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Spoilers ahead for the plot and ending of Gladiator II. Does it qualify as a spoiler to report that Gladiator II ends with the flash and clang of steel? Of course not. Director Ridley Scott , like any emperor worth his weight in golden breastplates, knows that the crowd wants blood. And at the end of the belated sequel to his own Y2K sword-and-sandals phenomenon, he obliges with a climactic mano a mano between good and bad, respectively represented by Lucius (Paul Mescal), the bastard son of the original film’s hero, and the scheming Macrinus (Denzel Washington), a former slave turned power broker. By the calculus of marquee appeal, this final face-off makes sense: What could be more rousing, in theory, than Mescal versus Denzel — than pitting a rising star against one of Hollywood’s most bankable veterans? But in execution, there’s something curiously anticlimactic about the moment when Lucius and Macrinus conclusively cross blades, each flanked by an army. Their fight is satisfying neither as spectacle nor dramatic payoff. It just kind of ... happens , and then the movie ends, though not before unwisely reminding viewers of how its predecessor came together in its closing minutes. Few would accuse the original Gladiator of anticlimax. That movie had a simpler and much more irresistible structure — a kind of heightened sports-movie arc that followed Russell Crowe’s single-mindedly vengeful general turned slave Maximus as he rose to prominence in the Colosseum, rising through the ranks like a boxer chasing the heavyweight title. Every fight increased his sway as a symbol of populist dissent in Rome, while bringing him closer to his destiny to face Joaquin Phoenix’s treacherous, conniving Commodus in the arena. By the climax, the viewer was as starved for catharsis as Maximus himself. The whole movie had inexorably built to his knock-down, drag-out tussle against the man who killed his family. Gladiator II gives Mescal’s Lucius, estranged from Rome and his mother, a similar motivation. He’s also the “husband to a murdered wife,” determined to claim revenge against the Roman general, Marcus Acacius (Pedro Pascal), who led the army against his adopted people and claimed the life of his soldier spouse. Macrinus, who purchases Lucius after he’s conscripted into gladiatorial bondage in the aftermath of defeat, promises to help his new slave achieve vengeance if he keeps winning in the arena. For a while, Gladiator II seems poised to replicate the trajectory of the first film, but with the intriguing wrinkle that the target of our hero’s fury is plenty noble himself. Pascal’s character turns out to be a decent man plotting to unseat the cruel, ineffectual emperors, complicating our sympathies in a potentially interesting way. He’s also the loving husband of Lucius’s mother, Lucilla (a returning Connie Nielsen). Like her, the audience might find its allegiances divided. Call it the Fugitive effect. But the script by David Scarpa oddly resolves this promising conflict well before the end credits. Lucius and Marcus do square off in the Colosseum, but their fight is brief, and it ends with the two realizing that they’re essentially on the same side, moments before the emperors do what Lucius won’t and condemn Marcus to a bloody, pitiless death. Are these two giggling, sadistic despots — a double dose of Commodus, by the more-is-more arithmetic of sequels — the real villains of Gladiator II ? No, the film reserves that title for Washington’s Machiavellian Macrinus, who wants to destroy Rome from within, and who ends up leading the Roman army against a mutinous cavalry assembled by the executed Marcus and eventually rallied by Lucius. All of this is much more convoluted than the way Gladiator steadily drew Maximus and Commodus together, their final battle taking on the inevitability of fate. It’s not just that Macrinus, for all of Washington’s wicked scenery chewing (the sense that he’s actually having fun , unlike any of his co-stars), isn’t as memorable or hissable an adversary as Commodus. The real problem is that his relationship with Lucius never evolves beyond an uneasy alliance of convenience, and so when they find themselves on opposite sides of the battlefield, their duel lacks anything resembling a personal stake. In the end, we’re just watching two political positions duke it out: our hero’s suddenly idealistic belief in the principles of Rome versus the villain’s cynical embrace of anarchy. To put it mildly, that’s not nearly as exciting as Commodus reaping what he sowed. There’s little sense, as in Gladiator , that the movie has been building to this matchup all along. It doesn’t help that the fight itself passes in a hasty, indifferently choreographed blur. It’s over as soon as it begins, Macrinus sinking into shallow water just in time for Lucius to deliver a supposedly inspirational speech on the importance of the republic without a single line as stirring as Maximus’s simple, parting, “There was a dream that was Rome, it shall be realized.” Mescal is a fine, sensitive actor, but he’s out of his depth trying to fill Crowe’s shoes. It’s difficult to buy him as either a commanding military leader or a mythic action hero, a force of rage personified. Mostly, these final minutes feel like a microcosm for the whole underwhelming film. They underscore how much Gladiator II fails to replicate the power of Gladiator , even as it sweatily bombards us with new attractions — sharks! baboons! warships! — like a Vegas fight promoter leaning way too hard on his undercard. Of course, the movie knows very well that it’s operating in the shadow of its iconic predecessor; like a lot of so-called legacy sequels, it turns that subtext into text, in this case via the story of a son trying to live up to the memory of his famous father. But no comparison between the endings of these two movies would do the new one any favors. It’s in its final scene that Gladiator II really betrays the insecurity of its design, as Lucius makes like his dad once did and scoops up a handful of dirt — a visual callback that Scott chases with actual footage from the ending of Gladiator , set to the same elegiac Hans Zimmer ballad, “Now We Are Free,” that he cued up at the end of his earlier film. It’s truly a Hail Mary: a late, blatant attempt to trigger our nostalgic emotions. 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PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Tanner McKee’s first career NFL touchdown pass was thrown to a Philadelphia Eagles fan named Patrick. OK, McKee actually threw the 20-yard TD to Pro Bowl wide receiver A.J Brown, who — in a momentary lapse of reason — chucked the souvenir football into the Lincoln Financial field stands. Uh-oh. “I felt so bad,” Brown said, “because I threw it so far.” McKee, a sixth-round pick out of Stanford in 2023, is a career third-string QB who had never played a regular-season snap until he was pressed into emergency duty Sunday against Dallas. Jalen Hurts did not start because of a concussion and Kenny Pickett — who ran and threw for a TD in the Eagles' 41-7 win — was knocked of the game with injured ribs. That opened the door for the 24-year-old McKee to play in a game in which the Eagles clinched the NFC East. He did his part — including the 20-yard strike in the third that made it 34-7. The celebration was temporarily muted when he realized his ball — a milestone keepsake for any player — was somewhere in the stands. Little did McKee know the ball was coming back to him. Eagles fans kicked off a bit of a relay with the ball once they realized its significance to McKee. The fan who caught the ball was promised a jersey from Brown. He sent the ball to one fan, who passed it to Eagles security chief “Big” Dom DiSandro to hand to another Eagles employee to Brown and finally to McKee. Souvenir secured. “I appreciate whoever gave the ball back,” McKee said. “(Brown) was like, ‘I’m sorry, bro. I got the ball back.’ So, yeah, it was good. He made a great play, and obviously a great catch.” It was Brown's throw that needed work. Brown stripped off and signed his game jersey and handed it to a fan named Patrick as a thank-you for returning the football — all while fans chanted “E-A-G-L-E-S!” around him. “We've got great fans here,” Brown said. McKee needed more room on the trophy shelf — he threw a second TD pass in the fourth quarter. AP NFL: https://apnews.com/NFL

Unveiling 4 Analyst Insights On UdemyDillon Gabriel was faced with a quandary when he arrived at Oregon this year. Gabriel had worn No. 8 at Oklahoma before transferring for his sixth season of eligibility. But in Eugene, that number had special significance because it had been worn by Heisman Trophy winner Marcus Mariota. There were many similarities between the two: They were both dual-threat quarterbacks who had piled up accolades along with yards and touchdowns. Both hailed from Hawaii and were shaped by the island spirit. Mariota chose the No. 8 initially because of the number of Hawaiian islands. His helmet's facemask was formed in an 808, Hawaii's area code. So Gabriel took a leap of faith and texted Mariota to ask his permission. Mariota, now with the NFL's Washington Commanders, said yes. "You know, when you’re growing up and you have that kind of direct example, a guy from Hawaii, playing at a high level, at the DI level, and then you see him go to the NFL, it’s like you can see it, you can believe it,” Gabriel said. Gabriel has led the top-ranked Ducks (12-0, 9-0 Big Ten) through an undefeated season and on to the Big Ten title game on Saturday against No. 4 Penn State (11-1, 8-1) in Indianapolis. Gabriel — who played his first three years at Central Florida before joining the Sooners — became the all-time NCAA leader for total career touchdowns along the way and now has 183, including 149 via pass, 33 via rush and one reception. He's tied with former Oregon quarterback Bo Nix — now with the Denver Broncos — with an FBS-record 61 career starts. Ever humble, Gabriel is thoughtful about the arc of his career. "I think we’re in an interesting time that’s all about results. And so many people talk about the process but aren’t patient enough. I think if you look at my body of work, I’m a guy who’s eager and wants to get better but has had that time to develop and work in that way. I think you see it over time," Gabriel said. As a Duck, Gabriel has thrown for 3,277 yards and 24 TDs in 12 games. He's rushed for seven more scores. Mariota spent his three-year college career at Oregon, throwing for 104 touchdowns and running for 29 more. He was the Ducks' quarterback in the 2014 season, the last time Oregon advanced to the national championship game. "I mean, everybody would love to run out there with the experience that we have at quarterback right now,” Oregon coach Dan Lanning said. “And I think that experience shows up consistently every Saturday for us. More than anything, just the ability for Dillon to be calm within the chaos that exists in a football game, and being a great decision-maker and understanding the scheme.” The only other time Oregon finished the regular season 12-0 was in 2010, when the Ducks played for the BCS national championship. Among the team's victories this season was a 32-31 win at home over Ohio State and a 38-17 victory over Michigan at the Big House. The Ducks capped the season with a 49-21 victory over rival Washington , finishing 9-0 in their first Big Ten year. Gabriel threw for a pair of touchdowns and ran for another in that game. The Nittany Lions advanced to the conference title game with a 44-7 victory over Maryland on Saturday. They were helped by Ohio State’s 13-10 loss to Michigan in Columbus. Oregon has played the Nittany Lions just one other time, in the 1995 Rose Bowl. Penn State, led by Joe Paterno, won that one, 38-20. The winner in Indianapolis this weekend can secure a first-round bye in the expanded 12-team playoffs. Both teams are assured of a playoff berth even with a loss. On Tuesday, Gabriel added another honor when he was named Big Ten offensive player of the year. "He’s earned the trust and the admiration of all his teammates and the coaches around him," Lanning said. "This guy prepares extremely hard. He is the calmest dude you’ve ever been around on the field, which is impressive, but I’m really proud of him and what he’s been able to do for this team.” Get poll alerts and updates on the AP Top 25 all the season. Sign up here . AP college football: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-football-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/college-football

