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bet definition ATLANTA (AP) — Jimmy Carter, the peanut farmer who tried to restore virtue to the White House after the Watergate scandal and Vietnam War, then rebounded from a landslide defeat to become a global advocate of human rights and democracy, has died. He was 100 years old . The Carter Center said the 39th president died Sunday afternoon, more than a year after entering hospice care , at his home in Plains, Georgia, where he and his wife, Rosalynn, who died in November 2023, lived most of their lives. The center said he died peacefully, surrounded by his family. A moderate Democrat, Carter ran for president in 1976 as a little-known Georgia governor with a broad grin, effusive Baptist faith and technocratic plans for efficient government. His promise to never 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 said. Carter’s victory over Republican Gerald Ford, whose fortunes fell after pardoning Nixon, came amid Cold War pressures, turbulent oil markets and social upheaval over race, women’s rights and America’s role in the world. His achievements included brokering Mideast peace by keeping Egyptian President Anwar Sadat and Israeli Prime Minister Menachem Begin at Camp David for 13 days in 1978. But his coalition splintered under double-digit inflation and the 444-day hostage crisis in Iran. His negotiations ultimately brought all the hostages home alive, but in a final insult, Iran didn’t release them until the inauguration of Ronald Reagan, who had trounced him in the 1980 election. Humbled and back home in Georgia, Carter said his faith demanded that he keep doing whatever he could, for as long as he could, to try to make a difference. He and Rosalynn co-founded The Carter Center in 1982 and spent the next 40 years traveling the world as peacemakers, human rights advocates and champions of democracy and public health. Awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2002, Carter helped ease nuclear tensions in North and South Korea, avert a U.S. invasion of Haiti and negotiate cease-fires in Bosnia and Sudan. By 2022, the center had monitored at least 113 elections around the world. Carter was determined to eradicate guinea worm infections as one of many health initiatives. Swinging hammers into their 90s, the Carters built homes with Habitat for Humanity. The common observation that he was better as an ex-president rankled Carter. His allies were pleased that he lived long enough to see biographers and historians revisit his presidency and declare it more impactful than many understood at the time. Propelled in 1976 by voters in Iowa and then across the South, Carter ran a no-frills campaign. Americans were captivated by the earnest engineer, and while an election-year Playboy interview drew snickers when he said he “had looked on many women with lust. I’ve committed adultery in my heart many times,” voters tired of political cynicism found it endearing. The first family set an informal tone in the White House, carrying their own luggage, trying to silence the Marine Band’s traditional “Hail to the Chief" and enrolling daughter, Amy, in public schools. Carter was lampooned for wearing a cardigan and urging Americans to turn down their thermostats. But Carter set the stage for an economic revival and sharply reduced America's dependence on foreign oil by deregulating the energy industry along with airlines, trains and trucking. He established the departments of Energy and Education, appointed record numbers of women and nonwhites to federal posts, preserved millions of acres of Alaskan wilderness and pardoned most Vietnam draft evaders. Emphasizing human rights , he ended most support for military dictators and took on bribery by multinational corporations by signing the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act. He persuaded the Senate to ratify the Panama Canal treaties and normalized relations with China, an outgrowth of Nixon’s outreach to Beijing. But crippling turns in foreign affairs took their toll. When OPEC hiked crude prices, making drivers line up for gasoline as inflation spiked to 11%, Carter tried to encourage Americans to overcome “a crisis of confidence.” Many voters lost confidence in Carter instead after the infamous address that media dubbed his “malaise" speech, even though he never used that word. After Carter reluctantly agreed to admit the exiled Shah of Iran to the U.S. for medical treatment, the American Embassy in Tehran was overrun in 1979. Negotiations to quickly free the hostages broke down, and then eight Americans died when a top-secret military rescue attempt failed. Carter also had to reverse course on the SALT II nuclear arms treaty after the Soviets invaded Afghanistan in 1979. Though historians would later credit Carter's diplomatic efforts for hastening the end of the Cold war, Republicans labeled his soft power weak. Reagan’s “make America great again” appeals resonated, and he beat Carter in all but six states. Born Oct. 1, 1924, James Earl Carter Jr. married fellow Plains native Rosalynn Smith in 1946, the year he graduated from the Naval Academy. He brought his young family back to Plains after his father died, abandoning his Navy career, and they soon turned their ambitions to politics . Carter reached the state Senate in 1962. After rural white and Black voters elected him governor in 1970, he drew national attention by declaring that “the time for racial discrimination is over.” Carter published more than 30 books and remained influential as his center turned its democracy advocacy onto U.S. politics, monitoring an audit of Georgia’s 2020 presidential election results. After a 2015 cancer diagnosis, Carter said he felt “perfectly at ease with whatever comes.” “I’ve had a wonderful life,” he said. “I’ve had thousands of friends, I’ve had an exciting, adventurous and gratifying existence.” Contributors include former AP staffer Alex Sanz in Atlanta.

