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WASHINGTON — The United States is expected to announce that it will send $1.25 billion in military assistance to Ukraine, U.S. officials said Friday, as the Biden administration pushes to get as much aid to Kyiv as possible before leaving office on Jan. 20. The large package of aid includes a significant amount of munitions, including for the National Advanced Surface-to-Air Missile Systems and the HAWK air defense system. It also will provide Stinger missiles and 155 mm- and 105 mm artillery rounds, officials said. The officials, who said they expect the announcement to be made on Monday, spoke on condition of anonymity to provide details not yet made public. The new aid comes as Russia has launched a barrage of attacks against Ukraine’s power facilities in recent days, although Ukraine has said it intercepted a significant number of the missiles and drones. Russian and Ukrainian forces are also still in a bitter battle around the Russian border region of Kursk, where Moscow has sent thousands of North Korean troops to help reclaim territory taken by Ukraine. Earlier this month, senior defense officials acknowledged that that the Defense Department may not be able to send all of the remaining $5.6 billion in Pentagon weapons and equipment stocks passed by Congress for Ukraine before President-elect Donald Trump is sworn in. Trump has talked about getting some type of negotiated settlement between Ukraine and Russia, and spoken about his relationship with Russian President Vladimir Putin . Many U.S. and European leaders are concerned that it might result in a poor deal for Ukraine and they worry that he won’t provide Ukraine with all the weapons funding approved by Congress. The aid in the new package is in presidential drawdown authority, which allows the Pentagon to take weapons off the shelves and send them quickly to Ukraine. This latest assistance would reduce the remaining amount to about $4.35 billion. Officials have said they hope that an influx of aid will help strengthen Ukraine’s hand, should Zelenskyy decide it’s time to negotiate. One senior defense official said that while the U.S. will continue to provide weapons to Ukraine until Jan. 20, there may well be funds remaining that will be available for the incoming Trump administration to spend. According to the Pentagon, there is also about $1.2 billion remaining in longer-term funding through the Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative. , which is used to pay for weapons contracts that would not be delivered for a year or more. Officials have said the administration anticipates releasing all of that money before the end of the calendar year. If the new package is included, the U.S. has provided more than $64 billion in security assistance to Ukraine since Russia invaded in February 2022.Blum Holdings CEO Sabas Carrillo acquires $7,992 in stock
NoneOKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored 35 points and the Oklahoma City Thunder won their 11th straight game, beating the short-handed Memphis Grizzlies 130-106 on Sunday night in a matchup of Western Conference leaders that turned lopsided before halftime. Rookie Ajay Mitchell scored 17 points, Aaron Wiggins contributed 16 and Jalen Williams added 14 points and 10 rebounds for the Thunder (26-5), who opened a five-game lead over second-place Memphis. Javascript is required for you to be able to read premium content. Please enable it in your browser settings. Get the latest sports news delivered right to your inbox six days a week.Spie Sa (OTCMKTS:SPIWF) Short Interest Update
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LAURYN Goodman seems to be taking her career in an unexpected new direction, with insiders saying she’s keen to keep herself in the spotlight. Embracing a new-age hippy persona on social media, the 33-year-old proudly presents herself as an " Earth mother" to her two kids she shares with love rat Kyle Walker. And now after her attempt to set up home with her former lover Manchester City and England defender Kyle Walker failed, Lauryn allegedly is "desperate for the limelight." Last week, The Sun Newspaper exclusively revealed that she was seen partying with England goalkeeper Jordan Pickforward and teammates. An onlooker said that Jordan was downing “shot after shot” after buying the drinks for team-mates and Lauryn at upmarket hotspot Bagatelle in Mayfair, West London. Now, sources close to her say that the TV personality has changed her way of working in a “desperate” bid to boost her career. Insiders told the Mail Online that she “recently employed a new agent to help get her work” as she “really wants to appear on a reality show." In fact, Lauryn, who previously appeared on Celebs Go Dating, has allegedly already set close pal and former glamour model Nicole McLean “the task of getting her on Celebrity Big Brother this year.” The source said: “She always says she doesn’t want her children to be forgotten but given her determination to be on TV, you have to wonder if she is the one who is desperate for the limelight, the fame and, frankly, to always be connected to Kyle. “Many women would just enjoy life and riches with their children.” Earlier this year, Kyle - who has four children with his ex-wife Annie - was reportedly “shocked” when she filed for divorce. Lauryn, who shares her two kids with Kyle, has expressed her desire to mend fences with Kyle following their highly publicised feud, which included a court battle. She shared: “I truly hope we can move forward and focus on what’s best for all the children. “I believe bridges can be rebuilt for Kairo and Kinara’s sake. Life is too short, and we’re connected through these two amazing kids we’ve brought into the world.” Lauryn and Kyle’s latest spat was over a doorbell at her £2.4 million home, which he helps maintain. When the fancy intercom system stopped working, she was given a Ring Doorbell as a quick fix. But Lauryn insisted the cheaper alternative would not provide the peace of mind she needs for her family. A source told The Sun: “She got in touch with Kyle’s property manager and asked if they could have [her security system] fixed. “They told her no and instead offered a Ring Doorbell system, which doesn’t have nearly the same level of security and won’t open the gate. She’s angry.” But a source close to Walker said: "As per the court order all housing issues are made directly to what is essentially the temporary landlord who deals with requests from Lauryn. "Should Lauryn have any issues she knows to ask the landlord to raise it with Kyle should they not be able to come to an agreement. "Kyle is completely unaware of any issues Lauryn has with the property and would urge her to follow the procedures put in place by the court which protect her and the children." Celebs Go Dating is soon welcoming a new bunch of famous faces in search of love. Here is where you may have seen some of them before...Published 23:59 IST, December 28th 2024 CPI(M) MLA's Son Caught With Ganja, Legislator Dismisses Allegations As Baseless Alappuzha: U Pratibha MLA denied the reports that her son was arrested with ganja on Saturday after the officials of the excise department arrested nine people for possessing the narcotics. Her son also rejected the allegations on social media. The Kayamkulam MLA on Facebook Live alleged that her son was only questioned when he was sitting with his friends, adding that the media was haunting her. "Since the news broke, I have been receiving many phone calls," she said. "When my son and friends were sitting together, the Excise officers came and asked questions, but the news came that my son was caught with ganja," she said. "If the news is true, I will apologise. If not, the media should apologise publicly," the MLA added. The Excise Department said that they have arrested nine people, including the son of CPI(M) MLA U Prathibha, with ganja from Thakazhi in Kuttanad in Alappuzha district. According to the officers, all nine were released on bail. "We seized ganja from a member of the group from under Thakazhi bridge. They were arrested for smoking and possessing weed. Since it was a small quantity, all were released on bail,” an Excise officer added. A case was registered and an investigation is underway. Get Current Updates on India News , Entertainment News along with Latest News and Top Headlines from India and around the world. Updated 23:59 IST, December 28th 2024ATLANTA — Jimmy Carter, the peanut farmer who won the presidency in the wake of the Watergate scandal and Vietnam War, endured humbling defeat after one tumultuous term and then redefined life after the White House as a global humanitarian, has died. He was 100 years old. The longest-lived American president died on Sunday, more than a year after entering hospice care, at his home in the small town of Plains, Georgia, where he and his wife, Rosalynn, who died at 96 in November 2023, spent most of their lives, The Carter Center said. “Our founder, former U.S. President Jimmy Carter, passed away this afternoon in Plains, Georgia,” the center said in posting about his death on the social media platform X. It added in a statement that he died peacefully, surrounded by his family. As reaction poured in from around the world, President Joe Biden mourned Carter’s death, saying the world lost an “extraordinary leader, statesman and humanitarian” and he lost a dear friend. Biden cited Carter’s compassion and moral clarity, his work to eradicate disease, forge peace, advance civil and human rights, promote free and fair elections, house the homeless