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BOGOTA, Colombia (AP) — 2024 was a brutal year for the Amazon rainforest, with rampant wildfires and extreme drought ravaging large parts of a biome that’s a critical counterweight to climate change. A warming climate fed drought that in turn fed the worst year for fires since 2005. And those fires contributed to deforestation, with authorities suspecting some fires were set to more easily clear land to run cattle. The Amazon is twice the size of India and sprawls across eight countries and one territory, storing vast amounts of carbon dioxide that would otherwise warm the planet. It has about 20% of the world’s fresh water and astounding biodiversity, including 16,000 known tree species. But governments have historically viewed it as an area to be exploited, with little regard for sustainability or the rights of its Indigenous peoples, and experts say exploitation by individuals and organized crime is rising at alarming rates. “The fires and drought experienced in 2024 across the Amazon rainforest could be ominous indicators that we are reaching the long-feared ecological tipping point,” said Andrew Miller, advocacy director at Amazon Watch, an organization that works to protect the rainforest. “Humanity’s window of opportunity to reverse this trend is shrinking, but still open.” There were some bright spots. The level of Amazonian forest loss fell in both Brazil and Colombia. And nations gathered for the annual United Nations conference on biodiversity agreed to give Indigenous peoples more say in nature conservation decisions. “If the Amazon rainforest is to avoid the tipping point, Indigenous people will have been a determinant factor,” Miller said. Wildfires and extreme drought Forest loss in Brazil’s Amazon — home to the largest swath of this rainforest — dropped 30.6% compared to the previous year, the lowest level of destruction in nine years. The improvement under leftist President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva contrasted with deforestation that hit a 15-year high under Lula’s predecessor, far-right leader Jair Bolsonaro, who prioritized agribusiness expansion over forest protection and weakened environmental agencies. In July, Colombia reported historic lows in deforestation in 2023, driven by a drop in environmental destruction. The country’s environment minister Susana Muhamad warned that 2024’s figures may not be as promising as a significant rise in deforestation had already been recorded by July due to dry weather caused by El Nino, a weather phenomenon that warms the central Pacific. Illegal economies continue to drive deforestation in the Andean nation. “It’s impossible to overlook the threat posed by organized crime and the economies they control to Amazon conservation,” said Bram Ebus, a consultant for Crisis Group in Latin America. “Illegal gold mining is expanding rapidly, driven by soaring global prices, and the revenues of illicit economies often surpass state budgets allocated to combat them.” In Brazil, large swaths of the rainforest were draped in smoke in August from fires raging across the Amazon, Cerrado savannah, Pantanal wetland and the state of Sao Paulo. Fires are traditionally used for deforestation and for managing pastures, and those man-made blazes were largely responsible for igniting the wildfires. For a second year, the Amazon River fell to desperate lows , leading some countries to declare a state of emergency and distribute food and water to struggling residents. The situation was most critical in Brazil, where one of the Amazon River’s main tributaries dropped to its lowest level ever recorded. Cesar Ipenza, an environmental lawyer who lives in the heart of the Peruvian Amazon, said he believes people are becoming increasingly aware of the Amazon’s fundamental role “for the survival of society as a whole.” But, like Miller, he worries about a “point of no return of Amazon destruction.” It was the worst year for Amazon fires since 2005, according to nonprofit Rainforest Foundation US. Between January and October, an area larger than the state of Iowa — 37.42 million acres, or about 15.1 million hectares of Brazil’s Amazon — burned. Bolivia had a record number of fires in the first ten months of the year. “Forest fires have become a constant, especially in the summer months and require particular attention from the authorities who don’t how to deal with or respond to them,” Ipenza said. Venezuela, Colombia, Ecuador, and Guyana also saw a surge in fires this year. Indigenous voices and rights made headway in 2024 The United Nations conference on biodiversity — this year known as COP16 — was hosted by Colombia. The meetings put the Amazon in the spotlight and a historic agreement was made to give Indigenous groups more of a voice on nature conservation decisions , a development that builds on a growing movement to recognize Indigenous people’s role in protecting land and combating climate change. Both Ebus and Miller saw promise in the appointment of Martin von Hildebrand as the new secretary general for the Amazon Treaty Cooperation Organization, announced during COP16. “As an expert on Amazon communities, he will need to align governments for joint conservation efforts. If the political will is there, international backers will step forward to finance new strategies to protect the world’s largest tropical rainforest,” Ebus said. Ebus said Amazon countries need to cooperate more, whether in law enforcement, deploying joint emergency teams to combat forest fires, or providing health care in remote Amazon borderlands. But they need help from the wider world, he said. “The well-being of the Amazon is a shared global responsibility, as consumer demand worldwide fuels the trade in commodities that finance violence and environmental destruction,” he said. Next year marks a critical moment for the Amazon, as Belém do Pará in northern Brazil hosts the first United Nations COP in the region that will focus on climate. “Leaders from Amazon countries have a chance to showcase strategies and demand tangible support,” Ebus said. ___ The Associated Press’ climate and environmental coverage receives financial support from multiple private foundations. AP is solely responsible for all content. Find AP’s standards for working with philanthropies, a list of supporters and funded coverage areas at AP.org .A Universal SubjectFormer President Jimmy Carter, the