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HAMDEN, Conn. (AP) — Khaden Bennett's 23 points helped Quinnipiac defeat Sacred Heart 83-73 on Sunday. Bennett added five rebounds for the Bobcats (5-5, 2-0 Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference). Amarri Tice added 19 points while shooting 6 for 16 (2 for 11 from 3-point range) and 5 of 5 from the free-throw line while they also had five rebounds and eight steals. Paul Otieno shot 5 of 9 from the field and 2 of 4 from the free-throw line to finish with 12 points, while adding three blocks. Amiri Stewart led the Pioneers (4-6, 1-1) in scoring, finishing with 18 points, eight rebounds and three steals. Anquan Hill added 15 points for Sacred Heart. Bryce Johnson also had 11 points. Quinnipiac plays Tuesday against Holy Cross at home, and Sacred Heart hosts Albany (NY) on Wednesday. The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar .
Sam Konstas tackled Jasprit Bumrah well enroute to his cracking half-century in Australia's first innings of the 4th Test against India at the MCG. However, Bumrah got one over him in the second innings by cleaning him up with a brilliant delivery. New Delhi: Australia legend Michael Hussey took a dig at debutant Sam Konstas after his on-field battle with Indian pacer Jasprit Bumrah during the ongoing 4th Test between the two sides at the Melbourne Cricket Ground. Konstas enjoyed a memorable debut for Australia with a cracking half-century in the hosts’ first innings against India at the MCG. The young opener smashed a quickfire 60 off 65 balls and took down the likes of Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Siraj during his knock. Konstas particularly impressed with his ability to score against Bumrah as he played some unorthodox shots against the premier India pacer, quickly becoming a fan favourite. Konstas also had a face-off with India star Virat Kohli after the duo collided into each other on the pitch. Konstas was later involved in some theatrics against the likes of Bumrah and Kohli during India’s first innings and was seen celebrating widely after the duo’s dismissals. However, his actions came back to haunt him during Australia’s second innings of the Test match. Bumrah cleaned up the talented right-hander with an exceptional delivery and followed it up with a cheeky celebration. Speaking about the battle between the duo, Hussey said Konstas’ actions were always going to come back to bite him later in the Test match. He said Bumrah usually doesn’t show a lot of emotions but his celebration showed he enjoyed getting one over the young Aussie opener. “It always comes back to bite you at some stage. I wonder if Sam Konstas is back in the dressing rooms thinking, ‘I wish I charged him’. It just makes the battle between the two nations all the more spicy,” Hussey said on Fox Sports . “You don’t see a lot of theatrics from Bumrah, but when Sam Konstas was dismissed, he thought, ‘Yep, I’m here as well,” he added. Jasprit Bumrah creates history in Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024-25 Bumrah produced yet another impressive performance as he picked up a five-wicket haul to finish with excellent figures of 5/57 in 24.4 overs in Australia’s second innings. Bumrah’s fifer helped India skittle out Australia for 234 runs in their second innings, conceding a lead of 339 runs. The premier pacer also completed 30 wickets in the ongoing series to become the first Indian fast bowler to take 30 wickets in a Test series in Australia. It was Bumrah’s 3rd fifer in the series and the 13th overall in Test cricket. Click for more latest Cricket news . Also get top headlines and latest news from India and around the world at News9. Abhishek reports on all things sports for News9. He has been covering cricket extensively for more than five years now and is a keen follower of the game. From preserving newspaper cuts of his favourite sporting heroes to playing the game himself and then covering it from close quarters, cricket has stayed with him since childhood. He started his career with NewsX and has worked for some of the leading news organisations in the country, including Times Now and WION. He will probably be busy watching cricket/football when not crafting stories on sports and its heroes.
The business sector is calling for multiple government stimulus measures, especially tax incentives and a household debt reduction scheme, to revive the economy and give the public a New Year's gift. Nath Vongphanich, president of the Thai Retailers Association (TRA), said the group sees public investment as a key driver for economic expansion in 2025. The government should expedite budget disbursement and public spending for 2025 to align with its targets, he said. Efforts should be made to ensure a broad distribution of government funds through investments, procurement and stimulus measures to drive Thailand's economy forward, said Mr Nath. To support small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and counter the influx of cheap Chinese goods, the government should facilitate access to low-interest loans or funding sources, expand trade opportunities, and increase marketing channels for Thai product distribution, he said. "Next year, TRA will implement the 'TRA GREAT' initiative by providing spaces within member retailers such as Makro, Lotus's, Central, Go Wholesale and Thai Watsadu for micro-SMEs to sell their products throughout the year," said Mr Nath. Moreover, TRA wants government measures to stimulate consumer spending, such as the "Shop Dee Mee Khuen" programme, Easy e-Receipt, and incentives for private sector investments. The association also proposes the government offer tax incentives for tourists. "We could adopt a tax-free shopping scheme for tourists similar to Japan, which allows tax-free purchases exceeding ¥500,000 per day. In Thailand, we may begin with value-added tax [VAT] exemptions for purchases exceeding 5,000 baht per day in a single store," he said. White paper Sanan Angubolkul, chairman of the Thai Chamber of Commerce, said the chamber submitted a white paper outlining urgent economic stimulus measures to the government. "The government should implement policies aimed at lowering the cost of living for people and expenses for businesses," he said. Key recommendations include controlling the prices of essential goods and services, freezing electricity and diesel prices, and