CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Former NASCAR driver Greg Biffle was named the recipient of the National Motorsports Press Association’s Myers Brothers Award on Friday for his humanitarian aid efforts earlier this summer in the wake of Hurricane Helene. Before most of the country knew the devastation the hurricane dealt Western North Carolina and East Tennessee, the 54-year-old Biffle had already boarded his personal helicopter, delivering aid to the flooded, remote region that was cut off from the rest of the world. Biffle’s unselfish efforts as part of Operation Helidrop spearheaded NASCAR’s mobilization to help those who desperately needed food, water, medicine, clothing and housing. During one of his trips to the mountains, a trapped man signaled Biffle for help with a mirror. After multiple attempts, Biffle was able to land his helicopter and provide the supplies the man and his neighbors needed. Biffle won 54 races across NASCAR's three circuits, including 19 at the Cup Series level. He also won the Trucks Series championship in 2000 and the Xfinity Series title in 2002. The award, selected annually by a vote of the NMPA membership, is presented annually since 1958 in honor of former NASCAR competitors Billy and Bobby Myers and recognizes individuals and/or groups who have provided outstanding contributions to the sport of stock car racing. Biffle is a first-time winner of the award. The other nominees for 2024 were Wayne Auton, Erik Jones Foundation, Kyle Larson, Grant Lynch, Winston Kelley, Doug Rice and David Wilson.EAST LANSING, Mich. — The sight was a common one for Andrew Kolpacki. For many a Sunday, he would watch NFL games on TV and see quarterbacks putting their hands on their helmets, desperately trying to hear the play call from the sideline or booth as tens of thousands of fans screamed at the tops of their lungs. When the NCAA's playing rules oversight committee this past spring approved the use of coach-to-player helmet communications in games for the 2024 season, Kolpacki, Michigan State's head football equipment manager, knew the Spartans' QBs and linebackers were going to have a problem. "There had to be some sort of solution," he said. As it turns out, there was. And it was right across the street. Kolpacki reached out to Tamara Reid Bush, a mechanical engineering professor who not only heads the school's Biomechanical Design Research Laboratory but also is a football season ticket-holder. Kolpacki "showed me some photos and said that other teams had just put duct tape inside the (earhole), and he asked me, 'Do you think we can do anything better than duct tape,?" Bush said. "And I said, 'Oh, absolutely.'" Bush and Rylie DuBois, a sophomore biosystems engineering major and undergraduate research assistant at the lab, set out to produce earhole inserts made from polylactic acid, a bio-based plastic, using a 3D printer. Part of the challenge was accounting for the earhole sizes and shapes that vary depending on helmet style. Once the season got underway with a Friday night home game against Florida Atlantic on Aug. 30, the helmets of starting quarterback Aidan Chiles and linebacker Jordan Turner were outfitted with the inserts, which helped mitigate crowd noise. DuBois attended the game, sitting in the student section. "I felt such a strong sense of accomplishment and pride," DuBois said. "And I told all my friends around me about how I designed what they were wearing on the field." All told, Bush and DuBois have produced around 180 sets of the inserts, a number that grew in part due to the variety of helmet designs and colors that are available to be worn by Spartan players any given Saturday. Plus, the engineering folks have been fine-tuning their design throughout the season. Dozens of Bowl Subdivision programs are doing something similar. In many cases, they're getting 3D-printed earhole covers from XO Armor Technologies, which provides on-site, on-demand 3D printing of athletic wearables. The Auburn, Alabama-based company has donated its version of the earhole covers to the equipment managers of programs ranging from Georgia and Clemson to Boise State and Arizona State in the hope the schools would consider doing business with XO Armor in the future, said Jeff Klosterman, vice president of business development. XO Armor first was approached by the Houston Texans at the end of last season about creating something to assist quarterback C.J. Stroud in better hearing play calls delivered to his helmet during road games. XO Armor worked on a solution and had completed one when it received another inquiry: Ohio State, which had heard Michigan State was moving forward with helmet inserts, wondered if XO Armor had anything in the works. "We kind of just did this as a one-off favor to the Texans and honestly didn't forecast it becoming our viral moment in college football," Klosterman said. "We've now got about 60 teams across college football and the NFL wearing our sound-deadening earhole covers every weekend." The rules state that only one player for each team is permitted to be in communication with coaches while on the field. For the Spartans, it's typically Chiles on offense and Turner on defense. Turner prefers to have an insert in both earholes, but Chiles has asked that the insert be used in only one on his helmet. Chiles "likes to be able to feel like he has some sort of outward exposure," Kolpacki said. Exposure is something the sophomore signal-caller from Long Beach, California, had in away games against Michigan and Oregon this season. Michigan Stadium welcomed 110,000-plus fans for the Oct. 26 matchup between the in-state rivals. And while just under 60,000 packed Autzen Stadium in Eugene, Oregon, for the Ducks' 31-10 win over Michigan State three weeks earlier, it was plenty loud. "The Big Ten has some pretty impressive venues," Kolpacki said. "It can be just deafening," he said. "That's what those fans are there for is to create havoc and make it difficult for coaches to get a play call off." Something that is a bit easier to handle thanks to Bush and her team. She called the inserts a "win-win-win" for everyone. "It's exciting for me to work with athletics and the football team," she said. "I think it's really exciting for our students as well to take what they've learned and develop and design something and see it being used and executed." 