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Sri Ramakrishna commissioned his spouse Sri Sarada Devi to carry his spiritual legacy forward. He was the prophet of the new age. He first realized and then offered a religion suited to the modern world. Sarada witnessed intimately what that religion was and how he gave it by examples at every movement of his life. Likewise, Ramakrishna, too, thoroughly scanned her to find out how pure and powerful she was under the guise of an unassuming ordinary woman and how surely capable of bearing the brunt he wished to lay on her. They knew each other like the palms of their hands. Therefore, there was a clear understanding between them regarding their joint responsibility to show The Light towards Peace. Hence, they peculiarly deemed themselves equal. It was notably more peculiar to Sarada’s conduct to have accepted this as correct, being a woman of such a period when a married woman would have imagined it a blasphemy to consider herself of the same status as her husband. To be able to comprehend the true significance and import of the nuances of her husband’s spiritual practices and accomplishments spoke of another of Sarada’s astonishing peculiarities that established her absolute right to become his spiritual consort to do his work without any hesitation or dithering. Sarada’s amazing rise from a disciple and wife of Ramakrishna to his spiritual height didn’t happen by any slip-shod means. It happened in consequence of her silent, serene, sustained prayers and austerities in the seclusion of the Purdah. Advertisement Her heart and mind flowed incessantly in quiet contemplation steadily to trances, away from public gaze, which endowed her with a celestial Peace. “Instead of luxuriating in the enjoyment of inner peace, (she) worked till the last moment of her life to transmit that peace to others.” She also gave the secret of having peace to us. She said: “If you want peace, do not find fault with others. Rather see your own faults. Learn to make the world your own. No one is a stranger, my child; the whole world is your own.” She palpably demonstrated this secret at every moment in her life. Sarada was not known beyond a small circle of her close associates during her husband’s lifetime. No male follower of her husband saw her face. She was self-effacing and shy. Advertisement Moreover, the stringent social norms for a married Brahmin woman did not permit her to mix with others outside her caste. She did not have the minimum access to formal education because of the restrictions in force against wo m en’s education then, particularly in rural areas. In this way, she virtually lived an incarcerated life. But then, she was too sharp and receptive, because of which she easily learnt by hearing and watching her husband who taught her every detail of household work and how to still remian detached from it, attaching the mind to God relentlessly. She found her husband by no means dogmatic or exclusive. With her elevated common sense she internalized everything for which Ramakrishna lived. “Therefore, today, she is a model for householders and world renouncing monks.” Sarada covertly grew to be modern in thought and perception in spite of her traditional demeanour of extreme simplicity. She wore no slippers or stitched clothes and slept on a mat on the floor. She woke up much before sunrise and sat in meditation, after finishing her bath. The whole day she did back-breaking labour by serving her husband and cooking for his guests, who came without notice until late at night. None other than two or three widows who guarded her from trespassers knew how she managed them quietly. She was never unhappy about that hard life. She said her heart was always full of joy like a pitcher full of water. Her husband worshipped her and let her realize that she was Divine Mother, as a result of which she consciously acted as the mother of the universe. Her husband saw Kali in her, and she also saw Kali in him. Both were in that way confirmed of their Divine non-difference. Sarada affirmed this by worshipping herself, placing her photo beside Ramakrishna’s on an altar. To a few of her spiritually mature disciples she revealed her divine aspect. These novelties evidently made her modern amidst the traditional saints. So, their lives and works were recognized as Divine Plays, which were seen as directly proportional to and complimentary with one another. It was only when her husband passed away that she stepped out in public. Earlier, no one had even seen her photograph. Now she freely visited places and took it upon herself to discharge the duty her husband had allotted her. She initiated both men and women from all castes as well as