
NASSAU, Bahamas (AP) — Scottie Scheffler birdied every hole but the par 3s on the front nine at Albany Golf Club on Friday and finished his bogey-free round with an 8-under 64 that gave him a two-shot lead in the Hero World Challenge. Two months off did nothing to slow the world's No. 1 player. Scheffler already has eight victories this year and is in position to get another before the end of the year. Scheffler was at 13-under 131, two ahead of Akshay Bhatia (66) and Justin Thomas (67), both of whom had to save par on the 18th hole to stay in range going into the weekend. Scheffler started with a lob wedge to 2 feet for birdie and never slowed until after he went out in 29 to seize control of the holiday tournament against a 20-man field. Scheffler cooled slightly on the back nine, except it didn't feel that way to him. “Front nine, just things were going my way. Back nine, maybe not as much,” Scheffler said. “A couple shots could end up closer to the hole, a couple putts go in, just little things.” Asked if he felt any frustration he didn't take it lower — he once shot 59 at the TPC Boston during the FedEx Cup playoffs — Scheffler sounded bemused. “I think in this game I think a lot of all y’all are looking for perfection out of us,” he said. “Today I shot 8 under on the golf course, not something I hang my head about. A lot of good things out there — clean card, bogey-free, eight birdies. Overall, I think I'm pretty pleased.” Thomas felt his 67 was stress-free, particularly the way he was driving the ball. The wind laid down again, rare for the Bahamas, though it is expected to pick up on the weekend. Thomas wasn't concerned to see Scheffler get off to a hot start, especially with three par 5s on the front nine and a short par 4 that at worst leaves a flip wedge to the green. “You literally can birdie every hole as soft as the greens are,” Thomas said. “He's a great player, a great wedge player, and you have a lot of birdie holes to start. I'm honestly surprised he only shot 8 under. It's a sneaky course because if you fall asleep on some shots, you can get out of position. But if you're on and focused and really in control of everything — like these last two days with no wind — you can just make so many birdies.” Ryder Cup captain Keegan Bradley had a 67 and was four shots behind. No matter how benign the conditions, it wasn't always easy. Cameron Young, who opened with a 64 for a two-shot lead, followed with a 75 despite making five birdies. That included a double bogey on the final hole when his approach tumbled down the bank into the rocks framing the lake that goes all the way down the 18th hole. Patrick Cantlay was trying to keep pace playing alongside Scheffler, but he had three bogeys over the final seven holes and fell seven shots behind with a 71. The tournament, hosted by Tiger Woods, is unofficial but offers world ranking points to all but the bottom three players because of the small field. It's the weakest field in 25 years, but Scheffler at No. 1 gives it enough cachet. He is the first player since Woods in 2009 to start and finish a year at No. 1 in the world. And even after a layoff — giving him time to tinker with a new putting stroke — it looks like it might be a while before anyone changes that. AP golf: https://apnews.com/hub/golfNACOGDOCHES, Texas (AP) — Kobe Stewart scored 17 points as Presbyterian beat Monmouth 71-61 on Saturday. Stewart had five rebounds and six assists for the Blue Hose (5-3). Kory Mincy added 16 points while shooting 4 for 11 (3 for 8 from 3-point range) and 5 of 6 from the free-throw line while they also had five rebounds. Jamahri Harvey shot 5 for 14, including 3 for 9 from beyond the arc to finish with 13 points. The Hawks (0-8) were led in scoring by Jack Collins, who finished with 25 points, seven rebounds and two steals. Monmouth also got 12 points and two steals from Justin Ray. Madison Durr had seven points. The loss is the eighth straight for the Hawks. Presbyterian took the lead with 4:56 left in the first half and never looked back. Stewart led his team in scoring with 13 points in the first half to help put them ahead 45-32 at the break. Presbyterian used an 8-0 run in the second half to build a 17-point lead at 61-44 with 8:51 left in the half before finishing off the win. The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar .Best Holiday Buys from Dollar Stores, Including Dollar TreeThe Bucs announced two roster moves today ahead of their Week 12 game against the New York Giants. Cornerback Jamel Dean has been activated off injured reserve and the team released linebacker Antonio Grier Jr. Tampa Bay also elevated linebacker Vi Jones from the practice squad for the third straight week. The more impactful of the two moves is the activation of Dean from injured reserve. He has missed Tampa Bay’s last four games after leaving early in their Week 6 matchup against the Saints. In his stead the Bucs have used a combination of rookie Tyrek Funderburk and second-year cornerback Josh Hayes. The two have struggled mightily in that time, combining to allow 25 catches on 32 targets for 320 yards and four touchdowns across 211 coverage snaps. That’s a 78% completion rate allowed and 1.52 yards per route run. The team also elevated linebacker Vi Jones from the practice squad. This is Jones’ third and final elevation. If the team wants him to play on Sunday after tomorrow, they will have to promote him to the active roster. Head coach Todd Bowles has previously spoken about Jones being the best-suited linebacker on the team to take over the role SirVocea Dennis played earlier in the year as a late and long coverage backer. To date the athletic practice squad linebacker has only played three snaps, in Week 9 against Kansas City, on defense. Bucs Update Injury Report The team also updated their injury report, officially ruling out defensive back Tykee Smith due to a knee injury and downgrading All-Pro left tackle Tristan Wirfs to doubtful as he works his way back from a sprained knee. Swing tackle Justin Skule is set to play in Wirfs’ place. Skule has played in parts of six games this year and after a poor initial showing Week 2 against Aidan Hutchinson and the Detroit Lions he settled in filling in for right tackle Luke Goedeke while he was dealing with a concussion. Skule will have his hands full against the Giants as they have three good edge rushers in Brian Burns, Kayvon Thibideaux, who is coming off injured reserve, and Azeez Ojulari. The Bucs have several options to fill in for Smith as the Bucs’ slot corner. Christian Izien has acted as a jack-of-all-trades fill-in this year. He took over when Smith missed week eight and week 10 and for safety Antoine Winfield Jr. Weeks 2-5. The team could also look to cornerback Troy Hill, who they signed after he was released by the Panthers earlier this year. Tavierre Thomas also has experience in the slot. This article first appeared on Pewter Report and was syndicated with permission.
