Tackling online violence | Call to include technology-facilitated awareness in schools
More than $225 million allocated to support rural law enforcement
JonBenét Ramsey's Case Is Making Progress: ReportFormer UCF head coach Gus Malzahn hired as Florida State OCDied: December 29th, 2024 The death at 100 of the US’s 39th and longest living president , James Earl Carter, a peanut farmer and Baptist preacher, sees the passing of a remarkable Southerner who infused his politics with a rare down-to-earth moralism, sincerity and honesty. A refreshing outsider to Washington politics, he surprised all by sweeping aside the capital’s old post-Watergate elite to leave a legacy that pointed in new directions even if it never quite achieved his promise. “He decided to use power righteously,” biographer Kai Bird would write, “ignore politics, and do the right thing. He was, in fact, a fan of the establishment’s favourite Protestant theologian, Reinhold Niebuhr, who wrote, ‘It is the sad duty of politics to establish justice in a sinful world’.” Although he had notable successes in office from 1977 to 1981, not least the Camp David Accord between Egypt and Israel, he would be the first incumbent president since Herbert Hoover in 1932 to lose a re-election bid. Ronald Reagan used the economic challenges and oil crisis faced by his administration, and the disastrously bungled attempted Iran hostage rescue, to successfully portray Carter as a weak and ineffectual leader. In some ways Carter was a paradox. Although an opponent of segregation in a segregationist state, he played the race card to get elected to governorship in 1971, then announcing that “the time of racial discrimination is over”. From then on, however, he was an unwavering champion of civil rights, and his presidential bid attracted some 85 per cent support from the black community. Born on October 1st, 1924, in tiny Plains, Georgia, to Bessie Lillian Gordy and James Earl Carter snr, a shopkeeper and investor in farmland, the young Carter would successfully develop a peanut farm as an offshoot of the family business. His father was a descendant of English immigrant Thomas Carter, who settled in the Colony of Virginia in 1635. Carter enrolled in the US Naval Academy in 1946 and while there met and married Rosalynn Smith, a friend of his sister’s. He served in nuclear submarines, and was drafted in to assist in the dismantling of the Chalk River nuclear reactor in Canada following a partial meltdown. His experience, he would later say, shaped his views on atomic energy and led him to end development of the neutron bomb. The early death of his father saw his return to the family business and a gradual immersion in the Democratic politics of Georgia. Although opposed to segregation – as a member of the Baptist Church he spoke openly against racism and attempts to segregate worship – he tempered his approach when he ran for office, even courting the arch-segregationist Wallace vote. Still an outsider in national politics, he surprised observers by winning the 1976 Democratic presidential nomination and narrowly defeating incumbent Republican president Gerald Ford. As the campaign developed in the wake of the still-fresh reverberations of the Watergate scandal, Carter, now with running mate senator Walter Mondale, tirelessly travelled the country projecting himself as an outsider with an easy common touch, not averse to populist slogans. He won the popular vote by 50.1 per cent to 48.0 per cent. Within two days of assuming the presidency he took the controversial step of pardoning all Vietnam War draft evaders. Carter was actively engaged on the world stage, from day one, hoping above all to broker peace in the Middle East. He invited Egyptian president Anwar Sadat and Israeli prime minister Menachem Begin to the presidential lodge Camp David in September 1978 with the negotiations resulting in an end to the state of war between the two countries, Egypt formally recognising Israel for the first time, and the creation of an elected government in the West Bank and Gaza. [ Leo Varadkar could learn something from Jimmy Carter about how to retire Opens in new window ] He oversaw the return of the Panama Canal to Panama, and signed the landmark Salt II treaty on ballistic arms reductions with Soviet leader Leonid Brezhnev. (Although the latter was signed in 1979 in Vienna, the US Senate refused to ratify it in response to the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan.) Following that invasion, Carter allowed the sale of military supplies to China and started talks about sharing military intelligence. He began a programme of what would become hugely controversial covert assistance to the Afghan mujahideen, some of them precursors to today’s Taliban. He sought closer relations with the People’s Republic of China (PRC), continuing the rapprochement engaged in by Richard Nixon. The end of his presidency was blighted by the Iran hostage crisis. Misbriefed by the CIA about the stability of the Shah’s regime, Carter pledged in 1977 that his administration would continue with positive relations between the US and Iran, calling the latter “strong, stable and progressive”. After the surprise revolution installed an Islamist regime in November 1979, a group of Iranian students took over the US embassy in Tehran. Fifty-two American diplomats and citizens were held hostage for the next 444 days. An airborne mission to free them failed, leaving eight American servicemen dead and two aircraft destroyed. The hostages were freed immediately after Ronald Reagan succeeded Carter as president – leading figures in the Reagan campaign are reported to have signalled to the Iranians not to release the hostages until Carter was defeated, as Reagan would give them a better deal. Breaking with traditional US unwillingness to step out of line from its closest ally, the UK, Carter in 1977 agreed to issue a declaration on Ireland calling for the establishment in Northern Ireland of a government which would command widespread acceptance and for an overall solution which would involve the support of the Irish government. The US would facilitate any such agreement with assistance in creating jobs, he said. “The precedent created by Carter has facilitated the enormous involvement in Ireland of his successors,” Ireland’s then-ambassador to the US, Sean Donlon, has written. It was an engagement and pledge that would be honoured by Reagan in his talks with British prime minister Margaret Thatcher, and in the establishment of the International Fund for Ireland. The latter has seen close to $1 billion invested in Irish projects since then. In 1979, Carter invited taoiseach Jack Lynch on an official visit to the US and paid a private visit to Ireland in 1995, fishing in Kilkenny and indulging his woodworking skills by helping to build a house in Ballyfermot for Habitat for Humanity, an NGO he worked closely with. Domestically, Carter had an uneasy relationship with both his own party and Republicans in Congress. His tenure in office was marked by an economic malaise, a time of continuing inflation and recession, and the 1979 energy crisis. His administration established the department of energy and the department of education. He also created a national energy policy that included conservation, price control, and new technology. He installed solar water heating panels on the White House and wore sweaters