What’s Happening is a free service of Columbia Gorge News and may be edited for length. Notices run as space allows. Send to kelsiec@gorgenews.com . Community Events Nov. 30 - Jan 3 – Skamania Lodge Holiday Light Walk, 4:30 p.m-9 p.m., nightly, at the Skamania County Lodge, 1131 SW Skamania Lodge Way in Stevenson. Dec. 8 & 15 – Photos with Santa, 10 a.m. – 3 p.m., at Cousin’s Restaurant and Saloon, 2114 West Sixth St. in The Dalles. Dec. 9 — The Wasco County Board of Commissioners Special Session, 1:30 p.m. at 401 E. Third St., The Dalles, or via Zoom, wascocounty-org.zoom.us/j/2919733815 or call in to 1-253-215-8782 Meeting ID: 2919733815#. Dec. 9 – Free Presentation: Get me through the holidays: coping with loss on days that hold special meaning, 1 – 2:30 p.m., at the Hood River Valley Adult Center, 2010 Sterling Place in Hood River. Open to anyone in the community, no registration required. Dec. 9 — Monthly Grief Group, 1:30-2:30 p.m. at the White Salmon Pioneer Center, 501 NE Washington St. For anyone grieving a loss. More info at maggie@maggieconverse.com or 503-395-4738. Dec. 10 — Odell Garden Club Meeting, 10 a.m. at the Hood River County Fairgrounds Community Building. For more info, contact President Norma Curtis, 541-806-1019 or nlcurtis@hrecn.net . Meets second Tuesday of the month. Dec. 10 — Mid-Columbia Center for Living Regular Board Meeting, 11 a.m. in room 107, 1060 Webber St., The Dalles, or via Teams meeting, bit.ly/3VaelHa . Second Tuesday of the month. Dec 10 — Survivors of Suicide Loss Support Group, 5:30-630 p.m. Meets second Tuesday of the month. Email belinda.ballah@hoodrivercounty.gov for more info. Dec. 11 — Back to Life Biochar Hands-On Workshop, noon to 4 p.m. in the Husum area. Underwood Conservation District’s Winter Workshop Series. In person, registration required at www.ucdwa.org . Dec. 11 – Sense of Place 15th Anniversary Season presentation, 7p.m., at Columba Center for the Arts, 215 Cascade Ave., Hood River, or via livestream. “The Wolf Next Door: A Community Perspective on the Return of Wolves,” with Lara Volski, PhD Student of Human-Wildlife Interactions. Season 15 ticket information is available online at senseofplacegorge.org and via a monthly newsletter. Dec. 12 — High Prairie Bingo Night, 6-8 p.m. at 701 Struck Road (between Lyle and Centerville). Food and drinks for sale, cash prizes; minors must be accompanied by an adult 18 or over. Dec. 12 – Mid Columbia Community Choir “A Star is Arising” Benefit Concert, 7 p.m. at Grace Baptist Church, 1280 W. Jewett Blvd in White Salmon. A free will donation to support WAGAP and Fish Food Bank will be accepted at the event. Dec. 12 – Mid-Columbia Community Choir Benefit Concert: Bethlehem Lullaby, 7 p.m. at Grace Baptist Church, 1280 W. Jewett Blvd., in White Salmon. Dec. 13 – CGOA Voic Community Choir Holiday Pops concert, 7 p.m., Hood River Valley Christian Church, 975 Indian Creek Road in Hood River. Dec. 13-14, 20-21 — A Christmas Story, 7 p.m. at The Bingen Theater. Matinee performances Dec. 8 and 15 at 1:30 p.m. Directed by Joe Garoutte; family friendly. Tickets at www.bigbritches.org . Dec. 14 — WAAAM Second Saturday, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the museum, 1600 Air Museum Road, Hood River. Different theme each month; see old technology in action. Dec. 14 – Holiday Fun Run, 10 a.m., at the Skamania Lodge, 1131 SW Skamania Lodge Way in Stevenson. Come dressed your festive holiday wear. Admission is $15 for adults, $10 for Children. Tickets available at Skamania.com . Profits support the Stevenson volunteer firefighter association. Dec. 14 – Gateway Christmas Fair/Workshop, 10 a.m. – 2 p.m., Gateway Church, 111 Dry Hollow Road in The Dalles. Event is free and for all ages. Children under 12 must be accompanied by and adult. For more info, contact 541-298-8531. www.gatewaypc.org . Dec. 14 – Santa’s Big Day, 11 a.m. – 7 p.m., at the White Salmon Masonic Lodge. Digital photos with Santa. Event is free and family friendly. For more info, contact Ivy Carpe at hiddengemeventsnmore@gmail.com or visit hiddengemeventsnmore@gmail.com Dec. 14 – Holiday Gift Workshop, 12 – 2 p.m. at The Dalles Public Library meeting room, 722 Court Street in The Dalles. Holiday gift related crafts. Event is all ages. Dec. 14 – 2024 Handel’s Christmas Messiah Concert, 1 p.m. and 6 p.m. at Zion Lutheran Church, 10th and Union St. in The Dalles. Concert is put on by The Dalles Cascade Singers. Dec. 14 – Gift of Music with John Ross, 5 – 7 p.m. in the Gorge Room at Skamania Lodge, at the Skamania County Lodge, 1131 SW Skamania Lodge Way in Stevenson. Dec. 14-15 — Last Chance Holiday Bazaar, 10-4 p.m. Saturday and 10-3 p.m. Sunday at the Hood River County Fairgrounds, 3020 Wy’east Road. Dec. 15. – CGOA Voci Community Choir Holiday Pops concert, 2 p.m. Old St. Peter’s Landmark, 405 Lincoln Street in The Dalles Dec. 15 — Lyle Lions Club Meeting, 6 p.m. at the Lyle Lions Community Center, corner of Fifth and Highway 14. First and third Monday. Dec. 15 – Patrick Lamb’s Charlie Brown Christmas, 6:30 – 8 p.m., at Hood River Middle School auditorium, 1602 May Street in Hood River. Admission is $20. Tickets can be purchased at www.eventbrite.com/e/a-patrick-lamb-charlie-brown-christmas-tickets-1064480322299?aff=oddtdtcreator. Dec 17 — Mid-Columbia Car Club Meeting, 5 p.m. social / 6 p.m. meeting at Spooky’s Pizza, 3320 W. Sixth, The Dalles. Meets third Tuesday of the month. Dec 18 — Columbia Gorge Beekeepers Association Meeting, 6 p.m. at the Hood River Extension, 2990 Experiment Station Drive. All are welcome. Visitors may attend in person or via Zoom; info at admin@gorgebeekeepers.org . Dec. 19 – Hood River Adult Grief Group, 4:30-5:30pm. Meets 1st and 3rd Thursdays, November 2024-February 