With a focus on human rights, US policy toward Latin America under Jimmy Carter briefly tempered a long tradition of interventionism in a key sphere of American influence, analysts say. Carter, who died Sunday at the age of 100, defied the furor of US conservatives to negotiate the handover of the Panama Canal to Panamanian control, suspended aid to multiple authoritarian governments in the region, and even attempted to normalize relations with Cuba. Carter's resolve to chart a course toward democracy and diplomacy, however, was severely tested in Central America and Cuba, where he was forced to balance his human rights priorities with pressure from adversaries to combat the spread of communism amid the Cold War standoff with the Soviet Union. "Latin America was fundamental and his global policy was oriented toward human rights, democratic values and multilateral cooperation," political analyst Michael Shifter of the Inter-American Dialogue, a think tank in Washington, told AFP. During his 1977-1981 administration, which was sandwiched between the Republican presidencies of Gerald Ford and Ronald Reagan, the Democrat sought to take a step back from US alignment with right-wing dictatorships in Latin America. An important symbol of Carter's approach was the signing of two treaties in 1977 to officially turn over the Panama Canal in 1999. "Jimmy Carter understood that if he did not return the canal to Panama, the relationship between the United States and Panama could lead to a new crisis in a country where Washington could not afford the luxury of instability," said Luis Guillermo Solis, a political scientist and former president of Costa Rica. Carter called the decision, which was wildly unpopular back home, "the most difficult political challenge I ever had," as he accepted Panama's highest honor in 2016. He also hailed the move as "a notable achievement of moving toward democracy and freedom." On Sunday, Panamanian President Jose Mulino praised Carter for helping his country achieve "full sovereignty." During his term, Carter opted not to support Nicaraguan strongman Anastasio Somoza, who was subsequently overthrown by the leftist Sandinista Front in 1979. But in El Salvador, the American president had to "make a very uncomfortable pact with the government," said Shifter. To prevent communists from taking power, Carter resumed US military assistance for a junta which then became more radical, engaging in civilian massacres and plunging El Salvador into a long civil war. Carter took a critical approach to South American dictatorships in Argentina, Chile, Uruguay and Paraguay, suspending arms deliveries and imposing sanctions in some cases. But his efforts "did not achieve any progress in terms of democratization," said Argentine political scientist Rosendo Fraga. The American president also tried to normalize relations with Cuba 15 years after the missile crisis. He relaxed sanctions that had been in force since 1962, supported secret talks and enabled limited diplomatic representation in both countries. "With him, for the first time, the possibility of dialogue rather than confrontation as a framework for political relations opened up," Jesus Arboleya, a former Cuban diplomat, told AFP. But in 1980, a mass exodus of 125,000 Cubans to the United States, with Fidel Castro's blessing, created an unexpected crisis. It "hurt Carter politically with the swarm of unexpected immigrants," said Jennifer McCoy, a professor of political science at Georgia State University. Castro continued to support Soviet-backed African governments and even deployed troops against Washington's wishes, finally putting an end to the normalization process. However, more than 20 years later, Carter made a historic visit to Havana as ex-president, at the time becoming the highest-profile American politician to set foot on Cuban soil since 1959. During the 2002 visit, "he made a bold call for the US to lift its embargo, but he also called on Castro to embrace democratic opening," said McCoy, who was part of the US delegation for the trip, during which Castro encouraged Carter to throw out the ceremonial first pitch at a Cuban All-Star baseball game. "Castro was sitting in the front row and we were afraid he would rise to give a long rebuttal to Carter's speech. But he didn't. He just said, 'Let's go to the ball game.'" Cubans "will remember with gratitude his efforts to improve relations," the island's current leader Miguel Diaz-Canel said on Sunday. In the years following Carter's presidency, Ronald Reagan (1981-1989) would go on to resume a full-frontal confrontation with Cuba. Decades later, Barack Obama (2009-2017) opened a new phase of measured normalization, which Donald Trump (2017-2021) brought to an end. US President Joe Biden promised to review US policy toward Cuba, but hardened his stance after Havana cracked down on anti-government protests in 2021. "Carter showed that engagement and diplomacy are more fruitful than isolation," McCoy said. bur-lp-rd-jb/lbc/mlr/bfm/sst/bbk/nro/acbIn this article AMZN Follow your favorite stocks CREATE FREE ACCOUNT Jeff Bezos, founder and executive chairman of Amazon and owner of the Washington Post, takes the stage during the New York Times annual DealBook summit at Jazz at Lincoln Center on December 04, 2024 in New York City. Michael M. Santiago | Getty Images Amazon founder Jeff Bezos spoke optimistically of President-elect Donald Trump Wednesday at The New York Times' DealBook Summit, saying he expects a more friendly regulatory environment in the