establishing an energy board. In addition, the private sector recommends adjusting the minimum wage through the tripartite wage committee. The chamber said the second phase of the 10,000-baht handout next year may be insufficient to stimulate the economy. The group proposed a "multiplier measure" that could double the circulation of funds in the economy. Initiatives such as the Easy e-Receipt programme could inject an estimated 30-50 billion baht into the economy via roughly 1 million participants, without burdening the state budget, according to the chamber. Addressing the debt overhang among individuals and SMEs is also critical. The government should adopt integrated monetary and fiscal policies alongside income redistribution to reduce inequality, said the group. Proposed measures include debt moratoriums and extensions for housing, vehicles and SMEs, especially to ensure work-related vehicles like pickups are not repossessed. There is also an urgent need to reduce interest rates and improve access to credit, said Mr Sanan. He emphasised the importance of enhancing the competitiveness of Thai businesses to better compete with imported goods. Essential strategies include ensuring fair trade practices, preventing market-damaging practices such as dumping, and maintaining product quality standards. The chamber called on the government to attract both domestic and foreign investments. One suggestion is to designate Prachin Buri as part of the Eastern Economic Corridor, which could significantly boost investment in that area. This initiative would bolster the competitiveness of key sectors such as food, tourism and wellness, said Mr Sanan, while also increasing the potential to become a hub for logistics and connectivity as well as education. As Thailand enters its peak tourism season, the chamber sees a prime opportunity to leverage major festivals such as New Year's Eve, Chinese New Year and Songkran. "If the government can promote Thailand's soft power by organising various events and ensuring that Thai festivals are included in the global calendar, it will enhance awareness among foreign tourists and attract high-potential visitors to travel to and reside in Thailand. This would generate substantial income for the economy," he said. CONSUMPTION BOOST Rakpong Chaisuparakul, senior vice-president at KGI Securities (Thailand), said the government is expected to announce a consumption package as a New Year's gift on Dec 12. "In our view, the New Year package may include a 38-billion-baht cash handout for farmers, a 40-billion-baht cash handout for the elderly, and an Easy e-Receipt programme effective for the first quarter of next year," he said. In addition, the market is keen to hear details of the Bank of Thailand's plans to ease nationwide household debt, which is due to be announced on Dec 11, said Mr Rakpong. According to KGI, the measures are expected to cover 2.3 million loan accounts with a combined value of 1.3 billion baht, mainly in housing and consumer loans. The assistance package will set a payment timeline of three years to allow debtors to waive interest rates and pay monthly instalments of 50% in the first year, 70% in the second year, and 90% in the third, noted the brokerage. The government expects the measures to require a budget of 80 billion baht, of which 40 billion is funded by reducing the Financial Institutions Development Fund (FIDF) fee for banks to 0.23% of deposits, with the balance coming from money injected by banks. Under these measures, banks can reduce their FIDF costs, but may need to contribute more money to raise the 80 billion baht needed for the assistance measures. "We remain positive on Thai consumer plays, which entered their high earnings season in the fourth quarter, as well as the non-bank finance sector, which could benefit from the household debt bailout plan," said Mr Rakpong. CAR TRADE-IN The state plan to launch a car trade-in programme to stimulate purchases in the auto market is a good initiative, but will be difficult to translate into action, said Surapong Paisitpatanapong, vice-chairman of the Federation of Thai Industries (FTI) and the spokesman for the FTI's Automotive Industry Club. The government must devise other new stimulus measures that can increase people's income, which is a crucial factor in their vehicle purchasing decisions, he said. Mr Surapong said he wants to learn more details about the trade-in programme, recently announced by Industry Minister Akanat Promphan to deal with months of sluggish car sales in the country. Authorities must clarify the car types, the age of used cars and price issues for the scheme, he said. "This measure still depends on loans being granted by banks and car financing companies. If they don't want to participate, the scheme will not work," said Mr Surapong. Banks' strict auto loan criteria amid high levels of household debt is a key factor causing the plunge in domestic car sales. The slowdown caused the club to downgrade Thailand's total car manufacturing target for 2024 to 1.5 million vehicles, dipping from 1.7 million, which is the lowest target since 2021. From January to October, vehicle manufacturing fell by 19.2% year-on-year to 1.24 million units, the club reported. He called on the government to craft appropriate solutions to debt problems so that banks and financing companies will relax their lending criteria. "We want people to have more money and job security. This will lift their confidence, giving them more courage to spend money to buy cars," said Mr Surapong. "Many people want new cars, but they have to save money in a stagnant economy." Wallop Treererkngam, executive vice-president of Suzuki Motor (Thailand), agreed with Mr Surapong on the need for measures to deal with household debt. "If the government can ease debt problems, including non-performing loans among SMEs, banks will certainly grant auto loans," he said. "The result would be car and auto parts businesses would recover from the slowdown." LASTING MEASURES Chaiyaporn Nompitakcharoen, managing director of the research department at Bualuang Securities, said the government should support the installation of solar rooftops for individuals and SMEs. Thailand relies on imported oil for use in transport and electricity production, both of which are critical for the economy. When the oil price rises, the business and household sectors are stunted, he said. Mr