Not for distribution to U.S. newswire services nor for dissemination to the United States. All amounts in Canadian dollars. BROOKFIELD NEWS, Dec. 02, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Brookfield Office Properties Inc., a subsidiary of Brookfield Property Partners L.P., today announced the reset dividend rate on its Class AAA Preference Shares, Series AA ("Series AA Shares") BPO . If declared, the fixed quarterly dividends on the Series AA Shares for the five years commencing January 1, 2025 and ending December 31, 2029 will be paid at an annual rate of 6.164% ($0.38525 per share per quarter). Holders of Series AA Shares have the right, at their option, exercisable not later than 5:00 p.m. (Toronto time) on December 16, 2024, to convert all or part of their Series AA Shares, on a one-for-one basis, into Class AAA Preference Shares, Series BB (the "Series BB Shares"), effective December 31, 2024. The quarterly floating rate dividends on the Series BB Shares have an annual rate, calculated for each quarter, of 3.15% over the annual yield on three-month Government of Canada treasury bills. The actual quarterly dividend rate for the January 1, 2025 to March 31, 2025 dividend period for the Series BB Shares will be 1.63479% (6.6% on an annualized basis) and the dividend, if declared, for such dividend period will be $0.408698 per share, payable on March 31, 2025. Holders of Series AA Shares are not required to elect to convert all or any part of their Series AA Shares into Series BB Shares. As provided in the share conditions of the Series AA Shares, (i) if Brookfield determines that there would be fewer than 1,000,000 Series AA Shares outstanding after December 31, 2024, all remaining Series AA Shares will be automatically converted into Series BB Shares on a one-for-one basis effective December 31, 2024; and (ii) if Brookfield determines that there would be fewer than 1,000,000 Series BB Shares outstanding after December 31, 2024, no Series AA Shares will be permitted to be converted into Series BB Shares. There are currently 11,845,858 Series AA Shares outstanding. The Toronto Stock Exchange ("TSX") has conditionally approved the listing of the Series BB Shares effective upon conversion. Listing of the Series BB Shares is subject to Brookfield fulfilling all the listing requirements of the TSX and, upon approval, the Series BB Shares will be listed on the TSX under the trading symbol "BPO.PR.B". About Brookfield Office Properties Brookfield Office Properties Inc. is a subsidiary of Brookfield Property Partners L.P., one of the world's largest commercial real estate companies. For more information, please visit bpy.brookfield.com/bpo . Brookfield Contact: Keren Dubon Investor Relations Tel.: (212) 618-3440 Email: keren.dubon@brookfield.com © 2024 Benzinga.com. Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved.San Jose approves permits for Caltrain’s downtown towers project
Fiery South Korean plane crash kills 179; passengers narrowly escape aviation disasters in Canada, NorwayNoneBy Michael Liedtke San Francisco, Dec 12 (AP) Apple is pumping more artificial intelligence into the latest iPhones during the holiday shopping season with a free software update that includes a feature that enables users to create customised emojis within a matter of seconds. The Wednesday release of the iPhone's upgraded operating system, iOS 18.2, extends Apple's expansion into AI months after rivals such as Samsung and Google began implanting the revolutionary technology on their devices. The update builds upon another one that came out in late October to usher in the AI era for Apple and the iPhone, as well as for the iPad and Mac. The latest round of AI tricks includes “Genmojis,” Apple's description for emojis that iPhone users will be able to ask the technology to create and then share. Apple says it is placing some limits its AI's emoji artistry to prevent the distribution of violent or hateful imagery. Other features include an “Image Playground” for a variety of AI-styled illustrations, writing tools and options for summarizing emails. The technology won't work on iPhones that Apple made before 2023 because it requires a special processor that isn't in older models. The AI will work on the iPhone 16 line-up that came out in September and the premium iPhone 15 models released last year. That exclusivity is expected to propel a cycle of iPhone upgrades during the current holiday shopping season into next year, driving up Apple's profit even higher from the USD94 billion that the Cupertino, California, company pocketed in its last fiscal year ending in September. That expectation is the main reason Apple's stock price has climbed by about 30 per cent so far this year to push the company's market value closer to the USD4 trillion threshold for the first time. Apple is broadening the AI suite's appeal by including English versions tailored for Australia, Canada, Ireland, New Zealand, South Africa, and the UK that are included in the latest software update. Although the iPhone's AI is similar to many of the features that have already been available from other companies, Apple is taking a slightly different approach to the technology in an effort to stand out from the rest of pack. It is emphasizing its ongoing commitment to protecting iPhone users' privacy by processing most of its AI on the device itself or corralling it in a secured data center. Users seeking more AI wizardry than the device or the special data centre can handle will have the option to reach out to the popular ChatGPT technology made by OpenAI, which has forged a partnership with Apple. (AP) IJT IJT (This story has not been edited by THE WEEK and is auto-generated from PTI)
A team of students and faculty at the International Institute of Information Technology – Bangalore (IIITB) has developed a remote compost monitoring solution that would not only aid sustainable agriculture but also help reduce the city’s garbage woes and bring down the manual labour involved in composting. The team led by Jyotsna Bapat has built a prototype for an intelligent IoT system that remotely monitors and manages compost, which can be used as fertilizer. Also Read: Daily battles of Bengaluru’s waste collectors “The garbage piles we see everywhere in Bengaluru have a lot of food waste in them. This can cause a lot of diseases. If composed correctly, the volume can come down by a factor of 10,” says Prof. Bapat. A stinking problem Using compost made from organic waste as fertilizer can help improve soil health, reduce reliance on chemical fertilizers, and contribute to environmental conservation. However, many urban dwellers refrain from using their kitchen waste for this process due to reasons such as a lack of space and the complexities involved. “The reason a lot of people don’t do it is that if certain parameters such as the temperature, the humidity or the water level inside go wrong, the composting doesn’t complete, and then it starts smelling. This attracts bugs,” explains Prof. Bapat, who herself composts wet waste on her balcony. Reducing manual labour On a larger scale, companies that compost resort to manual labour, which involves a person checking and stirring the compost from time to time to ensure that the process happens successfully. “We felt that somebody going in and checking a compost is not really the nicest job. We wondered if a machine could do this,” notes Bapat. The team’s solution includes a sensor hub associated with each bin to monitor the compost’s pH, temperature, humidity, and CO2 levels. The hub allows remote monitoring of these values and the generation of alerts using a mobile phone. While