to offset turning down the heat. He deregulated the airline industry, paving the way for middle-class Americans to fly for the first time in large numbers, and deregulated natural gas, laying the groundwork for the country’s current energy independence. He forced through the Alaska Land Act, tripling the size of the nation’s protected wilderness areas. The battle for renomination loomed. Carter had to run against his own stagflation-ridden economy, while the hostage crisis in Iran dominated the news every week. He alienated liberal college students, who were expected to be his base, by reinstating registration for the military draft. [ ‘He’s an inspiration’: tributes pour in after Jimmy Carter enters hospice care Opens in new window ] Though initially trailing Carter by several points, Reagan saw a surge in polling after the TV debate, in which he practised the patronising put-down – “there you go again” – that became his election mantra. Carter’s defeat was a landslide. After leaving the White House, he became an activist former president, ploughing a largely solitary but effective furrow. In the view of many it is his retirement that will be seen as his singular legacy. In 1982, he established the Carter Center to promote and expand human rights. Its work would earn him a Nobel Peace Prize in 2002. In July 2007, he joined Nelson Mandela to announce his participation with former president of Ireland Mary Robinson, among others, in The Elders, a group of independent global leaders who work on peace and human rights issues. He travelled extensively to conduct peace negotiations, monitor elections and further the eradication of infectious diseases. He played a key role in the NGO Habitat for Humanity, and wrote books and memoirs, often sharply critical of US policy, not least over the Iraq War. In a work on the Palestinian-Israeli conflict he controversially labelled the Israeli treatment of the Palestinians “apartheid”. Though he praised Barack Obama in the early part of his tenure, Carter attacked the use of drone strikes against suspected terrorists and the decision to keep Guantánamo Bay detention camp open. His blunt critiques of his Democrat successors meant they would all keep him at arm’s length until Joe Biden latterly re-engaged with him enthusiastically. To the end he worked tirelessly. Biographer Bird, who insists that Carter “remains the most misunderstood president of the last century”, described one recent meeting: “He was in his early 90s yet was still rising with the dawn and getting to work early. I once saw him conduct a meeting at 7am at the Carter Center where he spent 40 minutes pacing back and forth onstage, explaining the details of his programme to wipe out Guinea worm disease. He was relentless. Later that day he gave me, his biographer, exactly 50 minutes to talk about his White House years. Those bright blue eyes bore into me with an alarming intensity. But he was clearly more interested in the Guinea worms. “Carter devoted his life to solving problems,” Bird says, “like an engineer, by paying attention to the minutiae of a complicated world. He once told me that he hoped to outlive the last Guinea worm. Last year there were only 13 cases of Guinea worm disease in humans. He may have succeeded.” Rosalynn Carter died in November 2023 and Jimmy Carter emerged from hospice care to mourn her. They had three sons, Jack, Chip and Jeff; one daughter, Amy; nine grandsons (one of whom is deceased), three granddaughters, five great-grandsons, and eight great-granddaughters.Trump’s tariffs in his first term did little to alter the economy, but this time could be different
U.S. imposes new controls on chip exports to China
COLUMBUS, Ga. , Dec. 2, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Aflac Incorporated (NYSE: AFL) today announced that its Board of Directors has declared the first quarter dividend of $0.58 per share, payable on March 3, 2025 , to shareholders of record at the close of business on February 19, 2025 . This represents a 16.0% increase over the previously declared fourth quarter dividend. Commenting on the announcements, Aflac Incorporated Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Daniel P. Amos said: "I am pleased with the Board's action to increase the first quarter 2025 dividend. We treasure our record of 42 consecutive years of dividend increases, and our dividend track record is supported by the strength of our capital and cash flows. As an insurance company, our primary responsibility is to fulfill the promises we make to our policyholders. At the same time, we are listening to our shareholders and understand the importance of prudent liquidity and capital management. We remain committed to maintaining strong capital ratios on behalf of our policyholders and balance this financial strength with tactical capital deployment." Aflac Incorporated (NYSE: AFL), a Fortune 500 company, has helped provide financial protection and peace of mind for nearly seven decades to millions of policyholders and customers through its subsidiaries in the U.S. and Japan . In the U.S., Aflac is the No. 1 provider of supplemental health insurance products. 1 In Japan , Aflac Life Insurance Japan is the leading provider of cancer and medical insurance in terms of policies in force. The company takes pride in being there for its policyholders when they need us most, as well as being included in the World's Most Ethical Companies by Ethisphere for 18 consecutive years (2024), Fortune's World's Most Admired Companies for 23 years (2024) and Bloomberg's Gender-Equality Index for the fourth consecutive year (2023). In addition, the company became a signatory of the Principles for Responsible Investment (PRI) in 2021 and has been included in the Dow Jones Sustainability North America Index (2023) for 10 years. To find out how to get help with expenses health insurance doesn't cover, get to know us at aflac.com or aflac.com/espanol . Investors may learn more about Aflac Incorporated and its commitment to corporate social responsibility and sustainability at investors.aflac.com under "Sustainability." 1 LIMRA 2023 U.S. Supplemental Health Insurance Total Market Report The Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 provides a "safe harbor" to encourage companies to provide prospective information, so long as those informational statements are identified as forward-looking and are accompanied by meaningful cautionary statements identifying important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those included in the forward-looking statements. The company desires to take advantage of these provisions. This document contains cautionary statements identifying important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those projected herein, and in any other statements made by company officials in communications with the financial community and contained in documents filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). Forward-looking statements are not based on historical information and relate to future operations, strategies, financial results or other developments. Furthermore, forward-looking information is subject to numerous assumptions, risks and uncertainties. In particular, statements containing words such as "expect," "anticipate," "believe," "goal," "objective," "may," "should," "estimate," "intends," "projects," "will," "assumes," "potential," "target," "outlook" or