God-fearing Georgia peanut farmer who survived a disastrous one-term White House stay to launch a second career as a Nobel Prize-winning advocate for global human rights, died Sunday at 100. Carter went into at home on Feb. 18 after a short series of hospital stays, the Carter Center charity organization said at the time. The ex-commander-in-chief opted to spend his final days with family rather than seek any additional medical intervention. His son Chip confirmed , to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. His wife of 74 years, Rosalynn Carter, preceded him in death on Nov. 19, 2023. The 39th president was in attendance at her memorial service Nov. 28, where, seated in a wheelchair with a blanket over his lap, he appeared frail and was unable to speak, according to family. His daughter Amy delivered remarks on his behalf at the service. Carter, a Democrat, than any other U.S. president, in 2019 when he reached 94 years and 172 days old. Relegated to the historical sidelines after a four-year presidency mired in malaise, Carter rebounded to write 32 books, build houses for the poor, stand up to tyranny abroad and capture the coveted Nobel Peace Prize in 2002. Carter took office in 1977. With his victory over incumbent Gerald Ford, he aimed to restore faith in America and its government after the nightmare of Watergate forced President Nixon to resign in disgrace. But his own term was plagued by rampant inflation, long gas lines, wars in Afghanistan and Nicaragua, and a 444-day hostage crisis in Iran — the latter low-lighted by an embarrassingly failed rescue attempt. Carter’s bid for reelection was crushed by Republican Ronald Reagan, sending the former commander in chief back to Georgia a beaten man, deeply unpopular and seemingly destined for obscurity. Carter instead grabbed a hammer, climbed a ladder and built houses for the poor with Habitat for Humanity. He boarded planes to monitor elections abroad and broker peace deals. And he returned to his church in Plains, Ga., to teach Sunday school. “I have one life and one chance to make it count for something,” Carter told his biographer, Jim Wooten, in 1995. “My faith demands that I do whatever I can, wherever I am, whenever I can, for as long as I can, with whatever I have, to try to make a difference. “Most of the time, believe it or not, I enjoy myself.” James Earl Carter, Jr. was the first American president born in a hospital — Wise Sanitarium in tiny Plains, Ga., where his mother worked as a nurse. He was raised without electricity or plumbing on his family’s nearby peanut farm. The backwoods town of 600 residents would remain Carter’s beloved and modest home for the rest of his life. His father Earl was an enthusiastic segregationist. But his mother, known to all as Miss Lillian, made a point of caring for poor Black women while cheering on Black boxer Joe Louis and baseball’s color-line defying Jackie Robinson of the Brooklyn Dodgers. Carter joined the Navy in 1943 to see the world and did so well at Annapolis that he earned a place in the new, elite nuclear submarine program. Nine years later, Carter helped build the reactor for the first nuclear sub and did graduate work in nuclear physics at Union College. The following year, he went home to save the ailing family farm, and with new bride Rosalynn, welcomed three sons and a daughter. He became a deacon at Plains Baptist Church, served on civic boards and in the Georgia state senate. Carter won the Georgia governorship in 1970, at least in part by cozying up to segregationists, who were then furious when he declared the time for racial discrimination was over. Carter soon began outlining the remarkable national campaign that propelled “Jimmy Who?” past a half-dozen high-profile Democrats to the party’s presidential nomination. He stressed his honesty, sincerity, Christianity and outsider status — the perfect panacea for voters in the aftermath of Watergate and Vietnam. Despite some gaffes — he nearly blew a 30-point lead after infamously confessing to Playboy that he had “lusted in my heart” after other women — Carter vanquished Ford in the bicentennial year of 1976. He tried from the start to return humility to the White House. Carter walked the inaugural parade route rather than ride in a limo, banned the playing of “Hail to the Chief,” carried his own luggage and personally kept the schedule for the White House tennis court. But his outsider status didn’t play well on Capitol Hill, where Democratic party leaders regarded him as sanctimonious and balked at his agenda. His younger brother, Billy, who hawked Billy Beer and got drunk in public, didn’t help when he cozied up to Libyan officials and collected $220,000 from the nation’s government. A bizarre attack by a rabid swimming rabbit during a fishing trip added to Carter’s hapless image. His big foreign policy achievement — personally brokering the 1978 Camp David peace treaty between Israel and Egypt — failed to save him. Though he never actually said the word, a malaise settled over his White House. In 1980, voters overwhelmingly chose Reagan’s sunny optimism over Carter’s gloomy warnings about cutting back and conserving. He lost 44 states in the general election. The undaunted political has-been went on to found The Carter Center, which pioneered election monitoring and sent watchdogs to 81 elections in 33 countries. Carter personally traveled on peace missions to Haiti, Bosnia, Ethiopia, North Korea, Sudan, Nepal and Colombia. Though criticized for talking to despots, dictators and tyrants, his rebuttal was always simple: “I’ll talk with anybody who wants to talk about peace.” Carter insisted his presidency was more successful than people remember, noting recently that the United States military never launched a missile or dropped a bomb under his watch. Carter announced in August 2015 that he had cancer after having surgery to remove a small mass from his liver. Though the cancer spread to his liver and brain, the battled-toughened old politician pulled through. He was survived by his three sons, Jack, Chip and Jeff; a daughter, Amy; and 11 grandchildren, including one who captured grandfather’s old seat in the Georgia state senate. _____ubaguio ams 。

