With a focus on human rights, US policy toward Latin America under Jimmy Carter briefly tempered a long tradition of interventionism in a key sphere of American influence, analysts say. Carter, who died Sunday at the age of 100, defied the furor of US conservatives to negotiate the handover of the Panama Canal to Panamanian control, suspended aid to multiple authoritarian governments in the region, and even attempted to normalize relations with Cuba. Carter's resolve to chart a course toward democracy and diplomacy, however, was severely tested in Central America and Cuba, where he was forced to balance his human rights priorities with pressure from adversaries to combat the spread of communism amid the Cold War standoff with the Soviet Union. "Latin America was fundamental and his global policy was oriented toward human rights, democratic values and multilateral cooperation," political analyst Michael Shifter of the Inter-American Dialogue, a think tank in Washington, told AFP. During his 1977-1981 administration, which was sandwiched between the Republican presidencies of Gerald Ford and Ronald Reagan, the Democrat sought to take a step back from US alignment with right-wing dictatorships in Latin America. An important symbol of Carter's approach was the signing of two treaties in 1977 to officially turn over the Panama Canal in 1999. "Jimmy Carter understood that if he did not return the canal to Panama, the relationship between the United States and Panama could lead to a new crisis in a country where Washington could not afford the luxury of instability," said Luis Guillermo Solis, a political scientist and former president of Costa Rica. Carter called the decision, which was wildly unpopular back home, "the most difficult political challenge I ever had," as he accepted Panama's highest honor in 2016. He also hailed the move as "a notable achievement of moving toward democracy and freedom." During his term, Carter opted not to support Nicaraguan strongman Anastasio Somoza, who was subsequently overthrown by the leftist Sandinista Front in 1979. But in El Salvador, the American president had to "make a very uncomfortable pact with the government," said Shifter. To prevent communists from taking power, Carter resumed US military assistance for a junta which then became more radical, engaging in civilian massacres and plunging El Salvador into a long civil war. Carter took a critical approach to South American dictatorships in Argentina, Chile, Uruguay and Paraguay, suspending arms deliveries and imposing sanctions in some cases. But his efforts "did not achieve any progress in terms of democratization," said Argentine political scientist Rosendo Fraga. The American president also tried to normalize relations with Cuba 15 years after the missile crisis. He relaxed sanctions that had been in force since 1962, supported secret talks and enabled limited diplomatic representation in both countries. "With him, for the first time, the possibility of dialogue rather than confrontation as a framework for political relations opened up," Jesus Arboleya, a former Cuban diplomat, told AFP. But in 1980, a mass exodus of 125,000 Cubans to the United States, with Fidel Castro's blessing, created an unexpected crisis. It "hurt Carter politically with the swarm of unexpected immigrants," said Jennifer McCoy, a professor of political science at Georgia State University. Castro continued to support Soviet-backed African governments and even deployed troops against Washington's wishes, finally putting an end to the normalization process. However, more than 20 years later, Carter made a historic visit to Havana as ex-president, at the time becoming the highest-profile American politician to set foot on Cuban soil since 1959. During the 2002 visit, "he made a bold call for the US to lift its embargo, but he also called on Castro to embrace democratic opening," said McCoy, who was part of the US delegation for the trip, during which Castro encouraged Carter to throw out the ceremonial first pitch at a Cuban All-Star baseball game. "Castro was sitting in the front row and we were afraid he would rise to give a long rebuttal to Carter's speech. But he didn't. He just said, 'Let's go to the ball game.'" In the years following Carter's presidency, Ronald Reagan (1981-1989) would go on to resume a full-frontal confrontation with Cuba. Decades later, Barack Obama (2009-2017) opened a new phase of measured normalization, which Donald Trump (2017-2021) brought to an end. US President Joe Biden promised to review US policy toward Cuba, but hardened his stance after Havana cracked down on anti-government protests in 2021. "Carter showed that engagement and diplomacy are more fruitful than isolation," McCoy said. bur-lp-rd-jb/lbc/mlr/bfm/sst/bbkVideo game ends ‘collaboration’ with Conor McGregor
Trent Williams' wife, Sondra, says their son was stillborn
