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NEW DELHI: Leaders across party lines and stalwarts across sectors hailed former prime minister Manmohan Singh as “one of India’s greatest sons” as they condoled his death on Thursday night. Singh, the architect of India’s economic reforms, breathed his last at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences. He was 92. In a post on X, President Droupadi Murmu said Singh will always be remembered for his service to the nation, his unblemished political life besides his utmost humility. “His passing is a great loss to all of us. I pay my respectful homage to one of the greatest sons of Bharat and convey my heartfelt condolences to his family, friends and admirers,” she said. Prime Minister Narendra Modi hailed his predecessor’s contributions to the country. “India mourns the loss of one of its most distinguished leaders, Dr Manmohan Singh Ji. Rising from humble origins, he rose to become a respected economist. He served in various government positions as well, including as Finance Minister, leaving a strong imprint on our economic policy over the years. His interventions in Parliament were also insightful. As our Prime Minister, he made extensive efforts to improve people’s lives,” he said in a post on X. Several Congress leaders hailed him as one of India’s tallest leaders and the party’s strongest icons. “India has lost a visionary statesman, a leader of unimpeachable integrity, and an economist of unparalleled stature. His policy of Economic Liberalisation and Rights-based welfare paradigm profoundly transformed the lives of crores of Indians, virtually creating a Middle Class in India and lifting crores out of poverty...,” Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge said, as he recalled how he was a part of Singh’s cabinet as labour minister, railway minister and social welfare minister. “Undoubtedly, history shall judge you kindly, Dr Manmohan Singh ji!” he added. Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha and former Congress chief Rahul Gandhi said he has lost his mentor and guide. “Manmohan Singh Ji led India with immense wisdom and integrity. His humility and deep understanding of economics inspired the nation. My heartfelt condolences to Mrs. Kaur and the family,” he said in a post on X, adding that he has “lost a mentor and guide. Millions of us who admired him will remember him with the utmost pride”. Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra said Singh remained steadfast in his commitment to serve the nation despite being subjected to unfair and deeply personal attacks by his opponents. “Few people in politics inspire the kind of respect that Sardar Manmohan Singh ji did. His honesty will always be an inspiration for us and he will forever stand tall among those who truly love this country as someone who remained steadfast in his commitment to serve the nation despite being subjected to unfair and deeply personal attacks by his opponents,” she said in a post on X. Senior Congress leader and a minister in the UPA government P Chidambaram said Singh’s life and work as well as the period from 1991 till 2014 will be a golden chapter in the history of India. “His story has not been told fully. His achievements have not been recorded fully. I am sure when we look back upon the 23 years that Dr Singh was in active politics, we will realise his true contribution,” he said. Leaders from other parties also paid their respects. Union home minister Amit Shah prayed for peace to his soul and strength for his family to bear this grief. “From being the Governor of the Reserve Bank of India to the Finance Minister of the country and as the Prime Minister, Dr. Manmohan Singh played an important role in the governance of the country.” West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee said: “I had worked with him and saw him from very close quarters in the Union cabinet. His erudition and wisdom were unquestionable, and the depth of the financial reforms ushered in by him in the country are widely acknowledged.” The sentiment was echoed by captains of industry, many of whom were able to build on his vision in a liberalised economy post the 1991 reforms. Mahindra Group chairman Anand Mahindra posted on X: “Farewell Dr. Manmohan Singh. You loved this nation. And your service to it will long be remembered.” Members of the sports fraternity, such as Yuvraj Singh, Virender Sehwag and Vinesh Phogat remembered Singh’s “calm leadership and wisdom”.ORLANDO, Fla. — The silence has been broken, amid Miami Heat hopes that silence now can follow. In the wake of increasing conjecture of Jimmy Butler pushing for a trade and the team considering a deal, Miami Heat President Pat Riley on Thursday issued a terse and pointed statement on the matter. “We usually don’t comment on rumors, but all this speculation has become a distraction to the team and is not fair to the players and coaches,” Riley said. “Therefore, we will make it clear — we are not trading Jimmy Butler.” In addition, a person intimately familiar with the machinations of recent days said that at no point has Butler requested a trade. Earlier, Heat coach Erik Spoelstra also said Thursday that the desire of the team is to move forward with Butler, while also pausing to address reports of his star forward preferring to be elsewhere. “That’s