Southampton vs. Liverpool: Will Arne Slot take Trent Alexander-Arnold, Virgil van Dijk risk in race for Premier League title?Legacy of Friendship: Remembering Jimmy Carter's Bond with IndiaIn conservative Aceh, sole woman-run cafe Morning Mama challenges traditional norms to create safe space for others

Scottish artist Jasleen Kaur has won the Turner Prize for her solo exhibition Alter Altar, which includes an installation of a car with a giant doily on it. Happy Valley actor James Norton announced the winner in a ceremony held at Tate Britain on Tuesday evening. The five jury members chose Kaur for “her ability to gather different voices through unexpected and playful combinations of material, from Irn-Bru to family photographs and a vintage Ford Escort, locating moments of resilience and possibility”. Kaur, who was born in Glasgow but lives and works in London, used her speech to advocate for the people in Palestine. The 38-year-old said she wanted to “echo the calls of the protesters outside” who had gathered after an open letter urged the Tate to cut ties with “organisations complicit in what the UN and ICJ are finally getting closer to saying is a genocide of the Palestinian people”. “This is not a radical demand,” Kaur said on stage. “This should not risk an artist’s career or safety. We’re trying to build consensus that the ties to these organisations are unethical, just as artists did with Sackler,” she said, referencing the family linked to the opioid epidemic. “I’ve been wondering why artists are required to dream up liberation in the gallery but when that dream meets life we are shut down. “I want the separation between the expression of politics in the gallery and the practice of politics in life to disappear. “I want the institution to understand that if you want us inside, you need to listen to us outside.” Kaur concluded her speech by calling for a ceasefire, adding: “Free Palestine.” BBC reporter Katie Razzall had to apologise to viewers after Kaur used a swear word in her speech. The artist was nominated for an exhibition that was held at the Tramway in her home city last year. The display, a series of installations exploring religious identities, politics and history, makes heavy use of different sounds, embedded into the exhibition by way of worship bells, Sufi Islamic devotional music, Indian harmonium, and pop tracks. This year the arts prize, named after British painter JMW Turner, which awards £25,000 to its winner, is celebrating its 40th anniversary. Established in 1984, the prize is awarded each year to a British artist for an outstanding exhibition or other presentation of their work. Previous recipients include sculptor Sir Anish Kapoor (1991), artist Damien Hirst (1995), and filmmaker Sir Steve McQueen (1999). In 2025, the prize will be presented in Bradford at Cartwright Hall art gallery, marking the 250th anniversary of Turner’s birth. The exhibition of the four shortlisted artists – Pio Abad, Claudette Johnson, Delaine Le Bas, and Kaur – is at Tate Britain until February 16 2025.How Washington outsider Jimmy Carter wooed voters tired of Vietnam and Watergate

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Tiny dancers: Scientists synchronize bacterial motion December 3, 2024 Delft University of Technology Researchers at TU Delft have discovered that E. coli bacteria can synchronize their movements, creating order in seemingly random biological systems. By trapping individual bacteria in micro-engineered circular cavities and coupling these cavities through narrow channels, the team observed coordinated bacterial motion. These findings have potential applications in engineering controllable biological oscillator networks. Facebook Twitter Pinterest LinkedIN Email Researchers at TU Delft have discovered that E. coli bacteria can synchronise their movements, creating order in seemingly random biological systems. By trapping individual bacteria in micro-engineered circular cavities and coupling these cavities through narrow channels, the team observed coordinated bacterial motion. Their findings, which have potential applications in engineering controllable biological oscillator networks, were recently published in Small . An audience clapping in rhythm, fireflies flashing in unison, or flocks of starlings moving as one -- synchronisation is a natural phenomenon observed across diverse systems and scales. First described by Christiaan Huygens in the 17th century, synchronisation was famously illustrated by the aligned swinging of his pendulum clocks. Now, TU Delft researchers have shown that even E. coli bacteria -- single-celled organisms only a few micrometres long -- can display this same phenomenon. "This was a remarkable moment for our team," said Farbod Alijani, associate professor at the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering. "Seeing bacteria 'dance in sync' not only showcases the beauty of nature but also deepens our understanding of the microscopic origins of self-organisation among the smallest living organisms." Synchronised movement Alijani's team, together with TU Delft professor Cees Dekker and the TU Delft spin-off SoundCell, achieved this by using precisely engineered microcavities that trap single E. coli cells from a bulk population. Inside these circular cavities, the bacteria began to exhibit rotary motion akin to pendulum clocks. By connecting two of these cavities with a tiny channel, the researchers observed that after some time, the two bacteria began to synchronise their movements. "This synchronisation occurs because of hydrodynamic interactions induced by the movement of bacteria in the coupled system," explains Alijani. The team quantified this coupling strength and found that the bacteria's coordinated motion adhered to universal mathematical rules of synchronisation. Towards a network of coordinated motion The findings hold significant promise, paving the way for designing micro-tools capable of inducing controlled oscillations and synchronisation in bacterial systems. Such tools could help scientists study bacterial motility and coordination in confined environments, providing a better understanding of microbial active matter. The team is now exploring more complex systems by coupling multiple cavities to form networks of synchronised bacteria. "We want to uncover how these networks behave and whether we can engineer even more sophisticated dynamical movements," Alijani adds. Possibilities for drug screening While this research is primarily fundamental, its potential applications are wide-ranging. "This could even provide a novel approach to drug screening, for instance, by measuring fluid flow changes and forces caused by bacterial movement before and after administering antibiotics," Alijani suggests. The study was inspired by earlier work where Alijani's team recorded the first-ever sound of a single bacterium using a graphene drum. "We were curious if we could go a step further and create order out of the chaotic oscillations we observed," says Alijani. With this study, they've moved from recording the soundtrack of a single bacterium to orchestrating their 'tango'. Story Source: Materials provided by Delft University of Technology . Note: Content may be edited for style and length. Journal Reference : Cite This Page :Pittsburgh quarterback Eli Holstein was carted off the field with 5:32 left in the first quarter with an apparent left ankle injury during Saturday's Atlantic Coast Conference game against host Louisville. The freshman was sacked at the Panthers' 49-yard line by Louisville's Ashton Gillotte, who rolled on the quarterback's ankle. Holstein was in a walking boot as he was helped to the cart. Holstein missed last week's game against Clemson after suffering a head injury in the loss to Virginia two weeks ago. Holstein was 3-for-5 passing for 51 yards and an interception before exiting. Nate Yarnell, who threw for 350 yards in the loss to Clemson, replaced Holstein. --Field Level Media

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — A 7.0 magnitude earthquake shook a large area of Northern California on Thursday, knocking items of grocery store shelves, sending children scrambling under desks and prompting a brief tsunami warning for 5.3 million people along the U.S. West Coast. The quake struck at 10:44 a.m. west of Ferndale, a small city in coastal Humboldt County, about 130 miles (209 km) from the Oregon border, the U.S. Geological Survey said. It was felt as far south as San Francisco, some 270 miles (435 km) away, where residents felt a rolling motion for several seconds. It was followed by multiple smaller aftershocks. There were no immediate reports of major damage or injury. The tsunami warning was in effect for roughly an hour. It was issued shortly after the temblor struck and covered nearly 500 miles (805 km) of coastline, from the edge of California’s Monterey Bay north into Oregon. “It was a strong quake, our building shook, we’re fine but I have a mess to clean up right now,” said Julie Kreitzer, owner of Golden Gait Mercantile, a store packed with food, wares and souvenirs that is a main attraction in Ferndale. “We lost a lot of stuff. It’s probably worse than two years ago. I have to go, I have to try and salvage something for the holidays because it’s going to be a tough year,” Kreitzer said before hanging up. The region — known for its redwood forests, scenic mountains and the three-county Emerald Triangle’s legendary marijuana crop — was struck by a 6.4 magnitude quake in 2022 that left thousands of people without power and water. The northwest corner of California is the most seismically active part of the state since it’s where three tectonic plates meet, seismologist Lucy Jones said on the social media platform BlueSky. Shortly after the quake, phones in Northern California buzzed with the tsunami warning from the National Weather Service that said: “A series of powerful waves and strong currents may impact coasts near you. You are in danger. Get away from coastal waters. Move to high ground or inland now. Keep away from the coast until local officials say it is safe to return.” South of San Francisco in Santa Cruz, authorities cleared the main beach, taping off entrances with police tape. Numerous cities urged people to evacuate to higher ground as a precaution, including Eureka. “I thought my axles had fallen apart,” said Valerie Starkey, a Del Norte County supervisor representing Crescent City, a town of fewer than 6,000 about 66 miles (106 km) north of Eureka. “That’s what I was feeling ... ‘My axles are broken now.’ I did not realize it was an earthquake.” Gov. Gavin Newsom said he has signed off on a state of emergency declaration to quickly move state resources to impacted areas along the coast. State officials were concerned about damages in the northern part of the state, Newsom said. Crews in Eureka, the biggest city in the region, were assessing if there was any major damage from the quake, Eureka Mayor Kim Bergel said. Bergel, who works as a resource aid at a middle school, said lights were swaying and everyone got under desks. “The kids were so great and terrified. It seemed to go back and forth for quite a long time,” she said. Some children asked, “Can I call my mom?" The students were later sent home. In nearby Arcata, students and faculty were urged to shelter in place at California State Polytechnic University, Humboldt. The campus in was not in the tsunami hazard zone and after inspections, “all utilities and building systems are normal and operational,” the university said in a statement. Humboldt County Sheriff William Honsal said residents experienced some cracks in their homes’ foundations, as well as broken glass and windows, but nothing severe. There also have been no major infrastructure problems, building collapses or roadway issues, and no major injuries or deaths have been reported, he said. Honsal said he was in his office in the 75-year-old courthouse in downtown Eureka when he felt the quake. “We’re used to it. It is known as ‘earthquake country’ up here,” he said. “It wasn’t a sharp jolt. It was a slow roller, but significant.” Michael Luna, owner of a Grocery Outlet in Eureka, said that besides a few items falling off shelves, the store on Commercial Street was unscathed by the earthquake. “We didn’t have any issues but a couple of deodorants fall off.... I think the way the earthquake rumbled this time, it was a good thing for our store because the last earthquake was a huge mess," he said. They evacuated customers and closed their doors temporarily until officials lifted the tsunami warning, he said, rushing off the phone to attend to a growing line of customers at check-out. The San Francisco Bay Area Rapid Transit District, known as BART, stopped traffic in all directions through the underwater tunnel between San Francisco and Oakland, and the San Francisco Zoo’s visitors were evacuated. Dave Snider, tsunami warning coordinator for the Tsunami Warning Center in Alaska, said the computer models indicated that this was the type of earthquake that was unlikely to cause a tsunami and gauges that monitor waves then confirmed it, so forecasters canceled the warning. This quake was a strike-slip type of temblor that shifts more horizontally and is less prone to cause tsunamis, unlike the more vertical types, said National Weather Service tsunami program manager Corina Allen in Washington state. The California Geological Survey says the state’s shores have been struck by more than 150 tsunamis since 1800, and while most were minor, some have been destructive and deadly. On March 28, 1964, a tsunami triggered by a powerful earthquake in Alaska smashed into Crescent City hours later. Much of the business district was leveled and a dozen people were killed. More recently, a tsunami from a 2011 earthquake in Japan caused about $100 million in damages along the California coast, much of it in Crescent City. Dazio reported from Los Angeles. AP writers Chris Weber and Dorany Pineda in Los Angeles; Martha Mendoza in Santa Cruz, California; Sophie Austin and Tran Nguyen in Sacramento, California and Seth Borenstein in Washington, D.C. contributed to this report.

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PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Ethan Gettman kicked what proved to be the game-winning field goal from 31-yards out midway through the fourth quarter and Brendan Bell added an insurance touchdown a minute later as Villanova pulled away from Delaware in the second half to post a 38-28 victory in the season finale on Saturday afternoon. The Wildcats now have won 17 of their last 19 meetings with the Blue Hens, who played their final regular season game as an FCS-member. Delaware will join the FBS and join Conference USA for the 2025 season. Villanova (9-3, 6-2 Coastal Athletic Association) took a 21-0 lead five minutes into the second quarter after David Avit scored from a yard out, Brendan Bell returned an interception 38 yards for a touchdown and Watkins fired a 36-yard touchdown pass to Kenyon Miles. But Delaware (9-2, 6-2) scored three times in the final eight minutes of the half, with JoJo Bermudez scoring from 14-yards out and Marcus Yarns punching in from the 1, then catching a Nick Minicucci pass for a 65-yard touchdown with :32 left. Connor Watkins ran up the middle on a quarterback draw for a 38-yard touchdown to put the Wildcats in front, but Minicucci answered with a six-yard touchdown to Jo'Nathan Silver to send the game into the fourth quarter tied at 28-28. Gettman put the Wildcats in top for good with 8:41 left and Bell scored on a six-yard run with 7:39 remaining. Watkins was 13 of 30 passing for 203 yards with a touchdown and an interception and carried eight times for 79 yards. Minicucci was 18 of 33 for 195 yards with two touchdowns and a pair of interceptions. Yarns carried 20 times for 100 yards and caught three passes for 74 yards. Get poll alerts and updates on the AP Top 25 throughout the season. Sign up here . AP college football: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-football-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/college-footballAll the signs Samantha Armytage's marriage to Richard Lavender was on the rocks as news of their split emerges READ MORE: Samantha Armytage splits from husband Richard Lavender on the eve of four-year wedding anniversary By KATE DENNETT FOR DAILY MAIL AUSTRALIA Published: 21:26 GMT, 5 December 2024 | Updated: 21:51 GMT, 5 December 2024 e-mail View comments News of Samantha Armytage 's split from her husband Richard Lavender emerged this week, but there were signs pointing to their separation. The TV presenter, 48, and the equestrian businessman, 61, have gone their separate ways on the eve of their four-year wedding anniversary. The couple tied the knot at his 40-hectare property in the picturesque Southern Highlands in NSW on New Year's Eve in 2020. A source revealed news of their split exclusively to Daily Mail Australia on Thursday, with Samantha then confirming that they had 'amicably' gone their separate ways. However, there were signs pointing towards trouble in Samantha's marriage in the weeks before the news became public as she was last photographed with Richard over three months ago. The couple were last sighted together on September 5, when they arrived back at Sydney Airport following a trip to Noosa together. News of Samantha Armytage 's split from her husband Richard Lavender emerged this week, but there were signs pointing to their separation They both flashed big smiles as they appeared to be in good spirits after the trip, which had been to celebrate Samantha's 48th birthday. However, their jovial outing was to become the last time they were publicly photographed together after their marriage hit the rocks. Samantha has instead made a string of solo appearances in recent weeks, including at the 2024 Melbourne Cup, despite Richard working in the equestrian business. The former Farmer Wants a Wife host made a very glamorous appearance at Flemington Racecourse's world-famous Birdcage, but posed for photographs without her husband. Stepping out on Melbourne Cup Day, Samantha cut an elegant figure in a vibrant red gown as she worked the angles for the camera during the solo outing. It is not known if Richard was in attendance at the races, but Samantha was notably seen stepping out by herself as she mixed with the stars at the glitzy event. While the couple do not normally walk red carpets together, Richard's involvement in the equestrian business sparked speculation they would attend the races as a couple. The pair have previously made very rare public appearances together at Sydney's Royal Randwick Racecourse, stepping out holding hands at the races back in 2021. The couple were last sighted together on September 5, when they arrived back at Sydney Airport following a trip to Noosa together (pictured) Samantha also made some cryptic comments about everything in her life 'changing' in recent weeks, following her departure from Channel Seven and amid her marriage split. Before news of their separation emerged, Samantha penned a candid column for Stellar in which she referenced the many changes in her life she was dealing with. 'All of a sudden, everything is changing: hair colour, waistlines, sleep patterns, pelvic floors, skin texture, friends, colleagues, houses, jargon, clothing styles,' she wrote. Though she was talking about her career change in moving from Seven to Channel Nine, Samantha went on to speak about 'loving' and 'losing' in a poignant segment. 'I’ve loved and lost. I’ve laughed and cried,' she penned. 