Chaiyaporn said the government should also offer soft loans for new businesses in trendy fields, such as those focused on the environment, social and governance issues, or sustainable development. He added there should be state support for products from local communities, such as beverages and other items that are deemed outstanding, assisting in the development of brands to enable growth. "These measures can increase the potential of SMEs, which are an important foundation for future growth. Lowering electricity costs by installing solar rooftops will help the government to reduce its support for Oil Fund subsidies," said Mr Chaiyaporn. However, long-term solutions often lack political will from government officials, he said. The government should prioritise easing loan problems in the household and SME sectors, said Mr Chaiyaporn. "Commercial banks have acted on their own to address debt concerns, such as lowering interest rates and extending debt repayment periods. I would like to see government measures," he said. In addition, it is vital to help people laid off because of the economic slowdown, the impact of the US-China trade war, and production relocation away from Thailand, especially in the automotive industry, said Mr Chaiyaporn. Singapore organised free training courses for employees in many professions to upgrade their skills, enabling them to have more stable jobs, he said. Somchai Sittichaisrichart, managing director of SIS Distribution Plc, said the government should offer tax expense exemptions to corporations that bought solar systems and IT systems to support sustainability and digital transformation. Tax incentives can spur spending without a government cash injection, he said. The VAT needs to be raised from 7% to 10% to increase state revenue, as VAT rates in neighbouring nations are 9-10%, said Mr Somchai.MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Sam Darnold tossed aside his stoic demeanor for a moment after realizing he was on the videoboard, aggressively twirling a towel to further stoke the crowd's fire after the Minnesota Vikings had pulled away from Kirk Cousins and the Atlanta Falcons late in the game. “I just felt the buzz. That was pure passion, pure joy, man,” Darnold said. Darnold added yet another highlight to his brilliant first season with the Vikings, passing for 347 yards and five touchdowns, both career highs, in a 42-21 victory over the foundering Falcons on Sunday to stretch their winning streak to six games. “It just felt like it was one of those days to keep the gas pedal down,” said coach Kevin O'Connell, who enjoyed his team's first 40-point game in three seasons on the job. Darnold passed for 250 yards after halftime to help the Vikings (11-2) break a 21-all tie early in the fourth quarter and stay one game behind NFC North-leading Detroit with a final-week matchup looming with the Lions. Jordan Addison had eight catches for 133 yards and three scores and Justin Jefferson racked up seven receptions for 132 yards and two touchdowns after going the past six games without scoring. “This is something that we want to do and we can do every single week,” Jefferson said. Cousins, whose departure in free agency for Atlanta prompted Minnesota to sign Darnold as a bridge to currently injured rookie J.J. McCarthy, threw two more interceptions without a touchdown in this unhappy homecoming following a mixed six-year run with the Vikings. Booed as he took the field, Cousins and the Falcons (6-7) left with a fourth consecutive loss to tumble out of first place in the NFC South and fall one game behind Tampa Bay. “When you’re playing well you usually aren’t as good as people are telling you when they’re patting you on the back, and if you’re in a rut you’re usually not as bad as people kind of leaving you for dead,” Cousins said. “The reality’s usually somewhere in the middle. You just have to keep playing and see where the dust settles in January.” Cousins went 23 for 37 for 344 yards for the Falcons, who crossed midfield on all nine of their possessions and finished with 496 total yards. He overthrew Ray-Ray McCloud III on fourth down in the first quarter, and the Falcons settled for short field goals just before and right after halftime. Their fate was sealed when McCloud fumbled the kickoff at the 32 after the Vikings went 70 yards in six plays for the go-ahead touchdown pass to Addison, who scored again seven plays later. The Falcons handed the Vikings an earlier touchdown when Kentavious Street was called for defensive holding during a field-goal attempt late in the second quarter, giving Darnold a fresh set of downs before a 12-yard laser to Jefferson on a post route on third-and-6. “You just can’t have the self-inflicted wounds and expect to win football games like we had today,” coach Raheem Morris said. Bijan Robinson had 22 carries for 92 yards and a touchdown and Tyler Allgeier rushed nine times for 63 yards and a score for the Falcons against the NFL’s leading run defense. Cousins, who was picked off four times last week, hesitated as he wound up to throw on first down from the Minnesota 47 in a tie game early in the second quarter and then inexplicably fired a pass straight to Josh Metellus as he sat in a zone in front of Drake London. Cousins has a NFL -most 15 interceptions. Byron Murphy snagged an overthrow for the second one near the goal line with a 35-21 lead and 6:26 left. Darnold, who went 22 for 28 without a turnover-worthy play despite heavy first-half pressure, then directed a seven-play, 98-yard drive to seal it. “I think we grew up a lot today offensively,” O'Connell said. Addison and Jefferson became the first duo in Vikings history to each have 100-plus receiving yards and two-plus touchdown catches in the same game. Addison also became the first Vikings player with three receiving touchdowns in a game since Stefon Diggs caught three from Cousins in 2019. Murphy has six interceptions this season, the most for the Vikings since Jimmy Hitchcock had seven in 1998. Falcons: CB Mike Hughes (knee) was back in the lineup after missing two games. Minnesota's 2018 first-round draft pick returned an interception for a touchdown against Atlanta in his NFL debut here. Vikings: CB Stephon Gilmore (hamstring) and backup OLB Patrick Jones (knee) were out. TE Josh Oliver (wrist/ankle) returned from a two-game absence, and LS Andrew DePaola (hand) and PK Will Reichard (quadriceps) were