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NoneSCCI president highlights CPEC as a game-changer for PakistanChoosing the right camera for landscape photography often comes down to balancing image quality, portability, and usability. Full frame and Micro Four Thirds systems both have their strengths, but how do they hold up in real-world shooting conditions? This comparison puts two Panasonic cameras—a 47-megapixel S1R and a 20-megapixel GX9—through their paces to see how they fare. Coming to you from , this detailed video compares full frame and Micro Four Thirds cameras in a practical landscape setting. Friend tests the and side by side in various scenarios, starting with a waterfall at Cauldron Falls. Using rocks as foreground interest and a centered composition, the goal was to emphasize the waterfall with a long exposure. Despite the S1R’s ability to shoot at higher f-numbers without diffraction issues, the GX9 held its own, especially considering the resolution limitations of social media where most photos are shared. Another key test took place at Winskill Stones, a striking limestone area with a single photogenic tree. With flat lighting and gray skies, Friend opted for black-and-white compositions, simplifying the scene with square crops. While the S1R offered better usability with its larger viewfinder and more robust grip, the GX9’s compact size proved advantageous for portability. The comparison highlighted how both cameras excel in specific ways, depending on what you prioritize—image quality or ease of use. Friend also tackled the weight and handling of the two systems during his hike to Twistleton Scars. While the S1R’s durability and ergonomics made it a reliable choice, its hefty weight posed challenges on longer treks. The GX9, despite a small mishap involving a tripod fall, demonstrated impressive durability. Its lightweight build made it a strong contender for photographers looking to travel light without sacrificing too much image quality. The video emphasizes that both systems have unique advantages. Full frame cameras like the S1R offer higher resolution and better low-light performance, making them ideal for serious landscape work. Micro Four Thirds systems, on the other hand, shine in portability and convenience, particularly for casual outings or when weight is a concern. Friend’s tests reveal that neither system is inherently superior; the right choice depends on your needs and shooting style. Check out the video above for the full rundown from Friend. Alex Cooke is a Cleveland-based portrait, events, and landscape photographer. He holds an M.S. in Applied Mathematics and a doctorate in Music Composition. He is also an avid equestrian.
AP Business SummaryBrief at 4:40 p.m. ESTShort Interest in Webuy Global Ltd (NASDAQ:WBUY) Decreases By 47.2%
By CLAIRE RUSH President-elect Donald Trump has once again suggested he wants to revert the name of North America’s tallest mountain — Alaska’s Denali — to Mount McKinley, wading into a sensitive and decades-old conflict about what the peak should be called. Related Articles National Politics | Inside the Gaetz ethics report, a trove of new details alleging payments for sex and drug use National Politics | An analyst looks ahead to how the US economy might fare under Trump National Politics | Trump again calls to buy Greenland after eyeing Canada and the Panama Canal National Politics | House Ethics Committee accuses Gaetz of ‘regularly’ paying for sex, including with 17-year-old girl National Politics | Trump wants mass deportations. For the agents removing immigrants, it’s a painstaking process Former President Barack Obama changed the official name to Denali in 2015 to reflect the traditions of Alaska Natives as well as the preference of many Alaska residents. The federal government in recent years has endeavored to change place-names considered disrespectful to Native people. “Denali” is an Athabascan word meaning “the high one” or “the great one.” A prospector in 1896 dubbed the peak “Mount McKinley” after President William McKinley, who had never been to Alaska. That name was formally recognized by the U.S. government until Obama changed it over opposition from lawmakers in McKinley’s home state of Ohio. Trump suggested in 2016 that he might undo Obama’s action, but he dropped that notion after Alaska’s senators objected. He raised it again during a rally in Phoenix on Sunday. “McKinley was a very good, maybe a great president,” Trump said Sunday. “They took his name off Mount McKinley, right? That’s what they do to people.” Once again, Trump’s suggestion drew quick opposition within Alaska. “Uh. Nope. It’s Denali,” Democratic state Sen. Scott Kawasaki posted on the social platform X Sunday night. Republican Sen. Lisa Murkowski , who for years pushed for legislation to change the name to Denali, conveyed a similar sentiment in a post of her own. “There is only one name worthy of North America’s tallest mountain: Denali — the Great One,” Murkowski wrote on X. Various tribes of Athabascan people have lived in the shadow of the 20,310-foot (6,190-meter) mountain for thousands of years. McKinley, a Republican native of Ohio who served as the 25th president, was assassinated early in his second term in 1901 in Buffalo, New York. Alaska and Ohio have been at odds over the name since at least the 1970s. Alaska had a standing request to change the name since 1975, when the legislature passed a resolution and then-Gov. Jay Hammond appealed to the federal government. Known for its majestic views, the mountain is dotted with glaciers and covered at the top with snow year-round, with powerful winds that make it difficult for the adventurous few who seek to climb it. Rush reported from Portland, Oregon.
