Brits overwhelmingly back Mirror campaign to end UK 'cosmetic cowboy' surgeryCountries at the COP29 summit in Baku adopted a $300 billion a year global finance target on Sunday to help poorer nations cope with impacts of climate change, a deal its intended recipients criticized as woefully insufficient. The agreement, clinched in overtime at the two-week conference in Azerbaijan's capital, was meant to provide momentum for international efforts to curb global warming in a year destined to be the hottest on record. Some delegates gave the deal a standing ovation in the COP29 plenary hall. Others lambasted wealthy nations for not doing more and criticized the Azerbaijan host for hurriedly gaveling through the contentious plan. "I regret to say that this document is nothing more than an optical illusion," Indian delegation representative Chandni Raina told the closing session of the summit, minutes after the deal was gaveled in. "This, in our opinion, will not address the enormity of the challenge we all face. Therefore, we oppose the adoption of this document." United Nations climate chief Simon Stiell acknowledged the difficult negotiations that led to the agreement but hailed the outcome as an insurance policy for humanity against global warming. "It has been a difficult journey, but we've delivered a deal," Stiell said. "This deal will keep the clean energy boom growing and protect billions of lives. "But like any insurance policy, it only works if the premiums are paid in full, and on time." The agreement would provide $300 billion annually by 2035, boosting rich countries' previous commitment to provide $100 billion per year in climate finance by 2020. That earlier goal was met two years late, in 2022, and expires in 2025. The deal also lays the groundwork for next year's climate summit, to be held in the Amazon rainforest of Brazil, where countries are meant to map out the next decade of climate action. The summit cut to the heart of the debate over financial responsibility of industrialized countries - whose historic use of fossil fuels has caused the bulk of greenhouse gas emissions - to compensate others for worsening damage from climate change. It also laid bare divisions between wealthy governments constrained by tight domestic budgets and developing nations reeling from costs of storms, floods and droughts. Negotiations had been due to finish on Friday but ran into overtime as representatives from nearly 200 countries struggled to reach consensus. Talks were interrupted on Saturday as some developing countries and island nations walked away in frustration. "We are leaving with a small portion of the funding climate-vulnerable countries urgently need. It isn’t nearly enough, but it’s a start," said Tina Stege, Marshall Islands climate envoy. Nations have been seeking financing to deliver on the Paris Agreement goal of limiting global temperature rise to 1.5 degrees Celsius (2.7 degrees Fahrenheit) above pre-industrial levels - beyond which catastrophic climate impacts could occur. The world is currently on track for as much as 3.1 C (5.6 F) of warming by the end of this century, according to the 2024 UN Emissions Gap report, with global greenhouse gas emissions and fossil fuels use continuing to rise. Sunday's deal failed to set out detailed steps for how countries will act on last year's UN climate summit pledge to transition away from fossil fuels and triple renewable energy capacity this decade. WHAT COUNTS AS DEVELOPED NATION? The roster of countries required to contribute - about two dozen industrialized countries, including the US, European nations and Canada - dates back to a list decided during UN climate talks in 1992. European governments have demanded others pay in, including China, the world's second-biggest economy. The deal encourages developing countries to make contributions but does not require them. The agreement includes a broader goal of raising $1.3 trillion in climate finance annually by 2035 - which would include funding from all public and private sources and which economists say matches the sum needed to address global warming. Countries also agreed on rules for a global market to buy and sell carbon credits that proponents say could mobilize billions more dollars into new projects to fight global warming, from reforestation to deployment of clean energy technologies. Securing the climate finance deal was a challenge from the start. Donald Trump's US presidential election victory this month has raised doubts among some negotiators that the world's largest economy would pay into any climate finance goal agreed in Baku. Trump, a Republican who takes office in January, has called climate change a hoax and promised to again remove the US from international climate cooperation. President Joe Biden congratulated the COP29 participants for reaching what he called an historic agreement that would help mobilize needed funds, but said more work was needed. "While there is still substantial work ahead of us to achieve our climate goals, today’s outcome puts us one significant step closer. On behalf of the American people and future generations, we must continue to accelerate our work to keep a cleaner, safer, healthier planet within our grasp," Biden said in a statement. Western governments have seen global warming slip down the list of national priorities amid surging geopolitical tensions, including Russia’s war in Ukraine and expanding conflict in the Middle East, and rising inflation. The showdown over financing for developing countries comes in a year scientists predict will be the hottest on record. Climate woes are stacking up, with widespread flooding killing thousands across Africa, deadly landslides burying villages in Asia, and drought in South America shrinking rivers. Developed countries have not been spared. Torrential rain triggered floods in Valencia, Spain, last month that left more than 200 dead, and the US so far this year has registered 24 billion-dollar disasters - just four fewer than last year.
