A taxing task: Mthuli’s quest to fill in fiscal void
Kim vows the toughest anti-US policy before Trump takes officeThe UK Government was warned that a “save David campaign” for UUP leader Lord Trimble would ruin progress made under the Good Friday Agreement. Extensive confidential documents in the lead-up to the collapse of Northern Ireland’s institutions in 2002 have been made available to the public as part of annual releases from the Irish National Archives. They reveal that the Irish Government wanted to appeal to the UK side against “manipulating” every scenario for favourable election results in Northern Ireland, in an effort to protect the peace process. In the years after the landmark 1998 Good Friday Agreement, a number of outstanding issues left the political environment fraught with tension and disagreement. Mr Trimble, who won a Nobel Peace Prize with SDLP leader John Hume for their work on the Agreement, was keen to gain wins for the UUP on policing, ceasefire audits and paramilitary disarmament – but also to present his party as firmer on these matters amid swipes from its Unionist rival, the DUP. John Hume and David Trimble (Brian Thompson/PA) The documents reveal the extent to which the British and Irish Governments were trying to delicately resolve the contentious negotiations, conscious that moves seen as concessions to one group could provoke anger on the other side. In June 2002, representatives of the SDLP reported to Irish officials on a recent meeting between Mr Hume’s successor Mark Durkan and Prime Minister Tony Blair on policing and security. Former leader of the SDLP Mark Durkan (Paul Faith/PA) The confidential report of the meeting says that Mr Durkan, the deputy First Minister, was not sure that Mr Trimble had been correctly categorised. The Prime Minister asked if the SDLP could work more closely with the UUP ahead of the elections. Mr Durkan argued that Mr Trimble was not only not saleable to nationalists, but also not saleable to half of the UUP – to which Mr Blair and Northern Ireland Secretary John Reid are said to have laughed in agreement. The SDLP leader further warned that pursuing a “save David” campaign would ruin all they had worked for. Former prime minister Tony Blair (Chris Young/PA) A week later in mid September, Mr Trimble assured Irish premier Bertie Ahern that the next UUC meeting to take place in two days’ time would be “okay but not great” and insisted he was not planning to play any “big game”. David Trimble gave a news at the Ulster Unionist Council meeting (Paul Faith/PA) The move came as a surprise to the Irish officials who, along with their UK counterparts, did not see the deadline as realistic. Sinn Fein described the resolution as a “wreckers’ charter”. Doubts were raised that there would be any progress on substantive issues as parties would not be engaged in “pre-election skirmishing”. As that could lead to a UUP walkout and the resulting suspension of the institutions, the prospect of delaying the elections was raised while bringing forward the vote was ruled out. Therefore, the two Governments stressed the need to cooperate as a stabilising force to protect the Agreement – despite not being sure how that process would survive through the January 18 deadline. The Irish officials became worried that the British side did not share their view that Mr Trimble was not “salvageable” and that the fundamental dynamic in the UUP was now Agreement scepticism, the confidential documents state. In a meeting days after the UUC announcements, Mr Reid is recorded in the documents as saying that as infuriating as it was, Mr Trimble was at that moment the “most enlightened Unionist we have”. The Secretary said he would explore what the UUP leader needed to “survive” the period between January 18 and the election, believing a significant prize could avoid him being “massacred”. Such planning went out the window just weeks later, when hundreds of PSNI officers were involved in raids of several buildings – including Sinn Fein’s offices in Stormont. For his part, Irish officials were briefed that Mr Reid was said to be “gung ho” about the prospect of exercising direct rule – reportedly making no mention of the Irish Government in a meeting with Mr Trimble and Mr Durkan on that day. The Northern Ireland Secretary was given a new role and Paul Murphy was appointed as his successor. A note on speaking points for a meeting with Mr Murphy in April showed that the Irish side believed the May elections should go ahead: “At a certain stage the political process has to stand on its own feet. “The Governments cannot be manipulating and finessing every scenario to engineer the right result. “We have to start treating the parties and the people as mature and trusting that they have the discernment to make the right choices.” However, the elections planned for May did not materialise, instead delayed until November. Mr Trimble would go on to lose his Westminster seat – and stewardship of the UUP – in 2005. The November election saw the DUP emerge as the largest parties – but direct rule continued as Ian Paisley’s refused to share power with Sinn Fein, which Martin McGuinness’ colleagues. The parties eventually agreed to work together following further elections in 2007. – This article is based on documents in 2024/130/5, 2024/130/6, 2024/130/15