Jimmy Carter, 100, the peanut farmer who became the commander in chief, whose ceaseless humanitarian work around the globe superseded his one tumultuous term as 39th president of the United States, died Sunday, Dec. 29, in hospice care at his longtime home in Plains, Ga., according to his nonprofit organization. Born Oct. 1, 1924, Carter died a little more than a year after his beloved wife, Rosalynn, who died on Nov. 19, 2023, at 96. He lived longer than any other U.S. president, surpassing George H.W. Bush, who died in 2018 at 94. He endured melanoma skin cancer that spread to his liver and brain in 2015, underwent brain surgery in 2019 after a fall, and had returned to his ranch house in Plains in February 2023 after a series of short hospital stays. Still, up until 2015, Carter continued to teach Sunday school classes, work on Habitat for Humanity building projects, lecture at Emory University in Atlanta, and flash those bright blue eyes at ribbon cuttings, book signings, and other public events. "I'm perfectly at ease with whatever comes," he said in 2015 when his health began to decline. "I've had a wonderful life. I've had thousands of friends. I've had an exciting, adventurous, gratifying existence." When news of Carter's move to hospice care first circulated on Feb. 18, 2023, admirers flocked to his boyhood home in Plains and the Carter Center in Atlanta, and tributes poured in from world leaders, American politicians, social activists, journalists, and everyday citizens across the globe. Former President Bill Clinton tweeted an old photo showing him and Carter sitting together, smiling and chatting. U.S. Rep. Bill Pascrell Jr. of New Jersey tweeted: "Jimmy Carter is the model of kindness, generosity, and decency that is the finest part of America." Word of his death late Sunday afternoon brought swift and heartfelt reactions from elected officials. President Joe Biden and first lady Jill Biden called Carter "an extraordinary leader, statesman and humanitarian. ... What's extraordinary about Jimmy Carter, though, is that millions of people throughout America and the world who never met him thought of him as a dear friend as well." In a statement on Truth Social, President-elect Donald Trump said Carter, as president, "did everything in his power to improve the lives of all Americans. For that, we all owe him a debt of gratitude." On X, formerly Twitter, former President Barack Obama said Carter "taught all of us what it means to live a life of grace, dignity, justice and service." In a joint statement, former President Bill Clinton and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton praised Carter for having "worked tirelessly for a better, fairer world. Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro ordered flags at half-staff throughout the commonwealth, and remembered Carter on X as "a humble, generous, and admirable public servant — both as our President and in his years after as a citizen in service." "We pray that, in rest, President Carter will be reunited with his beloved wife Rosalynn," New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy said in a statement on X. Calling Carter "one of the foremost advocates of affordable housing in this country," Philadelphia Mayor Cherelle L. Parker took to X to recall a visit by him to North Philadelphia to help build homes with Habitat for Humanity "that are still in use today." Carter, a Democrat, served a single, turbulent term in the White House from 1977 to 1981, and it is largely for his efforts after leaving office that he will be remembered. He constructed homes for Habitat for Humanity, wrote dozens of books sharing his own life details, shared advice on health and diet, and guided the Carter Center toward at least one remarkable public health breakthrough in Asia and Africa. A man of profound faith and optimism, Carter remained sanguine about the future despite constant conflict among religious groups. "I am convinced that Christians, Muslims, Buddhists, Hindus, Jews, and others can embrace each other in a common effort to alleviate suffering and to espouse peace," Carter said in Oslo, Norway, on Dec. 10, 2002, as he accepted the Nobel Peace Prize. Carter surprised political pundits when he emerged from small-town Georgia to win the White House in 1976. He was the only Democratic president during a 24-year period in which Republican chief executives were the rule. A relative unknown before attaining the presidency, he was considered an outsider, even in his own party. The singular achievement of his years in power was his role in negotiating a milestone peace agreement between Egypt and Israel, longtime rivals in the Middle East. But to millions of Americans, Carter, who once vowed to make government "as good and as decent as the American people," seemed overwhelmed by the job. He had the misfortune to serve in stormy times and, in the eyes of his critics, came to embody ineptitude at home and weakness abroad. His four years in office are remembered most for the traumas that played out in his last year. Fifty-two Americans spent 444 days, from Nov. 4, 1979, to Jan. 20, 1981, held hostage in Iran while the U.S. economy faltered under the highest inflation and interest rates in a generation. The year culminated when voters went to the polls in November and gave Carter one of the most resounding votes of no-confidence ever dealt an incumbent president. And the Iranians delivered the final insult, refusing to end the hostages' imprisonment until a half hour after he left office and Ronald Reagan was sworn in. "That was the image that I left behind in the White House," Carter recalled later, "that I was not strong enough or not macho enough to take military action to bring these hostages home." Asked in 2015 if he wished he had done anything differently, Carter did not grandstand. He drew laughs by saying he wished he had sent "one more helicopter" on the botched attempt in 1980 to rescue the hostages. "We would have rescued them, and I would have been reelected," said Carter, flashing his famous toothy grin. For all of his troubles in office, he earned renewed respect in his post-White House years for his intelligence, integrity, and commitment to peace and human rights. He was frequently said to be a model ex-president. Unlike some other former chief executives, he did not spend his time playing golf or selling his services as a public speaker or a private consultant. Instead, he took tools in hand and built homes for the needy in the United States and villages in Africa and Latin America. And through the work of the Carter Center, he devoted himself to resolving conflicts, promoting democracy, and combating health