similar words as well as specific projections of future results, generally qualify as forward-looking. Aflac undertakes no obligation to update such forward-looking statements. The company cautions readers that the following factors, in addition to other factors mentioned from time to time, could cause actual results to differ materially from those contemplated by the forward-looking statements: Analyst and investor contact - David A. Young , 706.596.3264 or 800.235.2667 or dyoung@aflac.com Media contact – Ines Gutzmer , 762.207.7601 or igutzmer@aflac.com View original content to download multimedia: https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/aflac-incorporated-announces-16-0-increase-in-the-first-quarter-2025-dividend-302320084.html SOURCE Aflac IncorporatedATLANTA (AP) — Former U.S. President Jimmy Carter has died. He was 100 years old and had spent more than a year in hospice care. The Georgia peanut farmer served one turbulent term in the White House before building a reputation as a global humanitarian and champion of democracy. He defeated President Gerald Ford in 1976 promising to restore trust in government but lost to Ronald Reagan four years later amid soaring inflation, gas station lines and the Iran hostage crisis. He and his wife, Rosalynn Carter, then formed The Carter Center, and he earned a Nobel Peace Prize while making himself the most active and internationally engaged of former presidents. The Carter Center said the former president died Sunday afternoon in Plains, Georgia. ATLANTA (AP) — Jimmy Carter, the peanut farmer who won the presidency in the wake of the Watergate scandal and Vietnam War, endured humbling defeat after one tumultuous term and then redefined life after the White House as a global humanitarian, has died. He was 100 years old. The longest-lived American president died on Sunday, more than a year after entering hospice care, at his home in the small town of Plains, Georgia, where he and his wife, Rosalynn, who died at 96 in November 2023, spent most of their lives, The Carter Center said. "Our founder, former U.S. President Jimmy Carter, passed away this afternoon in Plains, Georgia," the center said in posting about his death on the social media platform X. It added in a statement that he died peacefully, surrounded by his family. Businessman, Navy officer, evangelist, politician, negotiator, author, woodworker, citizen of the world — Carter forged a path that still challenges political assumptions and stands out among the 45 men who reached the nation's highest office. The 39th president leveraged his ambition with a keen intellect, deep religious faith and prodigious work ethic, conducting diplomatic missions into his 80s and building houses for the poor well into his 90s. "My faith demands — this is not optional — my faith demands that I do whatever I can, wherever I am, whenever I can, for as long as I can, with whatever I have to try to make a difference," Carter once said. A president from Plains 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. And then, the world 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." 'An epic American life' 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. A small-town start 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. 'Jimmy Who?' 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. Accomplishments, and 'malaise' 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. 'A wonderful life' 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.
Election results on the other side of the Atlantic Ocean have set the background for the final stretch of campaigning for Irish parties ahead of polling day on Friday. Donald Trump’s presidential election victory in the US has brought heightened concern that his administration’s proposals around corporation tax and tariffs would significantly impact Ireland’s economic model. Mr Harris, leader of Fine Gael, has argued Ireland and other EU countries need to prepare for the possibility of trade shocks as he criticised the scale of Sinn Fein’s spending pledges as well as their saving plans. He said: “I think that is irresponsible, I think it is dangerous and I think it is reckless.” He accused Sinn Fein leader Mary Lou McDonald of not being able to say what her party was prepared to do in the event of an economic crash, adding that Fine Gael would borrow and stop putting money towards a rainy-day fund. Asked if the party was engaging in “project fear” to dissuade voters against Sinn Fein, Mr Harris said: “I call it ‘project truth’. It’s telling people what’s being discussed right across European capitals.” Ms McDonald told an RTE interview on Wednesday morning that a Sinn Fein government would also be prepared to start borrowing in the event of an economic downturn. Both Mr Harris and Fianna Fail leader Micheal Martin, who were partners in the last coalition government in Ireland, have made clear they will not countenance Sinn Fein as a potential partner in the next administration in Dublin. One day after the only three-way debate featuring the leaders of the main parties, Mr Martin accused Sinn Fein of being “dishonest” about how they will fund their manifesto plans. Speaking in Dublin on Wednesday, he said he is anxious to get clarity on the issue. “I think Sinn Fein have been very dishonest, frankly, in terms of the funds, because if you go through their figures, and this is a matter of fact, not opinion, they’re predicting a surplus of a billion in 2026, a billion in 2027. “Even in 2025, they’re talking about a mini budget, which would mean reducing the surplus that we’re anticipating in 2025. “There’s a legislative obligation now on any new government to put 0.8% of GDP to one side, and into the funds. There’s no way you can do that with a surplus of a billion in 2026 or 2027, and we would argue they would not have enough funds next year either to put into the funds.” He added: “It means they have no room to manoeuvre if things go wrong, if there’s headwinds come externally, or there are shocks internationally, Sinn Fein is not allowing any headroom at all in terms of room to respond or to move it.” Ms McDonald accused the other two parties of conspiring to keep Sinn Fein out of government and prevent change in Ireland. She said the two men were now “indistinguishable” from each other as she claimed they were suffering “acute amnesia” in regard to their records in government. On a visit to Naas fire station in Co Kildare, she said: “To listen to them, you’d imagine they had just arrived on the scene and that they were going to come up with all of these solutions. “They have had ample chances, ample opportunity, to make things better, and they have failed, and in between the two of them I make the case that now we ask for our chance, with our plans, with our team, to demonstrate how change can happen, how your community, your family, yourself, can be supported when the government is actually on your side.” Mr Martin’s and Mr Harris’ coalition partner Roderic O’Gorman, the leader of the Greens, issued a warning to the public over a future government without his party. On Wednesday, he said it is looking likely that Fianna Fail and Fine Gael will be returned to government – but cautioned they may not want the Greens to continue “fighting hard” on policies. He told reporters: “My sense is certainly the mood music from Fianna Fail and Fine Gael is that they’d