just the deal,” Spoelstra said of Christmas Day turning into conflicting reports of Butler privately expressing a desire to move elsewhere and the Sun Sentinel confirming from both sides of the equation that there had been no trade demand put forward. “You have to compartmentalize in this business. We want Jimmy here. There’s no ifs, ands or buts about it. And it’s just unfortunate that you have to control or deal with a lot of the noise on the outside.” Thursday was the first opportunity for the Heat to address the speculation, with the team idle for Christmas, traveling to Orlando on Wednesday evening. Spoelstra spoke after the morning shootaround, ahead of Thursday night’s game against the Orlando Magic at Kia Center. “In terms of this morning, this was a pretty focused group coming off of the last game that we came here,” Spoelstra said, with the Heat blowing a 22-point lead at the start of the fourth quarter in Saturday night’s 121-114 loss in Orlando. “The guys understand the task at hand and looking forward to getting out there on the wood and trying to redeem what happened the last time we were here.” It is a process that instead came in the wake of the ESPN discussion about Butler’s reported desires, with Butler having been away from the team the past week with what has been listed as a stomach ailment. Asked whether Butler had within the team expressed a desire to move on, Spoelstra said, “That’s all I’m going to talk about. The more any of us talk about it, the more fuel it gets. It’s just really unfortunate that it just continues to build momentum outside of our building.” Riley’s statement followed, amid the hopes of ending the fuel on that fire. As team captain, center Bam Adebayo said what matters with Butler is what happens on the court and within the building. “You go out there and you win games,” Adebayo said. “That’s how you keep the distractions out. You go out there and win games, do it together. Like I said, they’ll handle everything behind closed doors. “Obviously, you have the business side of it. So at the end of the day, we’re all a family, we’re all in a brotherhood. So we’ll worry about the basketball games that we have to play.” So, no, Adebayo said, the conjecture did not sour his Christmas. “It’s a holiday. We’re with our families, so we’re going to worry about our families and worry about everything else later,” Adebayo said. Guard Tyler Herro, who has dealt with his share of trade speculation, said Wednesday’s televised conjecture was just part of the NBA process. “I didn’t really have a reaction, honestly,” he said of the reporting on Christmas morning. “My focus is on my daughter and my son, and I haven’t really picked up my phone or worried about basketball until this morning. So, I don’t know.” Herro said the concern was getting a teammate back to health and back on the court. “Yeah. I mean, Jimmy is sick, I believe,” Herro said. “So he had to take a couple days off. If I was sick, I might need a couple days one day, too. So we’ll see what happens.” Butler, 35, is eligible to reach free agency this summer should he opt out of the final year of his contract, a 2025-26 player option for $52.4 million. He also is eligible for an immediate Heat extension. By NBA rule, players are not allowed to publicly demand trades while under contract. Former Heat forward P.J. Tucker was fined $75,000 by the NBA in February for public statements regarding a desire at that time to be relocated from the Los Angeles Clippers. Similarly, in August 2023, James Harden, then with the Philadelphia 76ers, was fined $100,000 by the league for publicly expressing a trade desire. Butler, at least initially, played along with the conjecture, including changing the color of his braids to bright orange, a color prominently featured by the Phoenix Suns, one of his reported preferred landing spots. “I actually like it,” Butler said following a Dec. 11 Heat practice at Kaseya Center of the conjecture. “It’s good to be talked about. I don’t think there’s such a thing as bad publicity to a point. But if somebody is talking about me getting traded, that’s a lot.” Now there again is talk. “It’s fine with me,” Butler said two weeks ago of speculation that likely will continue until either a move is made or the passing of the NBA’s Feb. 6 trading deadline. “It doesn’t bother me, not one bit, and I do appreciate it.” Asked as a follow up to that answer about where he stands in terms of a potential long-term future with the Heat, he responded, “Who knows?” ©2024 South Florida Sun-Sentinel. Visit sun-sentinel.com . Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