back from four-game injured reserve stints. Both teams play next Monday night, Dec. 16: Atlanta visits Las Vegas, and Minnesota hosts Chicago. AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/NFLTwo weeks after she beat a transgender candidate to return to the Utah Legislature, the Republican state lawmaker behind the majority of the state’s anti-transgender laws is advocating for policies that strip additional rights from trans people. Rep. Kera Birkeland, of Morgan, posted to X on Thursday that transgender women, specifically, should not be able to amend their birth certificates or IDs to reflect their gender. “Men should not be allowed in women’s bathrooms,” Birkeland wrote. “However, achieving this goal requires more than just signing or passing a bill that articulates this stance. We need to address the underlying issue of allowing men to change their birth certificates and driver’s licenses to reflect a female identity.” Birkeland continued, “Until we achieve that, our primary action is to run message bills, that are almost unenforceable. If a man can obtain a driver’s license identifying him as a woman, secure a birth certificate identifying him as a woman, and undergo surgical procedures to alter his appearance to look similar to women, it becomes nearly impossible for the government to distinguish between him and Representative Mace. That presents a significant challenge in enforcement.” Birkeland’s post was written in support of U.S. Rep. Nancy Mace, R-North Carolina, who responded to the first transgender woman being elected to Congress by pushing for her and other transgender women not to be allowed in women’s restrooms at the U.S. Capitol. I completely agree with @RepNancyMace that men should not be allowed in women’s bathrooms. However, achieving this goal requires more than just signing or passing a bill that articulates this stance. We need to address the underlying issue of allowing men to change their birth... The post comes one day after Transgender Day of Remembrance — an annual occasion memorializing transgender people lost to violence or suicide due to attacks on their identity. The Utah Supreme Court ruled in 2021 that transgender Utahns have “a common-law right to change facets of their personal legal status, including their sex designation.” “My life was going forward day by day sometimes is not easy,” said Angie Rice, a transgender woman and one of the plaintiffs in the case, at the time. “But (this decision)... gives young people and everybody who has been suffering in silence, or victimized, it gives them a chance to believe in hope and have the courage to now live their truth.” Since she was first appointed to the House in 2020, Birkeland has led a push to bar transgender girls from high school sports. Since the Legislature passed a law she sponsored to do so in 2022, and overrode the governor’s veto , the ban has been partially blocked by a lawsuit. Meanwhile, a commission weighs the cases of young transgender athletes who want to participate in sports. This year, Birkeland successfully proposed a bill that creates legal definitions “female” and “male” to categorize Utahns by the reproductive organs of their birth, and prohibits transgender Utahns from using locker rooms or bathrooms that align with their gender in government-owned buildings. Republican lawmakers repeatedly employed misinformation about transgender Utahns while working to rally support for the bill, an investigation by The Salt Lake Tribune found . Utah, which has passed restrictions on transgender people for three consecutive years, also prohibits transgender minors from accessing gender-affirming health care . Birkeland did not respond to questions about whether she would introduce bills to enact such policy shifts in the 2025 legislative session, but told KUER earlier this month that she isn’t planning on proposing legislation impacting the transgender community. A spokesperson for the Utah House of Representatives did not respond to questions as to GOP leadership’s feelings on such policies, or whether other members of their caucus would draft bills including them. On Monday, legislative leadership and Gov. Spencer Cox urged Utah State University to join a lawsuit against the Mountain West Conference over its transgender participation policy — weeks after players on the school’s volleyball team opted to forfeit a game against another team that allegedly includes a transgender athlete. The school filed a motion to join soon after. “Female athletes deserve the right to a safe playing field, fair competition and equal opportunities,” the officials said in a statement. “By intervening, Utah will send a clear message that these rights are non-negotiable.” Utah House Democrats responded with a statement of their own, writing, “Transgender athletes have participated in sports for years without facing the intense scrutiny they endure today. Targeting them harms their mental health, further isolates an already vulnerable population, and goes against the inclusive values we should all uphold. This is not the Utah way.” Birkeland’s post also follows an anti-transgender political action committee that appears to be violating campaign finance laws and aimed to influence the outcome of a state legislative race in a district bordering hers. Despite establishing a website, deploying mailers and sending texts attacking Democrats throughout the state for opposing restrictions on transgender Utahns, including the only Democrat outside of Salt Lake County , the out-of-state Preserving Utah Values PAC reports that it has raised and spent $0 during the 2024 election cycle. The United Nations recognizes transgender people’s ability to change official documents, including birth certificates, as a human right. “Failing to provide access to legal gender recognition hinders access to rights and services (e.g. education, employment, bathrooms) and puts trans people at risk of violence (e.g. when presenting documents that don’t match their appearance),” reads the website for the supranational organization’s high commissioner for human rights. “Trans people are at particular risk of violence in detention settings when their gender identity is not respected.” According to the Utah Bureau of Criminal Identification , hate crimes against LGBTQ+ Utahns more than doubled from 2022 to 2023. This year, law enforcement agencies have reported 15 incidents.