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Some quotations from Jimmy Carter . We have a tendency to exalt ourselves and to dwell on the weaknesses and mistakes of others. I have come to realize that in every person there is something fine and pure and noble, along with a desire for self-fulfillment. Political and religious leaders must attempt to provide a society within which these human attributes can be nurtured and enhanced. — from 1975 book “Why Not the Best?” Our government can express the highest common ideals of human beings — if we demand of government true standards of excellence. At this Bicentennial time of introspection and concern, we must demand such standards. — “Why Not the Best?” I am a Southerner and an American, I am a farmer, an engineer, a father and husband, a Christian, a politician and former governor, a planner, a businessman, a nuclear physicist, a naval officer, a canoeist, and among other things a lover of Bob Dylan’s songs and Dylan Thomas’s poetry. — “Why Not the Best?” Christ said, “I tell you that anyone who looks on a woman with lust has in his heart already committed adultery.” I’ve looked on a lot of women with lust. I’ve committed adultery in my heart many times. This is something that God recognizes I will do — and I have done it — and God forgives me for it. But that doesn’t mean that I condemn someone who not only looks on a woman with lust but who leaves his wife and shacks up with somebody out of wedlock. — Interview, November 1976 Playboy. This inauguration ceremony marks a new beginning, a new dedication within our Government, and a new spirit among us all. A President may sense and proclaim that new spirit, but only a people can provide it. — Inaugural address, January 1977. It’s clear that the true problems of our nation are much deeper — deeper than gasoline lines or energy shortages, deeper even than inflation and recession. ... All the legislation in the world can’t fix what’s wrong with America. ... It is a crisis of confidence. — So-called “malaise” speech, July 1979. But we know that democracy is always an unfinished creation. Each generation must renew its foundations. Each generation must rediscover the meaning of this hallowed vision in the light of its own modern challenges. For this generation, ours, life is nuclear survival; liberty is human rights; the pursuit of happiness is a planet whose resources are devoted to the physical and spiritual nourishment of its inhabitants. — Farewell Address, January 1981. We appreciate the past. We are grateful for the present and we’re looking forward to the future with great anticipation and commitment. — October 1986, at the dedication of the Carter Presidential Library and Museum. War may sometimes be a necessary evil. But no matter how necessary, it is always an evil, never a good. We will not learn to live together in peace by killing each other’s children. — December 2002, Nobel Peace Prize acceptance speech. Fundamentalists have become increasingly influential in both religion and government, and have managed to change the nuances and subtleties of historic debate into black-and-white rigidities and the personal derogation of those who dare to disagree. ... The influence of these various trends poses a threat to many of our nation’s historic customs and moral commitments, both in government and in houses of worship. — From 2005 book “Our Endangered Values.” I think that this breakthrough by Barack Obama has been remarkable. When he made his speech (on race) a few months ago in Philadelphia, I wept. I sat in front of the television and cried, because I saw that as the most enlightening and transforming analysis of racism and a potential end of it that I ever saw in my life. — August 2008, commenting on then-Sen. Barack Obama’s candidacy. I think it’s based on racism. There is an inherent feeling among many in this country that an African-American should not be president. ... No matter who he is or how much we disagree with his policies, the president should be treated with respect. — September 2009, reacting to Rep. Joe Wilson’s shout of “You lie!” during a speech to Congress by President Barack Obama. I’m still determined to outlive the last guinea worm. — 2010, on The Carter Center’s work to eradicate guinea worm disease. You know how much I raised to run against Gerald Ford? Zero. You know how much I raised to run against Ronald Reagan? Zero. You know how much will be raised this year by all presidential, Senate and House campaigns? $6 billion. That’s 6,000 millions. — September 2012, reacting to the 2010 “Citizens United” U.S. Supreme Court decision permitting unlimited third-party political spending. I have become convinced that the most serious and unaddressed worldwide challenge is the deprivation and abuse of women and girls, largely caused by a false interpretation of carefully selected religious texts and a growing tolerance of violence and warfare, unfortunately following the example set during my lifetime by the United States. — From 2014 book “A Call to Action.” I don’t think there’s any doubt now that the NSA or other agencies monitor or record almost every telephone call made in the United States, including cellphones, and I presume email as well. We’ve gone a long way down the road of violating Americans’ basic civil rights, as far as privacy is concerned. — March 2014, commenting on U.S. intelligence monitoring after the Sept. 11, 2001, terror attacks We accept self-congratulations about the wonderful 50th anniversary - which is wonderful - but we feel like Lyndon Johnson did it and we don’t have to do anything anymore. — April 2014, commenting on racial inequality during a celebration of the Civil Rights Act’s 40th anniversary. I had a very challenging question at Emory (University) the other night: “How would you describe the United States of America today in one word?” And I didn’t know what to say for a few moments, but I finally said, “Searching.” I think the country in which we live is still searching for what it ought to be, and what it can be, and I’m not sure we’re making much progress right at this moment. — October 2014 during a celebration of his 90th birthday. The life we have now is the best of all. We have an expanding and harmonious family, a rich life in our church and the Plains community, and a diversity of projects at The Carter Center that is adventurous and exciting. Rosalynn and I have visited more than 145 countries, and both of us are as active as we have ever been. We are blessed with good health and look to the future with eagerness and confidence, but are prepared for inevitable adversity when it comes. — From 2015 book, “A Full Life.”