problems throughout the world. He was proud of the Carter Center's success in helping to eradicate the debilitating illness known as Guinea worm. In 1986, when the Carter Center began its efforts against the disease, its officials said there were an estimated 3.5 million cases occurring annually in Africa and Asia. The center said the incidence of Guinea worm fell to 28 cases in 2018. "I'd like for the last Guinea worm to die before I do," Mr. Carter said in 2015. A humble start James Earl Carter Jr. was born in the town of Plains, Ga., population 550. His ties to the barren landscape of southwest Georgia were deep and lasting. He spent most of his adult life in his birthplace, living in Plains from 1953 until his death, except for the years he spent in executive mansions in Atlanta and Washington. Actually, Carter grew up three miles west of Plains, in the unincorporated hamlet of Archery, in a clapboard farmhouse alongside a dirt road. But it was in Plains that he attended school and church and sold boiled peanuts on the street. His father, James Earl Carter, known as Mr. Earl, was a stocky, conservative authority figure. His mother, Lillian Gordy Carter, known as Miss Lillian, was something of a rebel, a liberal with a curious mind and training as a registered nurse. As he came of age, Carter's goal was to attend the U.S. Naval Academy. He got there in 1943, graduating 59th in a class of 820, and going on to work with the unit that developed the first nuclear submarine. But, after the death of his father, he left the Navy and brought his wife, the former Rosalynn Smith, and their three sons, Jack, Chip, and Jeff, home to Plains to run the peanut-growing and farm-supply business. In 1962, at 37, Carter entered politics, winning a seat in the Georgia State Senate. Four years later, he ran for governor and lost in the Democratic primary. The defeat sent him into a deep funk, causing him to question the entire direction of his life. He resolved his self-doubts by becoming born-again, spending much of the next year working as a lay missionary. The experience left him with a renewed commitment to become governor. In 1970, he won the job and, upon being inaugurated, declared: "The time for racial discrimination is over." He ordered that a portrait of the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. be hung in the state Capitol, a move that won him the undying affection and political support of Dr. King's widow and father. His public statements and symbolic acts won him considerable publicity, and he was seen as one of a new breed of politicians from the New South. Perhaps the most important thing that happened to Carter as governor was that he invited politicians from around the country to stay at the governor's mansion when they were in Atlanta. They did not impress him. He figured he was as talented as any of them. If some of them could run for president, he asked, why couldn't he? So, in 1976, he did. And, as the election year approached, events broke his way. The Watergate scandal forced Richard M. Nixon to resign the presidency in disgrace in 1974, leaving the office to the unelected Gerald R. Ford. All that did severe damage to the Republican Party and federal establishment, setting the stage for someone like Carter, a Democrat who came from the outside talking about decency and morality. He was the first real long shot to prevail in the age of media politics, the first man to demonstrate how to get elected by running full-time for two years. Speaking softly but with a missionary's zeal, Carter promised voters that he would "never tell a lie." He was liberal on civil rights, conservative on economics, and hard to categorize on almost everything else. When he accepted the Democratic Party's presidential nomination at its convention in New York, he had a lead of more than 30 points in the polls over President Gerald Ford. In the end, he won narrowly, getting 51% of the vote to Ford's 48%, 297 electoral votes to Ford's 241. On Inauguration Day 1977, Carter reinforced his image as the humble outsider in an unforgettable way. After being sworn in on the Capitol steps, Carter, his wife, and young daughter, Amy, got into a limousine for the traditional ride down the parade route to the White House. Then, despite the bitter cold, the three of them climbed out and walked the rest of the way. The idea, he said, was to show that the "imperial presidency" of the Nixon era was dead and gone. "It was," he wrote later, "one of those few perfect moments in life when everything seems absolutely right." Tough times There were few more moments like that in the Carter administration. Even though the Democrats held overwhelming majorities in both houses, he found it hard to get things done. His proposals for welfare, tax reform, and a national health program all disappeared without a trace. His attempt to get the government to adopt a national energy policy — an effort he described as "the moral equivalent of war" — did not fare much better. Inflation crippled the economy, and frayed relations between the White House and Congress crippled the government. So he turned his attention to foreign affairs. First came Panama. For several years before Carter took office, the United States had been negotiating about the future of the U.S.-built Panama Canal, the vital waterway linking the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. Carter completed the negotiations. Under the final agreement, the canal would be turned over to Panama in 1999, although the U.S. retained the right to use force to keep the canal open. After a bruising, yearlong battle, the Senate ratified the treaty. Then came the Middle East. No other foreign policy area so absorbed him. Indeed, few presidents in the 20th century were so consumed with trying to bring peace to the Holy Land. Almost immediately after taking office, Carter began meeting frequently with Egyptian President Anwar Sadat and Israeli Prime Minister Menachem Begin. Progress seemed possible when Sadat, on Nov. 19, 1977, took the risky and unexpected step of traveling to Jerusalem, the Israeli capital, to address the Israeli parliament. But the inability of Egypt and Israel to convert the opening into a peace agreement left Carter ever more frustrated. "There was only one thing to do, as dismal and unpleasant as the prospect seemed," he later recalled. "I would try to bring Sadat and Begin together for an extensive negotiating session with me." On Sept. 5, 1978, Mr. Carter, Sadat, Begin, and their staffs gathered at Camp David, the presidential retreat in the Maryland mountains, and shut themselves off from the world. For Carter, as host and mediator, the stay at Camp David would prove to be the highlight of his presidency. On Sept. 17, an agreement was reached on a framework for peace. Egypt would recognize Israel's right to exist. In return, Israel would withdraw from the Egyptian territory in the Sinai it had occupied since the Six Day War of 1967. That night, in the East Room of the White House, the three world leaders signed that framework. Six months later, the framework blossomed into a full-fledged peace treaty. While the Camp David process resulted in peace between Israel and Egypt, it did not produce significant progress toward peace throughout the region. That became a source of increasing disappointment to Carter after he left office. Nor did Carter achieve any major breakthroughs in U.S.