The Dallas Cowboys ruled out right guard Zack Martin and cornerback Trevon Diggs with injuries on Saturday, one day prior to a road game against the Washington Commanders. Martin has been dealing with ankle and shoulder injuries and didn't practice at all this week before initially being listed as doubtful to play on Friday. He also physically struggled during Monday night's loss to the Houston Texans. Martin, who turned 34 on Wednesday, has started all 162 games played in 11 seasons with the Cowboys. He's a nine-time Pro Bowl selection and a seven-time first-team All-Pro. Diggs has been dealing with groin and knee injuries. He was listed as questionable on Friday before being downgraded Saturday. Diggs, 26, has 37 tackles and two interceptions in 10 games this season. The two-time Pro Bowl pick led the NFL with 11 picks in 2021 and has 20 in 57 games. The Cowboys elected not to activate receiver Brandin Cooks (knee) for the game. He returned to practice earlier this week and he was listed as questionable on Friday. Dallas activated offensive tackle Chuma Edoga (toe) and defensive end Marshawn Kneeland (knee) off injured reserve Saturday, placed safety Markquese Bell (shoulder) on IR and released defensive end KJ Henry. Tight end Jake Ferguson (concussion) was previously ruled out. Tight end Princeton Fant was elevated from the practice squad to replace him. Cornerback Kemon Hall also was elevated from the practice squad. --Field Level MediaThe Dallas Cowboys ruled out right guard Zack Martin and cornerback Trevon Diggs with injuries on Saturday, one day prior to a road game against the Washington Commanders. Martin has been dealing with ankle and shoulder injuries and didn't practice at all this week before initially being listed as doubtful to play on Friday. He also physically struggled during Monday night's loss to the Houston Texans. Martin, who turned 34 on Wednesday, has started all 162 games played in 11 seasons with the Cowboys. He's a nine-time Pro Bowl selection and a seven-time first-team All-Pro. Diggs has been dealing with groin and knee injuries. He was listed as questionable on Friday before being downgraded Saturday. Diggs, 26, has 37 tackles and two interceptions in 10 games this season. The two-time Pro Bowl pick led the NFL with 11 picks in 2021 and has 20 in 57 games. The Cowboys elected not to activate receiver Brandin Cooks (knee) for the game. He returned to practice earlier this week and he was listed as questionable on Friday. Dallas activated offensive tackle Chuma Edoga (toe) and defensive end Marshawn Kneeland (knee) off injured reserve Saturday, placed safety Markquese Bell (shoulder) on IR and released defensive end KJ Henry. Tight end Jake Ferguson (concussion) was previously ruled out. Tight end Princeton Fant was elevated from the practice squad to replace him. Cornerback Kemon Hall also was elevated from the practice squad. --Field Level Media

Curtis Jones fired Liverpool seven points clear at the top of the Premier League as the title favourites survived a scare in their 3-1 win against struggling Leicester. Arne Slot's side were shocked by Jordan Ayew's early strike at Anfield, but the leaders recovered their composure to equalise just before the interval through Cody Gakpo. England midfielder Jones marked his 100th top-flight appearance with the second goal soon after half-time. Mohamed Salah's 19th goal this term wrapped up Liverpool's 11th win in their last 13 games in all competitions. Liverpool's comeback lifted them seven points clear of second-placed Chelsea, who were beaten 2-1 by Fulham earlier in the day. The rampant Reds, who hold a game in hand on Chelsea, have been beaten just once in 17 league matches this season. They have won 22 of their 26 games in all competitions in a remarkable run since Slot arrived from Feyenoord in the close-season to replace Jurgen Klopp. Klopp led Liverpool to their last Premier League title in 2020 and Slot has them perfectly positioned to emulate that feat in the second half of the season. Also through to the League Cup semi-finals and top of the Champions League, Liverpool, who travel to West Ham for their last match of the year on Sunday, will go into 2025 in contention of an unprecedented quadruple. Third-bottom Leicester are one point from safety after a third consecutive defeat. Salah nearly gave Liverpool the perfect start as his close-range effort smacked the post. But on a night when Anfield was surrounded by a murky mist, Liverpool's defence was lost in the fog in the sixth minute. Meanwhile, Fulham scored twice in the final 10 minutes to end Chelsea's 12-game unbeaten run in all competitions with a stunning 2-1 Premier League win at Stamford Bridge. Substitutes Harry Wilson and Rodrigo Muniz shocked the Blues to secure Fulham's first away win at their west London rivals since 1979. Defeat leaves second-placed Chelsea still four points adrift of leaders Liverpool, who have two games in hand over their nearest challengers, starting with the visit of Leicester later on Thursday. Victory lifts Fulham up to eighth, level on points with champions Manchester City, and within just one point of fifth-placed Newcastle to further their European ambitions for next season. "It is a privilege to give our fans this happiness," said Fulham boss Marco Silva. "Second half the reaction was top. It is not a coincidence that we are the team in the Premier League that has got the most goals from players off the bench." Chelsea boss Enzo Maresca has insisted in recent weeks that his young side are not yet cut out for a title challenge despite their fine form. Silva's men have now taken points from Liverpool, Arsenal and Chelsea this month and the Portuguese's changes turned the tide in the visitors' favour. (AFP)Pitt quarterback Eli Holstein leaves game with left leg injury against LouisvilleNew Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Amit Shah, Gautam Adani and several others condoled the demise of former prime minister Manmohan Singh. Adani Group Chairman, Gautam Adani, on Thursday expressed his deepest condolences at the demise of former Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh, saying that he was a rare leader who spoke softly but achieved monumental strides through his actions. Dr. Singh, renowned economist and architect of India’s economic reforms, passed away at age 92. He was admitted to the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) here following a deterioration in his health. “Deeply saddened by the passing of Dr Manmohan Singh. History will forever honour his pivotal role in the transformative 1991 reforms that reshaped India and opened its doors to the world,” Gautam Adani posted on X. Deeply saddened by the passing of Dr Manmohan Singh. History will forever honour his pivotal role in the transformative 1991 reforms that reshaped India and opened its doors to the world. A rare leader who spoke softly but achieved monumental strides through his actions, Dr... pic.twitter.com/seW5Fk5hKY Gautam Adani further stated that Dr Singh was “a rare leader who spoke softly but achieved monumental strides through his actions”. “Dr Singh’s life remains a masterclass in