from other races with no reservations. She ‘deepened’ the faith of her disciples in Ramakrishna’s teaching of the validity of all religions for realizing God, as the one suited to the present age. She said she was ‘mother of all’, whether saint or sinner. She gracefully gave mantras to sanysins, and sanyasa to brahmacharini. Her motherhood knew no distinctions. It was her forte where she did not brook the slightest encroachment, not even her husband’s. Above all, Sarada took the reins of the Ramakrishna Order in her hand. She didn’t even allow Swamiji to do things which she thought were incorrect. Everyone in the Order was at her beck and call. Each was under her protective care. Benign scolding sometimes issued from her for correction, but not a single word of condemnation ever. Hers was a voice of reason and righteousness, difficult to ignore. On the other hand, her dealings with people and society were unprecedented for any woman during that period of Indian history. She was overtly denying communal differences, dearly treating men and women of other communities as her own children. She was feeding them and sometimes eating with them as well in her house without the fear of being ostracized. She went to the extent of letting foreign ladies stay with her, for which she was even ready to part with the company of upper-caste close devotes who disliked it. She strongly advocated girl’s education despite the opposition of bigoted conservative Hindus. She opened a primary school in her village where no provision of education for poor children was available. She dug a tube-well there for clean drinking water, after observing people drinking contaminated pond water. For irrigation purposes, she sought Government help to dig a canal from the nearest rivulet. For 34 years she, thus, continuously worked for the temporal and spiritual welfare of mankind with a pragmatic, progressive and modern outlook, fulfilling her husband’s expectation from her. She set a perfect example of how to translate his teachings in practice effectively, which was a clear illustration of practical Vedanta. Her followers are now forming organizations to work in her fashion, emulating the Vedantic religion and philosophy she reflected in her day-today behaviour and activity in the simplest terms. For instance, there is an organization in Coventry, England called ‘Sarada Vedanta Society’ where people are being educated giving primacy to her life and teachings. As its name indicates, so also its shrine, where her photograph is placed in the middle, instead of Ramakrishna’s, shifting from tradition. The appeal of Sarada Devi increased by and by. She was at last out of her husband’s shadow. People of all walks of life thronged for her blessings and guidance. She became legendary for her divine character, love and affection. Even after almost 125 years of her departure, the intensity of her attraction remains sky high. It was observed that a conspicuous awakening was occurring among women everywhere with her advent. Marking this, Swami Vivekananda’s brother disciple and the second president of the Ramakrishna Order, Swami Shivananda said: “Holy Mother (Sarada Devi) assumed a human body to awaken the womanhood of the entire world. Don’t you see, since her advent, what an amazing awakening has set in among the women of the world? They are now resolved to build up their lives gracefully and advance in all directions. A very surprising renaissance is swaying women in the fields of spirituality, politics, science, literature, etc. And more will come. This is the play of the Divine Power. Ordinary mortals cannot understand this mystery.” Swamiji believed Sarada Devi was born to revive the glory of womanhood. He said “making her nucleus, once more will Gargis and Maitreyis be born into the world”. He planned to start an organization for this purpose, in which she would be ‘the central figure’. Keenly studying her personality, Sister Nivedita wrote: “In her, one sees realized that wisdom and sweetness to which the simplest of women may attain. And yet, to myself the stateliness of her courtesy and great open mind are almost as wonderful as her sainthood. I have never known her hesitate, in giving utterance to large and generous judgement, however new or complex might be the question put before her.” Anyone can see the far reaching and magnifying impact of her life (22 December 1853- 20 June1920) of 67 years in modern times. Today, she is dear to everyone who knows about her. Her sublime matriarchal influence is transforming countless minds, cutting across castes, communities, countries and the fallen. She said: “I am the mother of the wicked, as I am the mother of the virtuous. Never fear. Whenever you