The Latest: State funeral for Jimmy Carter will be Jan. 9Brock Bowers of the Las Vegas Raiders moved past Pro Football Hall of Famer Mike Ditka on Sunday to set the NFL record for most receiving yards by a tight end in his rookie season and also set the record for most receptions by a rookie, regardless of position. Bowers has 108 receptions to top the mark set last season by Puka Nacua (105) of the Los Angeles Rams. Bowers' yardage stands at 1,144 after having seven receptions for 77 yards in a 25-10 road victory over the New Orleans Saints. Bowers also set a franchise receptions for catches in a season, surpassing Darren Waller (107 in 2020). "It's awesome," Bowers said of the records in a postgame interview on Fox. "You never know what to expect coming up to the next level. It's been everything and more." Bowers' third catch on Sunday -- a 13-yard grab late in the second quarter against the Saints -- pushed his season total to 1,087 yards. Ditka totaled 1,076 receiving yards in 14 games with the Chicago Bears in 1961. Bowers, 22, set the record for receptions by a rookie tight end earlier this season by eclipsing the total of 86 reeled in by Sam LaPorta of the Detroit Lions in 2023. Bowers was selected by the Raiders with the 13th overall pick of the 2024 NFL Draft. Despite all his catches, he has just four scoring receptions. While with Georgia, Bowers was the first back-to-back winner of the Mackey Award (2022, 2023), which is given to the top tight end in college football. --Field Level MediaBy Will Dunham, Reuters Jimmy Carter, the earnest Georgia peanut farmer who as US president struggled with a bad economy and the Iran hostage crisis but brokered peace between Israel and Egypt and later received the Nobel Peace Prize for his humanitarian work, has died at his home in Plains, Georgia, on Monday, the Carter Centre said. He was 100 . "My father was a hero, not only to me but to everyone who believes in peace, human rights, and unselfish love," said Chip Carter, the former president's son. "My brothers, sister, and I shared him with the rest of the world through these common beliefs. The world is our family because of the way he brought people together, and we thank you for honouring his memory by continuing to live these shared beliefs." A Democrat, he served as president from January 1977 to January 1981 after defeating incumbent Republican President Gerald Ford in the 1976 US election. Carter was swept from office four years later in an electoral landslide as voters embraced Republican challenger Ronald Reagan, the former actor and California governor. Carter lived longer after his term in office than any other US president. Along the way, he earned a reputation as a better former president than he was a president - a status he readily acknowledged. His one-term presidency was marked by the highs of the 1978 Camp David accords between Israel and Egypt, bringing some stability to the Middle East. But it was dogged by an economy in recession, persistent unpopularity and the embarrassment of the Iran hostage crisis that consumed his final 444 days in office. In recent years, Carter had experienced several health issues including melanoma that spread to his liver and brain. Carter decided to receive hospice care in February 2023 instead of undergoing additional medical intervention. His wife, Rosalynn Carter, died on 19 November, 2023, at age 96. He looked frail when he attended her memorial service and funeral in a wheelchair. Carter left office profoundly unpopular but worked energetically for decades on humanitarian causes. He was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2002 in recognition of his "untiring effort to find peaceful solutions to international conflicts, to advance democracy and human rights, and to promote economic and social development." Carter had been a centrist as governor of Georgia with populist tendencies when he moved into the White House as the 39th US president. He was a Washington outsider at a time when America was still reeling from the Watergate scandal that led Republican Richard Nixon to resign as president in 1974 and elevated Ford from vice president. "I'm Jimmy Carter and I'm running for president. I will never lie to you," Carter promised with an ear-to-ear smile. Asked to assess his presidency, Carter said in a 1991 documentary: "The biggest failure we had was a political failure. I never was able to convince the American people that I was a forceful and strong leader." Despite his difficulties in office, Carter had few rivals for accomplishments as a former president. He gained global acclaim as a tireless human rights advocate, a voice for the disenfranchised and a leader in the fight against hunger and poverty, winning the respect that eluded him in the White House. Carter won the Nobel Peace Prize in 2002 for his efforts to promote human rights and resolve conflicts around the world, from Ethiopia and Eritrea to Bosnia and Haiti. His Carter Centre in Atlanta sent international election-monitoring delegations to polls around the world. A Southern Baptist Sunday school teacher since his teens, Carter brought a strong sense of morality to the presidency, speaking openly about his religious faith. He also sought to take some pomp out of an increasingly imperial presidency - walking, rather than riding in a limousine, in his 1977 inauguration parade. The Middle East was the focus of Carter's foreign policy. The 1979 Egypt-Israel peace treaty, based on the 1978 Camp David accords, ended a state of war between the two neighbours. Carter brought Egyptian President Anwar Sadat and Israeli Prime Minister Menachem Begin to the Camp David presidential retreat in Maryland for talks. Later, as the accords seemed to be unravelling, Carter saved the day by flying to Cairo and Jerusalem for personal shuttle diplomacy. The treaty provided for Israeli withdrawal from Egypt's Sinai Peninsula and establishment of diplomatic relations. Begin and Sadat each won a Nobel Peace Prize in 1978. By the 1980 election, the overriding issues were double-digit inflation, interest rates that exceeded 20 percent and soaring gas prices, as well as the Iran hostage crisis that brought humiliation to America. These issues marred Carter's presidency and undermined his chances of winning a second term. Hostage crisis On 4 November, 1979, revolutionaries devoted to Iran's Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini had stormed the US Embassy in Tehran, seized the Americans present and demanded the return of the ousted shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, who was backed by the United States and was being treated in a US hospital. The American public initially rallied behind Carter. But his support faded in April 1980 when a commando raid failed to rescue the hostages, with eight US soldiers killed in an aircraft accident in the Iranian desert. Carter's final ignominy was that Iran held the 52 hostages until minutes after Reagan took his oath of office on 20 January 1981, to replace Carter, then