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pg jili178 Just because involves some guesswork doesn’t mean it has to be a total mystery. Whether you’ve been saving since your first job or you’re getting a late start, you can leverage expert-recommended strategies to gauge your progress on the road to retirement. And if you’re not quite on track, don’t sweat it — the experts we spoke to offered actionable tips to help you close the gap. You might have a general idea of . A few quick calculations can give you an estimate, but to truly appreciate where you stand, you’ll need to dive into the numbers. Here’s how to get started. A good rule of thumb to estimate your retirement savings goal is the . Simply multiply your desired annual retirement income by 25. The result is roughly how much you’ll need to save before hitting retirement. For example, if you plan to spend $50,000 a year, you’ll need about $1.25 million to make it a reality. The Rule of 25 is based on the idea that from your retirement savings should last you about 30 years. While it’s not an exact science by any means — and lifestyle changes can skew the numbers, for example — the Rule of 25 can be a good starting point to figure out how much you need to save. Fidelity Investments, a behemoth in the retirement planning space, offers savings guidelines to help you . —By age 30: Save 1x your annual salary —By age 40: Save 3x your annual salary —By age 50: Save 6x your annual salary —By age 60: Save 8x your annual salary —By age 67: Save 10x your annual salary For example, if you earn $60,000 annually, you should aim for $600,000 in savings by age 67. But like the Rule of 25, Fidelity’s guidelines offer a 10,000-foot look at retirement goals, and they’re not customized to your situation. Maybe you earned a low salary in your 20s, but you’re working hard in your 30s to make up for it. Use these estimates as a benchmark — but don’t get discouraged if you’re lagging behind. Now it’s time to zoom in a little. To get a clearer snapshot of your progress, use an online retirement calculator. These tools factor in your age, current savings, income and lifestyle goals to estimate whether you’re on track. You’ll get a more refined estimate without crunching the numbers yourself. Bankrate’s even lets you input different rates of return on your investments and accounts for estimated annual salary increases. Having a general savings goal is nice, but to avoid falling short in retirement, you’ll need more than a ballpark figure. Experts recommend creating a to get an up-close-and-personal look at how much you’ll really need once you leave the workforce. First, estimate how much you’ll spend per month in retirement. While some costs will increase, like health care, others will likely decrease, like dining out and commuting. “Estimating expenses can be challenging for some people, so as a starting point, I often use your net take-home pay,” says Jeff DeLarme, a certified financial planner and president of DeLarme Wealth Management. For example, if you receive a direct deposit of $2,500 every two weeks from work, use $5,000 as your estimated monthly spending in retirement. “Assuming this was enough to pay the bills while working, we can use $5,000 a month as a starting budget to plan for,” says DeLarme. Next, map out your sources of income in retirement. Social Security is the largest income stream for most retirees, but don’t neglect other inflows, such as: —Workplace retirement accounts, like 401(k)s —Personal retirement accounts, like a traditional or Roth IRA —Pensions —Annuities —Selling your home or business —Rental income —Inheritance “If there’s a gap between your expected expenses and income, you’ll have a good idea of how much you need to save,” says Mike Hunsberger, a certified financial planner and owner of Next Mission Financial Planning. From there, you can adjust your savings and investment strategy accordingly. For something as important (and complex) as retirement planning, it pays to speak with a professional. Financial advisers can analyze your savings, investments and retirement goals to create a personalized plan. Advisers use special planning software that account for more variables than an online calculator, giving you a much more precise, granular look at your financial life in retirement. Many financial advisers can also help you optimize your tax strategy, which can potentially save you thousands of dollars over time. Make sure the adviser you hire is a , meaning they’re legally obligated to prioritize your interests over their own. A fiduciary won’t push investments to earn a commission or recommend products that aren’t aligned with your needs. A certified financial planner is one of the most well-recognized designations for fiduciaries. You can use Bankrate’s to find a certified financial planner in your area in minutes. Maybe you did the math and realized you’re not quite where you need to be. Don’t panic if you’re behind schedule. Here are five strategies experts recommend to help you . Cutting expenses now frees up more cash to invest in your retirement accounts. Evaluate your budget and identify areas where you can cut costs, like dining out, streaming subscriptions or shopping. Don’t rule out bigger lifestyle changes either, especially if retirement is rapidly approaching. Housing is the biggest monthly expense for most people. Getting creative here can help amplify the amount you can sock away, says Joseph Boughan, a certified financial planner and managing member at Parkmount Financial Partners. It can also reduce your expenses in retirement, so you may not need to save as much as before. “Downsizing can be a great way to cut expenses,” says Boughan. “This can even free up cash if you don’t end up needing all that money for a new home.” Moving somewhere with lower property taxes or income taxes can also help bring your retirement plan back in line. And if you’re a renter, making tough short-term decisions, like taking on a roommate or moving to a lower cost-of-living area, can free up hundreds of dollars a month for your retirement. “Everyone’s plan is unique, so exploring all the options is important,” Boughan says. Joe Conroy, a certified financial planner and owner of Harford Retirement Planners, recommends taking a “retirement test drive” as you near your target date. “Start to live on what income you think you can afford in retirement and stash all the extra income into savings and investments,” says Conroy. “If you can make it through each month, you’re ready for retirement. If you run short, then adjust your plan accordingly.” Working a little longer can be a game-changer for your retirement nest egg. Not only does it give you more time to save, it also gives your investments room to grow. “Working longer or even just part time for a few years early in retirement is one of the best ways to reduce the amount of money you need to save,” says Hunsberger. Postponing retirement can also . “You can claim as early as 62, but your benefits will be reduced significantly,” says Hunsberger. Meanwhile, each year you delay claiming Social Security benefits beyond your , your monthly check will increase by 8%, though this benefit maxes out at age 70. So waiting can really pay off. It may seem obvious, but if you’re behind on retirement savings, you’ll need to boost your contributions as much as possible. Here are a few ways to make saving for retirement easier: —Increase your contribution rate: Allocate a larger portion of your paycheck to a workplace retirement plan. Even bumping up your contributions by 1% or 2% can make a huge difference down the road. —Take advantage of your employer match: Don’t leave free money on the table. Many employers will chip in between 3 and 5% depending on your plan, so make sure you’re contributing enough to take advantage of the benefit. —Use “unexpected” money to catch up: If you get a raise or bonus at work, funnel part of it directly into your 401(k). And if you get a refund at tax time, siphon some of it off to beef up your IRA. If you’ve been investing in low-risk, low-return investments, you may not be keeping up with inflation, let alone growing your nest egg. Reallocating part of your portfolio to stocks or low-cost growth exchange-traded funds (ETFs) is one way to get your money working harder. Higher-risk investments like stocks carry more volatility but also offer higher potential returns. Work with a financial adviser or use a to strike the right balance between growth and your personal risk tolerance. Contribution limits for 401(k) plans and IRAs are higher for people over 50. For 2025, employees aged 50 and up who participate in most 401(k) plans or the federal government’s Thrift Savings Plan can save up to $31,000 annually, including a $7,500 . But thanks to , a sweeping retirement law, a new higher catch-up contribution limit of $11,250 applies for employees ages 60 to 63. So, if you’re in this age group, you can squirrel away a whopping $34,750 a year during the final stretch of your career. Of course, you’ll need a big salary (think six figures) in order to take full advantage of such massive contribution limits. But if you can afford it, these catch-up allowances can put your plan back on track, especially if you struggled to save much early in your career. There’s no GPS to gauge your progress on the road to retirement. If you’ve veered off course or aren’t sure where to start, begin by getting a quick estimate of how much you’ll need before mapping out a retirement budget. And if you’re behind, don’t panic — adjusting your spending, boosting your contributions and speaking with can help you catch up. ©2024 Bankrate.