are in distress, just say to yourself, ‘I have a mother.’” (The writer is associated with Ramakrishna Mission Ashrama, Narendrapur) AdvertisementDavid Beckham’s doing it. So is Meghan Markle. With a list of fans longer than Jack’s beanstalk, we ask experts if TikTok’s latest hobby could make us healthier. When you think of Kate Moss, does a pair of pruning shears spring to mind? No? How about Gisele Bündchen? It turns out the supers share more than a talent for the runway, since the notorious nature lovers have been quietly cultivating their veggie gardens for years. And with more than 660 million gardening posts and counting on TikTok, the cover girls seem to have been early adopters of a burgeoning trend for tillage . It’s 2024 and everyone from Meghan Markle (who has made jam from the fruits of her own garden) to David Beckham with his farming forays in the Cotswolds, is a budding botanist. As a passion for plants grows on social media (thanks in no small part to these celebs and their high-end horticulture), the ‘green thumb’ demographic is skewing younger than ever before. Celebs have clearly cottoned on to the benefits, but is it all aesthetics, or is gardening a sleeper hit for mental health? Should we all start bending over flower beds like Beckham? Scientifically speaking, there’s little doubt that time spent in the great outdoors is good for the noggin. In 2022, a multidisciplinary taskforce from the World Federation of Societies for Biological Psychiatry and Australasian Society of Lifestyle Medicine included exposure to green spaces in their recommended guidelines for the treatment of major depressive disorders. The report also recommended physical activity – another key component of a good gardening sesh. Dr Maria-Elena Lukeides, psychologist at The Wellness Fountain, confirms that connecting with nature can offer meaningful psychological benefits, ranging from reduced stress to improved mood and even a sense of accomplishment. “When people nurture plants, they experience a sense of control and achievement,” she explains. “Then, if we look at the repetitive nature of gardening tasks, this can serve as a form of meditation, helping you to slow down and calm the mind.” And with burnout at an all-time high, it’s no surprise we’re turning to green spaces for some much-needed solace. This is certainly the case for Lee Sullivan, founder of Urban Veggie Patch, who shares gardening tips with more than 150,000 followers on her Instagram account. “My garden has become a haven. Somewhere I can go when life gets stressful or busy to regain clarity and a sense of peace,” she says. Sullivan’s passion for plants blossomed in the wake of new motherhood while experiencing mild postpartum depression. “I found gardening was helping me regain a sense of self, lifting my mood and creating new purpose.” But she’s noticed other benefits, too. “Not only are you eating lots of nutrient-dense wholefoods, caring for a garden can also be great cardio!” A 2024 metanalysis looking into the impact of gardening on overall wellbeing confirms the benefits may indeed stretch further than a healthy mind. Studies included in the analysis linked gardening with lower stress levels, improved emotional resilience, greater community connection and even physical health outcomes – think lower blood pressure and a dialled-down risk of health conditions including type 2 diabetes. A 2024 metanalysis looking into the impact of gardening on overall wellbeing confirms the benefits may indeed stretch further than a healthy mind. Image: Pexels Stuck in the inner city with little more than a windowsill to work with? Don’t let that kill the vibe. Dr Lukeides assures me, “Tending to plants indoors still provides similar benefits.” According to researchers from RMIT and the University of Melbourne, simply sharing your home with greenery might be enough to reap the benefits of what you’ve sown. They found that living with multiple indoor plants can meaningfully enhance both air quality and mental wellbeing. So, slap on your gumboots, some gloves and a cute pair of op-shop overalls, and get planting. We’re rooting for you. More Coverage How to be a better plant parent Melissa King Super herbs: The best herbs to keep your immunity in top shape Charlotte Brundrett Originally published as Why A-List Celebs are hot for horticulture Lifestyle Don't miss out on the headlines from Lifestyle. Followed categories will be added to My News. More related stories Entertainment Punk rock band The Offspring planning Aussie tour in 2025 American punk rockers The Offspring are playing an exclusive Melbourne show on Sunday at one of the city’s most loved venues. Read more Lifestyle Jordan Ablett gives thanks for life with Levi Jordan Ablett has endured more heartache than most. But the mum-of-three is doing all she can to look on the bright side. Read more