leadership, humility and service to the nation and will inspire generations to come,” added the Adani Group Chairman. India mourns the loss of one of its most distinguished leaders, Dr. Manmohan Singh Ji. Rising from humble origins, he rose to become a respected economist. He served in various government positions as well, including as Finance Minister, leaving a strong imprint on our economic... pic.twitter.com/clW00Yv6oP PM Modi condoles demise of Dr. Manmohan Singh Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed grief over the death of former PM Manmohan Singh, who passed away here in the AIIMS at the age of 92. Taking to X, PM Modi wrote: “India mourns the loss of one of its most distinguished leaders, Dr. Manmohan Singh Ji. Rising from humble origins, he rose to become a respected economist. He served in various government positions as well, including as Finance Minister, leaving a strong imprint on our economic policy over the years. His interventions in Parliament were also insightful. As our Prime Minister, he made extensive efforts to improve people’s lives.” Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Thursday condoled the death of former prime minister Manmohan Singh and said he played an important role in the country’s governance. Singh, the architect of India’s economic reforms, died here on Thursday night at the age of 92. The home minister said the news of Singh’s demise is extremely sad. पूर्व प्रधानमंत्री डॉ. मनमोहन सिंह जी के निधन की सूचना अत्यंत दुःखद है। भारतीय रिजर्व बैंक में गवर्नर से लेकर देश के वित्त मंत्री और प्रधानमंत्री के रूप में डॉ. मनमोहन सिंह जी ने देश की शासन व्यवस्था में महत्त्वपूर्ण भूमिका निभाई। दुःख की इस घड़ी में उनके परिजनों व समर्थकों के... “From being the Governor of the Reserve Bank of India to the Finance Minister of the country and as the Prime Minister, Dr. Manmohan Singh played an important role in the governance of the country,” he wrote on X in Hindi. “I express my condolences to his family and supporters in this hour of grief. May Waheguru grant peace to his soul and give strength to his family to bear this loss,” he said. Uttar Pradesh Governor Anandiben Patel, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and several other leaders of the state condoled the demise of former prime minister Manmohan Singh. Singh, the architect of India’s economic reforms, died in Delhi on Thursday night. He was 92. Singh’s death was announced by the All India Institute of Medical Sciences, Delhi, where he was admitted in the Emergency ward around 8.30 PM in a critical condition. Patel said Singh’s demise was a major loss to the political realm. “Dr Manmohan Singh’s demise is a profound loss to Indian politics. I pray for peace to his soul and extend my heartfelt sympathies to the bereaved family,” the governor said in a statement. Adityanath said, “The demise of former prime minister and eminent economist Dr Manmohan Singh is deeply saddening and an irreparable loss to Indian politics.” “As finance minister and prime minister, he played a significant role in the governance of the nation. My humble tributes to him! I pray to Lord Shri Ram to grant peace to the departed soul and give strength to the bereaved family and his supporters to bear this immense loss. Om Shanti,” he said in a statement. Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav also expressed grief over Singh’s passing. “A man of truth and a gentle personality, Dr Manmohan Singh’s death is an irreparable international loss. Heartfelt tributes to the great economist and former prime minister,” he said in a post on X. “His visionary initiatives, including economic reforms, the nuclear agreement and MGNREGA, brought India to new heights of prosperity. The nation will forever be indebted to his contributions. Heartfelt tributes,” Rai added. सत्य और सौम्य व्यक्तित्व के धनी महान अर्थशास्त्री भूतपूर्व प्रधानमंत्री मनमोहन सिंह जी का निधन एक अंतरराष्ट्रीय अपूरणीय क्षति है। भावभीनी श्रद्धांजलि! pic.twitter.com/QcHngymjqx Deeply saddened to learn about the passing of Dr Manmohan Singh, former Prime Minister of India. Our nation has lost one of its greatest economists, a visionary reformist, and a global statesman,” said NCP (SP) president Sharad Pawar, who was agriculture minister in Singh’s cabinet. “His departure is an unbearable loss. He was a godly soul who embodied humility, forbearance, tolerance, and compassion. As the architect of India’s economic reforms, his legacy will forever inspire generations to come. May his soul rest in eternal peace,” Pawar added. “Undoubtedly, history shall judge you kindly, Dr. Manmohan Singh ji!” Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge said in post on X, soon after Singh died at AIIMS. Undoubtedly, history shall judge you kindly, Dr. Manmohan Singh ji! With the passing of the Former Prime Minister, India has lost a visionary statesman, a leader of unimpeachable integrity, and an economist of unparalleled stature. His policy of Economic Liberalisation and... pic.twitter.com/BvMZh3MFXS “With the passing of the Former Prime Minister, India has lost a visionary statesman, a leader of unimpeachable integrity, and an economist of unparalleled stature. His policy of Economic Liberalisation and Rights-based welfare paradigm profoundly transformed the lives of crores of Indians, virtually creating a Middle Class in India and lifting crores out of poverty,” the Congress president, who is also the Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha, said. Mourning “the loss of a lifelong senior colleague”, Kharge described Singh as a gentle intellectual and a humble soul who embodied the aspirations of India, having risen through the ranks with unwavering dedication. “I am proud to have been a part of his Cabinet as Labour Minister, Railway Minister and Social Welfare Minister. A man of action rather than words, his immense contribution to nation-building will forever be etched in the annals of Indian history,” he said. Kharge said in this moment of sorrow, he extends his deepest and heartfelt condolences to his family, friends and countless admirers. May they get the strength to overcome this huge loss, he said. “His enduring legacy of ushering in India’s growth, welfare and policies of inclusivity will forever be cherished. May his soul rest in eternal peace,” the Congress chief said. AAP supremo Arvind Kejriwal condoled demise of former prime minister Manmohan Singh, saying it is an irreparable loss of the nation. भारत के पूर्व प्रधानमंत्री डॉ. मनमोहन सिंह जी का निधन देश के लिए एक अपूरणीय क्षति है। उनकी विद्वता और सादगी के गुणों को शब्दों में पिरोना असंभव है। ईश्वर पुण्यात्मा को अपने श्री चरणों में स्थान दें। उनके परिवार और शुभचिंतकों के प्रति मेरी संवेदनाएं। ॐ शांति In a post on X, the former Delhi chief minister said the intellect and simplicity of the former prime minister is hard to be described in words. Kejriwal expressed his sympathies to the family and well-wishers of Singh and prayed for the departed soul. Delhi Chief Minister Atishi said India has lost a leader whose dignity will always be remembered. With the passing of former Prime Minister, Dr. Manmohan Singh, the country has not just lost a world renowned economist, but a leader whose erudition and dignity will always be remembered. Deepest condolences to his family and loved one’s. May God give them strength at this... pic.twitter.com/GbS4U0tcNE “With the passing of former Prime Minister, Dr. Manmohan Singh, the country has not just lost a world renowned economist, but a leader whose erudition and dignity will always be remembered. Deepest condolences to his family and loved one’s. May God give them strength at this difficult time,” she posted in X Singh, revered as one of India’s finest economists and a beacon of decency in politics, leaves behind a legacy of transformative policies that shaped modern India. “He was treated for age-related medical conditions and had sudden loss of consciousness at home on December 26,” AIIMS, Delhi, said in a bulletin. (With inputs from IANS and PTI)