like an easier life in the next government – and my concern is they use these small populist parties and right-wing independents.” Mr O’Gorman argued that the Greens could continue to provide stability to government at a time when economic shocks may be around the corner. As the Green leader suggested that relying on independents would be unstable, Mr Martin has also argued that “too much fragmentation would lead to incoherence in government”. Reflecting on Tuesday night’s debate, the Fianna Fail leader said the race remained “too close to call” while Mr Harris said it is “all to play for”. The leaders of Ireland’s three main political parties clashed on housing, healthcare and financial management in the last televised debate before Friday’s General Election. The tetchy debate, which was marked by several interruptions, saw the parties set out their stalls in a broadcast that commentators said did little to move the dial before polling day. The latest opinion poll on Monday put the parties in a tight grouping, with Fianna Fail slightly ahead of Sinn Fein, and Fine Gael in a close third after a significant slide in a campaign marked with several hiccups for Mr Harris’s party. After the 2020 general election delivered an inconclusive result, Fine Gael and Fianna Fail, two parties forged from opposing sides of Ireland’s Civil War of the 1920s, agreed to set aside almost a century of animosity and share power – with the Greens as a junior partner. From 2016 to 2020, Fianna Fail had supported Fine Gael in power through a confidence-and-supply arrangement from the Opposition benches in the Dail parliament. Sinn Fein won the popular vote in 2020 but a failure to run enough candidates meant it did not secure sufficient seats in the Dail to give it a realistic chance of forming a government.
Kuwait: The Supreme Council of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) has emphasised its commitment to the strength and cohesion of the GCC, the unity of its members, and achieving greater coordination, integration, and interconnection in all fields, to fulfil the aspirations of the citizens of the member states. The final statement issued by the GCC Supreme Council in its 45th session, held in Kuwait on Sunday, reiterated that GCC states stand united against any threats faced by any of the member countries. The Supreme Council reviewed the report of the General Secretariat regarding the progress made in implementing the vision of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, to enhance joint Gulf action, which was approved by the Supreme Council in its 36th session in December 2015. The Supreme Council directed the relevant authorities, councils, ministerial and technical committees, and the General Secretariat, as well as all Council agencies, to increase efforts to complete the remaining steps in implementing the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques’ vision, in accordance with a defined timeline and careful follow-up. The Supreme Council reviewed the report on the achievements of the Health Cities Programme in the member states, a report on the implementation of the International Health Regulations regarding joint Gulf efforts in public health emergencies, and the report related to the implementation of the Supreme Council’s decision on the labour inspection programme. The Supreme Council praised the accomplishments and efforts of the member states in combating corruption, including the adoption of a guide to enhance integrity through the governance of state-owned enterprises. The Supreme Council emphasised the importance of enhancing joint action to maximise the impact of the member states' efforts and initiatives related to energy transformations and climate change, activating cooperation, exchanging experiences, and developing enabling capabilities with regional countries under the umbrella of the Green Middle East Initiative. The Supreme Council reaffirmed its commitment to adopting the fundamental pillars of social, economic, and environmental energy transformations by implementing the principle of shared yet differentiated responsibilities, as agreed upon in the United Arab Emirates Agreement during the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change Conference (COP28) held in Dubai in 2023, and continued sustainable investments in hydrocarbon resources. The Council welcomed the outcomes of COP29 held in Baku, Azerbaijan, in this context. The Supreme Council stressed the importance of supporting global energy market stability and adopting a balanced approach that does not exclude energy sources but instead innovates technologies that enable emissions management and efficient use of all energy sources to facilitate sustainable economic growth for all. The Council called for enhanced cooperation among member states to implement a circular carbon economy approach in related policies, mechanisms, strategies, plans, and initiatives, including nationally determined contributions. The Supreme Council praised the successful hosting of the “Expo 2023 Doha for Horticulture” in Qatar under the theme “Green Desert, Better Environment”, which was attended by 77 countries and millions of visitors, focusing on enhancing environmental sustainability, combating desertification, and encouraging innovation and modern technologies in agricultural development. The Supreme Council approved the recommendations of the Joint Defense Council at its 21st session and expressed its satisfaction with the progress of joint military action to achieve operational integration among the armed forces of the member states. The Supreme Council endorsed the Joint Defence Council’s recommendation to appoint H E Major General Abdulaziz bin Ahmed bin Salim Al Balawi as the Commander of the Unified Military Command of the GCC, wishing him success in his mission. The Supreme Council welcomed the efforts undertaken by the Interior Ministers’ Committee regarding the unified tourist visa and the project for developing the traffic systems, endorsing the outcomes achieved and delegating the Interior Ministers to take the necessary actions in this regard. The Supreme Council affirmed respect for the principles of sovereignty and non-interference in internal affairs, based on international charters, norms, and laws, rejecting any threats faced by any member state. The Supreme Council condemned in the strongest terms the shocking and horrific crimes committed by Israeli occupation forces in the Gaza Strip as part of a genocide and ethnic cleansing agenda, including the killing of civilians, torture, summary executions, enforced disappearances, forced displacement, and looting. The Supreme Council praised the efforts of Qatar in mediating a ceasefire and facilitating the delivery of assistance to the besieged Gaza Strip, reaffirming the contents of the joint statement issued on August 8, 2024, by Amir H H Shaikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, Egypt President H E Abdel Fattah El Sisi, and US President H E Joe Biden concerning the necessity of reaching a ceasefire, releasing hostages and detainees, and calling for the resumption of negotiations. The Supreme Council welcomed the decision issued by the International Court of Justice on May 24, 2024, ordering Israel to immediately cease military actions or any other activities in the Rafah governorate based on the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide. The