upcoming administration. "I'm actually very optimistic this time around," Bezos said on stage. "He seems to have a lot of energy around reducing regulation. If I can help do that, I'm going to help him." Bezos' comments struck a cheerful tone despite Trump publicly lambasting the billionaire during his first term. Trump repeatedly attacked Bezos and his companies, Amazon and The Washington Post, accusing them of dodging taxes or publishing "fake news," among other things. Trump also repeatedly pointed the finger at Amazon for its use of the U.S. Postal Service, claiming the company contributed to the post office's demise. In 2019, Amazon blamed Trump's "behind-the-scenes attacks" against the company for its loss of a multibillion-dollar Department of Defense contract, then called JEDI. The animosity between the two preceded Trump's time in the White House. Prior to the 2016 election, Bezos criticized Trump's behavior, saying it "erodes our democracy." He offered to shoot Trump into space after the then-Republican candidate attacked Bezos for using the Post as a "tax shelter." But during the first Trump transition period eight years ago, Bezos expressed optimism similar to his current tone. Bezos was one of a number of major tech leaders , along with top execs from Alphabet , Apple , Facebook and others, who trekked to Trump Tower for a meeting with Trump in December 2016. At the meeting, both men appeared nothing but complimentary. "I found today's meeting with the president-elect, his transition team, and tech leaders to be very productive," Bezos said at the time. "I shared the view that the administration should make innovation one of its key pillars, which would create a huge number of jobs across the whole country, in all sectors, not just tech—agriculture, infrastructure, manufacturing—everywhere." Bezos struck a fairly conciliatory tone with Trump in the lead up to this year's election. He's posted twice on X this year, giving his congratulations the day after Trump's victory last month and praising Trump's "grace under literal fire" following the attempted assassination of Trump at a Pennsylvania rally in July. Bezos said Wednesday that Trump appears calmer, more confident and more settled than his first term in the White House. "You've probably grown in the last eight years," Bezos said. "He has too." Bezos also publicly declared shortly before the election that the Washington Post would not be endorsing a candidate, breaking with decades of tradition. Editorial page staffers had drafted an endorsement of Democratic nominee Kamala Harris over Trump in the election, before Bezos killed the plan in late October. "We knew there would be blowback and we did the right thing anyway," Bezos said on Wednesday, acknowledging the criticism that followed. He called the move "far from cowardly." Bezos' space company Blue Origin will frequently interact with Trump's administration when it comes to vying to secure federal contracts. Blue Origin directly competes with Elon Musk's space exploration company SpaceX. Musk has been a key ally for Trump in his campaign for the White House, contributing nearly $75 million to America PAC, a pro-Trump super political action committee he established earlier this year. WATCH: Bezos says he's proud of decision not to have Washington Post endorse presidential candidate watch now VIDEO 1:41 01:41 Jeff Bezos: 'Very proud of the decision' for Washington Post to not endorse presidential candidate News Videos
President Carter, America’s 39th President, passed away at the age of 100. Ms Hanna said President Carter was the first US President to seriously engage with issues in Northern Ireland. The South Belfast and Mid Down MP said: “Throughout his life Jimmy Carter was an advocate for human rights, peace, humanitarianism and doing what’s right, no matter how difficult. Alongside his late wife Rosalynn, his legacy stretches far beyond his term as President and his achievements through the Carter Centre and with Habitat for Humanity are arguably just as meaningful as anything he achieved while in office. “At a time when violence was raging across Northern Ireland, Jimmy Carter ignored advice not to intervene and stuck his head above the parapet calling for the US to become directly involved in trying to secure peace here and promising investment after it was established. He was persuaded to get involved by Tip O’Neill, Ted Kennedy and others who updated him with the latest happenings here, though their own engagement with John Hume. “Carter’s intervention was a significant one, he was serious about his commitment to advancing the cause of peace around the world and shared Hume’s vision that the only solution to the conflict here could be a peaceful one. His statement sent a clear message to the then-British government that they could no longer act with impunity when it came to Northern Ireland. “Jimmy Carter leaves a lasting imprint not only on Northern Ireland, but around the world. He has left the world a better place as a result of his contribution throughout a lifetime of service and I can think of no greater legacy than that.” Carter, who was the longest-living former American president, died on Sunday, December 29, his son announced. An immediate cause was not given. He served as president for one term from 1977 to 1981, but is just as well-known for his humanitarian service after leaving Washington, DC, working for Habitat for Humanity and negotiating peace deals. In 2018, it was revealed by official files that he had been previously