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The draw has been made, the courts are ready and the ball kids have been assembled for the start of New Zealand's premier tennis tournament. The action at the Auckland Tennis Centre starts on Monday with the women's week of the ASB Classic - and for the first time in a long time, we have a real chance of seeing a local going deep and potentially lifting the trophy. But it's not just about the action on the court. The ASB Classic is as much about what goes on in the stands, boxes and out in the hospitality area, so there is plenty to look forward to in our all-too-brief summer of tennis. Here is a look at who is competing and what to look out for: An American invasion Madison Keys will be feeling pretty good right now. The last time she came to Auckland back in 2013 she was bundled out in qualifying, but this time returns as the number one seed. She is currently ranked 20 in the world, but might be on a collision course with fellow American Sofia Kenin in the quarters. Kenin has won the last two matches between the two, with chances of an overall American victory high given that there are 10 of them in the draw. Will Sun shine? Lulu Sun, born in Te Anau and raised in Switzerland, returns to Auckland as an official NZ representative for the first time. Not only that, but at her highest ranking of 40 and coming off a boom season that saw her reach the quarter-finals at Wimbledon and be judged WTA Newcomer of the Year . She has won over $1 million in prize money in 2024, and while she has not won a WTA title yet, she reached the final of the Abierto GNP Seguros in Mexico back in August. It's fair to say that a win for Sun this week would be a dream for tournament organisers and headline writers alike. Welcome Naomi https://players.brightcove.net/6093072280001/default_default/index.html?videoId=6366520415112 It is probably not accurate to say that the former world number one and four-time Grand Slam champion is desperate to reach those heights again, more that she simply wants to be consistently competitive and enjoy it along the way. Osaka had a much-publicised mental health break in 2021, just as she was poised to become the long-term face of the women's game - which in financial terms would make her one of the highest paid athletes in the world. It was a coup to get the current 58th ranked player in the world here, but judging by her social media this week, Osaka is having a good time so far. Welcome back Emma After a first visit to Auckland that could not really have gone much worse , Emma Raducanu has come back for the third year in a row and will once again be a crowd favourite. The 2021 US Open champion featured in one of the best matches the ASB Classic has ever seen back in January, when she went the distance in an ultimately losing effort against powerful Ukrainian Elina Svitolina. Raducanu provides the star power alongside Osaka, and both players have a nice run of matches before the business end of the tournament begins. Best of the rest The only other Kiwi in the draw, Vivian Wang, has been granted a wildcard but drew number two seed Elise Mertens in the first round. The Belgian is coming in ranked 34 in the world, while American Amanda Anisimova, Sun and Denmark's Clara Tauson round out the top five seeds. Atmosphere The ASB Classic has a well-earned reputation for being one of the best-run sporting events in this part of the world, with a lot of that down to the hospitality options on offer. As long as the weather plays its part, the stands should be full every day, and out the back there is plenty of room to watch the action on big screens. It is a rather unique setting, with centre court surrounded by corporate boxes, with the liberal amounts of booze served making for some rowdy crowds watching the later matches. Monday 30 December centre court order of play Day (starting at 11:30am): Evening (not before 6:30pm): Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero, a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.
When A-list performers head out on the road for tour, custom-made stage looks—and lots of them!—are a necessary component for slipping into superstar mode. This year alone, headliners like Sabrina Carpenter, Chappell Roan, Kacey Musgraves , Taylor Swift, Doechii , and more have all brought epic statement looks to the stage. Think: Designs that are bejeweled, bedazzled, and created for to stand out in an arena. Ever wonder who is making all of these fabulous frocks behind the scenes? One rising designer who top celebrities have on speed dial: Lacey Dalimonte . Based in Los Angeles, Dalimonte is responsible for creating looks for Chappell Roan, Madonna, Conan Gray, Christina Aguilera, Billie Eilish, and countless others. Even more impressive than her stacked roster, is that she is a total one-woman show—often turning out a high volume of looks by herself in her studio. “I still work mostly alone, developing everything from concept, sketch, and patterning, to the final finished piece—sewing everything myself,” Dalimonte tells Vogue. Dalimonte’s aesthetic keeps celebrities coming back by bringing their wildest fashion fantasies to life—whether it is a western-inspired corset for Madonna , or a teardrop-adorned mesh top for Conan Gray. A prime example is the campy, furry robe she created for Chappell Roan back in May, adorned with hair rollers, lipsticks, and cigarettes. “As a Midwest princess myself, I was so excited to design for Chappell, and loved being able to push myself creatively for the drag of it all,” says Dalimonte. “Last month I designed a new leather outfit for her headlining show at ACL Festival, and it's so inspiring to see how much she's grown, with her record breaking crowds, in just a few months.” You could say Dalimonte’s own star is rising in the fashion world, too. As more performers tap her for one-of-a-kind looks, Vogue caught up with the designer to chat her inspirations, process, and