released the planes carrying them to freedom. In another crisis, Carter protested the former Soviet Union's 1979 invasion of Afghanistan by boycotting the 1980 Olympics in Moscow. He also asked the US Senate to defer consideration of a major nuclear arms accord with Moscow. Unswayed, the Soviets remained in Afghanistan for a decade. Carter won narrow Senate approval in 1978 of a treaty to transfer the Panama Canal to the control of Panama despite critics who argued the waterway was vital to American security. He also completed negotiations on full US ties with China. Carter created two new US Cabinet departments - education and energy. Amid high gas prices, he said America's "energy crisis" was "the moral equivalent of war" and urged the country to embrace conservation. "Ours is the most wasteful nation on earth," he told Americans in 1977. In 1979, Carter delivered what became known as his "malaise" speech to the nation, although he never used that word. "After listening to the American people I have been reminded again that all the legislation in the world can't fix what's wrong with America," he said in his televised address. "The threat is nearly invisible in ordinary ways. It is a crisis of confidence. It is a crisis that strikes at the very heart and soul and spirit of our national will. The erosion of our confidence in the future is threatening to destroy the social and the political fabric of America." As president, the strait-laced Carter was embarrassed by the behaviour of his hard-drinking younger brother, Billy Carter, who had boasted: "I got a red neck, white socks, and Blue Ribbon beer." 'There you go again' Jimmy Carter withstood a challenge from Massachusetts Senator Edward Kennedy for the 1980 Democratic presidential nomination but was politically diminished heading into his general election battle against a vigourous Republican adversary. Reagan, the conservative who projected an image of strength, kept Carter off balance during their debates before the November 1980 election. Reagan dismissively told Carter, "There you go again," when the Republican challenger felt the president had misrepresented Reagan's views during one debate. Carter lost the 1980 election to Reagan, who won 44 of the 50 states and amassed an Electoral College landslide. James Earl Carter Jr. was born on 1 October, 1924, in Plains, Georgia, one of four children of a farmer and shopkeeper. He graduated from the U.S. Naval Academy in 1946, served in the nuclear submarine program and left to manage the family peanut farming business. He married his wife, Rosalynn, in 1946, a union he called "the most important thing in my life." They had three sons and a daughter. Carter became a millionaire, a Georgia state legislator and Georgia's governor from 1971 to 1975. He mounted an underdog bid for the 1976 Democratic presidential nomination, and out-hustled his rivals for the right to face Ford in the general election. With Walter Mondale as his vice presidential running mate, Carter was given a boost by a major Ford gaffe during one of their debates. Ford said that "there is no Soviet domination of Eastern Europe and there never will be under a Ford administration," despite decades of just such domination. Carter edged Ford in the election, even though Ford actually won more states - 27 to Carter's 23. Not all of Carter's post-presidential work was appreciated. Former President George W. Bush and his father, former President George H.W. Bush, both Republicans, were said to have been displeased by Carter's freelance diplomacy in Iraq and elsewhere. In 2004, Carter called the Iraq war launched in 2003 by the younger Bush one of the most "gross and damaging mistakes our nation ever made." He called George W. Bush's administration "the worst in history" and said Vice President Dick Cheney was "a disaster for our country." In 2019, Carter questioned Republican Donald Trump's legitimacy as president, saying "he was put into office because the Russians interfered on his behalf." Trump responded by calling Carter "a terrible president." Carter also made trips to communist North Korea. A 1994 visit defused a nuclear crisis, as President Kim Il Sung agreed to freeze his nuclear program in exchange for resumed dialogue with the United States. That led to a deal in which North Korea, in return for aid, promised not to restart its nuclear reactor or reprocess the plant's spent fuel. But Carter irked Democratic President Bill Clinton's administration by announcing the deal with North Korea's leader without first checking with Washington. In 2010, Carter won the release of an American sentenced to eight years hard labour for illegally entering North Korea. Carter wrote more than two dozen books, ranging from a presidential memoir to a children's book and poetry, as well as works about religious faith and diplomacy. His book "Faith: A Journey for All," was published in 2018. - Reuters
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A Black Friday Deal for Your PortfolioJimmy Carter: His life milestones and notable quotes
Hilton Grand Vacations executive sells $2.08 million in stockWhen the holidays roll around, a lot of hard news opportunities evaporate. Aside from a handful of ne’er-do-wells stealing Christmas packages off of front porches, people tend to calm down. Lots of seasonal events provide ample material for the newspaper, but investigative fodder grows thin on the vine. We try to provide light features, as well as comic relief. And that’s where the website brownielocks.com has come in handy. We can localize topics of national interest, and over the years, we’ve come up with some good ones. There are real doozy “holidays” in October, and Sept. 1-7 was International Enthusiasm Week – except no one is enthused about much these days. October is always a good month. I like the spooks and haunted houses and creepy celebrations. Halloween is my favorite holiday, and not just because of what I call the “scary pumpkins.” Actually, they are “mallowcreme pumpkins” – kind of like candy corn, only bigger and sweeter. I shouldn’t be eating them, but sometimes, I can’t help it. I’m ashamed to admit I devoured three bags this year. November is fine, but sources start taking vacations then, and that’s when brownielocks.com comes into play. It’s Adopt a Turkey Month, although the only turkeys I’ve had much contact with were “adopted” by someone’s oven. It’s also Banana Pudding Appreciation Month, and I’m not sure why that needs an official declaration; who doesn’t appreciate banana pudding? Thanks to Tahlequah’s unique infrastructure, we won an award once on a Historic Bridge Awareness Month feature. November is National Diabetes Awareness Month, and since I’m a Type 2 diabetic – what aging, overweight, sugar-loving woman isn’t? – that’s a relevant topic. National Adoption Month is important, too; many great kids need forever homes. I think this year we’ll need to focus on National COPD Month, because our friends suffering that ailment have been in particular jeopardy from