The country’s citizens are lucky, with uninterrupted electrical power supply met from large and small hydro power plants, thermal power stations owned by Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB) and private, also to a lesser degree with bio-energy, solar and wind power. The situation could be improved with moving over to more solar and wind power. Electricity generated from hydro-power, wind, solar and bio-energy are referred to as renewable energy. The country’s hydro power sources are almost exhausted. Wind and solar power have enormous potential, initial investments are slightly higher then thermal, but running costs are low, without imports. Solar is only during the day with intensity reducing with clouds, wind throughout the day and night, but wavering over the time and months. The country’s highest electricity demand is from 6:30 to 9 p.m. Thus solar could only contribute towards meeting the day time demand with hydro contributing throughout. Today, balance is met with thermally generated power. Recently pumped water storage is proposed, using excessive solar power during the day time to pump water to higher levels and using the same to generate electricity during the peak hours (more later). Biomass projects generate power by burning tree branch cuttings or paddy husk under controlled conditions. Branch cuttings of plants (mostly grilicedia) are collected from rural farmers and paddy husk produced during milling of paddy, that are normally disposed by burning. Gliricedia plant roots known for its nitrogen fixing abilities and improve soil fertility, whose leaves are generally used as animal feed, rots easily is an excellent manure. Most dendro-power plants located in the dry rural sector, provide employment and income opportunities to growers and transporters. Wind and solar power are highly acclaimed throughout the world, with energy produced causing least pollution and free, neither available uniformly nor throughout the day. Solar power is popular in Arab countries with massive investments. Technologies and equipment for solar and wind are imported from developed countries and are expensive, but with low running costs. Currently, Hambantota wind farm owned by CEB has a production capacity of 3 MW and the Puttalam farm with a capacity of 10 MW. A wind farm consisting of 30 towers generating 100 MW (Phase 1 – Thambapawani) was established on the southern coast of Mannar Island in 2021, with financial assistance from the Asian Development Bank (ADB). The Buruthakanda Solar Park in Hambantota by Sri Lanka Sustainable Energy Authority (SLSEA), first commercial scale solar power station completed in 2012, producing 737 KW in the first stage and 500 KW in the second stage. The Ambassador of the Republic of Korea, officially handed over Sri Lanka’s first-ever floating solar photovoltaic power plant located at Chandrika Wewa and Kiriibban Wewa reservoirs. The $ 5 million project, with floating solar photovoltaic power plant capable of generating 1MW, uses the reservoir surface, conserving land resources while reducing environmental impact. A World Bank report of August 2007 identified nearly 5,000 sq. km with good-to-excellent wind resource potential of 24,000 MW. About 4,100 sq. km of land and 700 sq. km in lagoons, largely concentrated in the north western coast from Kalpitiya Peninsula north to Mannar Island, Jaffna Peninsula, also central highlands. A strong stream of wind passes through the Strait of Mannar. The high speed winds moving from south to north and vice versa between central mountains of Sri Lanka and South Indian mountains through Strait of Mannar, allows generation of electricity power. Using the same, State of Tamil Nadu has installed six wind power projects, with a capacity of 7,450 MW becoming the leader in India. The largest is the Muppandal Wind Farm with a capacity of 1,500 MW, making it the world’s forth largest onshore wind farm. CEB installed a 103 MW wind power plant in Mannar Island with ADB assistance, costing $ 135 million and commissioned on 18 May 2021, named “Thambapavani”. The plant with 30 wind turbine generators located along the southern coast of Mannar Island. The produced electricity generated by the wind plant cost less than 4 US Cents a kWHr. But the proposed project located on the narrow ‘movement corridor’ where millions of migratory birds moving from north to south and back are severely objected by the environmentalists. CEB’s Long Term Generation Expansion Plans (LTGEP) prepared for 2023-2042 proposes: In addition, the plan allows pumped storage of 300 MW each for years 2029 and 2030, also are 1,400 MW Pumped Hydro Storage development by 2032 and 3,365 MW Battery Energy Storage development by 2042, requiring an average annual investment of $ 1.4 billion for generation and storage capacity additions. As per CEB generation statistics on 21 November, the combined output from the Laxapana, Mahaweli, and Samanala hydro complexes, along with CEB and Small Power Producer (SPP), wind energy and SPP solar, biomass, and mini-hydro sources, amounted to 27.22 GWh. Considering total energy generated was 47.47 Gwh, renewable energy amounts approximately to 57.35% of total energy generation. Thus achieving 70% target by 2030, Sri Lanka needs to increase its RE contribution by 27% within the next five years. Up to now, CEB showed reluctance to connect small and medium renewable plants, claiming the connection will destabilise their distribution system. But, recently, ADB agreed to provide a loan of $ 200 million to Sri Lanka to upgrade the power sector infrastructure, enhancing the reliability of transmission and distribution facilities of renewable energy, which will enable CEB to connect the renewable systems. The Phase II of the Mannar Wind Energy Park of capacity 200 MW, similar to Phase I with a 5 km 132 kV transmission line. The proposed turbines located 2 km away from the existing wind turbines and production costs would be similar. In 2022, the billionaire Indian businessman Gautham Adani visited Sri Lanka and met the President Gotabaya Rajapaksa and visited the proposed wind power project site. Subsequently, the Ministry of Power and Energy, received an unsolicited proposal for the construction and operation of the Mannar Wind Power Project (Phase-II), as Build, Own and Operate project for a 25-year