2025. Registration required. To register or for more information, contact Haley at Providence Hospice of the Gorge at 541-387-6449 Dec. 19 — Heritage Council Board Meeting, 5 p.m. at the History Museum of Hood River County, 300 E. Port Marina Way, Hood River. Public welcome to attend. New board members, volunteers needed. Third Thursday of the month. Dec. 20 & 21 – Gorge Winds Concert Band Christmas Concert, 7 p.m. on Friday, 3 p.m. on Saturday, at The Dalles First Christian Church, 909 Court St. in The Dalles. Donations appreciate. Thru Dec. 22 — Handmade for Holidays at Columbia Center for the Arts, 215 Cascade Ave., Hood River. Artists market; small art pieces of many types on display and for sale in the gallery. Jan. 2 — Criminal Records Expungement Clinic, 2-5 p.m. at The Dalles Public Library, 722 Court St., The Dalles. Free legal assistance to apply to set aside Oregon criminal records. Clinics are every first Thursday. No appointment necessary. For more information, email lynnmarie.crider@gmail.com . Jan. 2 – Hood River Adult Grief Group, 4:30 – 5:30 p.m., meets 1st and 3rd Thursdays, November 2024-February 2025. Registration required. To register or for more information, contact Haley at Providence Hospice of the Gorge at 541-387-6449. Jan. 2 — NAMI (National Alliance on Mental Illness) of the Gorge, 6:15-7:45 p.m. at Dalles-Wasco County Library meeting room. For info, call Barbara at 541-980-7264. Jan. 4 — Lyle Lions Club Pancake Breakfast, 7-10 a.m. at Lyle Lions Community Center, corner of Fifth and Highway 14. Adults $10, children 6-12 $5, under 5 free. Eggs and omelets cooked to order and endless pancakes. Jan. 4 — Leos Club Can and Bottle Collection, 9 a.m. to noon at Rosauers, Hood River. Supports local nonprofits. Jan. 4 – Mt. Adams Little League Christmas Tree Pick-up Fundraiser, 9 – 4 p.m. White Salmon/Bingen, Husum, Underwood, Mill-A and Lyle residents can call or text 360-831-7421, to arrange for pick up for $20. Trees must be free of decorations. Jan. 6 – Hood River Adult Grief Group, 4:30 – 5:30 p.m., meets 1st and 3rd Thursdays, November 2024-February 2025. Registration required. To register or for more information, contact Haley at Providence Hospice of the Gorge at 541-387-6449. Jan. 6 — Lyle Lions Club Meeting, 6 p.m. at the Lyle Lions Community Center, corner of Fifth and Highway 14. First and third Monday. Jan. 8 — Criminal Records Expungement Clinic, 3-6 p.m. at 601 Cascade Ave., Hood River. Free legal assistance to apply to set aside Oregon criminal records. Clinics are typically every first Wednesday. No appointment necessary. For more information, email lynnmarie.crider@gmail.com . Jan. 9 — High Prairie Bingo Night, 6-8 p.m. at 701 Struck Road (between Lyle and Centerville). Food and drinks for sale, cash prizes; minors must be accompanied by an adult 18 or over. Jan. 13 — Friends of the Library, 11 a.m. in the Jean Marie Gaulke Room, Hood River Library; public welcome. More at hoodriverlibrary.org/friends . Jan. 13 — Monthly Grief Group, 1:30-2:30 p.m. at the White Salmon Pioneer Center, 501 NE Washington St. For anyone grieving a loss. More info at maggie@maggieconverse.com or 503-395-4738. Jan 14 — Odell Garden Club Meeting, 10 a.m. at the Hood River County Fairgrounds Community Building. For more info, contact President Norma Curtis, 541-806-1019 or nlcurtis@hrecn.net . Meets second Tuesday of the month. Jan. 14 — Survivors of Suicide Loss Support Group, 5:30-630 p.m. Meets second Tuesday of the month. Email belinda.ballah@hoodrivercounty.gov for more info. Jan. 15 — Columbia Gorge Beekeepers Association Meeting, 6 p.m. at the Hood River Extension, 2990 Experiment Station Drive. All are welcome. Visitors may attend in person or via Zoom; info at admin@gorgebeekeepers.org . Jan. 16 — Heritage Council Board Meeting, 5 p.m. at the History Museum of Hood River County, 300 E. Port Marina Way, Hood River. Public welcome to attend. New board members, volunteers needed. Third Thursday of the month. Jan. 16 — More than Flowers: What your Landscape Needs to Support Pollinators, 6 p.m. at the White Salmon Valley Library. Underwood Conservation District’s Winter Workshop Series; with Matthew Shephard from the Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation. Register at www.ucdwa.org/winter-workshop-series . Jan. 20 – Rotary Ski Night at Mt. Hood Meadows, 3 – 9 p.m., at Mt. Hood Meadows, 14040 OR-35, Mt Hood, Oregon. Portion of the ticket sales will be donated to the Hood River Rotary Club. Night lift tickets are on sale with dynamic early pricing at www.skihood.com/explore/Events-and-Activities/Rotary-Night Jan. 20 — Lyle Lions Club Meeting, 6 p.m. at the Lyle Lions Community Center, corner of Fifth and Highway 14. First and third Monday. Jan. 21 — Mid-Columbia Car Club Meeting, 5 p.m. social / 6 p.m. meeting at Spooky’s Pizza, 3320 W. Sixth, The Dalles. Meets third Tuesday of the month. Feb. 19 — Soil! What it is and How it Works, 6 p.m. at the Mountain View Grange, 1085 N. Main Ave., White Salmon. Underwood Conservation District’s Winter Workshop Series; with James Cassidy, instructor of soil science, Oregon State University. Register at www.ucdwa.org/winter-workshop-series . Ongoing First Monday — Adult Writers Group, 5:30-7 p.m. at The Dalles-Wasco County Library. Third Monday — Hands On Maker Monday, 3:30 p.m. at The Dalles Public Library. With OSU Extension and 4-H. For kids, teens and adults. Projects like leatherworking, sewing, candle making, cake decorating and more. Mondays – Cascade Singers Rehearsal, 6:30 p.m. at Zion Lutheran Church, 101 West 10th Street in The Dalles. Mondays — Columbia Gorge Orchestra Association Voci Community Choir Rehearsals, 6:30-8:30 p.m. at Hood River Valley High School. All