Brock Purdy participated in the start of Thursday's practice with the 49ers but the San Francisco starting quarterback was not on the field for the majority of the workout, casting doubt over his availability to play Sunday at Green Bay. Purdy is dealing with a right shoulder injury and the 49ers are also potentially without left tackle Trent Williams and Nick Bosa due to injuries. Bosa was listed as out of Thursday's practice with an oblique injury. Williams also didn't suit up Thursday. He played through an ankle injury last week after being listed as questionable. Purdy's typical Thursday post-practice media session was scrapped until Friday as the 49ers did not make any quarterback available. Kyle Allen would step in for Purdy as the starter if he can't play against the Packers. Run game coordinator Chris Foerster said the 49ers aren't where they want to be at 5-5 because they haven't won close games, not because of injuries. "Seven games left is like an eternity," Foerster said. "So much can happen. Do the math. What was our record last year? It was 12-5. I was on a 13-win team that was nowhere near as good as the team last year." With or without Purdy, Foerster said the challenge for the 49ers is not to give up the ball to a defense that has 19 takeaways. The 49ers have 13 giveaways this season. --Field Level MediaPython continues to dominate the programming world, having a considerable market share of 28%. Its simplicity, flexibility, and powerful capabilities make it no wonder that Python has become the go-to language for developers across the globe. From building complex web applications to creating scalable APIs, Python's frameworks have made it easier than ever to build robust systems in less time. In 2025, lightweight Python frameworks would be just the start and how developers would approach application development would be much lighter, and streamlined for less functionality. A Python framework is a base for software development, offering pre-built components and tools that make it easier to create applications. Developers do not need to begin from scratch. They can use these frameworks to manage common tasks like database management, routing, and authentication. This does not only speed up the development process but also guarantees consistency, security, and scalability. Using frameworks reduces code errors, and redundant coding, and increases overall efficiency, which are essential in today's fast-paced development environment. Time-Consumption: Frameworks hasten development as they handle repetitive tasks and give developers more space to focus on the integral components. Organized Structure: They enhance code organization and manageability making it easier for teams and teams to collaborate and maintain it. Enhanced Security: Good frameworks come with basic security features that protect the most common vulnerabilities. Community Support: Open-source Python frameworks have big communities that provide access to resources, troubleshooting, and best practices. The Best Lightweight Python Frameworks for 2025 Lightweight frameworks are the best for those who want a minimalist approach in the ever-changing Python ecosystem. They are best suited for developers who want to create simple, fast, and efficient applications without bloat. Here are some of the most popular lightweight Python frameworks to watch in 2025: Flask is one of the most popular microframeworks in the Python world. It is really simple and also has the flexibility to build web applications with very minimal overhead on it. It has the bare essentials but lets developers make it ideal for small-scale applications or API development or when total control over components is necessary. Minimalistic: Offers only the bare essentials, leaving everything else up to the developer. Flexible: It plays well with other libraries and tools. Extensible: There are a lot of community-built extensions that can add new functionality as needed. Flask is one of the best choices for web developers when the project requires flexibility and scalability. FastAPI is another star in the Python landscape. This is built with performance as its primary focus to build APIs efficiently. It utilizes Python-type hints to offer automatic data validation. Its asynchronous capabilities make it highly proficient in handling a great amount of requests, hence being ideal for modern web applications. Fast Performance: It is built for speed and supports asynchronous programming for handling multiple requests at once. Automatic Documentation: It automatically generates interactive documentation for APIs, saving much time spent on doing the manual documentation. Type Hints: Type hints of Python make the code much clearer and aids debugging. FastAPI is specially chosen to develop high-performance applications, APIs, and services that require environments of speed and scalability. Dash is one of the most powerful frameworks for creating analytical web applications, particularly in the areas of data science and engineering. Developers can build interactive dashboards and visualize complex data sets using Dash. This framework makes it extremely easy to build applications integrating real-time data. Interactive Dashboards: Best suited for real-time data visualizations. Data Science Libraries Integration: Seamlessly integrates with tools like Pandas and Plotly. Customization: Enables developers to develop application-based products based on individual needs. Dash is among the favorite options of data scientists, analysts, and engineers in the area of building interactive applications around the data, minimizing the overheads. Bottle is a micro framework perfect for small web applications or rapid prototyping. Bottle is a one-file framework, which does not require external libraries, therefore making it very efficient on small projects. Though Bottle is minimal, it's full of many features like templating and routing with support