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Three long days of counting in the General Election finished late on Monday night when the final two seats were declared in the constituency of Cavan-Monaghan. Fianna Fail was the clear winner of the election, securing 48 of the Dail parliament’s 174 seats. Sinn Fein took 39 and Fine Gael 38. Labour and the Social Democrats both won 11 seats; People Before Profit-Solidarity took three; Aontu secured two; and the Green Party retained only one of its 12 seats. Independents and others accounted for 21 seats. The return of a Fianna Fail/Fine Gael-led coalition is now highly likely. However, their combined seat total of 86 leaves them just short of the 88 needed for a majority in the Dail. While the two centrist parties that have dominated Irish politics for a century could look to strike a deal with one of the Dail’s smaller centre-left parties, such as the Social Democrats or Labour, a more straightforward route to a majority could be achieved by securing the support of several independent TDs. For Fianna Fail leader Micheal Martin and current taoiseach and Fine Gael leader Simon Harris, wooing like-minded independents would be likely to involve fewer policy concessions, and financial commitments, than would be required to convince another party to join the government benches. Longford-Westmeath independent TD Kevin “Boxer” Moran, who served in a Fine Gael-led minority government between 2017 and 2020, expressed his willingness to listen to offers to join the new coalition in Dublin. “Look, my door’s open,” he told RTE. “Someone knocks, I’m always there to open it.” Marian Harkin, an independent TD for Sligo-Leitrim, expressed her desire to participate in government as she noted that Fianna Fail and Fine Gael were within “shouting distance” of an overall majority. “That means they will be looking for support, and I certainly will be one of those people who will be speaking to them and talking to them and negotiating with them, and I’m looking forward to doing that, because that was the reason that I ran in the first place,” she said. Meanwhile, the Social Democrats and Irish Labour Party both appear cautious about the prospect of an alliance with Fianna Fail and Fine Gael. They will no doubt be mindful of the experience of the Green Party, the junior partner in the last mandate. The Greens experienced near wipeout in the election, retaining only one of their 12 seats. Sinn Fein appears to currently have no realistic route to government, given Fianna Fail and Fine Gael’s ongoing refusal to share power with the party. Despite the odds being stacked against her party, Sinn Fein president Mary Lou McDonald contacted the leaders of the Social Democrats and Labour on Monday to discuss options. Earlier, Fianna Fail deputy leader and outgoing Finance Minister Jack Chambers predicted that a new coalition government would not be in place before Christmas. Mr Chambers said planned talks about forming an administration required “time and space” to ensure that any new government will be “coherent and stable”. After an inconclusive outcome to the 2020 election, it took five months for Fianna Fail, Fine Gael and the Greens to strike the last coalition deal. Mr Chambers said he did not believe it would take that long this time, as he noted the Covid-19 pandemic was a factor in 2020, but he also made clear it would not be a swift process. He said he agreed with analysis that there was no prospect of a deal before Christmas. “I don’t expect a government to be formed in mid-December, when the Dail is due to meet on December 18, probably a Ceann Comhairle (speaker) can be elected, and there’ll have to be time and space taken to make sure we can form a coherent, stable government,” he told RTE. “I don’t think it should take five months like it did the last time – Covid obviously complicated that. But I think all political parties need to take the time to see what’s possible and try and form a stable government for the Irish people.” Fine Gael minister of state Peter Burke said members of his parliamentary party would have to meet to consider their options before giving Mr Harris a mandate to negotiate a new programme for government with Fianna Fail. “It’s important that we have a strong, stable, viable government, whatever form that may be, to ensure that we can meet the challenges of our society, meet the challenges in terms of the economic changes that are potentially going to happen,” he told RTE. Despite being set to emerge with the most seats, it has not been all good news for Fianna Fail. The party’s outgoing