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Jimmy Carter, the 39th president and a Nobel Peace Prize recipient, has died at 100
The Pentagon announced Saturday a new $988 million aid package for Ukraine, including new arms and equipment for use in its ongoing war with Russia. The Pentagon said the money from the package will be put toward buying ammunition for the High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems (HIMARS) , which are made by Lockheed Martin. Other items in the package include drones, equipment and spare artillery parts used for maintenance. The aid package almost halves the more than $2 billion available through the Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative, which aims to further buy weapons for Ukraine rather than taking from American weapon stocks, as Reuters reported. The announcement comes as President Joe Biden's administration enters its final days and as President-elect Donald Trump met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in Paris on Saturday, with Zelenskyy calling the talk "good and productive" in a tweet posted Saturday afternoon. "President Trump is, as always, resolute. I thank him," Zelenskyy said in the post. "We all want this war to end as soon as possible and in a just way ... We agreed to continue working together and keep in contact. Peace through strength is possible." The news came as Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin spoke Saturday in front of defense industry leaders and policymakers at the Reagan National Defense Forum in California. Since the start of the war in 2022, the United States has given more than $62 billion to Ukraine in security assistance, according to Reuters . Contributing: Reuters Fernando Cervantes Jr. is a trending news reporter for USA TODAY. Reach him at fernando.cervantes@gannett.com and follow him on X @fern_cerv_.She was set on fire and no one knows her name. How homelessness, crime and a broken immigration system met in a subway car | CNN
Jimmy Carter, the 39th US president, has died at 100Dell: Chief AI Officers Are Emerging as Lynchpin in AI SuccessChief adviser Prof Muhammad Yunus and US National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan during a phone conversation on Monday expressed their commitment to respecting and protecting the human rights of all people, regardless of religion. Sullivan re-iterated the United States' support for a prosperous, stable, and democratic Bangladesh, and offered the United States' continued support in meeting the challenges Bangladesh faces, said a White House readout. Sullivan thanked Yunus for his leadership during the challenging period. Chief Adviser's Press Wing in a statement yesterday said both the leaders discussed issues of mutual interest. Sullivan praised him for the progress that the country has already made in turning around the economy and for initiating vital political, election, and other reforms. Sullivan thanked Prof Yunus for announcing the possible election dates, and he offered US support for the democratic process of the country. They also discussed the overall development situation in the country. Prof Yunus thanked the US for its generous support to Bangladesh in overcoming the inherited problems. He recalled his meeting with President Joe Biden and Secretary of State Antony Blinken during his visit to New York in September. Prof Yunus said he was expecting reports of six major reform commissions within January. After that, the consensus-building process will begin, so that the people are prepared for the reforms and elections. Chief adviser Prof Muhammad Yunus and US National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan during a phone conversation on Monday expressed their commitment to respecting and protecting the human rights of all people, regardless of religion. Sullivan re-iterated the United States' support for a prosperous, stable, and democratic Bangladesh, and offered the United States' continued support in meeting the challenges Bangladesh faces, said a White House readout. Sullivan thanked Yunus for his leadership during the challenging period. Chief Adviser's Press Wing in a statement yesterday said both the leaders discussed issues of mutual interest. Sullivan praised him for the progress that the country has already made in turning around the economy and for initiating vital political, election, and other reforms. Sullivan thanked Prof Yunus for announcing the possible election dates, and he offered US support for the democratic process of the country. They also discussed the overall development situation in the country. Prof Yunus thanked the US for its generous support to Bangladesh in overcoming the inherited problems. He recalled his meeting with President Joe Biden and Secretary of State Antony Blinken during his visit to New York in September. Prof Yunus said he was expecting reports of six major reform commissions within January. After that, the consensus-building process will begin, so that the people are prepared for the reforms and elections.No. 23 Arkansas will close its nonconference schedule Monday night by hosting Oakland in Fayetteville, Ark., in the final tune-up before beginning Southeastern Conference play. With Arkansas (10-2) rotating just nine players due to injuries, coach