anybody can use the solution, Prof. Bapat notes that currently the team is looking for those who are doing composting at a large scale. About 14-15 bins have been installed within the campus, and data is currently being collected. “We already have a client. They are talking to different panchayats in the neighbourhood of Bengaluru. Before they deploy it there, we need to do a thorough testing at IIIT-B,” Bapat notes. Published - December 30, 2024 03:04 am IST Copy link Email Facebook Twitter Telegram LinkedIn WhatsApp Reddit bengaluru / waste / waste management / urban solid wasteMADISON, Wis. — Wisconsin public worker and teachers unions scored a major legal victory Monday with a ruling that restores collective bargaining rights they lost under a 2011 state law that sparked weeks of protests and made the state the center of the national battle over union rights. That law, known as Act 10, effectively ended the ability of most public employees to bargain for wage increases and other issues, and forced them to pay more for health insurance and retirement benefits. Under the ruling by Dane County Circuit Judge Jacob Frost, all public sector workers who lost their collective bargaining power would have it restored to what was in place prior to 2011. They would be treated the same as the police, firefighter and other public safety unions that were exempted under the law. Republicans vowed to immediately appeal the ruling, which ultimately is likely to go before the Wisconsin Supreme Court. That only amplifies the importance of the April election that will determine whether the court remains controlled 4-3 by liberal justices. Former Gov. Scott Walker, who proposed the law that catapulted him onto the national political stage, decried the ruling in a post on the social media platform X as “brazen political activism.” He said it makes the state Supreme Court election “that much more important.” Supporters of the law have said it provided local governments more control over workers and the powers they needed to cut costs. Repealing the law, which allowed schools and local governments to raise money through higher employee contributions for benefits, would bankrupt those entities, backers of Act 10 have argued. Democratic opponents argue that the law has hurt schools and other government agencies by taking away the ability of employees to collectively bargain for their pay and working conditions. Union leaders were overjoyed with the ruling, which affects tens of thousands of public employees. “We realize there may still be a fight ahead of us in the courts, but make no mistake, we’re ready to keep fighting until we all have a seat at the table again,” said Ben Gruber, a conservation warden and president of AFSCME Local 1215. The law was proposed by Walker and enacted by the Republican-controlled Legislature in spite of massive protests that went on for weeks and drew as many as 100,000 people to the Capitol. The law has withstood numerous legal challenges over the years, but this was the first brought since the Wisconsin Supreme Court flipped to liberal control in 2023. The seven unions and three union leaders that brought the lawsuit argued that the law should be struck down because it creates unconstitutional exemptions for firefighters and other public safety workers. Attorneys for the Legislature and state agencies countered that the exemptions are legal, have already been upheld by other courts, and that the case should be dismissed. But Frost sided with the unions in July, saying the law violates equal protection guarantees in the Wisconsin Constitution by dividing public employees into “general” and “public safety” employees. He ruled that general employee unions, like those representing teachers, can not be treated differently from public safety unions that were exempt from the law. His ruling Monday delineated the dozens of specific provisions in the law that must be struck. Wisconsin Republican Assembly Speaker Robin Vos said he looked forward to appealing the ruling. “This lawsuit came more than a decade after Act 10 became law and after many courts rejected the same meritless legal challenges,” Vos said in a statement. Wisconsin Manufacturers and Commerce, the state's largest business lobbying organization, also decried the ruling. WMC President Kurt Bauer called Act 10 “a critical tool for policymakers and elected officials to balance budgets and find taxpayer savings." The Legislature said in court filings that arguments made in the current case were rejected in 2014 by the state Supreme Court. The only change since that ruling is the makeup of Wisconsin Supreme Court, attorneys for the Legislature argued. The Act 10 law effectively ended collective bargaining for most public unions by allowing them to bargain solely over base wage increases no greater than inflation. It also disallowed the automatic withdrawal of union dues, required annual recertification votes for unions, and forced public workers to pay more for health insurance and retirement benefits. The law was the signature legislative achievement of Walker, who was targeted for a recall election he won. Walker used his fights with unions to mount an unsuccessful presidential run in 2016. Frost, the judge who issued Monday's ruling, appeared to have signed the petition to recall Walker from office. None of the attorneys sought his removal from the case and he did not step down. Frost was appointed to the bench by Democratic Gov. Tony Evers, who signed the Walker recall petition. The law has also led to a dramatic decrease in union membership across the state. The nonpartisan Wisconsin Policy Forum said in a 2022 analysis that since 2000, Wisconsin had the largest decline in the proportion of its workforce that is unionized. In 2015, the GOP-controlled Wisconsin Legislature approved a right-to-work law that limited the power of private-sector unions. Public sector unions that brought the lawsuit are the Abbotsford Education Association; the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees Locals 47 and 1215; the Beaver Dam Education Association; SEIU Wisconsin; the Teaching Assistants’ Association Local 3220 and the International Brotherhood of Teamsters Local 695.
DALLAS — Willy Adames makes the San Francisco Giants a better baseball team. He fills a position of need. He provides power and defense . In Buster Posey’s estimation, Adames and Matt Chapman, who signed his own lucrative deal , represent baseball’s best left side of the infield. But Adames alone does not elevate the Giants to contention status. Adames alone doesn’t guarantee they’ll be a playoff team. So when Posey was asked if it was fair to say that the team still has multiple holes to fill, the Giants’ president of baseball operations didn’t entirely disagree. “I think baseball is unique in the sense that that’s probably true for any team,” Posey said. Posey has repeated his goal to build a team with strong defense and pitching. Adames, one of baseball’s better defensive shortstops, addresses the former. With Adames in place, Posey and general manager Zack Minasian can turn their attention to addressing the latter. San Francisco’s rotation , as currently constructed, features Logan Webb, Robbie Ray, Jordan Hicks, Kyle Harrison and Hayden Birdsong. (Posey said on Monday that Hicks will be a starter.) Mason Black, Landon Roupp, Keaton Winn and Carson Whisenhunt could contribute innings as well. The Giants have options but after Webb, their rotation features a lot of variance. Ray has only pitched 34 innings over the last two seasons after undergoing Tommy John surgery in 2023. Hicks battled fatigue in his first season as a