Brazil's ten-man Botafogo win Copa LibertadoresOpinion The US Justice Department's proposed remedies to address Google's monopoly control of the search services and search text advertising markets should be reconsidered in light of the broader problems with technology platforms. The floated fixes should also be evaluated for how they will affect other aspects of Google's business that face unresolved legal challenges, like the government's ad tech antitrust case. Something needs to be done to rein in Google's unlawful behavior , but the fixes proposed by the Justice Department will create collateral damage while leaving competitors, alleged monopolists among them, free to continue engaging in similar self-serving behavior. The DOJ has proposed [PDF]: disallowing exclusionary contracts, such as those that make Google Search the default in Apple's Safari, so rivals won't be frozen out; forcing Google to sell off its Chrome browser and preventing investments in rival search-ad-AI tech as a way to kill competition; requiring Google to make its search index available to rivals at nominal cost; and providing advertisers with more visibility into Google's data. Android divestiture is also a possible ask, if self-preferencing mechanisms designed to prevent Google from favoring its search and text ads services fall short. But if the Justice Department gets its way years from now, once Google has exhausted its appeals, it won't just be Google that pays the price. That's evident from the statement issued by Mozilla, which warned that a blanket prohibition on search agreements – like the one Mozilla has with Google to make Google Search the default in Firefox – "will negatively impact independent browsers like Firefox and have knock-on effects for an open and accessible internet." If Chrome were to be sold to a private equity group, it is highly likely they would prioritize cost-cutting measures Alex Moore, executive director of Open Web Advocacy, told The Register , "The primary concern of OWA is that the vast majority of research and development supporting the web platform currently takes place within the Chromium project, driven predominantly by Google engineers. "If Chrome were to be sold to a private equity group, it is highly likely they would prioritize cost-cutting measures. This could significantly hinder the future development of the web platform, creating a ripple effect that ultimately strengthens Apple’s and Google’s native ecosystems at the expense of the open web. We advocate for implementing measures that strike a careful balance between addressing Google's dominance in search and safeguarding the health and future development of the open web." Moore said the potential impact on Mozilla, one of only three remaining browser engine developers, needs to be considered, and voiced support for allowing it to retain the ability to establish a non-exclusive search engine deal with Google. "Despite its relatively small market share, Mozilla plays a crucial role in contributing to the health and diversity of the web ecosystem," said Moore. "A sudden loss of its primary revenue source would leave it without a viable alternative, threatening its ability to continue its vital work." It seems highly likely that Google's largess will diminish if it has to part ways with Chrome, and the search biz could be further constrained if the government wins its separate antitrust case against Google's ad auction business. The other major mobile device platform owner, Apple, is more focused on maintaining its App Store ecosystem. The iBiz has also faced scrutiny and allegations of monopolistic practices in the US and has been forced to make competition concessions in the EU. A lighter-touch regulatory option would be to force Google to put the open source Chromium project under the control of an independent foundation while also disallowing self-preferencing mechanisms within the browser. This might include, for example, a ban on steering people to sign in to their Google Accounts in Chrome, which would reduce the ad-relevant data Google can gather that its rivals cannot. But limiting Google's ability to extract monopoly revenue will have less impact if competitors like Apple and Microsoft, which are also facing potential antitrust scrutiny, can keep doing business as usual. A Google-focused remedy will just tilt the playing field in a different direction. What's needed is a comprehensive set of rules that forbid self-preferencing and establish a uniform set of platform rights for third-party developers and privacy rights consumers across all tech platforms. Instead of forcing Google to share data gained through privileged access, give consumers the ability to prevent any company from gaining that data. Require all browser makers to offer users a choice of search engine through a randomized menu free of dark patterns, rather than relying on paid defaults. Ensure that in-app browsers reflect the settings and modifications of third-party default browsers. Every setting should be opt-in rather than opt-out. Addressing bad behavior on a piecemeal basis either invites workarounds or replaces one platform tyrant with another. While the Justice Department can't seek remedies for companies that are not found to be in violation of the law, its proposals should be crafted with an eye toward a more coherent vision of platform behavior and responsibilities. ®