period with an investment of $ 500 million. But with a lawsuit filed in New York court, by the Securities and Exchange Commission, Adani family are facing serious allegations of bribing personnel in implementing projects. Thus offering a project to Adani family would no longer feasible. Sri Lanka being close to the equator, receives an abundant supply of solar radiation year around without a marked seasonal variation. Roof-top solar is possible throughout the country except in higher elevations. Solar-parks are possible in the western coastal belt from Kalpitiya to Jaffna, Northern Province, also Hambantota and Monaragala districts due to flat dry terrain and low rain. In addition, parts of lagoons, lakes and reservoirs could host solar-parks. Thus the country’s solar and wind production capacity is beyond imagination, only needs implementation. SLSEA introduced rooftop solar power units in 2010 which became a success, and led to Surya Bala Sangramaya or the battle for solar energy in 2016. New program targets adding 1,450 MW by 2025. Currently 20,000 solar systems supply 215 MW to national grid, dominated by small roof-top solar installations. Thus rooftop solar needs to be promoted vehemently. Under the current system, rooftop solar producers up to 500 KWs are paid a Rs. 37 flat rate for 20 years, while systems above 50 KWs are paid Rs. 34.50 per unit. Sri Lanka’s first and the largest power station implemented as a joint venture by CEB with aid from EXIM Bank of China. It was constructed by China Machinery Engineering Corporation at a cost of $ 1.35 billion. The contract was signed in 2006 and the first phase of 300 MW was commissioned in 2011, including the construction of 115 km transmission line connecting the plant to the national grid through the Veyangoda substation. The Norochcholai Coal Power Plant located in Puttalam District, on the West Coast of the Kalpitiya Peninsula. The power plant proposed as 3 phases, each phase adding 300 MW, making the total power generated as 900 MW. A 300 MW unit of the Norochcholai plant would use between 650,000 to 700,000 tonnes of coal a year. There are large number of small and medium scale industries, who are occupied during daytime (when the sun is shining) with large roofs. Also are large number of supermarkets, all with large roofs. These roofs could be utilised effectively by installing solar power systems. Solar panels on the roof will reduce the sun-light on the roof, reducing the air-conditioning load below. Some Supermarkets already have solar panels on their roofs, others too could follow and owners cannot claim to be short of funds. I have installed a 14 kW solar system on my roof-top, costing Rs. 2.1 million, the system consisting of 34 solar panels. I have paid all requirements to CEB and am awaiting them to connect the solar power system. Now that Adani’s wind power proposal is no longer acceptable, the Governments need to call for expression of interest world-wide for future installation wind power systems in Mannar, Jaffna regions as well as up on the hills. In the hilly areas, most grounds are Government owned and there would be no objection for the locals. A pumped storage hydro-electric plant generally consists of two water reservoirs at different levels, connected with each other. During low electricity demand, excess generation capacity (excessive solar power) is used to pump water into the upper reservoir. With the high demand in peak hours, water is released back into the lower reservoir through a turbine (usually a Francis turbine), generating electricity. Pumped storage plants, usually use reversible turbine/generator assemblies, acting both pump and as a turbine generator at variable speed operation, further optimising the efficiency in pumped hydro storage tanks. For pumping of water, also for power generation, the same pump is used by changing rotational direction and speed. Pumped storage power plants (PSPPs) have been identified as a viable solution for power generation for Sri Lanka. Wewatenna was identified in the Electricity Sector Master Plan Study of Sri Lanka conducted in 2018 as a suitable site. This study develops the basic design configuration and calculates the peaking energy of the proposed PSPP at Wewathenna using the methodologies employed in previous studies conducted in 2015. The proposed Wewathenna project uses existing Victoria reservoir as the lower pond. The catchment area of the existing “Victoria” is 6.64 km2 and to construct an artificial dam on the eastern side of Victoria Lake serving as the upper pond of capacity 0.33 km2. The net head and maximum discharge are planned as 686 m and 240 m3/s respectively, with a potential capacity of 1,400 MW. However, due to various restrictions, Wewatenna was based on 500 MW. But adhering to manufacturing limit of pump-turbines, the unit capacity was set at 350 MW. The regulator PUCSL requested CEB a revised plan for tariff reduction starting 1 January 2025, and set a deadline for submission by 6 December 2024. But CEB refused any reductions of rates, claiming excess water in reservoir need to be saved to cater till April, end of dry period. Failure will require power generation through oil and coal. Former PUCSL Chairman Janaka Ratnayake added that the generation cost of electricity has decreased from Rs. 50 to Rs. 28, and electricity tariffs should be reduced by at least 30% passing relief to the public. The consumers have noted that recent heavy rains have significantly boosted hydropower generation and would allow reduction of electricity charges. Meanwhile, CEB unions called for bonuses, highlighting that the CEB recorded a profit of Rs. 43 billion in 2023 and Rs. 161 billion in 2024. But CEB rejected the demand for bonus. Also no reduction in electricity prices during the next six months, due to lack of low cost energy sources. The country has almost exhausted its cheapest power hydro-electricity. Only possibility is major movement towards solar power, especially by small and medium scale industries and house owners. Most convenient new solar users would be factories and offices, who normally work during day-light hours. Also, most schools have fans in the classrooms. They could install solar panels on the roofs, eliminating electricity bills. The parents who installed the fans in classrooms could also install solar panels. Meanwhile, it was reported that Orion City, the nation’s premier IT and business park has invested in a 700 kW solar power at its Colombo 9 complex, ensuring 24/7 uninterrupted power supply to its customers, would be an example to others. Thus, the Government needs to submit a plan to encourage installation of solar power by individual homes and the industry, with reduced interest loans from commercial banks. Recently, delegates from Japan and Qatar met the President and have offered assistance for renewable energy. Also, a number of European countries have offered low interest loans for renewable power. If the Government takes initiative to get their assistance, new solar investors could be offered low interest loans, will be a great support to the new investors, and will improve the solar power industry and the country.