and advocacy for the disadvantaged as an example for others. “To all of the young people in this nation and for anyone in search of what it means to live a life of purpose and meaning – the good life – study Jimmy Carter, a man of principle, faith, and humility,” Biden said in a statement. “He showed that we are a great nation because we are a good people – decent and honorable, courageous and compassionate, humble and strong.” Biden said he is ordering a state funeral for Carter in Washington. Businessman, Navy officer, evangelist, politician, negotiator, author, woodworker, citizen of the world — Carter forged a path that still challenges political assumptions and stands out among the 45 men who reached the nation’s highest office. The 39th president leveraged his ambition with a keen intellect, deep religious faith and prodigious work ethic, conducting diplomatic missions into his 80s and building houses for the poor well into his 90s. “My faith demands — this is not optional — my faith demands that I do whatever I can, wherever I am, whenever I can, for as long as I can, with whatever I have to try to make a difference,” Carter once said. A president from Plains A moderate Democrat, Carter entered the 1976 presidential race as a little-known Georgia governor with a broad smile, outspoken Baptist mores and technocratic plans reflecting his education as an engineer. His no-frills campaign depended on public financing, and his promise not to deceive the American people resonated after Richard Nixon’s disgrace and U.S. defeat in southeast Asia. “If I ever lie to you, if I ever make a misleading statement, don’t vote for me. I would not deserve to be your president,” Carter repeated before narrowly beating Republican incumbent Gerald Ford, who had lost popularity pardoning Nixon. Carter governed amid Cold War pressures, turbulent oil markets and social upheaval over racism, women’s rights and America’s global role. His most acclaimed achievement in office was a Mideast peace deal that he brokered by keeping Egyptian President Anwar Sadat and Israeli Prime Minister Menachem Begin at the bargaining table for 13 days in 1978. That Camp David experience inspired the post-presidential center where Carter would establish so much of his legacy. Yet Carter’s electoral coalition splintered under double-digit inflation, gasoline lines and the 444-day hostage crisis in Iran. His bleakest hour came when eight Americans died in a failed hostage rescue in April 1980, helping to ensure his landslide defeat to Republican Ronald Reagan. Carter acknowledged in his 2020 “White House Diary” that he could be “micromanaging” and “excessively autocratic,” complicating dealings with Congress and the federal bureaucracy. He also turned a cold shoulder to Washington’s news media and lobbyists, not fully appreciating their influence on his political fortunes. “It didn’t take us long to realize that the underestimation existed, but by that time we were not able to repair the mistake,” Carter told historians in 1982, suggesting that he had “an inherent incompatibility” with Washington insiders. Carter insisted his overall approach was sound and that he achieved his primary objectives — to “protect our nation’s security and interests peacefully” and “enhance human rights here and abroad” — even if he fell spectacularly short of a second term. 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.” 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. James Earl Carter Jr. was born Oct. 1, 1924, in Plains and spent his early years in nearby Archery. His family was a minority in the mostly Black community, decades before the civil rights movement played out at the dawn of Carter’s political career. Carter, who campaigned as a moderate on race relations but governed more progressively, talked often of the influence of his Black caregivers and playmates but also noted his advantages: His land-owning father sat atop Archery’s tenant-farming system and owned a main street grocery. His mother, Lillian, would become a staple of his political campaigns. Seeking to broaden his world beyond Plains and its population of fewer than 1,000 — then and now — Carter won an appointment to the U.S. Naval Academy, graduating in 1946. That same year he married Rosalynn Smith, another Plains native, a decision he considered more important than any he made as head of state. She shared his desire to see the world, sacrificing college to support his Navy career. Carter climbed in rank to lieutenant, but then his father was diagnosed with cancer, so the submarine officer set aside his ambitions of admiralty and moved the family back to Plains. His decision angered Rosalynn, even as she dived into the peanut business alongside her husband. Carter again failed to talk with his wife before his first run for office — he later called it “inconceivable” not to have consulted her on such major life decisions — but this time, she was on board. “My wife is much more political,” Carter told the AP in 2021. He won a state Senate seat in 1962 but wasn’t long for the General Assembly and its back-slapping, deal-cutting ways. He ran for governor in 1966 — losing to arch-segregationist Lester Maddox — and then immediately focused on the next campaign. Carter had spoken out against church segregation as a Baptist deacon and opposed racist “Dixiecrats” as a state senator. Yet as a local school board leader in the 1950s he had not pushed to end school segregation even after the Supreme Court's Brown v. Board of Education decision, despite his private support for integration. And in 1970, Carter ran for governor again as the more conservative Democrat against Carl Sanders, a wealthy businessman Carter mocked as “Cufflinks Carl.” Sanders never forgave him for anonymous, race-baiting flyers, which Carter disavowed. Ultimately, Carter won his races by attracting both Black voters and culturally conservative whites. Once in office, he was more direct. “I say to you quite frankly that the time for racial discrimination is over,” he declared in his 1971 inaugural address, setting a new standard for Southern governors that landed him on the cover of Time magazine. His statehouse initiatives included environmental protection, boosting rural education and overhauling antiquated executive branch structures. He proclaimed Martin Luther King Jr. Day in the slain civil rights leader’s home state. And he decided, as he received presidential candidates in 1972, that they were no more talented than he was. In 1974, he ran Democrats’ national campaign arm. Then he declared his own candidacy for 1976. An Atlanta newspaper responded with the headline: “Jimmy Who?” The Carters and a “Peanut Brigade” of family members and Georgia supporters camped out in Iowa and New Hampshire, establishing both states as presidential proving grounds. His first Senate endorsement: a young first-termer from Delaware named Joe Biden. Yet it was Carter’s ability to navigate America’s complex racial and rural politics that cemented the nomination. He swept the Deep South that November, the last Democrat to do so, as many white Southerners shifted to Republicans in response to civil rights initiatives. A self-declared “born-again Christian,” Carter drew snickers by referring to Scripture in a Playboy magazine interview, saying he “had looked on many women with lust. I’ve committed adultery in my heart many times.” The remarks gave Ford a new foothold and television comedians pounced — including NBC’s new “Saturday Night Live” show. But voters weary of cynicism in politics found it endearing. Carter chose Minnesota Sen. Walter “Fritz” Mondale as his running mate on a “Grits and Fritz” ticket. In office, he elevated the vice presidency and the first lady’s office. Mondale’s governing partnership was a model for influential successors Al Gore, Dick Cheney and Biden. Rosalynn Carter was one of the most involved presidential spouses in history, welcomed into Cabinet meetings and huddles with lawmakers and top aides. The Carters presided with uncommon informality: He used his nickname “Jimmy” even when taking the oath of office, carried his own luggage and tried to silence the Marine Band’s “Hail to the Chief.” They bought their clothes off the rack. Carter wore a cardigan for a White House address, urging Americans to conserve energy by turning down their thermostats. Amy, the youngest of four children, attended District of Columbia public school. Washington’s social and media elite scorned their style. But the larger concern was that “he hated politics,” according to Eizenstat, leaving him nowhere to turn politically once economic turmoil and foreign policy challenges took their toll. Carter partially deregulated the airline, railroad and trucking industries and established the departments of Education and Energy, and the Federal Emergency Management Agency. He designated millions of acres of Alaska as national parks or wildlife refuges. He appointed a then-record number of women and nonwhite people to federal posts. He never had a Supreme Court nomination, but he elevated civil rights attorney Ruth Bader Ginsburg to the nation’s second highest court, positioning her for a promotion in 1993. He appointed Paul Volker, the Federal Reserve chairman whose policies would help the economy boom in the 1980s — after Carter left office. He built on Nixon’s opening with China, and though he tolerated autocrats in Asia, pushed Latin America from dictatorships to democracy. But he couldn’t immediately tame inflation or the related energy crisis. And then came Iran. After he admitted the exiled Shah of Iran to the U.S. for medical