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Despite a resounding defeat at the hands of Ronald Reagan in 1980, the Democrat forged a new path promoting causes such as electoral probity abroad, social justice and drives to rid the world of medical conditions. His first foreign visit as president was to the UK where then prime minister James Callaghan, as well as the usual visits in London, took his guest to the North East with a visit to Newcastle, Sunderland and Washington – the village bearing the name of the first ever president. Mr Carter delighted crowds in the North East by saying “Howay the lads” during a speech to the assembled throng. He also received a miner’s lamp from 12-year-old Ian McEree in Washington. The 39th US president also carried out more traditional presidential duties, including meetings with western European leaders during his time in London while the Cold War was still ongoing. The practising Baptist continued his globetrotting ways after leaving power, even without Air Force One as his vehicle. He was also part of the Elders, a group of experienced statesmen and women drawn from all corners of the world.
COMMERCE, Texas (AP) — Zach Calzada passed for 333 yards and three touchdowns, and he rushed for a score as Incarnate Word beat East Texas A&M 38-24 on Saturday to claim the Southland Conference title. Incarnate Word (10-2, 7-0) became the first team in program history to finish undefeated in conference play. The No. 6 Cardinals await the FCS selection show on Sunday to learn the playoff matchups. Calzada came in leading the FCS in passing touchdowns with 30 on the season and No. 6 for passing yards (3,018). He finished 26 of 40 with an interception against East Texas A&M. Incarnate Word linebacker Darius Sanders made his third interception in two games then Calzada launched a 43-yard pass to Jalen Walthall to tie it at 14 midway through the second quarter. The Cardinals' Marcus Brown blocked a 45-yard field-goal attempt that would have broken a tie at 24 early in the fourth. Calzada found wide-open Logan Compton in the end zone for a 31-24 lead. Mason Pierce was also left wide open for an 18-yard score with 2:43 left. Ron Peace was 21 of 38 for 165 yards with one touchdown and one interception for East Texas (3-9, 2-4). He also rushed for a score. Get poll alerts and updates on the AP Top 25 throughout the season. Sign up here . AP college football: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-football-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/college-footballADELAIDE is exploring a late trade deal for Port Adelaide’s former NAB AFLW Rising Star winner Hannah Ewings. The two South Australian clubs have been in discussions around a potential deal for Ewings across recent days, with optimism the 20-year-old will join the Crows by Wednesday’s 4pm AEDT trade deadline. TRADE TRACKER All the latest deals from the AFLW Trade Period Ewings sat out the entirety of the 2024 campaign with the Power, after the club confirmed in August that she would take "extended personal leave from the group". It had followed a superb start to the young midfielder's career, with Ewings claiming the club's first-ever best and fairest award and winning Rising Star honours in 2022 (season seven) in her first year at AFLW level. Ewings averaged 13.9 disposals and 4.9 tackles across that campaign, having been taken with the third pick in Port Adelaide's first ever draft, emerging as one of the competition's brightest young midfield prospects. Hannah Ewings kicks a fantastic goal on the run Should a trade for Ewings progress, it is likely to centre around one of Adelaide's picks at No.39 or 43, after the club bolstered its draft hand following a four-club deal that was lodged with the AFL on Monday evening. The four-club deal, which the League ticked off early on Tuesday morning, saw Adelaide duo Najwa Allen and Taylah Levy head to Hawthorn and Greater Western Sydney respectively. The Giants landed Levy and Western Bulldogs defender Eleanor Brown, while the Dogs secured Lou Stephenson from the Hawks. Three draft picks also exchanged hands among the four clubs. DRAFT ORDER Your club's picks ahead of the 2024 Telstra AFLW Draft Adelaide is due to start next week's first ever national Telstra AFLW Draft with the No.12 selection, having jumped up the draft order within a six-club, one-player, 16-pick deal that was agreed last Friday. Port Adelaide is currently due to pick at No.15, but is also expected to bolster its defensive stocks with the addition of Sydney youngster Ella Heads by this Wednesday's trade deadline.UAE airlines keep link to Israel
Broncos elevate rookie OL Nick Gargiulo for Week 12 at RaidersInstead of celebrating Native American Heritage Day on Friday, Nov. 29, Chinook Indian Nation Chairman Tony Johnson said tribal leaders continue to focus on their fight for federal recognition as a sovereign entity. Throughout Native American Heritage Month leading up to Nov. 29, Johnson said the tribal leaders’ focus centered around federal acknowledgement. “As the elected chairman of the Chinook Indian Nation, it is the commitment of our tribal council and ultimately our committees and staff to remain very single-minded on the issue of federal acknowledgement,” Johnson said. “That does not mean we are not doing work every day to serve our membership or to further our cultural goals or community goals. But, sometimes things like commemorations, events that have importance and are important in the broader native community are places where we’re just not willing to put our precious energy.” The Chinook Indian Nation includes roughly 3,000 members who descend from five Chinookan-speaking tribes west of Longview: the Clatsop and Cathlamet of present day Oregon and the Lower Chinook, Wahkiakum and Willapa of present day Washington. In order to be a citizen of the Chinook Indian Nation, a person has to descend from those tribes. Achieving sovereign status would benefit the Chinooks in many ways, including funding and access for their own health care and education service programs as well as the ability to buy land and start businesses. Along with improved economic opportunities, the nation would have better access to natural resources at the mouth of the Columbia River, which they call home. This is an ongoing fight for the Chinooks — over 120 years. During their fight to be federally acknowledged, the Chinooks are without a reservation but have been able to call their ancestral lands home. They also share many of the same experiences, positive and negative, as other recognized sovereign nations. “We certainly have our own family experiences that make it hard for us to even say that we are not federally recognized,” Johnson said. “You know, that’s one of our great frustrations. And we say that often ... How are we not federally recognized if our families were all forced to