LONDON (AP) — Ireland faces weeks of coalition talks before it gets a new government, as the country’s two major center-right parties work to form a stable administration. With all 174 legislative seats filled Monday after three days of counting election ballots , Fianna Fail had won 48 seats and Fine Gael 38. The two parties, who have governed in coalition since 2020, fell just short of the 88 needed to achieve a majority without third-party support. “The people have spoken, let us now get on with the work,” said Fianna Fail leader Micheál Martin . Left-of-center party Sinn Fein won 39 seats in the Dail, parliament’s lower house, but is unlikely to be part of the next government. Both Fine Gael and Fianna Fail have a longstanding refusal to work with Sinn Fein, partly because of its historic ties with the Irish Republican Army during three decades of violence in Northern Ireland. “The outcome of the election is now clear. The numbers are there for Fianna Fail and Fine Gael to form a government together,” said Sinn Fein lawmaker Eoin Ó Broin. He said that would be “the worst possible outcome for the people of the country.” Longtime rivals with origins on opposing sides of Ireland’s 1920s civil war, Fianna Fail and Fine Gael formed an alliance after the 2020 election ended in a virtual dead heat. The two parties took it in turns to hold the post of premier, for about two years each. This time, Fianna Fail’s bigger seat tally means its Martin looks likely to become prime minister, or taoiseach, rather than Simon Harris of Fine Gael. Fianna Fail’s deputy leader, Jack Chambers, said coalition talks would require “time and space,” and it’s unlikely there will be a new government before Christmas. Ireland has proved a partial exception to the anti-incumbent mood in elections around the world. Fianna Fail and Fine Gael, which have dominated Irish politics for a century, remain in the driving seat, though their combined share of the vote has declined to just over 40%. They will need support to command a majority in parliament, and could turn to the Social Democrats and the Irish Labour Party, who both increased their seat totals to 11 each, or to independent lawmakers. The new government will face huge pressure to ease rising homelessness, driven by soaring rents and property prices, and to better absorb a growing number of asylum-seekers. The cost of living — especially Ireland’s acute housing crisis — was a dominant topic in the election campaign , and immigration has become an emotive and challenging issue in a country of 5.4 million people long defined by emigration. A stabbing attack on children outside a Dublin school just over a year ago, in which an Algerian man has been charged, sparked the worst rioting Ireland had seen in decades. For all the focus on migration, anti-immigration independents made few breakthroughs. Ireland does not have a significant far-right party to capitalize on the issue.Fianna Fail and Fine Gael eye independent TDs as option to secure Dail majority
Contollo Announces the Launch of RealCommish: Revolutionizing Realtor Collaboration with Precision and TransparencyMusk Backs German Far-Right Party in Controversial Opinion PieceFormer President Jimmy Carter, a onetime naval officer and peanut farmer who became the 39th president of the United States after promising citizens he would never lie to them, has died at the age of 100. Carter's death marked the end of the longest life of any former U.S. president. George H.W. Bush, who previously held the record, died in 2018 at 94. Carter and his wife Rosalynn, who died on Nov. 19, 2023 , were married for 77 years, which is also the record for the longest marriage of a presidential couple. Carter entered hospice care in Georgia to "spend his remaining time at home with his family" instead of additional medical intervention, the Carter Center announced on Feb. 18, 2023. A one-term president from 1977 to 1981 who presided over a stagnant economy and a series of foreign policy setbacks, Carter enjoyed substantial popularity and goodwill in the decades after leaving office. He was particularly well-known for his work with the housing nonprofit organization Habitat for Humanity and was regularly photographed helping build homes in his later years. JIMMY CARTER LOOKS HEROIC COMPARED TO JOE BIDEN A Naval Academy graduate, Carter served from his graduation in 1946 until 1953, when he left active duty after the death of his father to take over his family's farm. He married his wife, Rosalynn, in 1946. He