for many databases. Single-File: everything in one file; thus, easy setup and management. Routing and Templating: Extremely simple yet powerful features to develop small applications. WSGI-Compatible: Works easily with standard web servers. Bottle is a perfect option for developing lightweight web apps that do not rely heavily on lots of external dependencies. CherryPy is a minimalist Python framework that allows building web applications as simple as possible. It is fast and efficient, with a clean and easy-to-understand API. It is, therefore, ideal for developers looking for no-frills, straightforward approaches to building web applications. Simple API: The product is built to be as simple and easy to use as possible. Fast: Known for its speed, it is efficient in its handling of requests. Extensible: This can be extended with the use of plugins for even more functionalities. CherryPy is ideal for developers who are looking forward to the execution of programs without as much complexity as possible with their projects. Starlette is a light ASGI web application building framework. In the performance aspects, this can serve very well for high-performance applications. All components required in developing an API and general web application can be supplied, leaving space for all customized implementations as needed. ASGI-Based: Supports asynchronous programming to handle multiple tasks concurrently. Fast: Optimized for speed and performance. Low weight: Provides only that which is needed without much overhead. Starlette has been highly recommended to developers, mainly focusing on speed and scale. Tornado is one of the non-blocking, multithreaded web servers and it is a framework designed basically for real-time applications and is built for handling long-lived connections, especially for real-time applications, which require constant communication between clients and servers. Non-Blocking I/O: Handles many connections simultaneously without delays. Real-Time Communication: Ideal for real-time web applications. WebSocket Support: Enables two-way communication between client and server. Tornado is a reliable framework for developers looking to build applications that require real-time features. Lightweight frameworks reduce overhead while keeping functionality. They are good for developers who want to produce clean, efficient, and scalable applications. Focusing on core essentials, such frameworks allow flexibility in design and implementation. It still continues to lead in the programming world, having its ease of use and flexibility. Industry reports suggest that it occupies 28% market share and is favored by 51% of developers for it. Its frameworks also simplify the integration of technologies such as AI and IoT. This makes Python the number one technology in the world of software development. Choosing the right lightweight Python framework in 2025 will depend on the needs of your project. It might be Flask for flexibility, FastAPI for speed, Dash for data-driven applications, or Tornado for real-time functionality. Each of these frameworks offers a different option that caters to a wide range of development requirements. These frameworks help developers in their workflow, creating high-quality applications, and increasing productivity. Python still attracts many modern-day developers in its simplicity with a powerful toolset that assures continued popularity and growth into the future. For a small-scale project, both Bottle and Flask are easy to use. Dash for data-centric applications, FastAPI for API, and CherryPy for varied applications as a middle ground between speed and simplicity. Lightweight Python frameworks make an excellent base for the building of robust applications in 2025. The right choice can save time and improve performance while creating innovative solutions to answer modern demands.

Drought, fires and deforestation battered Amazon rainforest in 2024

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, during his meeting with Kuwaiti counterpart, Mohammed Sabah Al-Salem Al-Sabah, held discussions regarding deepening of economic cooperation between the two nations, the Ministry of External Affairs said on Sunday. MEA Secretary, CPV and OIA, Arun Kumar Chatterjee in a press briefing, elaborated on the details of Prime Minister's visit to Kuwait, the first by an Indian PM to the Gulf nation in 43 years. "Narendra Modi arrived in Kuwait on the morning of December 21, that is yesterday. This is the first visit by an Indian Prime Minister to Kuwait in 43 years. At the airport, the Prime Minister was received by at the airport, PM Modi was received by Fahad Yusuf Al-Sabah, the first Deputy PM, Minister of Defence, and Minister of Interior of Kuwait and also the Minister of Foreign Minister and other senior officials. Upon his arrival at the hotel, he was warmly welcomed by the Indian diaspora in Kuwait and their numbers are around 200," Mr Chatterjee said. Mr Chatterjee said that PM Modi was awarded 'The Order of Mubarak Al Kabeer' by Amir of Kuwait, Sheikh Meshal Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al Sabah on Sunday. "Today morning, Prime Minister was given a ceremonial welcome at the Bayan Palace and a Guard of honor accorded to him. He called on the Amir of Kuwait thereafter, Sheikh Meshal Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al Sabah. This was the first meeting between the two leaders," he said. The Amir and PM Modi recalled strong historical ties between India and Kuwait during their bilateral meeting. PM Modi also congratulated the Amir for smoothly conducting the GCC Summit earlier this month. "They recalled the strong historical and friendly ties between India and Kuwait and reaffirmed their full commitment to further expanding and deepening the bilateral cooperation. In this context, they agreed to elevate the bilateral relationship to a strategic partnership. Prime Minister thanked His Highness, the Amir