welcome. Questions to info@gorgeorchestra.org . Monday thru Friday — NU-2-U Shop Open, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Mid-Columbia Senior Center, 1112 W. Ninth St., The Dalles. Shop is a nonprofit store that supports the Mid-Columbia Senior Center. More information at 541-296-4788. Monday & Wednesday — Senior Meals, noon at The Pioneer Center, White Salmon. Doors open at 8 a.m. Suggested donation for seniors 60 and over is $3.50, all others $6.50. All welcome. Monday, Wednesday and Friday — Strong Women, 10-11 a.m. at the Cascade Locks City Hall. Monday thru Friday — Klickitat Senior Services Telephone Support, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Goldendale, 509-773-3757; White Salmon, 509-493-3068; or Toll Free, 1- 800-447-7858. Staff will direct callers to available resources, assist with online benefit applications and issues with Social Security and Medicare. Seniors can also call for essential grocery delivery, prescription pickup or food bank needs. Tuesday — Senior Meals, noon at the Lyle Lions Community Center. Doors open at 10 a.m. Suggested donation for seniors 60 and over is $3.50, all others $6.50. All welcome. Tuesdays — Senior Meals, 11 a.m. at Mt. Hood Town Hall, 6575 Mount Hood Highway, Mt. Hood-Parkdale. Meals served at noon. In conjunction with Hood River Valley Adult Center; suggested $5 donation. Tuesdays — White Salmon-Bingen Rotary Club, noon to 1 p.m. Learn more at www.whitesalmon-bingenrotary.org , www.facebook.com/whitesalmonbingenrotaryclub , or email rotary.club.323@gmail.com . Tuesdays — Overeater’s Anonymous, 5:30-6:30 p.m. at Immanuel Lutheran Church, Ninth and State streets, Hood River. For more info contact Rebecca at 510-861-2212. Tuesdays — Harmony of the Gorge, 6-8 p.m. at Providence Down Manor, Hood River. Please check the website for rehearsal details at www.harmonyofthegorge.com ; info at 541-490-2481. Tuesdays — Al-Anon Meeting, 7 p.m. at St. Mark’s Episcopal Church, 400 11th St., Hood River. Tuesdays — Columbia Gorge Orchestra Association Sinfonietta Rehearsals, 7-9 p.m. at Hood River Valley High School (music room). All welcome. Questions to info@gorgeorchestra.org . Tuesday & Thursday — Senior Meals, noon at the Goldendale Community Center. Doors open at 8 a.m. Suggested donation for seniors 60 and over is $3.50, all others $6.50. All welcome. Tuesdays thru Fridays — Senior Chair Yoga, 9:15 a.m. at Zion Lutheran Church, fourth floor, The Dalles. Cost is $4 per class. Contact debra.lutje@gmail.com for info. Wednesdays — Fitness Classes: Mat Pilates, 8:30 a.m. at Lutheran Church, Bingen; Barre 5 p.m. at Mt. View Grange, White Salmon. Loyalty, drop in rates available. ACE certified, longtime local fitness instructor. Call Caroline Elliott, 509-637-3162, for info. Wednesdays — Radio Tierra Storytime, 9:30 a.m. on Radio Tierra 95.1 FM; songs, stories and announcements for all kiddos who haven’t begun school. Wednesdays — The Dalles Rotary Club, noon at Spooky’s; visitors welcome. Wednesdays — Writing Group, 3-4 p.m. at the Hood River County Library, Columbia Room. Second Wednesday — Dufur Recreation District Meeting, 7 p.m. at Dufur City Hall. Visit website www.dufurcitypark.org for agenda and virtual attendance information. Thursdays — Hood River Art Club, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the FISH Food Bank Community Room, 1130 Tucker Road, Hood River. For more information contact Kori Walsh at Heronbird@aol.com . Thursdays — Hood River Toastmasters Club, 6:30-8 a.m. via Zoom and in-person at Bette’s Place, downtown Hood River. Drop in or email HRToastmasters@proton.me for link. Improve public speaking, listening and leadership skills. Thursdays — Take Pounds Off Sensible (TOPS) Support Group, 8:30 a.m. weigh-in and 9 a.m. meeting at Zion Church, 10th and Union, The Dalles. First meeting is free. Thursdays — Family Storytime, 10:30 a.m. at the Hood River Library. Free, open to all ages. Thursdays — Recovery Café, 1-6 p.m. at the White Salmon Grange. Dinner served; recovery circle 5-6 p.m. All welcome. Thursdays — The Dalles Kiwanis Club Meetings, noon at Spooky’s; visitors welcome. For more information go to www.thedalleskiwanis.org/ or The-Dalles-Kiwanis-Club on Facebook. Thursdays — Thursday Night Bingo, 5:30 p.m. at Mid-Columbia Senior Center, 1112 W. Ninth St., The Dalles. Doors open 4 p.m. Must be 18 or over. $10 minimum buy-in. Third Thursday — West Klickitat Regional Fire Authority Board Meeting, 6:30 p.m. at the White Salmon Fire Station at 119 NE Church St. Thursday, Friday and Saturday — Hood River Valley Adult Center Thrift Shop, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Proceeds benefit Meals on Wheels. Third Fridays - Community Game Day, 1 p.m. at the Lyle Lions Community Center, Fifth and Highway 14. Play scrabble, cribbage or bring your own favorite. Coffee and cookies will be offered. Fridays — Community Playgroup, 10-11:30 a.m. at Hood River Early Childhood Center (formerly Pine Grove Elementary). Free, follows school calendar. For children 0-5 and their parents. For info call 541-386-4919. Fridays — Storytime in Cascade Locks and Parkdale, 10:30 a.m. at the library branches in those communities. Includes parent playgroups. Fridays — Reflections on the Life of the Spirit, 1 p.m. at the United Methodist church in White Salmon, 341 N. Main Ave. Hosted by Baha’is of White Salmon. Explore spiritual identity and what it means to be human. For more information, contact White Salmon Bahá’ís at 509-637-3311. Fridays — Fun Friday, 3-4:30 p.m. at The Dalles Library. For kids 5-10 in the John and Jean Thomas Children’s Wing. Arts, crafts, games; each week is different and always fun. Saturdays — Makerspace, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Hood