John Calipari wants Jonas Aidoo, a second-team All-SEC selection for Tennessee last season, to go all out on the court as he continues to rehab an offseason injury. "(His presence) makes us different," Calipari said after the 6-foot-11 Aidoo's strong showing in a 95-67 win over North Carolina A&T on Dec. 21. "Going for three, four minutes at a time, in that time, he has a huge impact on the game." Aidoo produced season-high totals in points (17), rebounds (11) and blocks (three) to go with two assists. When healthy, Aidoo provides good size for the Razorbacks and creates a three-man rotation with Trevon Brazile and Zvonimir Ivisic that allows Calipari to put two big men on the court at once -- though Ivisic is nursing an ankle injury. Aidoo said he was glad to see electric guard Boogie Fland achieve a double-double with 12 points and 11 assists against NC A&T. "A five-star guard, really young ... his mind is just racing," Aidoo said after Arkansas won for the fifth straight time. "Definitely great to play with a player like that. He's a special player, for sure." Fourth in the SEC in field-goal percentage at 50.8 percent, Arkansas leans on forward Adou Thiero, who leads with 17.6 points and 5.7 rebounds per game. Fland and fellow guard D.J. Wagner score 15.3 and 10.1 per game, respectively. As a No. 14 seed last March, Oakland stunned third-seeded Kentucky and Calipari 80-76 in the opening round of the NCAA Tournament, but the current version of Oakland (4-9) is very much different. In the middle of December as his team prepared to face in-state foe Michigan State, coach Greg Kampe admitted he had plenty of thinking and decisions to make regarding his Golden Grizzlies' offense. With his team sputtering with the ball -- it scored 50 points in a loss to Youngstown State on Dec. 7 -- Kampe, the longest-tenured coach in the NCAA with 41 seasons, said he had hard decisions to make. "By the time you are (10 games in), you should have a pretty good idea of your personnel and what's going to happen," said Kampe, whose first season at the Horizon League school was 1984-85. "I've got to make some decisions on playing times and minutes. "I've got to figure out what can we do offensively to have success ... (because) it's not successful." However, he may have something offensively in reserve Malcolm Christie, who has scored in double digits in five straight games and set a season high in points (27) in a 73-70 overtime loss to Hawaii in the Diamond Head Classic's third-place matchup on Christmas night. Christie, a senior from Fredericton, New Brunswick, made 7 of 22 shots from distance. During his streak, he has canned 26 of 70 (37.1 percent) from beyond the arc, but Oakland is 1-5 since losing to Youngstown State. Joining Christie (11.2) in double-figure scoring this season are leader Allen Mukeba (13.1), DQ Cole (11.4) and Buru Naivalurua (11.3). --Field Level Media
Short Interest in PGIM Global High Yield Fund, Inc (NYSE:GHY) Rises By 129.6%Franklin Resources Inc. Has $1.16 Million Position in Collegium Pharmaceutical, Inc. (NASDAQ:COLL)Must See: Jeremy Swayman With A Ridiculous Breakaway Save In OvertimeInsurgents reach gates of Syria’s capital, threatening to upend decades of Assad rule BEIRUT (AP) — A Syrian opposition war monitor and a pro-government media outlet say government forces have withdrawn from much of the central city of Homs. The pro-government Sham FM reported that government forces took positions outside Syria’s third-largest city, without elaborating. Rami Abdurrahman who heads the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, said Syrian troops and members of different security agencies have withdrawn from the city, adding that rebels have entered parts of it. Losing Homs is a potentially crippling blow for Syria’s embattled leader, Bashar Assad. An archbishop's knock formally restores Notre Dame to life as winds howl and heads of state look on PARIS (AP) — France’s iconic Notre Dame Cathedral has formally reopened its doors for the first time since a devastating fire nearly destroyed the 861-year-old landmark in 2019. The five-year restoration is widely seen as a boost for French President Emmanuel Macron, who championed the ambitious timeline, and brings a welcome respite from his domestic political woes. World leaders, dignitaries, and worshippers gathered on Saturday evening for the celebrations under the cathedral's soaring arches. The celebration was attended by 1,500 dignitaries, including President-elect Donald Trump, Britain’s Prince William, and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. For Catholics, Notre Dame’s rector said the cathedral “carries the enveloping presence of the Virgin Mary, a maternal and embracing presence.