-Soviet relations. The two nations negotiated a second Strategic Arms Limitation Treaty, SALT II, which Carter and Soviet President Leonid Brezhnev signed on June 18, 1979, at a summit meeting in Vienna. But the pact did not call for cuts in nuclear arsenals, only ceilings. Opposition to the treaty sprang up in the Senate almost immediately. Whatever chance it had of ratification expired at the end of that year, when Soviet troops invaded Afghanistan. Carter reacted to the Soviet invasion by imposing an embargo on American grain sales to the Soviet Union and by having the United States boycott the 1980 Summer Olympic Games, which were set for Moscow. By then, his presidency was in deep political trouble. These were unsettling times in America. Gasoline prices were high, and lines at fuel pumps were long. Inflation and unemployment were rising. So, too, was national pessimism. Awareness of that pessimism had caused Carter to retreat to Camp David in July 1979 for an extended, loosely structured domestic summit. When it was over, he delivered a nationally televised speech on what ailed the nation and then fired three members of his cabinet. The episode came to be known as the "malaise speech." Carter seemed, in the view of his critics, to be trying to shift the blame for the nation's problems away from his administration and onto the American people. He seemed to be confessing his impotence. Within days, there was a large and growing body of thought in the liberal wing of the Democratic Party that Sen. Edward M. Kennedy of Massachusetts should challenge Carter in the 1980 presidential primaries. Kennedy did run. But by the time he announced his candidacy, the political landscape had been transformed. On Nov. 4, 1979, in the Iranian capital of Tehran, about 3,000 militants loyal to Iran's new revolutionary leader, Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, overran the U.S. Embassy. They denounced America as "the Great Satan." And they took hostages. The number of hostages would vary in the long days ahead. Ultimately it would settle at 52. Thus began, Carter recalled later, "the most difficult period of my life." It was not just 52 individuals who were held captive. It was an entire nation. The episode crystallized the general sense that U.S. power and prestige had deteriorated. At first, the crisis worked to Carter's political benefit. Americans rallied around their president, and the prospects of his two main challengers within the Democratic Party, Kennedy and California Gov. Jerry Brown, seemed to flag. But, as months passed and the hostages remained in captivity, the nation's patience with Carter grew thin, as did his own patience with Iran. After months of intensive and fruitless negotiations behind the scenes, the president decided to try to rescue the hostages. On April 24, 1980, the mission was launched. Success depended largely on eight helicopters, which were to ferry the rescuers from a makeshift base in the Iranian desert to Tehran itself. But two of the helicopters malfunctioned, and one of them crashed into a transport plane in the desert, killing eight servicemen. The failure of the mission undercut what was left of the nation's confidence in Carter. He carried on and was renominated by a deeply divided Democratic Party. The atmosphere on the final night of the convention in New York was so bitter that Kennedy refused to raise Carter's hand in the traditional display of party unity. In the general election campaign, the Republican nominee, former California Gov. Ronald Reagan, sealed Carter's defeat by posing to the nation: "Are you better off now than you were four years ago?" Many Americans — thinking of the hostages, double-digit inflation, and soaring interest rates — couldn't help but answer "No." In the end, Carter got only 41% of the vote, to Reagan's 51% and 7% for independent John Anderson. But there was a landslide in the Electoral College — 489 for Reagan and only 49 for Mr. Carter. He devoted what remained of his term to getting the hostages out. They were released on Jan. 20, 1981, Inauguration Day. Never slowing down After leaving the White House, Carter went home to Plains. There, he wrote his memoirs and raised the money to build his presidential library in Atlanta. He devoted much of his time and effort to open the Carter Center in 1982. In the mid-1980s, Carter staged well-publicized sessions on the Middle East and arms control, both of which were cochaired by Gerald Ford. Carter described the friendship between the old rivals as "a surprise to both of us." As the years passed, Carter kept pursuing his causes, traveling throughout the Middle East and Latin America to foster democracy and human rights. He became almost universally recognized as an "honest broker" whose word was accepted by one and all. "It's possible under some circumstances that I could be more meaningful as a human being this way than if I'd had a second term in the White House," he said in 1985. In 1989, he arranged for peace talks between the Ethiopian government and the Eritrean rebels. In 1990, he monitored the elections in Nicaragua. In 1994, he mediated the end of a military coup in Haiti, went to North Korea, and brokered a truce in Bosnia. His accumulated efforts won him the Nobel Peace Prize in 2002, the citation praising him for standing by the principles that "conflicts must as far as possible be resolved through mediation and international cooperation based on international law." "My father was a hero, not only to me but to everyone who believes in peace, human rights, and unselfish love," son Chip posted on the Carter Center's website. "My brothers, sister, and I shared him with the rest of the world through these common beliefs. The world is our family because of the way he brought people together, and we thank you for honoring his memory by continuing to live these shared beliefs." In addition to his three sons and daughter, Carter is survived by 12 grandchildren, 14 great-grandchildren, and other relatives. Two sisters, a brother, and a grandson died earlier. Services are pending. Biden said Sunday he will be ordering an official state funeral to be held in Washington. Staff writers Julia Terruso, Michelle Myers and Diane Mastrull contributed to this article. ©2024 The Philadelphia Inquirer, LLC. Visit at inquirer.com . Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