'I’m stronger, yet more vulnerable. I have learnt discernment, acceptance and patience (to a degree).' Samantha concluded her column by revealing she is happy with the person she has become and looked ahead with excitement to her 'new adventures'. Amid the huge period of change in her life, Samantha has seemingly been looking for a new companion in recent weeks as she hinted that she was looking for another dog. Samantha has since made a string of solo appearances in recent weeks, including at the 2024 Melbourne Cup, despite Richard working in the equestrian business The couple have previously made very rare public appearances together at Sydney's Royal Randwick Racecourse, stepping out holding hands at the races back in 2021 (pictured) The former Sunrise host tragically lost her faithful four-legged companion Banjo in February after he was bitten by a snake. But she appeared to be on the lookout for another dog after spending an afternoon at a Guide Dogs NSW pop-up shop in Paddington, Sydney, with her sister Georgina. One photograph showed Samantha, beaming broadly as she rested her head on one adorable pooch, called Ginger, as Georgina cuddled the dog tightly. However, it appeared that Georgina was the one who was keen to take Ginger home, with Samantha captioning the image: 'Georgie Armytage, home!' A second image showed Georgina clearly bonding with the adorable pooch, holding the dog tight as she smiled blissfully with her eyes closed. Samantha's social media pages have also signalled towards her split as she is no longer followed on Instagram by Richard's two daughters, Sascha and Grace. However, she is still followed by her now-ex-partner Richard on the platform after she insisted their separation was 'amicable'. Samantha also pulled her beautiful home on the NSW south coast off the market just hours before her and Richard's split made headlines. Samantha has seemingly been looking for a new companion as she hinted that she was looking for another dog while spending the day with her sister Georgina at a Guide Dogs pop-up Samantha also pulled her beautiful beachfront home on the NSW south coast off the market just hours before her and Richard's split made headlines The three-bedroom, two-bedroom beachfront property had been languishing unsold since last December. Samantha slashed the original $3million asking price on the Hyams Beach property in September and relisted it with a $2.5million-$3million guide. But on Thursday morning, the Illawarra Mercury reported that the house had been dropped from the agent's listing and was no longer for sale. Though news of Samantha's split from Richard emerged this week, it is understood that her television presenter friends have been comforting her behind the scenes for some time. The couple's separation was planned to be leaked to a Sydney newspaper on Friday but sources confirmed the news to Daily Mail Australia in advance. 'Yes Richard and I have separated. All break-ups are hard, but it’s somewhat lessened by the fact it’s amicable and we wish the best for each other,' Samantha then told media late Thursday evening. 'I appreciate you respecting our privacy. I won’t be making any further comment.' It's understood she has moved out of Richard's sprawling Southern Highlands home and is now living in an apartment located in Sydney's eastern suburbs. Though news of Samantha's split from Richard emerged this week, it is understood that her television presenter friends have been comforting her behind the scenes for some time The couple first started dating in April 2019, and announced their engagement in June 2020 before tying the knot at his property in rural NSW six months later. The intimate ceremony only featured a small number of guests due to the Covid-19 pandemic, with Richard's daughters believed to have attended. Amid her marriage breakdown, Samantha has also undergone a huge career change after stepping down from Channel Seven after 21 years with the network. Describing the departure as 'sad and bittersweet,' she said she felt her time had come to an end. 'I'm big on instinct. I listen to my instinct. I know when the time comes. I am proud of the fact that I back myself enough to say: 'I've done what I can do here' and I move on,' she said. 'This is not the end. It's just the end of this chapter.' She has instead moved to rival network Nine and been signed up as the host of brand new reality dating show The Golden Bachelor . The Golden Bachelor is a spin-off of The Bachelor series, but differs in that the contestants of the reality dating show are singletons in their 50s and 60s. 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Nearly all of the 74 workers at Acrylicos Vallejo have gone on an indefinite strike. The popular Spanish paint company — which produces their Game Color and Model Color lines most popularly used in miniature painting and wargaming — first announced a partial strike in late November, but escalated earlier this week when they claimed Acrylicos Vallejo’s ownership would not negotiate with workers. According to a statement made on Bluesky by Catalonian labor organization CGT, the demands of the striking employees are threefold: a wage increase, an improvement of safety conditions, and protocols to handle workplace harassment. Incorporated in New Jersey in 1965, Acrylicos Vallejo moved to Barcelona, quickly becoming a major player in the European art scene for their vibrant and extensive color range before establishing themselves as a staple in the world of wargaming and miniatures. It currently distributes paints to over 55 countries across the globe. Following a trend of private capital consolidation, private equity firm Proa Capital purchased a majority stake in Acrylicos Vallejo for just under $53 million in December 2023. The worker’s strike comes in a parallel wave of global labor actions in nearly every sector including entertainment and gaming , most demanding higher wages and more protections in their respective industries. According to a statement by the CGT given to YouTuber Hellstorm Wargaming , workers at the Catalonian factory currently make around the Spanish minimum wage. Earlier this year, the Spanish Council of ministers raised the country’s minimum wage to €37.8 (just under $40) a day, or just over €1,134 ($1,200) a month — a roughly 50% increase from Spain’s minimum wage in 2018. Representatives from the CGT claim executive pay continues to grow with increased profits as employee wages stay stagnant. Workers are also calling for an improvement of safety conditions in the factory, which they allege to be in a “deplorable state.” In their statement they claim “Some parts of the ceiling have fallen, luckily without injuring anyone. There are outdated machines with no maintenance. To give you an idea, some machines had to be repaired by putting in brackets to keep them together.” Their final demand relates to workplace harassment, which they claim the company has no protocols to handle. “There are executives in the company who are professionals in workplace harassment, and have dedicated themselves to harassing and making workers’ lives impossible,” the CGT spokesperson alleged. Striking workers have not explicitly called for a boycott of Acrylicos Vallejo, but said “if you are considering not buying any more products until the strike is over, it will be a good way to put pressure on the company.” Many of the public responses to their strike announcement on social media have stated a refusal to purchase the company’s products until the demands are met. Acrylicos Vallejo has not made a public statement regarding the strike. Polygon did not immediately receive a response to a request for comment, and will update this article if one is provided. Gaming News Tabletop GamesWhat we can VERIFY about Trump's presidential salary donations

New Hampshire reels off 27-straight points in 27-9 win over MaineSAN FRANCISCO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Dec 19, 2024-- Today, 3D generative AI company Backflip announced it is emerging from stealth with $30 million in funding, co-led by NEA and Andreessen Horowitz (a16z). Angel investors include CTO of Microsoft and co-founder of LinkedIn Kevin Scott, Android founder and AI futurist Rich Miner, and Ashish Vaswani, co-author of the groundbreaking Attention is All You Need research paper. Started by CEO Greg Mark and CTO David Benhaim — the founding team behind carbon fiber and metal industrial 3D printing company Markforged — Backflip started with an audacious premise: What if designers and engineers could go from ideas to reality at the speed of their imagination? What if one designer could move at the speed of 100? That’s the world Backflip is making a reality. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20241218887310/en/ A 3D printed copper mug designed in Backflip. (Photo: Business Wire) “The promise of AI extends far beyond transforming knowledge — it is the catalyst for building a world once only imagined,” said Lila Tretikov, NEA Partner and Head of AI Strategy. “I seek out extraordinary founders capable of driving this transformative vision across massive industries, from manufacturing and construction to transportation and robotics. The Backflip team stands at the forefront of this new industrial age at a pivotal time revitalizing American manufacturing, strengthening national security, and accelerating economic prosperity.” Andrew Chen, General Partner at a16z, added, “The line between the physical and virtual world continues to blur. At the cutting edge of all computing advancements has been the push to create 3D simulations in virtual worlds that mirror the real world. That holy grail is within reach now thanks to the convergence of 3D photorealism born out of gaming and VFX with complex physics-based simulations born out of engineering. That's why we're so excited about Backflip's new technology, which will let users turn text into physical reality.” Today, designers and engineers use traditional 3D design software to transform their ideas into digital models to build the modern world. These 3D design tools are the essential backbone of industry, and they unlock the ability to design, refine and create — from film industry special effects to next-generation aircraft, consumer packaged goods, video game characters, and everything in between. While powerful, they are incredibly slow, and fundamentally throttle the design process. Every product that ships has done so without features and refinements that could have been added if the design process was more efficient. “Each era of humanity is defined by the tools we harness. The last 50 years has brought incredible improvement to the pace of innovation in software and electronics, but the design of physical products has lagged behind. We’re building a next-generation design tool that allows a small team to move with the velocity of the biggest engineering army in the world. This is a giant leap forward in bringing design and manufacturing back to the U.S.,” said Mark. Backflip is fundamentally reinventing this status quo, building tools and a foundational AI model that turbocharges the design process for everything in the physical world. Complex designs that would have taken days can now be done in minutes. Today, it is unveiling its first product, an AI-powered design platform that translates user inputs into high resolution, 3D-printable models, and collapses the barriers between idea and execution. Users can produce real parts from a simple text description, or even by snapping a photo of something that broke and needs to be replaced. “AI language models capture how we think, vision models capture how we see, and Backflip is creating foundation models that capture how we build,” said Benhaim. “We’ve invented a novel neural representation that teaches AI to think in 3D, unlocking a new category of models. That development yields 60x more efficient training, 10x faster inference and 100x the spatial resolution of existing state of the art methods. Our series of 3D foundation models will form the kernel for building the real world.” Mark and Benhaim are a unique team of hard tech and software founders who love to build. Prior to founding Backflip, they founded Markforged where they invented carbon fiber and mixed-metal 3D printing. These new processes drove a 20x increase in strength of 3D printed parts and unlocked production capabilities for military, aerospace, and other manufacturing sectors with unyieldingly high performance standards. They grew the company to a public listing in 2021 with a $2.1 billion valuation. Markforged parts are used every day in mission critical applications on places like the International Space Station, automotive manufacturing plants, and U.S. nuclear submarines. About Backflip Backflip is pioneering AI technology for the designers and engineers who create the physical infrastructure of modern life. Its AI-powered 3D design software collapses barriers between idea and implementation and is built for creative problem-solvers across widespread industries, including in mission critical sectors like aerospace, defense and transportation. Designers, engineers and companies interested in working with Backflip can find out more on the web at backflip.ai . View source version on businesswire.com : https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20241218887310/en/ CONTACT: Media contact: Chelsea Allison CMAND for Backflip chelsea@cmand.co KEYWORD: CALIFORNIA UNITED STATES NORTH AMERICA INDUSTRY KEYWORD: OTHER TRANSPORT TECHNOLOGY OTHER DEFENSE TRANSPORT AEROSPACE SOFTWARE MANUFACTURING DATA MANAGEMENT DEFENSE ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE SOURCE: Backflip Copyright Business Wire 2024. PUB: 12/19/2024 02:36 PM/DISC: 12/19/2024 02:36 PM http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20241218887310/en