suggested for a Northern Ireland peace process role. Speculation was mounting in January 1993 that president-elect Bill Clinton would appoint a special envoy. British Foreign Office official Jonathan Powell mentioned Mr Carter in a note disclosed in an archived British government file released by the Public Record Office of Northern Ireland (PRONI) in Belfast. Mr Powell described how former congressman Bruce Morrison, then head of the Irish Americans for Clinton lobby group, envisaged the envoy. Mr Powell wrote: “He (Morrison) did not envisage an Irish American filling the role. “An Irish American like (Bill) Flynn would have too much baggage. “He envisaged instead someone completely independent, like Jimmy Carter, or someone in the same mould but of lower profile.” Mr Carter only served one term in office but became a diplomat and mediator around the world. He worked on the Middle East peace process and tried to encourage talks between North and South Korea. In 1993 a statement from the Friends of Ireland in the US said: “On this St Patrick’s Day, the Friends of Ireland in the US Congress join with Irish Americans... in calling for renewed efforts to achieve peace, reconciliation and justice in Northern Ireland.” In the event, former Democratic senator George Mitchell was appointed as envoy in 1995, securing a commitment to non-violence from the gunmen and ultimately becoming the architect of the 1998 Good Friday Agreement.
Two months off did nothing to slow the world's No. 1 player. Scheffler already has eight victories this year and is in position to get another before the end of the year. Scheffler was at 13-under 131, two ahead of Akshay Bhatia (66) and Justin Thomas (67), both of whom had to save par on the 18th hole to stay in range going into the weekend. Scheffler started with a lob wedge to 2 feet for birdie and never slowed until after he went out in 29 to seize control of the holiday tournament against a 20-man field. Scheffler cooled slightly on the back nine, except it didn't feel that way to him. “Front nine, just things were going my way. Back nine, maybe not as much,” Scheffler said. “A couple shots could end up closer to the hole, a couple putts go in, just little things.” Asked if he felt any frustration he didn't take it lower — he once shot 59 at the TPC Boston during the FedEx Cup playoffs — Scheffler sounded bemused. “I think in this game I think a lot of all y’all are looking for perfection out of us,” he said. “Today I shot 8 under on the golf course, not something I hang my head about. A lot of good things out there — clean card, bogey-free, eight birdies. Overall, I think I'm pretty pleased.” Thomas felt his 67 was stress-free, particularly the way he was driving the ball. The wind laid down again, rare for the Bahamas, though it is expected to pick up on the weekend. Thomas wasn't concerned to see Scheffler get off to a hot start, especially with three par 5s on the front nine and a short par 4 that at worst leaves a flip wedge to the green. “You literally can birdie every hole as soft as the greens are,” Thomas said. “He's a great player, a great wedge player, and you have a lot of birdie holes to start. I'm honestly surprised he only shot 8 under. It's a sneaky course because if you fall asleep on some shots, you can get out of position. But if you're on and focused and really in control of everything — like these last two days with no wind — you can just make so many birdies.” Ryder Cup captain Keegan Bradley had a 67 and was four shots behind. No matter how benign the conditions, it wasn't always easy. Cameron Young, who opened with a 64 for a two-shot lead, followed with a 75 despite making five birdies. That included a double bogey on the final hole when his approach tumbled down the bank into the rocks framing the lake that goes all the way down the 18th hole. Patrick Cantlay was trying to keep pace playing alongside Scheffler, but he had three bogeys over the final seven holes and fell seven shots behind with a 71. The tournament, hosted by Tiger Woods, is unofficial but offers world ranking points to all but the bottom three players because of the small field. It's the weakest field in 25 years, but Scheffler at No. 1 gives it enough cachet. He is the first player since Woods in 2009 to start and finish a year at No. 1 in the world. And even after a layoff — giving him time to tinker with a new putting stroke — it looks like it might be a while before anyone changes that. AP golf: https://apnews.com/hub/golfThe distinguished economist Manmohan Singh, who has died aged 92, was one of India’s longest serving prime ministers (and the first Sikh to hold the office), yet he never won a direct parliamentary election. After nearly two decades as an economic bureaucrat, Singh was often seen as more of a civil servant than a politician. Unlike India’s more charismatic leaders, he humbly admitted to being a poor public speaker. Yet, as India’s finance minister (1991-96) this unlikely politician played a crucial role in the economic reforms that led to the rapid growth of India’s GDP. Then, as prime minister from 2004, he forged a new relationship with the US, ended India’s nuclear isolation and passed groundbreaking social legislation. In all this, he was bolstered by his reputation for absolute honesty, a considerable asset in the world of Indian politics. The son of Amrit Kaur and Murmuk Singh, and one of 10 children, he was born in the village of Gah, in the North West Province of what is now Pakistan . His father dealt in dried fruit imported