River Library and Crafty Saturdays at the Cascade Locks and Parkdale library branches (same times). Free, for children. Saturdays — Grief Share, 10 a.m. to noon at Tucker Road Baptist Church, 1455 Tucker Road, Hood River. All welcome. Info at 541-386-1049. Saturdays — Chess Lessons, 1 p.m. at The Dalles Library. Free, for all ages and skill levels, beginners to advanced. Register at wascocountylibrary.com/events . Saturdays – Teen Programs, 2 p.m. at the Hood River Co. Library, 502 State St. Pick one or all that look fun and be creative, volunteer, play games, discuss books and eat snacks. Open to ages 12-18. For more info, contact Teen Librarian Rachel or go to hoodriverlibrary.org . Saturdays — Bingo, 5:30-8 p.m. at the Mid-Columbia Senior Center, 1112 W. Ninth, The Dalles. Doors open 4 p.m.; new players should arrive by 5 p.m. Ages 8-18 must be accompanied by legal guardian. Minimum buy-in $6. Cash prizes, dinner concessions. Saturdays — Bingo, 6 p.m. at the Hood River Elks, Third and Cascade. Elks/Knights of Columbus scholarship fundraiser supports scholarships and charities. Progressive blackout prize, dinner available for purchase; 18 and older. Saturdays — Hood River Farmers’ Market, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Fifth and Columbia parking lot, across from Full Sail Brewing. Sundays — Pickup Basketball, 1 p.m. at the Horizon Christian gym, Hood River. Players 18 and older, $3/visit. Sundays — Columbia Gorge Orchestra Association Jazz Collective Rehearsals, 4-6 p.m. at WAAAM. All welcome. Questions to info@gorgeorchestra.org . Sundays — Cascade Singers Rehearsal, 7 p.m. at Zion Lutheran, The Dalles (10th and Union streets).Forage Machinery Market to Witness Stunning Growth | Major Giants John Deere, Massey Ferguson, Krone
Walker & Dunlop Arranges 2nd Largest Sale in San Diego in 2024
The Gibbes Museum of Art , located in the American South since 1858, recently honoured acclaimed director Spike Lee at the Museum’s 2024 Distinguished Lecture Series annual event. The Museum provided free live-streaming of the event for students from across the U.S. and has subsequently made the video accessible to all viewers. In the video, Spike Lee speaks about the important role of Black artists in the American South. He also discussed the dangers of AI. Lee has received five Academy Award nominations, winning the Oscar for Best Adapted Screenplay and an Honorary Academy Award for Lifetime Achievement. Other awards include: Primetime Emmy Awards, British Academy Film Awards, Peabody Award, Golden Globe Award nominations, Grammy Award nomination, the Board of Governor’s Award from the American Society of Cinematographers, a Gala Tribute from the Film Society of Lincoln Center, and the Dorothy and Lillian Gish Prize, among his many accolades. Lee’s movies include She’s Gotta Have It , Do the Right Thing , and Malcolm X . Of these movies, Malcolm X is regarded by many (including myself) as a masterpiece. The conversation took place at the Charleston Music Hall. The venue was filled to capacity and moderated by Pauline Forlenza, Director and CEO of the American Federation of Arts and co-presented with Angela Mack, President and CEO of the Gibbes Museum of Art. The conversation revealed new insights into the art world’s continued recognition of Spike Lee’s cultural impact. Lee’s legacy as a visionary icon worldwide is anchored by his longstanding commitment to authenticity and social justice. During the conversation, Lee highlighted artworks from his collection by African American southern artists that influenced his work, including: William H. Johnson (born in South Carolina); Romare Bearden (born in North Carolina); Deborah Roberts (Texas); Radcliffe Bailey (Georgia); and Michael Ray Charles (Louisiana). In addition, Lee discussed how these artists have always been creative sources of artistic expression for his film work, and for his ongoing creativity in arts and entertainment. Later in the conversation, Lee and Forlenza pointed out how many of the characters and themes from Lee’s films of the 1980s and 1990s foretold issues we are currently living through today, including: gentrification, global warming, and racial tensions. “History is repeating itself now,” says Spike Lee in the video of the lecture. “Looking back at these beloved characters, and the struggles they faced in these films, we can see how they forecasted back then (40 and 30 years ago) what’s happening now. The stuff you run away from follows you,” adds Lee. During Lee’s presentation for the Gibbes Museum of Art Distinguished Lecture Series event at the Charleston Music Hall, Lee also spoke about the dangers of AI on arts and culture, social media, news, and the entertainment industry. “I think that sometimes technology can go too far,” said Spike Lee. “I’m scared of what people can use AI to do and pass off as the real thing.” “Some of the things AI portrays people as saying is the opposite of what those people are all about.” “Especially with the Writers Guild trying to get the studios and networks to agree not to have these computers writing scripts. It’s scary, you don’t know what’s what.” When asked about his advice for young artists and filmmakers, including how art addresses current social issues, Lee said — “I tell my students they have to be committed and put the work in.” “Artists have to choose their own path.” “Artists have to do what their hearts and souls tell them to do.” Dr. Tim Sandle is Digital Journal's Editor-at-Large for science news.Tim specializes in science, technology, environmental, business, and health journalism. He is additionally a practising microbiologist; and an author. He is also interested in history, politics and current affairs.