How major US stock indexes fared Tuesday, 12/3/2024Facebook Twitter WhatsApp SMS Email Print Copy article link Save ATLANTA — Jimmy Carter, the peanut farmer who won the presidency in the wake of the Watergate scandal and Vietnam War, endured humbling defeat after one tumultuous term and then redefined life after the White House as a global humanitarian, has died. He was 100 years old. In this Nov. 3, 2019, file photo, former President Jimmy Carter teaches Sunday school at Maranatha Baptist Church in Plains, Ga. The longest-lived American president died on Sunday, more than a year after entering hospice care, at his home in the small town of Plains, Georgia, where he and his wife, Rosalynn, who died at 96 in November 2023, spent most of their lives, The Carter Center said. Businessman, Navy officer, evangelist, politician, negotiator, author, woodworker, citizen of the world — Carter forged a path that still challenges political assumptions and stands out among the 45 men who reached the nation’s highest office. The 39th president leveraged his ambition with a keen intellect, deep religious faith and prodigious work ethic, conducting diplomatic missions into his 80s and building houses for the poor well into his 90s. People are also reading... 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Oregon State rallies for an overtime win at Gonzaga “My faith demands — this is not optional — my faith demands that I do whatever I can, wherever I am, whenever I can, for as long as I can, with whatever I have to try to make a difference,” Carter once said. A moderate Democrat, Carter entered the 1976 presidential race as a little-known Georgia governor with a broad smile, outspoken Baptist mores and technocratic plans reflecting his education as an engineer. His no-frills campaign depended on public financing, and his promise not to deceive the American people resonated after Richard Nixon’s disgrace and U.S. defeat in southeast Asia. “If I ever lie to you, if I ever make a misleading statement, don’t vote for me. I would not deserve to be your president,” Carter repeated before narrowly beating Republican incumbent Gerald Ford, who had lost popularity pardoning Nixon. Carter governed amid Cold War pressures, turbulent oil markets and social upheaval over racism, women’s rights and America’s global role. His most acclaimed achievement in office was a Mideast peace deal that he brokered by keeping Egyptian President Anwar Sadat and Israeli Prime Minister Menachem Begin at the bargaining table for 13 days in 1978. That Camp David experience inspired the post-presidential center where Carter would establish so much of his legacy. Yet Carter’s electoral coalition splintered under double-digit inflation, gasoline lines and the 444-day hostage crisis in Iran. His bleakest hour came when eight Americans died in a failed hostage rescue in April 1980, helping to ensure his landslide defeat to Republican Ronald Reagan. Carter acknowledged in his 2020 “White House Diary” that he could be “micromanaging” and “excessively autocratic,” complicating dealings with Congress and the federal bureaucracy. He also turned a cold shoulder to Washington’s news media and lobbyists, not fully appreciating their influence on his political fortunes. “It didn’t take us long to realize that the underestimation existed, but by that time we were not able to repair the mistake,” Carter told historians in 1982, suggesting that he had “an inherent incompatibility” with Washington insiders. Carter insisted his overall approach was sound and that he achieved his primary objectives — to “protect our nation’s security and interests peacefully” and “enhance human rights here and abroad” — even if he fell spectacularly short of a second term. Ignominious defeat, though, allowed for renewal. The Carters founded The Carter Center in 1982 as a first-of-its-kind base of operations, asserting themselves as international peacemakers and champions of democracy, public health and human rights. “I was not interested in just building a museum or storing my White House records and memorabilia,” Carter wrote in a memoir published after his 90th birthday. “I wanted a place where we could work.” That work included easing nuclear tensions in North and South Korea, helping to avert a U.S. invasion of Haiti and negotiating cease-fires in Bosnia and Sudan. By 2022, The Carter Center had declared at least 113 elections in Latin America, Asia and Africa to be free or fraudulent. Recently, the center began monitoring U.S. elections as well. Carter’s stubborn self-assuredness and even self-righteousness proved effective once he was unencumbered by the Washington order, sometimes to the point of frustrating his successors. He went “where others are not treading,” he said, to places like Ethiopia, Liberia and North Korea, where he secured the release of an American who had wandered across the border in 2010. “I can say what I like. I can meet whom I want. I can take on projects that please me and reject the ones that don’t,” Carter said. He announced an arms-reduction-for-aid deal with North Korea without clearing the details with Bill Clinton’s White House. He openly criticized President George W. Bush for the 2003 invasion of Iraq. He also criticized America’s approach to Israel with his 2006 book “Palestine: Peace Not Apartheid.” And he repeatedly countered U.S. administrations by insisting North Korea should be included in international affairs, a position that most aligned Carter with Republican President Donald Trump. Among the center’s many public health initiatives, Carter vowed to eradicate the guinea worm parasite during his lifetime, and nearly achieved it: Cases dropped from millions in the 1980s to nearly a handful. With hardhats and hammers, the Carters also built homes with Habitat for Humanity. The Nobel committee’s 2002 Peace Prize cites his “untiring effort to find peaceful solutions to international conflicts, to advance democracy and human rights, and to promote economic and social development.” Carter should have won it alongside Sadat and Begin in 1978, the chairman added. Carter accepted the recognition saying there was more work to be done. “The world is now, in many ways, a more dangerous place,” he said. “The greater ease of travel and communication has not been matched by equal understanding and mutual respect.” ‘An epic American life’ Carter’s globetrotting took him to remote villages where he met little “Jimmy Carters,” so named by admiring parents. But he spent most of his days in the same one-story Plains house — expanded and guarded by Secret Service agents — where they lived before he became governor. He regularly taught Sunday School lessons at Maranatha Baptist Church until his mobility declined and the coronavirus pandemic raged. Those sessions drew visitors from around the world to the small sanctuary where Carter will receive his final send-off after a state funeral at Washington’s National Cathedral. The common assessment that he was a better ex-president than president rankled Carter and his allies. His prolific post-presidency gave him a brand above politics, particularly for Americans too young to witness him in office. But Carter also lived long enough to see biographers and historians reassess his White House years more generously. His record includes the deregulation of key industries, reduction of U.S. dependence on foreign oil, cautious management of the national debt and notable legislation on the environment, education and mental health. He focused on human rights in foreign policy, pressuring dictators to release thousands of political prisoners. He acknowledged America’s historical imperialism, pardoned Vietnam War draft evaders and relinquished control of the Panama Canal. He normalized relations with China. “I am not nominating Jimmy Carter for a place on Mount Rushmore,” Stuart Eizenstat, Carter’s domestic policy director, wrote in a 2018 book. “He was not a great president” but also not the “hapless and weak” caricature voters rejected in 1980, Eizenstat said. Rather, Carter was “good and productive” and “delivered results, many of which were realized only after he left office.” Madeleine Albright, a national security staffer for Carter and Clinton’s secretary of state, wrote in Eizenstat’s forward that Carter was “consequential and successful” and expressed hope that “perceptions will continue to evolve” about his presidency. “Our country was lucky to have him as our leader,” said Albright, who died in 2022. Jonathan Alter, who penned a comprehensive Carter biography published in 2020, said in an interview that Carter should be remembered for “an epic American life” spanning from a humble start in a home with no electricity or indoor plumbing through decades on the world stage across two centuries. “He will likely go down as one of the most misunderstood and underestimated figures in American history,” Alter told The Associated Press. Photos: Former President Jimmy Carter through the years Jimmy Carter is shown at age 6, with his sister, Gloria, 4, in 1931 in Plains, Georgia. (AP Photo) This is a 1932 photo of Jimmy Carter at age 7 in Plains, Ga. (AP Photo) Lt. Jimmy Carter peers at instruments on submarine USS K-1 in a 1952 photo. Directly in front of Carter, smoking a cigar, is Don Dickson. He had forgotten he ever served with Carter until he came upon the photo during Christmas, 1977. A friend got it to the White House where Carter wrote: "To my friend Donald Dickson - Jimmy Carter, USS K-1 to White House." (AP Photo) FILE - In this Sept. 15, 1966 file photo, then Georgia State Sen. Jimmy Carter hugs his wife, Rosalynn, at his Atlanta campaign headquarters. Jimmy Carter, winner in Georgia's runoff primary in the Democratic Party to determine the party's candidate for the November election for governor, 1970. (AP Photo) Former State Sen. Jimmy Carter listens to applause at the Capitol in Atlanta on April 3, 1970, after announcing his candidacy or governor. In background, his wife Rosalyn holds