Pakistan’s budget process, while clearly defined in the 1973 Constitution, subordinate legislations like the Public Financial Management Act (PFMA), 2019 and guided by detailed manuals e.g. Budget Manual 2020, suffers from several strategic and procedural inefficiencies that hinder fiscal sustainability. Despite the existence of a well-structured framework, the budgetary mechanism remains predominantly reactive and lacks a strategic top-down approach. The current methodology involves a bottom-up budget process that relies heavily on outdated fiscal projections and resource ceilings, often disregarding economic fluctuations and emerging fiscal pressures. Consequently, this leads to budgetary submissions based on past figures rather than forward-looking assessments, exacerbating economic vulnerabilities and resulting in misaligned fiscal priorities. ‘Technical Assistance Report Pakistan—Improving Budget Practices’ (August 2024) by International Monetary Fund (IMF) highlights one glaring weakness that is the disconnect between budget preparation and timely dissemination of macro-fiscal data. The Mid-term Budget Strategy Paper, containing vital projections and fiscal policies, is only released three months after budget formulation begins, creating a misalignment with economic conditions. The delay in strategic planning not only compromises the accuracy of budget allocations but also affects the federal government’s ability to make informed decisions. Coordination lapses between the Budget Wing and the Macro-Fiscal Policy Unit (MFPU) hinder real-time data integration, limiting the efficacy of economic forecasts. There are also challenges in ensuring efficient inter-ministerial collaboration, with ministries often working in silos rather than towards cohesive fiscal objectives, further weakening budget execution. The current budgets of federal and provincial governments amplify concerns as these have set ambitious revenue targets for tax and non-tax sources without adequately assessing their strategic viability and collection capacity. Consequently, reliance on multilateral and bilateral financial assistance to address fiscal deficit, especially at federal level, has been an historic impediment, rather a necessary evil, from the outset, reflecting a persistent and concerning vulnerability in public finances. In the wake of autonomy granted to provinces under the Constitution (Eighteenth Amendment) Act, 2010 [18th Amendment] along with right to levy many progressive taxes, a significant share of national revenue is allocated to provincial governments every year. This allocation leaves the federal government with inadequate financial resources, insufficient to meet essential expenditures, including those related to defence. As a result, the federation continues to grapple with substantial fiscal pressures, high borrowing, and constrained financial flexibility, emphasizing the urgent need for a more balanced and sustainable revenue-sharing framework. Instead of levying agricultural income tax as per the 1973 Constitution and imposing progressive taxes like inheritance tax (estate duty), gift tax, wealth tax, property tax and capital gain tax on the wealthy class, the four provinces collectively received Rs 5264 billion in fiscal year 2023-24 from the federal government under the 7th National Finance Commission (NFC) Award. At their own, they collected a meager amount of total revenues of Rs 997 billion, with tax revenue of only Rs 774 billion. Collection under the head of agricultural income tax by all provinces in total tax collection of the country in FY 2024 was mere 0.3 percent! During the last decade the provincial governments in Pakistan have performed poorly in streamlining their tax collection, which does not align with their economic potential. While they have been very keen to launch projects for political gains, the mismanagement of taxpayers’ money and short-term funding has resulted in discontinuation of many projects or incurring enormous overrun costs. The real sufferers are citizens as no worthwhile social welfare programmes were implemented and there was complete apathy in empowering local governments as envisaged in Article 140A of the Constitution. In Punjab, though tax collection increased from Rs 98,054 million in 2014-15 to Rs 326,282 million in fiscal year (FY) 2023-24, it was through regressive sales tax on services rising significantly from Rs 58,662 million in 2015-16 to Rs 224,440 million in FY 2023-24. However, property tax witnessed a decline from Rs 7,812 million in FY 2014-15 to Rs 6,335 million in FY 2019-20. It