Christian Wilkins reveals the serious reason why his appearance has radically changed READ MORE: Wild things! Aussie stars Charley, Christian Wilkins and other top musicians flash their underwear and slip into very racy attires on the red carpet at the 2024 ARIA Awards By MARY MRAD FOR DAILY MAIL AUSTRALIA Published: 03:19, 30 December 2024 | Updated: 03:19, 30 December 2024 e-mail View comments Christian Wilkins has broken his silence about his change in appearance after appearing almost unrecognisable at the ARIA Awards . The model son of Nine veteran Richard Wilkins , 29, had a noticeably puffier face and striking facial contours at the event last month. Christian took to social media on Monday to explain to his followers he has been dealing with some 'pretty intense hormonal health issues'. 'The effects of this have been rapid weight gain and water retention in the face and abdomen,' he wrote. 'Off the back of this I've made the decision to finally address one of my contributing factors to the issue, my relationship with food and diet.' Christian explained he has gained over 23kgs in the past 18 months but his health has improved a lot since the beginning of the year. Christian Wilkins has broken his silence after turning heads at the ARIA Awards with a noticeably puffier face and striking facial contours. Pictured left in 2015 and right in 2024 'It's not a quick fix and continues to be something I'm working on,' he continued. He said he feels 'happier, healthier and more energised than I have for the majority of my adult life.' Christian added: 'I'm looking forward to 2025 and continuing to work on myself and my health and hope to leave this issue behind in 2024.' Christian's candid post comes after he sparked speculation about cosmetic surgery after unveiling his bold look at this year's ARIA awards. He was serving as the official red carpet host for the Australian music industry's night of nights when he showed off his muscular biceps in a halter-neck black gown with a red anthurium flower around the neckline. He gave himself a few extra inches with a pair of pointed black heels and accessorised with a dainty silver bangle and a coordinated thumb ring. He added to his bold ensemble with a dramatic slick of eyeliner and a bronzed make-up palette as he posed for the cameras. Christian took to Instagram on Monday to explain to his followers he has been dealing with some 'pretty intense hormonal health issues' Read More Nepo baby Christian Wilkins enjoys luxurious European holiday with famous father Richard Following Christian's ARIAs appearance however, cosmetic experts weighed in on his facial 'transformation', speculating that dermal fillers and anti-wrinkle treatments may have been behind his new look. Lauren Robson, director of Lilly Cosmetic Clinic, suggested Christian's cheeks had possibly been injected with dermal filler. 'Instead of creating stronger masculine features, they've created a more feminised cheek by lifting and contouring,' she explained. 'In the lower face, they've enhanced the angles and definition by widening his jawline and defining the gonial angle.' Lauren also noted that Christian's top lip appeared overfilled. 'A more subtle filler approach would have been more aesthetically pleasing,' she said. Additionally, she pointed out that anti-wrinkle injections likely lifted his brows while also keeping forehead and frown lines at bay. Meanwhile, Body Sculpting Clinic's Dominika Gialouris also suggested that Christian had received dermal fillers, combined with advanced treatments like HIFU (High-Intensity Focused Ultrasound). 'Filler works by integrating with the skin's tissue to restore or enhance volume and structure,' Dom explained. Christian explained he has gained over 23kgs in the past 18 months but his health has improved a lot since the beginning of the year. Pictured in 2022 Speaking to News Corp in 2023, Christian revealed that he was a big fan of supplements to keep his skin looking flawless. 'I'm a big believer in ingestibles! From being on set, my hair has seen a lot of damage, so I take Vida Glow Hairology every day, and hand on heart can see the difference,'the model revealed. 'Skincare wise, it changes every day because I get a lot of products sent to me and I want to try them all.' He also mentioned that he wasn't brand loyal when it came to keeping a glow. 'Always an under-eye cream ... I remember growing up in the halls of Channel Nine and the make-up girls telling me one day they can always tell when someone uses an under-eye cream or not. It stuck with me,' Christian added. Richard Wilkins ARIAS Share or comment on this article: Christian Wilkins reveals the serious reason why his appearance has radically changed e-mail Add comment