began his political career in 1963 as a Georgia state senator, running on the platform of racial inclusion and integration. Four years later, he ran for the state's governorship for the first time, losing in the Democratic primary and returning to agriculture and private life. In 1970, Carter won the crucial Democratic primary and the Georgia governorship. His four-year stint in the statehouse included signing civil rights legislation and expanding social services. Carter next turned his eye to the White House . Starting out as an asterisk in the polls, through sheer force of will and by shaking hands with hundreds of thousands of people, he defeated a large Democratic field — including California Gov. Jerry Brown and Alabama Gov. George Wallace — in the race to take on incumbent President Gerald Ford , a Republican. Carter and his running mate, Sen. Walter Mondale (D-MN), defeated Ford in a competitive race with 297 electoral votes and 50.1% of the popular vote. Ford's popularity took a hit after he pardoned former President Richard Nixon . An unelected president who ascended due to the resignations of Nixon and former Vice President Spiro Agnew, Ford governed in the shadow of the Watergate scandal. He also faced criticism over the controversial end to the Vietnam War, while Carter vowed to bring honesty and ethics back to government. The Carter-Mondale ticket took office in 1977, with the economy in near-recession and suffering from high inflation. That toxic combination came to be known as "stagflation" and Carter struggled with it throughout his presidency, compounded. The energy crisis, driven by a combination of Carter's domestic policies and panic over the falling global oil supply following the 1979 Iranian Revolution, would again lead the country into an economic downturn in 1980. Other major domestic initiatives included the establishment of the Department of Education , which his 1980 presidential rival Ronald Reagan pledged to dismantle. Internationally, Carter positioned himself as a champion of human rights, in opposition to the Soviet Union and other regimes. But Carter's term was seen as a period in which the United States lost ground in the Cold War, with the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan and inroads in the developing world. He led negotiations of the 1979 peace treaty between Israel and Egypt, negotiating the previous year's Camp David agreement. He also helped establish diplomatic relations with the People’s Republic of China , a process begun under Nixon seven years earlier. The seizure of 66 U.S. Embassy staff in Iran following that country's revolution dominated headlines over the last 14 months of Carter’s presidency. A failed U.S. rescue attempt, which led to the deaths of eight troops after diplomatic efforts failed, largely contributed to his landslide defeat by Reagan in 1980. Carter was also weakened by a Democratic primary challenge from Sen. Ted Kennedy of Massachusetts, a liberal icon. He carried only six states and the District of Columbia while running 10 points behind Reagan in the popular vote as Republicans also won control of the Senate for the first time since the 1950s. Following Carter's landslide defeat, the Democrats became associated with inflation, economic mismanagement, and foreign policy weakness. While he did begin deregulation and modest boosts to the defense budget, these perceptions became further entrenched with the Reagan economic boom and a defense build-up that won the Cold War, eventually leading to the disintegration of the Soviet Union itself under Republican rule. Democrats endured a 12-year exile from the White House after Carter. Carter devoted much of his post-presidency to charitable efforts. His establishment of the Carter Center and its work fighting diseases, such as Guinea worm and river blindness, and promotion of peace earned him the Nobel Peace Prize in 2002. He regained much of his popularity in retirement. Then President Bill Clinton dispatched him to Haiti to negotiate peace after a coup, leading a delegation that included Colin Powell and Sen. Sam Nunn . That year, Carter also traveled to North Korea in an attempt to resolve international concerns about the communist regime's nuclear program. The trip momentarily defused tensions and paved the way for the 1994 Agreed Framework, but Pyongyang's nuclear ambitions remained and Carter was criticized for freelance diplomacy without adequately consulting the Clinton administration about his negotiations. The former president also continued to teach Sunday school at his local Baptist church. A born-again Christian, his faith drove much of his humanitarian work, as well as his human rights advocacy and support for racial equality. Yet under Carter's watch, evangelicals shifted their political allegiance to the Republicans. Carter was uncomfortable by the Democratic Party's leftward lurch on abortion after he left office, but the