Indian boarding schools or all of our families have allotments or the heads of households have individual Indian money accounts? ... How did we have blue cards that allowed us to hunt and fish in our territory? Through many of our lives, we just feel quite strongly about that reality, but we need to clarify the status because this gray area we’re living in is just not tenable.” Johnson added that the Chinook Indian Nation has all of the same challenges a recognized sovereign nation does, but none of the means of fixing those problems because the Chinooks continue to live without recognition from the U.S. government. At one point, the Chinooks believed their fight was over when, in 2001, the Chinook Indian Nation obtained federal recognition from the U.S. government. That victory was short-lived as their sovereign status was revoked just 18 months later by the George W. Bush administration. On July 5, 2002, a release by the Bureau of Indian Affairs stated that Assistant Secretary of the Interior for Indian Affairs Neal A. McCaleb signed a reconsidered final determination declining the Chinook Indian Nation’s acknowledgment. The reconsideration found that the January 2001 determination generated from improper interpretation of a 1925 claims act, a 1912 claims act and a 1911 allotment act. Johnson previously stated in an opinion piece on the Chinook Nation website, the tribe spent decades collecting over 85,000 pieces of historical and legal evidence for the 2001 decision to be recognized by the Clinton administration. He stated the head of the Bureau of Indian Affairs at the time, Kevin Gover, an acknowledged Native law expert, told the Chinook tribe that once the Bureau of Indian Affairs in Washington, D.C., recognized the tribe as a sovereign nation then that recognition would be forever. “In 18 months time, a Bush administration appointee, with no experience in Federal Indian Law, reversed our hard-won recognition,” Johnson wrote in his opinion piece on the Chinook Nation website. According to an article on the Chinook Indian Nation website in 2021, the Quinault Nation appealed Chinook sovereignty with days left before the recognition’s comment deadline. According to a 2002 news article from The Daily News, the government reversed its decision because of a political dispute between the Chinooks and the Quinault Nation, who the Chinooks said maintain control over natural resources in Grays Harbor and Jefferson counties. According to a Prism article in 2023 by Luna Reyna, in 1856, the federal government negotiated the Quinault, Quileute, Queets and Hoh tribes into the Quinalt Reservation, while the Chehalis, Chinook and Cowlitz nations were negotiated into an expansion of the Quinault Reservation in 1873. Later, in 1905, the government divided the Quinault Reservation into 80-acre allotments assigned to individual people from the seven nations, resulting in individual Chinook citizens becoming majority landholders on the Quinault Reservation, “further fueling a rivalry between the two nations that goes back 10,000 years, according to Chinook leaders.” According to The Daily News article, however, the BIA stated the decision was reversed because the Chinooks “failed to meet three requirements: maintaining political influence, comprising a social community and being identified as a tribe on a regular basis.” In the Daily News article, Lewis and Clark College history professor Stephen Dow Beckham said, “the reversal is a throwback to decades-old attitudes against American Indians.” Beckham researched the Chinook nation for 23 years, saying that thousands of documents written throughout history, as well as U.S. Supreme Court cases are able to prove the Chinook were an organized and recognized group, the Daily News article stated. Johnson said a significant factor in today’s fight comes down to treaty understandings of the past. “Chinook is not federally recognized today because [of] two treaty negotiations, one in 1851 in our territory down at Tansy Point — so that’s between Warrenton and Hammond on the south shore of the Columbia River — and then one at Cosmopolis up on the Chehalis River, that was in 1855,” Johnson said. “In both of those treaty negotiations, the government representative was sent to remove us from our lands. In both cases, the Chinook Indian Nation said no, we are staying with the bones of our ancestors.” At this juncture, Johnson said it is up to legislators — Marie Gluesenkamp Perez, D-Skamania, and Suzanne Bonamici, D-Oregon, and all four of Washington and Oregon’s senators — to champion the Chinook Indian Nation Restoration Act, which would again recognize the Chinooks as sovereign. He added that the bill is fully developed after years of work. “It’s been shopped around to our neighboring tribes and, you know, everybody’s on board with making this happen,” Johnson said. “So, at this point, that’s the work for us...” Johnson encourages residents to contact their legislators and “say, ‘Hey, enough’s enough.’” you know, it’s time to once and for all recognize the Chinook Indian Nation and do it by championing the restoration bill for our community.” Johnson said the Chinook Indian Nation believed it would have had the restoration bill introduced in this current Congress. “But there was pressure from some constituents to expressly take away rights from the Chinook Indian Nation,” he said, although he didn't want to specifically name those people. “All we’ll continue to say is, ‘Chinook has given up enough.’ It’s outrageous that anybody would ask the Chinook people at the mouth of the Columbia River to give up more. So the way the bill is written and what we are asking to have introduced is a bill that says that the bill does not grant or take away any rights from the tribe.” Johnson said the Chinook people only want the same rights as other federally recognized sovereign nations and do not want to infringe on the rights of others. “We just can’t be a third class, like, lower than the other sovereign nations,” he said. “... Marie has been good to work with over the years, but she needs to make good on her promise because in her very first campaign, she made a clear commitment to introduce and champion our recognition bill and we need her to make good on that promise and do it now. Because, every day that Chinook doesn’t have clear recognition is a day where there are unneeded problems happening in our community, you know, we have folks that are struggling and recognition would allow us to proactively assist those folks.” Johnson said that, if federally recognized, the Chinook Indian Nation could improve the quality of life for all residents by improving access to health care, educational opportunities and natural resources. “Chinook will do nothing but work to enhance the sturgeon, the salmon, the deer, the things that are important to everybody at the mouth of the Columbia