ATLANTA (AP) — Republicans plan to move quickly in their effort to overhaul the nation’s voting procedures, seeing an opportunity with control of the White House and both chambers of Congress to push through long-sought changes that include voter ID and proof-of-citizenship requirements. They say the measures are needed to restore public confidence in elections, an erosion of trust that Democrats note has been fueled by false claims from President-elect Donald Trump and his allies of widespread fraud in the 2020 election. In the new year, Republicans will be under pressure to address Trump’s desires to change how elections are run in the U.S., something he continues to promote despite his win in November. The main legislation that Republicans expect to push will be versions of the American Confidence in Elections Act and the Safeguard American Voter Eligibility Act, said GOP Rep. Bryan Steil of Wisconsin, chair of the Committee on House Administration, which handles election-related legislation. The proposals are known as the ACE and SAVE acts, respectively. “As we look to the new year with unified Republican government, we have a real opportunity to move these pieces of legislation not only out of committee, but across the House floor and into law,” Steil said in an interview. “We need to improve Americans’ confidence in elections.” Republicans are likely to face opposition from Democrats and have little wiggle room with their narrow majorities in both the House and Senate. Steil said he expects there will be “some reforms and tweaks” to the original proposals and hopes Democrats will work with Republicans to refine and ultimately support them. New York Rep. Joe Morelle, the ranking Democrat on the committee, said there was an opportunity for bipartisan agreement on some issues but said the two previous GOP bills go too far. “Our view and the Republicans’ view is very different on this point,” Morelle said. “They have spent most of the time in the last two years and beyond really restricting the rights of people to get to ballots – and that’s at the state level and the federal level. And the SAVE Act and the ACE Act both do that – make it harder for people to vote.” Morelle said he wants to see both parties support dedicated federal funding for election offices. He sees other bipartisan opportunities around limiting foreign money in U.S. elections and possibly imposing a voter ID requirement if certain safeguards are in place to protect voters. Democrats say some state laws are too restrictive in limiting the types of IDs that are acceptable for voting, making it harder for college students or those who lack a permanent address. Morelle said he was disappointed by the GOP’s claims in this year’s campaigns about widespread voting by noncitizens , which is extremely rare, and noted how those claims all but evaporated once Trump won. Voting by noncitizens is already illegal and and can result in felony charges and deportation. “You haven’t heard a word about this since Election Day,” Morelle said. “It’s an Election Day miracle that suddenly the thing that they had spent an inordinate amount of time describing as a rampant problem, epidemic problem, didn’t exist at all.” Before the November election, House Republicans pushed the SAVE Act, which passed the House in July but stalled in the Democrat-controlled Senate. It requires proof of citizenship when registering to vote and includes potential penalties for election officials who fail to confirm eligibility. Republicans say the current process relies on an what they call an honor system with loopholes that have allowed noncitizens to register and vote in past elections. While voting by noncitizens has occurred, research and reviews of state cases have shown it to be rare and typically a mistake rather than an intentional effort to sway an election. Under the current system, those seeking to register are asked to provide either a state driver’s license number or the last four digits of a Social Security number. A few states require a full Social Security number. Republicans say the voter registration process is not tight enough because in many states people can be added to voter rolls even if they do not provide this information and that some noncitizens can receive Social Security numbers and driver’s licenses. They believe the current requirement that anyone completing a voter registration form sign under oath that they are a U.S. citizen is not enough. They want to force states to reject any voter registration application for which proof of citizenship is not provided. Republicans say that could include a REAL ID-compliant driver’s license, a passport or a birth certificate. In Georgia, a perennial presidential battleground state, election officials said they have not encountered any hiccups verifying the citizenship status of its nearly 7.3 million registered voters. They conducted an audit in 2022 that identified 1,634 people who had attempted to register but were not able to be verified as U.S. citizens by a federal database. A second audit this year used local court records to identify people who said they could not serve as a juror because they were not a U.S. citizen. Of the 20 people identified, six were investigated for illegal voting, though one of those cases was closed because the person had since died. “What we’ve done by doing those audits is give voters confidence that we do not have noncitizens voting here in Georgia,” said Brad Raffensperger, Georgia’s secretary of state. “And when society is highly polarized, you have to look at building trust. Trust is the gold standard.” Raffensperger, a Republican who supports both voter ID and proof of citizenship requirements, credits the state’s early adoption of REAL ID and use of automatic voter registration for ensuring voter lists are accurate. The latter is something he hopes more Republicans will consider, as he argued it has allowed Georgia election officials to use the motor vehicle agency’s process to verify citizenship and track people moving in and around the state. “You