ENTRUSTED with our readers’ deep secrets, the Dear Deidre team really have a unique insight into what dilemmas the nation is grappling with. Of course, there are some constants — cheating, differing sex drives, low self-esteem and loneliness. But some issues loom larger in certain years as new problems come to the fore. As 2024 nears an end, we take a look at what exactly our readers have been writing in about. Every year, we help thousands of people by answering every single dilemma with a personalised answer, and we’ve kept a record of the issues we’ve tackled. Relationship issues consistently come out on top, with 23 per cent of the emails Dear Deidre receives focused on romantic problems. READ MORE DEAR DEIDRE Sex came a close second, with 19 per cent of readers writing in with a sexual dilemma. Interestingly, half of every single relationship message addressed cheating. Sometimes, the unfaithful party would be writing in, otherwise a suspicious or heartbroken partner worried about their relationship . Among the emails about cheating on partners, home surveillance and doorbell cameras featured more prominently, with some partners forgetting to turn off cameras before inviting flings to come back to their homes . Most read in The Sun A growing number of readers also wrote in because, although they were separated, financial constraints meant they could not move out of the marital home. The reluctant house sharers were frustrated at being unable to move on — a trend that reflects economic uncertainty in the UK. Notable developments this year have been new requests for support with quitting vaping . Another new issue came in the form of pensioners worrying about losing their winter fuel allowance. Social media has been a common theme in all the categories. It is impossible to quantify but has had a huge impact. So many of the relationship problems relate to partners ogling scantily clad influencers or flirting with others they have met online. Plenty don’t see this as cheating but the feeling of betrayal is real for those on the receiving end. And it’s not just cheating that worries people. Time spent watching endless videos encourages weird infatuations, with one woman complaining her husband had become obsessed with the French election. Opportunity for temptation He insisted they spend their family holiday in France watching speeches — and had previously had no interest in politics . The issue of phone addiction came up, particularly for parents fretting about not only what their children were being exposed to, but also how their mobile activity was affecting their own behaviour. They asked our team for help on how to manage this. And a huge number of adults wrote in fed up with their partner, who had little interest in them but spent all hours playing online games or scrolling through their socials. It’s clear that while technology enables us to do far more and do it efficiently, left unchecked it threatens our real-world connections and provides more opportunity for temptation. Next year, I will be recording when social media, phone usage and the internet are mentioned as part of the problem, and I predict this will be a huge growth area. Below is a reader’s letter about ogling, followed by one about winter fuel allowance. I also break down what percentages of our mail different types of letter make up. Mortified after ex saw me having sex on security cam (Letter from November 14) DEAR DEIDRE: MY ex saw me having sex with a one-night stand using the camera security system he’d installed as a favour to me. I was completely unaware that he was watching this, until he turned up the next morning and got very upset with me. Originally, I was grateful for his help setting up the system, but now I feel really uncomfortable. He said he’d received an alert on his phone and checked it by chance, but I can’t help worrying he’s keeping an eye on me. He insists he hasn’t been watching and that was a one-off, but the whole experience has really unsettled me. I’m 36, my ex is 39, and we were together for eight years before we broke up five months ago. Our split was both mutually agreed, and amicable, and we decided to remain friends. We still met up and sometimes even had sex, but as we didn’t discuss what this meant I thought we were simply friends with benefits . I really appreciated still having him in my life. When I was moving house, he offered to help, knowing how useless I am at DIY. He helped put up shelves, and installed security cameras which he set up online so I could view them through an app. I knew