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.In an online Q&A with supporters, the husband and wife team spoke about a number of issues at Penton Park with the current form of the side, the proposed takeover and the club's financial status the main topics on which fans demanded answers. In October this year, news broke that hip hop star A$AP Rocky, the 36-year-old boyfriend of pop icon Rihanna, was reportedly part of an investment group, led by celebrity lawyer Joe Tacopina, interested in purchasing an 80% stake in the Birkenhead club. Since then, chairman Mark Palios, who became Tranmere owner in 2014 alongside his wife Nicola, has remained tight-lipped on the proposals with rumours swirling that any deal may have fallen through. On the pitch Rovers' form has deteriorated to such a degree that they now find themselves in 21st place in League Two just four points off the relegation zone heaping pressure on manager and former teammates of the chairman, Nigel Adkins. Addressing the supporters, Mark Palios, said: "The first thing to say is the speculation that a deal to buy the club has collapsed is entirely wrong. "We are limited by non-disclosure agreements around the sale and that's entirely normal so we're not allowed to put out there what is happening or is not happening. "These things are complex and as a reference point you can look at Everton where even though they've recently said they've completed a deal it still hasn't gone through. "We can't communicate freely or give a blow by blow account as to what is happening but part of the delay is that we want the incoming people to add value and increase the potential of the club. "I think that the parties we are talking to can do that and we'd rather that happened than people just come in and put money into the playing budget or put money into an ego trip or asset strip which has happened to other clubs over the yeas and we don't want to see that." Putting a time scale on the takeover was something Mark Palios said was difficult but he did have encouraging words for those who want changes fast. "It's difficult to identify exactly when this will happen," he said. "People have to go through the officers and directors tests at the EFL and they have to make sure they have the funds to do what is necessary but we're reasonably confident that this deal will close by the end of quarter one next year. "Whether I stay on to aid the acquisition is up to the incoming consortium - if they want me to stay on to affect a smooth transition I will. If they don't I will shake hands and say goodbye." The husband and wife began the session by addressing what they have achieved in their ten year tenure. "Our strategy since we came in has always been that at some point we would have to hand over the club," said Mark. "In terms of what we could do it was about 'can we put ourselves in a better position so that there's interest from people in taking over the club and building on the increased potential of the club and could those people coming in have aspirations to take the club into the Championship. "The difficulty in that is keeping the on-field performances going but I think over time we've built the potential - we have our own ground and a training ground in which £3.6m has been invested and that would enable us to play in the Championship without significant further investment and that's attractive to people who are coming in and looking at clubs that don't have their own ground or training ground. "Over a period of time not everything has been great but what we wanted to achieve was to get interest from people investing in the club and that is certainly what we're seeing at this point in time. "The club is in a better place and people recognise that - I don't think we will go into the National League but if we did I'd point at Wrexham who were in the National League and I think we ae actually in a better place than Wrexham were." Addressing the club's performances on the pitch this season, both Mark and Nicola could not hide their frustration with Rovers' recent form which has seen them win just one game in the last seven. Mark said: "For a lot of fans the disenchantment and unhappiness they feel is around this area and it won't surprise you that it's the most difficult question to answer. "No one in situations like this can put their finger on one thing that you can fix like in a normal business and it's all the more perplexing because this is the highest playing budget we've had and when you back to the optimism of pre-season and our stat to the season, optimism was high and yet here we are in 21st place. "This happens in football and it happens all over the world in football in every league. Good players don't become bad players overnight and good managers and coaches don't become bad managers and coaches overnight. "I appreciate you don't see what I see in terms of what the manager and the players are doing to try and make themselves better and fix the problems but they do work on it and they are as unhappy as everybody else around the club and in the stands. "It's hard to accept but sometimes you've just got to stick together, look at what you're doing and seek to improve. Everybody is working hard and they are not complacent." Mark confirmed that Andy Crosby would be joining the coaching staff on a short-term basis. Crosby, who was most recently manager at Port Vale, worked previously with Adkins at Scunthorpe, Southampton, Sheffield United and Reading as the current Rovers' boss' assistant. "He brings an experienced but new set of eyes that may see things that other people don't see," said Mark. "No one is happy with the results and where we are in the table - they all came to the club with an ambition to get promoted and enhance their careers. "We have three home games coming up and it is about everyone helping out on this if you accept that all the players are trying really hard, the staff are really trying hard and at the end of the day everyone is working to achieve the same thing. "If you go home happy on a Saturday afternoon I go home happy on a Saturday afternoon because that's what everyone wants to achieve."Fredonia Mining Inc. Announces Filing of Technical Report for the Maiden Mineral Resource Estimate at El Dorado Monserrat Project, Argentina and Option GrantKIA K4 SEDAN NAMED FINALIST FOR 2025 NORTH AMERICAN CAR OF THE YEARTM (NACTOY)

The American Legion Mourns Passing of President CarterJimmy Carter’s public service heralded by Southern California lawmakers on either side of the aisleNoneRutgers looks to pick up steam in clash vs. Seton Hall

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Buchanan scores 28 off the bench, Boise State downs South Dakota State 83-82Andrew met the individual through “official channels” with “nothing of a sensitive nature ever discussed”, a statement from his office said. The businessman – known only as H6 – lost an appeal over a decision to bar him from entering the UK on national security grounds. He brought a case to the Special Immigration Appeals Commission (SIAC) after then-home secretary Suella Braverman said he should be excluded from the UK in March 2023. H6 was described as a “close confidante” of The Duke. Judges were told that in a briefing for the home secretary in July 2023, officials claimed H6 had been in a position to generate relationships between prominent UK figures and senior Chinese officials “that could be leveraged for political interference purposes”. They also said that H6 had downplayed his relationship with the Chinese state, which combined with his relationship with Andrew, 64, represented a threat to national security. A statement from Andrew’s office said: “The Duke of York followed advice from His Majesty’s Government and ceased all contact with the individual after concerns were raised. “The Duke met the individual through official channels with nothing of a sensitive nature ever discussed. “He is unable to comment further on matters relating to national security.” At a hearing in July, the specialist tribunal heard that the businessman was told by an adviser to Andrew that he could act on the duke’s behalf when dealing with potential investors in China, and that H6 had been invited to Andrew’s birthday party in 2020. A letter referencing the birthday party from the adviser, Dominic Hampshire, was discovered on H6’s devices when he was stopped at a port in November 2021. In a ruling on Thursday, Mr Justice Bourne, Judge Stephen Smith and Sir Stewart Eldon, dismissed the challenge.