have to get it right because you’re talking about people’s priceless franchise to vote,” Raffensperger said. If Congress does pass any changes, it would fall to election officials across the country to implement them. Raffensperger and Michigan Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson, a Democrat, said it would be a mistake to move the country to a single day of voting, something Trump has said he would like to see happen, because it would eliminate early voting and limit access to mail ballots. Both methods are extremely popular among voters. In Georgia, 71% of voters in November cast their ballots in person before Election Day. Other news outlets have retreated behind paywalls. At HuffPost, we believe journalism should be free for everyone. Would you help us provide essential information to our readers during this critical time? We can't do it without you. Can't afford to contribute? Support HuffPost by creating a free account and log in while you read. You've supported HuffPost before, and we'll be honest — we could use your help again . We view our mission to provide free, fair news as critically important in this crucial moment, and we can't do it without you. Whether you give once or many more times, we appreciate your contribution to keeping our journalism free for all. You've supported HuffPost before, and we'll be honest — we could use your help again . We view our mission to provide free, fair news as critically important in this crucial moment, and we can't do it without you. Whether you give just one more time or sign up again to contribute regularly, we appreciate you playing a part in keeping our journalism free for all. Already contributed? Log in to hide these messages. Both said they hoped lawmakers would look to what is working in their states and build off those successes. “We’ve proven time and time again in our states that our elections are secure and are accurate,” Benson said. Related From Our PartnerNorth Texas landed nine players on the opening day of the early signing period in college football Wednesday. The Mean Green hung on to highly regarded North Crowley quarterback Chris Jimerson Jr. and added Oklahoma defensive lineman Braydon Knox late. Knox is a three-star prospect who was previously committed to Tulsa, one of UNT’s rivals in the American Athletic Conference. The Mean Green also lost a few players who had been committed to continue their careers at UNT. Five players backed out in all, including highly regarded wide receiver/defensive back Jacobe Hayes, who signed with TCU. UNT coach Eric Morris was pleased with the group he and his staff landed, particularly after he hired a new defensive coordinator in the hours before national signing day. Skyler Cassity spent last season guiding the defense at Sam Houston and took over for Matt Caponi, who was fired with two games left in the regular season. “It’s a really good starting point for us,” Morris said. “We’re far from done and will continue to add pieces. Getting bigger, longer frames and body types was important, along with adding speed at wideout.” The following is a look at UNT’s class superlatives. There wasn’t a bigger question in the weeks leading up to national signing day was if UNT would hold on to Jimerson. The one quarterback prospect in the Mean Green’s class ranks among the most productive players in the state. Jimerson has threw for 2,955 yards and 44 touchdowns through the end of the regular season and has guided North Crowley to the Class 6A Division I final. The Panthers will take on traditional power Allen on Saturday. “Jimerson is as electric as any high school football player in any state,” Morris said. “A lot of people didn’t want to take a chance on him because he’s 5-foot-10 and 165 pounds. We had him in a 7-on-7 camp. To watch him spin the football was incredible.” Jimerson was committed to TCU as a wide receiver before backing out because he wanted to play quarterback on the college level. UNT has a long history with smaller quarterbacks who have excelled dating back to program legend Mason Fine. Chandler Morris, who is 6-foot, is the latest in that line and has thrown for 3,774 yards and 31 touchdowns this season. The TCU transfer is a junior and nearing the end of his college career. UNT needed another quarterback to add to the pipeline and got its man in Jimerson. There aren’t many sure bets in college football. The fact UNT will throw the ball quite a bit next season, and in every subsequent year in which Morris is the Mean Green’s coach, is one of them. UNT has had 21 players who have caught passes this season. The total was 20 heading into UNT’s regular season finale at Temple. Only two teams competing at the Football Bowl Subdivision level had more players who had caught a pass that that point. Morris said UNT wanted to add speed on the outside and believes it reached that goal by signing Tyler Brown. The former Aubrey standout won the Class 4A state championship in the 200-meter dash. Sign up to get our free daily email of the biggest stories! UNT is losing Damon Ward Jr., Nick Rempert and Blair Conwright to graduation. There will be plenty of opportunities to Brown to contribute early. Defensive tackles are tough to find for teams that compete at the lower levels of college football. UNT appears to have found a gem in Antwon Brown. Brown plays for