Supreme Council welcomed the United Kingdom’s announcement on September 3, 2024, to suspend licenses for arms exports to the Israeli occupation to avoid their use in committing serious violations of international humanitarian law, including equipment used in the current war on the Gaza Strip. The final statement affirmed the centrality of the Palestinian cause, the need to end the Israeli occupation, and its support for the sovereignty of the Palestinian people over all occupied Palestinian territories. The Supreme Council expressed its support for the efforts of Saudi Arabia in launching the “International Coalition to Implement the Two-State Solution” in New York on September 26, 2024, in partnership with Norway and the European Union, to set a timeline for the establishment of an independent Palestinian state and to end the Israeli occupation. The Supreme Council reaffirmed its firm stances and previous resolutions condemning the continued Iranian occupation of the three islands (Greater Tunb, Lesser Tunb, and Abu Musa) belonging to the United Arab Emirates. The Supreme Council affirmed that the Al Durra field is entirely situated within Kuwait’s maritime territories. It declared that ownership of natural resources in the shared submerged zone adjacent to the Saudi-Kuwaiti partitioned area, including the entire Al Durra field, is exclusively shared between Saudi Arabia and Kuwait. The Supreme Council emphasised the importance of fostering dialogue and respect among peoples and cultures, rejecting anything that promotes religious hatred and extremism. The Supreme Council condemned the ongoing foreign support for terrorist groups and sectarian militias in the Middle East, which threaten Arab national security, destabilise the region, and obstruct international counter-terrorism efforts, particularly those of the Global Coalition to Defeat ISIS. The Council expressed its deep concern over the military escalation in the region, including the missile attacks on the Islamic Republic of Iran on October 26, 2024, and their negative impact on regional security and stability. The Supreme Council expressed the GCC countries’ concern about the developments in the Iranian nuclear file, stressing the importance of reaching constructive understandings on this issue to maintain regional security and stability. It affirmed the GCC countries’ readiness to cooperate and deal effectively with this file, and their participation in all regional and international negotiations and meetings related to it.
WASHINGTON , Dec. 2, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, the Biotechnology Innovation Organization (BIO) and the Council of State Bioscience Associations (CSBA) released new national and state-level data on the U.S. bioscience industry's economic performance, its impacts, and its geographic footprint. The report, " The U.S. Bioscience Economy: Driving Economic Growth and Opportunity in States and Regions ," analyzes the sector's economic impact via employment, overall output, wages/benefits, and tax revenue. Key takeaways from the report include: "America's bioscience sector is vital to addressing the world's most pressing challenges -- from pandemics and national security to preventative health and environmental sustainability. Industry leaders and researchers overcome tremendous obstacles every day to advance innovative solutions and help people lead healthier lives, and this report shows how the sector continues to enrich communities, create jobs, and grow economies across our great country," said John F. Crowley , BIO's President & CEO. "For two decades now, this report series has shown the growth and impact of the bioscience industry on the economy. In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic and economic downturns, it is clear that the biosciences remain a key sector of the growing innovation economy," said Pete Pellerito , BIO Senior Policy Adviser for Federal and State Economic Development and Technology Transfer Initiatives. "The bioscience industry's economic footprint extends to every U.S. state and region," said Ryan Helwig , Principal and Project Director with TEConomy Partners. "That means all parts of the country play a part in the industry's breakthroughs and advancements and benefit from its economic impact." The state-by-state industry assessment is the eleventh in a biennial series, developed in partnership by TEConomy Partners and BIO , and studies the state of the U.S. bioscience industry and its associated innovation ecosystem at the national, state, and metropolitan area levels. The report includes individual fact sheets for all 50 states, the District of Columbia , and Puerto Rico , which can be found alongside the full report and map at www.bio.org/jobs . About BIO BIO is the world's largest trade association representing biotechnology companies, academic institutions, state biotechnology centers and related organizations across the United States and in more than 30 other nations. BIO members are involved in the research and development of innovative healthcare, agricultural, industrial, and environmental biotechnology products. BIO also produces the BIO International Convention , the world's largest gathering of the biotechnology industry, along with industry-leading investor and partnering meetings held around the world. About Council of State Bioscience Associations The Council of State Bioscience Associations (CSBA) is a coalition of independent state and territory based non-profit trade associations, each of which advocates for public policies that support responsible development and delivery of innovative life-sustaining and life-saving biotechnology solutions. Convened by the Biotechnology Innovation Organization (BIO), CSBA's collective voice represents the true grassroots network of innovators, researchers, manufacturers and accelerators across the country. About TEConomy TEConomy Partners, LLC is a global leader in research, analysis and strategy for innovation-driven economic development. Today we're helping nations, states, regions, universities and industries blueprint their future and translate knowledge into prosperity. The principals of TEConomy Partners include the authors of the prior Battelle/BIO State Bioscience Development reports, published since 2004. For further information, please visit www.teconomypartners.com . CONTACT- Vicky Stinson | vstinson@bio.org View original content to download multimedia: https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/new-report-finds-bioscience-sector-generates-over-3-trillion-for-us-economy-302320044.html SOURCE Biotechnology Innovation Organization (BIO)Kai Sotto had his breakout game for Gilas. It's far from being a fluke since our 7'3 wunderkind has been consistently beasting in the Japanese B League. Averaging 12.1 points and 9.2 rebounds with the Koshiyaga Alphas, Sotto seems to have a found a home in the Land of the Rising Sun. Kai's true home is still the Philippines, and playing for Gilas. Coach Tim Cone continues to exploit our advantage in the paint. In the game against New Zealand, Cone was able to adjust even with the loss of AJ Edu to injury and JuneMar Fajardo having a bad game. Justin Brownlee did not even need to dominate the game. Register to read this story and more for free . Signing up for an account helps us improve your browsing experience. OR See our subscription options.