COVID. And Military Family Appreciation Month – now there’s a group of people who deserve all the kudos we can give them. But several “holidays” don’t make much sense for us. There are no manatees to photograph here, for Manatee Awareness Month. Since Oklahoma isn’t Georgia, we have no need to discuss Georgia pecans, though we have our own breeds of “papershell” and “hardshell.” I’ve mentioned I grew up with an orchard of about 250 trees. Another topic for which we could find no sources would be National Impotency Month, since no man would publicly admit that ailment. I’m not sure whether the status should be celebrated or mourned, but I suspect it’s been used as a marketing ploy for Viagra. Peanut Butter Lovers Month? Don’t get me started. The PB wars in our family are legendary. My grandmother, who preferred Peter Pan, used to ridicule my father for jumping onto the JIF bandwagon. My husband and son are Skippy men, although they’ll take Peter Pan in a pinch. Literacy Month needs a spotlight shined on it, more now than ever, based on what I’m seeing both on the TDP Facebook page and in various social media posts by the Beltway boobs. Even more critical is National Medical Science Liaison Awareness Month. I don’t know about the liaison part, but there doesn’t seem to be much scientific awareness among those who would rather deworm themselves than take a vaccination for COVID – or anything else, thanks to the weird ramblings of RFK Jr., who – speaking of worms – lost part of his brain to a voracious one and will now be a star in Trump’s Cabinet. Also seemingly important in these parts are Young Readers Week, Medical Cannabis Week, and National Bible Week. Based on what I’m seeing, people could use a little less selective scripture reading and a little more biblical literacy – especially among the people who lately have told me God informed them Trump is the “Second Coming.” Personally, I had hoped for a more eloquent and physically fit fellow. One would think December would be simple in terms of story ideas, but that’s not always the case, and even more people go off the grid – whether to set up their trees or start buying gifts is anybody’s guess. By the time December arrives, most locals already have their trees up. If the holiday list is any indication, courts and crime writers will be busy at work, because it’s National Drunk and Drugged Driving Prevention Month, as well as National Impaired Driving Prevention Month, which seem to overlap. December also brings us Cookie Cutter Week, which makes sense, as well as Saturnalia, whatever that is – though I think we may have done a feature on it once. It might have something to do with rings around planets. Then there’s Older Driver Safety Awareness Week, which applies to people like me. I wonder whether they dispense advice on the hazards of flipping someone the finger who cuts you off on the highway. There are some super-weird ones, which I could define if I bothered to look them up: Andisop, which turns out to be Meterological Fiddling; Hand Washing Week, which we can all relate to, thanks to the events of recent years; Gluten-Free Baking Week, though I can’t see the point; and Posadas, whatever that is. And finally, we end with It’s About Time Week. I have no idea what it’s about time for – unless it’s about time I stopped writing about ridiculous holidays. I take the hint.
WASHINGTON (AP) — Working-class voters helped Republicans make steady election gains this year and expanded a coalition that increasingly includes rank-and-file union members, a political shift spotlighting one of President-elect Donald Trump’s latest Cabinet picks: a GOP congresswoman, who has drawn labor support, to be his labor secretary. Oregon Rep. Lori Chavez-DeRemer narrowly lost her bid for a second term this month, despite strong backing from union members, a key part of the Democratic base but gravitating in the Trump era toward a Republican Party traditionally allied with business interests. “Lori’s strong support from both the Business and Labor communities will ensure that the Labor Department can unite Americans of all backgrounds behind our Agenda for unprecedented National Success - Making America Richer, Wealthier, Stronger and more Prosperous than ever before!” Trump said in a statement announcing his choice Friday night. For decades, labor unions have sided with Democrats and been greeted largely with hostility by Republicans. But with Trump's populist appeal, his working-class base saw a decent share of union rank-and-file voting for Republicans this year, even as major unions, including the AFL-CIO and the United Auto Workers , endorsed Democrat Kamala Harris in the White House race. Trump sat down with the International Brotherhood of Teamsters union leadership and members this year, and when he emerged from that meeting, he boasted that a significant chunk of union voters were backing him. Of a possible Teamsters endorsement, he said, “Stranger things have happened.” The Teamsters ultimately declined to endorse either Trump, the former president, or Harris, the vice president, though leader Sean O’Brien had a prominent speaking slot at the Republican National Convention. Kara Deniz, a Teamsters spokesperson, told the Associated Press that O’Brien met with more than a dozen House Republicans this past week to lobby on behalf of Chavez-DeRemer. “Chavez-DeRemer would be an excellent choice for labor secretary and has his backing,” Deniz said. The work of the Labor Department affects workers’ wages, health and safety, ability to unionize, and employers' rights to fire employers, among other responsibilities. On Election Day, Trump deepened his support among voters without a college degree after running just slightly ahead of Democrat Joe Biden with noncollege voters in 2020. Trump made modest gains, earning a clear majority of this group, while only about 4 in 10 supported Harris, according to AP VoteCast, a sweeping survey of more than 120,000 voters nationwide. Roughly 18% of voters in this year's election were from union households, with Harris winning a majority of the group. But Trump's performance among union members kept him competitive and helped him win key states such as Pennsylvania, Michigan and Wisconsin. Chavez-DeRemer was one of few House Republicans to endorse the “Protecting the Right to Organize” or PRO Act, which would allow more workers to conduct organizing campaigns and add penalties for companies that violate workers’ rights. The measure would weaken “right-to-work” laws that allow employees in more than half the states to avoid participating in or paying dues to unions that represent workers at their places of employment. Trump's first term saw firmly pro-business policies from his appointees across government, including those on the National Labor Relations Board. Trump, a real estate developer and businessman before winning the presidency, generally has backed policies that would make it harder for workers to unionize. During his recent campaign, Trump criticized union bosses, and