IF Walls Could Talk - Christmas in Limerick has always been special5 ways to tell if you’re on track for retirement — and 5 things to do if you need to catch up, according to experts

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GEORGE TOWN, Cayman Islands (AP) — Javan Buchanan's 28 points off of the bench led Boise State to an 83-82 victory against South Dakota State on Monday. Buchanan went 11 of 17 from the field (4 for 8 from 3-point range) for the Broncos (5-1). Alvaro Cardenas Torre added 16 points while going 6 of 13 (3 for 6 from 3-point range) while they also had seven assists. Julian Bowie went 4 of 4 from the field (3 for 3 from 3-point range) to finish with 13 points. Oscar Cluff finished with 19 points and 14 rebounds for the Jackrabbits (5-2). Joe Sayler added 19 points for South Dakota State. Kalen Garry had 13 points and five assists. ___ The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by and data from . The Associated Press

5 ways to tell if you’re on track for retirement — and 5 things to do if you need to catch up, according to expertsATLANTA (AP) — Jimmy Carter, the peanut farmer who won the presidency in the wake of the Watergate scandal and Vietnam War, endured humbling defeat after one tumultuous term and then redefined life after the White House as a global humanitarian, has died. He was 100 years old. The longest-lived American president died on Sunday, more than a year after entering hospice care , at his home in the small town of Plains, Georgia, where he and his wife, Rosalynn, who died at 96 in November 2023 , spent most of their lives, The Carter Center said. “Our founder, former U.S. President Jimmy Carter, passed away this afternoon in Plains, Georgia,” the center said in posting about his death on the social media platform X. It added in a statement that he died peacefully, surrounded by his family. Businessman, Navy officer, evangelist, politician, negotiator, author, woodworker, citizen of the world — Carter forged a path that still challenges political assumptions and stands out among the 45 men who reached the nation’s highest office. The 39th president leveraged his ambition with a keen intellect, deep religious faith and prodigious work ethic, conducting diplomatic missions into his 80s and building houses for the poor well into his 90s. “My faith demands — this is not optional — my faith demands that I do whatever I can, wherever I am, whenever I can, for as long as I can, with whatever I have to try to make a difference,” Carter once said. A moderate Democrat, Carter entered the 1976 presidential race as a little-known Georgia governor with a broad smile, outspoken Baptist mores and technocratic plans reflecting his education as an engineer. His no-frills campaign depended on public financing, and his promise not to deceive the American people resonated after Richard Nixon’s disgrace and U.S. defeat in southeast Asia. “If I ever lie to you, if I ever make a misleading statement, don’t vote for me. I would not deserve to be your president,” Carter repeated before narrowly beating Republican incumbent Gerald Ford, who had lost popularity pardoning Nixon. Carter governed amid Cold War pressures, turbulent oil markets and social upheaval over racism, women’s rights and America’s global role. His most acclaimed achievement in office was a Mideast peace deal that he brokered by keeping Egyptian President Anwar Sadat and Israeli Prime Minister Menachem Begin at the bargaining table for 13 days in 1978. That Camp David experience inspired the post-presidential center where Carter would establish so much of his legacy. Yet Carter’s electoral coalition splintered under double-digit inflation, gasoline lines and the 444-day hostage crisis in Iran. His bleakest hour came when eight Americans died in a failed hostage rescue in April 1980, helping to ensure his landslide defeat to Republican Ronald Reagan. Carter acknowledged in his 2020 “White House Diary” that he could be “micromanaging” and “excessively autocratic,” complicating dealings with Congress and the federal bureaucracy. He also turned a cold shoulder to Washington’s news media and lobbyists, not fully appreciating their influence on his political fortunes. “It didn’t take us long to realize that the underestimation existed, but by that time we were not able to repair the mistake,” Carter told historians in 1982, suggesting that he had “an inherent incompatibility” with Washington insiders. Carter insisted his overall approach was sound and that he achieved his primary objectives — to “protect our nation’s security and interests peacefully” and “enhance human rights here and abroad” — even if he fell spectacularly short of a second term. Ignominious defeat, though, allowed for renewal. The Carters founded The Carter Center in 1982 as a first-of-its-kind base of operations, asserting themselves as international peacemakers and champions of democracy, public health and human rights. “I was not interested in just building a museum or storing my White House records and memorabilia,” Carter wrote in a memoir published after his 90th birthday. “I wanted a place where we could work.” That work included easing nuclear tensions in North and South Korea, helping to avert a U.S. invasion of Haiti and negotiating cease-fires in Bosnia and Sudan. By 2022, The Carter Center had declared at least 113 elections in Latin America, Asia and Africa to be free or fraudulent. Recently, the center began monitoring U.S. elections as well. Carter’s stubborn self-assuredness and even self-righteousness proved effective once he was unencumbered by the Washington order, sometimes to the point of frustrating his successors . He went “where others are not treading,” he said, to places like Ethiopia, Liberia and North Korea, where he secured the release of an American who had wandered across the border in 2010. “I can say what I like. I can meet whom I want. I can take on projects that please me and reject the ones that don’t,” Carter said. He announced an arms-reduction-for-aid deal with North Korea without clearing the details with Bill Clinton’s White House. He openly criticized President George W. Bush for the 2003 invasion of Iraq. He also criticized America’s approach to Israel with his 2006 book “Palestine: Peace Not Apartheid.” And he repeatedly countered U.S. administrations by insisting North Korea should be included in international affairs, a position that most aligned Carter with Republican President Donald Trump. Among the center’s many public health initiatives, Carter vowed to eradicate the guinea worm parasite during his lifetime, and nearly achieved it: Cases dropped from millions in the 1980s to nearly a handful. With hardhats and hammers, the Carters also built homes with Habitat for Humanity. The Nobel committee’s 2002 Peace Prize cites his “untiring effort to find peaceful solutions to international conflicts, to advance democracy and human rights, and to promote economic and social development.” Carter should have won it alongside Sadat and Begin in 1978, the chairman added. Carter accepted the recognition saying there was more work to be done. “The world is now, in many ways, a more dangerous place,” he said. “The greater ease of travel and communication has not been matched by equal understanding and mutual respect.” Carter’s globetrotting took him to remote villages where he met little “Jimmy Carters,” so named by admiring parents. But he spent most of his days in the same one-story Plains house — expanded and guarded by Secret Service agents — where they lived before he became governor. He regularly taught Sunday School lessons at Maranatha Baptist Church until his mobility declined and the coronavirus pandemic raged. Those sessions drew visitors from around the world to the small sanctuary where Carter will receive his final send-off after a state funeral at Washington’s National Cathedral. The common assessment that he was a better ex-president than president rankled Carter and his allies. His prolific post-presidency gave him a brand above politics, particularly for Americans too young to witness him in office. But Carter also lived long enough to see biographers and historians reassess his White House years more generously. His record includes the deregulation of key industries, reduction of U.S. dependence on foreign oil, cautious management of the national debt and notable legislation on the environment, education and mental health. He focused on human rights in foreign policy, pressuring dictators to release thousands of political prisoners . He acknowledged America’s historical imperialism, pardoned Vietnam War draft evaders and relinquished control of the Panama Canal. He normalized relations with China. “I am not nominating Jimmy Carter for a place on Mount Rushmore,” Stuart Eizenstat, Carter’s domestic policy director, wrote in a 2018 book. “He was not a great president” but also not the “hapless and weak” caricature voters rejected in 1980, Eizenstat said. Rather, Carter was “good and productive” and “delivered results, many of which were realized only after he left office.” Madeleine Albright, a national security staffer for Carter and Clinton’s secretary