Sisodia’s ‘education manifesto’ assures new schools, better facilities

Washington, Dec 30 (AP) Jimmy Carter, the peanut farmer who won the presidency in the wake of the Watergate scandal and Vietnam War, has died aged 100 years. Following are the significant milestones in life and career of the longest-lived American president. Also Read | Mikheil Kavelashvili, Former Georgian Footballer, Sworn In As Georgia's President (Watch Video). — Oct 1, 1924: James Earl Carter Jr is born in Plains, Georgia, son of James Sr and Lillian Gordy Carter. — June 1946: Carter graduates from the US Naval Academy. Also Read | China: Lottery Winner Defrauded of INR 11.5 Crore, yet To Receive Winnings Despite Court Victory. — July 1946: Carter marries Rosalynn Smith, in Plains. They have four children, John William (“Jack”), born 1947; James Earl 3rd (“Chip”), 1950; Donnel Jeffrey (Jeff), 1952; and Amy Lynn, 1967. — 1946-1953: Carter serves in a Navy nuclear submarine program, attaining rank of lieutenant commander. — Summer 1953: Carter resigns from the Navy, returns to Plains after father's death. — 1953-1971: Carter helps run the family peanut farm and warehouse business. — 1963-1966: Carter serves in the Georgia state Senate. — 1966: Carter tries unsuccessfully for the Democratic gubernatorial nomination. — November 1970: Carter is elected governor of Georgia. Serves 1971-75. — Dec. 12, 1974: Carter announces a presidential bid. Atlanta newspaper answers with headline: “Jimmy Who?” — January 1976: Carter leads the Democratic field in Iowa, a huge campaign boost that also helps to establish Iowa's first-in-the-nation caucus. — July 1976: Carter accepts the Democratic nomination and announces Sen. Walter Mondale of Minnesota as running mate. — November 1976: Carter defeats President Gerald R. Ford, winning 51% of the vote and 297 electoral votes to Ford's 240. — January 1977: Carter is sworn in as the 39th president of the United States. On his first full day in office, he pardons most Vietnam-era draft evaders. —September 1977: US and Panama sign treaties to return the Panama Canal back to Panama in 1999. Senate narrowly ratifies them in 1978. — September 1978: Egyptian President Anwar Sadat, Israeli Prime Minister Menachem Begin and Carter sign Camp David accords, which lead to a peace deal between Egypt and Israel the following year. — June 15-18, 1979: Carter attends a summit with Soviet President Leonid Brezhnev in Vienna that leads to the signing of the SALT II treaty. — November 1979: Iranian militants storm the US Embassy in Tehran, taking 52 hostages. All survive and are freed minutes after Carter leaves office in January 1981. — April 1980: The Mariel boatlift begins, sending tens of thousands of Cubans to the US. Many are criminals and psychiatric patients set free by Cuban leader Fidel Castro, creating a major foreign policy crisis. — April 1980: An attempt by the US to free hostages fails when a helicopter crashes into a transport plane in Iran, killing eight servicemen. — Nov 4, 1980: Carter is denied a second term by Ronald Reagan, who wins 51.6% of the popular vote to 41.7% for Carter and 6.7% to independent John Anderson. — 1982: Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter co-found The Carter Centre in Atlanta, whose mission is to resolve conflicts, protect human rights and prevent disease around the world. — September 1984: The Carters spend a week building Habitat for Humanity houses, launching what becomes the annual Carter Work Project. — October 1986: A dedication is held for The Carter Presidential Centre in Atlanta. The centre includes the Carter Presidential Library and Museum and Carter Centre offices. — 1989: Carter leads the Carter Centre's first election monitoring mission, declaring Panamanian Gen. Manuel Noriega's election fraudulent. — May 1992: Carter meets with Mikhail and Raisa Gorbachev at the Carter Centre to discuss forming the Gorbachev Foundation. — June 1994: Carter plays a key role in North Korea nuclear disarmament talks. — September 1994: Carter leads a delegation to Haiti, arranging terms to avoid a US invasion and return President Jean-Bertrand Aristide to power. — December 1994: Carter negotiates tentative cease-fire in Bosnia. — March 1995: Carter mediates cease-fire in Sudan's war with southern rebels. — September 1995: Carter travels to Africa to advance the peace process in more troubled areas. — December 1998: Carter receives UN Human Rights Prize on 50th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. — August 1999: President Bill Clinton awards Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter the Presidential Medal of Freedom. — September 2001: Carter joins former Presidents Ford, Bush and Clinton at a prayer service at the National Cathedral in Washington after Sept 11 attacks. — April 2002: Carter's book “An Hour Before Daylight: Memories of a Rural Boyhood” chosen as finalist for Pulitzer Prize in biography. — May 2002: Carter visits Cuba and addresses the communist nation on television. He is the highest-ranking American to visit in decades. — Dec 10, 2002: Carter is awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for his “untiring effort to find peaceful solutions to international conflicts, to advance democracy and human rights, and to promote economic and social development.” — July 2007: Carter joins The Elders, a group of international leaders brought together by Nelson Mandela to focus on global issues. — Spring 2008: Carter remains officially neutral as Senators Barack Obama and Hillary Rodham Clinton battle each other for the Democratic presidential nomination. — April 2008: Carter stirs controversy by meeting with the Islamic militant group Hamas. — August 2010: Carter travels to North Korea as the Carter Centre negotiates the release of an imprisoned American teacher. — August 2013: Carter joins President Barack Obama and former President Bill Clinton at the 50th anniversary of the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr.'s “I Have A Dream” speech and the March on Washington. — Oct 1, 2014: Carter celebrates his 90th birthday. — December 2014: Carter is nominated for a Grammy in the best spoken word album category, for his book “A Call To Action.” — May 2015: Carter returns early from an election observation visit in Guyana — the Carter Centre's 100th — after feeling unwell. — August 2015: Carter has a small cancerous mass removed from his liver. He plans to receive treatment at Emory Healthcare in Atlanta. — August 2015: Carter announces that his grandson Jason Carter will chair the Carter Centre governing board. — March 6, 2016: Carter says an experimental drug has eliminated any sign of his cancer, and that he needs no further treatment. — May 25, 2016: Carter steps back from a “front-line” role with The Elders to become an emeritus member. — July 2016: Carter is treated for dehydration during a Habitat for Humanity build in Canada. — Spring 2018: Carter publishes “Faith: A Journey for All,” the last of 32 books. — March 22, 2019: Carter becomes the longest-lived US president, surpassing President George H W Bush, who died in 2018. — September 18, 2019: Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter deliver their final in-person annual report at the Carter Centre. — October 2019: At 95, still recovering from a fall, Carter joins the Work Project with Habitat for Humanity in Nashville, Tennessee. It's the last time he works personally on the annual project. — Fall 2019-early 2020: Democratic presidential hopefuls visit, publicly embracing Carter as a party elder, a first for his post-presidency. — November 2020: The Carter Centre monitors an audit of presidential election results in the state of Georgia, marking a new era of democracy advocacy within the US. — Jan 20, 2021: The Carters miss President Joe Biden's swearing-in, the first presidential inauguration they don't attend since Carter's own ceremony in 1977. The Bidens later visit the Carters in Plains on April 29. — Feb 19, 2023: Carter enters home hospice care after a series of short hospital stays. — July 7, 2023: The Carters celebrate their 77th and final wedding anniversary. — Nov 19, 2023: Rosalynn Carter dies at home, two days after the family announced that she had joined the former president in receiving hospice care. — Oct 1, 2024 — Carter becomes the first former US president to reach 100 years of age, celebrating at home with extended family and close friends. — Oct 16, 2024 — Carter casts a Georgia mail ballot for Democratic presidential nominee Kamala Harris, having told his family he wanted to live long enough to vote for her. It marks his 21st presidential election as a voter. — Dec 29, 2024: Carter dies at home. (AP) (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body)Maupay also had a dig at Everton when he departed on loan to Marseille in the summer and his latest taunt has further angered the Premier League club’s supporters. The 28-year-old said on X after Sean Dyche’s side had lost 2-0 to Nottingham Forest at Goodison Park on Sunday: “Whenever I’m having a bad day I just check the Everton score and smile.” Whenever I’m having a bad day I just check the Everton score and smile 🙂 — Neal Maupay (@nealmaupay_) December 29, 2024 Former boxer Tony Bellew was among the Toffees’ supporters who responded to Maupay, with the ex-world cruiserweight champion replying on X with: “P****!” Maupay endured a miserable spell at Everton, scoring just one league goal in 29 appearances after being signed by the Merseysiders for an undisclosed fee in 2022. He departed on a season-long loan to his former club Brentford for the 2023-24 season and left Goodison for a second time in August when Marseille signed him on loan with an obligation to make the deal permanent. After leaving Everton in the summer, Maupay outraged their fans by posting on social media a scene from the film Shawshank Redemption, famous for depicting the main character’s long fight for freedom.