from Afghanistan. At partition, the family made the perilous journey through the Muslim-dominated West Punjab to the Sikh holy city of Amritsar. Singh graduated from Punjab University and went on to study in the UK, at St John’s College, Cambridge, where he received a first in economics – the only student to achieve this distinction in his final year. Later he would return to Britain for a DPhil at Nuffield College, Oxford. At Cambridge, he was influenced by two renowned economists and socialists, Joan Robinson and Nicholas Kaldor. Both held Singh in high regard. Robinson, his supervisor, described him as “very quiet and gentle in manner ... [with] a determined resistance to bunkum of all kinds”. Kaldor, similarly impressed, recommended Singh to India’s finance minister for a position. Singh had other ideas: becoming first an academic before working for the UN. Eventually he ended up in India’s finance ministry. During his civil service career, including a tenure as governor of the Reserve Bank of India (1982-85), Singh implemented the Congress party’s leftwing economic policies. While civil servants are expected to remain impartial, Singh agreed with some government decisions, later telling his daughter Daman, a journalist and author, that nationalising India’s banks was “a good idea at the time”. Yet his own thinking – articulated decades earlier in his Oxford thesis – was essentially liberal, emphasising the importance of foreign trade and greater openness to the world economy for India’s development. Such an analysis became a virtue in 1991 when the then prime minister, Narasimha Rao , in the midst of an economic crisis, decided to accept IMF conditions for a massive loan in order to prevent India defaulting on its payments. The conditions included the end of India’s infamous web of bureaucratic controls and an across-the-board reduction of import tariffs as well as severe cuts in welfare spending and subsidies. Rao appointed the apolitical Singh as finance minister, thinking no politician would risk his future by implementing the unpopular IMF conditions. The reforms that followed were one reason for the defeat of the Congress party in 1996. While Congress was out of power, Singh was leader of the opposition in the upper house of parliament. In the 2004 election Congress, under the leadership of Sonia Gandhi, widow of the assassinated prime minister Rajiv Gandhi , won enough seats to form a coalition government and she, instead of taking the role herself, nominated Singh to be prime minister. It was clear that ultimate power rested with Gandhi. However, Singh did defy her when he insisted on ratifying an agreement with the US intended to end the international ban on selling civilian nuclear equipment and technology to India. Gandhi feared opposition to the agreement would split the coalition and the government would fall. But Singh pressed ahead, pushing it through parliament by a narrow majority. His reputation for honesty was a factor in Congress’s improved performance in the 2009 general election. However, during his second term, corruption in the preparations for hosting the 2010 Commonwealth Games and in the allocation of licences to run mobile phone networks (the “2G spectrum scam”) led to questions about whether Singh was tolerating dishonesty in his government. Throughout his two terms in office, Singh’s position was weakened by his dependence on the support of smaller parties in the coalition. As prime minister he made his disapproval of the plan to allocate the phone network licences clear, but the telecommunications minister was allowed to go ahead because his party threatened to pull out of the coalition. Pressure from coalition parties delayed economic reforms that Singh favoured, which would have introduced more foreign competition in banking, insurance, retail, and other businesses. He had to go slower than he wanted on privatising nationalised industries. He also had reservations about Gandhi’s pro-poor policies, which she insisted were necessary to combat the impression that the economic reforms only benefited the prosperous. In particular, he was concerned about the cost and effectiveness of a scheme guaranteeing employment to the jobless in rural India. But he did not oppose it. His former press adviser wrote of the Gandhi-Singh diarchy that “while power was delegated, authority was not”. For 20 years as a bureaucrat and more than 30 years as a politician, Singh played a vital role in India’s economic history. As a bureaucrat he was never an out-and-out socialist; as a politician he did not fall head over heels for the market. His partnership with Gandhi, and it was more of a partnership than was generally realised, kept two fractious coalition governments in power, governments that passed important social and economic legislation. But Singh did not acquire his own power base and remained a Congress party loyalist. Although he announced he would not remain India’s PM after the 2014 election, in opposition he continued to serve as a member of the upper house of the Indian parliament until April this year. Indian politics is a rough trade, and Singh was known more as a thinker than a brawler. The last decade, however, was marked by acrimonious exchanges between Singh and his successor Narendra Modi . Modi, a Hindu nationalist strongman, questioned his predecessor’s honesty in a “corrupt government” and even claimed that he had “colluded” with India’s arch-rival Pakistan. Both allegations were met by blistering denials. In return Singh was critical