what she wants to create next. Vogue : Can you tell us about when you first start designing? Lacey Dalimonte: My earliest designs were more conceptual with a "fashion for fashion's sake" approach. I have a deep love and appreciation for avant-garde pieces that are destined for the runway... But as recognition for my name and brand grew, I began to get approached by celebrity clientele who wanted something custom they could not only wear on stage, but sometimes even do the splits in... often to be delivered in a matter of days. These projects have helped me adapt and innovate my way through tough problems surrounding functionality, quick changes, and fabricating something beautiful that can also take a beating night after night. I've always aspired to be a multi-faceted designer, so over the years, I've also taken on roles to work as part of a team in positions that challenged me and my creative process in different ways. While some things have always been constant, each experience has taught me new things about myself and helped shape me into the designer I am today. When did you start posting your process on TikTok? You have quite a following there. January 2021 was my first TikTok. I honestly hesitated to even start one, but now it's my preferred platform. It allows me to let go a little; I tend to be a perfectionist when it comes to sharing my work elsewhere. Not everything has to be so serious and I love the creativity TikTok brings. It has helped me reach an entirely new audience, while also supporting and connecting with other small, independent artists. Did you ever expect your fashions to resonate with people so much? I have a family VHS tape of myself at 4-years-old, nudging my little brother out of focus, saying “I'm the Star!”—if that tells you anything. I've always had big dreams from a very young age, and am working my ass off to achieve them. I never do things for other's approval, but feel lucky to have found my audience and love connecting with them. I take pride in my craftsmanship and love sharing my process to show the amount of detail and intention that goes into everything I do. To have my work be appreciated and reach the right people has truly meant so much to me. It has helped me keep going at times when I've felt burnout from sleepless nights, and the not-so-glamorous sides of fashion. It's surreal to go from working on something in my small home studio to seeing it be loved by thousands, sometimes millions, of people. What would you say generally inspires your work? Sometimes it's more of a feeling than something I can put into words. Other times, it's as simple as finding an oddity at the antique store that sparks an idea. A few things I draw inspiration from are fetish, period corsetry, innovative technology, couture craftsmanship, and historical garments. You have created looks for so many artists—Chappell, Conan Gray, Madonna... How did these artists find you? I'm still in disbelief that I've gotten to work with such iconic artists, and humbled to even be on their radar! All of my projects have come about as a result of a lot of moving parts. The effort that you put into taking chances and putting yourself out there can wind up creating the circumstances that lead to those kinds of opportunities. I've worked hard to build strong and meaningful relationships throughout my career, and spent endless hours strategizing ways to get my name out there; Never sacrificing the integrity of the work that defines my brand. Social media has played a huge part in all of it, and has allowed me to connect with people I aspire to work with and be discovered, too. Most often, I'm working with the stylists of these artists, who either contact me through Instagram or e-mail. Occasionally, I'm connected through peers I've worked with in the past. In truth, there's no one way of navigating the fashion industry—I'm still figuring it out. It's a chaotic, tightly interwoven web, and it's a lot smaller than some may think. Tell us about this fabulous robe coat you made for Chappell. What was the inspiration? I designed an opening look for the Boston Calling Music Festival, commissioned by her stylist Genesis Webb. She has very theatrical shows with designated "dress code themes" for her fans, which I love, and this one was 'My Kink is Karma'—her black and red sultry theme. We were inspired by vintage burlesque and showgirl references, and I immediately began sketching a dramatic camp boudoir robe. To elevate the look, I combined black ostrich feathers, faux fur, horsehair, and real hair extensions for the collar, cuffs, and hem to give it an exaggerated silhouette, even sculpting the hair with hairspray and gel to get the right look. Growing up as a professional dancer, I loved getting ready in front of my vanity, and had the idea that every showgirl needs her accessories on hand. I adorned the collar like an iSpy book, but with everything that could be found in her dressing room—crystallized matches, cigarettes, hair rollers, lipstick, a tiara, locks and keys, vintage brooches, pearls and chains, and heart lockets with a picture of herself—and Divine, of course. For the robe base, I was lucky to source a vintage deadstock metallic red and black brocade that was buried in the back of a shop in the fashion district. It's like a treasure hunt, trying to find something you've envisioned but don't know if it exists, all while on a deadline from sketch to reality in a little over a week. Have you had a favorite celebrity look you've done thus far? The first that comes to mind is working on Madonna's Celebration Tour last year, because it was one of the most rewarding experiences of my career. Listening to her rehearse live while creating her western leather corset just a few feet away was surreal! I had the opportunity to develop and enjoy the design process in a deeper way than I had in a while. It's also so inspiring to be surrounded by such talented people who have