Health Minister Stephen Donnelly became one of the biggest casualties of the election when he lost his seat in Wicklow in the early hours of Monday morning. Mr Donnelly was always predicted to face a fight in the constituency after boundary changes saw it reduced from five to four seats. If it is to be a reprise of the Fianna Fail/Fine Gael governing partnership of the last mandate, one of the major questions is around the position of taoiseach and whether the parties will once again take turns to hold the Irish premiership during the lifetime of the new government. The outcome in 2020 saw the parties enter a coalition on the basis that the holder of the premier position would be exchanged midway through the term. Fianna Fail leader Mr Martin took the role for the first half of the mandate, with Leo Varadkar taking over in December 2022. Current Fine Gael leader Mr Harris succeeded Mr Varadkar as taoiseach when he resigned from the role earlier this year. However, this time Fianna Fail has significantly increased its seat lead over Fine Gael, compared with the last election when there were only three seats between the parties. The size of the disparity in party numbers is likely to draw focus on the rotating taoiseach arrangement, raising questions as to whether it will be re-run in the next coalition and, if it is, on what terms. On Sunday, Simon Coveney, a former deputy leader of Fine Gael, said a coalition that did not repeat the rotating taoiseach arrangement in some fashion would be a “difficult proposition” for his party. Meanwhile, Fine Gael minister Paschal Donohoe said he would be making the case for Mr Harris to have another opportunity to serve as taoiseach. On Monday, Mr Chambers said while his party would expect to lead the government it would approach the issue of rotating the taoiseach’s role on the basis of “mutual respect” with Fine Gael. “I think the context of discussions and negotiations will be driven by mutual respect, and that’s the glue that will drive a programme for government and that’s the context in which we’ll engage,” he said. On Monday, Labour leader Ivana Bacik reiterated her party’s determination to forge an alliance with fellow centre-left parties with the intention of having a unified approach to the prospect of entering government. Asked if Labour was prepared to go into government with Fianna Fail and Fine Gael on its own, she told RTE: “No, not at this stage. We are absolutely not willing to do that. “We want to ensure there’s the largest number of TDs who share our vision and our values who want to deliver change on the same basis that we do.” The Social Democrats have been non-committal about any potential arrangement with Fianna Fail and Fine Gael, and have restated a series of red lines they would need to achieve before considering taking a place in government. Leader Holly Cairns, who gave birth to a daughter on polling day on Friday, said in a statement: “The party is in a very strong position to play an important role in the next Dail. In what position, government or opposition, remains to be seen.” Fianna Fail secured the most first preference votes in Friday’s proportional representation election, taking 21.9% to Fine Gael’s 20.8%. Sinn Fein came in third on 19%. While Sinn Fein’s vote share represented a marked improvement on its disappointing showing in June’s local elections in Ireland, it is still significantly down on the 24.5% poll-topping share it secured in the 2020 general election. The final breakdown of first preferences also flipped the result of Friday night’s exit poll, which suggested Sinn Fein was in front on 21.1%, with Fine Gael on 21% and Fianna Fail on 19.5%.
Former US president Jimmy Carter has died aged 100. Mr Carter, a former peanut farmer, served one term in the White House between 1977 and 1981, taking over in the wake of the Watergate scandal and the end of the Vietnam War. After his defeat by Ronald Reagan, he spent his post-presidency years as a global humanitarian, winning the Nobel Peace Prize in 2002. His death on Sunday was announced by his family and came more than a year after he decided to enter hospice care. He was the longest-lived US president. His son, Chip Carter, said: “My father was a hero, not only to me but to everyone who believes in peace, human rights and unselfish love. “My brothers, sister and I shared him with the rest of the world through these common beliefs. “The world is our family because of the way he brought people together, and we thank you for honouring his memory by continuing to live these shared beliefs.” Mr Carter is expected to receive a state funeral featuring public observances in Atlanta and Washington DC before being buried in his home town of Plains, Georgia. A moderate democrat born in Plains in October 1924, Mr Carter’s political career took him from the Georgia state senate to the state governorship and finally the White House, where he took office as the 39th president. His presidency saw economic disruption amid volatile oil prices, along with social tensions at home and challenges abroad including the Iranian revolution that sparked a 444-day hostage crisis at the US embassy in Tehran. But he also brokered the Camp David Accords between Egypt and Israel, which led to a peace treaty between the two countries in 1979. After his defeat in the 1980 presidential election, he worked for more than four decades leading the Carter Centre, which he and his late wife Rosalynn co-founded in 1982 to “wage peace, fight disease, and build hope”. Mrs Carter, who died last year aged 96, had played a more active role in her husband’s presidency than previous first ladies, with Mr Carter saying she had been “my equal partner in everything I ever accomplished”. Earlier this year, on his 100th birthday, Mr Carter received a private congratulatory message from the King, expressing admiration for his life of public service.