of his successor’s economic policies, describing Modi’s 2016 overnight decision to render worthless 86% of Indian banknotes “a case of organised loot, legalised plunder of the common people”. He also attacked Modi’s silence in 2018 when one of his party’s elected representatives was accused of raping a teenager. Singh, who came from a religious minority, was aware of the need for mutual respect in India and was appalled by Modi’s rhetoric. During this year’s Indian elections, Singh said of Modi that “no [Indian] prime minister in the past has uttered such hateful, unparliamentary and coarse terms, meant to target either a specific section of the society or the opposition”. Singh was a transformative figure in Indian history. Not only was he the architect of India’s economic reforms, but in 2009 he became the first sitting prime minister in almost half a century to have completed a full term and seen his party re-elected with a bigger majority. He is survived by his wife, Gursharan Kaur, whom he married in 1958, and their daughters, Upinder, Daman and Amrit. Manmohan Singh, economist and politician, born 26 September 1932; died 26 December 2024
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Before his death today, Jimmy Carter defied illness and death for years. When his melanoma spread to his brain in 2015, he drew praise for announcing it publicly. Even as he underwent treatment, he continued to teach Sunday school in his home town's Baptist church. Within months, he announced that he was cancer-free. Four years later, Carter fell at least three times, at one point breaking a hip and at another requiring 14 stitches. Each time he bounced back, even showing up for a Habitat for Humanity home-building project shortly after one stumble. But he has slowly retreated from public life lately, making fewer and fewer appearances or statements and was unable to attend President Biden's inauguration in January 2021. However, he lived long enough to outlast two presidents who followed him and his own vice president, Walter Mondale. He became the longest-living president in March 2019 when he passed former President George H.W. Bush, who died four months before. Although Carter, nicknamed Jimmy Cardigan after once wearing a jumper for a televised speech, left the White House after one of the biggest landslide defeats of the modern era, he was one of very few US leaders to be memorialised while still alive. The evolution of his legacy was unusual as he had such a long period between the end of his unpopular presidency and the announcement at the weekend that he would undergo no further treatment to die peacefully at his home. Carter's time in the White House was marred by his struggles to respond to formidable challenges, including a major energy crisis, high inflation, and unemployment. He took office after Gerald Ford left the entire US government in disarray. Carter entered the Oval Office facing mounting challenges - an energy crisis, Soviet aggression and, above all, a deep mistrust of leadership by voters. In foreign affairs, he reopened US relations with China and tried to broker peace in the historic Arab-Israeli conflict, but was damaged late in his term by a hostage crisis in Iran. Carter's diagnosis of America's "crisis of confidence" did little to boost his flagging popularity, and in 1980 he was defeated in the general election by Ronald Reagan. Over the following decades, Carter built a distinguished career as a diplomat, humanitarian and author, pursuing conflict resolution in countries around the globe. He was awarded the Noble Peace Prize in 2002 "for his decades of untiring effort to find peaceful solutions to international conflicts, to advance democracy and human rights, and to promote economic and social development." Born in Plains, Georgia, in October 1924, Carter attended the US Naval Academy graduating in 1946. Already, he had a solid moral compass installed in him by his nurse mother, "Miz" Lillian. She set an example for her son by crossing the strict lines of segregation in 1920s Georgia to counsel poor African American women on health care. Shortly after passing out of the navy, he married Rosalynn Smith, having four children together. But tragedy struck in July 1953 as while he was preparing to serve as an engineering officer on the submarine Seawolf, his father, Earl, died from cancer. Carter returned home and was able to rebuild his family's struggling peanut warehouse business after a crippling drought. Ironically the legume became the symbol of his presidential campaign. Active in community affairs and a deacon at the Plains Baptist Church, he launched his political career with a seat on his local board of education. In 1962, he won the election to the Georgia State Senate as a Democrat, running for the governor's office four years later, finishing a disappointing third. The loss sent Carter into a depression, which he overcame by finding renewed faith as a born-again Christian. He ran again for the governorship in 1970 and won. A year later, Carter was featured on the cover of Time magazine as one of a new breed of young political leaders in the South, known for their moderate racial views and progressive economic and social policies. Initially, Carter was a political phenomenon, a new-generation Democrat who, after a single term as governor of the Peach State, shocked the political world by beating a host of better-known rivals to capture his party's presidential nomination in 1976. A year later, he would oust the incumbent Republican