been doing it forever, and share tips and tricks you'd only learn on the job; I was brought onto her team by my brilliant friend Sam Ososki as the leather specialist, but that quickly evolved into so much more. Witnessing Madonna's artistry and dedication impacted me forever, and to be a part of such an iconic team was a dream. Anything you want to create next? After years of custom-driven projects, I'm hoping to shift back to designing on my own time, establishing myself as a brand, and continuing to grow Lacey Dalimonte into the empire I envision it to be. I'm eager to fully immerse myself in the creative process, see where it takes me with developing new pieces, and push towards collections—while continuing to connect with people through my work and building a brand where all the freaks are welcome. I have tons of people I aspire to work with, but I would love to design looks for Lady Gaga's new album. Growing up in a small town in Michigan as a fashion outcast, she's always been an inspiration for me. Coincidentally, she was my first major commission in 2020 during the Chromatica era, but I would love the full circle moment to create for her now that I'm a more experienced designer. Also, Megan Thee Stallion, Law Roach, Rihanna, Dita Von Teese, and Britney Spears—feel free to call anytime, too!All the signs Michelle Keegan was pregnant as actress announces she is expecting first child with husband Mark Wright
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Former Gov. Andrew Cuomo is part of a team of attorneys preparing a legal defense for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, bolstering his long-standing pro-Israel credentials as he reportedly weighs a run for New York City mayor next year. Cuomo, a Democrat, is one of at least 17 attorneys assembled by Harvard law professor Alan Dershowitz to defend Netanyahu and former Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant as they face international charges of war crimes and crimes against humanity amid the ongoing conflict in the Middle East. The International Criminal Court in the Netherlands also brought similar charges against Hamas military leader Mohammed Deif. Dershowitz listed Cuomo among the members of his “legal dream team” in a Wall Street Journal op-ed over the weekend. Dershowitz noted that the case will be tried in The Hague, but wrote that since neither the United States nor Israel recognizes the ICC’s jurisdiction, his team is motivated by “the court of public opinion.” Cuomo confirmed his participation at a fundraising event for the National Committee for Furtherance of Jewish Education on Sunday in Manhattan. “This is a moment when true friends stand up, shoulder to shoulder, and fight for the state of Israel,” Cuomo said, as heard in a video of his remarks posted by The Forward . Cuomo resigned as governor in 2021 after a decade in office. Prior to that, he served a term as New York’s attorney general. His resignation came amid sexual harassment allegations and criticism of his administration’s handling of COVID-19 in nursing homes — dual scandals that would continue to hound him should he make a new run for public office. The former governor denies the allegations against him. While in office, Cuomo maintained a staunchly pro-Israel record, traveling to Jerusalem and meeting with Netanyahu while regularly speaking out against antisemitism. He’s since remained in the public eye and is flirting with a return to electoral politics – all while continuing to bolster his pro-Israel credentials. He recently changed his voting address to an apartment in Manhattan ahead of next year’s mayoral election, when Mayor Eric Adams — who is currently under indictment — is up for re-election. After large-scale college protests erupted against Israel’s response to Hamas’ Oct. 7, 2023 attack on Israel, Cuomo and his allies — including Steven M. Cohen, his former top aide — launched a nonprofit called Never Again NOW! , which crafted an advertisement blasting protesters and accusing them of being sympathetic to Hamas. It's been widely rumored Cuomo is considering a run for mayor. On Tuesday, Jewish Insider reported that Cuomo is preparing to launch a mayoral bid soon, citing anonymous sources familiar with the effort. Gothamist has not confirmed the details of the rumored launch. In a statement, Cuomo spokesperson Rich Azzopardi said speculation over a Cuomo mayoral run is “premature.” Then he rattled off a list of the governor’s accomplishments. “New Yorkers know it was Gov. Cuomo who raised wages for hundreds of thousands of workers, codified Roe v. Wade into state law before the Supreme Court overturned it, put the strongest gun protections and paid family leave laws in the nation on the books and built projects previously declared impossible, such as the Moynihan train station, the new LaGuardia and JFK airports, the Second Avenue subway and the Kosciuszko Bridge, all while cutting taxes and reining in spending,” Azzopardi said. Cuomo’s potential opponents in a Democratic mayoral primary wasted little time criticizing him. Assemblymember Zohran Mamdani, a Queens Democrat who is running for mayor, has been highly critical of Netanyahu and Israel’s actions in Gaza. In an interview with Gothamist, he blasted Cuomo for working with Dershowitz to defend the Israeli prime minister. “It's hard to imagine anything more sordid than our disgraced former governor teaming up with Donald Trump's impeachment lawyer to defend a war criminal, but apparently this is the company Andrew Cuomo wants to keep,” Mamdani said. Mamdani has said that if he were mayor, he would have Netanyahu arrested if he came to New York City, compliant with the International Criminal Court charges. In a statement responding to the Jewish Insider report, New York City Comptroller Brad Lander — another mayoral candidate — accused Cuomo of eyeing public office to fulfill his “own personal revenge fantasies.” “The last thing New Yorkers need right now is another agent of corruption and chaos,” Lander said.‘General Hospital’ star Brooklyn Rae Silzer breaks silence on being replaced after 13 years on hit soap
