Critics of the alleged secret advertising deal have raised concerns about the potential impact on smaller competitors in the online advertising space. If Google and Meta are able to leverage their combined power to dominate the market, it could stifle innovation and limit consumer choice, ultimately leading to higher advertising costs for businesses.
South Korea lifts president's martial law decree after lawmakers vote against it SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol’s government has lifted the martial law he imposed during a tense night of political drama in which troops surrounded parliament and lawmakers voted to reject military rule. Yoon said early Wednesday that his government withdrew military personnel following a bipartisan parliamentary vote rejecting martial law, and the measure was formally lifted during a Cabinet meeting around 4:30 a.m. Yoon declared martial law late Tuesday, vowing to eliminate “anti-state” forces as he struggles against an opposition that controls the country’s parliament and that he accuses of sympathizing with communist North Korea. Less than three hours later, parliament voted to lift the declaration. Javascript is required for you to be able to read premium content. Please enable it in your browser settings. Get any of our free email newsletters — news headlines, obituaries, sports, and more.The news of Guardiola's fatigue has sent shockwaves through the footballing world, with many speculating about the impact it could have on Manchester City's title defense. Guardiola's meticulous planning, tactical acumen, and ability to inspire his players have been key factors in City's dominance in recent years, and his potential burnout raises questions about the sustainability of success in today's hyper-competitive football landscape.In addition to its engaging gameplay mechanics, "PIONER" also boasts a robust character customization system that allows players to create their own unique avatars. From choosing their character's appearance to customizing their skills and abilities, players will have complete control over their in-game persona. With a wide range of options to choose from, players can truly make their mark on the world of "PIONER."
THE holiday season is in full swing and that means major retailers such as Target will be impacted by an upcoming retail blackout. The chain of 1,963 locations will shut down for the entire day in just weeks - but Walmart won't be an alternative. Black Friday and Cyber Monday have passed, but the holiday shopping season is far from over. As Americans race to cross all the gifts off their shopping lists, they will need to keep in mind an upcoming retail blackout. Target , like many other shopping destinations, will shut its doors for 24 hours on Christmas Day . Those hoping to hit the aisles for some last-minute shopping will need to plan ahead, as the retail giant will be off-limits on the holiday to provide its employees with time off. Read More on Christmas The only other holiday Target closes nationwide for is Thanksgiving . Although the company will be closed on Christmas, customers can still shop 24/7 on the Target app and website for order pickup or delivery after the holiday. Target shoppers can also stock up on Christmas gifts on Christmas Eve when stores will open from 7 AM until 8 PM. Holiday shoppers can also take advantage of the retailer's extended holiday hours. Most read in Money All Target locations will be open from 7 AM to midnight local time from November 30 through December 23. The company even opened more team-member-supported checkout lanes to speed up the anticipated millions of transactions during the holiday season. SEASONAL SHUTDOWN Target will be accompanied by a long list of retailers and grocery stores to close on Christmas Day. For example, huge corporations such as Walmart, Home Depot, Big Lots, Burlington, Macy's, and Kohl's will close their doors on December 25. Many grocers will similarly be closed, such as Costco, Sam's Club, Trader Joe's, Winn Dixie, and Publix. Albertsons ALDI Big Lots Burlington Costco Dollar General Family Dollar/Dollar Tree JCPenny Kohl's Kroger Lowe's Macy's Michaels Publix Rite Aid Sam’s Club ShopRite Stop & Shop Trader Joe's The Home Depot Target Walmart Wegman's Whole Foods Winn-Dixie Shoppers hoping to make last-minute purchases are in luck, however, as a few stores will be open on Christmas. Walgreens, Starbucks, Cumberland Farms, Duane Reade, Wawa, and Casey's General Store will be accessible on the holiday. Shoppers can also expect stores such as Bravo Supermarkets, QuickChek, 7-Eleven, CVS, Safeway, Giant, and Circle K to remain open on Christmas. Christmas hours will vary by retailer and location, so be sure to check with your local store to confirm. With Christmas shopping in full swing, many retailers are hosting irresistible deals . Read More on The US Sun Kroger