parties increasingly sorted on social issues in the 1980s and '90s. "I have never believed that Jesus would be in favor of abortion, unless it was the result of rape or incest, or the mother's life was in danger. That's been the only conflict I've had in my career between political duties and Christian faith," Carter said in an interview in 2012. "Of course, the Supreme Court ruled differently. Within the ruling, I tried to minimize abortion as best I could. On the issue of abortion, my beliefs are contradictory to what the Supreme Court ruled." The Carter Center nevertheless pronounced itself "deeply disappointed" that Roe v. Wade was overturned last year, in a statement that did not come directly from the former president himself. Rosalynn Carter played an active role in her husband’s political career as his closest adviser. In addition to her work as first lady, such as advocating for mental health issues, and her busy campaign schedule, Mrs. Carter frequently attended Cabinet meetings, and met with foreign leaders. CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER Carter suffered a number of medical episodes in recent years, having multiple surgeries. Carter was unable to attend President Joe Biden 's inauguration, but the current president and his wife Jill visited the Carters at their home during a trip to Georgia. Carter also made a rare public appearance at his wife's funeral service, despite having been in hospice care for ten months by that time. The former president did not address mourners, however. He is survived by his four children: Amy, John, Donnel, and James Carter III.
Former President Jimmy Carter dies at 100
President-elect Donald Trump responded Monday to special counsel Jack Smith's move to dismiss the two felony cases against him. "These cases, like all of the other cases I have been forced to go through, are empty and lawless, and should never have been brought," he wrote on his social media platform. "It was a political hijacking, and a low point in the History of our Country that such a thing could have happened, and yet, I persevered, against all odds, and WON. MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!" Trump added. MORE: Special counsel Jack Smith moves to drop Trump election, documents cases citing 'categorical' DOJ policy Vice President-elect JD Vance said Trump could have "spent the rest of his life in prison" had the outcome of the 2024 race been different. "If Donald J. Trump had lost an election, he may very well have spent the rest of his life in prison," Vance wrote on X. "These prosecutions were always political. Now it's time to ensure what happened to President Trump never happens in this country again." Smith, in back-to-back court filings, cited the Justice Department's "categorical" policy that he said bars the prosecution of a sitting president as the reason for his request to drop the federal election interference case and the classified documents case. Trump pleaded not guilty to four charges, including conspiracy to defraud the United States, brought by Smith in connection with Trump’s alleged attempts to overturn his 2020 election loss to President Joe Biden. The case was plagued with delays and developments, including a Supreme Court decision that a president is entitled to some immunity from criminal prosecution for official acts during their time in office. Trump also pleaded not guilty to the 40 criminal counts related to his handling of classified material after leaving the White House. The case was dismissed by a federal judge in Florida in July, though Smith had been appealing the decision. During his presidential campaign, Trump told supporters he was their "retribution" and that he was "being indicted for you." MORE: Trump's trials: Prosecutors wind down federal cases as state cases could be placed on hold Steven Cheung, the incoming White House communications director, called Smith's decision a "major victory for the rule of law" and said Americans want Trump to end "weaponization of our justice system." Some of Trump's allies on Capitol Hill also celebrated the development. "Huge win for America, President Trump, and the fight against the weaponization of the justice system," House Speaker Mike Johnson wrote on X. "This was ALWAYS about politics and not the law." California Democratic Sen.-elect Adam Schiff, however, said the Justice Department and the courts "failed to uphold the principle that no one is above the law." Schiff was a member of the House Jan. 6 Committee that spent more than a year investigating the Capitol attack. The panel, which voted to recommend charges against Trump, identified Trump and his actions after the 2020 election as the "central cause" of what transpired on Jan. 6, 2021. "DOJ by neglecting to promptly investigate the events of Jan 6, and the courts by willfully delaying progress of the case and providing immunity," Schiff wrote on X. "The public deserved better."