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WATCH: Mitchell Starc exploits Virat Kohli’s weakness to send him packing in 4th Testhonored more widely for his humanitarian work around the globe after his presidency than for his White House tenure during a tumultuous time, has died. He was 100. "Our founder, former U.S. President Jimmy Carter, passed away this afternoon in Plains, Georgia," the Carter Center confirmed on Sunday. In November 2023, the Nobel Peace Prize-winner's wife of 77 years, Rosalynn, in the modest house they built together in 1961, when he had taken over his father's peanut warehouse business and was only beginning to consider a political career. In February 2023, he had announced he was ending medical intervention and Jason Carter had at the time of the announcement and said "They are at peace and – as always – their home is full of love," he posted on Twitter. At peace, perhaps, but still political: The former president vowed he for Vice President Kamala Harris in the 2024 presidential election. After serving a single term in the White House, Jimmy Carter became one of the most durable figures in modern American politics. Evicted from the White House at age 56, he would hold the status of former president longer than anyone in U.S. history, and in 2019 he surpassed George H. W. Bush as the nation's Carter remained remarkably active in charitable causes through a series of health challenges during his final years, including a in 2015. He was admitted to Emory University Hospital in Atlanta in November 2019 for a procedure to , a consequence of bleeding that followed a series of falls. A few months earlier, in May, he had undergone surgery after breaking his hip. In the White House from 1977 to 1981, Carter negotiated the landmark between Israel and Egypt, transferred the Panama Canal to Panamanian ownership, dramatically expanded public lands in Alaska and established formal diplomatic relations with the People’s Republic of China. But the 39th president governed at a time of and gasoline shortages, and his failure to secure the release of Americans held hostage by Iran helped cost him the second term he sought. “He’s never going to be ranked as a great president; he’s middling as a president,” said historian Douglas Brinkley, author of a 1998 book on Carter, "The Unfinished Presidency." “But as an American figure, he’s a giant.” After losing his reelection bid to Ronald Reagan, and until well into his 90s, Carter continued working as an observer of elections in developing countries, building houses through the nonprofit and at the tiny Maranatha Baptist Church in Plains, Georgia, his hometown. He was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2002, 22 years after he left the White House. "I can't deny that I was a better ex-president than I was a president," he said with a wry laugh at a breakfast with reporters in Washington in 2005. "My former boss was humiliated when he lost in 1980; he felt he let himself and the American people down," David Rubenstein, a young White House staffer for Carter who became founder of the Carlyle Group and a billionaire philanthropist, told USA TODAY in an interview in 2019. "For a long time, he was basically the symbol of a weak president and a terrible person. And today, 40-some years later, he's seen as a very incredible person who has had many good things he did, though he didn't get reelected," Rubenstein said. James Earl Carter Jr. was born on Oct. 1, 1924, in Plains to Earl Carter, a peanut warehouser who had served in the Georgia Legislature, and “Miss Lillian” Carter, a registered nurse and formidable figure who joined the Peace Corps when she was in her 60s. He grew up on a peanut farm in Plains, then graduated from the U.S. Naval Academy. In the years after World War II, he served in the Navy's submarine service in the Atlantic and Pacific fleets. After doing graduate work in nuclear physics, he became a pioneer in the introduction of nuclear power in submarines. When his father died in 1953, Carter resigned his naval commission and took over operation of the family peanut farms with After a rough early patch, the business flourished, and Carter became increasingly active in community affairs and politics. During two terms in the Georgia state Senate, he gained a reputation as an independent voice who attacked wasteful government practices and helped repeal laws designed to discourage Black Americans from voting. But in 1966, he lost a race for governor to segregationist Lester Maddox in an election that analysts said reflected a Southern backlash against national civil rights legislation enacted in 1964 and 1965. In a second bid for governor in 1970, Carter minimized his appearances before Black audiences and won endorsements from some segregationists. After he was elected, though, Carter declared that the era of segregation in Georgia was over, and he was hailed as a symbol of a new, more inclusive South. Still, he was an unlikely presidential contender. When he launched his bid for the 1976 Democratic nomination, the former one-term governor was so obscure outside the Peach State that “Jimmy who?” became a campaign trope. He perfected the meticulous cultivation of voters in Iowa, and his unexpected victory in the opening presidential caucuses there provided a launching pad that long-shot contenders tried to emulate for decades. The boosted Carter's prospects. In the aftermath of President Richard Nixon’s decision to resign in 1974 rather than be impeached, Carter pitched himself to voters as an outsider who would reject Washington’s unsavory ways. “I’ll never lie to you,” he told them. In 1976, he narrowly defeated President Gerald Ford, whose campaign was damaged by verbal missteps and by controversy over his decision to pardon