at one point suggested that UAW members should not pay their dues. His first administration did expand overtime eligibility rules, but not nearly as much as Democrats wanted, and a Trump-appointed judge has since struck down the Biden administration’s more generous overtime rules. He has stacked his incoming administration with officials who worked on the Heritage Foundation’s “Project 2025” blueprint, which includes a sharp swing away from Biden’s pro-union policies. “Chavez-DeRemer’s record suggests she understands the value of policies that strengthen workers’ rights and economic security,” said Rebecca Dixon, president and CEO of National Employment Law Project, which is backed my many of the country’s major labor unions. “But the Trump administration’s agenda is fundamentally at odds with these principles, threatening to roll back workplace protections, undermine collective bargaining, and prioritize corporate profits over the needs of working people. This is where her true commitment to workers will be tested.” Other union leaders also issued praise, but also sounded a note of caution. “Educators and working families across the nation will be watching ... as she moves through the confirmation process,” the president of the National Education Association, Becky Pringle, said in a statement, “and hope to hear a pledge from her to continue to stand up for workers and students as her record suggests, not blind loyalty to the Project 2025 agenda.” AFL-CIO President Liz Shuler welcomed the choice while taking care to note Trump's history of opposing polices that support unions. "It remains to be seen what she will be permitted to do as secretary of labor in an administration with a dramatically anti-worker agenda,” Shuler said.A major PR and advertising shakeup is looming for several big CE and appliance brands with the tipped acquisition of the Interpublic Group by the Omnicom Group, the move would challenge WPP the owner of Ogilvy & Mather and their Ogilvy PR operations in Australia. According to the Wall street Journal Omnicom is in advanced talks to acquire Interpublic Group a deal that would create the world’s largest advertising company, according to people familiar with the matter, among their clients are Apple, Mastercard, LG Electronics and Panasonic. The all-stock deal is likely to value Interpublic at between $13 billion and $14 billion, excluding debt, some of the people said. Interpublic had a market value of nearly $11 billion as of Friday. At this stage it’s not known whether the deal will lead to job cuts. If the deal is concluded the combined entity would have net revenue of more than A$31 billion, based on their 2023 financials. A transaction could be announced as early as this week, according to insiders. Among the PR agencies that could be impacted by the deal Webber Shandwick and Porter Novelli as well as Fleishman Hillard. The WSJ claim that by combining Omnicom, the world’s third-largest ad company, and Interpublic Group, the fourth-biggest ad company, would topple WPP as the industry’s biggest player. WPP’s net revenue last year was about $15.1 billion. A deal would bring together some of the world’s best-known ad brands under one roof, following decades of consolidation on Madison Avenue. A handful of conglomerates are the power players behind the majority of ads people come across on TV sets, before they can play YouTube clips and on roadside billboards. In addition to producing advertisements, the companies own firms that buy ad space, develop loyalty programs, analyse shopper data, handle crisis communications and tap influencers for marketing campaigns. Omnicom and Interpublic have helped create some of history’s most iconic ads, including “Think Different” for Apple, “Priceless” for Mastercard, “Because I’m Worth It” for L’Oreal and “Got Milk” for the California Milk Processor Board. Omnicom, led by Chief Executive John Wren, includes agencies BBDO, TBWA, Fleishman Hillard, and ad buyer Omnicom Media Group and works for companies including Disney, AT&T and PepsiCo. Interpublic, which CEO Philippe Krakowsky leads, owns agencies such as McCann World group, Weber Shandwick, FCB and ad-buying firm Mediabrands, and has a client roster including L’Oréal, Johnson & Johnson and Geico. Observers claim that merger could help Omnicom and Interpublic become better equipped to deal with an industry increasingly driven by technology, data and artificial intelligence. UKRAINE – 2021/12/20: In this photo illustration, The Interpublic Group of Companies, Inc. logo seen displayed on a smartphone and in the background. (Photo Illustration by Igor Golovniov/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images) Currently the advertising industry is under siege with companies such as Alphabet’s Google and Meta Platforms using AI to drive deeper into advertising and media agencies business models. In Australia several media Companies have also lost traffic this year due to Google and big tech Companies changing algorithms so that they can go after media Company business directly. Research Companies claim that Generative AI threatens to disrupt how agencies get paid and could potentially diminish demand for copywriters, graphic designers and the ad buyers, who decide where to place ads to target the right audiences for CE and appliance Companies. Research firm Forrester said last year that automation could eliminate some 33,000 jobs, or almost 8% of the workforce, at ad agencies by 2030, with various forms of AI being responsible for a significant portion of these losses. Currently Interpublic and WPP are struggling to keep pace with rival Publicis, which adapted faster to the technological shifts that reshaped how brands connect with consumers Publicis list Samsung as one of their clients via Leo Burnett. The Paris-based firm has spent billions on buying data and e-commerce companies. It has also targeted companies that specialize in digital transformation advisory work to better position it against consulting firms with a growing presence in the advertising and marketing business. Interpublic has trailed its rivals, losing business from big clients such as Spotify, and BMW. It most recently lost the bulk of its most lucrative account, Amazon ad buying assignment, which was split between Omnicom and WPP. Krakowsky has been actively shopping Interpublic and parts of the conglomerate for more than a year and talking to a range of parties, including private-equity firms Apollo and KKR, according to people familiar with the talks. The company has also enlisted McKinsey to help with a restructuring and cost-cutting initiative, according to people familiar with the matter. The WSJ claims that a deal between Interpublic and Omnicom would likely face government scrutiny, as the combined company would be a dominating force in the ad-buying space. Global ad spending is expected to top $1.03 trillion, excluding political advertising, according to GroupM, the ad buying arm of WPP.
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