treatment, the American Embassy in Tehran was overrun in 1979 by followers of the Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini. Negotiations to free the hostages broke down repeatedly ahead of the failed rescue attempt. The same year, Carter signed SALT II, the new strategic arms treaty with Leonid Brezhnev of the Soviet Union, only to pull it back, impose trade sanctions and order a U.S. boycott of the Moscow Olympics after the Soviets invaded Afghanistan. Hoping to instill optimism, he delivered what the media dubbed his “malaise” speech, although he didn’t use that word. He declared the nation was suffering “a crisis of confidence.” By then, many Americans had lost confidence in the president, not themselves. Carter campaigned sparingly for reelection because of the hostage crisis, instead sending Rosalynn as Sen. Edward M. Kennedy challenged him for the Democratic nomination. Carter famously said he’d “kick his ass,” but was hobbled by Kennedy as Reagan rallied a broad coalition with “make America great again” appeals and asking voters whether they were “better off than you were four years ago.” Reagan further capitalized on Carter’s lecturing tone, eviscerating him in their lone fall debate with the quip: “There you go again.” Carter lost all but six states and Republicans rolled to a new Senate majority. Carter successfully negotiated the hostages’ freedom after the election, but in one final, bitter turn of events, Tehran waited until hours after Carter left office to let them walk free. At 56, Carter returned to Georgia with “no idea what I would do with the rest of my life.” Four decades after launching The Carter Center, he still talked of unfinished business. “I thought when we got into politics we would have resolved everything,” Carter told the AP in 2021. “But it’s turned out to be much more long-lasting and insidious than I had thought it was. I think in general, the world itself is much more divided than in previous years.” Still, he affirmed what he said when he underwent treatment for a cancer diagnosis in his 10th decade of life. “I’m perfectly at ease with whatever comes,” he said in 2015. “I’ve had a wonderful life. I’ve had thousands of friends, I’ve had an exciting, adventurous and gratifying existence.”
One thing nearly all former presidents have in common is a love of sports. For Donald Trump, the game was golf. For Barack Obama, the sport was basketball. President George W. Bush owned Major League Baseball’s Texas Rangers. For Jimmy Carter, the sport was tennis. At the Jimmy Carter National Historical Park is a clay tennis court. The tennis court was installed during Carter’s childhood on the family farm. The farm and his childhood home later became the location for the park in Plains, Georgia. In his 1975 book “Why Not the Best?” Carter described how he would play against his father as a teenager. “My father ... was an excellent tennis player,” Carter wrote. “I could never beat my father. He had a wicked sliced ball which barely bounded at all on the relatively soft dirt court.” RELATED STORY | Former President Jimmy Carter dies at age 100 Carter was able to upgrade his court when he entered the White House in 1977. The complex had a court installed during President Theodore Roosevelt’s tenure. But during his time in the White House, the use of the tennis courts became political fodder. Staffer James Fallows wrote in The Atlantic that Carter would personally sign off on when the White House tennis court could be used, and by which staffers. “The in-house tennis enthusiasts, of whom I was perhaps the most shameless, dispatched brief notes through his secretary asking to use the court on Tuesday afternoons while he was at a congressional briefing, or a Saturday morning, while he was away,” Fallows wrote. “I always provided spaces where he could check Yes or No; Carter would make his decision and send the note back, initialed J.” Carter was asked by Bill Moyers about whether he personally signed off on the tennis court’s use. Carter told Moyers he delegated the task to a secretary. Carter’s love of tennis came home to Plains in 1977 during his first year in the White House. World Team Tennis staged a match in the small Georgia town, which was attended by Carter’s mother Lillian. The competition was between a team of Soviet Union stars against top Americans playing on the Phoenix Racquets.
With the holidays taking up much of your time, you may not be concentrating on retirement moves to make before 2025. But if you’re the type of person who does everything to the max, investing in your future retirement now could be a game changer. Contribution limits In 2024, you can invest up to $23,000 into your 401(k) retirement plan as per IRS contribution limits. If you’re over 50 and need to play catch-up, you can invest an extra $7,500. That means your total possible contribution for 2024 is $30,500. If that seems like a lot, it is. But you don’t have to max out your contributions if you can’t afford it. Employer matching can help. In 2025, you can invest $23,500, bringing your possible contribution up to $31,500. If you’re over 50, the catch-up contribution remains at $7,500 for 2025. But a huge change was made in SECURE 2.0 for employees aged 60 to 63 who participate in workplace retirement plans. Starting in 2025, this super catch-up contribution limit is $11,250 instead of $7,500. People are also reading... Four ways to max out 1. Figure out how much you contributed. If you’ve contributed as much as possible for the year, you’re in good shape going into 2025. If you’re not sure, you changed jobs or haven’t contributed consistently in 2024, you still have time to make adjustments to max out your 401(k) contributions for the year. 2. Check your employer’s match. Employer matching is a job benefit not to be overlooked. After all, for every dollar you save in your 401(k), your employer matches your contributions dollar-for-dollar or offers a partial match up to a certain percentage of your wages. Knowing where you stand can help you make the most of this opportunity. For example, let’s say you earn $50,000 per year and contribute $3,000 to your 401(k), or 6% of your salary. If your employer offers to match 50 cents of each dollar you contribute up to 6% of your pay, they would add $1,500 each year to your 401(k) account, boosting your total annual contributions to $4,500. 3. Look at your budget. Maxing out your 401(k) is always a good move. However, retirement planning can be a balancing act; sometimes, your budget is downright against it. If you have high debt or no money set aside for emergencies, you may want to hold off a bit. That doesn’t mean you shouldn’t contribute to your retirement plan at all. Maintaining contributions is important, even if it means not maxing it out. Still, if you wait too long to save, you’ll have to play catch-up. If you save too much, you may have to tap into your account early, which can mean early withdrawal penalties if you are under age 591⁄2. 4. Boost your contributions. If you have enough cash stashed away to cover a large lump sum contribution to your 401(k), you could max out your 401(k) contributions before the end of the year. You can do this by increasing the percentage you contribute monthly from your paycheck. You’ll want to speak with your employer or HR department to see if this is possible and fill out the necessary paperwork. Keep in mind that how often you increase it or even if you can will depend on your plan rules. You may also want to check to be sure your contributions are still automatic. Since it’s usually easier to save money if it’s automatically deducted from your paycheck, it may be worth reviewing your budget to see if you can boost your contribution amount to max out your 401(k). If you haven’t set up automatic payroll contributions, now is a good time to do so. 1 in 4 people say they’ll go into debt for the holidays. Is social media to blame? Benefits of maxing out Maxing out your 401(k) has some clear benefits. This is especially true if you’ve fallen behind on your savings goals or you simply want to grow your retirement nest egg faster. The main advantage is that you’ll have more money saved for retirement. According to Northwestern Mutual’s 2024 Planning & Progress Study, most retired Americans believe they will need nearly $1.5 million in the bank to retire comfortably. That’s a 15% increase — which far outpaces the 3% to 5% inflation rate — over 2023 and is up 53% from 2020. The money you put into your 401(k) lowers how much you’ll pay in taxes for the year, which may put you in a lower tax bracket. Also, 401(k) investments grow tax-deferred, so you won't pay taxes on the money until you withdraw the funds in retirement. If you have a Roth 401(k), you don't get a tax break on contributions because you fund your account with after-tax dollars. But the money you contribute grows tax-free and you won’t pay any taxes on your withdrawals in retirement. Speak with a pro Maxing out your 410(k) each year may not be enough to retire comfortably, but it is a great start. That’s why enlisting the help of a financial adviser in 2024 can help you get a head start on 2025 and a happy retirement down the road. 4 tips to help you experience exceptional cruise dining | PennyWise podcast You need to make $108,000 to afford a home in America Americans who bought homes in 2024 were older and richer than ever Why you shouldn't store your money in payment apps Kathryn Pomroy is a contributing writer at Kiplinger.com . For more on money topics, visit Kiplinger.com . Be the first to know Get local news delivered to your inbox!
