mike Tyson, left, slaps Jake Paul during a weigh-in ahead of their heavyweight bout, Thursday, Nov. 14, 2024, in Irving, Texas. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez) In this image taken with a slow shutter speed, Spain's tennis player Rafael Nadal serves during a training session at the Martin Carpena Sports Hall, in Malaga, southern Spain, on Friday, Nov. 15, 2024. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez) A fan takes a picture of the moon prior to a qualifying soccer match for the FIFA World Cup 2026 between Uruguay and Colombia in Montevideo, Uruguay, Friday, Nov. 15, 2024. (AP Photo/Santiago Mazzarovich) Rasmus Højgaard of Denmark reacts after missing a shot on the 18th hole in the final round of World Tour Golf Championship in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, Sunday, Nov. 17, 2024. (AP Photo/Altaf Qadri) Taylor Fritz of the United States reacts during the final match of the ATP World Tour Finals against Italy's Jannik Sinner at the Inalpi Arena, in Turin, Italy, Sunday, Nov. 17, 2024. (AP Photo/Antonio Calanni) Dallas Cowboys wide receiver Jalen Tolbert (1) fails to pull in a pass against Atlanta Falcons cornerback Dee Alford (20) during the second half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Nov. 3, 2024, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/ Brynn Anderson) Green Bay Packers quarterback Jordan Love, top right, scores a touchdown during the second half of an NFL football game against the Chicago Bears in Chicago, Sunday, Nov. 17, 2024. (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh) India's Tilak Varma jumps in the air as he celebrates after scoring a century during the third T20 International cricket match between South Africa and India, at Centurion Park in Centurion, South Africa, Wednesday, Nov. 13, 2024. (AP Photo/Themba Hadebe) Columbus Blue Jackets defenseman Zach Werenski warms up before facing the Seattle Kraken in an NHL hockey game Tuesday, Nov. 12, 2024, in Seattle. (AP Photo/Lindsey Wasson) Kansas State players run onto the field before an NCAA college football game against Arizona State Saturday, Nov. 16, 2024, in Manhattan, Kan. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel) A fan rapped in an Uruguay flag arrives to the stands for a qualifying soccer match against Colombia for the FIFA World Cup 2026 in Montevideo, Uruguay, Friday, Nov. 15, 2024. (AP Photo/Matilde Campodonico) People practice folding a giant United States flag before an NFL football game between the Buffalo Bills and the Kansas City Chiefs, Sunday, Nov. 17, 2024, in Orchard Park, N.Y. (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson) Brazil's Marquinhos attempts to stop the sprinklers that were turned on during a FIFA World Cup 2026 qualifying soccer match against Venezuela at Monumental stadium in Maturin, Venezuela, Thursday, Nov. 14, 2024. (AP Photo/Ariana Cubillos) Georgia's Georges Mikautadze celebrates after scoring his side's first goal during the UEFA Nations League, group B1 soccer match between Georgia and Ukraine at the AdjaraBet Arena in Batumi, Georgia, Saturday, Nov. 16, 2024. (AP Photo/Tamuna Kulumbegashvili) Dallas Stars center Mavrik Bourque, right, attempts to score while Minnesota Wild right wing Ryan Hartman (38) and Wild goaltender Filip Gustavsson (32) keep the puck out of the net during the second period of an NHL hockey game, Saturday, Nov. 16, 2024, in St. Paul, Minn. (AP Photo/Ellen Schmidt) Mike Tyson, left, fights Jake Paul during their heavyweight boxing match, Friday, Nov. 15, 2024, in Arlington, Texas. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez) Italy goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario misses the third goal during the Nations League soccer match between Italy and France, at the San Siro stadium in Milan, Italy, Sunday, Nov. 17, 2024. (AP Photo/Luca Bruno) Cincinnati Bengals tight end Mike Gesicki (88) celebrates after scoring a touchdown against the Las Vegas Raiders during the second half of an NFL football game in Cincinnati, Sunday, Nov. 3, 2024. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster) President-elect Donald Trump attends UFC 309 at Madison Square Garden, Saturday, Nov. 16, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci) Fans argue in stands during the UEFA Nations League soccer match between France and Israel at the Stade de France stadium in Saint-Denis, outside Paris, Thursday Nov. 14, 2024. (AP Photo/Thibault Camus) Slovakia's Rebecca Sramkova hits a return against Danielle Collins, of the United States, during a tennis match at the Billie Jean King Cup Finals at the Martin Carpena Sports Hall, Thursday, Nov. 14, 2024, in Malaga, southern Spain. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez) St. John's guard RJ Luis Jr. (12) falls after driving to the basket during the second half of an NCAA college basketball game against New Mexico, Sunday, Nov. 17, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Pamela Smith) England's Anthony Gordon celebrates after scoring his side's second goal during the UEFA Nations League soccer match between England and the Republic of Ireland at Wembley stadium in London, Sunday, Nov. 17, 2024. (AP Photo/Kin Cheung) Katie Taylor, left, lands a right to Amanda Serrano during their undisputed super lightweight title bout, Friday, Nov. 15, 2024, in Arlington, Texas. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez) Las Vegas Raiders wide receiver DJ Turner, right, tackles Miami Dolphins wide receiver Malik Washington, left, on a punt return during the second half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Nov. 17, 2024, in Miami Gardens, Fla. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky) UConn's Paige Bueckers (5) battles North Carolina's Laila Hull, right, for a loose ball during the second half of an NCAA college basketball game in Greensboro, N.C., Friday, Nov. 15, 2024. (AP Photo/Ben McKeown) Get local news delivered to your inbox!COLUMBIA — The chairman of the South Carolina Young Republicans will resign after showing nude images of himself to fellow party members. Joe Bowers, 33, was accused of showing the images to several women at official events this year in Tucson, Ariz., and San Diego. "I was stunned by this reckless and inappropriate behavior but initially hoped it was an isolated lapse in judgment," one of the women, Christen Norman, wrote in her complaint to other committee members. Norman is a Young Republican member who serves as third vice chair for the state party. SC school board races are often partisan, even if the ballot says otherwise Bowers admitted to showing an explicit image of himself but disputed the allegations. He told party members and a Post and Courier reporter that the sharing of images was consensual. Norman denied this. His defenders included Arizona Young Republicans national committeewoman Katie Ward, the daughter of indicted former Arizona Republican Party Chairwoman Kelli Ward. She wrote a letter to the S.C. Young Republicans asserting the images shown to her in Tucson took place during a private conversation at the back of a reception hall and were consensual. Young Republicans Chairman Joe Bowers "This was a discussion between consenting adults," wrote Ward. "The attempt to make it into something more is disgusting." On Dec. 4, Bowers told The Post and Courier that he was stepping down and would release a statement later. The Young Republicans is a national organization open to those ages 18 to 40 interested in advancing the party's politics. Bowers, who lives in Greenville, was once an active participant on the Lowcountry political scene and recently led an unsuccessful bid to lead the Charleston County Republican Party. Shortly after graduating high school, he ran for a town council seat in Awendaw in 2011. Two years later, he ran for mayor . He was unsuccessful in both bids. He eventually earned a seat on the Charleston County District 1 Constituent School Board. In 2015, the then 23-year-old suggested in a Facebook post there may be "more to this than meets the eye" after the arrest of a Goose Creek school principal for the sexual assault of a 16-year-old student, drawing widespread condemnation . The latest allegations come amid ongoing questions about Bowers' leadership and infighting over the party's finances and organization. One county Y-R chairman, Charleston's Garrett Lacy, left the organization this week — the culmination of a series of internal disputes with chapter leaders that led some former members to leave the organization entirely. Prominent Bluffton GOP activist was ruled in contempt of court. SC Supreme Court overturned decision. S.C. Republican Party Chairman Drew McKissick was among those calling for Bowers' resignation. "The South Carolina Young Republicans is an outstanding organization, and its leadership at every level should reflect the values of our party," McKissick told The Post and Courier. "The reported behavior falls far short of that standard and current leadership should step aside so that the group can get back to the business of growing our party.” Political leaders aren't getting younger. South Carolina's young people hope to change that. The allegations had spurred a minor scandal within the Young Republican National Federation — the national organization for state chapters — ahead of its upcoming annual meeting in Charleston on Feb. 21.