ST. SIMONS ISLAND, Ga. — PGA Tour rookie Patrick Fishburn played bogey-free for an 8-under 64 for his first lead after any round. Joel Dahmen was 10 shots behind and had a bigger cause for celebration Friday in the RSM Classic. Dahmen made a 5-foot par putt on his final hole for a 2-under 68 in tough conditions brought on by the wind and cold, allowing him to make the cut on the number and get two more days to secure his PGA Tour card for next year. He is No. 124 in the FedEx Cup. "I still got more to write this weekend for sure," said Dahmen, who recently had said his story is not yet over. "But without having the opportunity to play this weekend, my story would be a lot shorter this year." Fishburn took advantage of being on the easier Plantation course, with trees blocking the brunt of the wind and two additional par 5s. He also was helped by Maverick McNealy, who opened with a 62 on the tougher Seaside course, making two bogeys late in his round and having to settle for a 70. Fishburn, who already has locked up his card for next year, was at 11-under 131 and led McNealy and Lee Hodges (63) going into the weekend. Michael Thorbjornsen had a 69 and was the only player who had to face Seaside on Friday who was among the top five. What mattered on this day, however, was far down the leaderboard. The RSM Classic is the final tournament of the PGA Tour season, and only the top 125 in the FedEx Cup have full status in 2025. That's more critical than ever with the tour only taking the top 100 for full cards after next season. Players like Dahmen will need full status to get as many playing opportunities as they can. That explains why he felt so much pressure on a Friday. He didn't make a bogey after his opening hole and was battling temperatures in the low 50s that felt even colder with the wind ripping off the Atlantic waters of St. Simons Sound. He made a key birdie on the 14th, hitting a 4-iron for his second shot on the 424-yard hole. Dahmen also hit wedge to 2 feet on the 16th that put him on the cut line, and from the 18th fairway, he was safely on the green some 40 feet away. But he lagged woefully short, leaving himself a testy 5-footer with his job on the line. "It was a great putt. I was very nervous," Dahmen said. "But there's still work to do. It wasn't the game-winner, it was like the half-court shot to get us to halftime. But without that, and the way I played today, I wouldn't have anything this weekend." His playing partners weren't so fortunate. The tour put three in danger of losing their cards in the same group — Zac Blair (No. 123), Dahmen and Wesley Bryan (No. 125). The cut was at 1-under 141. Blair and Bryan came to the 18th hole needing birdie to be assured of making the cut and both narrowly missed. Now they have to wait to see if anyone passes them, which is typically the case. Thorbjornsen in a tie for fourth and Daniel Berger (66 at Plantation) in a tie for 17th both were projected to move into the top 125. Dahmen, indeed, still has work to do. Fishburn gets a weekend to see if he can end his rookie year with a win. "I've had a lot of experience playing in cold growing up in Utah, playing this time of year, kind of get used to playing when the body's not moving very well and you've got to move your hands," said Fishburn, who played college golf at BYU. "Just pretty happy with how I played." Ludvig Aberg, the defending champion and No. 5 player in the world competing for the first time in more than two months because of knee surgery, bounced back with a 64 on Plantation and was back in the mix. Aberg played with Luke Clanton, the Florida State sophomore who looks like he belongs each week. Clanton, the No. 1 player in the world amateur ranking who received a sponsor exemption, had a 65 at Plantation and was two shots off the lead. Clanton already has a runner-up and two other top 10s since June. "Playing with him, it's pretty awesome to watch," Clanton said. "We were kind of fanboying a little it. I know he's a really good dude but to be playing with him and to see what he's done over the last couple years, it's pretty inspirational." Get local news delivered to your inbox!
I was treated better as a trans woman but changed my mind...now my college won't let me talk about it Berklee music college's stated support for 'creative expression' is questioned By JAMES REINL, SOCIAL AFFAIRS CORRESPONDENT, FOR DAILYMAIL.COM Published: 18:51 GMT, 29 December 2024 | Updated: 18:51 GMT, 29 December 2024 e-mail 38 View comments A top US music school is under fire for breaking its own rules on free speech by stopping one of its students from discussing his troubled history with changing sex. Simon Amaya Price, 20, says Berklee College of Music in Boston canceled his talk about the three years he struggled to live as a female, after the event sparked a campus backlash. Campaigners say it is the latest example of ' woke ' professors abandoning free speech when it goes against the narrow left-wing consensus that pervades academia. 'I wanted to talk about desisting from transgender identity, but that was too much for Berklee,' Amaya Price told DailyMail.com. 'Once the political response became apparent, Berklee administrators indefinitely postponed my event.' Berklee, a venerated 79-year-old college in Massachusetts that claims to support 'creative expression,' did not answer DailyMail.com's request for comment. Amaya Price, an indie pop singer-songwriter at the school, was set to make a presentation at a campus venue on October 20 as part of a course on 'social change'. His classmates spoke about homelessness , eating disorders and motherhood in their talks. Singer-songwriter Simon Amaya Price, 20, once again identifies as a man, and wants to warn others about his negative experiences Boston's prestigious Berklee College of Music is under fire for sidelining its own rules on free speech by cancelling the talk Read More Transgender woman, 24, is forced to have testicle removed after it became twisted in agonising injury caused by 'tucking' He wanted to discuss his teenage years spent living as a woman and how he came to 'desist.' He started to question his identity and transition when he was 14 - a tough time in his life when he was mocked by peers and faced 'complete social ostracization'. Amaya Price says he transitioned because he was mixed up by his autism, puberty, sexual abuse and troubles with friends. He was spurred on by online trans activists and peers at a summer camp where teens introduced themselves in 'pronoun rituals'. 'I found that people treated me way better if I said my pronouns were anything but he/him,' Amaya Price said. 'I was like: "OK, this makes me feel better. People treat me better. This has got to be the right thing for me".' He started going by 'Ash.' Clinicians at Boston Children's Hospital affirmed him without delay and proposed cross-sex hormones, he says. But his dad, Gareth, 'put his foot down' and would not let him take sex change drugs until he was 18, he adds. He never did much more than mix up his wardrobe a little. His appearance — as a man, woman, and non-binary — was always androgynous. Amaya Price describes a 'turning point' when he was about 17 and started to see 'logical fallacies' in gender identity politics. Amaya Price's event at Berklee was cancelled, but he managed to raise his concerns about gender ideology weeks later at MIT For three teenage years, Amaya Price identified as a female called 'Ash' but has since switched back to being a guy He started to develop friendships with men and liked being 'one of the guys.' He also saw how trans friends undergoing medical procedures were harming themselves. The teen started to 'desist,' and now campaigns against gender ideology, especially when it comes to children. 