of state, wrote in Eizenstat’s forward that Carter was “consequential and successful” and expressed hope that “perceptions will continue to evolve” about his presidency. “Our country was lucky to have him as our leader,” said Albright, who died in 2022. Jonathan Alter, who penned a comprehensive Carter biography published in 2020, said in an interview that Carter should be remembered for “an epic American life” spanning from a humble start in a home with no electricity or indoor plumbing through decades on the world stage across two centuries. “He will likely go down as one of the most misunderstood and underestimated figures in American history,” Alter told The Associated Press. James Earl Carter Jr. was born Oct. 1, 1924, in Plains and spent his early years in nearby Archery. His family was a minority in the mostly Black community, decades before the civil rights movement played out at the dawn of Carter’s political career. Carter, who campaigned as a moderate on race relations but governed more progressively, talked often of the influence of his Black caregivers and playmates but also noted his advantages: His land-owning father sat atop Archery’s tenant-farming system and owned a main street grocery. His mother, Lillian , would become a staple of his political campaigns. Seeking to broaden his world beyond Plains and its population of fewer than 1,000 — then and now — Carter won an appointment to the U.S. Naval Academy, graduating in 1946. That same year he married Rosalynn Smith, another Plains native, a decision he considered more important than any he made as head of state. She shared his desire to see the world, sacrificing college to support his Navy career. Carter climbed in rank to lieutenant, but then his father was diagnosed with cancer, so the submarine officer set aside his ambitions of admiralty and moved the family back to Plains. His decision angered Rosalynn, even as she dived into the peanut business alongside her husband. Carter again failed to talk with his wife before his first run for office — he later called it “inconceivable” not to have consulted her on such major life decisions — but this time, she was on board. “My wife is much more political,” Carter told the AP in 2021. He won a state Senate seat in 1962 but wasn’t long for the General Assembly and its back-slapping, deal-cutting ways. He ran for governor in 1966 — losing to arch-segregationist Lester Maddox — and then immediately focused on the next campaign. Carter had spoken out against church segregation as a Baptist deacon and opposed racist “Dixiecrats” as a state senator. Yet as a local school board leader in the 1950s he had not pushed to end school segregation even after the Supreme Court's Brown v. Board of Education decision, despite his private support for integration. And in 1970, Carter ran for governor again as the more conservative Democrat against Carl Sanders, a wealthy businessman Carter mocked as “Cufflinks Carl.” Sanders never forgave him for anonymous, race-baiting flyers, which Carter disavowed. Ultimately, Carter won his races by attracting both Black voters and culturally conservative whites. Once in office, he was more direct. “I say to you quite frankly that the time for racial discrimination is over,” he declared in his 1971 inaugural address, setting a new standard for Southern governors that landed him on the cover of Time magazine. His statehouse initiatives included environmental protection, boosting rural education and overhauling antiquated executive branch structures. He proclaimed Martin Luther King Jr. Day in the slain civil rights leader’s home state. And he decided, as he received presidential candidates in 1972, that they were no more talented than he was. In 1974, he ran Democrats’ national campaign arm. Then he declared his own candidacy for 1976. An Atlanta newspaper responded with the headline: “Jimmy Who?” The Carters and a “Peanut Brigade” of family members and Georgia supporters camped out in Iowa and New Hampshire, establishing both states as presidential proving grounds. His first Senate endorsement: a young first-termer from Delaware named Joe Biden. Yet it was Carter’s ability to navigate America’s complex racial and rural politics that cemented the nomination. He swept the Deep South that November, the last Democrat to do so, as many white Southerners shifted to Republicans in response to civil rights initiatives. A self-declared “born-again Christian,” Carter drew snickers by referring to Scripture in a Playboy magazine interview, saying he “had looked on many women with lust. I’ve committed adultery in my heart many times.” The remarks gave Ford a new foothold and television comedians pounced — including NBC’s new “Saturday Night Live” show. But voters weary of cynicism in politics found it endearing. Carter chose Minnesota Sen. Walter “Fritz” Mondale as his running mate on a “Grits and Fritz” ticket. In office, he elevated the vice presidency and the first lady’s office. Mondale’s governing partnership was a model for influential successors Al Gore, Dick Cheney and Biden. Rosalynn Carter was one of the most involved presidential spouses in history, welcomed into Cabinet meetings and huddles with lawmakers and top aides. The Carters presided with uncommon informality: He used his nickname “Jimmy” even when taking the oath of office, carried his own luggage and tried to silence the Marine Band’s “Hail to the Chief.” They bought their clothes off the rack. Carter wore a cardigan for a White House address, urging Americans to conserve energy by turning down their thermostats. Amy, the youngest of four children, attended District of Columbia public school. Washington’s social and media elite scorned their style. But the larger concern was that “he hated politics,” according to Eizenstat, leaving him nowhere to turn politically once economic turmoil and foreign policy challenges took their toll. Carter partially deregulated the airline, railroad and trucking industries and established the departments of Education and Energy, and the Federal Emergency Management Agency. He designated millions of acres of Alaska as national parks or wildlife refuges. He appointed a then-record number of women and nonwhite people to federal posts. He never had a Supreme Court nomination, but he elevated civil rights attorney Ruth Bader Ginsburg to the nation’s second highest court, positioning her for a promotion in 1993. He appointed Paul Volker, the Federal Reserve chairman whose policies would help the economy boom in the 1980s — after Carter left office. He built on Nixon’s opening with China, and though he tolerated autocrats in Asia, pushed Latin America from dictatorships to democracy. But he couldn’t immediately tame inflation or the related energy crisis. And then came Iran. After he admitted the exiled Shah of Iran to the U.S. for medical treatment, the American Embassy in Tehran was overrun in 1979 by followers of the Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini. Negotiations to free the hostages broke down repeatedly ahead of the failed rescue attempt. The same year, Carter signed SALT II, the new strategic arms treaty with Leonid Brezhnev of the Soviet Union, only to pull it back, impose trade sanctions and order a U.S. boycott of the Moscow Olympics after the Soviets invaded Afghanistan. Hoping to instill optimism, he delivered what the media dubbed his “malaise” speech, although he didn’t use that word. He declared the nation was suffering “a crisis of confidence.” By then, many Americans had lost confidence in the president, not themselves. Carter campaigned sparingly for reelection because of the hostage crisis, instead sending Rosalynn as Sen. Edward M. Kennedy challenged him for the Democratic nomination. Carter famously said he’d “kick his ass,” but was hobbled by Kennedy as Reagan rallied a broad coalition with “make America great again” appeals and asking voters whether they were “better off than you were four years ago.” Reagan further capitalized on Carter’s lecturing tone, eviscerating him in their lone fall debate with the quip: “There you go again.” Carter lost all but six states and Republicans rolled to a new Senate majority. Carter successfully negotiated the hostages’ freedom after the election, but in one final, bitter turn of events, Tehran waited until hours after Carter left office to let them walk free. At 56, Carter returned to Georgia with “no idea what I would do with the rest of my life.” Four decades after launching The Carter Center, he still talked of unfinished business. “I thought when we got into politics we would have resolved everything,” Carter told the AP in 2021. “But it’s turned out to be much more long-lasting and insidious than I had thought it was. I think in general, the world itself is much more divided than in previous years.” Still, he affirmed what he said when he underwent treatment for a cancer diagnosis in his 10th decade of life. “I’m perfectly at ease with whatever comes,” he said in 2015 . “I’ve had a wonderful life. I’ve had thousands of friends, I’ve had an exciting, adventurous and gratifying existence.” Former Associated Press journalist Alex Sanz contributed to this report.