he had access to it all while he set it up but assumed he’d log out. So when I brought a man home, I didn’t think twice. Now I feel mortified. He says he didn’t mean to breach my privacy, but I feel so conflicted. DEIDRE SAYS: Watching you have sex with another man was a huge breach of your privacy, and you shouldn’t take it lightly. As a priority, please ensure that you are the only one with access to your security system. Make sure you’re the primary account holder and change your password so that he doesn’t have access. It’s completely understandable that this experience has made you question the sort of person he is. Unless you decide you can trust him completely, you would be wise to stay away. At the very least, it’s clear that the lines are blurred between you and your ex and some boundaries need to be re-established. As for your relationship with him, you need to decide if there’s any hope of a future together. If you decide there’s not, it would be best to step away so you can both move on. My support pack Moving On will help. Left freezing since losing fuel payment (Letter from December 18) DEAR DEIDRE : SINCE the Government cut my Winter Fuel Payment , I’ve been struggling to afford my bills . Now I’m forced to choose between putting my heating on or buying food, and the stress is making me unwell. I’m a 76-year-old pensioner, and live alone. Until this year, I was receiving £200 payments to cover the cost of my heating bills, and I heavily relied on it. So when the Government announced the change, I went into a complete panic. My pension is already low as it is, so without the extra payments I knew it was going to be a hard couple of months. When I contacted the council for help, they told me that, while I was eligible to apply, I had missed the deadline so now I’d have to go without. Ever since, my life has been an absolute nightmare. Now I wake up every morning to a freezing house – and no matter what I do, I can’t keep warm. The constant dread is getting me down, and I’m now struggling to cope. DEIDRE SAYS: I can only imagine how distressing this must be for you. While the qualifying week for this year’s Fuel Payment has now passed, you may still be eligible if you successfully apply for Pension Credit by December 21. READ MORE SUN STORIES Please note that you only have two days to do this, so please take action today. You may also be eligible for a £150 Warm Home Discount. You can find out more about this on the government website ( gov.uk/the-warm-home-discount-scheme ). TOP TOPICS: Relationships 23% Sex 19% Family 8% Parenting 7% Friendships 4% Workplace issues 5% Mental health 11% Health 5% Addictions 8% Bereavement 5% Sexuality 4% Other 1% SEX WOES Sex drive 43% Fetishes 16% Threesomes 12% Erection problems 11% Fantasies 7% Climaxing 4% Menopause 3% Other 4% LOVE Cheating 49% Domestic abuse 12% Addictive love 10% Broken heart 14% Online romance 6% Age gaps 5% Other 4% ADDICTION Alcohol 42% Porn 22% Drugs 13% Smoking 8% Vaping 5% Gambling 9% Shopping and spending 1%AJ Brown makes incredible gesture for young Eagles fan after hilarious Tanner McKee first TD blunder
No. 12 Oklahoma pulls away late vs. Prairie View A&MContrasting Bath & Body Works (NYSE:BBWI) and Kirkland’s (NASDAQ:KIRK)
In recent years, fans have been getting more upset with players having mediocre performances than their team losing games. This is because the former directly affects their fantasy team’s rankings while the latter does not matter as much in the world of fantasy football. Miami Dolphins wideout Tyreek Hill speaks for all NFL players when he says he loathes fantasy football geeks. He’s not been having the ideal season as he is accustomed to having. This has impacted his fantasy ratings and fans have been coming up to him and complaining about it. It’s like I can’t even enjoy a night out with my wife and my kids. Somebody’s always walking up to me and is like, ‘I drafted you number one and you’ve been having the worst fantasy football season of your career’. And it’s like, bro, I do not literally care. It is frustrating for him as fans feel entitled to confront him with this question at the cost of his privacy. It is as though he is being accused of tanking his stats on purpose. The circumstances surrounding Miami have resulted in Tyreek Hill having the worst season of his career. The man who was on track to have 2,000 receiving yards last season is stuck at just 523 yards through 10 games. Tyreek Hill values winning over stat-padding Fantasy football comes down to an individual athlete’s stats. For the eight-time Pro Bowler, team success matters more than individual success. We don’t really care about none of that, dawg. As long as we’re winning. I feel like