is launching 12 days of deals to give shoppers a new daily discount. Plus, savvy shoppers can score classic Christmas cookies from Dollar Tree for just $1.25 – they're identical to Walmart but 85% cheaper.Basketball season is here. Subscribe to the DRC for $1 a month over the next six months to follow all that transpires with North Texas and area high schools. North Texas coach Eric Morris left little doubt when it came to his feelings about the strength of the American Athletic Conference earlier this year as the Mean Green prepared to open league play. The conference’s schools had just publicly pledged to stay together after the Pac-12 expressed interest in grabbing some of the AAC’s programs. Eric Morris “We’re in a great spot,” Morris at the time. “We have great membership with great programs, great facilities, great stadiums and great fan bases.” UNT will have a chance to contribute to what has become another selling point for the AAC this week — a great bowl run. The Mean Green will take on Texas State on Friday in the Frist Responder Bowl at Ford Stadium in Dallas. The game will wrap up what has been a tremendous bowl run for the league thus far. Memphis beat West Virginia in the Frisco Bowl to get a roll going that has become more impressive by the day. The AAC is sitting at 6-1, a mark that includes a series of landmark wins. Navy took down Oklahoma of Southeastern Conference in the Armed Forces Bowl, while East Carolina beat North Carolina State out of the Atlantic Coast Conference in the Military Bowl. AAC officials have long touted the strength of the league. The way the bowl season has unfolded has certainly added to the conference’s argument. The AAC will emerge from bowl season with an impressive record no matter how UNT handles what is expected to be a tough game against Texas State, but the Mean Green would certainly like to cap it on a high note against one of the Sun Belt’s top teams. UNT liked the way preparations were going just a few days ago as the Mean Green looked forward to just the 15th bowl game in program history. “We’re ready,” senior cornerback Ridge Texada said. “We know what we’re tasked with. We just want to win and go out on a high note. We’re going to put in the work to do it.” UNT will face a challenging bowl game just as some of its fellow AAC members have already. The Mean Green will be without starting quarterback Chandler Morris as well as DT Sheffield, their leading receiver. Morris transferred to Virginia, while Sheffield landed at Rutgers. “It hurts, but that is the landscape we’re in right now,” wide receiver Damon Ward Jr. said. “College football is changing. People are going to come and go.” Several of the rest of the teams in the AAC were in the same position. Army was without star running back Kanye Udoh, while UTSA was missing defensive end Ronald Triplette in the postseason. Both were among a host of top players from the AAC who entered the transfer portal and found new homes before their former teams’ bowl games. Udoh landed at Arizona State, while Triplett ended up at Georgia Tech. Army and UTSA added to the AAC’s list of bowl wins so far this postseason anyway. Army beat Louisiana Tech in the Independence Bowl, while UTSA rolled past Coastal Carolina in the Myrtle Beach Bowl. South Florida won one of the more compelling games thus far in bowl season when it edged San Jose State 41-39 in the Hawaii Bowl, a game that went down as the longest Football Bowl Subdivision bowl/postseason game since overtime was established in 1996. The only blemish on the AAC’s resume thus far is Tulane’s 33-8 loss to Florida in the Gasparilla Bowl. All that’s left now is UNT’s showdown with Texas State. “It should be an awesome experience for us to go and have a great home crowd,” Morris said. “We’re excited for our kids to be able to compete one last time.” UNT can add to the AAC’s impressive bowl run in the process with a win. Success! An email has been sent to with a link to confirm list signup. Error! There was an error processing your request.
The incident unfolded during the early hours of the morning, when a group of villagers who were out tending to their fields stumbled upon the injured cow. The animal was visibly in great pain, with deep claw marks and bite wounds on its body. The villagers, well aware of the presence of tigers in the nearby forest, immediately suspected that the cow had fallen victim to a predator.Neal Maupay: Whenever I’m having a bad day I check Everton score and smile
Simeone's ability to inspire and motivate his players has been evident in Atletico Madrid's impressive displays, as they outmaneuver opponents with their organized defense, swift transitions, and clinical finishing. The team's relentless work ethic and unity have been key factors in their success, as they grind out results and make a strong case for a title challenge in the coming season.