Murdoch loses bid to change trust in 'Succession' battleNORTH CHARLESTON , S.C. -- Pee Dee Academy's football team won its second 11-man SCISA state championship in three years after Saturday's 52-14 win over Bethesda Day on Charleston Southern University's Buccaneer Field. The Golden Eagles had won two previous state crowns in 8-man play. On Saturday, no matter how many were on the field -- and no matter what class the Golden Eagles (12-0) were in (this year, they are in 2A after winning the 3A crown in 2022) -- coach Jonathan King's program proved why it's one of SCISA's top teams overall. PDA's Tristan Heckman rushed for four touchdowns Saturday and caught a Colby Richardson pass for another, and the Golden Eagles were hitting their stride. It was a season-long stride they never really broke from. King's team proved it could strike in whatever fashion defenses allow. For all the acclaim about PDA's threat through the air with Richardson and receiver Miles Trussell, Heckman -- the team's leading tackler entering Saturday's game -- could deliver that same intensity on the ground. And just to give one more exclamation point on this year's state title, Keeton Cribbs deflected a pass that was caught by teammate Bennett Causey. And all Causey did after that was race into the end zone himself for yet another touchdown. Wasn't that intense? Intensity was the Golden Eagles' calling card after its struggles in 2023. But those past struggles are an afterthought. Saturday's performance by Pee Dee Academy will give Golden Eagle fans great memories for quite some time. WILL BE UPDATED schancey@florencenews.com Sent weekly directly to your inbox! Sports Editor {{description}} Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items.
Jimmy Carter, the 39th US president, has died at 100
By BILL BARROW, Associated Press ATLANTA (AP) — 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. 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. And then, the world Ignominious defeat, though, allowed for renewal. The Carters founded The Carter Center in 1982 as a first-of-its-kind base of operations, asserting themselves as international peacemakers and champions of democracy, public health and human rights. “I was not interested in just building a museum or storing my White House records and memorabilia,” Carter wrote in a memoir published after his 90th birthday. “I wanted a place where we could work.” That work included easing nuclear tensions in North and South Korea, helping to avert a U.S. invasion of Haiti and negotiating cease-fires in Bosnia and Sudan. By 2022, The Carter Center had declared at least 113 elections in Latin America, Asia and Africa to be free or fraudulent. Recently, the center began monitoring U.S. elections as well. Carter’s stubborn self-assuredness and even self-righteousness proved effective once he was unencumbered by the Washington order, sometimes to the point of frustrating his successors . He went “where others are not treading,” he said, to places like Ethiopia, Liberia and North Korea, where he secured the release of an American who had wandered across the border in 2010. “I can say what I like. I can meet whom I want. I can take on projects that please me and reject the ones that don’t,” Carter said. He announced an arms-reduction-for-aid deal with North Korea without clearing the details with Bill Clinton’s White House. He openly criticized President George W. Bush for the 2003 invasion of Iraq. He also criticized America’s approach to Israel with his 2006 book “Palestine: Peace Not Apartheid.” And he repeatedly countered U.S. administrations by insisting North Korea should be included in international affairs, a position that most aligned Carter with Republican President Donald Trump. Among the center’s many public health initiatives, Carter vowed to eradicate the guinea worm parasite during his lifetime, and nearly achieved it: Cases dropped from millions in the 1980s to nearly a handful. With hardhats and hammers, the Carters also built homes with Habitat for Humanity. The Nobel committee’s 2002 Peace Prize cites his “untiring effort to find peaceful solutions to international conflicts, to advance democracy and human rights, and to promote economic and social development.” Carter should have won it alongside Sadat and Begin in 1978, the chairman added. Carter accepted the recognition saying there was more work to be done. “The world is now, in many ways, a more dangerous place,” he said. “The greater ease of travel and communication has not been matched by equal understanding and mutual respect.” ‘An epic American life’ Carter’s globetrotting took him to remote villages where he met little “Jimmy Carters,” so named by admiring parents. But