River,” he said. “We will bring a better economy. We will bring jobs, and then [there is] the obvious thing of being able to have access to resources like other tribes do to be able to move ahead, like all the nations around us.” To learn more about the over 120-year fight for federal recognition, visit chinooknation.org/recognition/ . The Chinook Indian Nation tribal office is located at 3 E. Park St., Bay Center, Washington, and can be reached at 360-875-6670 or by emailing office@chinooknation.org .WASHINGTON (AP) — President-elect Donald Trump's pick for intelligence chief, Tulsi Gabbard, faced fresh scrutiny Monday on Capitol Hill about her proximity to Russian-ally Syria amid the sudden collapse of that country's hardline Assad rule. Gabbard ignored shouted questions about her 2017 visit to war-torn Syria as she ducked into one of several private meetings with senators who are being asked to confirm Trump's unusual nominees . But the Democrat-turned-Republican Army National Reserve lieutenant colonel delivered a statement in which she reiterated her support for Trump's America First approach to national security and a more limited U.S. military footprint overseas. “I want to address the issue that’s in the headlines right now: I stand in full support and wholeheartedly agree with the statements that President Trump has made over these last few days with regards to the developments in Syria,” Gabbard said exiting a Senate meeting. The incoming president’s Cabinet and top administrative choices are dividing his Republican allies and drawing concern , if not full opposition, from Democrats and others. Not just Gabbard, but other Trump nominees including Pentagon pick Pete Hegseth, were back at the Capitol ahead of what is expected to be volatile confirmation hearings next year. The incoming president is working to put his team in place for an ambitious agenda of mass immigrant deportations, firing federal workers and rollbacks of U.S. support for Ukraine and NATO allies. “We’re going to sit down and visit, that’s what this is all about,” said Sen. Mike Rounds, R-S.D., as he welcomed Gabbard into his office. The president-elect announced other appointments Monday, including his lawyer Harmeet Dhillon for assistant attorney general for civil rights at the Justice Department and Mark Paoletta as the returning general counsel of the Office of Management and Budget. Meanwhile, Defense Secretary pick Hegseth appeared to be picking up support from once-skeptical senators, the former Army National Guard major denying sexual misconduct allegations and pledging not to drink alcohol if he is confirmed. The president-elect's choice to lead the FBI, Kash Patel , who has written extensively about locking up Trump's foes and proposed dismantling the Federal Bureau of Investigation, launched his first visits with senators Monday. “I expect our Republican Senate is going to confirm all of President Trump’s nominees,” said Sen. Tom Cotton, R-Ark., on social media. Despite widespread concern about the nominees' qualifications and demeanors for the jobs that are among the highest positions in the U.S. government, Trump's team is portraying the criticism against them as nothing more than political smears and innuendo. Showing that concern, nearly 100 former senior U.S. diplomats and intelligence and national security officials have urged Senate leaders to schedule closed-door hearings to allow for a full review of the government’s files on Gabbard. Trump's allies have described the criticisms of Hegseth in particular as similar to those lodged against Brett Kavanaugh, the former president's Supreme Court nominee who denied a sexual assault allegation and went on to be confirmed during Trump's first term in office. Said Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., about Hegseth: “Anonymous accusations are trying to destroy reputations again. We saw this with Kavanaugh. I won’t stand for it.” One widely watched Republican, Sen. Joni Ernst of Iowa, herself a former Army National Guard lieutenant colonel and sexual assault survivor who had been criticized by Trump allies for her cool reception to Hegseth, appeared more open to him after their follow-up meeting Monday. “I appreciate Pete Hegseth’s responsiveness and respect for the process,” Ernst said in a statement. Ernst said that following “encouraging conversations,” he had committed to selecting a senior official who will "prioritize and strengthen my work to prevent sexual assault within the ranks. As I support Pete through this process, I look forward to a fair hearing based on truth, not anonymous sources.” Ernst also had praise for Patel — “He shares my passion for shaking up federal agencies" — and for Gabbard. Once a rising Democratic star, Gabbard, who represented Hawaii in Congress, arrived a decade ago in Washington, her surfboard in tow, a new generation of potential leaders. She ran unsuccessfully for president in 2020. But Gabbard abruptly left the party and briefly became an independent before joining with Trump's 2024 campaign as one of his enthusiasts, in large part over his disdain for U.S. involvement overseas and opposition to helping Ukraine battle Russia. Her visit to Syria to meet with then-President Bashar Assad around the time of Trump's first inauguration during the country's bloody civil war stunned her former colleagues and the Washington national security establishment. The U.S. had severed diplomatic relations with Syria. Her visit was seen by some as legitimizing a brutal leader who was accused of war crimes. Gabbard has defended the trip, saying it's important to open dialogue, but critics hear in her commentary echoes of Russia-fueled talking points. Assad fled to Moscow over the weekend after Islamist rebels overtook Syria in a surprise attack, ending his family's five decades of rule. She said her own views have been shaped by “my multiple deployments and seeing firsthand the cost of war and the threat of Islamist terrorism.” Gabbard said, “It's one of the many reasons why I appreciate President Trump’s leadership and his election, where he is fully committed, as he has said over and over, to bring about an end to wars.” Last week, the nearly 100 former officials, who served in both Democratic and Republican administrations, said in the letter to Senate leaders they were “alarmed” by the choice of Gabbard to oversee all 18 U.S. intelligence agencies. They said her past actions “call into question her ability to deliver unbiased intelligence briefings to the President, Congress, and to the entire national security apparatus.” The Office of the Director of National Intelligence was created after the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks to coordinate the nation’s intelligence agencies and act as the president’s main intelligence adviser. ___ Associated Press writer Stephen Groves contributed to this report.