By BILL BARROW, Associated Press PLAINS, Ga. (AP) — Newly married and sworn as a Naval officer, Jimmy Carter left his tiny hometown in 1946 hoping to climb the ranks and see the world. Less than a decade later, the death of his father and namesake, a merchant farmer and local politician who went by “Mr. Earl,” prompted the submariner and his wife, Rosalynn, to return to the rural life of Plains, Georgia, they thought they’d escaped. The lieutenant never would be an admiral. Instead, he became commander in chief. Years after his presidency ended in humbling defeat, he would add a Nobel Peace Prize, awarded not for his White House accomplishments but “for his decades of untiring effort to find peaceful solutions to international conflicts, to advance democracy and human rights, and to promote economic and social development.” The life of James Earl Carter Jr., the 39th and longest-lived U.S. president, ended Sunday at the age of 100 where it began: Plains, the town of 600 that fueled his political rise, welcomed him after his fall and sustained him during 40 years of service that redefined what it means to be a former president. With the stubborn confidence of an engineer and an optimism rooted in his Baptist faith, Carter described his motivations in politics and beyond in the same way: an almost missionary zeal to solve problems and improve lives. Carter was raised amid racism, abject poverty and hard rural living — realities that shaped both his deliberate politics and emphasis on human rights. “He always felt a responsibility to help people,” said Jill Stuckey, a longtime friend of Carter’s in Plains. “And when he couldn’t make change wherever he was, he decided he had to go higher.” Carter’s path, a mix of happenstance and calculation , pitted moral imperatives against political pragmatism; and it defied typical labels of American politics, especially caricatures of one-term presidents as failures. “We shouldn’t judge presidents by how popular they are in their day. That’s a very narrow way of assessing them,” Carter biographer Jonathan Alter told the Associated Press. “We should judge them by how they changed the country and the world for the better. On that score, Jimmy Carter is not in the first rank of American presidents, but he stands up quite well.” Later in life, Carter conceded that many Americans, even those too young to remember his tenure, judged him ineffective for failing to contain inflation or interest rates, end the energy crisis or quickly bring home American hostages in Iran. He gained admirers instead for his work at The Carter Center — advocating globally for public health, human rights and democracy since 1982 — and the decades he and Rosalynn wore hardhats and swung hammers with Habitat for Humanity. Yet the common view that he was better after the Oval Office than in it annoyed Carter, and his allies relished him living long enough to see historians reassess his presidency. “He doesn’t quite fit in today’s terms” of a left-right, red-blue scoreboard, said U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg, who visited the former president multiple times during his own White House bid. At various points in his political career, Carter labeled himself “progressive” or “conservative” — sometimes both at once. His most ambitious health care bill failed — perhaps one of his biggest legislative disappointments — because it didn’t go far enough to suit liberals. Republicans, especially after his 1980 defeat, cast him as a left-wing cartoon. It would be easiest to classify Carter as a centrist, Buttigieg said, “but there’s also something radical about the depth of his commitment to looking after those who are left out of society and out of the economy.” Indeed, Carter’s legacy is stitched with complexities, contradictions and evolutions — personal and political. The self-styled peacemaker was a war-trained Naval Academy graduate who promised Democratic challenger Ted Kennedy that he’d “kick his ass.” But he campaigned with a call to treat everyone with “respect and compassion and with love.” Carter vowed to restore America’s virtue after the shame of Vietnam and Watergate, and his technocratic, good-government approach didn’t suit Republicans who tagged government itself as the problem. It also sometimes put Carter at odds with fellow Democrats. The result still was a notable legislative record, with wins on the environment, education, and mental health care. He dramatically expanded federally protected lands, began deregulating air travel, railroads and trucking, and he put human rights at the center of U.S. foreign policy. As a fiscal hawk, Carter added a relative pittance to the national debt, unlike successors from both parties. Carter nonetheless struggled to make his achievements resonate with the electorate he charmed in 1976. Quoting Bob Dylan and grinning enthusiastically, he had promised voters he would “never tell a lie.” Once in Washington, though, he led like a joyless engineer, insisting his ideas would become reality and he’d be rewarded politically if only he could convince enough people with facts and logic. This served him well at Camp David, where he brokered peace between Israel’s Menachem Begin and Epypt’s Anwar Sadat, an experience that later sparked the idea of The Carter Center in Atlanta. Carter’s tenacity helped the center grow to a global force that monitored elections across five continents, enabled his freelance diplomacy and sent public health experts across the developing world. The center’s wins were personal for Carter, who hoped to outlive the last Guinea worm parasite, and nearly did. As president, though, the approach fell short when he urged consumers beleaguered by energy costs to turn down their thermostats. Or when he tried to be the nation’s cheerleader, beseeching Americans to overcome a collective “crisis of confidence.” Republican Ronald Reagan exploited Carter’s lecturing tone with a belittling quip in their lone 1980 debate. “There you go again,” the former Hollywood actor said in response to a wonky answer from the sitting president. “The Great Communicator” outpaced Carter in all but six states. Carter later suggested he “tried to do too much, too soon” and mused that he was incompatible with Washington culture: media figures, lobbyists and Georgetown social elites who looked down on the Georgians and their inner circle as “country come to town.” Carter carefully navigated divides on race and class on his way to the Oval Office. Born Oct. 1, 1924 , Carter was raised in the mostly Black community of Archery, just outside Plains, by a progressive mother and white supremacist father. Their home had no running water or electricity but the future president still grew up with the relative advantages of a locally prominent, land-owning family in a system of Jim Crow segregation. He wrote of President Franklin Roosevelt’s towering presence and his family’s Democratic Party roots, but his father soured on FDR, and Jimmy Carter never campaigned or governed as a New Deal liberal. He offered himself as a small-town peanut farmer with an understated style, carrying his own luggage, bunking with supporters during his first presidential campaign and always using his nickname. And he began his political career in a whites-only Democratic Party. As private citizens, he and Rosalynn supported integration as early as the 1950s and believed it inevitable. Carter refused to join the White Citizens Council in Plains and spoke out in his Baptist church against denying Black people access to worship services. “This is not my house; this is not your house,” he said in a churchwide meeting, reminding fellow parishioners their sanctuary belonged to God. Yet as the appointed chairman of Sumter County schools he never pushed to desegregate, thinking it impractical after the Supreme Court’s 1954 Brown v. Board decision. And while presidential candidate Carter would hail the 1965 Voting Rights Act, signed by fellow Democrat Lyndon Johnson when Carter was a state senator, there is no record of Carter publicly supporting it at the time. Carter overcame a ballot-stuffing opponent to win his legislative seat, then lost the 1966 governor’s race to an arch-segregationist. He won four years later by avoiding explicit mentions of race and campaigning to the right of his rival, who he mocked as “Cufflinks Carl” — the insult of an ascendant politician who never saw himself as part the establishment. Carter’s rural and small-town coalition in 1970 would match any victorious Republican electoral map in 2024. Once elected, though, Carter shocked his white conservative supporters — and landed on the cover of Time magazine — by declaring that “the time for racial discrimination is over.” Before making the jump to Washington, Carter befriended the family of slain civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr., whom he’d never sought out as he eyed the governor’s office. Carter lamented his foot-dragging on school integration as a “mistake.” But he also met, conspicuously, with Alabama’s segregationist Gov. George Wallace to accept his primary rival’s endorsement ahead of the 1976 Democratic convention. “He very shrewdly took advantage of his own Southerness,” said Amber Roessner, a University of Tennessee professor and expert on Carter’s campaigns. A coalition of Black voters and white moderate Democrats ultimately made Carter the last Democratic presidential nominee to sweep the Deep South. Then, just as he did in Georgia, he used his power in office to appoint more non-whites than all his predecessors had, combined. He once acknowledged “the secret shame” of white Americans who didn’t fight segregation. But he also told Alter that doing more would have sacrificed his political viability – and thus everything he accomplished in office and after. King’s daughter, Bernice King, described Carter as wisely “strategic” in winning higher offices to enact change. “He was a leader of conscience,” she said in an interview. Rosalynn Carter, who died on Nov. 19 at the age of 96, was identified by both husband and wife as the “more political” of the pair; she sat in on Cabinet meetings and urged him to postpone