Heirlooms Jewelry at 36 Main Street in downtown Stockbridge, will be under new management starting Jan. 1 as long time owners Robin Fleet and Phil Coleman, are retiring. New owners Ella and Shaun Hall are planning to continue a 54 year tradition of local ownership. STOCKBRIDGE — Since 1970, Heirlooms Jewelry — a shop tucked into the back of The Mews at 36 Main Street, near Once Upon a Table — has maintained a robust presence within the compact downtown business center. That presence will continue in 2025, with new owners. After 25 years of co-proprietorship, Philip Coleman and his wife and shop owner Robin Fleet are retiring at the close of business at 6 p.m. on New Year’s Eve. Without skipping a beat, Stockbridge native and current Lee resident Shaun Hall and his wife Ella, the new owners, will be opening the doors around 11 a.m. on New Year’s Day, with the intent of being open year-round, seven days a week. Heirlooms Jewelry in Stockbridge, established in 1970, is the second oldest business downtown. It will be under new ownership as of Jan. 1 as co-proprietors Robin Fleet and Phil Coleman, at left, are retiring and moving to a condo in a French chateau. At right, new owners Shaun and Ella Hall are planning to keep the store as is. During a recent conversation on a busy day inside the brightly-lit store, the foursome made it clear that very little will change following a smooth transition. Heirlooms counts on repeat visits by longtime steady customers, said Coleman. “It’s a business that people love,” he said. “This has been our best years.” Why sell it now? Coleman and Fleet are retiring to a condo they’ve purchased at a chateau in the Loire Valley of central France — where they had been frequent visitors for 50 years. “It’s a lovely spot,” said Coleman after acknowledging that leaving the store and the Lenox home they recently sold would be bittersweet. He had been ready to retire several years ago, but Fleet was not. “This store has been like a second child,” she explained. What did it take to persuade her? “He found the chateau!” she exclaimed. “We’ve met thousands of people from all over the world,” Coleman pointed out. “We’re going to miss the people and the good times with literally thousands of frequent customers who love the store and feel like they’re dealing with regular people. It’s a cool, fun place.” He said the store completes more than 5,000 sales annually, with tens of thousands of customers passing through. Heirlooms Jewelry in Stockbridge has had a 54 year tradition of local ownership. Specializing in antique and estate jewelry from the Victorian era to the present. Philip Coleman and Robin Fleet, co-proprietors for a total of 25 years, are retiring, having sold the business tp Shaun and Ella Hall of Lee. Fleet recalled one of her favorite moments, when a customer gifted a $250 piece of jewelry to a total stranger who had been looking it over but deemed it unaffordable. “I’m doing it because I can,” said the customer. “It was just a complete gift,” Fleet recalled. The business, originally called Folklorica, was started by Ellen Kenwood, taking over a space first occupied by fashion designer Nicole Miller . In 1980, Minna Zaret, the second owner, bought it, renaming it Heirlooms Jewelry. Befitting its name, the store always has specialized in antique and estate jewelry — “anything that’s technically not new,” Coleman explained. The stock is acquired from wholesale jewelry dealers, local estates, trade shows and events such as the Brimfield antique show. Coleman, a Philadelphia native, met Fleet, who grew up in Jacksonville, Fla., in first grade after his family moved there. They’ve known each other for 64 years and have been married for 40, moving to the Berkshires to raise their daughter. Fleet, stopping at Heirlooms to look for a ring, returned a week later, encountered a sign for a “closing” sale and bought business from Zaret in October 1995, paying about $130,000 for the value of the business and the inventory. Last summer, the Halls had considered buying it, Shaun explained, but it didn’t work out. On the day after this past Thanksgiving, with some revisions, the deal was consummated. With 75 percent of the store's inventory sold since last January, the price of the business transaction was $50,000, said Coleman. The building is owned by a subsidiary of William Gottlieb Management, LLC. Shaun Hall, born and raised in Lee but with deep family roots in Stockbridge, noted that his father and grandfather were models for Norman Rockwell . “We are very happy to be part of the community,” he said. A year ago, just a pebble’s throw from Heirlooms, Hall purchased 7 Arts Music, a record store specializing in vinyl, including half of his personal collection of 30,000 discs, which includes CDs and some vintage 45s and 78s. Customers call it “a walk down memory lane,” he said, with albums including '60s and '70s rock as well as classical and jazz. His wife Ella is a native of Armenia whom he met while in the Peace Corps teaching English from 1998 to 2000 in Armenia. Ella was among his students prior to their marriage. They’ve been raising four daughters in Lee, now ranging in age from 16 to 22. Ella, who teaches seventh grade English Language Arts at Lee Middle and High Schoo l, will keep that job despite her new role as co-proprietor of Heirlooms. The Halls have been apprenticing with Coleman and Fleet, learning how to run the business. “It will be a juggling act,” Ella conceded, “but I’m a hard worker and these are my passions — teaching and being surrounded by jewelry.” Her husband, who will keep his part-time job at St. Mary’s School in Lee , and their oldest daughters, Liana and Ariana, will take their turns running the store. Heirlooms Jewelry will continue to be open from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. on weekdays, and 11 to 8 Fridays through Sundays. A revamped website, heirloomsjewelry.com, will be online soon, complementing the store's Facebook page. “We have a lot to grasp and learn,” Ella said. “Eventually, I’d love to bring in jewelry from around the world.” Coleman and Fleet will be available for consultation even after they’re ensconced in the French chateau. “I have his number,” said Shaun, though he’ll bear the six-hour time difference in mind. “We’ll keep everything here exactly the same, the service and everything customers are used to,” he said. “This store has been a part of Stockbridge history for a very long time.” Heirlooms Jewelry is the second-oldest business in Stockbridge. Williams & Sons Country Store holds pride of place as the first, established about 60 years ago. “We’re keeping the legacy,” Ella said. “We wish Robin and Phil the best of luck, and we’re really thankful to them for their guidance and support.”