a lot of people get football mixed up. With stats. And worrying about where a guy’s going. Instead of worrying about the win-loss column. The emergence of betting apps and fantasy apps that provide winners with lucrative rewards for winning has made individual stats more valuable than team wins. Tyreek Hill says public’s focus on fantasy football and gambling can have negative impact on his social interactions VIDEO pic.twitter.com/6gAgw43hrg The wide receiver revealed he had a conversation with his father regarding how the game has changed over the years. These days, the game has been dumbed down to merely fantasy numbers as opposed to the best team with the best players. Hill is not the only player with that objection as this season, a lot of players have been approached by fans outside over their underwhelming numbers in fantasy football. For the NFL, it is a win-win situation. The league gets monetary benefits from the surge in viewership and affiliations with fantasy football and sports betting leagues. Fans must understand that while these numbers mean the world to them, it is meaningless for the athletes themselves who prioritize winning over stat-padding. This article first appeared on FirstSportz and was syndicated with permission.Novak Djokovic has appointed a new member to his coaching team as he prepares to compete for his 25th Grand Slam trophy at the Australian Open in January. The new member's name? Andy Murray. Yes, that Andy Murray. The UK tennis player who won two Grand Slam trophies and retired from the sport this past summer at the 2024 Paris Olympics. Helping coach up his former rival is his first move since ending his professional career. “I’m going to be joining Novak’s team in the offseason, helping him to prepare for the Australian Open," "I’m really excited for it and looking forward to spending time on the same side of the net as Novak for a change, helping him to achieve his goals.” Djokovic and Murray, who are both 37 (they were born within one week of each other in 1987), were on-court rivals during Murray's heyday in the early and mid 2010s. Djokovic has the edge in their 36 career face-offs, winning 25 to Murray's 11. If you just look at head-to-head finals, Djokovic beat Murray 11 times while Murray beat Djokovic eight times. But at Grand Slams, Djokovic absolutely owned Murray with an 8-2 record. There are more secrets hiding in that 25-11 record. Murray lost to Djokovic four times in six years at the Australian Open final (2011, 2015, 2015, 2016), which is why some may be raising their eyebrows at this move. But beating a player doesn't mean you don't have anything to learn from them. Murray never won the Australian Open, but he did make the final five times, which meant he was doing something right. Djokovic mentioned his Australian Open history with Murray in his statement. “I am excited to have one of my greatest rivals on the same side of the net, as my coach." "Looking forward to start of the season and competing in Australia alongside Andy, with whom I have shared many exceptional moments on Australian soil.” That Aussie Open history, as well as their shared personal history as longtime competitors, are two things Djokovic mentioned in a hype video Djokovic narrated and posted Saturday on social media, and were likely important factors in Djokovic's decision to bring Murray aboard. He never liked retirement anyway. 🙌 — Novak Djokovic (@DjokerNole) The Australian Open begins Jan. 12, 2025.
SMU owns second half in win over LongwoodPOCATELLO, Idaho — Jack Layne threw threw touchdown passes, Nate Thomas had 171 yards rushing and Idaho beat Idaho State 40-17 Saturday in the regular season finale for both teams. Layne threw a 41-yard touchdown pass to Emmerson Cortez-Menjivar on a trick play that opened the scoring about 6 minutes into the game and his 15-yard TD pass to Mark Hamper with 37 seconds left in the second quarter gave Idaho (9-3, 6-2 Big Sky Conference) a 10-point halftime lead. Andrew Marshall returned the opening kickoff of the second half 100 yards for a touchdown, Layne threw a 9-yard touchdown pass to Jordan Dwyer that made it 30-10 with 5:17 left in the third quarter and Carlos Matheney's 9-yard TD run capped the scoring with 1:54 to play. Kobe Tracy was 27-of-44 passing for 249 yards with three interceptions for Idaho State (5-7, 3-5) and ran for a 3-yard TD in the fourth quarter that made it 30-17. Idaho, ranked No. 8 in the FCS coaches poll, awaits a likely at-large berth into the FCS playoffs. The Vandals' only losses have come at Oregon — which is No. 1 in the AP Top 25 and the College Football Playoff Ranking — in the season opener, at home against FCS No. 5 UC Davis and at FCS No. 2 Montana State.