two-year-old daughter Amy who joined in the applause. Carter, 45, of Plains, Ga., finished third in the 1966 Democratic Primary behind Gov. Lester Maddox and Ellis Arnall. (AP Photo/Charles Kelly) Democratic gubernatorial nominee Jimmy Carter and his wife Rosalynn clutch the microphones as he claims victory in a runoff election at campaign headquarters in Atlanta, Georgia, September 24, 1970. Carter beat former Georgia Governor Carl Sanders for the nomination and will face Republican candidate Hal Suit, veteran television newsman, in the general election Nov. 3, 1970. (AP Photo/Charles Kelly) Former state Sen. Jimmy Carter breaks into a broad smile after early returns gave him a lead of almost 2-1 in the Democratic runoff against former Gov. Carl Sanders, Sept. 23, 1970, in Atlanta, Ga. The winner will meet the Republic Hal Suit for the governorship of Georgia on the Nov. 3 general election. (AP Photo/Charles Kelly) Governor-elect Jimmy Carter and his daughter Amy, 3, walk about the grounds by the fountain at the Governor's Mansion in Atlanta, Ga., Jan. 10, 1971, as they get to know the place where they will live for the next four years. Carter will be sworn in as governor of Georgia Tuesday. (AP Photo) Judge Robert H. Jordan administers the oath of office to Gov. Jimmy Carter during ceremonies at the state capitol in Atlanta. Ga., Jan. 12, 1971. Next to the judge is former Gov. Lester Maddox, who will take over as lieutenant governer of Georgia. (AP Photo) Jimmy Carter of Georgia, seen here Feb. 6, 1971, already described as a symbol of a new breed of moderate southern politician, says that the race question has ceased to be a major issue "between or among candidates" running for office in the old confederacy. (AP Photo) Jimmy Carter, Governor of Georgia, is shown at his desk in Atlanta, on February 19, 1971. (AP Photo) Georgia's Gov. Jimmy Carter reaches for pen February 25, 1972 to sign a Georgia Senate House resolution opposing forced busing to achieve integration in the classrooms of the United States. Georgia Gov. Jimmy Carter joins a half-dozen Rockettes in a high kick, September 21, 1973, at Radio City Music Hall in New York, while visiting backstage before an afternoon performance. Carter is in New York to induce the film industry to make pictures in his state. (AP Photo/stf) Georgia Gov. Jimmy Carter, right, and Delaware Gov. Sherman Tribbitt say hello to Atlanta Braves Hank Aaron, left, following a rain canceled game with the Los Angeles Dodgers, Thursday, Sept. 27, 1973, Atlanta, Ga. The cancellation slowed Aaron’s opportunity to tie or break Babe Ruth’s home run record. (AP Photo) Georgia Gov. Jimmy Carter spoke to 18,000 messengers to the Southern Baptist Convention on Thursday, June 13, 1974 in Dallas, Texas. He urged Baptists to use their personal and political influence to return the nation to ideals of stronger commitment and higher ethics. He said "there is no natural division between a man's Christian life and his political life." (AP Photo/Greg Smith) Georgia Gov. Jimmy Carter tells a gathering, Saturday, Oct. 5, 1974 at the National Press Club in Washington about his ideas concerning energy conservation. (AP Photo) In this Thursday, Aug. 14, 1975 file photo, former Georgia Gov. Jimmy Carter announces in Washington that he qualified for federal matching funds to help finance his campaign for the 1976 Democratic presidential nomination. Former Georgia Gov. Jimmy Carter, right, drew about 5,000 people to Youngstown's Federal Plaza in Youngstown, Ohio, in his quest for support in Tuesday's Ohio Democratic primary, June 7, 1976. The presidential hopeful waded into the crowd, shaking hands and signing autographs. Carter, speaking to the largest crowd to assemble during his Ohio campaign, said 1976 would be a Democratic year because of the Watergate aftermath and other national ills. (AP Photo) In this Monday, Aug. 23, 1976 file photo, Democratic presidential candidate Jimmy Carter gives an informal press conference in Los Angeles during a campaign tour through the West and Midwest. On Wednesday, Aug. 12, 2015. (AP Photo) Democratic Presidential nominee Jimmy Carter, left, eats some freshly roasted barbecue chicken with his brother Billy Carter at Billy's gas station, Sept 11, 1976, Plains, Ga. The nominee had returned the night before from a week of campaigning, and planned to hold an impromptu press conference at the gas station. (AP Photo/Jeff Taylor) Democratic presidential nominee, Jimmy Carter, is all smiles as he talks with his brother Billy at the Carter Family Peanut warehouse, September 18, 1976. (AP Photo) Jimmy Carter stands in a large mound of peanuts at the Carter Peanut Warehouse in Plains, Ga., September 22, 1976. The Democratic party presidential nominee took an early morning walk through the warehouse to inspect some of the harvest. (AP Photo) FILE - In this Oct. 6, 1976 file photo with his wife Rosalynn Carter looking on at center, Democratic presidential candidate Jimmy Carter, center left, shakes hands with President Gerald Ford at the conclusion of their debate at the Palace of Fine Arts Theater in San Francisco, Calif. (AP Photo, File) Jimmy Carter, Democratic candidate for president, is joined by his daughter, Amy, as he waves from the rostrum at Fort Worth Convention Center, Texas, Sunday, Nov. 1, 1976. Carter and his family have been campaigning Texas, making a last minute bid for the state's 26 electoral votes. The others are not identified. (AP Photo) U.S. President-elect Jimmy Carter waves to supporters as he is surrounded by family members at a hotel in Atlanta, Ga., on Nov. 3, 1976. Carter won the presidential election by 297 electoral votes to 241 for Ford. Standing next to him is his wife, Rosalynn, and their daughter Amy Lynn, far right. The others are unidentified. (AP Photo) President-elect Jimmy Carter and his wife Rosalynn wipe tears from their eyes after returning to their home town in Plains, Ga., Nov. 3, 1976. The Carter family was greeted by local residents after returning from Atlanta. (AP Photo) President-elect Jimmy Carter leans over to shake hands with some of the people riding the "Peanut Special" to Washington D.C., Jan. 19, 1977. They will travel all night, arriving in Washington in time for Carter's inauguration as President tomorrow. (AP Photo) Jimmy Carter takes the oath of office as the nation's 39th president during inauguration ceremonies in Washington, D.C., on Jan. 20, 1977. Carter's wife, Rosalynn, holds the Bible used in the first inauguration by George Washington as U.S. Chief Justice Warren Burger administers the oath. Looking on at left are, Happy Rockefeller, Betty Ford, Joan Mondale, Amy Carter, and outgoing President Gerald Ford. Behind Carter is Vice President Walter Mondale. At far right is former Vice President Nelson Rockefeller. (AP Photo) Rosalynn Carter, left, looks up at her husband Jimmy Carter as he takes the oath of office as the 39th President of the United States at the Capitol, Thursday, Jan. 20, 1977, Washington, D.C. Mrs. Carter held a family Bible for her husband. (AP Photo) Jimmy Carter and first lady Rosalynn Carter walk down Pennsylvania Avenue after Carter was sworn in as the nations 39th President, Jan. 20, 1977, Washington, D.C. (AP Photo) FILE - In this Thursday, Jan. 20, 1977 file photo, President Jimmy Carter waves to the crowd while walking with his wife, Rosalynn, and their daughter, Amy, along Pennsylvania Avenue from the Capitol to the White House following his inauguration in Washington. (AP Photo/Suzanne Vlamis) In this Jan. 24, 1977 file photo, President Jimmy Carter is interviewed in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington. In this file photo dated May 1977, U.S. President Jimmy Carter, right, and Britain's Queen Elizabeth II with French President Valery Giscard d'Estaing, at Buckingham Palace in London. In this Feb. 20, 1978, file photo, President Jimmy Carter listens to Sen. Joseph R. Biden, D-Del., as they wait to speak at fund raising reception at Padua Academy in Wilmington, Del. (AP Photo/Barry Thumma, File) President Jimmy Carter tucks his thumbs into his jeans and laughs as he prepares to head down the Salmon River in Idaho August 1978 for a three day rubber raft float. (AP Photo) United States President Jimmy Carter, on a visit to West Germany in 1978, rides with Chancellor Helmut Schmidt during a review of United States Forces at a base near Frankfurt. (AP Photo) Egyptian President Anwar Sadat, left, U.S. President Jimmy Carter, center, and Israeli Prime Minister Menachem Begin clasp hands on the north lawn of the White House after signing the peace treaty between Egypt and Israel on March 26, 1979. (AP Photo/ Bob Daugherty) President Jimmy Carter, left, and Soviet President Leonid Brezhnev, right, sign the documents of the SALT II Treaty in the Vienna Imperial Hofburg Palace, Monday, June 18, 1979, Vienna, Austria. President Jimmy Carter leans across the roof of his car to shake hands along the parade route through Bardstown, Ky., Tuesday afternoon, July 31, 1979. The president climbed on top of the car as the parade moved toward the high school gym, where a town meeting was held. (AP Photo/Bob Daugherty) In this April 25, 1980 file photo, President Jimmy Carter prepares to make a national television address from the Oval Office at the White House in Washington, on the failed mission to rescue the Iran hostages. President Jimmy Carter applauds as Sen. Edward Kennedy waves to cheering crowds of the Democratic National Convention in New York's Madison Square Garden, Aug. 14, 1980. (AP Photo/Bob Daugherty) President Jimmy Carter raises a clenched fist during his address to the Democratic Convention, August 15, 1980, in New York's Madison Square Garden where he accepted his party's nomination to face Republican Ronald Reagan in the general election. (AP Photo/stf) Massachusetts Senator Edward M. Kennedy greets President Jimmy Carter after he landed at Boston's Logan Airport, Aug. 21, 1980. President Carter is in Boston to address the American Legion Convention being held in Boston. (AP Photo) President Jimmy Carter, left, and Gov. Bill Clinton of Arkansas enjoy a chuckle during a rally for Carter in Texarkana, Texas, Oct. 22, 1980. Texarkana was the last stop for Carter on a three-city one-day campaign swing through Texas. (AP Photo/John Duricka) In this Oct. 28, 1980 file photo, President Jimmy Carter shakes hands with Republican Presidential candidate Ronald Reagan after debating in the Cleveland Music Hall in Cleveland. (AP Photo/Madeline Drexler, File) Former US President Jimmy Carter, who had negotiated for the hostages release right up to the last hours of his Presidency, lifts his arm to the crowd, while putting his other hand around the shoulders of a former hostage in Iran, believed to be Bruce Laingen, at US AIR Force Hospital in Wiesbaden, Germany, Wednesday, January 21, 1981. Former Pres. Jimmy Carter, center, is joined by his wife Rosalynn and his brother Billy Carter during session of the Democratic National Convention, Tuesday, July 19, 1988, Atlanta, Ga. Billy had been recently diagnosed with cancer. (AP Photo/Bob Daugherty) Former U.S. President Jimmy Carter speaks to newsmen as PLO Chairman Yasser Arafat, right, looks on after