′′ Trump is welcomed by Macron to Paris with presidential pomp and joined by Zelenskyy for their talks PARIS (AP) — French President Emmanuel Macron has welcomed Donald Trump to Paris with a full dose of presidential pomp. And they held a hastily arranged meeting with Ukraine’s Volodymyr Zelenskyy on a day that's mixing pageantry with attention to pressing global problems. The president-elect's visit to France is part of a global a celebration of the reopening of Notre Dame Cathedral five years after a devastating fire. Macron and other European leaders are trying to win Trump’s favor and persuade him to maintain support for Ukraine in its defense against Russia’s invasion. Trump isn't back in office but he's already pushing his agenda and negotiating with world leaders NEW YORK (AP) — Donald Trump is making threats, traveling abroad, and negotiating with world leaders. He has more than a month-and-a-half to go before he’s sworn in for a second term. But the president-elect is already moving aggressively to not only fill his Cabinet and outline policy goals, but also to try to achieve his priorities. In recent days, Trump has threatened to impose a 25% tariff on goods from Canada and Mexico, two of the country’s largest trading partners. That led to emergency calls and a visit. And he's warned of “ALL HELL TO PAY” if Hamas doesn't release the hostages still being held captive in Gaza. South Korea's president avoids an impeachment attempt over short-lived martial law SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — South Korea’s embattled President Yoon Suk Yeol has avoided an opposition-led attempt to impeach him over his short-lived imposition of martial law. Most of Yoon's ruling party lawmakers boycotted a parliamentary vote Saturday to deny a two-thirds majority needed to suspend his presidential powers. The scrapping of the motion is expected to intensify protests calling for Yoon’s ouster and deepen political chaos in South Korea. A survey suggests a majority of South Koreans support the president’s impeachment. Yoon’s martial law declaration drew criticism from his own ruling conservative People Power Party. But the party also apparently fears losing the presidency to liberals. Days after gunman killed UnitedHealthcare's CEO, police push to ID him and FBI offers reward NEW YORK (AP) — Nearly four days after the shooting of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson, police still do not know the gunman’s name or whereabouts or have a motive for the killing. But they have made some progress in their investigation into Wednesday's killing of the leader of the largest U.S. health insurer, including that the gunman likely left New York City on a bus soon after fleeing the scene. The also found that the gunman left something behind: a backpack that was discovered in Central Park. Police are working with the FBI, which on Friday night announced a $50,000 reward for information leading to an arrest and conviction. UnitedHealthcare CEO's shooting opens a door for many to vent frustrations over insurance The fatal shooting of UnitedHealthcare's CEO has opened the door for many people to vent their frustrations and anger over the insurance industry. The feelings of exasperation, anger, resentment, and helplessness toward insurers aren’t new. But the shooting and the headlines around it have unleashed a new wave of patients sharing such sentiments and personal stories of interactions with insurance companies. Conversations at dinner tables, office water coolers, social gatherings and on social media have pivoted to the topic. Many say they hope the new amplified voices can bring about change for companies often accused of valuing profits over people. 2 Pearl Harbor survivors, ages 104 and 102, return to Hawaii to honor those killed in 1941 attack PEARL HARBOR, Hawaii (AP) — The bombing of Pearl Harbor 83 years ago launched the United States into World War II. Two survivors have returned to the Hawaii military base for a remembrance ceremony on the attack's anniversary. Both are over 100 years old. They joined active-duty troops, veterans and members of the public for an observance hosted by the Navy and the National Park Service. A third survivor was planning to join them but had to cancel due to health issues. The bombing killed more than 2,300 U.S. servicemen. An explosion destroys an apartment block in a Dutch city, killing at least 3 and injuring others THE HAGUE, Netherlands (AP) — An explosion and fire has rocked a neighborhood in the Dutch city of The Hague, killing three people and injuring other people and destroying several apartments. The cause of the disaster is unclear. Emergency authorities said four people were rescued from the rubble and taken to the hospital. The mayor said rescuers were no longer looking for survivors but for eventual bodies, but could not specify how many people might still be unaccounted for. Residents of the northeastern neighborhood of Mariahoeve in The Hague heard a huge bang and screams before dawn. Dutch authorities have deployed a specialized urban search and rescue team to find victims. How 'Mufasa' rose with Aaron Pierre and Blue Ivy's voices along with new Lin-Manuel Miranda music SAN DIEGO (AP) — When Aaron Pierre was cast as Mufasa, the weight of following in the late James Earl Jones’ legendary footsteps was enough to rattle any actor. But instead of letting the pressure roar too loudly, he harnessed his nerves to breathe fresh life into his young lion character. Pierre found parallels between himself and his character while filming his leading role in “Mufasa: The Lion King,” which opens in theaters Dec. 20. He took the reigns as the new voice of Mufasa after Jones played the iconic King Mufasa in both the 1994 and 2019 versions of Disney’s “The Lion King.” The prequel offers a fresh exploration into Mufasa’s origin story.