Report England declare after Root century, New Zealand set 583 Record chase required by hosts after Joe Root ices the cake with 36th Test ton Alan Gardner 07-Dec-2024 • 12 mins ago Joe Root celebrates after bringing up his century • Getty Images {"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"ImageObject","contentUrl":"https://img1.hscicdn.com/image/upload/f_auto/lsci/db/PICTURES/CMS/392500/392585.jpg","caption":"Joe Root celebrates after bringing up his century"} England 280 and 427 for 6 dec (Root 106, Bethell 96, Duckett 92, Brook 55) lead New Zealand 125 (Atkinson 4-31, Carse 4-46) by 582 runs England batted on for 6.3 overs before declaring their innings closed on the third morning at Basin Reserve. That was enough time for Joe Root to notch his 36th Test hundred, his dismissal two balls later allowing Ben Stokes to pull the plug and set New Zealand a target of 583 to win. No team has successfully chased down more than 418 in the fourth innings of a Test - in fact, only in the timeless Durban Test of 1939 have more runs been scored, regardless of the result. The fact that there was the better part of three full days left in this game underlined the scale of the challenge for New Zealand. The morning session came with the famed Wellington winds buffeting the ground, but unlikely to blow England off course; their record second-innings advantage of 533 after two days of play a clear indicator of which side was on top. Stokes had swung for the pickets from the off on the second evening, and began by swiping two off Will O'Rourke's opening delivery. Not many came out of the middle initially, but with New Zealand spreading the field, easy runs were on offer for the sixth-wicket pair. Matt Henry missed a sharp return chance off a Stokes' drive in the second over, before Root clubbed the first boundary through midwicket. He picked up two more fours in Henry's next over to move into the 90s, another glance off O'Rourke then persuading New Zealand to take the second new ball. Root had batted serenely, and went to his pet shot with the hundred in sight. This time the reverse-ramp came off his gloved hand as he tumbled over in the crease, but cleared Tom Blundell and bounced away for four to bring up three figures, an impudent smile on the face of England's record run-scorer. He hit the next ball in orthodox style through long-off, before a thick edge was well held by the diving Blundell to give the deserving O'Rourke a wicket. At which point Root and Stokes charged off, ready to get going in England's pursuit of 10 wickets. Joe Root England New Zealand New Zealand vs England ICC World Test Championship England tour of New Zealand Alan Gardner is a deputy editor at ESPNcricinfo. @alanroderick Get latest cricket updates on WhatsApp
SANTA CLARA, Calif. (AP) — The San Francisco 49ers were hit by another family tragedy with the announcement that star left tackle Trent Williams' wife gave birth to a stillborn son late last week. Sondra Williams announced on Instagram on Sunday that she gave birth to Trenton O’Brien Williams Jr. on Nov. 24. Williams also wrote that she was initially pregnant with twins and lost the other child earlier in the pregnancy. “I can’t even begin to describe how I felt leaving the hospital without you,” she wrote. “Nor how it feels being home celebrating Thanksgiving without my baby in my arms. My heart is broken and my arms are empty. But I know you’ll always be near watching over me and your sisters. And for that, my heart smiles with gratitude. Thank God for allowing us to bond for 35 weeks and for me to birth you so I could hold you in my arms. I’m at peace knowing you will never have to suffer.” Williams wrote that her son was diagnosed with Trisomy 13, a genetic condition also known as Patau syndrome that affects how the face, brain and heart develop, along with several other internal organs. Trent Williams spent time last week at the hospital and grieving with his family, including the couple's three young daughters. “He was there at the hospital with her and got to meet him and say bye,” coach Kyle Shanahan said Monday. "Then he had to cremate him on Friday. So he’s been dealing with that and he’s working through it. But we’re all just trying to be here for him through it all.” This is the second tragedy to hit the Niners in recent weeks. Cornerback Charvarius Ward's 1-year-old daughter , Amani Joy, died on Oct. 28. She had born prematurely with Down syndrome and had open-heart surgery in April 2023. Ward spent a few weeks away from the team and returned to the field for the first time on Sunday. Williams has missed the last two games with an ankle injury but Shanahan said he is hoping to be able to the return as soon as he's healthy. “It’s hard as a coach. It’s hard as a friend. It’s hard as a family member. It’s hard for everybody," Shanahan said. ”But we spend a lot of time with each other. That’s what’s cool about a football team. Whatever you go through, the good or the bad, we go through it together. I do like that they have