'I don't think there's any situation where minors should be allowed to take cross-sex hormones, puberty blockers, or undergo these surgeries,' he says. 'Scientifically, we do not know how to tell apart the kids for whom it might work and for whom it doesn't work.' This view makes him an 'apostate' to trans activists and leftists, says Amaya Price. 'I falsify one of the core tenants of their ideology, which is that everybody with gender dysphoria needs to medically transition, which is simply not true,' he says. He wanted to explain all this in his Berklee talk, titled 'Born in the Right Body: Desister and Detransitioner Awareness.' The college was initially willing to back his event, but pulled the plug after Amaya Price's promotional fliers and Instagram post sparked an angry backlash. Within hours, he'd received more than 400 'overwhelmingly negative' responses, he says. Berklee students called him a 'Nazi' and a 'transphobe.' One said he should be 'scared' to make his presentation, another threatened to 'throw expired groceries' at him. Amaya Price, pictured here playing a violin aged 11, was interested in music from an early age Seen here climbing a wall at age six, Amaya Price says he did not question his gender identity when he was a child Transgender rights activists have pushed to silence conservative voices on US college campuses. Pictured: A gender-related protest in San Diego, California Read More EXCLUSIVE Trans for Trump: Meet the Americans who've transitioned gender and voted Trump Angry students gathered some 2,000 signatures in an online petition demanding Berklee cancel the talk. They said it would 'harm the mental well-being of individuals in the transgender community.' Within days, the school's vice president Ron Savage 'indefinitely postponed' the event, citing security concerns. Its office for diversity and inclusion also pulled its support and posted that the event 'will no longer take place as planned'. Amaya Price says the college had overstated the security threat, which he believed would amount only to heckling protesters. He was backed in this criticism by the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression (Fire), a free speech nonprofit that focuses on America's increasingly liberal schools and colleges. Fire highlighted Berklee's stated support for 'creative expression' and rejection of 'censorship' and those trying to 'obstruct the free exchange of ideas'. Officials canceled Amaya Price because he 'has the "wrong" things to say,' says Fire. 'Any discussion of transgender issues is likely to provoke controversy and offend some listeners, Fire said in a statement. 'But policing offensive speech effectively tells Amaya Price that he is not allowed to share his own life story — and that others are not permitted to hear and respond to it — simply because some may find it offensive.' The group stands up for scholars from across the political spectrum, but warns that US institutions have tacked to the left. Amaya Price warns against breast removal operations and other irreversible sex change procedures on kids Amaya Price now records music and performs, and has applied to join the US Space Force Read More First female president of Boston's prestigious Berklee College of Music quits after two years as it's claimed she was 'domineering bully': ELEVEN staff left during stint that began with $250,000 welcome concert Most efforts to cancel speakers in recent years have targeted conservatives, says the group. Still, that could be changing. Of the 25 recorded efforts to sanction US scholars this year, most were led by right-wing individuals, groups and activists, Fire's database shows. Many of the targeted academics had spoken up for Palestinians or the militant group Hamas amid military confrontations with Israel. Conservative groups linked to Donald Trump seek to curb colleges they see as too liberal, but it's not clear if this will be a priority for the Republican president-elect's administration. Amaya Price, who graduated from Berklee on December 12, says he was not deterred by the cancellation. He instead hosted a similar event at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) on November 24. As well as campaigning , he records music and performs , and has applied to become an officer in the US Space Force. Massachusetts Share or comment on this article: I was treated better as a trans woman but changed my mind...now my college won't let me talk about it e-mail Add commentShares of crypto-linked companies Hut 8 Corp. HUT , MARA Holdings, Inc. MARA and Riot Platforms Inc. RIOT are trading lower Monday as Bitcoin BTC/USD experienced a pullback after its recent rise near $100,000. Here’s what you need to know. What To Know: Bitcoin-related investments saw significant outflows last week , totaling $457 million. This marks the first major outflow since early September, likely driven by profit-taking after Bitcoin reached the psychological $100,000 level. Ethereum, by contrast, recorded substantial inflows of $634 million, signaling a shift in sentiment toward the second-largest cryptocurrency. Other digital assets such as Ripple’s XRP also saw record inflows amid ETF speculation, though these developments did not offset Bitcoin's retreat. Why It Matters: The decline in Bitcoin’s value appears to have created downward pressure on stocks tied closely to the cryptocurrency market. As Bitcoin's ownership becomes more concentrated among institutional investors and ETFs, market sensitivity to price fluctuations has increased. This may have amplified the volatility of crypto-linked equities, contributing to the sell-off in companies like Hut 8, MARA Holdings and Riot Platforms. Price Action: Hut 8 shares were down 7.46% at $25.93, MARA Holdings shares were down 6.53% at $25.63 and Riot shares were down 4.35% at $12.10 at market close Monday, according to Benzinga pro. Photo: Shutterstock. © 2024 Benzinga.com. Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved.Today's fortune: Dec. 30, 2024
ATLANTA — Naithan George and Baye Ndongo each scored 17 points and Georgia Tech breezed past Charleston Southern 91-67 on Wednesday night. Jaeden Mustaf added 16 points and Lance Terry scored 15 for the Yellow Jackets (3-3). Ndongo had eight rebounds and George added seven assists. Georgia Tech shot 55% in the first half and led 47-25 at the break. A 10-0 run gave them a 24-12 lead and their lead peaked at 19 points with less than 2 minutes remaining. The Buccaneers scored the first six points of the second half and soon got within 48-40. A 9-0 run got the Yellow Jackets going again and they later scored eight straight to lead 69-48 with 9 minutes remaining. A 3-pointer by George with 20 seconds left provided Georgia Tech's biggest lead and the winning margin. Taje’ Kelly scored 20 points and Thompson Camara had 14 for the Buccaneers (1-7). Charleston Southern went 17 for 56 from the floor (30%) and 25 of 35 at the free-throw line.