Dayle Haddon, an actor, activist and trailblazing former “Sports Illustrated” model who pushed back against age discrimination by reentering the industry as a widow, has died in a Pennsylvania home from what authorities believe was carbon monoxide poisoning. Authorities in Bucks County found Haddon, 76, dead in a second-floor bedroom Friday morning after emergency dispatchers were notified about a person unconscious at the Solebury Township home. A 76-year-old man police later identified as Walter J. Blucas of Erie was hospitalized in critical condition. Responders detected a high level of carbon monoxide in the property and township police said Saturday that investigators determined that “a faulty flue and exhaust pipe on a gas heating system caused the carbon monoxide leak.” Two medics were taken to a hospital for carbon monoxide exposure and a police officer was treated at the scene. As a model, Haddon appeared on the covers of Vogue, Cosmopolitan, Elle and Esquire in the 1970s and 1980s, as well as the 1973 Sports Illustrated swimsuit issue. She also appeared in about two dozen films from the 1970s to 1990s, according to IMDb.com, including 1994’s “Bullets Over Broadway,” starring John Cusack. Haddon left modeling after giving birth to her daughter, Ryan, in the mid-1970s, but then had to reenter the workforce after her husband’s 1991 death. This time she found the modeling industry far less friendly: “They said to me, ‘At 38, you’re not viable,’” in 2003. Working a menial job at an advertising agency, Haddon began reaching out to cosmetic companies, telling them there was a growing market to sell beauty products to aging baby boomers. She eventually landed a contract with Clairol, followed by Estée Lauder and then L’Oreal, for which she promoted the company’s anti-aging products for more than a decade. She also hosted beauty segments for CBS’s “The Early Show.” “I kept modeling, but in a different way,” she told The Times, “I became a spokesperson for my age.” In 2008, Haddon founded WomenOne, an organization aimed at advancing educational opportunities for girls and women in marginalized communities, including Rwanda, Haiti and Jordan.’ Haddon was born in Toronto and began modeling as a teenager to pay for ballet classes — she began her career with the Canadian ballet company Les Grands Ballet Canadiens, . Haddon’s daughter, Ryan, said in a social media post that her mother was “everyone’s greatest champion. An inspiration to many.” “A pure heart. A rich inner life. Touching so many lives. A life well lived. Rest in Light, Mom,” she said. The Associated PressBREAKING NEWS White House reveals whether Russians shot down doomed Azerbaijan Airlines flight Azerbaijan officials claimed that a Russian missile struck the plane By KELLY LACO, EXECUTIVE EDITOR OF POLITICS and JAMES REYNOLDS Published: 18:08, 27 December 2024 | Updated: 18:26, 27 December 2024 e-mail 29 View comments The White House said there are 'indications' that Russians shot down the Azerbaijan Airlines flight that crashed in Kazakhstan on Christmas Day, killing 38. White House spokesman John Kirby told reporters on Friday that Russia was likely behind the deadly crash. The U.S. has seen 'early indications that would certainly point to the possibility that this jet was brought down by Russian air defense systems,' he said. Kirby didn't get into specifics due to the ongoing investigation. President Joe Biden is away on holiday in St. Croix and has no events on his public schedule Friday. Meanwhile, Vice President Kamala Harris jetted off to Los Angeles to ring in the New Year. Earlier Friday, Azerbaijan government officials claimed that a Russian surface-to-air missile struck the plane, causing the crash. Sources told Euronews that the missile was fired at Flight 8432 amid drone air activity above Grozny, the Chechen capital, citing a preliminary investigation. They said the pilot was blocked from landing at any Russian airports despite making emergency pleas, and was instead ordered to carry on into Kazakhstan . This is the horrific moment a passenger plane hit the ground in a fireball in a Christmas Day crash landing President Joe Biden is away on holiday in St. Croix and has no events on his public schedule Friday Government sources said previously the plane was hit by a missile fired from a Pantsir-S air defence system from the Naursky district of Chechnya . Local media cited government sources in suggesting jammers then 'paralyzed' the plane's communication systems. Thirty-eight passengers were killed in the crash on Christmas Day as the plane attempted to make an emergency landing before erupting in a fireball. Russia has tried to play down speculation the flight had been shot down by a Russian missile, urging patience while the investigation is carried out. The two countries enjoy bilateral ties, with Azerbaijan becoming an essential partner for trade and acting as a corridor to Iran amid the war in Ukraine. Kazakhstan has said it would be carrying out an investigation into the crash, suggesting it would cooperate with Azerbaijan but not Russia. Azerbaijan is understood to be conducting its own investigation. A source familiar with the Azerbaijani investigation told Reuters that while 'no one claims that it was done on purpose', Baku 'expects the Russian side to confess to the shooting down of the Azerbaijani aircraft'. White House spokesman John Kirby told reporters on Friday that Russia was likely behind the deadly crash. Biden is on vacation in the U.S. Virgin Islands Emergency services are pictured above at the scene of the plane crash There were 105 passengers and five crew members on board the fight from Azerbaijan capital Baku to Russian city Grozny. Earlier reports had suggested 67 on board A Russian Pantsir-S1 self-propelled, medium-range surface-to-air missile and anti-aircraft artillery system With 67 passengers on board, the plane had been looking to land as scheduled in Grozny in Chechnya yesterday when it crashed. Chechnya is a region of Russia headed by close Putin ally Ramzan Kadyrov. It has been under regular attacks from Ukraine in recent weeks. Speculation in the aftermath of the crash attributed blame to Kadyrov's forces, although the crew initially believed they had collided with a flock of birds. Video from the fuselage appeared to show how the plane had been buffeted by shrapnel, perhaps caused by an explosion. The explosion of an oxygen tank to supply the cockpit in the event of depressurisation was cited in earlier reports. Russian sources reported that the plane was flying over Chechnya as Russian air defences tried to shoot down Ukrainian UAV drones. According to Azeri officials, the plane was ordered to continue flying across the Caspian Sea towards Aktau in Kazakhstan after suffering a blow. Struggling to control the plane with 67 people on board, the pilots asked for help from several different airports in Russia, Azerbaijan and Kazakhstan. The plane was barred from landing in Grozny, with the official reason given as 'fog'. It ultimately came down just a few miles from Aktau, and data shows its radars were jammed as it crossed over the sea. Most of the passengers on board were Azerbaijani. Sixteen were from Russia, and several from Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan. At the time the plane had been seeking to land as scheduled in Grozny in Chechnya, of which it is capital, a Russian region headed by close Vladimir Putin warlord Ramzan Kadyrov (pictured) The Pantsir-S1 (SA-22), self-propelled, medium-range surface-to-air missile system seen displayed under the Russian national flag during the annual Army defense technology exhibition in Kubinka, 2016 Damage to the fuselage of the plane after the horror Christmas Day crash Sources with knowledge of the preliminary findings of Azerbaijan's investigation into the disaster told Reuters today that Russian air defences had downed the plane, corroborating the account given to Euronews. One of the Azerbaijani sources familiar with the Azerbaijani investigation into the crash told Reuters that preliminary results showed the plane was struck by a Russian Pantsir-S air defence system, and its communications were paralysed by electronic warfare systems on the approach into Grozny. Read More Videos inside downed plane show passengers' 'final calls' - before survivors pulled from wreckage The source said: 'No one claims that it was done on purpose. However, taking into account the established facts, Baku expects the Russian side to confess to the shooting down of the Azerbaijani aircraft.' Three other sources confirmed that the Azeri investigation had come to the same preliminary conclusion. Russia's Defence Ministry did not respond to a request for comment. Kazakhstan's transport prosecutor for the region where the plane came down said its investigation had not yet come to any conclusions about the crash. Kazakh Deputy Prime Minister Qanat Bozymbaev said he could neither confirm nor deny the thesis that Russian air defences downed the plane. Azerbaijan Airlines