for ensuring the well-being of over 1 million strong Indian Community in Kuwait. His Highness the Amir also expressed appreciation for the contribution of the large and vibrant Indian Community in Kuwait's development. Prime minister also congratulated His Highness the Amir for successful holding of the GCC Summit earlier this month," he said. PM Modi said he accepted the Kuwaiti Highest Award on the behalf of all Indians. "His Highness the Amir conferred the Order of Mubarak Al Kabeer on the Prime Minister of India. This is the highest Award of the state of Kuwait. The Honorable Prime Minister thanked the Amir for this gesture and conveyed that he was accepting this award on behalf of 1.4 billion Indians. Prime Minister today met His Highness Sheikh Sabah Al-Khaled Al-Hamad Al-Mubarak Al-Sabah, the Crown Prince of the state of Kuwait. Prime Minister had earlier met the Crown Prince on the margins of the United Nations General Assembly session in September this year. The leaders acknowledged that the bilateral relations were progressing well and welcomed their elevation to a strategic partnership. The Prime Minister also expressed confidence that the India-GCC relations will be further strengthened under the presidency of Kuwait," he said. PM Modi held delegation-level talks with Kuwaiti PM, during which the two discussed ways to strengthen India-Kuwait's strategic partnership. "Prime Minister Modi held delegation-level talks with His Highness Mohammed Sabah Al-Salem Al-Sabah, the Prime Minister of the state of Kuwait. The two leaders discussed a road map to strengthen the strategic partnership in areas including political, trade, investments, energy, defense, security, health, education technology, cultural, and people-to people ties. They emphasized on deepening the economic cooperation between the two countries. They welcomed the recent signing of the joint commission for cooperation under which new joint working groups in areas of trade, investment, education, technology, agriculture, security and culture have been set up in addition to the existing joint working groups on health manpower and hydrocarbons. The Prime Minister also attended a banquet lunch hosted in his honor by His Highness the Crown Prince of Kuwait," he said. Mr Chatterjee said that PM Modi was the Guest of Honour at the opening ceremony of the 26th Arabian Gulf Cup. He also went to a labout camp and met 1,500 Indian nationals who worked there, which showed the importance India attached to its workers abroad. "Yesterday in the evening the Prime Minister of India was the guest of honor at the opening ceremony of the 26th Arabian Gulf Cup which is being hosted by Kuwait. He joined His Highness the Amir the Crown Prince and the Prime Minister of Kuwait in this opening ceremony. "Earlier after arrival the one of the first engagements of the Prime Minister was a visit to a labor camp in Mina Abdullah area of Kuwait which has a Workforce of around 1,500 Indian nationals. The Prime Minister interacted with a cross-section of Indian workers from different states of India and inquired about their well-being. The visit to the labor camp displays the importance attached by the Prime Minister personally and the government of India to the welfare of Indian workers abroad. Thereafter yesterday evening the Prime Minister also addressed a gathering of the Indian Community at a special event titled Hala Modi at the Sheikh Sad Abdullah Indoor Sports Complex in Kuwait City. Around 4,500 Indian Nationals representing a cross-section of the Indian Community in Kuwait attended the event. The Prime Minister was warmly welcomed by the community once again and with full enthusiasm they all participated in the event yesterday," he said. Prime Minister Modi also lauded the role of Indian diaspora in Kuwait have enriched the relations between two copies. "Addressing the Gathering the Prime Minister noted that the India Kuwait relationship is profoundly enriched by the Indian Community, which plays a pivotal role in fostering ties between the two Nations," he said. (Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

David Cameron has become the first former prime minister to come out in support of the assisted dying bill. The former Tory leader has written a piece in The Times explaining his decision, and saying that in the past he opposed moves to introduce measures allowing terminally ill people to end their own life. Lord Cameron of Chipping Norton wrote: "My main concern and reason for not supporting proposals before now has always been the worry that vulnerable people could be pressured into hastening their own deaths." However, he says he has now been reassured by those arguing in favour of the Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill. Labour MP Kim Leadbeater will put the bill forward for a vote in the House of Commons on Friday. Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player "As campaigners have convincingly argued, this proposal is not about ending life, it is about shortening death," Lord Cameron wrote in The Times . His intervention comes after Gordon Brown , Theresa May, Boris Johnson and Liz Truss all came out in opposition to the bill. None of Sir John Major, Sir Tony Blair or Rishi Sunak have made their positions public. In his article, Lord Cameron says he asked four questions before reaching his conclusion - whether there are sufficient safeguards to protect vulnerable people, whether this is a "slippery slope", whether it would put unnecessary pressure on the NHS and will the proposed law lead to a meaningful reduction in human suffering? On the first point, Lord Cameron says protections like two doctors needing to give approval as well as a judge, alongside the requirement of self-administration of the fatal drugs, are enough. He also highlights the criminalisation of coercing someone to end their own life. Follow our channel and never miss an update On whether the bill