NEW YORK (AP) — Technology stocks pulled Wall Street to another record amid a mixed Monday of trading. The S&P 500 rose 0.2% from its all-time high set on Friday to post a record for the 54th time this year. The Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 128 points, or 0.3%, while the Nasdaq composite gained 1%. Super Micro Computer, a stock that’s been on an AI-driven roller coaster, soared 28.7% to lead the market. Following allegations of misconduct and the resignation of its public auditor , the maker of servers used in artificial-intelligence technology said an investigation found no evidence of misconduct by its management or by the company’s board. It also said that it doesn’t expect to restate its past financials and that it will find a new chief financial officer, appoint a general counsel and make other moves to strengthen its governance. Big Tech stocks also helped prop up the market. Gains of 1.8% for Microsoft and 3.2% for Meta Platforms were the two strongest forces pushing upward on the S&P 500. Intel was another propellant during the morning, but it lost an early gain to fall 0.5% after the chip company said CEO Pat Gelsinger has retired and stepped down from the board. Intel is looking for Gelsinger’s replacement, and its chair said it’s “committed to restoring investor confidence.” Intel recently lost its spot in the Dow Jones Industrial Average to Nvidia, which has skyrocketed in Wall Street’s frenzy around AI. Stellantis, meanwhile, skidded following the announcement of its CEO’s departure . Carlos Tavares steps down after nearly four years in the top spot of the automaker, which owns car brands like Jeep, Citroën and Ram, amid an ongoing struggle with slumping sales and an inventory backlog at dealerships. The world’s fourth-largest automaker’s stock fell 6.3% in Milan. The majority of stocks in the S&P 500 likewise fell, including California utility PG&E. It dropped 5% after saying it would sell $2.4 billion of stock and preferred shares to raise cash. Retailers were mixed amid what’s expected to be the best Cyber Monday on record and coming off Black Friday . Target, which recently gave a forecast for the holiday season that left investors discouraged , fell 1.2%. Walmart , which gave a more optimistic forecast, rose 0.2%. Amazon, which looks to benefit from online sales from Cyber Monday, climbed 1.4%. All told, the S&P 500 added 14.77 points to 6,047.15. The Dow fell 128.65 to 44,782.00, and the Nasdaq composite climbed 185.78 to 19,403.95. The stock market largely took Donald Trump’s latest threat on tariffs in stride. The president-elect on Saturday threatened 100% tariffs against a group of developing economies if they act to undermine the U.S. dollar. Trump said he wants the group, headlined by Brazil, Russia, India and China, to promise it won’t create a new currency or otherwise try to undercut the U.S. dollar. The dollar has long been the currency of choice for global trade. Speculation has also been around a long time that other currencies could knock it off its mantle, but no contender has come close. The U.S. dollar’s value rose Monday against several other currencies, but one of its strongest moves likely had less to do with the tariff threats. The euro fell amid a political battle in Paris over the French government’s budget . The euro sank 0.7% against the U.S. dollar and broke below $1.05. In the bond market, Treasury yields gave up early gains to hold relatively steady. The yield on the 10-year Treasury climbed above 4.23% during the morning before falling back to 4.19%. That was just above its level of 4.18% late Friday. A report in the morning showed the U.S. manufacturing sector contracted again last month, but not by as much as economists expected. This upcoming week will bring several big updates on the job market, including the October job openings report, weekly unemployment benefits data and the all-important November jobs report. They could steer the next moves for Federal Reserve, which recently began pulling interest rates lower to give support to the economy. Economists expect Friday’s headliner report to show U.S. employers accelerated their hiring in November, coming off October’s lackluster growth that was hampered by damaging hurricanes and strikes. “We now find ourselves in the middle of this Goldilocks zone, where economic health supports earnings growth while remaining weak enough to justify potential Fed rate cuts,” according to Mark Hackett, chief of investment research at Nationwide. In financial markets abroad, Chinese stocks led gains worldwide as monthly surveys showed improving conditions for manufacturing, partly driven by a surge in orders ahead of Trump’s inauguration next month. Both official and private sector surveys of factory managers showed strong new orders and export orders, possibly partly linked to efforts by importers in the U.S. to beat potential tariff hikes by Trump once he takes office. Indexes rose 0.7% in Hong Kong and 1.1% in Shanghai. AP Business Writers Matt Ott and Elaine Kurtenbach contributed.The stock market has witnessed significant gains in 2024, with the S&P 500 up over 20% year to date. But will this momentum continue into the new year? Stephen 'Sarge' Guilfoyle joined TheStreet to discuss his market outlook for 2025. Related: Top Wall Street analyst unveils unexpected S&P 500 price target for 2025 Full Video Transcript Below: CONWAY GITTENS: So tell me, what are your overall expectations for the stock market overall in 2025? Do you expect another year of growth. I know we're like double digits with S&P 500. What's still like 20% up year to date? STEPHEN GUILFOYLE: So far. Yeah, I would expect that to slow down somewhat, especially if interest rates can't be tamed. If the bond market, like I said, takes control of the long end of the yield curve away from the Fed and that and and prices. I don't five year debt out to 30 year debt appropriately. Well, then of course, that's going to slow the slow the economy down because then corporations won't be able to service their debt as cheaply. They won't be able to roll over as much of their debt. They'll actually have to pay it off. The same would be for the U.S. government unless they unless they put out all their debt in 30, 60, and 90 day treasuries, which is kind of ridiculous. But that's the only way the Fed could control their borrowing costs. I know they're supposed to be independent. They would not be independent. If they were doing that by the federal government. But because of these factors, I think that if borrowing costs can't be contained moving forward, that will obviously start on corporations. And it will obviously slow down government spending even if the two candidates, whoever wins, want to be irresponsible. CONWAY GITTENS: Tell me, what then is the biggest risk facing the market in 2025, in your view? STEPHEN GUILFOYLE: The largest risk would be a hot war involving the United States. I mean, would if the United States were to be sucked into a war in Asia with China, which is another superpower, or if they would be sucked in, somehow drawn into this war in Eastern Europe due to NATO being an alliance where they all have to defend each other, or if the United States gets sucked into combat in the back in the Middle East where we've been for so long and we're finally out of it, I think that would be a black swan event if the United States got into a hot war with somebody that could punch back, I think that would be a devastating blow to the U.S. economy and to the market. Watch More Interviews:

Britain will invest “more deeply than ever” in the special relationship with the US under Donald Trump, Sir Keir Starmer has said as he warned that President Putin posed a “near and present danger” to the West. The prime minister used his first major foreign policy speech to say that the relationship between Britain and the US had provided the “cornerstone of our security and prosperity for over a century”. “We will never turn away from that,” he said. In a direct overture to Trump , he said that the US president-elect had been a “gracious” host when the two men met in New York earlier this year. “I told him we will invest more deeply than ever in this transatlantic bond with our American friends in the years to come,” he said.The UN's marathon climate summit neared the finish line early Sunday, with nations due to approve or reject a hotly-disputed deal for wealthy historic emitters to provide at least $300 billion to poorer countries that had demanded much more. After an exhausting two weeks of negotiations in Azerbaijan's Caspian Sea capital of Baku, COP29 president Mukhtar Babayev declared open the final summit plenary after midnight, two days after the conference was officially scheduled to end. A final text was released following several sleepless nights for negotiators, with tensions boiling over as small islands states and the world's poorest countries walked out of one meeting. "This package is an affront to us. We are the countries that have the most at stake," said Tina Stege, climate envoy of the Marshall Islands, an atoll nation threatened by rising seas. Top German negotiator Jennifer Morgan told AFP that countries would be presented a "take it or leave it" deal. Before the closing session, delegates huddled in small groups on the floor of the main conference room inside Baku's sports stadium to pore over copies of the latest draft deal line by line. "I know that none of us want to leave Baku without a good outcome," Babayev said. A number of countries have accused Azerbaijan, an authoritarian oil and gas exporter, of lacking the experience and will to meet the moment, as the planet again sets temperature records and faces rising deadly disasters. Small island nations and impoverished African states on Saturday angrily stormed out of a meeting with Azerbaijan, saying their concerns had been ignored. "I think it caught a lot of people by surprise," said Brazil's climate envoy, Ana Toni. "It all happened very quickly." The walkout triggered an emergency meeting between those nations and top negotiators from the European Union, United States and Britain with the COP29 presidency in which new proposals were made. Wealthy countries and small island nations have also been concerned by efforts led by Saudi Arabia to water down calls from last year's summit to phase out fossil fuels. The final text proposes that rich nations raise to at least $300 billion a year by 2035 their commitment to poorer countries to fight climate change. It is up from $100 billion now provided by wealthy nations under a commitment set to expire -- and from $250 billion proposed in a draft Friday. That offer was slammed as offensively low by developing countries, which have demanded at least $500 billion to build resilience against climate change and cut emissions. Sierra Leone's climate minister Jiwoh Abdulai, whose country is among the world's poorest, called the draft "effectively a suicide pact for the rest of the world". Developing power Brazil pleaded for at least some progress and said it would seek to build on it when it leads COP30 next year in the Amazon gateway of Belem. "After the difficult experience that we're having here in Baku, we need to reach some outcome that is minimally acceptable in line with the emergency we're facing," Brazil's environment minister Marina Silva told delegates. As staff at the cavernous and windowless stadium began packing up, diplomats rushed between meetings, some armed with food and water in anticipation of another late night. Panama's outspoken negotiator, Juan Carlos Monterrey Gomez, warned not to repeat the failure of COP15 in Copenhagen in 2009. "I'm sad, I'm tired, I'm disheartened, I'm hungry, I'm sleep-deprived, but there is a tiny ray of optimism within me because this cannot become a new Copenhagen," he told reporters. Climate activists shouted "shame" as US climate envoy John Podesta walked the halls. "Hopefully this is the storm before the calm," he said. Wealthy nations say it is politically unrealistic to expect more in direct government funding. Donald Trump, a sceptic of both climate change and foreign assistance, returns to the White House in January and a number of other Western countries have seen right-wing backlashes against the green agenda. The draft deal posits a larger overall target of $1.3 trillion per year to cope with rising temperatures and disasters, but most would come from private sources. South African Environment Minister Dion George, however, said: "I think being ambitious at this point is not going to be very useful." The United States and EU have wanted newly wealthy emerging economies like China -- the world's largest emitter -- to chip in. The final draft encouraged developing countries to make contributions on a voluntary basis, reflecting no change for China which already pays climate finance on its own terms. The EU and other countries have also tussled with Saudi Arabia over including strong language on moving away from fossil fuels, which negotiators say the oil-producing country has resisted. "We will not allow the most vulnerable, especially the small island states, to be ripped off by the new, few rich fossil fuel emitters," said German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock. bur-np-sct-lth/jmFunDukes: Funs.AI Genesis NFT Series