he spent most of his days in the same one-story Plains house — expanded and guarded by Secret Service agents — where they lived before he became governor. He regularly taught Sunday School lessons at Maranatha Baptist Church until his mobility declined and the coronavirus pandemic raged. Those sessions drew visitors from around the world to the small sanctuary where Carter will receive his final send-off after a state funeral at Washington’s National Cathedral. The common assessment that he was a better ex-president than president rankled Carter and his allies. His prolific post-presidency gave him a brand above politics, particularly for Americans too young to witness him in office. But Carter also lived long enough to see biographers and historians reassess his White House years more generously. His record includes the deregulation of key industries, reduction of U.S. dependence on foreign oil, cautious management of the national debt and notable legislation on the environment, education and mental health. He focused on human rights in foreign policy, pressuring dictators to release thousands of political prisoners . He acknowledged America’s historical imperialism, pardoned Vietnam War draft evaders and relinquished control of the Panama Canal. He normalized relations with China. “I am not nominating Jimmy Carter for a place on Mount Rushmore,” Stuart Eizenstat, Carter’s domestic policy director, wrote in a 2018 book. “He was not a great president” but also not the “hapless and weak” caricature voters rejected in 1980, Eizenstat said. Rather, Carter was “good and productive” and “delivered results, many of which were realized only after he left office.” Madeleine Albright, a national security staffer for Carter and Clinton’s secretary of state, wrote in Eizenstat’s forward that Carter was “consequential and successful” and expressed hope that “perceptions will continue to evolve” about his presidency. “Our country was lucky to have him as our leader,” said Albright, who died in 2022. Jonathan Alter, who penned a comprehensive Carter biography published in 2020, said in an interview that Carter should be remembered for “an epic American life” spanning from a humble start in a home with no electricity or indoor plumbing through decades on the world stage across two centuries. “He will likely go down as one of the most misunderstood and underestimated figures in American history,” Alter told The Associated Press. A small-town start 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. ‘Jimmy Who?’ 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. Accomplishments, and ‘malaise’ 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. ‘A wonderful life’ 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.” ___ Former Associated Press journalist Alex Sanz contributed to this report.NoneChina and Malaysia formally established diplomatic relations on May 31, 1974, making it the first such relationship among the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN). Since then, bilateral relations have generally progressed smoothly. In 1999, the two countries signed a joint statement outlining a framework for future bilateral cooperation. In 2004, leaders from both sides reached a consensus on developing a strategic partnership. This partnership was elevated to a “ ” in 2013. In 2023, the two nations announced the establishment of a China-Malaysia community with a shared future. Malaysia is strategically located at the heart of Southeast Asia and serves as a gateway to ASEAN’s 650 million people and a combined GDP of US$3.2 trillion. Its geographical advantage positions it as a hub for accessing ASEAN markets and connecting to the Middle East, Australia, and New Zealand. In 2023, bilateral trade between China and Malaysia amounted to US$190.24 billion. Of this, China’s exports to Malaysia totaled US$87.38 billion, while imports from Malaysia reached US$102.86 billion. China has remained Malaysia’s largest trading partner for 15 consecutive years. Major imports from Malaysia include integrated circuits, computers and their components, palm oil, and plastic products. Key Chinese exports to Malaysia consist of computers and their components, integrated circuits, apparel, and textiles. Chinese enterprises have rapidly increased their investments in Malaysia, with a growing diversification of sectors. Chinese companies operate extensively across the country, with major ongoing projects concentrated in railways, bridges, hydropower plants, and real estate. New developments are also emerging in highways, metro systems, light rail, and telecommunications. China has implemented a unilateral , while Malaysia offers 30-day visa-free entry for Chinese citizens. According to Malaysian statistics, over 1.47 million Chinese tourists visited Malaysia in 2023, maintaining China’s position for the seventh consecutive year as Malaysia’s largest source of tourists outside ASEAN. China-Malaysia bilateral trade Malaysia was China’s 10th largest global trading partner and the second largest within ASEAN. However, due to factors such as the decline in international commodity prices (including palm oil and natural gas), uncertainties arising from geopolitical conflicts, and a high base from the previous year, China-Malaysia bilateral trade experienced a slight decline