a group of guys they can go to, a group of guys that can see them every day. You can never escape that full grief and stuff. But I do think it’s nice for those guys to have another avenue to get out on the football field, to get around teammates and things like that." AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nflNearly a month after a devastating election loss that exposed cracks in the very foundation of their party, Democrats remain deeply divided over the extent of their political problem — or even if they have one. Related video above: On The Record analysts debate Biden's blame for Trump's win A number of Democratic leaders are downplaying the strength of Donald Trump's victory over Vice President Kamala Harris as the inevitable result of an inflation-fueled anti-incumbent backlash that shaped elections worldwide. But others are convinced that the Democratic Party is facing an acute crisis that requires an urgent overhaul of its brand, message and economic policies. Trump swept every battleground state on Nov. 5, becoming the first Republican candidate to win the national popular vote since George W. Bush in 2004. Yet nearly half the country voted against him. With the final votes still being counted in some places, Trump won the popular vote by just 1.6 percentage points. He carried the seven top swing states by about 760,000 votes combined out of more than 151 million cast nationwide. "The glass is half full. It was close. If we get another 2% or 3% of American voters, it would have successfully led to victories from the presidency on down," says Colorado Gov. Jared Polis, who is leading a group called Governors Safeguarding Democracy. But for Ken Martin, chair of the Minnesota Democratic-Labor-Farmer Party and a candidate to lead the Democratic National Committee next year, the election represented "a damning indictment" for the Democratic Party. "People do not believe that the Democratic Party is fighting for them or for their families or gives a damn about their lives," Martin told The Associated Press. "We lost ground with almost every group except wealthy households and college-educated voters." The internal debate over the health of the party comes at a critical moment. Trump will return to the White House on Jan. 20, claiming a mandate to enact a dramatic "Make America Great Again" agenda led by the mass deportation of millions of immigrants in the country illegally; an overhaul of the federal departments of health, education and justice, and major import tariffs that threaten to strain the U.S. economy and international alliances alike. Democrats, even diminished and divided, stand as the only organized resistance to Trump and his emboldened MAGA allies. But for now, at least, the Democratic Party has no leader and no agreement on the political problems that need to be fixed or how to fix them. Many Democratic groups and leaders are working through post-election analyses to better understand what went wrong on Nov. 5, but few are working together. And already, some fear that the disparate post mortems will produce competing recommendations likely to be lost in a rush to leave the pain of 2024 behind. Priorities USA, one of the Democratic Party's leading super PACs, is set to unveil its post-election findings this week. The group will recommend, among other things, that Democrats do a better job listening to voters instead of pollsters, while offering a more forward-looking positive alternative to Trump's MAGA movement. If they do not make significant changes, according to a preview of that briefing, Priorities believes there is no guarantee that key elements of the Democratic base — especially young people and voters of color — will return to the party in future elections. Some of the loudest voices calling for dramatic changes represent the party's far-left wing, which is often ignored by establishment Democrats who control the party's messaging, strategy and policy platform. Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders irked some party leaders the day after the election with a scathing critique: "It should come as no great surprise that a Democratic Party which has abandoned working class people would find that the working class has abandoned them." "While the Democratic leadership defends the status quo, the American people are angry and want change," Sanders continued. "And they're right." In the weeks since, California Rep. Ro Khanna, a Sanders ally and a potential future presidential contender, has been urging his party to overhaul its economic message. Specifically, he's advocating for a "New Economic Deal" focused on creating high-paying jobs for the middle class. Khanna's chief of staff, Marie Baldassarre, said that some Democrats may be coming around to Khanna's message and his willingness to share it on podcasts and right-leaning outlets such as Fox News. "I don't know how you look at this election and don't take a beat. This is the time to change," Baldassarre said. "Why wouldn't we do some work right now? We