full-time starter. Harrison experienced a velocity dip as he threw a career-high 124 1/3 innings. Birdsong flashed excellent stuff but struggled with command. The best way for the Giants to reduce that variance is by acquiring external talent. The list of available free agents thinned out a bit during the Winter Meetings as left-hander Max Fried and right-handers Nathan Eovaldi and Alex Cobb signed deals, but plenty of arms remain unsigned. That list includes Corbin Burnes, Jack Flaherty, Sean Manaea, among others. With Fried receiving an eight-year, $218 million deal from the Yankees, Burnes stands to sign a deal in the $250 million range. “Anytime there’s players available, we’re going to look at them,” Minasian said on Monday. “I think most players who get to free agency have earned it through their career, so usually they’re pretty good. And (we are) just continuing to look at those options and balancing the cost and our internal opportunity that we can offer.” Another one of those options is right-hander Roki Sasaki , whose agent, Joel Wolfe, held court on Tuesday . The Dodgers and Padres are the favorites to land “The Monster of the Reiwa Era,” but Wolfe outlined that the process will be open-ended with Sasaki willing to consider different options. “My advice to Roki is to go in with an open mind,” Wolfe said. Minasian, who has spent time scouting the NPB and KBO, has had Sasaki on his radar dating back to Sasaki’s amateur days, describing the right-hander as a “special arm” with “huge, raw stuff.” When asked what makes San Francisco an alluring destination, Minasian cited Oracle Park’s pitcher-friendly dimensions; direct flights to Tokyo and Osaka; the culture of the city and organization; and a fan base “hungry for the star player.” “With the rules, we haven’t gotten to know him personally, but certainly done a lot of homework,” Minasian said. “We feel like we have a good sense of what makes him tick and we feel like it’s a situation we can make very comfortable for him, just give him the best chance for success as a big-league pitcher.” Along with the rotation, the Giants will continue to explore options in the outfield. San Francisco can currently roll out an outfield of Heliot Ramos in left, Jung Hoo Lee in center and Mike Yastrzemski, who agreed to a one-year, $9.25 million deal to avoid arbitration , in right. Despite having those three in place, San Francisco expressed interest in right fielder Kyle Tucker, a pending free agent, according to Joel Sherman of the New York Post . Over the last five seasons, Tucker has earned three All-Star selections, a Silver Slugger Award and a Gold Glove Award, posting an .883 OPS and totaling 121 home runs. The Giants would likely need to package multiple prospects to acquire him, and Minasian is confident in San Francisco’s stable of minor leaguers. “I do believe we have the minor-league talent to entice a team to consider us in a trade,” Minasian said. Circling back to the infield, LaMonte Wade Jr. is currently slated as San Francisco’s starting first baseman, but Posey and Minasian both said the Giants will explore their options. Wade has the 11th-best on-base percentage in baseball since 2023 (min. 900 plate appearances), but the soon-to-be 31-year-old has dealt with injuries during his time in San Francisco. “LaMonte’s a special player,” Posey said on Monday, citing his on-base ability. “He plays solid defense. I think we’re just trying as much as anything to keep options on the table.” Bryce Eldrige, the Giants’ top prospect per MLB Pipeline, could also see time at first base next season. The 20-year-old skyrocketed through the Giants’ system, hitting .291/.374/.516 with 23 homers and 92 RBIs across four levels and ending the season with eight games at Triple-A Sacramento. For as well as Eldridge played, he isn’t a lock to make his major-league debut next season. “You never want to say never, but I think it is somewhat fair to temper expectations from my end just because — whether is this is right or wrong — I’m looking at it like he should be entering his sophomore year of college,” Posey said. “We see the upside for this guy being tremendous and (want) to make sure that he gets the experience that he needs before he’s thrown into the fire.” Worth noting
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Family of Hamas hostage Edan Alexander celebrates his 21st birthday in NYC's Central ParkWASHINGTON — Only about 2 in 10 Americans approve of President Joe Biden's decision to pardon his son Hunter after earlier promising he would do no such thing, according to a poll from The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research. That displeasure tracks with the bipartisan uproar in Washington that ignited over the president's about-face. The survey found that a relatively small share of Americans "strongly" or "somewhat" approve of the pardon, which came after the younger Biden was convicted on gun and tax charges. About half said they "strongly" or "somewhat" disapprove, and about 2 in 10 neither approve nor disapprove. The Democratic president said repeatedly that he would not use his pardon power for the benefit of his family, and the White House continued to insist, even after Republican Donald Trump's election win in November, that Biden's position had not changed — until it suddenly did. Hunter Biden leaves federal court Sept. 5 in Los Angeles after pleading guilty to federal tax charges. Eric Thayer, Associated Press "I know it's not right to believe politicians as far as what they say compared to what they do, but he did explicitly say, 'I will not pardon my son,'" said Peter Prestia, a 59-year-old Republican from Woodland Park, New Jersey, just west of New York City, who said he strongly disagreed with the move. "So, it's just the fact that he went back on his word." In issuing a pardon Dec. 1, Biden argued that the Justice Department had presided over a "miscarriage of justice" in prosecuting his son. The president used some of the same kind of language that Trump does to describe the criminal cases against him and his other legal predicaments. White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said it was a decision that Biden struggled with but came to shortly before he made the announcement, "because of how politically infected these cases were" as well as "what his political opponents were trying to do." The poll found that about 4 in 10 Democrats approve of the pardon, while about 3 in 10 disapprove and about one-quarter did not have an opinion or did not know enough to say. The vast majority of Republicans and about half of independents had a negative opinion. President Joe Biden and son Hunter Biden walk Nov. 29 in downtown Nantucket Mass. Jose Luis Magana, Associated Press For some, it was easy to see family taking priority over politics. "Do you have kids?" asked Robert Jenkins, a 63-year-old Democrat who runs a lumber yard and gas station in Gallipolis, Ohio. "You're gonna leave office and not pardon your kid? I mean, it's a no-brainer to me." But Prestia, who is semiretired from working for a digital marketing conglomerate, said Biden would have been better off not making promises. Listen now and subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | RSS Feed | SoundStack | All Of Our Podcasts "He does have that right to pardon anybody he wants. But he just should have kept his mouth shut, and he did it because it was before the election, so it's just a bold-faced lie," Prestia said. Despite the unpopularity of his decision, the president's approval rating has not shifted meaningfully since before his party lost the White House to Trump. About 4 in 10 Americans "somewhat" or "strongly" approve of the way Biden is handling his job as president, which is about where his approval rating stood in AP-NORC polls since January 2022. Still, the pardon keeps creating political shock waves, with Republicans, and even some top Democrats, decrying it. Older adults are more likely than younger ones to approve of Biden's pardoning his son, according to the poll, though their support is not especially strong. About one-third of those ages 60 and older approve, compared with about 2 in 10 adults under 60. The age divide is driven partially by the fact that younger adults are more likely than older ones to say they neither approve nor disapprove of the pardon or that they do not know enough to say. President Joe Biden walks with his son Hunter Biden on July 26 as he heads toward Marine One on the South Lawn of the White House in Washington. Susan Walsh, Associated Press About 6 in 10 white adults disapprove of the pardon, compared with slightly less than half of Hispanic adults and about 3 in 10 Black adults. Relatively large shares of Black and Hispanic Americans — about 3 in 10 — were neutral, the poll found. "Don't say you're gonna do something and then fall back," said Trinell Champ, 43, a Democrat from Nederland, Texas, who works in the home health industry and said she disapproved of the pardon. "At the end of the day, all you have is your word." Champ, who is Black, voted for Democratic Vice President Kamala Harris over Trump. "I just had my hopes up for her, but I wasn't 100% positive," she said. Champ also said she does not approve of Biden's handling of the presidency and thinks the country is on the wrong track. "While he was in office, I felt like I really didn't see a lot of changes," she said. "I just felt like everything just kind of stayed the same," Champ said. Overall, though, the pardon did not appear to be a driving factor in many Americans' assessment of Biden's job performance. The share of Black Americans who approve of the way he is handling his job as president did fall slightly since October, but it is hard to assess what role the pardon may have played. Sen. Joe Biden (D-Del.) carries both of his sons, Joseph R. III, left, and Robert H., during an appearance at the Democratic state convention last summer, 1972. At center is his wife Neilia Biden, who was killed in an auto crash, Dec. 20, 1972. With them are Governor-elect Sherman W. Tribbitt and his wife, Jeanne. (AP Photo) AP FILE Joseph Biden, the newly-elected Democratic Senator from Delaware, is shown in Washington, Dec. 12, 1972. (AP Photo/Henry Griffin) AP FILE 1972 - Is first elected to the Senate at age 29, defeating Republican Senator J. Caleb Boggs. Wins re-election in 1978, 1984, 1990, 1996 and 2002. The newly-elected Democratic senator from Delaware, Joe Biden, is shown, Dec. 13, 1972. AP FILE Sen. Joe Biden (D-Del.) kisses the cheek of an unidentified friend who offered consoling words after a memorial service in Wilmington, Del., Dec. 22, 1972, for Biden's wife Neilia, their 13-month-old daughter Naomi Christina, who perished in a car-truck crash. Biden's two sons were hospitalized with serious injuries. (AP Photo/Bill Ingraham) AP FILE December 18, 1972 - While Christmas shopping, Biden's first wife, Neilia Hunter Biden, and daughter, Naomi Biden, are killed in a car accident. His sons are badly injured, but survive. January 5, 1973 - Is sworn in as US senator of Delaware at son Beau Biden's bedside in the hospital. In this Jan. 5, 1973 file photo, four-year-old Beau Biden, foreground, plays near his father, Joe Biden, center, being sworn in as the U.S. senator from Delaware, by Senate Secretary Frank Valeo, left, in ceremonies in a Wilmington hospital. Beau was injured in an accident that killed his mother and sister in December 1972. Biden's father, Robert Hunter, holds the Bible. (AP Photo/File) AP FILE 1987-1995 - Chairman of the Senate Committee on the Judiciary. Sen. Joe Biden (D-Del.), chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, rubs his temples while speaking during confirmation hearings for Supreme Court nominee Robert H. Bork, Sept. 17, 1987, on Capitol Hill. (AP Photo/John Duricka) AP FILE June 9, 1987 - Enters the 1988 presidential race, but drops out three months later following reports of plagiarism and false claims about his academic record. Sen. Joe Biden (D-Del.) waves from his train as he leaves Wilmington, Del., after announcing his candidacy for president, June 9, 1987. At right, son Beau carries daughter; to Biden's right is his wife Jill and son Hunter. (AP Photo/George Widman) AP FILE February 1988 - Undergoes surgery to repair an aneurysm in an artery that supplies blood to the brain. Sen. Joseph Biden (D-Del.), wearing a University of Delaware baseball cap, leaves Walter Reed Army Hospital accompanied by his son Hunter Biden, Thursday, March 24, 1988, Washington, D.C. Biden had been in the hospital for 11 days so that surgeons could implant a small umbrella-like filter in a vein to prevent blood clots from reaching his lungs. (AP Photo/Adele Starr) AP FILE In this Oct. 12, 1991 file photo Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Joe Biden, D-Del., points angrily at Clarence Thomas during comments at the end of hearings on Thomas' nomination to the Supreme Court on Capitol Hill. Sen. Edward Kennedy, D-Mass. looks on at right. (AP Photo/Greg Gibson, File) AP FILE January 20, 1990 - Introduces a bill that becomes the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA). The act addresses sexual assault and domestic violence. It is signed into law by President Bill Clinton in 1994. Sen. Joe Biden (D-Del.), left, stands behind a flag as Sen. Barbara Boxer (D-Calif.), second from right, along with other congresswomen meet reporters on Capitol Hill, Feb. 24, 1993, to discuss the Violence Against Women Act. From left are: Sen. Biden; Rep. Louise Slaughter (D-N.Y.); Rep. Pat Schroeder (D-Colo); Sen. Boxer; and Rep. Constance Morella of Maryland. (AP Photo/Barry Thumma) AP FILE In this April 9, 1993, file photo Sen. Joe Biden, D-Del. stands in front of a Danish armored personnel carrier at the UN-controlled Sarajevo Airport, making a statement about his trip to the besieged Bosnian capital. (AP Photo/Michael Stravato, File) AP FILE Sen. Joseph Biden, D-Del., ranking Democrat on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, meets reporters on Capitol Hill Thursday, Oct. 16, 2003 to discuss the United Nations-Iraq vote. (AP Photo/Terry Ashe) AP FILE Democratic presidential hopeful, and Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman Sen. Joseph Biden, D-Del., presides over a hearing of the committee on Capitol Hill in Washington, Thursday, Feb. 1, 2007 to discuss the remaining options in Iraq. (AP Photo/Dennis Cook) AP FILE Democratic presidential hopeful U.S. Sen. Joseph Biden D-Del., smiles during the Iowa Federation of Labor, AFL-CIO Presidential Forum Wednesday, Aug. 15, 2007, in Waterloo, Iowa. (AP Photo/M. Spencer Green) AP FILE January 31, 2007 - Files a statement of candidacy with the Federal Elections Commission to run for president. August 1, 2007 - His memoir, "Promises to Keep: On Life and Politics," is published. Sen. Joe Biden, D-Del., left, listens as Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill., responds to a question during the first Democratic presidential primary debate of the 2008 election hosted by the South Carolina State University in Orangeburg, SC., Thursday, April 26, 2007. At right is Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton, D-NY. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite) AP FILE Sen. Joseph Biden, D-Del., speaks at a Caucus night rally in Des Moines, Iowa, Thursday, Jan. 3, 2008. Biden abandoned his bid for the Democratic presidential nomination Thursday after a poor showing in the state's caucuses. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu) AP FILE In this Jan. 3, 2008, file photo, Democratic presidential hopeful, Sen. Joe Biden, D-Del., rests his head on the shoulder of his wife, Jill, as they stand in a hallway awaiting his introductions for a rally at the UAW Hall in Dubuque, Iowa on the day of the Iowa caucus in Dubuque, Iowa. (AP Photo/Mark Hirsch, File) AP FILE August 23, 2008 - Is named the vice-presidential running mate of Barack Obama. In this Aug. 23, 2008 file photo, Democratic presidential candidate Sen. Barack Obama D-Ill., and his vice presidential running mate Sen. Joe Biden, D-Del., appear together in Springfield, Ill. (AP Photo/M. Spencer Green, file) AP FILE In this Sept. 16, 2008 file photo, then Democratic vice presidential candidate Sen. Joe Biden, D-Del. arrives by Amtrak in Wilmington, Del., (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert, File) AP FILE In this Oct. 2,2008 file photo, Democratic vice presidential candidate Sen. Joe Biden, D-Del., left, and Republican vice presidential candidate Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin face off during the vice presidential debate at Washington University in St. Louis. (AP Photo/Tom Gannam, File) AP FILE November 4, 2008 - Is elected vice president of the United States. President-elect Barack Obama, left, and Vice President-elect Joe Biden wave to the crowd after Obama's acceptance speech at his election night party at Grant Park in Chicago before giving his acceptance speech Tuesday night, Nov. 4, 2008. (AP Photo/Morry Gash) AP FILE January 20, 2009 - Is sworn in as vice president of the United States. Vice President Joe Biden, left, with his wife Jill at his side, taking the oath of office from Justice John Paul Stevens at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, Tuesday, Jan. 20, 2009. (AP Photo/Elise Amendola) AP FILE February 7, 2009 - Delivers his first major speech as vice president at a security conference in Germany. US Vice President Joe Biden addresses the participants of the International Conference on Security Policy, Sicherheitskonferenz, at the hotel "Bayerischer Hof" in Munich, southern Germany, on Saturday, Feb. 7, 2009. AP FILE September 1, 2010 - Presides over a ceremony in Iraq to formally mark the end of the US combat mission in Iraq. US Vice President Joe Biden, left, US Secretary of Defense Robert Gates, center, and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs Admiral Mike Mullen, right, stand while the US National Anthem is played during the United States Forces-Iraq change of command ceremony in Baghdad on Wednesday Sept. 1, 2010, as a new US military mission in Iraq was launched ending seven years of combat. (AP Photo/Jim Watson Pool) AP FILE November 6, 2012 - Obama and Biden are reelected, defeating Mitt Romney and Paul Ryan. Vice President Joe Biden exits with his wife Jill Biden after voting at Alexis I. duPont High School, Tuesday, Nov. 6, 2012, in Greenville, Del. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke) AP FILE Vice President Joe Biden, with his wife Jill Biden, center, holding the Biden Family Bible, shakes hands with Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor after taking the oath of office during an official ceremony at the Naval Observatory, Sunday, Jan. 20, 2013, in Washington. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster) AP FILE October 2, 2014 - Speaking at the John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University, Biden tells attendees that ISIS has been inadvertently strengthened by actions taken by Turkey, the UAE and other Middle Eastern allies to help opposition groups fighting against Syrian President Bashar al-Assad. In this Thursday, Oct. 2, 2014 file photo, Vice President Joe Biden speaks to students, faculty and staff at Harvard University in Cambridge, Mass. Biden is due to headline a Democratic campaign rally in Las Vegas, with a downtown appearance Monday, Oct. 6, 2014, to talk about raising the minimum wage. (AP Photo/Winslow Townson,File) AP FILE May 30, 2015 - Biden's eldest son, Beau Biden, passes away from brain cancer at age 46. In this June 6, 2015 file photo, Vice President Joe Biden, accompanied by his family, holds his hand over his heart as he watches an honor guard carry a casket containing the remains of his son, former Delaware Attorney General Beau Biden, into St. Anthony of Padua Roman Catholic Church in Wilmington, Del. for funeral services. Beau Biden died of brain cancer May 30 at age 46. (AP Photo/Patrick Semansky) AP FILE October 21, 2015 - Says he will not seek the presidency, announcing that the window for a successful campaign "has closed." December 6, 2016 - Doesn't rule out running for president in 2020, saying "I'm not committing not to run. I'm not committing to anything. I learned a long time ago fate has a strange way of intervening." President Barack Obama hugs Vice President Joe Biden as Biden waves at the end Biden's announcement in the Rose Garden of the White House in Washington, Wednesday, Oct. 21, 2015, that he will not run for the presidential nomination. Jill Biden is at right. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin) AP FILE Vice President Joe Biden pauses between mock swearing in ceremonies in the Old Senate Chamber on Capitol Hill in Washington, Tuesday, Jan. 3, 2017, as the 115th Congress begins. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon) AP FILE January 12, 2017 - Obama surprises Biden by presenting him the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the nation's highest civilian honor, during a White House ceremony. President Barack Obama presents Vice President Joe Biden with the Presidential Medal of Freedom during a ceremony in the State Dining Room of the White House in Washington, Thursday, Jan. 12, 2017. (AP Photo/Susan Walsh) AP FILE February 1, 2017 - Biden and his wife, Jill Biden, launch the Biden Foundation, an organization that will work on seven issues: foreign policy; Biden's cancer initiative; community colleges and military families; protecting children; equality; ending violence against women; and strengthening the middle class. February 7, 2017 - Is named the Benjamin Franklin presidential practice professor at the University of Pennsylvania, where he will lead the Penn Biden Center for Diplomacy and Global Engagement. He will also serve as the founding chair of the University of Delaware's Biden Institute, the university announces. March 1, 2017 - Biden receives the Congressional Patriot Award from the Bipartisan Policy Center. He receives the honor in recognition of his work crafting bipartisan legislation with Republicans and Democrats. Former Vice President Joe Biden tucks notes into his jacket after speaking at an event to formally launch the Biden Institute, a research and policy center focused on domestic issues at the University of Delaware, in Newark, Del., Monday, March 13, 2017. (AP Photo/Patrick Semansky) AP FILE In this March 26, 2019, file photo, former Vice President Joe Biden speaks at the Biden Courage Awards in New York. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II, File) AP FILE April 25, 2019 - Announces he is running for president in a campaign video posted to social media. Hours later, the Biden Foundation board chair, Ted Kaufman, announces the immediate suspension of all the organization's operations. Former Vice President and Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden arrives at the Wilmington train station Thursday April 25, 2019 in Wilmington, Delaware. Biden announced his candidacy for president via video on Thursday morning. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum) AP FILE In this June 6, 2019, file photo, Democratic presidential candidate former Vice President Joe Biden speaks during the "I Will Vote" fundraising gala in Atlanta. Biden shifted to oppose longstanding restrictions on federal funding of abortion during his remarks. (AP Photo/John Bazemore, File) AP FILE Democratic presidential candidate, former Vice President Joe Biden signs a copy of his book "Promise Me, Dad" at a campaign rally at Modern Woodmen Park, Sunday, Jan. 5, 2020, in Davenport, Iowa. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik) AP FILE Democratic presidential candidate former Vice President Joe Biden speaks at a primary night election rally in Columbia, S.C., Saturday, Feb. 29, 2020 after winning the South Carolina primary. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert) AP FILE Democratic presidential candidate former Vice President Joe Biden speaks at a primary night election rally in Columbia, S.C., Saturday, Feb. 29, 2020, after winning the South Carolina primary. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke) AP FILE Democratic presidential candidate former Vice President Joe Biden speaks at a primary election night campaign rally Tuesday, March 3, 2020, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Chris Carlson) AP FILE August 20, 2020: Joe Biden accepts the Democratic nomination for president Democratic presidential candidate former Vice President Joe Biden speaks during the fourth day of the Democratic National Convention, Thursday, Aug. 20, 2020, at the Chase Center in Wilmington, Del. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik) AP FILE Democratic presidential candidate former Vice President Joe Biden, with Democratic vice presidential candidate Sen. Kamala Harris, D-Calif., raise their arms up as fireworks go off in the background during the fourth day of the Democratic National Convention, Thursday, Aug. 20, 2020, at the Chase Center in Wilmington, Del. Looking on are Jill Biden, far left, and Harris' husband Doug Emhoff, far right. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik) Andrew Harnik President Donald Trump, left, and Democratic presidential candidate former Vice President Joe Biden, right, with moderator Chris Wallace, center, of Fox News during the first presidential debate Tuesday, Sept. 29, 2020, at Case Western University and Cleveland Clinic, in Cleveland, Ohio. (AP Photo/Patrick Semansky) AP FILE Democratic presidential candidate former Vice President Joe Biden, right, and former President Barack Obama greet each other with an air elbow bump, at the conclusion of rally at Northwestern High School in Flint, Mich., Saturday, Oct. 31, 2020. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik) AP FILE Democratic presidential candidate former Vice President Joe Biden arrives to speak at a rally at Belle Isle Casino in Detroit, Mich., Saturday, Oct. 31, 2020, which former President Barack Obama also attended. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik) AP FILE President-elect Joe Biden gestures on stage after speaking, Saturday, Nov. 7, 2020, in Wilmington, Del. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik, Pool) Andrew Harnik FILE - In this Saturday, Nov. 7, 2020, file photo, from left, Doug Emhoff, husband of Vice President-elect Kamala Harris, Harris, President-elect Joe Biden and his wife, Jill Biden, stand on stage together, in Wilmington, Del. The theme for Biden’s inauguration will be “America United." Unity is an issue that’s long been a central focus for Biden but one that’s taken on added weight in the wake of the violence at the U.S. Capitol. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik, Pool, File) Andrew Harnik President-elect Joe Biden announces his climate and energy team nominees and appointees at The Queen Theater in Wilmington Del., Saturday, Dec. 19, 2020. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster) AP FILE President Joe Biden speaks about his domestic agenda from the East Room of the White House in Washington on Oct. 28, 2021. (AP Photo/Susan Walsh) AP FILE U.S. President Joe Biden, left, shakes hands with Pope Francis as they meet at the Vatican on Oct. 29, 2021. (Vatican Media via AP) AP FILE President Joe Biden removes his face mask as he arrives in the East Room of the White House to speak about the evacuation of American citizens, their families, special immigrant visa applicants and vulnerable Afghans on Aug. 20, 2021, in Washington. (AP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta) AP FILE Cherelle Griner, wife of WNBA star Brittney Griner, speaks after President Joe Biden announced Brittney Griner's release in a prisoner swap with Russia on Dec. 8, 2022, in the Roosevelt Room of the White House in Washington. Also attending are Secretary of State Antony Blinken, left, and Vice President Kamala Harris. Patrick Semansky, Associated Press President Joe Biden holds the microphone to Chocolate, the national Thanksgiving turkey, during a pardoning ceremony Nov. 21, 2022, at the White House in Washington. Andrew Harnik President Joe Biden holds an Atlanta Braves jersey during an event celebrating the Major League Baseball 2021 World Series champion Atlanta Braves in the East Room of the White House on Sept. 26, 2022, in Washington. Evan Vucci, Associated Press President Joe Biden receives his COVID-19 booster from a member of the White House medical unit during an event in the South Court Auditorium on the White House campus on Oct. 25, 2022, in Washington. Evan Vucci, Associated Press President Joe Biden and first lady Jill Biden arrive to give treats to trick-or-treaters on the South Lawn of the White House, on Halloween on Oct. 31, 2022, in Washington. Alex Brandon, Associated Press U.S. President Joe Biden, left, talks with Indonesian President Joko Widodo during their bilateral meeting ahead of the G20 Summit in Nusa Dua, Bali, Indonesia, on Nov. 14, 2022. Achmad Ibrahim, Associated Press U.S. President Joe Biden, right, and Chinese President Xi Jinping shake hands before a meeting on the sidelines of the G20 summit meeting Nov. 14, 2022, in Bali, Indonesia. Alex Brandon President Joe Biden is greeted by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu after arriving at Ben Gurion International Airport on Oct. 18, 2023, in Tel Aviv. Evan Vucci, Associated Press President Joe Biden speaks from the Oval Office of the White House on Oct. 19, 2023, in Washington, about the war in Israel and Ukraine. Jonathan Ernst, Associated Press President Joe Biden arrives to speak at the Amtrak Bear Maintenance Facility on Nov. 6, 2023, in Bear, Del. Andrew Harnik President Joe Biden, accompanied by Office of Management and Budget director Shalanda Young, left, and Women's Alzheimer's Movement founder Maria Shriver, right, gives first lady Jill Biden a kiss after giving her the pen he used to sign a presidential memorandum that will establish the first-ever White House Initiative on Women's Health Research in the Oval Office of the White House on Nov. 13, 2023, in Washington. Andrew Harnik, Associated Press President Joe Biden pauses as he speaks to reporters in Nantucket, Mass. on Nov. 26, 2023, about hostages freed by Hamas in a third set of releases under a four-day cease-fire deal between Israel and Hamas. Stephanie Scarbrough, Associated Press President Joe Biden shakes hands with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy as they meet in the Oval Office of the White House on Dec. 12, 2023, in Washington. Evan