Nixon. Four years later, Carter would be ousted himself. He faced a damaging challenge for the Democratic nomination from the left by Massachusetts Sen. Edward Kennedy and then a landslide defeat in the general election from the right by Reagan. The former California governor tapped into discontent with Carter’s leadership. “Are you better off than you were four years ago?” Reagan asked voters in the iconic closing of their only campaign debate. Carter’s defenders argue that he was a better president than generally recognized. "I think that he is the most underappreciated modern president that we've had," said Stuart Eizenstat, a veteran Washington official and ambassador who was Carter’s chief domestic policy adviser in the White House. "The reason for that is the lingering memories of his presidency are negative ones – gasoline lines, high interest rates and inflation, the Iran hostage crisis, the Desert One failed rescue effort – and those totally obscure a really remarkable set of accomplishments both at home and abroad, which in many ways didn't materialize until after he left office." Eizenstat, author of "President Carter: The White House Years," published in 2018, said Carter's policies and appointments laid the groundwork for a stronger economy, energy independence, environmental protection, business innovation in transportation and more. On foreign policy, Carter painstakingly negotiated the 1978 Camp David Accords, a historic agreement between Israel's Menachem Begin and Egypt's Anwar Sadat that led to a formal peace treaty between the two countries the next year. But he stumbled when he came to the politics of the job. Despite having the advantage of a solidly Democratic Congress, many of his legislative proposals, including a consumer protection bill, stalled. The no-backroom-deals approach that helped him win the White House contributed to his difficulties in actually governing once he got there. He was mocked for charging members of Congress for their breakfast when invited to meet with him at the White House and for eliminating alcohol from most evening events. He was seen by some, then and later, as prickly and sanctimonious. Meanwhile, unemployment rose, interest rates for home mortgages climbed into double digits and Americans found themselves waiting in lines to buy gas in an oil crisis created by OPEC, the powerful international energy cartel. In a speech to the nation in July 1979, Carter described a “crisis of confidence" among the American people. Although he never said the word, it became short-handed as his “malaise” speech. "He lacked the political and managerial skills needed to make best use of the office he held," said Robert McClure, a political scientist at Syracuse University's Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs. Most damaging of all was the Iranian hostage crisis. Carter had agreed to allow Iran's deposed shah, a former U.S. ally who was living in exile, to receive cancer treatment in the United States. In protest, Iranian Islamist radicals overran the U.S. Embassy in Tehran and took 52 Americans captive. The confrontation, which began on Nov. 4, 1979, would end only as Reagan was being inaugurated 444 days later. Carter chose diplomacy and economic sanctions over military action. He halted oil imports from Iran and froze Iranian assets in the U.S. He severed diplomatic relations with Iran and imposed a full economic embargo on the country. Finally, he approved a top-secret military mission to free the hostages, but it ended in catastrophe. Three helicopters developed engine trouble in a remote staging area in the Iranian desert, forcing the mission to be aborted. Eight U.S. troops were killed when a helicopter and a plane collided while forces were being withdrawn. It all added to the impression that Carter was out of his depth. "The hostage crisis left a bitter taste in voters' mouths, which Carter was never able to overcome," said Stephen Hess, a Brookings Institution scholar who worked on Carter's transition team when he was president-elect. On the day of Reagan's inauguration, Jan. 20, 1981, Iran agreed to accept $8 billion in frozen assets and a promise by the U.S. to lift trade sanctions in exchange for the release of the hostages. Minutes after Carter's successor took the oath of office, the hostages were freed. Carter left the White House, but he didn’t retire. Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter established the Carter Center in Atlanta, their home base for decades as they worked on global health and democracy. He helped negotiate an end to the long civil war in Nicaragua between the Contra rebels and the Sandinistas. He met with North Korean leaders to try to end its nuclear weapons program. He mediated conflicts in Ethiopia, Liberia, Haiti, Bosnia, Sudan, Uganda and Venezuela. He led dozens of delegations of international observers to various countries to help assure elections were free and fair. For decades, the Carter Center also led an international campaign to eradicate Guinea worm disease, a devastating tropical ailment that in 1986 afflicted an estimated 3.5 million people in Africa and Asia. In 2020, it was on the verge of eradication; just 27 cases were reported in six African countries. For a week each year, the Carters volunteered with Habitat for Humanity, a charitable group that renovates and builds homes for poor people around the world. He also wrote more than 30 books – controversial ones on the Palestinian territories and the Middle East and less controversial ones on Christmas memories and fly-fishing. He published a collection of his poems and a collection of his paintings. Again and again, he returned to writing about the lessons and demands of his Christian faith. Carter, who attended Donald Trump's inauguration in 2017, at times criticized the 45th president. In June 2019, at a Carter Center conference in suburban Virginia, he questioned the legitimacy of Trump's election, citing allegations of Russian interference that were later called into question. Trump responded at a news conference by calling Carter a "nice man, terrible president." But there were also times when Carter reached out to Trump. On the 40th anniversary of the normalization of U.S.