disappeared as an independent head in fiscal operations reported by Ministry of Finance from FY 2020-21 onwards—merged under “others” showing total collection at Rs 35,504 million in FY 2023-24. Similarly, excise duties and stamp duties grew modestly, reaching Rs 4,058 million and Rs 41,793 million, respectively, by FY 2023-24. In Sindh, the total tax collection grew from Rs 93,807 million in FY 2014-15 to Rs 363,733 million in FY 2023-24, with sales tax on services rising from zero to Rs 222,750 million in the same period. Property tax stagnated, and excise duties grew from Rs 3,820 million to Rs 7,004 million. Stamp duties showed an impressive rise from Rs 6,550 million to Rs 17,122 million. In Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, tax collection increased from Rs 11,369 million in FY 2014-15 to Rs 53,787 million in FY 2023-24, with sales tax on services reaching Rs 35,911 million. However, property taxes fluctuated, and excise duties remained modest. In Balochistan, tax collection grew from Rs 2,593 million in FY 2014-15 to Rs 30,392 million in FY 2023-24, with sales tax on services rising from zero to Rs 21,516 million. While the growth is commendable, collection still falls short of the province’s economic potential. Reliance on a narrow range of taxes, particularly sales tax, highlights inefficiencies in the tax system across the provinces, with all of them underperforming relative to their economic capacity. The performance of the present government of Punjab in managing its economy and administrative duties has been a subject of significant concern, despite ambitious goals set for FY 2024-25. The provincial revenue target of Rs 960.3 billion, with Rs 471.9 billion from taxes and Rs 488.4 billion from non-tax sources, is termed a bold attempt to boost the financial capacity having current population of 128 million. However, the early signs of fiscal year have raised doubts about the feasibility of these targets. The Punjab government posted a deficit of Rs 160 billion in the first quarter, only to later on revise it into a surplus of Rs 40 billion. While this may appear to be an improvement, it is important to note the alarmingly high statistical discrepancy of Rs 177 billion reflected in the revised figures pointing to the Punjab government’s continued inability to generate accurate and reliable financial information. The continuous existence of such discrepancies highlights a fundamental weakness in the province’s financial management, which raises questions about the government’s ability to meet its long-term revenue goals. The Punjab government also struggled with poor law and order management, as seen in its failure to control student protests that escalated into violence, highlighting a lack of administrative competence. The government’s response to health crises like smog and Dengue remains inadequate, with reactive measures like lockdowns and no long-term solutions, such as tackling crop burning or promoting green initiatives. Additionally, the government has shown a lack of preparedness and foresight in managing these recurring issues. Despite ambitious fiscal targets, the government’s reliance on short-term solutions, overwhelming reliance on federal receipts, and its inability to generate reliable financial data undermine its capacity to effectively govern and maintain public trust. Performance of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government under Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) has been sharply criticized by political figures, particularly regarding management of the substantial Rs 1200 billion allocated under the NFC Award. Critics argue that the government has failed to provide transparency about the use of this money, raising questions about its effectiveness and accountability. Additionally, the PTI government, which once positioned itself as an advocate for provincial rights, did not take essential steps to assert those rights when they held power at the federal level, undermining their credibility on the issue. Sindh’s performance has raised concerns with the IMF, particularly due to its failure to implement the National Fiscal Pact, despite discussions, thus, undermining fiscal accountability. Similarly, despite its vast resources and strategic location, Balochistan has faced significant challenges under its government, including a deteriorating law and order situation and widespread illiteracy. Mismanagement and a lack of effective governance have hindered the province’s ability to capitalize on its economic potential. This failure to utilize its financial capacity and geographic advantages has left the people underserved and unable to reap the benefits of its position and resources. The challenges are substantial and cannot be effectively tackled by the federal government alone. Rather than focusing on short-term political projects, provincial governments should prioritize long-term structural reforms aimed at building