in 2023, decreasing by 5.2 percent year on year. Despite these fluctuations, China remains Malaysia’s primary source of imports and second-largest export destination, underscoring the deep economic ties between the two nations and Malaysia’s pivotal role as China’s second-largest ASEAN trading partner. Source: China’s key export products to Malaysia primarily include electrical machinery, machinery, furniture, plastics, steel products, vehicles and parts, mineral fuels, and textiles. Since 2019, these traditional export categories have consistently ranked among the top 10 in export value, with significant growth in each category. Source: What has increased during 2019-2023: Natural or cultured pearls, a 117 percent increase; Articles of apparel and clothing accessories, a 70 percent increase; Preparations of meat or fish, a 53 percent increase. Malaysia’s exports to China have been stable and robust in recent years with electrical and electronics (E&E) products accounting for the largest share of total exports. The primary export categories from Malaysia to China encompass electrical machinery, mineral fuels, plastics, and medical photographic machinery, demonstrating the diversity of goods traded with the world’s second-largest economy. Source: What has increased during 2019-2023: Paper and paperboard, a 95 percent increase; Residues and waste from the food industry, a 41 percent increase; Edible fruit and nuts, a 39 percent increase. China-Malaysia bilateral investment Benefiting from the diversification of global and regional supply chains and the adoption of ‘China+1’ strategies, net foreign direct investment (FDI) inflows into Malaysia have surged in recent years. To mitigate the impacts of trade tensions with the US, China has been looking to relocate some supply chains or establish new plants in Southeast Asia, including Malaysia. This has led to a steady influx of investment from both Chinese and US companies, making Malaysia one of the fastest-growing hubs for data centers, which are essential for powering artificial intelligence systems. The China-Malaysia Qinzhou Industrial Park and the Malaysia-China Kuantan Industrial Park, jointly developed by China and Malaysia, are thriving and have established a new model of international cooperation known as the “ ” initiative. This initiative exemplifies the close and dynamic trade relationship between the two nations, highlighting their shared vision for future collaboration. Launched under the China-ASEAN strategic framework, it integrates the Qinzhou and Kuantan parks as sister industrial hubs. These parks provide industry-specific infrastructure strategically located near major Malaysian ports and transportation hubs, optimizing logistics for high-value sectors such as manufacturing, electronics, and smart technology. Favorable policies, including tax incentives, tariff reductions, and subsidies, enhance cost efficiency, while joint ventures with Malaysian companies facilitate localized market penetration and access to broader ASEAN markets. Additionally, the initiative promotes technology and knowledge transfer, driving innovation and aligning exports with Malaysia’s focus on renewable energy, e-commerce, and other high-growth industries. This comprehensive ecosystem positions the Twin Parks as a critical enabler of export growth, creating significant opportunities for Chinese businesses to expand their presence in Malaysia and the ASEAN region. Source: As of the end of 2023, Malaysia ranked among the top 20 countries (regions) for China’s outbound FDI stock, reaching US$13.48 billion, which accounts for 0.5 percent of China’s total. Additionally, according to from Malaysia’s Malaysian Investment Development Authority (MIDA), in 2022, China was Malaysia’s largest source of approved foreign investment. Malaysia approved a total of RM 163.3 billion (approximately US$36.9 billion) in FDI that year, of which RM 55.4 billion (US$12.5 billion) came from China, accounting for 33.9 percent of the total. In 2023, China ranked among the top five foreign investors in Malaysia, driven by the manufacturing and services sectors. Malaysia’s international standard legal framework, abundant resources, competitive labor costs, and proximity to ASEAN markets further solidify its position as a preferred destination for Chinese enterprises. China’s investment in Malaysia highlights a strongly tied partnership rooted in cultural, economic, and strategic advantages. Chinese companies such as Vanke and CRRC Corporation have leveraged Malaysia’s pro-investment environment and multicultural society, which includes a significant Chinese population, to streamline operations and enhance cooperation. has played a vital role in advancing Malaysia’s transportation sector, particularly in rail and related industries, aligning with Malaysia’s goals of developing sustainable and modern infrastructure. In the telecommunication sector, , beginning in 2001 and 2004 respectively, were drawn by Malaysia’s focus on modernizing its telecommunications infrastructure. With Malaysia’s skilled workforce and a business-friendly environment, these firms have significantly contributed to the country’s digital transformation, supporting Malaysia in gaining access to cutting-edge technology while the firms secure a strategic foothold