certain priorities, like pressing the Senate to relinquish control of the Panama Canal. “Let that go until the second term,” she would sometimes say. The president, recalled her former aide Kathy Cade, retorted that he was “going to do what’s right” even if “it might cut short the time I have.” Rosalynn held firm, Cade said: “She’d remind him you have to win to govern.” Carter also was the first president to appoint multiple women as Cabinet officers. Yet by his own telling, his career sprouted from chauvinism in the Carters’ early marriage: He did not consult Rosalynn when deciding to move back to Plains in 1953 or before launching his state Senate bid a decade later. Many years later, he called it “inconceivable” that he didn’t confer with the woman he described as his “full partner,” at home, in government and at The Carter Center. “We developed a partnership when we were working in the farm supply business, and it continued when Jimmy got involved in politics,” Rosalynn Carter told AP in 2021. So deep was their trust that when Carter remained tethered to the White House in 1980 as 52 Americans were held hostage in Tehran, it was Rosalynn who campaigned on her husband’s behalf. “I just loved it,” she said, despite the bitterness of defeat. Fair or not, the label of a disastrous presidency had leading Democrats keep their distance, at least publicly, for many years, but Carter managed to remain relevant, writing books and weighing in on societal challenges. He lamented widening wealth gaps and the influence of money in politics. He voted for democratic socialist Bernie Sanders over Hillary Clinton in 2016, and later declared that America had devolved from fully functioning democracy to “oligarchy.” Related Articles Yet looking ahead to 2020, with Sanders running again, Carter warned Democrats not to “move to a very liberal program,” lest they help re-elect President Donald Trump. Carter scolded the Republican for his serial lies and threats to democracy, and chided the U.S. establishment for misunderstanding Trump’s populist appeal. He delighted in yearly convocations with Emory University freshmen, often asking them to guess how much he’d raised in his two general election campaigns. “Zero,” he’d gesture with a smile, explaining the public financing system candidates now avoid so they can raise billions. Carter still remained quite practical in partnering with wealthy corporations and foundations to advance Carter Center programs. Carter recognized that economic woes and the Iran crisis doomed his presidency, but offered no apologies for appointing Paul Volcker as the Federal Reserve chairman whose interest rate hikes would not curb inflation until Reagan’s presidency. He was proud of getting all the hostages home without starting a shooting war, even though Tehran would not free them until Reagan’s Inauguration Day. “Carter didn’t look at it” as a failure, Alter emphasized. “He said, ‘They came home safely.’ And that’s what he wanted.” Well into their 90s, the Carters greeted visitors at Plains’ Maranatha Baptist Church, where he taught Sunday School and where he will have his last funeral before being buried on family property alongside Rosalynn . Carter, who made the congregation’s collection plates in his woodworking shop, still garnered headlines there, calling for women’s rights within religious institutions, many of which, he said, “subjugate” women in church and society. Carter was not one to dwell on regrets. “I am at peace with the accomplishments, regret the unrealized goals and utilize my former political position to enhance everything we do,” he wrote around his 90th birthday. The politician who had supposedly hated Washington politics also enjoyed hosting Democratic presidential contenders as public pilgrimages to Plains became advantageous again. Carter sat with Buttigieg for the final time March 1, 2020, hours before the Indiana mayor ended his campaign and endorsed eventual winner Joe Biden. “He asked me how I thought the campaign was going,” Buttigieg said, recalling that Carter flashed his signature grin and nodded along as the young candidate, born a year after Carter left office, “put the best face” on the walloping he endured the day before in South Carolina. Never breaking his smile, the 95-year-old host fired back, “I think you ought to drop out.” “So matter of fact,” Buttigieg said with a laugh. “It was somehow encouraging.” Carter had lived enough, won plenty and lost enough to take the long view. “He talked a lot about coming from nowhere,” Buttigieg said, not just to attain the presidency but to leverage “all of the instruments you have in life” and “make the world more peaceful.” In his farewell address as president, Carter said as much to the country that had embraced and rejected him. “The struggle for human rights overrides all differences of color, nation or language,” he declared. “Those who hunger for freedom, who thirst for human dignity and who suffer for the sake of justice — they are the patriots of this cause.” Carter pledged to remain engaged with and for them as he returned “home to the South where I was born and raised,” home to Plains, where that young lieutenant had indeed become “a fellow citizen of the world.” —- Bill Barrow, based in Atlanta, has covered national politics including multiple presidential campaigns for the AP since 2012.Texas' abortion pill lawsuit against New York doctor marks new challenge to interstate telemedicine Texas has sued a New York doctor for prescribing abortion pills to a Texas woman via telemedicine. It appears to be the first challenge in the U.S. to a state shield law that's intended to protect prescribers in Democratic-controlled states from being punished by states with abortion bans. Prescriptions like these, made online and over the phone, are a key reason that the number of abortions has increased across the U.S. even after state bans started taking effect. Most abortions in the U.S. involve pills rather than procedures. Anti-abortion groups are increasingly focusing on the rise of pills. Thousands of Syrians celebrate in central Damascus during first Friday prayers since Assad's fall DAMASCUS (AP) — Thousands of Syrians have celebrated in Umayyad Square, the largest in Damascus, after the first Muslim Friday prayers following the ouster of President Bashar Assad. The leader of the insurgency that toppled Assad, Ahmad al-Sharaa, appeared in a video message in which he congratulated “the great Syrian people for the victory of the blessed revolution.” Meanwhile, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said in the Turkish capital of Ankara that there was “broad agreement” between Turkey and the United States on what they would like to see in Syria. The top U.S. diplomat also called for an “inclusive and non-sectarian" interim government. US military flies American released from Syrian prison to Jordan, officials say WASHINGTON (AP) — The U.S. military has brought an American who was imprisoned in Syria for seven months out of the country. That's according to two U.S. officials, who said Friday that Travis Timmerman has been flown to Jordan on a U.S. military helicopter. The 29-year-old Timmerman told The Associated Press earlier Friday he had gone to Syria on a Christian pilgrimage and was not ill-treated while in a notorious detention facility operated by Syrian intelligence. He said he was freed by “the liberators who came into the prison and knocked the door down (of his cell) with a hammer.” Nancy Pelosi hospitalized after she 'sustained an injury' from fall on official trip to Luxembourg WASHINGTON (AP) — Former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi has been hospitalized after she “sustained an injury” during an official engagement in Luxembourg, according to a spokesman. Pelosi is 84. She was in Europe to mark the 80th anniversary of the Battle of the Bulge in World War II. Her spokesman, Ian Krager, did not describe the nature of her injury or give any additional details, but a person familiar with the incident said that Pelosi tripped and fell while at an event with the other members of Congress. The person requested anonymity to discuss the fall because they were not authorized to speak about it publicly. Russia targets Ukrainian infrastructure with a massive attack by cruise missiles and drones KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — Russia has launched a massive aerial attack against Ukraine. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy says Russia fired 93 cruise and ballistic missiles and almost 200 drones in Friday's bombardments. He says it is one of the heaviest bombardments of the country’s energy sector since Russia’s full-scale invasion almost three years ago. He says Ukrainian defenses shot down 81 missiles, including 11 cruise missiles that were intercepted by F-16 warplanes provided by Western allies earlier this year. Zelenskyy renewed his plea for international unity against Russian President Vladimir Putin. But uncertainty surrounds how the war might unfold next year. President-elect Donald Trump has vowed to end the war and has thrown into doubt whether vital U.S. military support for Kyiv will continue. Veteran Daniel Penny, acquitted in NYC subway chokehold, will join Trump's suite at football game FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. (AP) — A military veteran who choked an agitated New York subway rider and was acquitted of homicide this week has been invited by Vice President-elect JD Vance to join Donald Trump’s suite at the Army-Navy football game on Saturday. Daniel Penny was cleared of criminally negligent homicide in Jordan Neely’s 2023 death. A more serious manslaughter charge was dismissed last week. Vance served in the Marine Corps and had commented on the acquittal earlier this week. He said that “justice was done in this case” and Penny should never have been prosecuted. Some in seafood industry see Trump as fishermen's friend, but tariffs could make for pricier fish PORTLAND, Maine (AP) — The incoming administration of President-elect Donald Trump is likely to bring big changes to seafood, one of the oldest sectors of the U.S. economy. Some