sustainable cash flow, embracing digitization, and curbing wastage across all sectors. Additionally, as outlined in IMF’s technical assistance report on improving budget practices in Pakistan, the federal government must adopt a more strategic, top-down budgeting approach that emphasizes policy coherence and data-driven decision-making. One key recommendation is to release the Budget Strategy Paper concurrently with the Budget Call Circular, integrating up-to-date macro-fiscal projections and establishing binding budget ceilings. This would provide ministries with a clearer resource envelope and promote discipline in budget submissions. Strengthening of coordination between the Budget Wing and MFPU, enhancing data exchange protocols, and regularly updating fiscal forecasts are also vital steps. Furthermore, increasing the Budget Wing’s involvement in development project negotiations would ensure that capital expenditure is aligned with national priorities and fiscal realities. Expanding the Budget Call Circular’s scope to include best international practices, and issuing it jointly with the Planning Division, could create a more comprehensive budgeting framework. Organizational reforms within the Finance Division to reduce fragmentation and improve decision-making are crucial for strengthening fiscal governance. These strategic reforms are fundamental to building a resilient, transparent budgetary system that supports sustainable economic growth. (Huzaima Bukhari & Dr Ikramul Haq, lawyers and partners of Huzaima & Ikram, are Adjunct Faculty at Lahore University of Management Sciences (LUMS), members Advisory Board and Visiting Senior Fellows of Pakistan Institute of Development Economics (PIDE) and Abdul Rauf Shakoori is a corporate lawyer based in the USA and an expert in ‘White Collar Crimes and Sanctions Compliance’) Copyright Business Recorder, 2024For the second straight Major League Baseball offseason, a norm-shattering contract has been the talk of the winter, with Juan Soto agreeing with the New York Mets on a $765 million, 15-year deal that's the richest in baseball history. It comes almost exactly one year after the Los Angeles Dodgers forked out a princely sum of $700 million on a 10-year, heavily deferred deal for two-way Japanese superstar Shohei Ohtani. They are believed to be the two richest contracts in pro sports history. The way it's going, a contract approaching $1 billion doesn't seem out of the question. But several factors are working against it — at least in the near future. There's reason to believe the megadeals for Ohtani and Soto are unicorns in the baseball world. Both players are uniquely talented, surely, but both also had unusual circumstances propelling their value into the stratosphere. Ohtani is the greatest two-way player in baseball history, capable of improving any team on both sides of the ball. He's also the rare baseball player who has true international appeal. His every move ( like his unexpected marriage announcement ) is followed closely in his native Japan, adding another 125 million potential fans who buy merchandise, watch him play and help fill the Dodgers' coffers. Then there's Soto — a four-time All-Star and on-base machine who won a World Series with the Washington Nationals in 2019. The X-factor for him is he became a free agent at the prime age of 26, which is extremely hard to do under current MLB rules. New York Yankees' Juan Soto, right, with the help of his agent Scott Boras, left, agreed to a $765 million, 15-year deal with the New York Mets on Sunday. Players have to be in the big leagues for six years before testing free agency. The precocious Soto debuted at 19 with the Nats, making him part of a rare group of players who reached the highest level of professional baseball as a teenager. That accelerated his free agency timeline. It's rare for players to debut that young, and rarer still for them to develop into stars and test the open market the first chance they get. Two recent examples are Manny Machado and Bryce Harper, who both reached free agency in 2019. Machado signed a free-agent record $300 million contract with San Diego, and Harper overtook him days later with a $330 million contract to join the Phillies. Most players debut in the big leagues from ages 22 to 26, which means free agency comes in their late 20s or early 30s. A typical example is Yankees slugger Aaron Judge, who is one of this generation's great players but didn't hit the market until he was 30. Judge played three seasons of college baseball for Fresno State before getting drafted by the Yankees in 2013 at age 21 — already two years older than Soto was when he made his MLB debut. It took a few years for the budding superstar to reach the majors, and he was 25 when he had his breakout season in 2018, smashing 52 homers to earn AL Rookie of the Year honors. By the time he reached free agency after the 2022 season, he had already passed age 30. It's a major factor that led to him