Charles Dolan Dies at 98: How HBO, Cablevision Founder Changed MediaRed Devil Abandoned Star Shines in Ligue 1! Scored 11 Goals in 14 Rounds and Will Play in Champions League Next Year
The decision comes as Ukraine faces an increasingly dire situation, with Russian forces continuing their brutal onslaught in the country's eastern regions. Faced with overwhelming odds, many young Ukrainians have taken up arms to defend their homeland, displaying immense courage and determination in the face of grave danger.ATLANTA (AP) — Jimmy Carter, the peanut farmer who won the presidency in the wake of the Watergate scandal and Vietnam War, endured humbling defeat after one tumultuous term and then redefined life after the White House as a global humanitarian, has died. He was 100 years old. The longest-lived American president died on Sunday, more than a year after entering hospice care , at his home in the small town of Plains, Georgia, where he and his wife, Rosalynn, who died at 96 in November 2023 , spent most of their lives, The Carter Center said. “Our founder, former U.S. President Jimmy Carter, passed away this afternoon in Plains, Georgia,” the center said in posting about his death on the social media platform X. It added in a statement that he died peacefully, surrounded by his family. Businessman, Navy officer, evangelist, politician, negotiator, author, woodworker, citizen of the world — Carter forged a path that still challenges political assumptions and stands out among the 45 men who reached the nation’s highest office. The 39th president leveraged his ambition with a keen intellect, deep religious faith and prodigious work ethic, conducting diplomatic missions into his 80s and building houses for the poor well into his 90s. “My faith demands — this is not optional — 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,” Carter once said. A moderate Democrat, Carter entered the 1976 presidential race as a little-known Georgia governor with a broad smile, outspoken Baptist mores and technocratic plans reflecting his education as an engineer. His no-frills campaign depended on public financing, and his promise not to deceive the American people resonated after Richard Nixon’s disgrace and U.S. defeat in southeast Asia. “If I ever lie to you, if I ever make a misleading statement, don’t vote for me. I would not deserve to be your president,” Carter repeated before narrowly beating Republican incumbent Gerald Ford, who had lost popularity pardoning Nixon. Carter governed amid Cold War pressures, turbulent oil markets and social upheaval over racism, women’s rights and America’s global role. His most acclaimed achievement in office was a Mideast peace deal that he brokered by keeping Egyptian President Anwar Sadat and Israeli Prime Minister Menachem Begin at the bargaining table for 13 days in 1978. That Camp David experience inspired the post-presidential center where Carter would establish so much of his legacy. Yet Carter’s electoral coalition splintered under double-digit inflation, gasoline lines and the 444-day hostage crisis in Iran. His bleakest hour came when eight Americans died in a failed hostage rescue in April 1980, helping to ensure his landslide defeat to Republican Ronald Reagan. Carter acknowledged in his 2020 “White House Diary” that he could be “micromanaging” and “excessively autocratic,” complicating dealings with Congress and the federal bureaucracy. He also turned a cold shoulder to Washington’s news media and lobbyists, not fully appreciating their influence on his political fortunes. “It didn’t take us long to realize that the underestimation existed, but by that time we were not able to repair the mistake,” Carter told historians in 1982, suggesting that he had “an inherent incompatibility” with Washington insiders. Carter insisted his overall approach was sound and that he achieved his primary objectives — to “protect our nation’s security and interests peacefully” and “enhance human rights here and abroad” — even if he fell spectacularly short of a second term. Ignominious defeat, though, allowed for renewal. The Carters founded The Carter Center in 1982 as a first-of-its-kind base of operations, asserting themselves as international peacemakers and champions of democracy, public health and human rights. “I was not interested in just building a museum or storing my White House records and memorabilia,” Carter wrote in a memoir published after his 90th birthday. “I wanted a place where we could work.” That work included easing nuclear tensions in North and South Korea, helping to avert a U.S. invasion of Haiti and negotiating cease-fires in Bosnia and Sudan. By 2022, The Carter Center had declared at least 113 elections in Latin America, Asia and Africa to be free or fraudulent. Recently, the center began monitoring U.S. elections as well. Carter’s stubborn self-assuredness and even self-righteousness proved effective once he was unencumbered by the Washington order, sometimes to the point of frustrating his successors . He went “where others are not treading,” he said, to places like Ethiopia, Liberia and North Korea, where he secured the release of an American who had wandered across the border in 2010. “I can say what I like. I can meet whom I want. I can take on projects that please me and reject the ones that don’t,” Carter said. He announced an arms-reduction-for-aid deal with North Korea without clearing the details with Bill Clinton’s White House. He openly criticized President George W. Bush for the 2003 invasion of Iraq. He also criticized America’s approach to Israel with his 2006 book “Palestine: Peace Not Apartheid.” And he repeatedly countered U.S. administrations by insisting North Korea should be included in international affairs, a position that most aligned Carter with Republican President Donald Trump. Among the center’s many public health initiatives, Carter vowed to eradicate the guinea worm parasite during his lifetime, and nearly achieved it: Cases dropped from millions in the 1980s to nearly a handful. With hardhats and hammers, the Carters also built homes with Habitat for Humanity. The Nobel committee’s 2002 Peace Prize cites his “untiring effort to find peaceful solutions to international conflicts, to advance democracy and human rights, and to promote economic and social development.” Carter should have won it alongside Sadat and Begin in 1978, the chairman added. Carter accepted the recognition saying there was more work to be done. “The world is now, in many ways, a more dangerous place,” he said. “The greater ease of travel and communication has not been matched by equal understanding and mutual respect.” Carter’s globetrotting took him to remote villages where he met little “Jimmy Carters,” so named by admiring parents. But he spent most of his days in the same one-story Plains house — expanded and guarded by Secret Service agents — where they lived before he became governor. He regularly taught Sunday School lessons at Maranatha Baptist Church until his mobility declined and the coronavirus pandemic raged. Those sessions drew visitors from around the world to the small sanctuary where Carter will receive his final send-off after a state funeral at Washington’s National Cathedral. The common assessment that he was a better ex-president than president rankled Carter and his allies. His prolific post-presidency gave him a brand above politics, particularly for Americans too young to witness him in office. But Carter also lived long enough to see biographers and historians reassess his White House years more generously. His record includes the deregulation of key industries, reduction of U.S. dependence on foreign oil, cautious management of the national debt and notable legislation on the environment, education and mental health. He focused on human rights in foreign policy, pressuring dictators to release thousands of political prisoners . He acknowledged America’s historical imperialism, pardoned Vietnam War draft evaders and relinquished control of the Panama Canal. He normalized relations with China. “I am not nominating Jimmy Carter for a place on Mount Rushmore,” Stuart Eizenstat, Carter’s domestic policy director, wrote in a 2018 book. “He was not a great president” but also not the “hapless and weak” caricature voters rejected in 1980, Eizenstat said. Rather, Carter was “good and productive” and “delivered results, many of which were realized only after he left office.” Madeleine Albright, a national security staffer for Carter and Clinton’s secretary of state, wrote in Eizenstat’s forward that Carter was “consequential and successful” and expressed hope that “perceptions will continue to evolve” about his presidency. “Our country was lucky to have him as our leader,” said Albright, who died in 2022. Jonathan Alter, who penned a comprehensive Carter biography published in 2020, said in an interview that Carter should be remembered for “an epic American life” spanning from a humble start in a home with no electricity or indoor plumbing through decades on the world stage across two centuries. “He will likely go down as one of the most misunderstood and underestimated figures in American history,” Alter told The Associated Press. James Earl Carter Jr. was born Oct. 1, 1924, in Plains and spent his early years in nearby Archery. His family was a minority in the mostly Black community, decades before the civil rights movement played out at the dawn of Carter’s political career. Carter, who campaigned as a moderate on race relations but governed more progressively, talked often of the influence of his Black caregivers and playmates but also noted his advantages: His land-owning father sat atop Archery’s tenant-farming system and owned a main street grocery. His mother, Lillian , would become a staple of his political campaigns. Seeking to broaden his world beyond Plains and its population of fewer than 1,000 — then and now — Carter won an appointment to the U.S. Naval Academy, graduating in 1946. That same year he married Rosalynn Smith, another