suspended a host of flights to Russian cities on Friday and said it considered the crash was caused by what it termed 'physical and technical external interference'. It did not detail what that interference was. At 8:12, the crew reported 'both GPS lost' on the Embraer E190AR, and sought help with 'vectoring' to head back to the take-off airport Baku, evidently after the sudden closure of Grozny airport. At 8:16, one of the pilots said: 'We have control failure, bird strike in the cockpit. Bird strike in the cockpit (inaudible)...' Ground control reply: 'AXY8243 I understand you, what kind of help do you need?' The captain indicated he was seeking to return to his home airport Baku. But at 8:17, the pilot announced he was 'heading to Mineralnye Vody' - an airport in southern Russia. Ground control tell him to 'perform left orbit' - but the flight deck reply: 'I can't execute, control is lost.' At 8:19, one of the pilots states: 'I can't maintain 150, we have high pressure in the cabin.' People are seen standing next to the rear of the crashed passenger jet Ground control reply: 'AXY8243 understood you.' One minute later, at 8:20, the flight's scheduled arrival time, the pilot says: 'Left 360, my plane is losing control.' At 8:21, according to the leaked transcript, the crew decide instead to make for Makhachkala, a Russian airport on the Caspian Sea. At 8:22, the crew report: 'Now the hydraulics have failed.' Two minutes later, the pilot appears to deny he has declared a 'distress' on board and tells ground control: 'The board [plane] is in order.' But the air traffic controller then cannot properly hear the crew. 'You are very hard to hear.... tell me your altitude.' The plane later disappeared from radar for 37 minutes before reappearing as it sought to land in Aktau. Russian Telegram channel VChK-OGPU - close to the security services - said air defence teams loyal to Chechen leader Kadyrov in Naursky district likely attacked the plane. Footage of the crash showed the plane bursting into flames as it hit the ground and thick black smoke then rising Terrified passengers can be seen on the plane as oxygen masks dropped down, just before the crash 'The pilot mistook the strong blow to the plane for a collision with a flock of birds,' said the channel. 'In reality, the damage indicates that, most likely, a missile fired by air defence systems exploded near the plane.' 'According to the materials we have obtained, that very strike occurred approximately 18 kilometres [11 miles] north, northwest of the airport in Grozny, over the Naursky district at an altitude of 2,400 metres [7,875ft].' The channel reported: 'According to information from open sources, several military units are located in this area, including those with air defence systems..... 'It is known that after the recent [Ukrainian] UAV attacks, several Pantsirs were also deployed in Chechnya.' Andriy Kovalenko, a Ukrainian National Security and Defence Council official, wrote on Telegram: 'Russia was supposed to close the airspace over Grozny, but did not do so... 'The plane was damaged by the Russians and sent to Kazakhstan, instead of making an emergency landing in Grozny and saving people's lives.' Authorities in Kazakhstan said a government commission had been set up to investigate what had happened and its members ordered to fly to the site and ensure that the families of the dead and injured were getting the help they needed. Kazakhstan would cooperate with Azerbaijan on the investigation, the government said. Kazakhstan has reportedly refused Russia permission to join the investigation examining the crash. 'This way we will have all the facts, the black box and the evidence,' said a member of the Kazakhstan investigation commission. 'A delegation of the State Civil Aviation Agency of the Republic of Azerbaijan, as well as representatives of Azerbaijan Airlines (AZAL), arrived in Kazakhstan,' the Kazakh transport ministry wrote on Telegram . 'Work on site is carried out in close cooperation with the aviation authorities of Azerbaijan. 'Representatives of the aircraft manufacturer Embraer and CENIPA (Accident Investigation and Prevention Center, Brazil) also flew to Kazakhstan.' Independent investigative journalists from Volya Telegram channel said the drone left coincided in Grozny with the plane's expected arrival. 'The Pantsirs began shooting down everything that was in the air at that moment. 'Grozny airport was closed for flights. But the passenger plane was already landing, which [air traffic control] prohibited at the last moment. 'The crew, according to the passengers, made two more attempts to land, after the last of which something exploded near the plane. 'The damaged Embraer was prohibited from landing in Grozny and tried to reach the airport in Aktau, Kazakhstan, but crashed nearby. 'The crew did everything possible not to crash the plane, but to land it.' The outlet made clear that 'traces of shrapnel damage are visible on the fuselage and vertical stabiliser (keel)' of the jet. The closure of airports due to drone or missile threats is called a 'carpet plan' in Russia. 'Everyone switched on the mode which can be described as 'work according to the instructions'. The wreckage of Azerbaijan Airlines Embraer 190 lays on the ground near the airport of Aktau, Kazakhstan, Wednesday, December 25 The front of the plane burst into flames when the aircraft hit the ground 'The instructions don't say to turn on your brain'.' The outlet said: 'Russian propagandists are trying to spread the version that the plane collided with a Ukrainian drone. 'A collision with an attack UAV would not have left shrapnel holes in a civilian airliner, but would have led to the destruction and fall of the aircraft immediately after the impact. 'Drones do not explode near the target, they explode upon impact with the target.' A special aircraft of the Russian Emergencies Ministry has flown nine Russians, including one child, injured in yesterday's plane crash to Moscow for treatment. By this morning, Kadyrov had not spoken about the plane crash from which there were 29 survivors. His nephew Khamzat Kadyrov, secretary of the Chechen Security Council, wrote on his Instagram that 'everything was shot down' and published a video in which a drone is seen exploding. The terrifying moments before and after the plane ploughed into the ground and erupted into a ball of flames was caught on camera. The heart-wrenching footage snapped survivors pulling themselves from the mangled wreckage. A man is seen limping away from the scene of the plane crash in Western Kazakhstan Half of the mangled plane can be seen in the clip, with emergency services and passengers surrounding the aircraft in the hunt to find survivors. One person can be seen being dragged to safety, their legs dangling. In the background cries and screams can be heard from surrounding people. One bloodied man can seen limping away from the wreckage. Another video shows the moment the plane hits the ground, bursting into flames on impact and sending a huge black smoke cloud into the air. Footage filmed by a passenger shows terrified people praying and some oxygen masks lowered with damage inside the cabin minutes before the plane crashed and broke apart in Kazakhstan, leaving 38 dead . Other footage shows mayhem inside the plane after the crash as rescuers went inside the severed rear of the aircraft, where several people can be seen lying on the ground. Astonishingly, some were found still alive. One trapped woman shouted at rescuers: 'Help me please!'. A firefighter asked her whether she needed help to get up, and she confirmed that she would need to be lifted out of the debris. Rescuers enter the back of the plane to try and reach any survivors trapped in the aircraft A person's feet are seen being dragged away from the wreckage of the aircraft The camera then pans to show the person sat upright with their head in their hands It is understood that the 29 people reported to have survived the crash were found in the rear section of the aircraft, with the front being badly destroyed by fire. Latest figures indicate 22 of the 29 survivors are being treated in hospital, seven of whom are in serious condition. At least ten people dying after reportedly being thrown out of the cabin. One terrifying video shows the moment the plane burst into flames and broke into several parts as it hit the ground, with thick black smoke rising up from the wrecked aircraft after. Later bloodied and bruised passengers could be seen stumbling from a piece of the fuselage that had remained intact. Azerbaijan Airlines, the country's flag carrier, said the Embraer 190 had 'made an emergency landing' around three kilometres from Aktau, an oil and gas hub on the eastern shore of the Caspian Sea. 