in the industry believe the returning president will be more responsive to its needs. Economic analysts paint a more complicated picture, as they fear Trump’s pending trade hostilities with major trading partners Canada and China could make an already pricy kind of protein more expensive. Conservationists also fear Trump’s emphasis on deregulation could jeopardize fish stocks already in peril. But many in the commercial fishing and seafood processing industries said they expect Trump to allow fishing in protected areas and crack down on offshore wind expansion. New Jersey governor wants more federal resources for probe into drone sightings TOMS RIVER, N.J. (AP) — New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy has asked the Biden administration to put more resources into the ongoing investigation of mysterious drone sightings being reported in the state and other parts of the region. Murphy, a Democrat, made the request in a letter Thursday, noting that state and local law enforcement remain “hamstrung” by existing laws and policies in their efforts to successfully counteract any nefarious drone activity. Murphy and other officials say there is no evidence that the drones pose a national security or a public safety threat. A state lawmaker says up to 180 aircraft have been reported to authorities since Nov. 18. Paula Abdul settles lawsuit alleging sexual assault by 'American Idol' producer Nigel Lythgoe LOS ANGELES (AP) — Paula Abdul and former “American Idol” producer Nigel Lythgoe have agreed to settle a lawsuit in which she alleged he sexually assaulted her in the early 2000s when she was a judge on the show. Abdul filed a notice of settlement of the case in Los Angeles Superior Court on Thursday. The lawsuit filed nearly a year ago had also accused Lythgoe of sexually assaulting Abdul after she left “American Idol” and became a judge on Lythgoe’s other competition show “So You Think You Can Dance.” Lythgoe said at the time that he was “shocked and saddened” by the allegations, which he called “an appalling smear.” Yankees get closer Devin Williams from Brewers for Nestor Cortes, Caleb Durbin NEW YORK (AP) — The New York Yankees acquired All-Star closer Devin Williams from the Milwaukee Brewers for left-hander Nestor Cortes and infield prospect Caleb Durbin. The Yankees also will send more than $1 million to the Brewers as part of the trade. A 30-year-old right-hander, Williams and his signature “Airbender” changeup are eligible for free agency after the 2025 season. He was diagnosed during spring training with two stress fractures in his back and didn’t make his season debut until July 28. Williams was 14 for 15 in save chances with a 1.25 ERA, striking out 38 and walking 11 in 21 2/3 innings.ADDISON, Texas--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Nov 25, 2024-- Concentra Group Holdings Parent, Inc. (“Concentra,” “we,” “us,” or “our”) (NYSE: CON) today announced that Select Medical Holdings Corporation (“Select Medical”) (NYSE: SEM) has completed its previously announced distribution (the “Distribution”) of 104,093,503 shares of Concentra’s common stock owned by Select Medical Corporation (“SMC”), a wholly owned subsidiary of Select Medical, representing approximately 81.7% of the outstanding shares of Concentra’s common stock. After the completion of the Distribution, Select Medical no longer owns any shares of Concentra’s common stock. The Distribution was made today to Select Medical’s stockholders as of the close of business on November 18, 2024 (the “Record Date”). The Distribution took place in the form of a pro rata common stock distribution to each of Select Medical’s stockholders on the Record Date. Based on the shares of Select Medical’s common stock outstanding on the Record Date, Select Medical’s stockholders received 0.806971 shares of Concentra’s common stock for every share of Select Medical’s common stock held as of the Record Date. No fractional shares of Concentra’s common stock were distributed. Instead, Select Medical’s stockholders will receive cash in lieu of any fraction of a share of Concentra’s common stock that they otherwise would have received. On November 19, 2024, Select Medical made available an information statement to its stockholders on the Record Date, which included details on the Distribution. The information statement is posted under the Investor Relations tab on Select Medical’s website at www.selectmedical.com/investor-relations/ . About Concentra Concentra is the largest provider of occupational health services in the United States by number of locations, with the mission of improving the health of America’s workforce, one patient at a time. Concentra’s 11,000 colleagues and affiliated physicians and clinicians support the delivery of an extensive suite of services, including occupational and consumer health services and other direct-to-employer care, to more than 50,000 patients each day on average across 45 states at our 549 occupational health centers, 156 onsite health clinics at employer worksites, and Concentra Telemed as of September 30, 2024. This press release may contain forward-looking statements based on current management expectations. Numerous factors, including those related to market conditions and those detailed from time-to-time in Concentra’s filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, may cause results to differ materially from those anticipated in the forward-looking statements. Many of the factors that will determine Concentra’s future results are beyond the ability of Concentra to control or predict. These statements are subject to risks and uncertainties and, therefore, actual results may differ materially. Readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements, which reflect management’s views only as of the date hereof. Concentra undertakes no obligation to revise or update any forward-looking statements, or to make any other forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. View source version on businesswire.com : https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20241125422840/en/ CONTACT: Investor inquiries: Bill Chapman Vice President, Strategy & Investor Relations 972-725-6488 ir@concentra.com KEYWORD: UNITED STATES NORTH AMERICA TEXAS INDUSTRY KEYWORD: HEALTH TELEMEDICINE/VIRTUAL MEDICINE HEALTH TECHNOLOGY HEALTH INSURANCE MANAGED CARE GENERAL HEALTH SOURCE: Concentra Group Holdings Parent, Inc. Copyright Business Wire 2024. PUB: 11/25/2024 05:30 PM/DISC: 11/25/2024 05:28 PM http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20241125422840/en

Minnesota House Republicans plan to file lawsuit contesting election results in race decided by 15 votes{ "@context": "https://schema.org", "@type": "NewsArticle", "dateCreated": "2024-11-25T21:30:35+02:00", "datePublished": "2024-11-25T21:30:35+02:00", "dateModified": "2024-11-26T08:01:48+02:00", "url": "https://www.newtimes.co.rw/article/22109/news/agriculture/how-can-rwandas-near-extinct-traditional-food-crops-be-salvaged", "headline": "How can Rwanda’s near-extinct traditional food crops be salvaged?", "description": "Agricultural scientists and traditionalists have pointed at the need for protecting traditional food crops that are slowly disappearing in Rwanda, yet...", "keywords": "", "inLanguage": "en", "mainEntityOfPage":{ "@type": "WebPage", "@id": "https://www.newtimes.co.rw/article/22109/news/agriculture/how-can-rwandas-near-extinct-traditional-food-crops-be-salvaged" }, "thumbnailUrl": "https://www.newtimes.co.rw/thenewtimes/uploads/images/2024/11/25/64831.jpg", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://www.newtimes.co.rw/thenewtimes/uploads/images/2024/11/25/64831.jpg" }, "articleBody": "Agricultural scientists and traditionalists have pointed at the need for protecting traditional food crops that are slowly disappearing in Rwanda, yet they have numerous advantages in terms of nutrition and climate resilience. Food crops like millet, sorghum, certain types of pumpkin as well as vegetables like Isogi (cleome gynandra) and particular indigenous tubers are getting harder to find in the country, and some experts say the situation may worsen. ALSO READ: FAO promoting traditional Rwandan cuisine with new recipe book Globally, the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) estimates that 75 percent of the genetic diversity of agricultural crops has been lost since the beginning of the 20th century. The main cause of this, the FAO says, is loss is the replacement of traditional varieties with commercial and high-yielding varieties. In an interview with The New Times, agricultural scientist Pacifique Nshimiyimana, who heads the Alliance for Science Rwanda, pointed at the importance of protecting traditional crops, saying it goes beyond food production and touches the maintenance of biodiversity and the balance of ecosystems. “No living organism should be lost as each plays a role in the ecosystem,” he explained. For him, besides providing food, such plants serve as a habitat for insects which in turn support the wider environment. He argued that through agricultural technologies, Rwanda could revive traditional food crops under threat, as he cited the example of the American chestnut tree which was nearly extinct, but was restored through biotechnology usage. ALSO READ: Disappearing traditional crops pose threat to food security, experts warn What farmers, traditionalists say Bernard Bizimana, a 60-year-old farmer from Rulindo District, in an interview with The New Times, shed light on the challenges that characterise the farming of traditional crops today as compared to the past years. “When I was in my 20s, it was much easier to grow these traditional crops,” he said. “I grew up watching my parents plant traditional crops like sorghum and millet. They used to make bread from these grains, and it provided them with the energy to live long, healthy lives. Many of them would even reach 100 years,” he added. However, he pointed out that seeds for such traditional crops have become increasingly scarce, as the government has introduced specific regulations on which crops should be planted in designated areas, and