signing a $360 million, nine-year deal with the Yankees, which seems downright reasonable these days after the Ohtani and Soto deals. Two major trends are colliding that will make it harder for guys like Soto to hit free agency in their mid 20s. First, MLB teams have been more likely in recent years to take college players early in the draft, betting on more experienced talents. Just 10 high school players were drafted among the top 30 picks in the 2024 draft. Second, teams are more eager to lock up young, premium talent on long-term deals very early in their careers, well before they hit free agency. Sometimes before they even reach the majors. Juan Soto's deal comes almost exactly one year after the Los Angeles Dodgers forked out a princely sum of $700 million on a 10-year, heavily deferred deal for two-way Japanese superstar Shohei Ohtani. Since Soto, just two players have debuted in MLB before their 20th birthday — Elvis Luciano and Junior Caminero. Luciano hasn't been back to the majors since his 2019 cup of coffee. Caminero is now 21 and has only played in 50 big league games. Among those that debuted at 20: Fernando Tatis Jr. signed a $340 million, 14-year deal with San Diego in 2021, years before reaching the open market. Milwaukee's Jackson Chourio got an $82 million, eight-year deal before even reaching the big leagues. Young stars Corbin Carroll ($111 million, eight years with Arizona), Bobby Witt Jr. ($288 million, 11 years with Kansas City) and Julio Rodriguez ($209.3 million, 12 years with Seattle) also got massive guarantees early in their 20s to forgo an early free agency. The exception and wild card: Blue Jays slugger Vladimir Guerrero Jr. will be a 26-year-old free agent next offseason. Guerrero hasn't been as consistent in his young career as Soto, but a standout 2025 season could position him to threaten Soto's deal. More likely is that the player to pass Soto isn't in the majors yet — and might not even be in pro baseball. When 25-year-old Alex Rodriguez signed his record $252 million, 10-year deal with Texas in 2001, it took over a decade for another player to match that total, when Albert Pujols got $240 million over 10 years from the Angels in 2012. For many players, passing up life-changing money in their early or mid 20s is too enticing, even if it means that they might not maximize their value on the free agent market later in their careers. Soto was determined to test the market. He famously turned down a $440 million, 15-year offer to stay with the Washington Nationals in 2022, betting that he could make even more as a free agent. Not many players would turn down that kind of cash. Then again, that's what makes Soto so unique. And it's also why his $765 million deal could be the industry standard for some time. Stiliana Nikolova, of Bulgaria performs in the rhythmic gymnastics individuals all-round qualification round, at La Chapelle Arena at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Thursday, Aug. 8, 2024, in Paris, France. (AP Photo/Francisco Seco) Cincinnati Reds' Jonathan India reacts as he collides with San Diego Padres catcher Luis Campusano during the second inning of a baseball game Tuesday, May 21, 2024, in Cincinnati. India was safe and Campusano was charged with an error. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster) Kimberley Woods of Britain competes in the women's kayak cross time trial at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Friday, Aug. 2, 2024, in Vaires-sur-Marne, France. (AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth) Mike Tyson, left, fights Jake Paul during their heavyweight boxing match, Friday, Nov. 15, 2024, in Arlington, Texas. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez) Aryna Sabalenka of Belarus plays a forehand return to Coco Gauff of the U.S. during their semifinal match at the Australian Open tennis championships at Melbourne Park, Melbourne, Australia, Thursday, Jan. 25, 2024. (AP Photo/Louise Delmotte) Noah Lyles, of the United States, jumps as he limbers-up ahead of the men's 100-meters final at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Sunday, Aug. 4, 2024, in Nanterre, France. (AP Photo/Petr David Josek) A member of the Seattle Mariners tosses a ball against a wall during drills at spring training baseball workouts, Thursday, Feb. 15, 2024, in Peoria, Ariz. (AP Photo/Lindsey Wasson) Rebecca Sramkova of Slovakia waits to receive serve during her first round match against Marta Kostyuk of Ukraine at the Wimbledon tennis championships in London, Monday, July 1, 2024. (AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth) Czech Republic's Jiri Beran, left, competes with France's Yannik Borel in the men's team epee bronze final match during the 2024 Summer Olympics at the Grand Palais, Friday, Aug. 2, 2024, in Paris, France. (AP Photo/Abbie Parr) France's Adrien Truffert jumps over Argentina's goalkeeper Geronimo Rulli during a quarterfinal soccer match between France and