Syria's Islamist rebel leader on Monday began discussions on transferring power, a day after his opposition alliance dramatically unseated president Bashar al-Assad following decades of brutal rule. Assad fled Syria as the Islamist-led rebels swept into the capital, bringing a spectacular end on Sunday to five decades of brutal rule by his clan. He oversaw a crackdown on a democracy movement that erupted in 2011, sparking a war that killed 500,000 people and forced half the country to flee their homes, millions of them finding refuge abroad. Rebel leader Abu Mohammed al-Jolani, now using his real name Ahmed al-Sharaa, met with Prime Minister Mohammed al-Jalali "to coordinate a transfer of power that guarantees the provision of services" to Syria's people, said a statement posted on the rebels' Telegram channels. At the core of the system of rule that Assad inherited from his father Hafez was a brutal complex of prisons and detention centres used to eliminate dissent by those suspected of stepping out of the ruling Baath party's line. Thousands of Syrians gathered on Monday outside a jail synonymous with the worst atrocities of Assad's rule to search for relatives, many of whom have spent years in the Saydnaya facility outside Damascus, AFP correspondents said. Rescuers from the Syrian White Helmets group had earlier said they were looking for potential secret doors or basements in Saydnaya. "I ran like crazy" to get to the prison, said Aida Taha, 65, searching for her brother who was arrested in 2012. "But I found out that some of the prisoners were still in the basements. There are three or four floors underground." Crowds of freed prisoners wandered the streets of Damascus distinguishable by the marks of their ordeal: maimed by torture, weakened by illness and emaciated by hunger. While Syria had been at war for over 13 years, the government's collapse came in a matter of days in a lightning offensive led by the Islamist Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS). In central Damascus on Monday, despite all the uncertainty over the future, the joy was palpable. "It's indescribable. We never thought this nightmare would end. We are reborn," Rim Ramadan, 49, a civil servant at the finance ministry, told AFP. "We were afraid for 55 years of speaking, even at home. We used to say the walls had ears," Ramadan said, as people honked car horns and rebels fired their guns into the air. Syria's parliament, formerly pro-Assad like the prime minister, said it supports "the will of the people to build a new Syria towards a better future governed by law and justice". The Baath party said it will support "a transitional phase in Syria aimed at defending the unity of the country." Syrian state television's logo on the Telegram messaging app now displays the rebel flag. During the offensive launched on November 27, rebels met little resistance as they wrested city after city from Assad's control, opening the gates of prisons along the way and freeing thousands, many of them held on political charges. Some, like Fadwa Mahmoud, whose husband and son are missing, posted calls for help on social media. "Where are you, Maher and Abdel Aziz? it's time for me to hear your news. Oh God, please come back," wrote Mahmoud, herself a former detainee. Rooted in Syria's branch of Al-Qaeda, HTS is proscribed by Western governments as a terrorist group but has sought to soften its image in recent years. Germany and France said in a statement they were ready to cooperate with Syria's new leadership "on the basis of fundamental human rights and the protection of ethnic and religious minorities." UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer, in Saudi Arabia on Monday, said HTS must reject "terrorism and violence" before Britain can engage with the group designated "terrorist" by Britain. Washington's top diplomat, Antony Blinken, said the United States -- with hundreds of troops in Syria as part of a coalition against Islamic State group jihadists -- is determined to prevent IS re-establishing safe havens there. "We have a clear interest in doing what we can to avoid the fragmentation of Syria, mass migrations from Syria and, of course, the export of terrorism and extremism," Blinken said. The United Nations said that whoever ends up in power in Syria must hold the Assad regime to account. But how Assad might face justice remains unclear, especially after the Kremlin refused on Monday to confirm reports by Russian news agencies that he had fled to Moscow. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov, however, said that if Russia granted asylum to Assad and his family, this would be a decision taken by President Vladimir Putin. The Syrian embassy in Moscow raised the opposition's flag, and the Kremlin said it would discuss the status of its bases in Syria with the new authorities. Russia played an instrumental role in keeping Assad in power, directly intervening in the war starting in 2015 and providing air cover to the army during the rebellion. Israel, which borders Syria, sent troops into a buffer zone on the east of the Israeli-annexed Golan Heights after Assad's fall, in what Foreign Minister Gideon Saar described as a "limited and temporary step" for "security reasons". The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights war monitor reported more than 100 Israeli air strikes to "destroy the former regime's military capabilities." These were against weapons depots, boats from the Assad government's navy, and a research centre that Western countries suspected of having links to chemical weapons production, the Observatory said. Lebanon's Hezbollah condemned the strikes late Monday, despite having been allied to Assad, and lambasted Israel for "occupying more land in the Golan Heights". In northern Syria, a Turkish drone strike on a Kurdish-held area killed 11 civilians, six of them children, according to the Britain-based Observatory. bur-ser/jsa/it/givShares of Arc Minerals Limited ( LON:ARCM – Get Free Report ) reached a new 52-week low on Friday . The stock traded as low as GBX 1.05 ($0.01) and last traded at GBX 1.13 ($0.01), with a volume of 17444889 shares. The stock had previously closed at GBX 1.13 ($0.01). Arc Minerals Stock Performance The business’s fifty day simple moving average is GBX 1.50 and its 200-day simple moving average is GBX 1.61. The firm has a market capitalization of £16.31 million, a PE ratio of -307.50 and a beta of 0.54. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.77, a quick ratio of 5.56 and a current ratio of 2.54. About Arc Minerals ( Get Free Report ) Arc Minerals Limited engages in the identification, evaluation, acquisition, and development of mineral properties in Africa. It holds interests in the Zambia copper and cobalt projects; and 72.5% in the Zaco copper project located in Western part of the Zambian copper belt. Arc Minerals Limited is based in Road Town, British Virgin Islands. See Also Receive News & Ratings for Arc Minerals Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Arc Minerals and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter .
TAMPA, Fla. — The Tampa Bay Buccaneers played like a team determined to do whatever's necessary to make the playoffs. Baker Mayfield and the offense purred, the defense tightened after yielding a touchdown just before halftime, and special teams stood out, too, in a 48-14 rout of the Carolina Panthers that kept the team's division and postseason hopes alive Sunday. Now, the Bucs (9-7) will see if they get some outside assistance in their bid to make the playoffs for the fifth straight season. “We're just trying to get to the playoffs,” coach Todd Bowles said, shrugging off a question about how Sunday's win ensured a winning record in the regular season. “If we can win next week and get a little help,” Bowles added, “that will mean a lot to me.” Tampa Bay's fifth win in the past six weeks nudged the first-place Bucs a half-game ahead of Atlanta for the best record in the NFC South, with the Falcons set to play on the road later Sunday night at Washington. Atlanta holds the tiebreaker in the division race and can end Tampa Bay's three-year reign as NFC South champions by beating the Commanders and winning again next week at home against the last-place Panthers (4-12). Mayfield threw for 359 yards and five touchdowns without an interception for the Bucs, the only team in the NFC that's made the playoffs each of the past four seasons. “He really played a heck of a ball game intelligently,” Bowles said. “We didn't turn it over offensively. We were very good on third down. He controlled the ball, spread it around, got everybody touches.” Mayfield threw TD passes of 2 and 1 yards to Mike Evans, and Tampa Bay produced points on five straight first-half possessions to build a 27-7 lead. Jalen McMillan scored on receptions of 10 and 16 yards, linebacker J.J. Russell returned a blocked punt for a third-quarter TD and rookie Bucky Irving had another big game against Carolina with 120 yards rushing on 20 carries and four receptions for 77 yards. “Any time you give him that many opportunities, good things are going to happen,” Mayfield said of Irving. Irving went over 1,000 yards for the season (1,033) despite primarily being used as a backup to Rachaad White. The fourth-round draft pick ran for 152 yards and a touchdown on 25 carries against the NFL's 32nd-ranked run defense in Tampa Bay's 26-23 overtime win at Carolina on Dec. 1. Meanwhile, Mayfield improved to 4-0 against Carolina since his former team released him two years ago. He completed 27 of 32 passes without an interception. The Panthers played without leading rusher Chuba Hubbard, who was placed on injured reserve Saturday. Without him, the offense was almost totally dependent on quarterback Bryce Young, who tossed a pair of TD passes to Adam Thielen but was only 15 of 28 passing for 203 yards. The Bucs sacked Young five times and limited Carolina to 39 yards rushing. Thielen scored on receptions of 17 and 40 yards in the first half and finished with five catches for 110 yards. “We got outplayed. ... They were on fire today. They made it hard for us,” Panthers coach Dave Canales said. “We have one more opportunity to finish,” Canales added, “so we have to regroup and have the discipline to go right back to work and finish on our terms.” Closing in Evans had eight catches for 97 yards. He needs at least 85 yards receiving in next weekend's regular-season finale to tie Hall of Famer Jerry Rice's NFL record of 11 consecutive seasons with 1,000-plus yards receiving. Injuries The Buccaneers played without S Antoine Winfield Jr (knee), TE Cade Otton (knee) and WR Sterling Shepard (hamstring/foot), who were inactive. ... Buccaneers CB Jamel Dean left in the first half with a knee injury and did not return. Up next Panthers: Close the season at Atlanta. Buccaneers: Host the New Orleans Saints.