President Jimmy Carter may have only had one term in the White House, but he remained a familiar figure on the world stage long after clearing his desk at the Oval Office. Despite a resounding defeat at the hands of Ronald Reagan in 1980, the Democrat forged a new path promoting causes such as electoral probity abroad, social justice and drives to rid the world of medical conditions. His first foreign visit as president was to the UK where then prime minister James Callaghan, as well as the usual visits in London, took his guest to the North East with a visit to Newcastle, Sunderland and Washington – the village bearing the name of the first ever president. Mr Carter delighted crowds in the North East by saying “Howay the lads” during a speech to the assembled throng. He also received a miner’s lamp from 12-year-old Ian McEree in Washington. The 39th US president also carried out more traditional presidential duties, including meetings with western European leaders during his time in London while the Cold War was still ongoing. The practising Baptist continued his globetrotting ways after leaving power, even without Air Force One as his vehicle. He was also part of the Elders, a group of experienced statesmen and women drawn from all corners of the world.‘The Case of the Golden Idol’ Perfected The Detective Genre
Here, the PA news agency looks at the seven Grand Slam finals contested by the pair. Murray turned in a poor performance in Melbourne, failing at the third attempt to win a set in a Grand Slam final as Djokovic broke serve seven times and hit six aces to claim a comprehensive win 6-4 6-2 6-3. “You had an unbelievable tournament and deserved to win,” the Scot said in reference to his opponent. “I look forward to playing against you in the future.” It took five sets for Murray to claim his first Grand Slam title, becoming the first British man to achieve the feat since Fred Perry in 1936. The final clocked in at four hours and 54 minutes as Murray prevailed 7-6 (10) 7-5 2-6 3-6 6-2 to end a wait of 287 tournaments in British male tennis for a victory. “I want to congratulate Andy on his first grand slam, he thoroughly deserves it,” said Djokovic. “I really tried my best. I gave it my all. It was a tremendous match.” Congrats @DjokerNole . Incredible athlete. Perfect gentleman. #ausopen — judy murray (@JudyMurray) January 27, 2013 Murray was dogged by injury in Melbourne with a heavily strapped right foot and a tight hamstring as Djokovic fought back from a set down to land a third consecutive Australian Open title, 6-7 (2) 7-6 (3) 6-3 6-2. “His record here is incredible,” said Murray. ”Very few people have managed to do what he has done, a deserved champion.” Murray ended a 77-year wait for a British men’s victory at Wimbledon by defeating his old foe 6-4, 7-5, 6-4 in SW19, serving emphatically with nine aces and only two double faults to throw off the weight of history. The Scot had been 4-1 down in the second set as the match threatened to slip away from him and with it the chance to cement his place in tennis folklore, but having wasted three championship points he finally sealed the deal when Djokovic drove into the net with his final shot. A post shared by Novak Djokovic (@djokernole) Djokovic triumphed 7-6 (5) 6-7 (4) 6-3 6-0 and after the 24 matches and five grand slam finals the pair had played against each other across nine years, the Serb had established a 16-8 overall lead and 3-2 in slam finals. “Success is being happy,” said Murray. “It’s not about winning every single tournament you play, because that isn’t possible.” What a journey. Really grateful for everything. I'll keep working hard. Love is the key! pic.twitter.com/CrT7TYRL3O — Novak Djokovic (@DjokerNole) January 31, 2016 The Serb landed a fourth win over Murray in Australian Open finals and his 11th in 12 matches to land his 11th major title, whilst the Scot made it five consecutive final losses in Melbourne, a new record in the Open era. “I feel like I’ve been here before,” said Murray after a 6-1 7-5 7-6 (3) loss. “Congratulations Novak, six Australian Opens, an incredible feat, and incredible consistency the last year.” "This is something that’s so rare in tennis... it’s gonna take a long time for it to happen again" Andy to Novak ❤️ pic.twitter.com/LN7dW8ZJED — Roland-Garros (@rolandgarros) June 5, 2016 This was Murray’s first final at Roland Garros but it brought a familiar conclusion as Djokovic triumphed against him for the fifth time in seven Grand Slam finals. The 3-6 6-1 6-2 6-4 success was a first win for the Serb in Paris and saw him hold all four slams simultaneously. Murray went on to win Wimbledon the following month and was voted BBC Sports Personality of the Year but, addressing Djokovic in Paris, said: “This is his day today. What he’s achieved the last 12 months is phenomenal, winning all four of the grand slams in one year is an amazing achievement.”