president, Ford. Over four years in office, he sought to restore trust in government following the Vietnam War and the Watergate scandal, ushering in reforms meant to transform politics. He mediated the historic Camp David Accords, making peace between Israel and Egypt, an agreement that remains the foundation of Middle East relations. But a sour economy, rocketing inflation, and a 444-day hostage crisis in Iran where 52 American diplomats were held captive undercut his public support. Ultimately, it cost him his re-election bid, losing to Ronald Reagan in 1980. Carter spent his post-presidency, however, on a series of philanthropic causes around the world, like building houses for the poor, combating disease, promoting human rights in places of repression, monitoring elections and seeking to end conflicts. His work as a former president in many ways came to eclipse his time in the White House, eventually earning him the Nobel Peace Prize and rehabilitating his image in the eyes of many Americans. "Between the time he left office and entered hospice care, he got to sit back and enjoy the adulation of a grateful nation," Jeffrey Engel, the director for the presidential history centre at Southern Methodist University, said. "The passage of time smoothed out the rough edges of his political career. If Carter had died in 1982, there would be less adulation than he is receiving right now." Joseph Crespino, the Jimmy Carter Professor of History at Emory University, called his resilience "remarkable." "Instead of sulking about not winning the second term, he used his influence and prominence from his position in politics to help millions of people and win the Nobel Peace Prize," he said. When asked about regrets, Carter spoke of his in his autobiography "A Full Life: Reflections at Ninety." The former president said he was upset by how his kiss with the Queen Mother was portrayed. He wrote how he didn't regret puckering up to Her Majesty, describing it as "lightly on the cheek" as the pair said goodnight after dinner at Buckingham Place in May 1977. However, much like his presidency, its impact never left those affected most by his actions. To her dying day, the Queen Mother had two hates, as detailed in her 2009 biography - oysters and being kissed by a US president.
College Basketball Picks Against the Spread: CUSA Games Today, December 30The BC SPCA Kamloops animal centre has recovered several adult cats and kittens from a property, and is getting ready to receive between 15 and 25 more cats from the same property over the next few weeks. The animals were prioritized for recovery, with a female cat, her four kittens, and five other adults in the first intake. Sadly, two of the adult cats needed to be euthanized, while the kittens tested positive for coccidia and one of the adult cats tested positive for giardia. All the cats immediately went into quarantine and were treated. “This happens all too often when a kind person feeds a stray cat,” says Daria Evans, manager of the BC SPCA’s Kamloops animal centre. “In this case the finders began feeding stray cats in their community during the pandemic, and in no time at all the number of cats in their home more than doubled. “They became overwhelmed and reached out to us, and we are currently in the process of bringing all the cats into our care.” Evans adds that it’s likely that all of the cats in the home will require treatment, so the Kamloops centre is preparing for that. Coccidia and giardia are parasitic infections of the intestinal tract and are typically treated with oral medications and intravenous fluids if required. Although quite common and very treatable, they are both contagious. Once the cats clear quarantine, they will be placed with a BC SPCA foster carer or — if they are ready — made available for adoption. “Our goal is to bring all these babies into our care and treat them as soon as possible,” says Evans. “The kittens are very playful and sweet. They were a little grumpy when we gave them their coccidia baths, but that is to be expected. They now seem to be much happier and content.” The adult cats appear to be a mixture of indoor and outdoor animals. Staff at the centre have been pleasantly surprised at how comfortable the cats are around people, even though some may not have had as much human socialization as others. “They are very affectionate and love it when staff comes around to feed and care for them," says Evans. She notes that this case is a reminder that people should reach out if there are stray cats in their area, and the earlier the better. “It is amazing how quickly a cat population can explode.” The cats and kittens currently in care will be available for adoption later in December. You can help them — and other animals in need at the BC SPCA — by making a donation at .Jake Auchincloss sells State Street Corporation stock
Supreme Court seems likely to uphold Tennessee's ban on treatments for transgender minors