didn't resonate." Democratic strategist Waleed Shahid, a former spokesperson for Justice Democrats and the "Uncommitted" group that was critical of Joe Biden's primary nomination said Harris' loss revealed that the party "has a major problem with bleeding working-class, low-information, non-college voters." He notes that some Democratic leaders have responded with a collective shrug. "Many of the people at the highest levels of the party feel pretty lost," Shahid said. "I'm skeptical that they'll be able to create the kind of coalition they need for transformative change over our lifetimes." The national committee's upcoming election to select a new leader serves as a litmus test for the party's direction. The DNC is expected to elect a new chair in February after a series of four candidate forums in January, according to an internal memo released last week. It remains unclear if delegates will embrace a high-profile outsider or an insider more familiar with the intricate workings of the party's political apparatus. Few are calling for wholesale changes. Wisconsin Democratic Party Chair Ben Wikler, who announced his candidacy for DNC chair on Sunday, said Democrats must embrace a new communication strategy to connect with voters who don't pay close attention to politics. He complimented Trump's command of the media landscape and suggested that his own party pay more attention to non-political and right-leaning podcasts and news networks. Related video below: Wisconsin Democratic Chair Ben Wikler launches bid for Democratic National Committee chair Wikler was skeptical, however, that the 2024 election results signal a political crisis for his party. "What we saw was a narrow shift to the right driven the most by the people most affected by inflation, who were paying the least attention to the news," he said. "That does not suggest a permanent shift towards Trump. I think that there's a very real opportunity for Democrats to win background." He added: "I also think that Trump is very likely to more than repeat history and be a disaster."is wasting no time in getting 2025 started on the right foot, by teeing up several high-profile TV series for subscribers to enjoy throughout January — a mix of releases that includes both new and returning favorites. From gripping drama to imaginative sci-fi, the January lineup from promises something for every kind of viewer. Moreover, with a focus on star-studded casts and storytelling that’s as compelling as ever, Apple TV+ is setting the stage for yet another banner year in streaming entertainment. : Season 2 (Jan. 17) The first of Apple’s shows on our list is so in-demand, the streamer decided a few days ago to from the show’s highly anticipated sophomore season. Creator Dan Erickson’s is a mind-bending workplace thriller about a dystopian office wherein employees separate their work and personal selves through a radical medical procedure. Offering viewers a thought-provoking premise about work-life balance, as well as plenty of gripping twists, the show is a must-watch for fans of psychological drama as well as quality sci-fi storytelling. Sign up for the most interesting tech & entertainment news out there. By signing up, I agree to the and have reviewed the In the show, Adam Scott stars as Mark Scout — the leader of a team of employees who finds himself at the center of an unraveling mystery, and in Season 2, the stakes are raised even higher. Apple has cryptically teased that Mark and his colleagues will learn the consequences of trifling with the severance barrier that separates their two selves. (Jan. 22) This next Apple TV+ January release is the only new series I recommend seeking out next month. stars Leo Woodall ( ) as Edward Brooks, a brilliant math postgraduate who’s on the verge of a major breakthrough. His work in potentially finding a pattern in prime numbers could hold the key to every computer in the world — an idea that he soon realizes an enemy is trying to work against. This puts Edward in the orbit of an NSA agent, played by Quintessa Swindell, who’s been assigned to watch and report on the young mathematician. Together, they work to unravel a troubling conspiracy that Edward finds himself at the heart of. : Season 4 (Jan. 29) It’s been more than two years since the previous season of this next Apple TV+ series was released (back in November of 2022). For the upcoming fourth season of , Apple’s comedic workplace series that explores the eccentric dynamics of a video game studio, the reunited team is forced to confront new challenges as the gaming landscape changes. Among those challenges: A major movie deal has fallen through, and gamers are also packing it in. In addition to the show’s usual mix of rising stars, blossoming relationships, and clashing egos, this new season will also preface an expansion of the series. It’s getting a spinoff called , making its Apple TV+ debut on March 26, and it will explore the lives of employees, players and fans impacted by the show’s game in an anthology format.