Plains native, a decision he considered more important than any he made as head of state. She shared his desire to see the world, sacrificing college to support his Navy career. Carter climbed in rank to lieutenant, but then his father was diagnosed with cancer, so the submarine officer set aside his ambitions of admiralty and moved the family back to Plains. His decision angered Rosalynn, even as she dived into the peanut business alongside her husband. Carter again failed to talk with his wife before his first run for office — he later called it “inconceivable” not to have consulted her on such major life decisions — but this time, she was on board. “My wife is much more political,” Carter told the AP in 2021. He won a state Senate seat in 1962 but wasn’t long for the General Assembly and its back-slapping, deal-cutting ways. He ran for governor in 1966 — losing to arch-segregationist Lester Maddox — and then immediately focused on the next campaign. Carter had spoken out against church segregation as a Baptist deacon and opposed racist “Dixiecrats” as a state senator. Yet as a local school board leader in the 1950s he had not pushed to end school segregation even after the Supreme Court's Brown v. Board of Education decision, despite his private support for integration. And in 1970, Carter ran for governor again as the more conservative Democrat against Carl Sanders, a wealthy businessman Carter mocked as “Cufflinks Carl.” Sanders never forgave him for anonymous, race-baiting flyers, which Carter disavowed. Ultimately, Carter won his races by attracting both Black voters and culturally conservative whites. Once in office, he was more direct. “I say to you quite frankly that the time for racial discrimination is over,” he declared in his 1971 inaugural address, setting a new standard for Southern governors that landed him on the cover of Time magazine. His statehouse initiatives included environmental protection, boosting rural education and overhauling antiquated executive branch structures. He proclaimed Martin Luther King Jr. Day in the slain civil rights leader’s home state. And he decided, as he received presidential candidates in 1972, that they were no more talented than he was. In 1974, he ran Democrats’ national campaign arm. Then he declared his own candidacy for 1976. An Atlanta newspaper responded with the headline: “Jimmy Who?” The Carters and a “Peanut Brigade” of family members and Georgia supporters camped out in Iowa and New Hampshire, establishing both states as presidential proving grounds. His first Senate endorsement: a young first-termer from Delaware named Joe Biden. Yet it was Carter’s ability to navigate America’s complex racial and rural politics that cemented the nomination. He swept the Deep South that November, the last Democrat to do so, as many white Southerners shifted to Republicans in response to civil rights initiatives. A self-declared “born-again Christian,” Carter drew snickers by referring to Scripture in a Playboy magazine interview, saying he “had looked on many women with lust. I’ve committed adultery in my heart many times.” The remarks gave Ford a new foothold and television comedians pounced — including NBC’s new “Saturday Night Live” show. But voters weary of cynicism in politics found it endearing. Carter chose Minnesota Sen. Walter “Fritz” Mondale as his running mate on a “Grits and Fritz” ticket. In office, he elevated the vice presidency and the first lady’s office. Mondale’s governing partnership was a model for influential successors Al Gore, Dick Cheney and Biden. Rosalynn Carter was one of the most involved presidential spouses in history, welcomed into Cabinet meetings and huddles with lawmakers and top aides. The Carters presided with uncommon informality: He used his nickname “Jimmy” even when taking the oath of office, carried his own luggage and tried to silence the Marine Band’s “Hail to the Chief.” They bought their clothes off the rack. Carter wore a cardigan for a White House address, urging Americans to conserve energy by turning down their thermostats. Amy, the youngest of four children, attended District of Columbia public school. Washington’s social and media elite scorned their style. But the larger concern was that “he hated politics,” according to Eizenstat, leaving him nowhere to turn politically once economic turmoil and foreign policy challenges took their toll. Carter partially deregulated the airline, railroad and trucking industries and established the departments of Education and Energy, and the Federal Emergency Management Agency. He designated millions of acres of Alaska as national parks or wildlife refuges. He appointed a then-record number of women and nonwhite people to federal posts. He never had a Supreme Court nomination, but he elevated civil rights attorney Ruth Bader Ginsburg to the nation’s second highest court, positioning her for a promotion in 1993. He appointed Paul Volker, the Federal Reserve chairman whose policies would help the economy boom in the 1980s — after