one of the top programs in the state at Duncanville. He also has great bloodlines. His older brother, Roderick Brown, has excelled for the Mean Green for years and is a senior this year Roderick Brown is undersized for a defensive tackle at 5-foot-11 and 290 pounds and has still excelled. He has 4.5 sacks on the season while playing in the middle of a three-man front. Antwon Brown has a bigger frame at 6-foot-3 and 280 pounds. If the second of the Brown brothers is anything like the first, UNT will have an impact player on its hands. UNT looked like it had a steal on its hands when Mansfield standout Jacobe Hayes committed back in July. Hayes had offers from a host of high-profile teams, including TCU. The Mean Green sold Hayes on the idea that it would let him play both wide receiver and defensive back. The Mean Green hung on until the hours before national signing day when Hayes flipped to TCU. UNT had five players decommit late. It wasn’t a surprise considering Morris fired defensive coordinator Matt Caponi and replaced him with former Sam Houston coordinator Skyler Cassity. Players want to know who they are going to play for and have relationships with those coaches. Losing Hayes was a blow regardless. The bottom line when it comes to UNT’s class is that it’s still too early to early to make a judgement in terms of the group. The Mean Green landed some good young players. What UNT does from here is what will tell the tale when it comes to this year’s class. The Mean Green are currently sitting eighth among AAC teams in the 247Sports class rankings. UNT is set to lose a host of key players to graduation, including six starters in its front seven. Morris said UNT would be active in the transfer market and has offered a host of players who could fill key voids. The Mean Green are off to a good start. How UNT’s class looks will depend largely on what it accomplishes between now and the late signing period in February.
Montreal Victoire sign D Catherine Daoust
(BPT) - Every year, roughly 20-30% of older Americans head to warmer climates for the colder winter months. Snowbirds are often retirees on fixed incomes, though flexible work environments now provide more opportunities for anyone to spend several months escaping the chill. Whether on a fixed income or an empty nester with disposable income, consumers are interested in saving money where they can. With this in mind, snowbirds can look to their AARP membership to take advantage of relevant discounts and offerings as they fluff their feathers and get ready for takeoff. From savory breakfast options while driving to your seasonal destination, to home and auto protection, and even resources to support mental and physical health, AARP member benefits offer deals and savings that will help snowbirds take flight this winter. "Spending winters in warmer places has so many benefits that come with being able to be outside more often. Warmth and sunlight not only increase serotonin levels , which can result in more positive moods and a calm, focused mental outlook, but they also stimulate vitamin D production and may even boost immunity ," said Elvira Christiansen, Director of Retail and Loyalty for AARP Services. "An AARP membership makes it even better by offering savings as you plan your trip, as well as at many dining, entertainment and retail locations you will come across in your winter getaway destination, helping you to enjoy it to the fullest." 1. Order Up Road trips are often the preferred way to travel to a winter home for the flexibility of having a car once there. Whether your drive will have you behind the wheel for hours or days, you'll want to make sure you have your meals planned out. Fill up with a tasty breakfast or lunch with a stop at Denny's, which is easy to spot from most major highways. AARP members can save when heading to Denny's . 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If you're having trouble with your vision, want to update your sunglass prescription, or simply want to maintain your annual visits to an optometrist or ophthalmologist while away, AARP members have access to information on vision insurance options that offer individual and family plans, featuring a large doctor network, savings on frames, lens enhancements, progressives and more. 4. Home (Safety) Away from Home One thing that should always be a priority is keeping your home safe while you're away for the winter. While Neighborhood Watch is always helpful, long periods away from a home require additional security systems. With an AARP membership, homeowners can secure their homes for less. Members save 5% on monthly home security monitoring with ADT Home Security , which covers smart home security systems including intrusion monitoring, connected smoke and CO detection, and smart automation for video doorbells, security cameras and smart locks. 5. 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To learn more about the benefits and discounts for AARP members to help you prepare for your relaunch, please visit aarp.org/save . AARP member benefits are provided by third parties. AARP receives a royalty fee for the use of its intellectual property. These fees are used for the general purposes of AARP. Provider offers are subject to change and may have restrictions.Headed South for Winter? 5 Tips for Snowbirds About to Take Flight