AREQUIPA, Peru – The Cuban Regime Strengthens Political Ties with China and Agrees to Boost Cybersecurity, Education, and Research. The matter came to light this weekend during the visit to Cuba by General Commissioner Wang Xiaohong, State Counsel and Minister of Public Security of China, who was received in Havana by Raúl Castro and Cuban leader Miguel Díaz-Canel. A report from the official newspaper Granma highlighted Wang Xiaohong’s meeting with Díaz-Canel, where both parties expressed interest in coordinating their propaganda apparatus. They discussed the “support for confronting the policies of cultural and hegemonic colonization, as well as subversion, imposed by the empire on our nations.” In this regard, the Cuban regime emphasized “the support that has been given to systematic, stable cooperation between the public security ministries of both countries, addressing issues of mutual interest and facing common challenges, including the need to enhance cybersecurity.” Meanwhile, during the exchange with Raúl Castro, the nonagenarian leader of Cuba’s Communist Party expressed gratitude to China for its “timely collaboration” in light of “the complex situation facing the island.” According to the state-run Prensa Latina , the allies expanded their cooperation this weekend in education, training, academic research, and scientific collaboration by signing memorandums of understanding on these topics. The Higher School of State and Government Officials of Cuba (ESCEGC, by its Spanish acronym) and several universities from China’s Hunan province signed these agreements as part of the recently concluded Public Administration Management Seminar for Latin American Countries. The Cuban delegation signed memorandums with institutions such as the School of Administration, the School of the Cities, the Vocational Railway School, the Professional School of Non-Ferrous Metals Technology, and the Professional School of Environmental Technology in Changsha, all based in Hunan province. Cuba-China Relations: A Cause for Concern In late October, U.S. authorities expressed “concern” over the strengthening ties between the Cuban regime and the autocratic powers of Russia and China, following the recent BRICS summit—a bloc of nations seeking to challenge Western dominance in the global political and economic landscape. “We remain concerned about Russia’s and the People’s Republic of China’s activities with Cuba, and we continue to take steps to counter them,” a U.S. State Department spokesperson told Martí Noticias . U.S. media outlets, such as The Wall Street Journal , have reported increasingly close relations between Cuba and China. The newspaper even claimed months ago that Chinese military bases were being built on the island and that Russian spies were operating in Cuba to monitor U.S. military activities in the region. “We remain confident in our ability to fulfill all our security commitments at home and in the region,” the State Department spokesperson stated, reaffirming Washington’s position amid growing tensions and the need to safeguard U.S. interests against the potential influence of external actors like Russia and China. Nevertheless, the State Department representative emphasized that the Cuban government has the right to “choose the countries or groups with which it wishes to associate,” even if such alliances raise concerns in Washington. Sigue nuestro canal de WhatsApp . Recibe la información de CubaNet en tu celular a través de Telegram.
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Jimmy Carter, the United States’ longest-lived president, was never afraid of speaking his mind. Forthright and fearless, the Nobel Prize winner took pot-shots at former prime minister Tony Blair and ex-US president George W Bush among others. His death came after repeated bouts of illness in which images of the increasingly frail former president failed to erase memories of his fierce spirit. Democrat James Earl “Jimmy” Carter Jr swept to power in 1977 with his Trust Me campaign helping to beat Republican president Gerald Ford. Serving as 39th US president from 1977 to 1981, he sought to make government “competent and compassionate” but was ousted by the unstoppable Hollywood appeal of a certain Ronald Reagan. A skilled sportsman, Mr Carter left his home of Plains, Georgia, to join the US Navy, returning later to run his family’s peanut business. A stint in the Georgia senate lit the touchpaper on his political career and he rose to the top of the Democratic movement. But he will also be remembered for a bizarre encounter with a deeply disgruntled opponent. The president was enjoying a relaxing fishing trip near his home town in 1979 when his craft was attacked by a furious swamp rabbit which reportedly swam up to the boat hissing wildly. The press had a field day, with one paper bearing the headline President Attacked By Rabbit. Away from encounters with belligerent bunnies, Mr Carter’s willingness to address politically uncomfortable topics did not diminish with age. He recently said that he would be willing to travel to North Korea for peace talks on behalf of US President Donald Trump. He also famously mounted a ferocious and personal attack on Tony Blair over the Iraq war, weeks before the prime minister left office in June 2007. Mr Carter, who had already denounced George W Bush’s presidency as “the worst in history”, used an interview on BBC radio to condemn Mr Blair for his tight relations with Mr Bush, particularly concerning the Iraq War. Asked how he would characterise Mr Blair’s relationship with Mr Bush, Mr Carter replied: “Abominable. Loyal, blind, apparently subservient. “I think that the almost undeviating support by Great Britain for the ill-advised policies of President Bush in Iraq have been a major tragedy for the world.” Mr Carter was also voluble over the Rhodesia crisis, which was about to end during his presidency. His support for Robert Mugabe at the time generated widespread criticism. He was said to have ignored the warnings of many prominent Zimbabweans, black and white, about what sort of leader Mugabe would be. This was seen by Mr Carter’s critics as “deserving a prominent place among the outrages of the Carter years”. Mr Carter has since said he and his administration had spent more effort and worry on Rhodesia than on the Middle East. He admitted he had supported two revolutionaries in Mugabe and Joshua Nkomo, and with hindsight said later that Mugabe had been “a good leader gone bad”, having at first been “a very enlightened president”. One US commentator wrote: “History will not look kindly on those in the West who insisted on bringing the avowed Marxist Mugabe into the government. “In particular, the Jimmy Carter foreign policy... bears some responsibility for the fate of a small African country with scant connection to American national interests.” In recent years Mr Carter developed a reputation as an international peace negotiator. He won the Nobel Peace Prize in 2002 for his commitment to finding peaceful solutions to international conflicts, his work with human