the two men met in Paris Wednesday, April 4, 1990. Carter said he felt some leaders did not represent the region's yearning for peace. (AP Photo/Pierre Gieizes) Former U.S. President Jimmy Carter, center, introduces his wife Rosalynn, right, to Chinese Communist Party General Secretary Jiang Zemin, April 14, 1991 in Beijing. (AP Photo/Mark Avery) Former President Jimmy Carter gestures at a United Nations news conference in New York, April 23, 1993 about the world conference on Human Rights to be held by the United Nations in Vienna June 14-25. (AP Photo/Richard Drew) Former Presidents George Bush, left, and Jimmy Carter, right, stand with President Clinton and wave to volunteers during a kick-off rally for the President's Volunteer Summit at Marcus Foster Stadium in Philladelphia, PA., Sunday morning April 27, 1997. (AP Photo/Stephan Savoia) President Bill Clinton presents former President Jimmy Carter, right, with the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the nation's highest civilian honor, during a ceremony at the Carter Center in Atlanta Monday, Aug. 9, 1999. (AP Photo/John Bazemore) Former U.S. President Jimmy Carter adjusts his glasses during a press conference in Managua, Nicaragua, Thursday, July 6, 2006. The former president and 2002 Nobel Peace Prize winner is heading a delegation from the democracy-promoting Carter Center, based at Emory University in Atlanta, Georgia, to observe preparations for Nicaragua's Nov. 5 presidential election. (AP Photo/Esteban Felix) In this Friday, Dec. 8, 2006 file photo, former President Jimmy Carter signs copies of his book "Palestine: Peace Not Apartheid" at the Carter Center in Atlanta, Ga. (AP Photo/Ric Feld) Former President George H.W. Bush, left, watches as Jimmy Carter and Bill Clinton chat during a dedication ceremony for the Billy Graham Library in Charlotte, N.C., Thursday, May 31, 2007. (AP Photo/Gerry Broome) Former President Jimmy Carter poses for a portrait during the Toronto International Film Festival in Toronto, Monday, Sept. 10, 2007. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster) Former President Jimmy Carter poses on the red carpet for the documentary film, "Jimmy Carter: Man From Plains" during the Toronto International Film Festival in Toronto, Monday, Sept. 10, 2007. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster) Former President Jimmy Carter, right, and his wife Rosalynn wave to the audience at the Democratic National Convention in Denver, Monday, Aug. 25, 2008. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong) Former President Jimmy Carter, right, and former first lady Rosalynn Carter are seen on stage at the Democratic National Convention in Denver, Monday, Aug. 25, 2008. (AP Photo/Paul Sancya) Former President Jimmy Carter waves to the crowd as he goes on stage at the Democratic National Convention in Denver, Monday, Aug. 25, 2008.(AP Photo/Paul Sancya) Former President Jimmy Carter, right, is seen with Democratic vice presidential candidate Sen. Joe Biden, D-Del., at the Democratic National Convention in Denver, Tuesday, Aug. 26, 2008. (AP Photo/Paul Sancya) President-elect Barack Obama is welcomed by President George W. Bush for a meeting at the White House in Washington, Wednesday, Jan. 7, 2009, with former presidents, from left, George H.W. Bush, Bill Clinton and Jimmy Carter. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite) In this photo taken Saturday, May 29, 2010, former South Africa president Nelson Mandela, right, reacts with former US president Jimmy Carter, during a reunion with The Elders, three years after he launched the group, in Johannesburg, South Africa. (AP Photo/Jeff Moore, Pool) Former US President Jimmy Carter, center, one of the delegates of the Elders group of retired prominent world figures, holds a Palestinian child during a visit to the east Jerusalem neighborhood of Silwan, Thursday, Oct. 21, 2010. (AP Photo/Menahem Kahana, Pool) Former President Jimmy Carter, 86, leads Habitat for Humanity volunteers to help build and repair houses in Washington's Ivy City neighborhood, Monday, Oct. 4, 2010. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite) FILE - In this Friday, Oct. 22, 2010 file photo, former president of Ireland, Mary Robinson, background right, looks at former U.S. president, Jimmy Carter, center, while visiting a weekly protest in the east Jerusalem neighborhood of Sheikh Jarrah. The protest was organized by groups supporting Palestinians evicted from their homes in east Jerusalem by Israeli authorities. (AP Photo/Bernat Armangue) Former U.S. President Jimmy Carter, his wife, Rosalynn, and former UN Secretary General Kofi Annan conclude a visit to a polling center the southern capital of Juba Sunday, Jan. 9, 2011. (AP Photo/Pete Muller) Former President Jimmy Carter signs his name in the guest book at the Jewish Community center in Havana, Cuba, Monday March 28, 2011. Carter arrived in Cuba to discuss economic policies and ways to improve Washington-Havana relations, which are even more tense than usual over the imprisonment of Alan Gross, a U.S. contractor, on the island. C (AP Photo/Adalberto Roque, Pool) Former U.S. President Jimmy Carter pauses during an interview as he and his wife Rosalynn visit a Habitat for Humanity project in Leogane, Haiti, Monday Nov. 7, 2011. The Carters joined volunteers from around the world to build 100 homes in partnership with earthquake-affected families in Haiti during a week-long Habitat for Humanity housing project. (AP Photo/Ramon Espinosa) Former U.S. President Jimmy Carter, sits prior to a meeting with Israel's President Shimon Peres at the President's residence in Jerusalem, Sunday, Oct. 21, 2012. Peres met two of 'The Elders', a group composed of eminent global leaders brought together by Nelson Mandela. (AP Photo/Sebastian Scheiner) Former U.S. President Jimmy Carter watches baseball players work out before Game 2 of the National League Division Series between the Atlanta Braves and the Los Angeles Dodgers, Friday, Oct. 4, 2013, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/Dave Martin) Former President Jimmy Carter speaks during a forum at the John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum in Boston, Thursday, Nov. 20, 2014. Among other topics, Carter discussed his new book, "A Call to Action: Women, Religion, Violence, and Power." (AP Photo/Elise Amendola) President Jimmy Carter, left, and Rosalynn Carter arrive at the 2015 MusiCares Person of the Year event at the Los Angeles Convention Center on Friday, Feb. 6, 2015 in Los Angeles. (Photo by Richard Shotwell/Invision/AP) In this July 10, 2015, file photo, former President Jimmy Carter is seen in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke, File) In a Sunday, Aug. 23, 2015 file photo, former President Jimmy Carter teaches Sunday School class at Maranatha Baptist Church in his hometown, in Plains, Ga. (AP Photo/David Goldman, File) Former President Jimmy Carter answers questions during a news conference at a Habitat for Humanity building site Monday, Nov. 2, 2015, in Memphis, Tenn. Carter and his wife, Rosalynn, have volunteered a week of their time annually to Habitat for Humanity since 1984, events dubbed "Carter work projects" that draw thousands of volunteers and take months of planning. (AP Photo/Mark Humphrey) Former President Bill Clinton, left, and former president Jimmy Carter shake hands after speaking at a Clinton Global Initiative meeting Tuesday, June 14, 2016, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/John Bazemore) Former U.S. President Jimmy Carter holds a morning devotion in Memphis, Tenn., on Monday, Aug. 22, 2016, before he and his wife Rosalynn help build a home for Habitat for Humanity. (AP Photo/Alex Sanz) Former president Jimmy Carter and Rosalynn Carter arrive during the 58th Presidential Inauguration at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, Friday, Jan. 20, 2017. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik) In this Feb. 8, 2017, file photo, former President Jimmy Carter speaks during a ribbon cutting ceremony for a solar panel project on farmland he owns in his hometown of Plains, Ga. (AP Photo/David Goldman, File) Former President George W. Bush, center, speaks as fellow former Presidents from right, Barack Obama, Bill Clinton, George H.W. Bush and Jimmy Carter look on during a hurricanes relief concert in College Station, Texas, Saturday, Oct. 21, 2017. All five living former U.S. presidents joined to support a Texas concert raising money for relief efforts from Hurricane Harvey, Irma and Maria's devastation in Texas, Florida, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. (AP Photo/LM Otero) Former President Jimmy Carter, 93, sits for an interview about his new book "Faith: A Journey For All" which will debut at no. 7 on the New York Times best sellers list, pictured before a book signing Wednesday, April 11, 2018, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/John Amis) Former President Jimmy Carter speaks as Democratic gubernatorial candidate Stacey Abrams listens during a news conference to announce Abrams' rural health care plan Tuesday, Sept. 18, 2018, in Plains, Ga. (AP Photo/John Bazemore) Former President Jimmy Carter and Rosalynn Carter are seen ahead of an NFL football game between the Atlanta Falcons and the Cincinnati Bengals, Sunday, Sept. 30, 2018, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/John Bazemore) Former President Jimmy Carter takes questions submitted by students during an annual Carter Town Hall held at Emory University Wednesday, Sept. 18, 2019, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/John Amis) Democratic presidential candidate former South Bend, Ind., Mayor Pete Buttigieg, left, meets with former President Jimmy Carter, center, at Buffalo Cafe in Plains, Ga., Sunday, March 1, 2020. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke) Former President Jimmy Carter reacts as his wife Rosalynn Carter speaks during a reception to celebrate their 75th wedding anniversary on July 10, 2021, in Plains, Ga. In this Nov. 3, 2019, file photo, former President Jimmy Carter teaches Sunday school at Maranatha Baptist Church in Plains, Ga. FILE - Former President Jimmy Carter teaches Sunday school at Maranatha Baptist Church, in Plains, Ga., Nov. 3, 2019. Well-wishes and fond remembrances for the former president continued to roll in Sunday, Feb. 19, 2023, a day after he entered hospice care at his home in Georgia. (AP Photo/John Amis, File) Former President Jimmy Carter, arrives to attend a tribute service for his wife and former first lady Rosalynn Carter, at Glenn Memorial Church, Tuesday, Nov. 28, 2023, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik) Former President Jimmy Carter arrives for the funeral service for his wife, former first lady Rosalynn Carter at Maranatha Baptist Church, Wednesday, Nov. 29, 2023, in Plains, Ga. The former first lady died on Nov. 19. She was 96. (AP Photo/John Bazemore) A sign wishing former President Jimmy Carter a happy 100th birthday sits on the North Lawn of the White House in Washington, Tuesday, Oct. 1, 2024. (AP Photo/Susan Walsh) Stay up-to-date on the latest in local and national government and political topics with our newsletter.