Argentina, at Bordeaux Stadium, during the 2024 Summer Olympics, Friday, Aug. 2, 2024, in Bordeaux, France. (AP Photo/Rebecca Blackwell) Fans interfere with a foul ball caught by Los Angeles Dodgers right fielder Mookie Betts during the first inning in Game 4 of the baseball World Series against the New York Yankees, Tuesday, Oct. 29, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis) Italy's Sara Curtis splashes her face with water before a women's 50-meter freestyle semifinal at the Summer Olympics in Nanterre, France, Saturday, Aug. 3, 2024. (AP Photo/Natacha Pisarenko) Ivory Coast 's Seko Fofana, top, duels for the ball with Nigeria's Victor Osimhen during the African Cup of Nations final soccer match between Nigeria and Ivory Coast, at the Olympic Stadium of Ebimpe in Abidjan, Ivory Coast, Sunday, Feb. 11, 2024. (AP Photo/Sunday Alamba) Costa Rica midfielder Jefferson Brenes, from left, Alvaro Zamora (21), Francisco Calvo (15) and Joseph Mora (8) are pelted with drinks and trash after celebrating a Brenes goal in the second half of a CONCACAF Nations League Play-In soccer match against Honduras, Saturday, March 23, 2024, in Frisco, Texas. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez) Gabrielle Thomas, of the United States, celebrates winning the gold medal in the women's 200 meters final at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Tuesday, Aug. 6, 2024, in Saint-Denis, France. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis) Tyrrell Hatton, of England, reacts on the 11th hole during a practice round in preparation for the Masters golf tournament at Augusta National Golf Club Wednesday, April 10, 2024, in Augusta, GA. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis) Quincy Hall, of the United States, celebrates after winning the men's 400-meter final at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Wednesday, Aug. 7, 2024, in Saint-Denis, France. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip) Tim Tszyu, of Australia, hits Sebastian Fundora in a super welterweight title bout Saturday, March 30, 2024, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/John Locher) Baltimore Ravens wide receiver Zay Flowers takes the field prior to an NFL football game against the Buffalo Bills, Sunday, Sept. 29, 2024, in Baltimore. (AP Photo/Stephanie Scarbrough) Workers peep through curtains to watch a match between France's Gael Monfils and Russia's Daniil Medvedev during the China Open tennis tournament held at the National Tennis Center in Beijing, Friday, Sept. 27, 2024. (AP Photo/Ng Han Guan) Amy Yang, of South Korea, is doused after winning the Women's PGA Championship golf tournament at Sahalee Country Club, Sunday, June 23, 2024, in Sammamish, Wash. (AP Photo/Lindsey Wasson) Workers remove snow from Highmark Stadium in Orchard Park, N.Y., Sunday Jan. 14, 2024. (AP Photo/ Jeffrey T. Barnes) United States' Mikaela Shiffrin speeds down the course during an alpine ski, women's World Cup slalom, in Gurgl, Austria, Saturday, Nov. 23, 2024. (AP Photo/Gabriele Facciotti) Real Madrid's Vinicius Junior, left, scores his side's second goal during a Spanish La Liga soccer match between Real Madrid and Almeria at the Santiago Bernabeu stadium in Madrid, Spain, Sunday, Jan. 21, 2024. (AP Photo/Bernat Armangue ) Czech Republic's Michal Kempny, right, punches United States' Brady Tkachuk during the quarterfinal match between Czech Republic and United States at the Ice Hockey World Championships in Prague, Czech Republic, Thursday, May 23, 2024. (AP Photo/Petr David Josek) Turkey's Taha Akgul, left, competes with Georgia's Geno Petriashvili in a men's freestyle 125 kg category gold medal wrestling match during the European Wrestling Championships, in Bucharest, Romania, Sunday, Feb. 18, 2024. (AP Photo/Andreea Alexandru) Kansas City Chiefs guard Trey Smith cries after winning the NFL Super Bowl 58 football game against the San Francisco 49ers, Sunday, Feb. 11, 2024, in Las Vegas. The Chiefs won 25-22. (AP Photo/Eric Gay) Carles Coll Marti of Spain competes in the men's 200-meter breaststroke heat at the World Aquatics Championships in Doha, Qatar, Thursday, Feb. 15, 2024. (AP Photo/Lee Jin-man) Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James (23) shoots between New Orleans Pelicans guard Trey Murphy III and guard CJ McCollum in the second half of an NBA basketball play-in tournament game Tuesday, April 16, 2024, in New Orleans. The Lakers won 110-106. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert) A man in a monk's robe waves the French flag as the peloton passes during the sixth stage of the Tour de France cycling race over 163.5 kilometers (101.6 miles) with start in Macon and finish in Dijon, France, Thursday, July 4, 2024. (AP Photo/Daniel Cole) Belgium's Jeremy Doku, left, challenges for the ball with Romania's Andrei Ratiu during a Group E match between Belgium and Romania at the Euro 2024 soccer tournament in Cologne, Germany, Saturday, June 22, 2024. (AP Photo/Alessandra Tarantino) A spectator walks through a water mist sprayer on her way to Eiffel Tower Stadium to watch a beach volleyball at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Sunday, July 28, 2024, in Paris, France. (AP Photo/Robert F. Bukaty) Gabriel Medina, of Brazil, kicks off of a wave as he warms up prior to the quarterfinals round of the 2024 Summer Olympics surfing competition, Thursday, Aug. 1, 2024, in Teahupo'o, Tahiti. (AP Photo/Gregory Bull) Rebeca Andrade, of Brazil, is reflected on a surface as she performs on the balance beam during the women's artistic gymnastics all-around finals in Bercy Arena at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Thursday, Aug. 1, 2024, in Paris, France. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel) Wyndham Clark waits to hit on the 17th hole during the first round at the Masters golf tournament at Augusta National Golf Club Thursday, April 11, 2024, in Augusta, Ga. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum) Kolkata Knight Riders' wicketkeeper Rahmanullah Gurbaz dives to make an unsuccessful attempt to run out Sunrisers Hyderabad's Abhishek Sharma during the Indian Premier League cricket final match between Kolkata Knight Riders and Sunrisers Hyderabad in Chennai, India, Sunday, May 26, 2024.(AP Photo/Mahesh Kumar A.) Mercedes driver Lewis Hamilton of Britain steers his car during the qualifying session of the Singapore Formula One Grand Prix at the Marina Bay Street Circuit, in Singapore, Saturday, Sept. 21, 2024. (AP Photo/Vincent Thian) Serbia's Novak Djokovic embraces his daughter Tara after defeating Spain's Carlos Alcaraz in the men's singles tennis final at the Roland Garros stadium during the 2024 Summer Olympics, Sunday, Aug. 4, 2024, in Paris, France. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez) Spain's Dani Olmo clears the ball from the goal line during the final match between Spain and England at the Euro 2024 soccer tournament in Berlin, Germany, Sunday, July 14, 2024. (AP Photo/Andreea Alexandru) A fleet of boats compete in the mixed multihull sailing race during the 2024 Summer Olympics, Sunday, Aug. 4, 2024, in Marseille, France. (AP Photo/Daniel Cole) A horse watches from its stable ahead of the 156th running of the Belmont Stakes horse race at Saratoga Race Course, Thursday, June 6, 2024, in Saratoga Springs, N.Y. (AP Photo/Julia Nikhinson) Silver medalist Simone Biles, of the United States, left, and bronze medalist Jordan Chiles, of the United States, right, bow to gold medalist Rebeca Andrade, of Brazil, during the medal ceremony for the women's artistic gymnastics individual floor finals at Bercy Arena at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Monday, Aug. 5, 2024, in Paris, France. (AP Photo/Abbie Parr) Denver celebrates after winning the championship game against Boston College in the Frozen Four NCAA college hockey tournament Saturday, April 13, 2024, in St. Paul, Minn. Denver won 2-0 to win the national championship. (AP Photo/Abbie Parr) Washington safety Kamren Fabiculanan (13) and cornerback Elijah Jackson (25) break up a pass to Eastern Michigan wide receiver Terry Lockett Jr. (3) in the end zone during the second half of an NCAA college football game Saturday, Sept. 7, 2024, in Seattle. Washington won 30-9. (AP Photo/Lindsey Wasson) Milwaukee Bucks' AJ Johnson, right, goes up for a shot against Philadelphia 76ers' Jared McCain, center, and Adem Bona during the second half of an NBA basketball game, Wednesday, Oct. 23, 2024, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum) Elise Mertens, of Belgium, serves against Naomi Osaka, of Japan, at the BNP Paribas Open tennis tournament, Monday, March 11, 2024, in Indian Wells, Calif. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill) Italy's Giovanni Tocci competes in the men's 3m springboard diving preliminary at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Tuesday, Aug. 6, 2024, in Saint-Denis, France. (AP Photo/Lee Jin-man) Los Angeles Dodgers designated hitter Shohei Ohtani breaks his bat during the first inning of the team's baseball game against the Washington Nationals at Nationals Park, Tuesday, April 23, 2024, in Washington. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon) Wearing a device that measures his energy consumption, the Israel Amputee Football Team player, Ben Maman, left, fights for the ball with a young soccer player from a local team during a practice session in Ramat Gan, Thursday, April 11, 2024. (AP Photo/Leo Correa) A soccer fan dressed as Spiderman watches Brazil play Uruguay in a Copa America quarterfinal match on a screen set up for fans on Copacabana Beach in Rio de Janeiro, Sunday, July 7, 2024. Brazil lost in a penalty shootout and Uruguay qualified for the semifinals. (AP Photo/Bruna Prado) Men dressed in traditional clothes try to pull the opponent over the table at the German Championships in Fingerhakeln or finger wrestling, in Bernbeuren, Germany, Sunday, May 