rights and democracy initiatives, and his promotion of economic and social programmes. Mr Carter was dispatched to North Korea in August 2008 to secure the release of US citizen Aijalon Mahli Gomes, who had been sentenced to eight years of hard labour after being found guilty of illegally entering North Korea. He successfully secured the release of Mr Gomes. In 2010 he returned to the White House to greet President Barack Obama and discuss international affairs amid rising tensions on the Korean peninsula. Proving politics runs in the family, in 2013 his grandson Jason, a state senator, announced his bid to become governor in Georgia, where his famous grandfather governed before becoming president. He eventually lost to incumbent Republican Nathan Deal. Fears that Mr Carter’s health was deteriorating were sparked in 2015 when he cut short an election observation visit in Guyana because he was “not feeling well”. It would have been Mr Carter’s 39th trip to personally observe an international election. Three months later, on August 12, he revealed he had cancer which had been diagnosed after he underwent surgery to remove a small mass in his liver. Mr Obama was among the well-wishers hoping for Mr Carter’s full recovery after it was confirmed the cancer had spread widely. Melanoma had been found in his brain and liver, and Mr Carter underwent immunotherapy and radiation therapy, before announcing in March the following year that he no longer needed any treatment. In 2017, Mr Carter was taken to hospital as a precaution, after he became dehydrated at a home-building project in Canada. He was admitted to hospital on multiple occasions in 2019 having had a series of falls, suffering a brain bleed and a broken pelvis, as well as a stint to be treated for a urinary tract infection. Mr Carter spent much of the coronavirus pandemic largely at his home in Georgia, and did not attend Joe Biden’s presidential inauguration in 2021, but extended his “best wishes”. Former first lady Rosalynn Carter, the closest adviser to Mr Carter during his term as US president, died in November 2023. She had been living with dementia and suffering many months of declining health. “Rosalynn was my equal partner in everything I ever accomplished,” Mr Carter said in a statement following her death. “She gave me wise guidance and encouragement when I needed it. As long as Rosalynn was in the world, I always knew somebody loved and supported me.” We do not moderate comments, but we expect readers to adhere to certain rules in the interests of open and accountable debate.Galveston County Child Custody and Visitation Attorney Lacey Richmond Offers Guidance on How Mothers Can Pursue Full Custody in TexasIf the book "Fifty Shades of Grey" left an impression on you, you’re not alone. The 2024 Intimacy Status Report by Israeli company Arya reveals that 35% of respondents expressed interest in spicing up their relationships. 3 View gallery Arya app ( Photo: Arya ) According to the report, which is akin to a modern version of the legendary Masters and Johnson studies, 100,000 users of Arya’s platform aren’t looking for casual flings. Instead, they’re searching for ways to reignite romance and passion in long-term relationships that have fallen into routine. Unsurprisingly, 90% of users dissatisfied with their sex lives reported that this dissatisfaction negatively impacted their overall relationship. If you’re wondering how technology fits into all of this, the answer lies in artificial intelligence. Arya is a relationship-enhancement app currently making waves in the U.S. market. It uses AI to learn couples’ preferences and desires, offering tailored “scenarios” that encourage them to explore new dimensions of intimacy. To complement this experience, Arya sends couples a “surprise box” containing curated items designed to enhance their connection and, of course, their user experience. So far, 200,000 users have registered on Arya’s platform in the U.S., with tens of thousands actively engaging – couples receiving new activities to try every month. The user base has grown tenfold over the past year, likely fueling the company’s recent announcement of an $8.5 million Series A funding round, just a year after its previous round. To date, Arya has raised a total of $16 million. The funding round was led by Ibex Investors, with participation from previous backers Play Ventures, Patron Fund, and BigBets.vc, as well as private investors like Yasmine Lukatz (“The Shark”), Naama Barkler, founder and CEO of BetterHealth, Neil Parikh, co-founder of Casper, and others. Ofer Yehudai, Arya’s co-founder and CEO, explained in an interview with Ynet that there has been a major shift in quality-of-life investments in recent years. People are increasingly willing to spend on mental health, nutrition and sleep quality, and, in line with this, couple wellness is becoming an equally important part of the conversation. 3 View gallery Arya surprise box ( Photo: Arya ) “People are used to finding love online,” Yehudai explained. “But how do you maintain it? That’s where there’s a gap. It’s easy to forget that between online dating, couples therapy, and divorce, there are years of good, healthy relationships. But the tools to sustain them are quite limited.” A possible successor to Tinder? Could Arya be the next step after Tinder, designed for those who found love online and now want to preserve it using online tools? “Eighty percent of our customers are millennial moms aged 35 to 45 – women who decided to take responsibility for their relationships and intimacy. What unites all our users is that they’re people willing to invest in their quality of life. They care about nutrition, put effort into looking better, and want to live their lives to the fullest.” Why is the majority of your user base women? “When you speak to professionals, they’re not surprised that, in most cases, the woman takes the lead. It’s a well-documented phenomenon in the realms of intimacy and relationships. In most cases, the woman takes responsibility for the relationship in this area, while the partner goes along. Interestingly, in the 20% of cases where the man is the client, these couples tend to stay together much longer.” Shaping intimate connections Arya provides a variety of activities for its users, although Ynet refrains from delving into specifics due to its family-friendly nature. Ultimately, most people know what’s being referenced, but many feel uncomfortable discussing such topics – even with their partner. Yehudai recounted a story about a friend, Yaniv, and his wife. Everyone has a “Yaniv” in their life, but in this case, Yaniv decided to playfully gift the couple an adult toy. It became a subject of jokes but also sparked curiosity without either partner feeling pressured. “Arya is like Yaniv,” Yehudai said. “It knows both of us, picks the gift, and if it misses the mark it’s Arya’s fault – not ours.” 3 View gallery ( Photo: shutterstock ) Arya operates differently from other relationship apps. Users communicate with its AI, called the “concierge,” via text. Couples share