Rutgers senior Destiny Adams was an unstoppable force in a 77-63 loss to No. 10 Ohio State on Sunday afternoon at Jersey Mike’s Arena. The New Jersey native led the way on both the offensive and defensive ends of the court. She drew 17 fouls against the undefeated Buckeyes and took five charges — four in the first quarter alone. Adams' efforts resulted in a double-double of 31 points and 17 rebounds with five steals, two blocks and two assists. “We do practice taking charges and she’s earned the right to not have to do it in practice as much,” Rutgers coach Coquese Washington said. “She is really good at sacrificing her body for the good of the team.” Despite trailing by as many as 24 points — 21 points at halftime — Adams’ toughness kept the Scarlet Knights in contention, even cutting the Buckeyes' lead to single digits late in the second half. She opened the second half with a steal for a fastbreak layup, sparking a 9-0 run for Rutgers to cut into OSU’s lead, 46-34. “I had no doubt she was going to come and play with the level of toughness and level of fight that we needed,” Washington said. “That rubbed off to the rest of our team. They all played with a level of fight that is admirable and that is one thing we are definitely going to take and try to grow on moving forward.” BUY RUTGERS WOMEN’S BASKETBALL TICKETS: STUBHUB , VIVID SEATS , SEATGEEK Adams scored 12 of Rutgers' 16, first quarter points and had 16 points, seven rebounds, two steals and an assist by halftime. “She played great today. She is really good,” Ohio State coach Kevin McGuff said. “She is a physical post player. We played her when she was at North Carolina in the NCAA tournament and she has just continued to get better.” The Buckeyes were effective in pressuring the Scarlet Knights, particularly in double-teaming and trapping freshman phenom Kiyomi McMiller . After being held to four points in the first half, McMiller finished with 14 points, five rebounds and three assists. “Ohio State makes it tough for you to get into a rhythm and get into a flow on the offensive end,” Washington said. “Their pressing and trapping is very disruptive.” Rutgers (8-5, 0-2 Big Ten) travels to No. 8 Maryland on Thursday before welcoming No. 4 USC and JuJu Watkins to Jersey Mike’s Arena on Sunday, Jan. 5. MORE RUTGERS COVERAGE Rutgers’ running game will be different without Kyle Monangai. Can it be as productive? Rutgers football: Former top recruiting prospect enters transfer portal Several Rutgers reserves enter transfer portal on final day of winter window What’s next for Rutgers’ defense after getting gashed by Kansas State to end disappointing season? Rutgers has hit a ceiling under Greg Schiano after Rate Bowl loss ends disappointing season | Politi Thank you for relying on us to provide the journalism you can trust. Please consider supporting us with a subscription. Joey Chandler may be reached at jchandler@njadvancemedia.comSwampscott veterans worried about future of VFW building as town redevelops area
In a new interview, the scandal-plagued Gaetz reaffirmed his commitment to being a member of Trump’s ‘America First army’. Former United States Congress member Matt Gaetz has confirmed he will not resume his seat in the House of Representatives, amid scrutiny over sex-trafficking allegations. Gaetz had been President-elect Donald Trump’s first pick for the role of attorney general in his incoming administration. But speaking on Friday to the conservative podcast The Charlie Kirk Show, Gaetz addressed his decision to withdraw his name from consideration, as controversy loomed over his nomination. “I think that eight years is probably enough time in the United States Congress,” Gaetz said in the interview. “I’m still going to be in the fight, but it’s going to be from a new perch. I do not intend to join the 119th Congress.” Gaetz, the son of a former Florida state senator, had served as the US representative for Florida’s 1st Congressional District since 2017. But on November 13, when Trump nominated him to lead the Department of Justice, Gaetz abruptly resigned his seat in Congress. Critics pointed out that his resignation came just days before the bipartisan House Ethics Committee was slated to release a report digging into allegations that Gaetz had sex with a minor, engaged in “illicit drug use” and “shared inappropriate images or videos on the House floor”. Gaetz has denied the allegations. But his departure from the House threw the report into limbo, as prominent Republicans argued the committee was only tasked with investigating active members. Democrats, meanwhile, argued the report’s publication was necessary to ensure a transparent and fully informed confirmation process in the Senate. On Wednesday, the committee voted along party lines to withhold the report. By the following day, however, Gaetz announced he would no longer be seeking the attorney general’s position in Trump’s administration. He explained his nomination was “unfairly becoming a distraction” to the goals of the Trump presidency. In Friday’s interview, Gaetz put a positive spin on his brief but fraught nomination. “I know there are people disappointed that I won’t be the next attorney general. But you have to understand: This is the political process, and sometimes the path you’re on is one that takes you to a different place, and it can be a glorious place,” he said. He added that he “enjoyed” his meeting with Republican senators earlier this week, as they discussed the ethics report. Still, he denied that the report played a role in his decision to abandon the confirmation process. “There is a play that is run in Washington when they’re trying to smear somebody. They go and dredge up false, years-old allegations of the most salacious and clickbaity flavour possible,” Gaetz said. “If the things that the House ethics report [said] were true, I would be under indictment and probably in a prison cell. But, of course, they’re false.” He cited his leading role in the removal of former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy in 2023 as stirring up animosity against him. With all the controversy and internal party tensions he faced, Gaetz described his brief stint as the attorney general nominee as akin to “having to do two jobs at one time”. “I had a full-time job explaining to senators that maybe a tweet I said about them was rash and not reflective of how I would serve as attorney general,” Gaetz said. “And at the same time, I was having to build out the Department of Justice with the right human talent, the right policy infrastructure.” One prominent question remained, though: Would Gaetz resume his seat in the House of Representatives? After all, Gaetz had already won re-election on November 5, making him eligible to join the 119th Congress when it gets sworn in early next year. Kirk, the podcast host and prominent conservative activist, put the question to Gaetz. “I’ve been in an elected office for 14 years. I first got elected to the state House when I was 26 years old,” Gaetz responded. “I’m 42 now, and I’ve got some other goals in life that I’m eager to pursue.” He nevertheless underscored his commitment to being part of Trump’s “America First army”. On Thursday, Trump quickly replaced Gaetz as his attorney general nominee with former Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi , another longtime ally. On Friday, Gaetz emphasised that he and Bondi shared the same vision, and he was delighted a fellow Floridian would be his replacement. “My good friend Pam Bondi is going to be a phenomenal attorney general for Donald Trump,” he said. “She has the legal acumen. She hates criminals. She is a bright legal mind and a fellow Floridian. I think that, even though the path will take me to a different station in life and a different place in the fight for