12, 2024. (AP Photo/Matthias Schrader) Aryna Sabalenka, of Belarus, kicks the ball after double faulting against Jessica Pegula, of the United States, during the women's singles final of the U.S. Open tennis championships, Saturday, Sept. 7, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Julia Nikhinson) Water is sprayed on the pitch as the ball boys and girls walk along the center line before the start of the men's Group A field hockey match between South Africa and Germany at the Yves-du-Manoir Stadium during the 2024 Summer Olympics, Tuesday, July 30, 2024, in Colombes, France. (AP Photo/Aijaz Rahi) Cleveland Browns defensive end Isaiah McGuire (57) reaches for Minnesota Vikings quarterback Nick Mullens (12) during the first half of an NFL preseason football game, Saturday, Aug. 17, 2024, in Cleveland. (AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki) Morocco's Widad Bertal celebrates after defeating Thailand's Jutamas Jitpong in their women's 54kg preliminary boxing match at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Tuesday, July 30, 2024, in Paris, France. (AP Photo/John Locher) Brazil's Priscila eyes the ball during a women's semifinal soccer match between Brazil and Spain at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Tuesday, Aug. 6, 2024, at Marseille Stadium in Marseille, France. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez) Simone Biles of the United States competes on the balance beam during a women's artistic gymnastics qualification round at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Sunday, July 28, 2024, in Paris, France. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel) New Orleans Saints linebacker Willie Gay Jr. signs autographs for a young fan before the start of an NFL football game against the Kansas City Chiefs Monday, Oct. 7, 2024, in Kansas City, Mo. (AP Photo/Ed Zurga) Real Madrid's players celebrate with the trophy after winning the Champions League final soccer match between Borussia Dortmund and Real Madrid at Wembley stadium in London, Saturday, June 1, 2024. (AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth) Mozambique's Deizy Nhaquile battles rough seas during a women's dinghy race, Saturday, Aug. 3, 2024, during the 2024 Summer Olympics in Marseille, France. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin) People watch the cauldron rise at sunset by the Olympic rings during the 2024 Summer Olympics, Monday, Aug. 5, 2024, in Paris, France. (AP Photo/Natacha Pisarenko) Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce (87) kisses Taylor Swift after the NFL Super Bowl 58 football game against the San Francisco 49ers, Sunday, Feb. 11, 2024, in Las Vegas. The Chiefs won 25-22. (AP Photo/John Locher) A light show is projected from the Eiffel Tower in Paris, France, during the opening ceremony of the 2024 Summer Olympics, Friday, July 26, 2024. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip) Kateryna Tabashnyk, a high jumper, sits for a portrait Sunday, June 9, 2024, at the athletics arena of the "Polytechnic" sports complex, which was destroyed by a Russian rocket attack, in Kharkiv, Ukraine. (AP Photo/Evgeniy Maloletka) Sent weekly directly to your inbox!
Political leaders and industry titans pay tribute to former Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh
—NOMBRE COMPLETO: James Earl Carter, Jr. —NACIDO: 1 de octubre de 1924 en la Clínica Wise de Plains, Georgia. Carter fue el primer presidente de Estados Unidos nacido en un hospital. Se convertiría en el primer presidente de Estados Unidos en vivir un siglo. —EDUCACIÓN: Secundaria en Plains, Georgia, 1939-1941; Georgia Southwestern College, Americus, Georgia, 1941-1942; Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, 1942-1943; Academia Naval de Estados Unidos, Annapolis, Maryland, 1943-1946 (Clase 1947); Union College, Schenectady, Nueva York, 1952-1953. —PRESIDENCIA: 39no presidente de Estados Unidos, juramentado el 20 de enero de 1977 a los 52 años, tres meses y 20 días de edad, tras derrotar al presidente Gerald R. Ford en las elecciones generales de 1976. Derrotado por Ronald Reagan en 1980, dejó la presidencia el 20 de enero de 1981. —POSTPRESIDENCIA: Puso en marcha el Centro Carter en 1982. Comenzó a trabajar como voluntario en Hábitat para la Humanidad en 1984. Recibió el Premio Nobel de la Paz en 2002. Enseñó durante 37 años en la Universidad de Emory. —OTROS CARGOS DE ELECCION POPULAR: Senador estatal en Georgia, 1963-1967; gobernador de Georgia, 1971-1975. —OTRAS ACTIVIDADES: Oficial de la Marina, llegó al grado de teniente de navío, 1946-1953; agricultor, Plains, Georgia, 1953-1977. —FAMILIA: Esposa, Rosalynn Smith Carter. Se casaron el 7 de julio de 1943. Ella murió el 19 de noviembre de 2023. Tuvieron tres hijos, John William (Jack), James Earl III (Chip), Donnel Jeffrey (Jeff), y una hija, Amy Lynn. Fuente: Biblioteca y Museo Jimmy CarterNone
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