The secret hacks you need to know to save up to 54% on first-class train tickets By RICHARD MARSDEN FOR THE MAIL ON SUNDAY Published: 06:49 EST, 29 December 2024 | Updated: 06:54 EST, 29 December 2024 e-mail View comments Some diligent planning ahead – combined with a few savvy crosschecks – can make all the difference when it comes to bagging a cheap first-class ticket. Follow our guide to the ins-and-outs of travelling posh and a whole new world of British trains opens up, including bigger seats, soft drinks and snacks on shorter journeys, and hot meals and alcoholic drinks on long-distance services such as Avanti. We tried all the tricks to get first-class tickets at reduced prices – here’s what we found... Is there really a simple way of getting a cheap first-class ticket? Yes. Sign up to the Seatfrog auction app ( seatfrog.com ). After buying a standard-class fare for a journey, it’s possible to bid for an upgrade to first. On most trains, a limited number of such upgrades are available. It’s a straightforward system: the highest bid wins, with the auction closing 30 minutes before departure. On a random check, we found a standard ticket from London Euston to Penrith at 1.40pm was £94, while a first-class ticket was £230. Using Seatfrog you could bid for an upgrade for £36. So, effectively, the first-class ticket came to £130 – a saving of £100 (or 43 per cent off). Are first-class tickets for all train services offered on Seatfrog? Almost all. Transport for Wales has just joined but Scotrail and Hull Trains don’t take part. If not entering a Seatfrog auction, is it better to book in advance or wait till the last moment? Booking well in advance is usually best, says Mark Smith, of website Seat61.com . When we looked, a first-class fare from York to Edinburgh was £59.80 ten weeks in advance. This compared to £91.70 on the day (54 per cent more). Is there an exact best time to book ahead? Eight to 12 weeks is best for long-distance routes as this is when most rail operators release timetables and when prices are normally lowest. Fares may be up to 75 per cent cheaper during this ‘sweet spot’. Some operators allow you to book bargain advance fares even further ahead: LNER is 20 weeks and Hull Trains 26 weeks. What about very last-minute deals? These are possible and worth checking if the Seatfrog app is not for you. On trainline.com – on the day of travel – we found the difference between first-class and standard-class for Bristol to Penzance was a mere £22.10 – £83.50 instead of £61.40. For London King’s Cross to Edinburgh, a last-minute first-class ticket was £138.90 (booked 30 minutes before travel) while journeys later on that week were £173 to £299. Are some routes better for first-class deals than others? Yes. The best prices are usually available when travelling between regional stations and when avoiding London, says Railsmartr.co.uk. It highlights that a York to London first-class fare on the same day at around the same time can cost £95 (for a journey of 1h 52m), while York-Edinburgh in first class can be as low as £52 (for a journey of 2h 37m). Read More How to save a fortune by stocking up on booze in Calais: JEFF MILLS reveals the astonishing bargains What about upgrading once you’re onboard? This is sometimes possible if there’s availability – you’ll need to ask the guard. Especially low rates may be available at weekends and bank holidays. The cost on Great Western Railway and Greater Anglia is from £10, or it’s from £10 to £45 on LNER. You can pay there and then with your card and walk on through. What about on Avanti West Coast trains? It's different from the others with two upgrade possibilities: standard premium and first class. You sit in the same-style carriages for both – with wider seats and a guaranteed table – but with standard premium you do not get free food or drink. On-the-day first-class upgrade prices are similar to LNER. If booking in advance, Saturday fares between London and Glasgow might be £85 (standard), £120 (standard premium), and £199.50 (first class). On all journeys, standard premium is from £17.50 extra. Do railcard discounts apply to first-class tickets? Yes, when tickets are bought in advance. They do not work for upgrades available via Seatfrog or onboard. Any other travel tips? Try boarding a train with a restaurant car. Although first-class passengers get priority bookings, standard-class ticket holders can dine too on GWR. When do GWR dining cars run? GWR’s Pullman Dining is in a vintage-style Pullman carriage, available Mondays to Fridays on the 1.03pm and 7.04pm Paddington to Plymouth services; 5.48pm from Paddington to Swansea; 1.15pm and 6.16pm from Plymouth to Paddington; and the 12.23pm Swansea to Paddington (gwr.com). It’s £37 for two courses or £44 for three courses; wine is from £17 per bottle. What about the Transport for Wales dining service? Two courses £21.95 (with a bottle of wine £37) or three courses £24.95 (with a bottle of wine £40); for details, see First Class Menu at tfw.wales . Share or comment on this article: The secret hacks you need to know to save up to 54% on first-class train tickets e-mail Add comment
MOREHEAD, Ky. (AP) — Isaiah Smith ran for a career-high 205 yards on 31 carries and scored a touchdown and San Diego beat Morehead State 37-14 in a season-ending contest for both teams on Saturday. Grant Sergent threw for 184 yards and two touchdowns for San Diego (8-3, 6-2 Pioneer Football League) which ended the season with a four-game win streak and winners of six of seven. The Toreros finished in sole possession of second place in the PFL behind Drake (7-1), which clinched the league outright with a 49-10 win over Stetson on Saturday. Drake beat San Diego 30-28 on a walk-off field goal on Sept. 28 in Des Moines, Iowa. Bryce Patterson threw for 133 yards and a touchdown and James Louis ran for a touchdown for the Eagles (7-5, 5-3). ___ Get poll alerts and updates on the AP Top 25 throughout the season. Sign up here . AP collegebasketball: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-basketball-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/college-basketball