NEW YORK — There’s no place like home for the holidays. And that may not necessarily be a good thing. In the wake of the very contentious and divisive 2024 presidential election, the upcoming celebration of Thanksgiving and the ramp-up of the winter holiday season could be a boon for some — a respite from the events of the larger world in the gathering of family and loved ones. Hours and even days spent with people who have played the largest roles in our lives. Another chapter in a lifetime of memories. That’s one scenario. For others, that same period — particularly because of the polarizing presidential campaign — is something to dread. There is the likelihood of disagreements, harsh words, hurt feelings and raised voices looming large. Those who make a study of people and their relationships to each other in an increasingly complex 21st-century say there are choices that those with potentially fraught personal situations can make — things to do and things to avoid — that could help them and their families get through this time with a minimum of open conflict and a chance at getting to the point of the holidays in the first place. For those who feel strongly about the election’s outcome, and know that the people they would be spending the holiday feel just as strongly in the other direction, take the time to honestly assess if you’re ready to spend time together in THIS moment, barely a few weeks after Election Day — and a time when feelings are still running high. The answer might be that you’re not, and it might be better to take a temporary break, says Justin Jones-Fosu, author of “I Respectfully Disagree: How to Have Difficult Conversations in a Divided World.” “You have to assess your own readiness,” he says, “Each person is going be very different in this.” He emphasizes that it’s not about taking a permanent step back. “Right now is that moment that we’re talking about because it’s still so fresh. Christmas may be different.” Keep focused on why why you decided to go in the first place, Jones-Fosu says. Maybe it’s because there’s a relative there you don’t get to see often, or a loved one is getting up in age, or your kids want to see their cousins. Keeping that reason in mind could help you get through the time. If you decide getting together is the way to go, but you know politics is still a dicey subject, set a goal of making the holiday a politics-free zone and stick with it, says Karl Pillemer, a professor at Cornell University whose work includes research on family estrangement. “Will a political conversation change anyone’s mind?” he says. “If there is no possibility of changing anyone’s mind, then create a demilitarized zone and don’t talk about it.” Let’s be honest. Sometimes, despite best efforts and intentions to keep the holiday gathering politics- and drama-free, there’s someone who’s got something to say and is going to say it. In that case, avoid getting drawn into it, says Tracy Hutchinson, a professor in the graduate clinical mental health counseling program at the College of William & Mary in Virginia. “Not to take the hook is one of the most important things, and it is challenging,” she says. After all, you don’t have to go to every argument you’re invited to. If you risk getting caught up in the moment, consider engaging in what Pillemer calls “forward mapping.” This involves thinking medium and long term rather than just about right now — strategy rather than tactics. Maybe imagine yourself six months from now looking back on the dinner and thinking about the memories you’d want to have. “Think about how you would like to remember this holiday,” he says. “Do you want to remember it with your brother and sister-in-law storming out and going home because you’ve had a two-hour argument?” Things getting intense? Defuse the situation. Walk away. And it doesn’t have to be in a huff. Sometimes a calm and collected time out is just what you — and the family — might need. Says Hutchinson: “If they do start to do something like that, you could say, ‘I’ve got to make this phone call. I’ve got to go to the bathroom. I’m going to take a walk around the block.’”Investors can contact the law firm at no cost to learn more about recovering their losses LOS ANGELES, Nov. 22, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The Portnoy Law Firm advises TMC the metals company Inc . ("TMC" or the "Company") TMC investors of a class action representing investors that bought securities between May 12, 2023 and March 25, 2024 , inclusive (the "Class Period"). TMC investors have until January 7, 2025 to file a lead plaintiff motion. Investors are encouraged to contact attorney Lesley F. Portnoy , by phone 310-692-8883 or email : lesley@portnoylaw.com , to discuss their legal rights, or click here to join the case. The Portnoy Law Firm can provide a complimentary case evaluation and discuss investors' options for pursuing claims to recover their losses. On March 25, 2024, TMC announced that its financial statements for the first three quarters of 2023 were no longer reliable and would need to be restated. The revision was due to issues regarding the Company's partnership with Low Carbon Royalties Inc. ("LCR"), specifically concerning whether the offsetting entry for the proceeds received from LCR should be categorized as debt or deferred income. TMC further clarified that, since the transaction with LCR was regarded as an equity investment rather than a sale, the future revenue sale would be reclassified as a royalty liability in accordance with the relevant accounting standards. As a result of this announcement, TMC's stock price dropped by $0.205, or 13.2%, closing at $1.345 per share on March 26, 2024, causing losses for investors. Please visit our website to review more information and submit your transaction information. The Portnoy Law Firm represents investors in pursuing claims against caused by corporate wrongdoing. The Firm's founding partner has recovered over $5.5 billion for aggrieved investors. Attorney advertising. Prior results do not guarantee similar outcomes. Lesley F. Portnoy, Esq. Admitted CA and NY Bar lesley@portnoylaw.com 310-692-8883 www.portnoylaw.com Attorney Advertising © 2024 Benzinga.com. Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved.