unfortunately, traditional varieties are often excluded.” ALSO READ: New book showcases Rwanda’s gastronomy, culinary treasure “If these traditional crops were more recognised and supported, it would not only benefit us economically but also help preserve an important part of our culture,” he noted. Modeste Nzayisenga Rutangarwamaboko, a traditionalist and cultural researcher, expressed concerns about the decline of traditional crops, noting that it has also led to the loss of some traditional practices related to food, drink, and livestock. For example, he said sorghum which was once considered the ‘king's food’ is becoming more scarce, with much of it now imported from neighbouring countries. ALSO READ: Rwanda to plant 63 million indigenous trees for carbon market RAB takes measures to protect traditional cash crops Florence Uwamahoro, Deputy Director General for Agriculture at the Rwanda Agriculture and Animal Resources Development Board (RAB), says Rwanda is taking measures to conserve traditional food crops. “RAB has a dedicated genetic resources management program that safeguards and conserves traditional crops through our national germplasm collection,” she said. The initiative, according to her, plays a key role in protecting crops such as sorghum and millet which are vital not only for food security but also for maintaining biodiversity. She also noted that the government has signed the International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture, which promotes the conservation and sustainable use of endangered traditional crops. In addition, the country is also participating in the Nagoya Protocol which ensures fair sharing of benefits derived from genetic resources. ALSO READ: How agricultural biotechnology could boost food security RAB has also established a national genebank focusing on long-term preservation of the traditional crops. “We have collected over 500 varieties of traditional crops from across the country and stored them in the genebank,” she noted.", "author": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Charles Nyandwi" }, "publisher": { "@type": "Organization", "name": "The New Times", "url": "https://www.newtimes.co.rw/", "sameAs": ["https://www.facebook.com/TheNewTimesRwanda/","https://twitter.com/NewTimesRwanda","https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCuZbZj6DF9zWXpdZVceDZkg"], "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "/theme_newtimes/images/logo.png", "width": 270, "height": 57 } }, "copyrightHolder": { "@type": "Organization", "name": "The New Times", "url": "https://www.newtimes.co.rw/" } }

Oregon Health Authority Director Sejal Hathi wants to improve Oregon’s health care system, including keeping rural hospitals open, supporting homeless people and testing children for lead poisoning. This week she released a report outlining 16 wide-ranging goals that stem from her meetings with health care leaders in more than a dozen cities across the state during a tour of Oregon during her first six months on the job. Among her goals, Hathi wants to cut back bureaucracy for mental health and addiction treatment providers and ensure local public health agencies have adequate staff to test and treat Oregonians for sexually transmitted infections. Community leaders pressed those issues and others in their meetings with Hathi in Astoria, Bend, The Dalles, Eugene, Hood River, Grants Pass, Klamath Falls, Lebanon, Medford, Pendleton, Portland, Redmond and Salem. Hathi’s report cites more than 60 issues community leaders would like addressed and 16 areas where state officials have started to tackle the needs. They include ways to make health more accessible and help providers as they serve Oregon’s most vulnerable people, including residents who face homelessness or mental health challenges. “Many of these challenges are longstanding and complex, but that doesn’t mean we can’t make meaningful, if incremental, progress,” Dr. Hathi said in a statement. “The feedback we received from these communities is driving tangible steps forward at OHA to remove barriers and improve outcomes — and I’m grateful to both staff and our partners for helping us better serve all Oregonians.” Hathi started her role as the authority’s director in January and is near the end of her first year on the job. Here’s a look at some the goals: In rural eastern Oregon, officials raised concerns about the closures of hospital and clinic services. In Baker City, Saint Alphonsus Medical Center closed its maternity ward, forcing parents to drive some 44 miles away for a delivery. The agency is researching state and federal policies and searching for ways to support health care facilities in rural areas more and reduce the risk of closures. In southern Oregon, communities told Hathi they need more action so children are tested for lead exposure. In response, the Oregon Health Authority has started to work on a new rule to ensure that providers are reimbursed when they conduct lead testing for people on Medicaid, which provides health care to about 1.4 million low-income Oregonians. The agency also wants to increase the rates of childhood blood lead screenings among youngsters enrolled in Medicaid and set that goal in its strategic plan. In the Willamette Valley, local public health agencies said they need more funding to test for sexually transmitted infections and HIV. The health authority is working on strategies to make more funding available, including from federal dollars. The health authority also wants to make it easier for doulas to be paid through Medicaid. Doulas provide non-medical support to pregnant women during and after a pregnancy. The health authority plans to seek funding to expand doula hubs in communities. Individual doulas would be able to join the hubs so they receive more administrative support as they navigate the Medicaid billing system. The health authority has two more plans for Medicaid. The agency will provide health care providers with more guidance on how to bill Medicaid when they provide care for people who are homeless and living on the street. In 2023, federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services made a new billing code available so providers could bill for outpatient services to houseless people. The Oregon Health Authority has plans to support organizations and community health workers so they can be reimbursed by Medicaid. Community health care workers are on the front lines of health care, working to help patients access programs and services they need. They often use their backgrounds and experiences to relate to the people they serve and build trust. -- Ben Botkin, Oregon Capital Chronicle The Oregon Capital Chronicle , founded in 2021, is a nonprofit news organization that focuses on Oregon state government, politics and policy.TAMPA, Fla. (AP) — The Tampa Bay Buccaneers played like a team determined to do whatever's necessary to make the playoffs. Baker Mayfield and the offense purred, the defense tightened after yielding a touchdown just before halftime, and special teams stood out, too, in a 48-14 rout of the Carolina Panthers that kept the team's division and postseason hopes alive Sunday. Javascript is required for you to be able to read premium content. Please enable it in your browser settings. Get updates and player profiles ahead of Friday's high school games, plus a recap Saturday with stories, photos, video Frequency: Seasonal Twice a week

ST. PAUL — St. Paul-based Bremer Bank is being acquired by Old National Bank, which has headquarters in Evansville, Indiana, in a transaction valued at $1.4 billion in cash and stock. The deal, which still requires regulatory approval and approval by Bremer shareholders, would combine Bremer’s $16.2 billion in assets with Old National’s nearly $54 billion to create a bank with more than $70 billion in total assets. ADVERTISEMENT “This partnership represents an outstanding fit between two highly compatible, relationship- and community-focused banks,” Old National Chairman and CEO Jim Ryan said in a joint announcement released Monday, Nov. 25. Ryan said what has made Bremer Bank a leading institution since 1943 aligns closely with the “strategic priorities and cultural principles that have guided Old National’s success for 190 years: a strong deposit franchise, a diversified loan portfolio accentuated by exceptional credit quality, and a passion for investing in and strengthening communities.” “For more than 80 years, we’ve been honored to carry out the legacy of our founder, Otto Bremer,” said Jeanne Crain, president and CEO of Bremer. “When our majority shareholder, the Otto Bremer Trust, reaffirmed its interest in selling Bremer Bank, we appreciated the opportunity to identify a partner through a collaborative process to ensure the best possible outcome for our customers, employees, and our communities. With Old National, we have confidence we found a great fit,” Crain said as part of the joint announcement. The Otto Bremer Trust, a majority owner of Bremer Bank, is a private charitable trust based in St. Paul. Since the trust’s inception in 1944, it has made more than $1.1 billion in grants and program-related investments to more than 4,200 organizations. Once the merger is complete, the trust will have an approximate 11% ownership stake in Old National Bank and a trustee of the Otto Bremer Trust will join the Old National board of directors. ADVERTISEMENT The Otto Bremer Trust stated as part of the joint announcement: “All of us at the Otto Bremer Trust are excited that the Bremer Bank legacy of investing in people, places and opportunities continues with one of the most community-minded banks in the nation. This partnership expands the scope of what can be accomplished for and within our communities — civically, socially and economically.” Once the deal is finalized, Old National will become the third-largest bank in the Twin Cities, and the partnership will expand Old National’s reach into several other markets throughout Minnesota, North Dakota and Wisconsin. The deal affects 48 Bremer Bank branches in Minnesota and 14 in North Dakota, including six locations in Grand Forks and seven in the Fargo region.