'A plane doing the Baku-Grozny route crashed near the city of Aktau. It belongs to Azerbaijan Airlines,' the Kazakh ministry said on Telegram. The Embraer E190AR with registration number 4K-AZ65 sent out a distress signal at an altitude of 2,125 feet over the Caspian Sea. The footage taken moments before the plane crashed were filmed by a passenger who sent it to his wife Latest figures indicate 22 of the 29 survivors are being treated in hospital, seven of whom are in serious condition. One survivor is pictured in hospital above One trapped woman shouted at rescuers: 'Help me please!'. A firefighter asked her whether she needed help to get up, and she confirmed that she would need to be lifted out of the debris Footage from the crash site shows rescuers looking for survivors of the horrific crash Dramatic footage showed the pilot pulling the plane out of a steep fall as he sought to regain control, but the aircraft still suffered a catastrophic crash exploding in fire. The two main sites of the wreck at Aktau airport were hundreds of yards apart. Mangled human remains from the horror crash were strewn on rough ground at the airport. Read More Moment jet is hit by lightning in storm that also saw passenger plane struck and forced to divert Dazed and bloodied passengers are seen emerging from the severed rear of the plane. Some sat in shock on the ground after escaping from the aircraft. Others managed to walk clear. Meanwhile, the front of the aircraft - torn asunder by the crash - could be seen ablaze in the distance. Plane crash survivor Kristina Evstigneeva, 34, a travel agent from Vladivostok, was in a serious condition and had to undergo brain surgery after the plane crash in Kazakhstan. Another survivor Zaur Mamedov, 36, was returning from his father's funeral in Baku. The plane attempted to land at Aktau in western Kazakhstan after being rerouted from Grozny and another Russian city Makhachkala due to fog. Two of the 29 survivors are children, believed to be girls aged 11 and 16. Bloodied and bruised passengers could be seen stumbling from a piece of the fuselage that had remained intact The front of the aircraft - torn asunder by the crash - could be seen ablaze in the distance At least ten people died after being thrown out of the plane 'They are receiving all the necessary medical care in hospitals in the region,' said the Ministry of Health. '23 ambulance teams were mobilised to the scene of the incident.' Read More Horrific moment Azerbaijan airlines plane crashes with 72 on board in Kazakhsta Unconfirmed reports said that both pilots died in the crash, and from the crew only a female flight attendant survived. Tengrinews reported 37 citizens of Azerbaijan, 16 of Russia, six of Kazakhstan and three of Kyrgyzstan were on board the stricken plane. Following the crash, Ilham Aliyev, the president of Azerbaijan, was returning home from Russia where he had been due to attend a summit on Wednesday, Russia's RIA news agency reported. Ramzan Kadyrov, the Kremlin-backed leader of Chechnya, expressed his condolences in a statement and said those being treated in hospital were in an extremely serious condition and that he and others would pray for their rapid recovery. Another angle shows a massive fireball where the aircraft hit the ground A drone view shows emergency specialists working at the crash site of an Azerbaijan Airlines passenger plane near the city of Aktau, Kazakhstan December 25 Reports said the plane collided with a bird and suffered a steering failure. The aircraft is seen coming in steeply descending its nose pointing down too steeply In this handout picture released by Kazakhstan's emergency situations ministry, emergency specialists work at the crash site of an Azerbaijan Airlines passenger jet near the western Kazakh city of Aktau on December 25 Russian President Vladimir Putin has expressed his condolences to Aliyev over the loss of life, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said. 'Unfortunately, Azerbaijan's President Aliyev was forced to leave St Petersburg (where he had a summit). Putin has already called him and expressed his condolences in connection with the crash of the Azerbaijani plane in Aktau,' Peskov said. 'We deeply sympathise with those who lost their relatives and friends in this plane crash and wish a speedy recovery to all those who managed to survive.' Aktau residents have been asked to donate blood for the survivors. Grozny - the destination - is the capital of the Chechnya republic, a Russian region controlled by Vladimir Putin ally Ramzan Kadyrov which regularly sends troops to fight in the war against Ukraine. Russia Politics Chechnya Vladimir Putin Share or comment on this article: White House reveals whether Russians shot down doomed Azerbaijan Airlines flight e-mail Add commentAn algorithm change on Elon Musk’s X platform following arguments about H-1B visas has sparked a debate about free speech at the same time as conservative users lament the loss of their blue verification badges and subscribers. As Breitbart News reported , President-elect Donald Trump’s MAGA supporters and his Silicon Valley donors — including Musk — became engulfed in a public dispute on X over white-collar migration via H-1B visas. Vivek Ramaswamy then super-charged the debate by arguing that American culture “venerate[s] mediocrity” through acts such as revering “the prom queen over the math Olympiad champ,” and therefore the U.S. must adopt a more aggressive approach “in a hyper-competitive global market for technical talent” or else “we’ll have our asses handed to us by China.” Ramaswamy’s X post received strong opposition in the comment section, causing the incoming head of the newly formed Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) to be “ratioed” — a social media term referring to when one’s post garners more negative or critical remarks than positive responses, such as “likes.” Musk had also chimed in on the debate, writing, “The number of people who are super talented engineers AND super motivated in the USA is far too low.” “Think of this like a pro sports team: if you want your TEAM to win the championship, you need to recruit top talent wherever they may be. That enables the whole TEAM to win,” Musk added. Musk’s X post, however, was also ratioed. A reply from a user claiming to be the father of a fresh grad received more likes that Musk’s post, an embarassment for the owner of the platform. Days later, several prominent X users reported that their verification badges and monetization had been revoked. The issue ended up as a trend on X labeled, “X Algorithm Shift Sparks Free Speech Debate”: Elon Musk has announced changes to the social media platform X, where the algorithm now aims to maximize ‘unregretted user-seconds’ by adjusting content visibility based on user interactions. Reports indicate that several right-wing accounts, including that of Laura Loomer, have faced restrictions like loss of verification badges and limited post lengths after criticizing Musk. This has led to accusations of censorship, contrasting with Musk’s earlier advocacy for free speech on the platform. Laura Loomer, meanwhile, posted that X had removed her premium account and canceled her subscriptions because she “spoke about mass migration,” calling the move “retaliatory censorship.” While many X users claimed that engaging in the debate about H-1B visas is what sparked the removal of their verification badges and monetization of their accounts, others suggested that may not be the case. “Multiple accounts that never posted about H-1B are having blue checks removed. Looks like something else, not some retaliation or what others suggested,” conservative author and filmmaker Mike Cernovich remarked. Another trend on X labeled “X’s Algorithm Update: User Engagement Drives Content Visibility” explained that “Elon Musk has announced updates to X’s algorithm, stating that content visibility will now heavily depend on user engagement metrics, particularly those from verified accounts.” “The change comes after discussions around freedom of speech on the platform, with some right-wing users expressing discontent, claiming this move targets their visibility due to their criticism on immigration policies,” the trend description added. Musk also took to X to address the algorithm change, writing, “At risk of starting the obvious, there are many attention-seeking trolls on all social media platforms trying to yank your chain. They win if you respond.” “Just a reminder that the algorithm is trying to maximize unregretted user-seconds,” Musk wrote in a follow-up post. “If far more credible, verified subscriber accounts (not bots) mute/block your account compared to those who like your posts, your reach will decline significantly.” “That said, any accounts found to be engaged in coordinated attacks to spam target accounts with mute/blocks will themselves be categorized — correctly — as spam,” the SpaceX CEO added. “Live by the spam, die by the spam.” These posts lay out Musk’s justification for shadowbanning, in which a user’s posts are barely visible without any obvious sign to them that their reach has been dramatically curtailed. Alana Mastrangelo is a reporter for Breitbart News. You can follow her on Facebook and X at @ARmastrangelo , and on Instagram .