A retired FBI supervisor is praising President-elect Donald Trump’s selection of Kash Patel to head the FBI once he gets into office, calling Patel “the right fix.” Retired FBI Supervisory Special Agent Jeff Danik endorsed Patel fully on Just the News’s John Solomon Reports podcast on Monday. “This guy is completely and 100% qualified to run that organization. He’s what’s needed today. He’s the right fix,” Danik told Solomon. Indeed, Patel has a powerful resume. He led counterterrorism activities for the White House in Trump’s first term and has served as senior adviser to the Director of National Intelligence, chief of staff at the Pentagon, and leading attorney for the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence (HPSCI). Patel has also served as both a prosecutor and public defender. Danik, who noted that Patel has a high level of support among many agents, emphasized that the vast depth and breadth of Patel’s experience puts him in a well-rounded position to lead the bureau: “He has the correct balance, in my view, having been there for almost 30 years,” Danik said of Patel. “He has the correct balance of prosecutor, which is what we do. We feed the prosecution tube. Defense attorney, so the other side of that coin. Intelligence, the intelligence agencies, which is a key element to the FBI’s either success or failure. “And then also, I think this is personal, that he’s been a victim himself of the system,” Danik said. “And the combination of those things uniquely qualifies him beyond his, you know, substantial accomplishments.” Patel outlined sweeping changes he would like to see in the agency during an appearance on the Shawn Ryan Show in September. “The FBI’s footprint has gotten so freaking big, and the biggest problem the FBI has had has come out of its Intel shops. I’d break that component out of it,” he said. “I’d shut down the FBI Hoover Building on day one and reopen it the next day as a museum of the deep state,” he added. “And I’d take the 7,000 employees that work in that building and send them across America to chase down criminals.” Patel will have to undergo a confirmation process to replace current FBI Director Christopher Wray. As the Allbritton Journalism Institute reported , Republican senators seemed warm to the idea of Patel on Monday .The 27-year-old achieved the feat with a 23-yard run during the fourth quarter of the Eagles’ crushing 41-7 success at Lincoln Financial Field. Barkley is 100 yards short of Eric Dickerson’s record of 2,105 yards, set in 1984 for the Los Angeles Rams, ahead of next week’s regular season finale against the New York Giants. Single-season rushing record in reach. @saquon @Eagles pic.twitter.com/iSHyXeMLv1 — NFL (@NFL) December 29, 2024 However, he could be rested for that game in order to protect him from injury ahead of the play-offs. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers kept alive their dreams of reaching the play-offs by overcoming the Carolina Panthers 48-14. Veteran quarterback Baker Mayfield produced a dominant performance at Raymond James Stadium, registering five passing touchdowns to equal a Buccaneers franchise record. he BAKED today 👨‍🍳 pic.twitter.com/eFX9fd1w5P — NFL (@NFL) December 29, 2024 The Buffalo Bills clinched the AFC conference number two seed for the post season with a 40-14 success over the New York Jets at Highmark Stadium. Josh Allen passed for 182 yards and two touchdowns, while rushing for another. Buffalo finish the 2024 regular season undefeated at home, with eight wins from as many games. The Indianapolis Colts’ hopes of reaching the play-offs were ended by a 45-33 defeat to the Giants. FINAL: Drew Lock accounts for 5 TDs in the @Giants victory! #INDvsNYG pic.twitter.com/N8HJYth09F — NFL (@NFL) December 29, 2024 Malik Nabers exploded for 171 yards and two touchdowns and Ihmir Smith-Marsette broke a 100-yard kick-off return to give the Giants their highest-scoring output under head coach Brian Daboll. Quarterback Drew Lock threw four touchdown passes and accounted for a fifth on the ground to seal the win. Elsewhere, Mac Jones threw two touchdowns to help the Jacksonville Jaguars defeat the Tennessee Titans 20-13, while the Las Vegas Raiders beat the New Orleans Saints 25-10.

Like it or not, the Constitution’s First Amendment gives the media special protection in the American republic. That amendment says, “Congress shall make no law ... abridging the freedom ... of the press.” With one of the recent presidential candidates unconstitutionally threatening to shut down media outlets or take away their (nonexistent) licenses when they say or do something he doesn’t like, it is not hard to imagine him in office trying to ferret out government whistleblowers by applying legal coercion to force members of the press to cough up their sources. In fact, this candidate, when he was president previously, did precisely that, as did his predecessor from the opposite party to an even greater extent. Forty-nine states and the District of Columbia have laws or state court rulings that shield reporters from such government coercion. Despite the special protection of the media by the Constitution at the national level, no similar federal law exists to provide the same safeguard. Thus, federal Circuit Courts of Appeals rulings have had to give some stopgap protection. Why is a federal shield law for reporters needed? If the government cannot keep its essential information under wraps, then the media should be free to publish it for public inspection. However, the government doesn’t see it that way, and it has plenty of coercive legal power to subpoena reporters of leaked information to divulge their sources so that any government leaker can be prosecuted. And legally, if reporters gather or transmit vaguely defined “national defense information” from leakers or whistleblowers, the journalists can risk being prosecuted criminally through the Espionage Act of 1917; only tradition has circumscribed the prosecution of reporters under the law. Of course, the general lack of protection for reporters’ sources dissuades such federal whistleblowers from talking to reporters about wrongdoing or corruption in government. Even in a republic, the public should be aware that plenty of corruption and skullduggery exist in government. A proposed federal shield law, the PRESS (Protect Reporters from Exploitative State Spying) Act, is going through Congress and passed by the House of Representatives unanimously twice (an unusual feat of consensus in today’s polarized political world). However, the bill has been opposed in the Senate by a small group of members because it would encourage leaks of national security and law enforcement information. Yet, the bill has exceptions to force reporters to divulge sources to prevent any acts of terrorism or imminent violence and does not provide immunity to reporters who commit illegal acts to obtain information (such as hacking, etc.). Also, it is widely acknowledged that much overclassification exists in information classified by the feds for “national security” reasons and that classification can be flagrantly abused to hide information that is embarrassing to the government. Finally, the few senators objecting to the bill claim to be constitutional textualists and originalists. Yet, the First Amendment’s prohibition on abridging the freedom of the press mentions no exception for “national security.” Besides, the government has so much coercive power that it can often find leakers and prosecute them without intimidating reporters to divulge their sources. With any federal shield law, it may seem that reporters have been designated as a special class of citizens, but the First Amendment already realizes that keeping a vibrant republic demands special protections to maintain a free press. (In the internet era, however, any conception of journalists may need to be widened to include new forms of the profession.) And those safeguards for the press may be especially needed if a candidate is elected who parrots Joseph Stalin by deeming the press “an enemy of the people” and regularly threatens media outlets with retribution and coercion.

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