is a "slippery slope" - as Justice Secretary Shabana Mahmood claimed - he says such an argument can be made for any social change. The former prime minister writes that the bill is in "a sensible and practical resting place for public policy in this area", and is explicitly only for the terminally ill, rather than those with mental illnesses and disabilities. Read more: What is in the assisted dying legislation? Lawyer says Canada's assisted dying has gone too far Chief political correspondent Former prime ministers David Cameron and Gordon Brown both lost a child in tragic circumstances. But they've now come to a different conclusion about assisted dying. Lord Cameron lost son Ivan, aged six, who was severely disabled and suffered from epilepsy and cerebral palsy, in February 2009. Mr Brown, the then prime minister, cancelled PMQs out of respect. When assisted dying was last debated in the Commons in 2015 - when he was prime minister - Mr Cameron voted against it. But now, in a major and potentially influential intervention, he's changed his mind. "When we know that there's no cure, when we know death is imminent, when patients enter a final and acute period of agony, then surely, if they can prevent it and – crucially - want to prevent it, we should let them make that choice," Lord Cameron writes in The Times. But the former premier is in a minority of Conservatives who back the bill and most senior Tory MPs, including Kemi Badenoch, Priti Patel and former leader Sir Iain Duncan Smith, are opposed. Lord Cameron is also the first of all the UK's living former prime ministers to back Kim Leadbeater's controversial bill, which is being debated in the Commons on Friday. This week three former Conservative PMs – Theresa May, Boris Johnson and Liz Truss – let it be known that they oppose the bill. Baroness May, like Lord Cameron, will have a vote if the bill reaches the Lords. Mr Brown's daughter Jennifer, born seven weeks prematurely weighing 2lb 4oz, died after just 11 days in January 2002 following a brain haemorrhage on day four of her short life. A son of the manse who was strongly influenced by his father, a Church of Scotland minister, Mr Brown says the tragedy convinced him of the value and imperative of good end-of-life care, not the case for assisted dying. On whether it put undue pressure on the NHS, Lord Cameron dismisses the argument. "It's not just that the bill would be applicable in only a very small number of cases, it is that the NHS exists to serve patients and the public, not the other way around," he writes. On the fourth point - whether it will reduce human suffering - the former prime minister says: "I find it very hard to argue that the answer to this question is anything other than 'yes'." 👉 Listen to Sky News Daily on your podcast app 👈 Be the first to get Breaking News Install the Sky News app for free Lord Cameron adds that, as a member of the House of Lords, he gets letters from terminally ill patients and that poses questions. He wrote: "When we know that there's no cure, when we know death is imminent, when patients enter a final and acute period of agony, then surely, if they can prevent it and - crucially - want to prevent it, we should let them make that choice. "It's right that MPs are having a free vote on this issue - and our tradition of free votes on such moral issues should be maintained. "The fact it is a free vote gives legislators the chance to think afresh and, if the evidence convinces them, to change their mind. That's what I have done. And, if this bill makes it to the House of Lords, I will be voting for it."Trump wants pardoned real estate developer Charles Kushner to be ambassador to France

Trump wants pardoned real estate developer Charles Kushner to be ambassador to FranceTONDO – The Tondo fire victims receive a lifeline as the government distributes ₱21 million in aid to support their recovery and rebuilding efforts. Residents displaced by a devastating fire in Tondo, Manila, can expect to return to their homes by Christmas, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. promised during a relief distribution event. The President handed out ₱21 million in financial aid and essential relief items to victims of the November 24 fire that razed the homes of 2,114 families or approximately 6,957 individuals in Isla Puting Bato. Speaking at the Rosauro Almario Elementary School, Marcos vowed to fulfill his commitment, saying, “I promised one of our companions in the evacuation center: if we fail to bring you home by Christmas, I would come here and have a party, we will be happy and we will have a merry Christmas together.” The visit coincided with the 161st birth anniversary of Andres Bonifacio, a national hero born in Tondo. To address the immediate needs of the fire victims, each displaced family head received ₱10,000 in cash aid and food packs through the Department of Social Welfare and Development’s (DSWD) Assistance to Individuals in Crisis Situation program. Blankets and sleeping mats were also provided by the Office of the President. The government’s response extends beyond financial assistance. The Department of Health has deployed medical teams to evacuation centers to provide health services, ensuring the well-being of affected residents. Some of the fire victims are currently housed at the Delpan evacuation center in Barangay 29, where President Marcos personally interacted with evacuees before distributing the aid. The President’s commitment underscores the government’s effort to assist disaster-stricken communities and ensure that displaced families can rebuild their lives promptly. As Christmas approaches, the hope of returning home brings a glimmer of optimism to those affected by the tragedy. Marcos’ visit and aid distribution emphasize the administration’s commitment to addressing the needs of those in crisis, promising not just immediate relief but also long-term recovery and a sense of normalcy for the displaced families in Tondo. READ ALSO: Carol Batay – From “Conservative Pharmacist ng Tondo” To Chinese Interpreter At POGO Hearings