what interests them, what they want to learn, and where their boundaries lie. The concierge, much like Yaniv, suggests ideas from its “experience” and surprises them with exciting gifts. Get the Ynetnews app on your smartphone: Google Play : https://bit.ly/4eJ37pE | Apple App Store : https://bit.ly/3ZL7iNv The company was founded in 2022 by entrepreneurs Ofer Yehudai and Tomer Magid, both seasoned innovators with multiple successful startup exits. They partnered with Dr. Yael Doron, known as “Yael from Married at First Sight,” as a scientific advisor. Recently, Arya appointed renowned intimacy coach and sexologist Shan Boodram – AASECT certified sex educator, an American Board of Sexology certified Sexologist, with a M.S. in psychology – as its Chief Intimacy Officer (CIO). In addition to its scientific team and experts who developed the platform’s content and activities, Arya also operates a human support center to assist when the AI encounters situations it cannot handle. Does the AI serve as a replacement for a partner? “Today, you see many apps offering virtual partners, friends, or companions. We’re trying to show that our AI is different – it connects you to someone in real life in a better way, rather than replacing them.” Insights into relationship dynamics With hundreds of thousands of users, Arya has amassed rich data on the romantic and intimate preferences of Americans. For example, one-third of couples want to be more adventurous than they currently are, one-third aim to reignite the spark in their relationship, and one-third are looking to try completely new experiences. Most users engage with the concierge three to four times a week, and once a month, they receive a new “scenario” featuring intriguing items from the world of intimacy. Over the past two years, Arya’s AI has been trained on texts that no other AI models are familiar with – or perhaps wouldn’t even want to be. This specialized data is invaluable for identifying behavioral patterns, human preferences, and suggestions to enhance users’ satisfaction with their lives. For Yehudai, Arya’s mission feels deeply meaningful. “There are 72 million couples in the U.S. Our goal, without cynicism, is to create couple wellness. When you see feedback from couples saying, ‘I rediscovered my spouse,’ it gives you energy. There’s enormous potential here. The trend among millennials and younger generations is that they’re having less intimacy. We’re here to offer them new tools to invest in their intimacy and relationships.” >
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At Israel's Ben Gurion International Airport, more than a year of war has taken its toll. Global airlines have canceled flights, gates are empty and pictures of hostages still held in the Gaza Strip guide the few arriving passengers to baggage claim. But one check-in desk remains flush with travelers: the one serving flights to the United Arab Emirates, which have kept up a bridge for Israelis to the outside world throughout the war. The Emirati flights, in addition to bolstering airlines' bottom lines, have shined a light on the countries' burgeoning ties — which have survived the wars raging across the Middle East and could be further strengthened as U.S. President-elect Donald Trump prepares to return to office. "It's a political and economic statement," said Joshua Teitelbaum, a professor of Middle Eastern studies at Israel's BarIlan University. "They are the main foreign airlines that continue to fly." Since the wars began with Hamas' initial Oct. 7, 2023, attack on Israel, many international airlines have halted, restarted and halted again their flights into Israel's main gateway to the rest of the world. The concern is real for the carriers, who remember the downing of Malaysia Airlines Flight 17 over Ukraine 10 years ago and Iran shooting down Ukraine International Airlines Flight 752 after takeoff from Tehran in 2020. But FlyDubai, the sister airline to the long-haul carrier Emirates, has kept up multiple flights daily and kept Israel connected to the wider world even as its other low-cost competitors have stopped flights. Abu Dhabi's Etihad has continued its flights as well. While maintaining the flight schedule remains politically important for the UAE after its 2020 diplomatic recognition of Israel, it also provided a further shot in the arm for revenues — particularly for FlyDubai. Since the Israeli's wars against Hamas in Gaza and Hezbollah in Lebanon started, international carriers such as Atlanta-based Delta Air Lines, Germany's Lufthansa and other major airlines halted their flights. Some resumed, only to stop again after Iran's Oct. 1 ballistic missile attack on Israel and Israel's Oct. 26 retaliatory strike on the Islamic Republic. Tehran has threatened to strike Israel again. That's brought major business to Israel's national carrier El Al, which had struggled in the coronavirus pandemic and prior years. The airline posted its best-ever half-year results this year, recording a $227 million profit as compared to $58 million profit in the same period last year. El Al stock has risen by as much 200% over the past year, as compared to a 29% rise in the wider Tel Aviv 125 stock market index. El Al, however, lacks the routes and connections of major international carriers. Low-cost carriers as well have stopped flying into Israel during periods of the war, sending the price of El Al tickets ever higher. Passenger numbers through Ben Gurion halved compared to the same period the year before, El Al said in its second-quarter financial results. However, FlyDubai has kept flying. The carrier has operated more than 1,800 flights to Israel since October 2023, cancelling only 77 flights overall, according to Cirium, an aviation analytics company. In September alone, it flew more than 200 flights. As a line snaked toward the FlyDubai check-in counters at Ben Gurion Airport, UAE-bound Motti Eis said the flights were "a symbol that the Emirates countries decided to keep the peace." FlyDubai declined to answer questions from The Associated Press about the flights. Etihad, the flag carrier for Abu Dhabi, has kept flying into Tel Aviv, but the number of its flights has been dwarfed by FlyDubai. FlyDubai had 3.6% market share at Ben Gurion, compared to El Al's 43.2% in the second half of 2024. However, at least two of the foreign low-cost airlines with greater market, Wizz Air and Blue Bird, stopped flying for extended periods this year. Etihad said it maintains a close watch on the situation in the region, but continues its daily flights to and from Tel Aviv. "Ben Gurion International Airport remains open, employing best practices in safety and security practices, enabling Etihad and other airlines to provide essential air connectivity as long as it is secure to do so," the airline said in a statement. Beyond the financial impact, the decision also takes root in the UAE's decision to recognize Israel in 2020 under agreements brokered by President Donald Trump known as the Abraham Accords. While Abu Dhabi has repeatedly expressed concern and outrage at Israel's conduct during the wars, Israel's consulate in Dubai and embassy remain open in the country. And while Dubai, broadly speaking, remains focused on business in the country, Abu Dhabi's focus long has been on its geopolitical aims — which since the 2011 Arab Spring have been squarely focused on challenging Islamist movements and those who back them in the wider region. The UAE, a hereditary autocracy, long has viewed those groups as serious challenges to its power. Be the first to know Get local news delivered to your inbox!Wayfair CEO Niraj Shah sells $1.59 million in company stock