-China relations, in 2019, he sent Trump a letter offering advice on managing that relationship. Carter said the phone conversation that followed was the first time the two men had spoken. In 2002, Carter was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize that supporters thought he had deserved years earlier, when it had been presented to Begin and Sadat. The Nobel committee honored Carter "for his decades of untiring effort to find peaceful solutions to international conflicts, to advance democracy and human rights and to promote economic and social development." "The bond of our common humanity is stronger than the divisiveness of our fears and prejudices," Carter said in accepting the prestigious award. "God gives us the capacity for choice. We can choose to alleviate suffering. We can choose to work together for peace. We can make these changes – and we must." When he left the White House, Carter moved back home to Plains. Unlike most other modern presidents, he didn't choose to make money by delivering high-priced speeches or serving on corporate boards. But he did regularly speak to hundreds of visitors who would gather for his Sunday school class at Maranatha Baptist Church. In November 2019, he told those gathered that he didn't fear death. "It's incompatible for any Christian not to believe in life after death," Carter, then 95, told them, although he acknowledged he had wrestled with doubts throughout his life. In his prayers, he said, "I didn't ask God to let me live, but I just asked God to give me a proper attitude toward death. And I found that I was absolutely and completely at ease with death." In July 2021, he and his wife hosted a attended by about 300 friends, family members and fellow pols, among them Bill and Hillary Clinton. Carter, his fragility apparent, made a point of greeting the guests at each table for what many of them assumed would be the last time they saw him. "He was not a self-promoter in the White House or afterwards, and I think that hurt, because it leaves all the sour tastes from the failures and didn't allow the positives to shine through," Eizenstat said. When Eizenstat visited Carter in Plains in 2018, Carter told his former aide he was comfortable with letting history judge. As he approached his 90th birthday, Carter mused about his legacy in an interview with USA TODAY. "One is peace," he said. "I kept peace when I was president and I try to promote peace between other people and us, and between countries that were potentially at war, between Israel and Egypt for instance. And human rights. ... I think human rights and peace are the two things I'd like to be remembered for – as well as being a good grandfather." C
Saquon Barkley has had a miraculous 2024 season with the Philadelphia Eagles and fans have been feverishly speculating whether he will break Hall of Famer Eric Dickerson's single-season rushing record. However, according to the running back, he's not all that concerned about it. #Eagles RB Saquon Barkley on whether he wants to chase Eric Dickerson’s record next week: “I’m not overtly trying to get it. I’m not scared of it. But we’ve got bigger things we’re focused on. Whether we play next week or rest, I’m fine with that. I didn’t sign here just to break... pic.twitter.com/NLydYyZk7c More News: Multiple Players Ejected After Eagles-Cowboys Fight Speaking to the media following the Eagles' 41-7 blowout over the Dallas Cowboys, Barkley insisted that he was focusing on "bigger things" than simply setting a new all-time rushing record. "I'm not overtly trying to get it. I'm not scared of it," Barkley said when asked whether he was trying to break Dickerson's record. "But we've got bigger things we're focused on. Whether we play next week or rest, I'm fine with that. I didn't sign here just to break a record. I want to do something special with the team." As of Week 17, Barkley has accumulated 2,005 rushing yards for the season and needs just 101 more in 2024's final regular season game against the New York Giants to break Dickerson's single-season rushing record of 2,105 yards, set in 1984. With today's game, Barkley became the ninth running back in NFL history to surpass 2,000 yards in a season, reaching the milestone in the fourth quarter of a game against the Cowboys. He now joins an elite list of running backs who have achieved this feat: Eric Dickerson (2,105 yards in 1984), Adrian Peterson (2,097 yards in 2012), Jamal Lewis (2,066 yards in 2003), Barry Sanders (2,053 yards in 1997), Derrick Henry (2,027 yards in 2020), Terrell Davis (2,008 yards in 1998), Chris Johnson (2,006 yards in 2009), and O.J. Simpson (2,003 yards in 1973). More News: Aaron Rodgers Beats Tom Brady for Embarrassing New NFL Record While Barkley says he's more focused on making sure that his team achieves bigger things, it appears that someone else is pretty concerned about it: Eric Dickerson. The Hall of Fame RB recently candidly spoke about Barkley and revealed that he did not want the younger player to break his record with an admirable amount of candor. "I don't think he'll break it," Dickerson said to Sam Farmer of the Los Angeles Times. "But if he breaks it, he breaks it. Do I want him to break it? Absolutely not. I don't pull no punches on that. But I'm not whining about it." The Eagles currently sit at the top of the NFC East and have already clinched a playoff slot. They will face the Giants on January 5 at their home of Lincoln Financial Field. For more on the NFL , head to Newsweek Sports .