Putin signs law letting Ukraine fighters write off bad debtsJimmy Carter, the 39th US president, has died at 100 Published 4:30 pm Sunday, December 29, 2024 by Becky Taylor By BILL BARROW Associated Press 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 simply said in posting about Carter’s death on the social media platform X. 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.” Basketball Christmas Invitational here Friday, Saturday 10 to slide at Polar Bear Plunge Tifton Scene’s Holiday Issue is now online! County property tax bill distribution estimated for January
Adam and Tayah Aveling share baby joy one year after Married at First Sight UK wedding
1 2 Bhubaneswar: Seven students from three govt schools in Balasore's Soro block recently launched a satellite prototype after working on a STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) project for around a month. The satellite, equipped with sensors and communication technology, was launched using a helium balloon from Radhanath Vidyapitha, Soro. It went up 12 km into the air and measured temperature, humidity, altitude and air pressure, sending the information back to the ground station. Around 3,000 people gathered to witness the launch at TinkerFest-2024, marking the end of one month of teaching and learning to build YTSAT 1.0, a CubeSat (a cube-sized satellite). A digital countdown on a large screen showing the balloon ascending was a big draw for the gathering. Mentored by teachers of Young Tinker Foundation, the children, from classes VIII and IX, worked beyond school hours to build the prototype. The team included five students from Satyananda High School, Soro, and one each from BB Nodal UP School, Soro, and GN High School, Kudei. "I used to take classes after school and sometimes online. It was easy to train them as they have the hunger to learn," said Anil Pradhan, the foundation's founder. The children were asked to research how to build a satellite prototype and create a PowerPoint presentation. Data collected was improved upon by their mentors. Each child was given a different task to accomplish. Digvijay Sahu headed the team, Rutuparna Jena was the parachute lead, Satyajit Moharana was the structural lead, Koushik Kar was the design lead, and Chiranjib Barik was the 3D printing lead, all from Satyananda High School. Archana Jena from GN High School was a part of the launch team, while Jigyasa Sahoo of BB Nodal UP School was the media lead. "I got an opportunity to learn something outside our curriculum," said Rutuparna. Her classmate Satyajit was happy to learn about electrical circuits. "We had either read or heard about a satellite. Making a prototype ourselves was a new experience. The project improved our presentation style and our confidence," he said. The audience, which included children from nine schools and nearby villagers, were given a chance to make paper helicopters. Children presented Odissi and Sambalpuri dances during the event. The programme was supported by Chicago-based entrepreneur Nihar Rout, an alumnus of Radhanath Vidyapitha. "My dream is to help these students learn and become torch-bearers of the future," he said. Stay updated with the latest news on Times of India . Don't miss the yearly horoscope 2025 and Chinese horoscope 2025 for Rat , Ox , Tiger , Rabbit , Dragon , Snake , Horse , Goat , Monkey , Rooster , Dog , and Pig zodiac signs. Spread love this holiday season with these New Year wishes and messages .Published 23:53 IST, November 23rd 2024 PM Modi's ‘Ek hai toh safe hai’ slogan has worked for the BJP in Maharashtra's recent election, where counting of votes elevated the Mahayuti alliance to power. New Delhi: PM Modi's ‘Ek hai toh safe hai’ slogan has worked for the BJP in Maharashtra 's recent election, where counting of votes elevated the Mahayuti (BJP-Shiv Sena-NCP) to power. Prime Minister Narendra Modi while delivering victory speech at BJP party headquarter in New Delhi says, "We have to make life easier for every family in the country. We have to serve every citizen of the nation as their servant. We must fulfill the dreams envisioned by our freedom fighters for India..." "Maharashtra has broken all records, it is the biggest win for any party or pre-poll alliance in the last 50 years," Modi said, adding the message from the Maharashtra elections is that of unity and it is also an endorsement of the "ek hai toh safe hai" (united we are safe) slogan. The prime minister also asserted that the message from the Maharashtra elections is that of unity and it is also an endorsement of the "ek hai toh safe hai" (united we are safe) slogan. The BJP's stellar showing also came just months after it was written off in Maharashtra by some political pundits owing to its poor showing in the politically significant state in the Lok Sabha polls. In the first assembly elections in Maharashtra since the split in the Shiv Sena and the NCP, Shiv Sena(Shinde) bagged 56 and led in one and the NCP( Ajit Pawar ) 40 and ahead in one. The majority mark in the 288-member Assembly is 145. The Shiv Sena(Shinde) fought from 81 seats and the Ajit Pawar-led NCP in 59 constituencies. Maharashtra Election Results 2024 Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Saturday hailed the performance of the ruling Mahayuti in the assembly polls and credited it to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the latter's 'ek hai toh safe hai' slogan. Fadnavis is leading from Nagpur South West assembly seat by a margin of 19,437 seats as per data made available on the Election Commission website at 1pm. In a post on X , he said, "Ek Hain toh Safe hain' 'Modi hain toh Mumkin hain'. The slogan was a staple of all speeches of Modi during the campaign. The Mahayuti, which comprises the BJP, Chief Minister Eknath Shinde 's Shiv Sena and Ajit Pawar-led NCP, which won 231 of the 288 assembly seats. Get Current Updates on India News , Entertainment News along with Latest News and Top Headlines from India and around the world. 23:18 IST, November 23rd 2024