American rugby sevens star Ilona Maher will join 15-a-side club Bristol in January in a bid to play in next year's women's Rugby World Cup, the English club announced on Monday. Maher, 28, helped the USA to a bronze medal at this summer's Olympic Games in Paris and is the sport's most popular player on social media. Javascript is required for you to be able to read premium content. Please enable it in your browser settings.
New 2025 laws hit hot topics — including AI in movies and rapid-fire gunsWILMINGTON, Del. (AP) — Attorneys for Fox Corp. asked a Delaware judge Friday to dismiss a shareholder lawsuit seeking to hold current and former company officials personally liable for the financial fallout stemming from Fox News reports regarding alleged vote rigging in the 2020 election. Five New York City public employee pension funds, along with Oregon’s public employee retirement fund, allege that former chairman Rupert Murdoch and other Fox Corp. leaders deliberately turned a blind eye to liability risks posed by reporting false claims of vote rigging by election technology companies Dominion Voting Systems and Smartmatic USA. Smartmatic is for defamation in New York, alleging damages of $2.7 billion. It recently in the District of Columbia against One America News Network, another conservative outlet, over reports of vote fraud. Dominion also filed several defamation lawsuits against blaming its election equipment for Donald Trump’s loss in 2020. Last year, a defamation lawsuit filed by Dominion in Delaware for $787 million. The shareholder plaintiffs also allege that Fox corporate leaders ignored “red flags” about liability arising from a 2017 report suggesting that Seth Rich, a Democratic National Committee staffer, may have been killed because he had leaked Democratic party emails to Wikileaks during the 2016 presidential campaign. Rich, 27, was shot in 2016 in Washington, D.C., in what authorities have said was an attempted robbery. Fox News retracted the Seth Rich story a week after its initial broadcast, but Rich’s parents sued the network for falsely portraying their son as a criminal and traitor. Fox News in 2020 for “millions of dollars,” shortly before program hosts Lou Dobbs and Sean Hannity were to be deposed, according to the shareholder lawsuit. Joel Friedlander, an attorney for the institutional shareholders, argued that Fox officials waited until the company’s reporting about Rich became a national scandal before addressing the issue. Similarly, according to the shareholders, corporate officials, including Rupert Murdoch and his son, CEO Lachlan Murdoch, allowed Fox News to continue broadcasting false narratives about the 2020 election, despite internal communications suggesting that they knew there was no evidence to support the conspiracy theories. “The Murdochs could have minimized future monetary exposure, but they chose not to,” Friedlander said. Instead, he argued, they engaged in “bad-faith decision making” with other defendants in a profit-driven effort to retain viewers and remain in Trump’s good graces. “Decisions were made at the highest level to promote pro-Trump conspiracy theories without editorial control,” Friedlander said. Defense attorneys argue that the case should be dismissed because the plaintiffs filed their lawsuit without first demanding that the Fox Corp. board take action, as required under Delaware law. They say the plaintiffs also failed to demonstrate that a pre-suit demand on the Fox board would have been futile because at least half of the directors face a substantial likelihood of liability or are not independent of someone who does. Beyond the “demand futility” issue, defense attorneys also argue that allegations that Fox officials breached their fiduciary duties fail to meet the pleading standards under Delaware and therefore should be dismissed. Defense attorney William Savitt argued, for example, that neither the Rich settlement, which he described as “immaterial,” nor the allegedly defamatory statements about Dominion and Smartmatic constitute red flags putting directors on notice about the risk of defamation liability. Nor do they demonstrate that directors acted in bad faith or that Fox “utterly failed” to implement and monitor a system to report and mitigate legal risks, including defamation liability risk, according to the defendants. Savitt noted that the Rich article was promptly retracted, and that the settlement included no admission of liability. The Dominion and Smartmatic statements, meanwhile, gave rise themselves to the currently liability issues and therefore can not serve as red flags about future liability risks, according to the defendants. “A ‘red flag’ must be what the term commonly implies — warning of a risk of a liability-causing event that allows the directors to take action to avert the event, not notice that a liability-causing event has already occurred,” defense attorneys wrote in their motion to dismiss. Defense attorneys also say there are no factual allegations to support claims that Fox officials condoned illegal conduct in pursuit of corporate profits, or that they deliberately ignored their oversight responsibilities. They note that a “bad outcome” is not sufficient to demonstrate “bad faith.” Vice Chancellor J. Travis Laster is expected to rule within 90 days.Fox attorneys seek to dismiss shareholder lawsuit over reporting of vote rigging allegations in 2020