Osoyoos water meter installation 25 per cent complete; staff say installers qualified (Oliver/Osoyoos)Biodesix director Jack Schuler buys $122,840 in stockNEW YORK — I’ll get you, my pretty! And your little pygmy hippo, too! Forgive us the shameless attempt to link the fantasy hit “Wicked” to the delightful Moo Deng . But, hear us out — there’s something the two have in common as the year draws to a close. Escapism. Whether we found it on the yellow brick road, or in videos from a Thailand zoo, or perhaps in unlikely Olympic heroes , we gravitated toward fantasy and feel-good pop culture moments this year. There were new trends, as always. “Brat summer” became a thing, as did “demure, mindful.” And for some inexplicable reason, we became obsessed with celebrity lookalike contests. There were breakups — Bennifer is, again, a thing of the past — and reunions: Oasis, please try to stay together for the tour. Yet some things stayed, remarkably, the same: Taylor Swift and Beyoncé kept on breaking records and making history. So, after a year where much changed but some things held steady, here’s our annual, very selective trip down pop culture memory lane: Lily Gladstone poses in the press room Jan. 7 with the award for best performance by an actress in a motion picture, drama for "Killers of the Flower Moon" at the 81st Golden Globe Awards at the Beverly Hilton in Beverly Hills, Calif. January It starts as a cheery tweet from a beloved “Sesame Street” figure: “ ELMO is just checking in! How is everybody doing?” The answers hint at something deeper and more worrisome. “Not great, Elmo. Not great,” says one milder reply. Doing much better is the viral phenomenon called “BARBENHEIMER,” which makes its awards season debut at the GOLDEN GLOBES . But perhaps the most poignant moment comes from neither film: LILY GLADSTONE , first Indigenous winner of best actress in a drama for “Killers of the Flower Moon,” begins her remarks in the language of her tribe, Blackfeet Nation. Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce (87) kisses Taylor Swift on Feb. 11 after the Kansas City Chiefs defeated the San Francisco 49ers in overtime during the NFL Super Bowl 58 football game in Las Vegas. February Valentine’s Day — a perfect time to settle into a sweet love saga via TikTok. Only that’s not quite what we get with “Who TF Did I Marry?,” REESA TEESA ’s depressing, fascinating, 50-part account of her disastrous marriage with a man who lied about absolutely everything. Meanwhile, if you're looking for a single week that encapsulates peak SWIFT cultural dominance , try this: she begins with the Grammys in Los Angeles (becoming the first artist to win album of the year four times AND announcing a new album), then heads to Tokyo for four tour dates, then jets back just in time for the Super Bowl in Las Vegas — where she shares a passionate smooch with boyfriend TRAVIS KELCE on the field of victory. Ryan Gosling performs the song "I'm Just Ken" from the movie "Barbie" on March 10 during the Oscars at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles. March “What was I made for?” BILLIE EILISH sings at the OSCARS, channeling BARBIE . And what was KEN made for? Not entirely clear — but it's clear RYAN GOSLING was made to play him. His singalong version of “I’m Just Ken” is one of the most entertaining Oscar musical moments in years. Still, Christopher Nolan's “OPPENHEIMER” prevails, a rare case of the top prize going to a blockbuster studio film. Will it happen again in 2025? CYNTHIA ERIVO and ARIANA GRANDE sure hope so; as presenters, they make a sly reference to their upcoming juggernaut, “WICKED.” Speaking of marketing, people are obsessed with that bizarre “DUNE” popcorn bucket. Beyonce And BEYONCÉ carves her space in country music with “Act II: Cowboy Carter,” which will make her the first Black woman to top the Billboard country chart. Taylor Swift performs June 21 at Wembley Stadium in London as part of her Eras Tour. April Tennis, anyone? The game’s been around for centuries, but it’s having a cultural moment right now, helped mightily by “CHALLENGERS,” the sweaty romance triangle starring ZENDAYA, MIKE FAIST and JOSH O'CONNOR (40-love? More like 40-sex.) Elsewhere, a new era dawns: At midnight, SWIFT drops “THE TORTURED POETS DEPARTMENT," then drops another 15 songs two hours later. The fascinating and disturbing “BABY REINDEER,” the story of a struggling comedian’s extended encounter with a stalker, debuts on Netflix. Ben Affleck, left, and Jennifer Lopez arrive Feb. 13 at the premiere of "This Is Me ... Now: A Love Story" at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles. May It’s MET GALA time — or as it's known in 2024, another early marketing moment for “WICKED.” ERIVO and GRANDE make fashion waves on the carpet and then musical ones at dinner, with a soulful performance of “When You Believe.” If the “Wicked” tour is in full force, another one stops in its tracks: JENNIFER LOPEZ cancels her summer tour amid reports of both poor ticket sales and trouble in her marriage to BEN AFFLECK . It’s been an eventful year for J.Lo, who's released an album and movie called “THIS IS ME ... NOW" — both reflections on her renewed love with Affleck. June Welcome to BRAT SUMMER ! CHARLI XCX releases her hit “Brat” album , with its lime green cover, and launches a thousand memes. Collins Dictionary defines “brat,” its word of the year, as “characterized by a confident, independent, and hedonistic attitude.” At the celeb-heavy SWIFT shows in London, we see PRINCE WILLIAM shaking it off, which is either charming or cringe, you decide. Even better: KELCE dons a top hat and tux and performs for one night. At another stadium across the pond, METS infielder JOSE IGLESIAS delights the crowd with his cheery number “OMG.” July Bonjour, it’s OLYMPICS time! In Paris! An audacious opening ceremony along the Seine is punctuated by a fabulous CELINE DION , perched on the EIFFEL TOWER , singing her heart out — in the rain, too. Controversy swirls over a scene critics feel mocks Leonardo da Vinci’s “The Last Supper” (organizers say it does not). Olympic stars are born — including French swimming superstar LEON MARCHAND , rugby player ILONA MAHER , and bespectacled “Pommel Horse Guy” gymnast STEPHEN NEDOROSCIK , who nets two bronze medals and comparisons to Clark Kent. Baby pigmy hippo Moo Deng plays with a zookeeper Sept. 19 in the Khao Kheow Open Zoo in Chonburi province, Thailand. Also capturing hearts: yep, MOO DENG , born this month. Her name means “bouncy pork.” Australia's Rachael Gunn, known as B-Girl Raygun, competes Aug. 9 during the Round Robin Battle at the breaking competition at La Concorde Urban Park at the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris, France. August This is them ... now: BENNIFER is no more. After two decades, two engagements and two weddings, J.Lo files for divorce. One union dissolves, another returns: OASIS announces a reunion tour. Everyone seems to want to get in on TikToker JOOLS LEBRON 's “ DEMURE, MINDFUL ” act — even the WHITE HOUSE press team. Back at the Olympics, in the new sport of breaking, we meet Australia’s RAYGUN , arguably neither demure nor mindful with her “kangaroo” move. Los Angeles Dodgers' Shohei Ohtani brings his dog Decoy to the mound Aug. 28 before Decoy delivered the ceremonial first pitch prior to a baseball game between the Dodgers and the Baltimore Orioles in Los Angeles. Cute animal alert: SHOHEI OHTANI ’s perky pooch DECOY does a great “first pitch” in his Major League Baseball debut. Chappell Roan performs "Good Luck, Babe" on Sept. 11 during the MTV Video Music Awards at UBS Arena in Elmont, N.Y. September One of the year’s biggest breakout artists, CHAPPELL ROAN , withdraws from a music festival after speaking out about frightening fan interactions. And more on the price of fame: In an excruciating moment, “Bachelorette” JENN TRAN , the franchise’s first Asian American lead, is forced to sit through a painful viewing of her proposal to her chosen suitor, after tearfully explaining how he’d later dumped her over the phone. Tran is keeping busy though — she’s announced as part of the new “Dancing with the Stars” lineup. Also on the list: rugby player Maher, and Pommel Horse Guy! Also, ANNA SOROKIN , dancing with an ankle monitor. Online fandom, meanwhile, is shaken when X is temporarily suspended in Brazil and celebrity stan accounts post tearful farewells, revealing to many across the globe that their favorite accounts are run by Brazilians. Miles Mitchell, 21, wins of the Timothee Chalamet lookalike contest Oct. 27 near Washington Square Park in New York. October “Dune” Chalamets! “Wonka” Chalamets! Thousands gather in Manhattan for a TIMOTHÉE CHALAMET lookalike contest, and things really get interesting when Chalamet himself shows up. He doesn’t enter the contest, though, and with his mustache, he may not even have won. The trend continues with contests for JEREMY ALLEN WHITE, ZAYN MALIK and — in a very Washington version — Kennedy scion JACK SCHLOSSBERG , who's been gathering a following with some interesting social media posts. New York Liberty Kennedy Burke dances with the mascot, Ellie the Elephant, during an Oct. 24 ceremony after a parade in honor of the Liberty's WNBA basketball championship at City Hall in New York. Turning to basketball, who’s that dancing with USHER ? Why it’s ELLIE THE ELEPHANT , the now-viral NEW YORK LIBERTY mascot. Democratic presidential nominee Vice President Kamala Harris, right, appears Nov. 2 with Maya Rudolph on NBC's "Saturday Night Live" in New York. November MAYA RUDOLPH does a pretty good KAMALA HARRIS laugh on “Saturday Night Live,” but you know who does it better? HARRIS herself. The Democratic candidate makes a surprise cameo three days before the U.S. presidential election, following in the footsteps of HILLARY CLINTON , SARAH PALIN and others. Elsewhere in television, Bravo announces that “VANDERPUMP RULES,” the Emmy-nominated reality show that has lived through countless scandals, is entirely recasting its 12th season — apart from namesake LISA VANDERPUMP . As for MOO DENG , she doesn't have her own TV series yet, but our favorite pygmy hippo is generating plenty of merch . And THAT brings us back to ... Ariana Grande, left, and Cynthia Erivo pose for photographers Nov. 11 prior to the premiere of "Wicked" at Auditorio Nacional in Mexico City. December “WICKED” ! Director JON M. CHU ’s emerald-hued fantasy remains very very popular, to quote one of its buzzy show tunes, dancing through life and defying gravity at the multiplex. Moviegoers also come for “GLADIATOR II” and, in a veritable tidal wave, Disney's “MOANA 2,” which beckons us back to the seas of Oceania. Once again, 2024 seems to be telling us: Give people some whimsy, a place to escape, maybe some catchy tunes — and no one knows how far they’ll go. The stories and images that defined 2024. Searching for something? From queries about U.S. politics to cricket in India, Wikipedia has become a source of information for millions of people across the globe. From the Paris Olympics to the Super Bowl. From Simone Biles to Shohei Ohtani. And, of course, Travis Kelce and Taylor Swift. These are the sp... AP photographers assembled a visual catalog of our civilization as life in 2024 hurtled directly at us at every speed and in every imaginable ... In 2024, photographers captured glimpses of humanity, ranging from a deeply divisive presidential election, to hurricanes and fires that ravag... Associated Press photographers captured voters with raw emotions of joy, excitement, contemplation or sorrow. See entertainment's biggest moments in 2024, through the lens of Associated Press photographers. It beat five other finalists: demure, slop, dynamic pricing, romantasy and lore. News anchors, politicians and other public figures in the U.S. struggled with these words the most this year. Is it any surprise Merriam-Webster's word of the year is "polarization"? Here are the other words that rounded out the top 10 for 2024. 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