our agenda and President Trump, we’ve got a great person in place.”ATLANTA -- Quarterback Carson Beck's status for No. 2 Georgia's Sugar Bowl College Football Playoff quarterfinal is uncertain after he suffered an elbow injury in Saturday's Southeastern Conference championship game win over Texas. Georgia announced Monday there is no timetable on Beck's return as he and his family explore treatment options. Georgia coach Kirby Smart said Sunday the team was awaiting results of tests. The school did not announce details of the injury in Monday's announcement. Beck was injured on the final play of the first half in the Bulldogs' 22-19 overtime win over Texas on Saturday. Beck made a dramatic return to the field for the handoff on the game-winning play. Beck was needed after backup Gunner Stockton had his helmet knocked off, forcing him to leave the game for one play. Beck's injury was to his right (throwing) arm. Even though he was able to take the snap and hand off to Trevor Etienne for the running back’s decisive 4-yard touchdown run, Beck was unable to raise his right arm. Smart said Sunday that Beck attended the team meeting for the CFP draw announcement. “He was pretty somber,” Smart said. “It was a tough deal for him in terms of not being able to go out there and finish in the second half.” Georgia announced punter Brett Thorson will need season-ending surgery after injuring his non-kicking leg against Texas. “Carson and Brett are both fierce competitors and extremely hard workers,” Smart said in a statement released by the school. “I’m confident they will attack their rehab with the same determination they exhibit in their daily habits. We will be here to support them every step of the way.” Stockton would be the likely starter if Beck can't return for the Jan. 1 Sugar Bowl. Stockton completed 12 of 16 passes for 71 yards with one interception against Texas. ___ Get poll alerts and updates on the AP Top 25 throughout the season. Sign up here . AP college football: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-football-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/college-footballThe UK's international student scandal
Home | Former US President, Jimmy Carter dies at 100 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, died at his home in Plains, Georgia, on Sunday, the Carter Center 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 honoring 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 November 19, 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 Center 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 neighbors. 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 unraveling, 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% 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 November 4, 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 January 20, 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 behavior 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 vigorous 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 October 1, 1924, in Plains, Georgia, one of four children of a farmer and shopkeeper. He graduated from the US Naval Academy in 1946, served in the nuclear submarine programme 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. SABC © 2024Fresh corroboration of the perplexing observation that the universe is expanding more rapidly than expected has scientists pondering the cause - perhaps some unknown factor involving the mysterious cosmic components dark energy and dark matter. or signup to continue reading Two years of data from NASA's James Webb Space Telescope have validated the Hubble Space Telescope's earlier finding that the rate of the universe's expansion is faster - by about eight per cent - than would be expected based on what astrophysicists know of the initial conditions in the cosmos and its evolution over billions of years. The discrepancy is called the Hubble Tension. The observations by Webb, the most capable space telescope ever deployed, appear to rule out the notion that the data from its forerunner Hubble was somehow flawed due to instrument error. "This is the largest sample of Webb Telescope data - its first two years in space - and it confirms the puzzling finding from the Hubble Space Telescope that we have been wrestling with for a decade - the universe is now expanding faster than our best theories can explain," said astrophysicist Adam Riess of Johns Hopkins University in Maryland, lead author of the study published on Monday in the Astrophysical Journal. "Yes, it appears there is something missing in our understanding of the universe," added Riess, a 2011 Nobel laureate in physics for the co-discovery of the universe's accelerating expansion. "Our understanding of the universe contains a lot of ignorance about two elements - dark matter and dark energy - and these make up 96 per cent of the universe, so this is no small matter." "The Webb results can be interpreted to suggest there may be a need to revise our model of the universe, although it is very difficult to pinpoint what this is at the moment," said Siyang Li, a Johns Hopkins doctoral student in astronomy and astrophysics and a study co-author. Dark matter, thought to comprise about 27 per cent of the universe, is a hypothesised form of matter that is invisible but is inferred to exist based on its gravitational effects on ordinary matter - stars, planets, moons, all the stuff on Earth - which accounts for roughly 5 per cent of the universe. Dark energy, believed to comprise approximately 69 per cent of the universe, is a hypothesised form of energy permeating vast swathes of space that counteracts gravity and drives the universe's accelerating expansion. What might explain the anomalous expansion rate? "There are many hypotheses that involve dark matter, dark energy, dark radiation - for example, neutrinos (a type of ghostly subatomic particle) - or gravity itself having some exotic properties as possible explanations," Riess said. The researchers employed three different methods to measure a specific telltale metric - distances from Earth to galaxies where a type of pulsating star called Cepheids have been documented. The Webb and Hubble measurements were in harmony. The universe's expansion rate, a figure called the Hubble constant, is measured in kilometres per second per megaparsec, a distance equal to 3.26 million light-years. A light-year is the distance light travels in a year, 9.5 trillion kilometres. Under the standard model of cosmology - basically, the conventional wisdom concerning the universe - the value of the Hubble constant should be about 67-68. The Hubble and Webb data give a value averaging about 73, with a range of about 70-76. The Big Bang event 13 to 14 billion years ago initiated the universe, and it has been expanding ever since. Scientists in 1998 disclosed that this expansion was actually accelerating, with dark energy as the hypothesised reason. The new study looked at Webb data covering about a third of Hubble's full slate of relevant galaxies. The researchers in 2023 announced that earlier interim Webb data validated the Hubble findings. So how might this Hubble Tension mystery be solved? "We need more data to better characterise this clue. Exactly what size is it (the discrepancy)? Is the mismatch at the lower end - 4-5 per cent - or the higher end - 10-12 per cent - of what the current data allows? Over what range of cosmic time is it present? These will further inform ideas," Riess said. DAILY Today's top stories curated by our news team. WEEKDAYS Grab a quick bite of today's latest news from around the region and the nation. WEEKLY The latest news, results & expert analysis. 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King laughs at British comedian’s impression of Donald Trump at Royal Variety