Travelzoo ( NASDAQ:TZOO – Get Free Report ) was the recipient of a significant decrease in short interest in December. As of December 15th, there was short interest totalling 150,400 shares, a decrease of 21.2% from the November 30th total of 190,900 shares. Based on an average daily volume of 133,500 shares, the short-interest ratio is presently 1.1 days. Currently, 2.1% of the shares of the stock are short sold. Travelzoo Price Performance Travelzoo stock opened at $19.72 on Friday. The stock has a market cap of $232.77 million, a price-to-earnings ratio of 18.43 and a beta of 1.71. The firm has a 50-day moving average of $18.64 and a two-hundred day moving average of $13.40. Travelzoo has a 1 year low of $7.12 and a 1 year high of $22.44. Travelzoo ( NASDAQ:TZOO – Get Free Report ) last announced its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, October 23rd. The information services provider reported $0.26 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating analysts’ consensus estimates of $0.20 by $0.06. The firm had revenue of $20.10 million during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $21.15 million. Travelzoo had a return on equity of 210.54% and a net margin of 16.67%. During the same quarter in the previous year, the business earned $0.16 earnings per share. Research analysts expect that Travelzoo will post 1.09 earnings per share for the current year. Insider Transactions at Travelzoo In related news, CEO Holger Bartel sold 23,057 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, December 20th. The stock was sold at an average price of $19.73, for a total transaction of $454,914.61. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief executive officer now directly owns 4,000 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $78,920. This represents a 85.22 % decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through this link . Also, major shareholder Azzurro Capital Inc sold 10,000 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Wednesday, October 23rd. The shares were sold at an average price of $15.02, for a total value of $150,200.00. Following the transaction, the insider now owns 4,837,696 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $72,662,193.92. This represents a 0.21 % decrease in their ownership of the stock. The disclosure for this sale can be found here . Insiders sold a total of 265,557 shares of company stock valued at $4,672,865 over the last three months. Corporate insiders own 47.00% of the company’s stock. Institutional Trading of Travelzoo Several institutional investors and hedge funds have recently made changes to their positions in the company. Hennion & Walsh Asset Management Inc. increased its position in Travelzoo by 169.5% during the 3rd quarter. Hennion & Walsh Asset Management Inc. now owns 127,186 shares of the information services provider’s stock valued at $1,533,000 after purchasing an additional 79,990 shares during the period. ClariVest Asset Management LLC boosted its stake in shares of Travelzoo by 2.9% during the second quarter. ClariVest Asset Management LLC now owns 97,730 shares of the information services provider’s stock valued at $742,000 after purchasing an additional 2,732 shares in the last quarter. Geode Capital Management LLC boosted its stake in shares of Travelzoo by 10.6% during the third quarter. Geode Capital Management LLC now owns 82,241 shares of the information services provider’s stock valued at $991,000 after purchasing an additional 7,857 shares in the last quarter. Ritholtz Wealth Management increased its holdings in Travelzoo by 217.4% during the third quarter. Ritholtz Wealth Management now owns 34,453 shares of the information services provider’s stock valued at $415,000 after buying an additional 23,599 shares during the period. Finally, XTX Topco Ltd raised its stake in Travelzoo by 103.5% in the third quarter. XTX Topco Ltd now owns 25,274 shares of the information services provider’s stock worth $305,000 after buying an additional 12,854 shares in the last quarter. 27.39% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors. Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth Several research firms have commented on TZOO. StockNews.com lowered shares of Travelzoo from a “strong-buy” rating to a “buy” rating in a research note on Friday, November 1st. Barrington Research lifted their price target on shares of Travelzoo from $12.00 to $15.00 and gave the stock an “outperform” rating in a research note on Tuesday, October 22nd. Ascendiant Capital Markets increased their price objective on shares of Travelzoo from $18.00 to $23.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a research report on Monday, November 11th. Finally, Litchfield Hills Research initiated coverage on Travelzoo in a research report on Wednesday, September 4th. They set a “buy” rating and a $35.00 target price for the company. View Our Latest Analysis on Travelzoo About Travelzoo ( Get Free Report ) Travelzoo, together with its subsidiaries, operates as an Internet media company that provides travel, entertainment, and local experiences worldwide. It operates in four segments: Travelzoo North America, Travelzoo Europe, Jack's Flight Club, and New Initiatives. The company offers Travelzoo website, Travelzoo Top 20 email newsletters, Standalone email newsletters, Travelzoo Network, Travelzoo mobile applications, Jack's Flight Club website, Jack's Flight Club mobile applications, and Jack's Flight Club newsletters. Featured Stories Receive News & Ratings for Travelzoo Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Travelzoo and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter .CRA International, Inc. (NASDAQ:CRAI) Short Interest Update

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