MIAMI, United States – Chinese Minister of Public Security Wang Xiaohong made an official visit to Havana, where he was received by Raúl Castro and met with Cuban leader Miguel Díaz-Canel. During the meeting, Castro thanked Wang for the “timely assistance” China has provided to Cuba amid the deep crisis the island is facing. Díaz-Canel, for his part, expressed his “special gratitude” for the systematic and stable cooperation between the public security ministries of both nations. “In addressing issues of mutual interest and tackling common challenges, including the need to strengthen cybersecurity,” the Cuban leader stated, according to official media reports. Díaz-Canel also emphasized that the visit of the high-ranking Chinese official was a “demonstration of support in confronting the policies of cultural colonization, hegemony, and subversion imposed by the (U.S.) empire on our nations.” For years, China has been the main provider of technological infrastructure for the development of telecommunications in Cuba, with the support of companies such as Huawei, ZTE, and TP-Link. Along with the technology, the Cuban regime has imported tools to exercise control and censorship over emerging communication channels like mobile telephony and the internet. The Cuban government has occasionally blocked access to digital networks during popular protests, causing internet blackouts on the island, which have been confirmed by international monitoring organizations. Wang Xiaohong’s visit was preceded in October by that of Li Shulei, a member of the Politburo and head of the Propaganda Department of the Communist Party of China. Amid the collapse of Cuba’s national electrical system and the impact of Hurricane Oscar in the eastern region of the country, Raúl Castro made a rare public appearance to receive the high-ranking Chinese official. At the time, Cuba’s state-run media reaffirmed the importance of creating a “healthy internet environment” and combating “subversive actions.” It also emphasized the need for a “strategy to confront the Cold War mentality of the United States” as a key element in strengthening bilateral ties. Despite announcing several joint projects, relations between Cuba and China are thriving more in the political realm than the commercial one. Cuban economist Omar Everleny told Martí Noticias that their economic relationship faces significant obstacles due to Cuba’s dire financial situation. China has supported Cuba’s “banking reform” project, inspired by Chinese digital payment systems like WeChat and Alipay. However, Everleny noted that Cuba’s lack of liquidity and financial delinquency have strained its collaboration with China. “This default has affected China’s willingness to provide new loans,” he explained, referring to previous credits for supplies such as Yutong buses and automotive equipment that Havana has been unable to repay on schedule. Relations between the two countries are not at their peak. “They’re not exactly dating,” Everleny told the Financial Times , adding that “Cuba is going through a severe currency crisis and, at the same time, is unwilling to implement the necessary reforms to recover those funds.” The growing ties between China and the Cuban regime have raised concerns among U.S. lawmakers and politicians, especially following media reports about the development of Chinese-linked electronic surveillance stations on Cuban soil. Satellite images released in July by The Wall Street Journal revealed progress in the construction of at least four stations located in Bejucal, Wajay, Calabazar, and El Salao in Santiago de Cuba. However, the island’s regime and the Chinese government have denied the existence of such spy bases in Cuba. Sigue nuestro canal de WhatsApp . Recibe la información de CubaNet en tu celular a través de Telegram.
Austin arrives in Japan in his last Asia trip as US Defence Secretary
PLEASANTON, Calif. , Dec. 23, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- 10x Genomics, Inc. (Nasdaq: TXG), a leader in single cell and spatial biology, announced today it had secured a permanent injunction in the U.S. District Court for the District of Delaware against the GeoMx products sold by Bruker Corporation (Nasdaq: BRKR), which acquired the product line from NanoString Technologies. To minimize the risk of disruption to ongoing research, 10x Genomics requested a carve-out for GeoMx users who installed an instrument prior to the trial in November 2023 . The injunction, which the Court said it will enter in January 2025 , is expected to prohibit Bruker from making, using, selling or offering to sell in the United States its GeoMx Digital Spatial Profiler and associated instruments, reagents and services for RNA and protein detection. At the request of 10x Genomics, the injunction will not block ongoing research by researchers who installed a GeoMx instrument prior to November 18, 2023 . Such customers can continue to purchase GeoMx reagents for use with existing GeoMx instruments for purposes of continuing their ongoing research. The Court found that making such an exception for ongoing research strikes a "workable balance between protecting the patentee's rights and protecting the public from the injunction's adverse effects." In addition, the Court affirmed the $31 million damages awarded by the November 2023 jury verdict, as well as supplemental damages and interest that will be added to the total damages when final judgment is entered. "Today's decision helps to safeguard our decade-long investment in innovation and ensures we can continue to develop groundbreaking technologies that help our customers revolutionize science," said Eric Whitaker , Chief Legal Officer at 10x Genomics. "10x exists to fuel scientific progress – not stifle it – and that is why we've done our utmost to ensure this injunction was structured to protect both our intellectual property and existing GeoMx customers' ongoing research." The Court recognized the harm NanoString's infringing conduct caused 10x when it wrote in its ruling, "Having been careful not to license its technology, 10x suffers when it proclaims itself as an innovator in spatial genomics but a competitor is using the same innovative, patented technology." Today's Court decision