Despite a resounding defeat at the hands of Ronald Reagan in 1980, the Democrat forged a new path promoting causes such as electoral probity abroad, social justice and drives to rid the world of medical conditions. His first foreign visit as president was to the UK where then prime minister James Callaghan, as well as the usual visits in London, took his guest to the North East with a visit to Newcastle, Sunderland and Washington – the village bearing the name of the first ever president. Mr Carter delighted crowds in the North East by saying “Howay the lads” during a speech to the assembled throng. He also received a miner’s lamp from 12-year-old Ian McEree in Washington. The 39th US president also carried out more traditional presidential duties, including meetings with western European leaders during his time in London while the Cold War was still ongoing. The practising Baptist continued his globetrotting ways after leaving power, even without Air Force One as his vehicle. He was also part of the Elders, a group of experienced statesmen and women drawn from all corners of the world.The unsealed U.S. indictment on Monday charges two former Syrian officials with war crimes, highlighting America's continued legal actions under the Biden administration. This inditement reflects the U.S. government's stance on enforcing international human rights laws. In a bid against human trafficking, Germany has agreed to close a legal loophole, preventing smugglers from storing boats, marking closer cooperative efforts with the UK. British Prime Minister Keir Starmer is leading these initiatives, emphasizing his focus on combating illegal migration. Amid continuing political turmoil, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is set to testify in his long-standing corruption trial. Meanwhile, changes in Syrian administration signal a shift in power dynamics, with the former prime minister agreeing to transfer power to a rebel-backed government. (With inputs from agencies.)Record-breaking crowds flock to MCG for Boxing Day Test finale
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Washington recovers from upset, rolls past NJITJowell Global Ltd. Announces First Half 2024 Unaudited Financial ResultsTomislav Ivisic scored a career-high 23 points to lead six players in double figures as No. 24 Illinois raced past visiting Chicago State 117-64 on Sunday in Champaign, Ill. Kylan Boswell also starred for the Fighting Illini (9-3) with an 18-point, 10-rebound, 10-assist triple-double. Dra Gibbs-Lawhorn added 16 points, while Kasparas Jakucionis contributed 14. Will Riley hit for 13 points and Morez Johnson Jr. came off the bench to net 11. Gabe Spinelli scored 20 points for the winless Cougars (0-15) and Noble Crawford added 15, but they just didn't have the scoring punch to stay with their Big Ten Conference opponent. Illinois outshot Chicago State 62.1 percent (41 of 66) to 37.3 percent (25 of 67) from the field and 45.5 percent (15 of 33) to 32.3 percent (10 of 31) from the 3-point line. The Cougars were also outrebounded 47-23. Illinois led for all but 24 seconds of the game, scoring basically at will. The Illini reaped a 28-4 advantage in free-throw attempts, drew 26 assists and earned a 48-16 advantage in points in the paint. In its last game before jumping into the bulk of its Big Ten schedule Thursday night at Oregon, Illinois wasted no time putting its stamp on the game. It carved out a double-figure edge at the 14:59 mark of the first half on Gibbs-Lawhorn's 3-pointer that made it 17-7 and simply kept expanding that lead. The margin reached 20 for the first time with 10:06 left when Ivisic drained a 3-pointer from the right wing for a 32-10 cushion. Johnson's foul shot with 3:43 remaining increased the advantage to 30 at 48-18, and Jake Davis' 3-pointer from the corner with a second on the clock gave the Illini a 60-24 cushion at halftime. Boswell's short jumper with 18:22 left in the game built Illinois' first 40-point advantage at 65-24. Riley splashed a 3-pointer with 9:57 remaining to up the lead to 50 at 93-43. Davis made another 3-pointer at the 7:59 mark to get the Illini to the 100-point threshold. They led by as many as 58 points in the final two minutes. --Field Level Media
Western Acquisition Ventures Corp. ( NASDAQ:WAVS – Get Free Report ) was the target of a significant decrease in short interest during the month of December. As of December 15th, there was short interest totalling 200 shares, a decrease of 33.3% from the November 30th total of 300 shares. Approximately 0.0% of the company’s stock are sold short. Based on an average daily trading volume, of 2,300 shares, the days-to-cover ratio is currently 0.1 days. Western Acquisition Ventures Stock Performance NASDAQ:WAVS opened at $10.89 on Friday. The company’s 50-day simple moving average is $11.11 and its 200-day simple moving average is $10.91. Western Acquisition Ventures has a fifty-two week low of $10.27 and a fifty-two week high of $15.98. Institutional Investors Weigh In On Western Acquisition Ventures An institutional investor recently bought a new position in Western Acquisition Ventures stock. Flow Traders U.S. LLC purchased a new position in shares of Western Acquisition Ventures Corp. ( NASDAQ:WAVS – Free Report ) during the third quarter, according to its most recent disclosure with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The institutional investor purchased 10,295 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $108,000. Flow Traders U.S. LLC owned approximately 0.29% of Western Acquisition Ventures at the end of the most recent quarter. 6.55% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors. Western Acquisition Ventures Company Profile Western Acquisition Ventures Corp. does not have significant operations. The company intends to effect a merger, capital stock exchange, asset acquisition, stock purchase, reorganization, or similar business combination with one or more businesses or entities. It intends to acquire businesses operating in the infrastructure and environmental services; health, wellness, and food sustainability; financial technology and financial services; enterprise software and software as a service (SaaS); and leisure and hospitality industries. Recommended Stories Receive News & Ratings for Western Acquisition Ventures Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Western Acquisition Ventures and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter .AP News Summary at 11:07 p.m. EST