Cerity Partners LLC raised its stake in Guidewire Software, Inc. ( NYSE:GWRE – Free Report ) by 326.8% during the 3rd quarter, HoldingsChannel reports. The institutional investor owned 21,799 shares of the technology company’s stock after buying an additional 16,692 shares during the period. Cerity Partners LLC’s holdings in Guidewire Software were worth $3,988,000 at the end of the most recent quarter. Other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Assetmark Inc. grew its holdings in shares of Guidewire Software by 537.0% in the 3rd quarter. Assetmark Inc. now owns 172 shares of the technology company’s stock valued at $31,000 after buying an additional 145 shares during the period. Rothschild Investment LLC bought a new stake in Guidewire Software during the 2nd quarter worth approximately $31,000. DT Investment Partners LLC acquired a new stake in Guidewire Software during the 2nd quarter worth approximately $41,000. Lynx Investment Advisory bought a new position in Guidewire Software in the second quarter valued at approximately $41,000. Finally, Mirae Asset Global Investments Co. Ltd. boosted its holdings in shares of Guidewire Software by 21.1% in the third quarter. Mirae Asset Global Investments Co. Ltd. now owns 345 shares of the technology company’s stock valued at $63,000 after buying an additional 60 shares during the period. Analysts Set New Price Targets A number of analysts have recently commented on the company. Stifel Nicolaus boosted their price target on Guidewire Software from $200.00 to $220.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a report on Tuesday, November 19th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. upped their price target on Guidewire Software from $170.00 to $210.00 and gave the stock an “overweight” rating in a research report on Thursday, October 3rd. Citigroup lifted their price objective on shares of Guidewire Software from $123.00 to $165.00 and gave the company a “neutral” rating in a report on Monday, September 9th. BTIG Research increased their target price on shares of Guidewire Software from $140.00 to $165.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a report on Friday, August 30th. Finally, Royal Bank of Canada reaffirmed an “outperform” rating and issued a $215.00 target price on shares of Guidewire Software in a research report on Tuesday, November 19th. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, two have assigned a hold rating and eleven have issued a buy rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, Guidewire Software presently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average target price of $186.08. Insider Transactions at Guidewire Software In other news, CEO Michael George Rosenbaum sold 23,379 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, September 17th. The shares were sold at an average price of $172.16, for a total transaction of $4,024,928.64. Following the transaction, the chief executive officer now directly owns 287,662 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $49,523,889.92. This trade represents a 7.52 % decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through this hyperlink . Also, insider John P. Mullen sold 6,718 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, September 17th. The shares were sold at an average price of $172.16, for a total value of $1,156,570.88. Following the completion of the sale, the insider now owns 160,099 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $27,562,643.84. This trade represents a 4.03 % decrease in their ownership of the stock. The disclosure for this sale can be found here . Over the last quarter, insiders have sold 52,601 shares of company stock worth $9,116,179. Company insiders own 0.48% of the company’s stock. Guidewire Software Price Performance Shares of Guidewire Software stock opened at $202.87 on Friday. The business has a fifty day simple moving average of $188.72 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $157.29. Guidewire Software, Inc. has a 1 year low of $95.02 and a 1 year high of $207.10. The company has a market capitalization of $16.94 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of -2,535.88, a P/E/G ratio of 52.22 and a beta of 1.18. Guidewire Software ( NYSE:GWRE – Get Free Report ) last announced its earnings results on Thursday, September 5th. The technology company reported $0.62 EPS for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $0.54 by $0.08. The business had revenue of $291.50 million during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $283.84 million. Guidewire Software had a negative net margin of 0.62% and a negative return on equity of 1.29%. Guidewire Software’s revenue was up 8.0% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter in the previous year, the firm posted $0.30 EPS. As a group, equities analysts anticipate that Guidewire Software, Inc. will post 0.53 earnings per share for the current fiscal year. About Guidewire Software ( Free Report ) Guidewire Software, Inc provides a platform for property and casualty (P&C) insurers worldwide. The company offers Guidewire InsuranceSuite Cloud, such as PolicyCenter Cloud, BillingCenter Cloud, and ClaimCenter Cloud applications. It also provides Guidewire InsuranceNow, a cloud-based platform that offers policy, billing, and claims management functionality to insurers; and Guidewire InsuranceSuite for Self-Managed. See Also Want to see what other hedge funds are holding GWRE? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Guidewire Software, Inc. ( NYSE:GWRE – Free Report ). Receive News & Ratings for Guidewire Software Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Guidewire Software and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter .Steelers' TJ Watt And Brother JJ Left Browns' Myles Garrett Seriously Hurt: Poked The Bear'Banking Systems Software Market Poised to Hit USD 140 Billion by 2032
The much-awaited Remix Finale live event has come to an end as over 14 million Fortnite players tune in to break all previous records and celebrate the Chapter 2 island one last time. The concert experience was a 20-minute show featuring Snoop Dogg, Eminem, late rapper Juice WRLD, and Ice Spice performing their hit tracks. However before the event began, players were dropped right in front of The Doggpound POI where they were allowed to free roam the area as a countdown timer was running out. But a couple of interactive elements in that location were something that offered players an exclusive glimpse at the future. Remix Finale live event teases Fortnite OG map During the Fortnite Remix Finale event, if players walk near the stairs of the entrance of Doggpound, they’ll see two TV screens in front; one on the left and one on the right. The screen on the right shows a 3-second teaser of the upcoming Chapter 6 Season 1. However, the left screen shows a 10-second teaser of the Fortnite OG mode with classic Jonesy and Peely skins, the OGH Battle Bus, and finally shows the entire Chapter 1 Season 1 map in its full glory from above. The tease, while did not have any music or any names of locations, players are confident that Epic is bringing back the OG graphics and the OG island with the upcoming game mode. Several players had their own thoughts on the OG map tease where one said, “I’ve this crazy theory: Jones goes into the past (idk how) and focuses on the OG season with Peely, and Hope looks after Chapter 6 and things that might happen in the coming season.” Another one wrote, “It’s good to be back. I hope the graphics appear the same way too lol.”