President-elect Donald Trump on Nov. 30 threatened to slap a 100% tariff on a group of nine nations — the so-called BRICS — if they try to replace the U.S. dollar with another currency. The BRICS countries include Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa, Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran and the United Arab Emirates. Trump said he'll enact the tariffs if the countries either move to create a new rival currency to the dollar or back an alternative currency to replace the greenback as the world's reserve medium of exchange. "We require a commitment from these Countries that they will neither create a new BRICS Currency, nor back any other Currency to replace the mighty U.S. Dollar or, they will face 100% Tariffs, and should expect to say goodbye to selling into the wonderful U.S. Economy," Trump said on Truth Social. Trump's move comes after he recently threatened to impose 25% tariffs on all products from Canada and Mexico entering the U.S., along with an additional 10% tax on goods from China, in what he says would force the countries to do more to halt the flow of unauthorized migrants and illicit drugs into the U.S. Why do BRICS countries want an alternative currency? The BRICS — named after the original five members (Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa) — was formed in 2009 to advance the interests of emerging economies and to make them less dependent on the U.S. dollar, which is by far the most commonly used currency in global commerce. The primacy of the dollar in international trade gives the U.S. a number of advantages, including lower borrowing costs for the federal government and enormous geopolitical influence around the world. In October, Russian President Vladimir Putin called for a new international payments system at a BRICS summit, saying "the dollar is being used as a weapon," the Associated Press reported . In 2023, meanwhile, Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva proposed creating a new, common currency in South America to reduce its reliance on the dollar in international trade. Would a BRICS currency threaten the dollar? Creating a competing new currency would be difficult given how widely used the dollar is to conduct business around the world. Despite the existence of the euro and growing importance of China's renminbi, the dollar remains the world's main reserve currency, representing roughly 58% of the world's foreign exchange reserves, according to the IMF . Also, critical commodities like oil and gold are still mostly bought and sold using dollars. "Economically, it's not a major issue because the idea of the BRICS countries being able to put together an alternative as a reserve currency for the U.S. dollar is not plausible in the short or intermediate term," said Mark Weinstock, a global trade expert and professor of economics at Pace University. In other words, BRICS nations would struggle to create a viable currency given the relative strength and stability of the U.S. economy and the faith that global investors and trading partners have in U.S. government debt. And while the group's members have some interests in common, unifying behind a single currency would be politically fraught and technically complex. "Fundamentally, if you are going to create your own form of money, that desirability is commensurate with the economic strength and integrity of the issuer. BRICS countries don't have the type of institutions that inspire global confidence to convince people that it is a satisfactory alternative to the dollar," Weinstock said. Some BRICS members are already downplaying the push to get a new currency off the ground. After Trump's tariff threat last weekend, South Africa's government on Monday issued a statement on social media saying there are no plans to create a BRICS currency. "Recent misreporting has led to the incorrect narrative that BRICS is planning to create a new currency," South Africa's Department of International Relations and Cooperation said. "This is not the case. The discussions within BRICS focus on trading among member countries using their own national currencies." What would stiff tariffs on BRICS goods mean for U.S. consumers? While economists largely agree that a 100% tariff on goods imported to the U.S. from BRICS nations is a long shot, if it came to pass the move would not benefit U.S. consumers, they say. Such levies would drive up the cost of goods from BRICS member nations, potentially fueling inflation and leading to higher prices for consumers . "Like any tariffs, this would mean higher prices for consumers," Weinstock said. "That's always the impact of the tariff." Among the leading products the U.S. gets from BRICS countries are coffee from Brazil, electronics and clothes from China, and minerals from South Africa, according to trade data. Why are some economists criticizing Trump for threatening the BRICS? Some experts criticized Trump's threat to punish the BRICS, saying it makes the U.S. look weak. "It isn't a good look, as it indirectly elevates the stature of a non-threat and suggests a lack of confidence in the dollar," Brad Setser, a senior fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations and former Treasury Department economist, wrote on X. Trump's threat could actually accelerate a move away from the dollar by other countries, according to Setser, who said that an effort to effectively coerce countries to use the dollar "is actually a long-run threat to the dollar's global role." "It makes the use of the dollar appear to be a favor to the U.S.," he added. The Associated Press contributed to this report. Megan Cerullo is a New York-based reporter for CBS MoneyWatch covering small business, workplace, health care, consumer spending and personal finance topics. She regularly appears on CBS News 24/7 to discuss her reporting.