Carter left office. He built on Nixon’s opening with China, and though he tolerated autocrats in Asia, pushed Latin America from dictatorships to democracy. But he couldn’t immediately tame inflation or the related energy crisis. And then came Iran. After he admitted the exiled Shah of Iran to the U.S. for medical treatment, the American Embassy in Tehran was overrun in 1979 by followers of the Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini. Negotiations to free the hostages broke down repeatedly ahead of the failed rescue attempt. The same year, Carter signed SALT II, the new strategic arms treaty with Leonid Brezhnev of the Soviet Union, only to pull it back, impose trade sanctions and order a U.S. boycott of the Moscow Olympics after the Soviets invaded Afghanistan. Hoping to instill optimism, he delivered what the media dubbed his “malaise” speech, although he didn’t use that word. He declared the nation was suffering “a crisis of confidence.” By then, many Americans had lost confidence in the president, not themselves. Carter campaigned sparingly for reelection because of the hostage crisis, instead sending Rosalynn as Sen. Edward M. Kennedy challenged him for the Democratic nomination. Carter famously said he’d “kick his ass,” but was hobbled by Kennedy as Reagan rallied a broad coalition with “make America great again” appeals and asking voters whether they were “better off than you were four years ago.” Reagan further capitalized on Carter’s lecturing tone, eviscerating him in their lone fall debate with the quip: “There you go again.” Carter lost all but six states and Republicans rolled to a new Senate majority. Carter successfully negotiated the hostages’ freedom after the election, but in one final, bitter turn of events, Tehran waited until hours after Carter left office to let them walk free. At 56, Carter returned to Georgia with “no idea what I would do with the rest of my life.” Four decades after launching The Carter Center, he still talked of unfinished business. “I thought when we got into politics we would have resolved everything,” Carter told the AP in 2021. “But it’s turned out to be much more long-lasting and insidious than I had thought it was. I think in general, the world itself is much more divided than in previous years.” Still, he affirmed what he said when he underwent treatment for a cancer diagnosis in his 10th decade of life. “I’m perfectly at ease with whatever comes,” he said in 2015 . “I’ve had a wonderful life. I’ve had thousands of friends, I’ve had an exciting, adventurous and gratifying existence.” Former Associated Press journalist Alex Sanz contributed to this report.
One of the most intriguing moments of the show came when the host asked Ronaldo about his thoughts on being considered the Greatest of All Time (GOAT) in football. Ronaldo, known for his humility and sportsmanship, was quick to deflect the title and instead praised other sporting legends, including Michael Jordan and Tom Brady. This led to an interesting discussion among fans and pundits alike, with many debating which of the three athletes truly deserves the GOAT title.In conclusion, the distribution of refunds to affected players is a significant step towards resolving the consumer protection case against Epic and holding the company accountable for its alleged deceptive practices. The average refund amount of $114 per player highlights the impact that deceptive advertising can have on consumers, particularly young and vulnerable individuals. By enforcing consumer protection laws and promoting transparency in the marketplace, the FTC is working to safeguard the rights and interests of all consumers and create a level playing field for companies to operate ethically and responsibly.
The clash between Real Madrid and Juventus was a spectacle of football at its finest, showcasing the talent, passion, and drama that make the beautiful game so captivating. As the dust settled and the fans filed out of the stadium, one thing was clear - in the world of football, every match is a battle, and every victory is hard-earned.In a highly anticipated matchup, AC Milan will face off against FC Empoli this weekend, with all eyes on Empoli's midfielder Rade Krunić. The Bosnian international is set to make a return to the iconic San Siro stadium, where he once donned the famous red and black jersey of AC Milan.
First and foremost, one of the main reasons why I am reluctant to purchase the Xiaopeng G9 is the brand's relatively limited track record in the automotive industry. While Xiaopeng Motors has made significant strides in recent years and has garnered praise for its innovative approach to electric vehicle technology, the company is still relatively young compared to more established manufacturers like Tesla or BMW. As such, there is a lingering sense of uncertainty regarding the long-term reliability and durability of Xiaopeng vehicles, including the G9.My journalistic encounters with Jimmy Carter
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