Vucci President Joe Biden and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy depart a news conference in the Indian Treaty Room in the Eisenhower Executive Office Building on the White House Campus on Dec. 12, 2023, in Washington. Andrew Harnik President Joe Biden speaks during a funeral service for retired Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O'Connor at the Washington National Cathedral on Dec. 19, 2023, in Washington. O'Connor, an Arizona native and the first woman to serve on the nation's highest court, died Dec. 1, 2023, at age 93. Jacquelyn Martin President Joe Biden arrives to deliver remarks on the economy on June 28, 2023, at the Old Post Office in Chicago. Evan Vucci, Associated Press President Joe Biden, right, stands as an Army carry team moves the transfer case containing the remains of U.S. Army Sgt. Kennedy Ladon Sanders, 24, of Waycross, Ga., at Dover Air Force Base, Del., on Feb. 2, 2024. Sanders was killed in a drone attack in Jordan on Jan. 28, 2024. Matt Rourke, Associated Press President Joe Biden speaks during the State of the Union address on Capitol Hill on March 7, 2024, in Washington, as Vice President Kamala Harris and House Speaker Mike Johnson listen. Mark Schiefelbein, Associated Press Vice President Kamala Harris embraces President Joe Biden after a speech on health care in Raleigh, N.C., on March. 26, 2024. Matt Kelley, Associated Press President Joe Biden greets Zion Schrode, 8 months, of Marin County, Calif., as he is held by his mother Erin Schrode during a Jewish American Heritage Month event, on May 20, 2024, in the Rose Garden of the White House in Washington. Jacquelyn Martin, Associated Press Kansas City Chiefs coach Andy Reid, left, and CEO Clark Hunt, right, watch as President Joe Biden, center, puts on a Chiefs helmet during an event with the Super Bowl-champion Kansas City Chiefs on the South Lawn of the White House, on May 31, 2024, to celebrate their championship season and victory in Super Bowl LVIII. Evan Vucci, Associated Press President Joe Biden and first lady Jill Biden walk in the Normandy American Cemetery following a ceremony to mark the 80th anniversary of D-Day, on June 6, 2024, in Normandy. Evan Vucci U.S. President Joe Biden, right, greets Pope Francis ahead of a working session on Artificial Intelligence (AI), Energy, Africa-Mediterranean, on day two of the 50th G7 summit at Borgo Egnazia, southern Italy, on June 14, 2024. Christopher Furlong, Associated Press President Joe Biden speaks during a campaign event with former President Barack Obama moderated by Jimmy Kimmel at the Peacock Theater on June 15, 2024, in Los Angeles. Alex Brandon, Associated Press President Joe Biden, right, and Republican presidential candidate former President Donald Trump, left, participate in a presidential debate hosted by CNN on June 27, 2024, in Atlanta. Gerald Herbert, Associated Press First lady Jill Biden, President Joe Biden, Vice President Kamala Harris, and second gentleman Douglas Emhoff view the Independence Day firework display over the National Mall from the balcony of the White House, on July 4, 2024, in Washington. Evan Vucci, Associated Press President Joe Biden, right, and the Rev. Dr. J. Louis Felton pray at a church service at Mt. Airy Church of God in Christ on July 7, 2024, in Philadelphia. Manuel Balce Ceneta, Associated Press President Joe Biden addresses the nation from the Oval Office of the White House in Washington on July 14, 2024, about the assassination attempt of Republican presidential candidate former President Donald Trump at a campaign rally in Pennsylvania. Erin Schaff, Associated Press President Joe Biden pauses as he speaks at the Biden campaign headquarters in Wilmington, Del., on Feb. 3, 2024. Alex Brandon, Associated Press President Joe Biden walks on stage to speak during the NAACP national convention July 16, 2024, in Las Vegas. David Becker, Associated Press President Joe Biden walks between tombstones as he arrives to attend a mass at St. Joseph on the Brandywine Catholic Church in Wilmington, Del., on July 6, 2024. Manuel Balce Ceneta, Associated Press
While serving as the 39th president of the United States, Jimmy Carter—who died on December 29 at age 100—brokered a peace deal between Israel and Egypt, pioneered a federal energy program and reassured a nation that was still shaken by the Watergate scandal. Carter’s greatest legacy, however, might just be the way he approached life following his presidency. Carter, inaugurated at age 52, was relatively young when he took the highest office in the nation. He had decades of possibility ahead of him when he left the White House in 1981, and he chose to devote the latter half of his life to continued public service. In 1982, in partnership with Emory University, he established the Carter Center , an organization dedicated to promoting peace and well-being around the globe. Carter and his wife, Rosalynn , who died in November 2023 at age 96, famously volunteered with Habitat for Humanity for decades, and he brought to action what most presidents only speak about, says Claire Jerry, curator of political history at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History . “He doesn’t just talk about housing issues; he’s building houses. He doesn’t just talk about fair elections; he’s traveling the world to ensure that they happen,” Jerry says. “He’s actually doing the things that other people only give words to.” Mindy Farmer, a historian with the Smithsonian’s National Portrait Gallery, agrees. “One of the interesting things about being a post-president or former president is that there’s no job description for what you do. You can do any number of things, and some presidents have chosen a life that’s quiet. Some have chosen to be activists. But Carter is really remarkable for choosing to be a nonpartisan humanitarian.” The National Portrait Gallery is home to a significant archive of Carter images , including those displayed here. “Our portraits of Jimmy Carter include images by noted photographers Ansel Adams and Diana Walker. We have prints by Andy Warhol,” says Farmer. “We have several paintings of distinction, and we have many pieces that at one time adorned the cover of Time magazine. Those span a number of mediums, including collages, sculptures and more paintings. And, of course, we have political cartoons.” Carter will be remembered for governing with a sense of morality and honesty, in his approach to both foreign affairs and domestic matters. The late president said in 1978, “Human rights is the soul of our foreign policy.” He maintained his commitment to human rights in his projects with the Carter Center, and he was awarded the 2002 Nobel Peace Prize “for his decades of untiring effort to find peaceful solutions to international conflicts, to advance democracy and human rights, and to promote economic and social development.” “He was absolutely steadfast in promoting human rights across the globe,” says Farmer. “It actually cost him at times in his overall foreign policy, but to that he was committed, and that commitment extended not just to the presidency, but the post-presidency.” Domestically, Carter implemented policies that were progressive for his time. He was devoted to protecting the environment in ways big and small, from the Alaska National Interest Lands Conservation Act to the solar panels he installed on the roof of the White House. In his infamous “Crisis of Confidence” speech , Carter stressed the gravity of the energy crisis and warned of “a loss of a unity of purpose for our nation”—ideas that the public perhaps was not ready to hear in the 1970s, Jerry says. Carter enjoyed the longest life of any U.S. president, and he made his many years count. Although his commitment to human rights and ethics may have been underappreciated during his term in office, Jerry says his reputation was resurrected in his out-of-office life. “This idea that the post-presidential platform has a lot of power will be an enduring legacy of Jimmy Carter,” she says. “I think future post-presidencies will be measured against his mark.” James Earl Carter Jr. was born on October 1, 1924, in Plains, Georgia. His family owned a peanut farm, which would become the subject of good-natured jokes throughout Carter’s political campaigns. At age 10, young Jimmy had already started helping with the family business by selling produce from the farm at the town market. Inspired by postcards from his uncle Tom Gordy , Carter decided to join the Navy at a young age. After completing two years at Georgia Southwestern College and the Georgia Institute of Technology, Carter enrolled in the U.S. Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland. He graduated in the top ten percent of his class in 1946. In the Navy, Carter completed two years of surface ship duty before applying to join the submarine service. Admiral Hyman G. Rickover selected the then-lieutenant to join a new nuclear submarine program, where he would become an engineering officer for the nuclear power plant of the U.S.S. Seawolf . However, when the senior Carter fell ill and died in 1953, Jimmy returned to Plains to take over the family business. Carter married Rosalynn Smith, a friend of his sister Ruth, shortly after graduating from the Naval Academy in 1946. Together, they operated Carter’s Warehouse, a seed and farm supply company, in the years following his father’s death. Upon his return to Plains, Carter quickly became a community leader in the areas of education, the hospital authority and the local library. He pursued leadership roles in local elections, winning a seat in the State Senate in 1962 and becoming Georgia’s governor in 1971 after losing his first gubernatorial race in 1966. On December 12, 1974, Carter announced his candidacy for president of the United States. Although he was the Democratic National Committee chairman for the congressional and gubernatorial elections earlier that year, he was entirely unknown in the public sphere—in fact, after his announcement, the Atlanta Constitution ran a headline that read, “Jimmy Who is Running for What!?” Carter’s outsider status turned out to be an advantage given the state of post- Watergate politics. The public was still distrustful of what has come to be known as the imperial presidency, says Jerry, so a newcomer was more than welcome in Washington. “Carter ran very much as a more personal candidate,” Jerry said. “‘We’re going to restore honesty to the White House; we’re going to really work on this together.’ And that resonated very, very positively with the American people.” The 1976 election saw a record number of primaries as the presidential nomination process we know today coalesced, giving Carter the opportunity for nationwide exposure. His campaign established the modern role of the Iowa caucuses as a litmus test for the nation. “He really anticipated that if he was to make a showing in Iowa, it would vault him to the list of front-runner candidates,” Jerry says. Carter came out of Iowa as the top candidate—second only to “uncommitted” in the polls—proving his personal campaigning strategy to be a success. Carter was nominated on the first ballot at the 1976 Democratic National Convention, and he went on to defeat incumbent President Gerald Ford in the presidential election on November 2, 1976. Following his inauguration, Carter opted to walk from the Capitol to the White House with his wife and daughter in the Inaugural Parade, symbolizing a humble shift away from the imperial presidency. On his first full day in office, Carter pardoned hundreds of thousands of Vietnam War draft evaders in an attempt to heal the psychic effects of the war and the social unrest that came with it. Throughout his inaugural year, Carter prioritized energy policy and urged the public to seriously consider the energy crisis. In a televised April 1977 speech , the president called the impending crisis the “moral equivalent of war” and emphasized energy conservation measures. He established the Department of Energy with the Department of Energy Organization Act later that year, but he expressed frustration with the slow pace of energy reform for the remainder of his presidency. “He creates new protected land, especially in Alaska,” notes Farmer. “He encouraged the creation of new forms of renewable energy. In fact, he created [the] Department of Energy just to do that. Under his administration, we see the development of nuclear, wind, solar and other sustainable sources of energy.” Carter inherited the economic quagmire of stagflation, a combination of high inflation and unemployment and slow economic growth. He managed to decrease the budget deficit and create some eight million jobs during his time in office, but inflation and interest rates continued to rise. Toward the end of his presidency, Carter created another new cabinet-level department, the Department of Education , to expand social services for children and families. When it came to foreign policy, Carter took a values-based approach of protecting democracy and advocating for human rights abroad. His most celebrated achievement in the global sphere is the Camp David Accords, the result of a two-week meeting that put to rest 30 years of conflict between Egypt and Israel, and that set a framework for the Egypt-Israel Peace Treaty of 1979. Carter also relieved tension between the U.S. and Latin America with the ratification of the Panama Canal treaties that returned the canal zone to the Panamanians. Additionally, he set a precedent for future foreign affairs in Asia by officially establishing diplomatic relations with the People’s Republic of China. Carter further strained U.S. relations with the Soviet Union, especially when he criticized Soviet rights abuses openly. While this may have exacerbated Cold War tensions, some historians credit Carter’s bold criticism as a catalyst for later social reforms in the Soviet Union. Nonetheless, there were casualties in Carter’s dicey diplomacy with the Soviets, such as the failure to ratify the SALT II nuclear limitation treaty. With a series of unfortunate events—namely the Iran hostage crisis—causing discord during Carter’s final year in office, he failed to win reelection in 1980. However, he bounced back with a uniquely strong post-presidency. The Carter Center , a nongovernmental organization committed to promoting human rights around the globe, has engaged in conflict resolution, overseen democratic elections and pioneered public health initiatives in more than 80 countries. His 2002 Nobel Peace Prize made him the third of four presidents to receive the honor. The former chief executive also wrote more than 30 books , including several memoirs, a poetry collection and a children’s book, and he won three Grammy Awards for his audiobooks. Many of Carter’s books deal with the topic of religious faith, which was central to the way he approached his life and death. At a Sunday school lesson at Maranatha Baptist Church in Plains, Georgia, in November 2019, Carter shared his reflections on death. “I obviously prayed about it,” Carter said of his diagnosis of metastatic melanoma, which he beat in 2015. “I didn’t ask God to let me live, but I asked God to give me a proper attitude toward death. And I found that I was absolutely and completely at ease with death.”