follows a November 2023 jury verdict that found that NanoString's GeoMx products willfully infringed seven patents exclusively licensed to 10x Genomics by Prognosys. During the trial, the jury heard testimony from the sole inventor of the patents, Illumina co-founder Mark Chee , and NanoString CEO Brad Gray and NanoString CSO Joe Beechem. After hearing all of the evidence, the jury determined that all seven patents had been infringed by NanoString, that each patent was valid, that NanoString willfully infringed those patents and that monetary damages were owed to 10x for the infringement of all seven patents. In affirming the jury's finding that NanoString willfully infringed, the Court relied on the evidence showing that NanoString knew or was willfully blind that its acts would cause infringement of 10x's rights. The asserted patents in Case No. 21-cv-653-MFK include (a) U.S. Patent No. 10,472,669; (b) U.S. Patent No. 10,961,566; (c) U.S. Patent No. 10,983,113; (d) U.S. Patent No. 10,996,219; (e) U.S. Patent No. 11,001,878; (f) U.S. Patent No. 11,008,607 and (g) U.S. Patent No. 11,293,917. About 10x Genomics 10x Genomics is a life science technology company building products to accelerate the mastery of biology and advance human health. Our integrated solutions include instruments, consumables and software for single cell and spatial biology, which help academic and translational researchers and biopharmaceutical companies understand biological systems at a resolution and scale that matches the complexity of biology. Our products are behind breakthroughs in oncology, immunology, neuroscience and more, fueling powerful discoveries that are transforming the world's understanding of health and disease. To learn more, visit 10xgenomics.com or connect with us on LinkedIn or X (Twitter) . Forward Looking Statements This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 as contained in Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, which are subject to the "safe harbor" created by those sections. All statements included in this press release, other than statements of historical facts, may be forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements generally can be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as "may," "might," "will," "should," "expect," "plan," "anticipate," "could," "intend," "target," "project," "contemplate," "believe," "see," "estimate," "predict," "potential," "would," "likely," "seek" or "continue" or the negatives of these terms or variations of them or similar terminology, but the absence of these words does not mean that a statement is not forward-looking. These forward-looking statements include statements regarding litigation and remedies as well as possible outcomes of litigation. These forward-looking statements do not reflect that our success will depend on our ability to obtain, maintain and protect our intellectual property rights, intellectual property litigation could be expensive, time-consuming, unsuccessful and could interfere with our ability to develop, manufacture and commercialize our products or technologies, litigation outcomes are unpredictable or there may be changes in our litigation strategy. These statements are based on management's current expectations, forecasts, beliefs, assumptions and information currently available to management. Actual outcomes and results could differ materially from these statements due to a number of factors and such statements should not be relied upon as representing 10x Genomics, Inc.'s views as of any date subsequent to the date of this press release. 10x Genomics, Inc. disclaims any obligation to update any forward-looking statements provided to reflect any change in 10x Genomics' expectations or any change in events, conditions or circumstances on which any such statement is based, except as required by law. The material risks and uncertainties that could affect 10x Genomics, Inc.'s financial and operating results and cause actual results to differ materially from those indicated by the forward-looking statements made in this press release include those discussed under the captions "Risk Factors" and "Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations" in the company's most recently-filed 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2023 and elsewhere in the documents 10x Genomics, Inc. files with the Securities and Exchange Commission from time to time. Disclosure Information 10x Genomics uses filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, our website ( www.10xgenomics.com ), press releases, public conference calls, public webcasts and our social media accounts as means of disclosing material non-public information and for complying with our disclosure obligations under Regulation FD. Contacts Investors: investors@10xgenomics.com Media: media@10xgenomics.com View original content to download multimedia: https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/us-district-court-awards-10x-genomics-permanent-injunction-in-patent-infringement-lawsuit-against-bruker-corporations-geomx-products-302338627.html SOURCE 10x Genomics, Inc.1 2 Kanpur: The Startup Incubation and Innovation Centre (SIIC) at IIT Kanpur , in collaboration with the department of science and technology (DST), Govt of India and the department for promotion of industry and internal trade (DPIIT), is organising the ASEAN-India Start-up Festival 2024 to be held at Vivanta Taj New Delhi from November 28 to November 30. IPL 2025 mega auction IPL Auction 2025: Who went where and for how much IPL 2025: Complete list of players of each franchise The event aims at bringing together entrepreneurs and innovators from India and the 10 ASEAN countries to strengthen cross-border collaborations and promote innovation. The festival will spotlight deep-tech and sustainable innovations , featuring groundbreaking solutions from 60 Indian startups and 40 ASEAN startups. The three-day programme will feature a range of activities, including seminars, startup exhibitions, pitch competitions, and networking sessions. The event will conclude with industry visits to prominent organisations in the Delhi-NCR region, offering participants a unique opportunity to explore India's vibrant innovation ecosystem.