in a growing market. China’s investment in Malaysia’s real estate sector has been on the rise, exemplified most prominently by the Forest City project. stands as Malaysia’s most ambitious Chinese-funded real estate project, spanning over 1,386 hectares and blending luxury housing with service-oriented industries like tourism, healthcare, and green technology. Malaysia offers a competitive investment environment with strategic initiatives such as tax incentives for manufacturing, green energy, and technology sectors and its promotion of five economic corridors to balance regional development. The government also supports in targeted industries, boosting Malaysia’s attractiveness for FDI. Malaysia presents an exceptional opportunity for investors due to its combination of strategic location, advanced infrastructure, and business-friendly policies. Situated in the heart of Southeast Asia, Malaysia’s well-developed transport networks—including international airports, seaports, highways, and railways—facilitate efficient logistics and commerce, making it a central hub for global trade. The country also features over equipped with essential amenities, offering tax and duty incentives to reduce operational costs. In addition, Malaysia also benefits from ASEAN’s regional growth, which features the third-largest labor market globally. With its expanding middle class and increasing demand for goods and services, . These synergies between Malaysia’s infrastructure, strategic location, and access to ASEAN markets firmly establish it as a key hub for international commerce and innovation. The Malaysian government actively supports foreign investment through economic corridors that target regional development. Through its participation in ASEAN Free Trade Agreements (AFTA), . These reduced trade barriers translate into lower operational costs, allowing businesses in Malaysia to capitalize on the opportunities within one of the largest global trade blocs. As a market-oriented economy, it is supported by , which allows foreign investors to own 100 percent equity in manufacturing and specific service industries. The country has , generating over 104,000 jobs and US$143 billion in investments. Malaysia’s strong economic foundation and growth prospects are another draw for investors. As one of the most competitive and innovative emerging markets in ASEAN, Malaysia ranks highly in global indices for investment opportunities. Its policies, such as the “ ,” support digitalization and AI technologies to take up 26 percent of the total GDP in the next decade. Similarly, the “ ” aims to support Malaysia in achieving nationwide electrification and equitable development by expanding rural energy access, enhancing demand-side energy efficiency across sectors, and optimizing the value of indigenous resources like natural gas and petrochemicals. It also promotes private investment in renewable energy sources such as solar, hydroelectric, and bioenergy to support sustainable industry growth and regional competitiveness. The country is rich in natural resources, from palm oil and rubber to petroleum and minerals, supporting a diverse range of industries. Its skilled workforce, with relatively low labor costs, enhances the competitiveness of its manufacturing and service sectors. Additionally, Malaysia’s multicultural environment, especially the large Chinese community, facilitates smooth operations for foreign companies, particularly those from China. China-Malaysia bilateral agreement , effective since 1988 and revised periodically, is designed to eliminate the risk of double taxation on income and foster enhanced economic relations between Malaysia and China. It outlines clear tax obligations for income generated across both countries, ensuring taxpayers are not taxed twice on the same earnings. The treaty stipulates withholding tax rates on various income types to reduce tax burdens for cross-border transactions: Dividends: 5 percent if the recipient holds at least 25 percent (China to Malaysia), or 10 percent (Malaysia to China) of the shares in the company paying the dividends. 10 percent for all other cases. Interest: 10 percent. Royalties: 10 percent. The RCEP Agreement aims to enhance trade and investment among its members by reducing tariffs, simplifying customs procedures, and promoting economic integration. China-Malaysia future opportunities Malaysia’s energy sector is poised for a promising transformation, underpinned by robust plans for renewable energy development and market reforms. Malaysia has incentivized green technology tax benefits since 2001. The . The government’s supportive policies are aiming to attract investments in green technology projects in sectors such as circular economy, low carbon emissions, renewable energy, energy storage, etc. As of 2022, the country’s power industry had an installed capacity of 42 GW and generated 151 TWh of electricity annually. Guided by the “ ” introduced in 2019, the government is gradually liberalizing Peninsular Malaysia’s electricity market to attract independent enterprises and diversify fuel sources. Malaysia has set ambitious renewable energy targets, aiming to increase the share of renewables in installed capacity from 16 percent in 2021 to 31 percent by 2025 and 40 percent by 2040. Furthermore, the nation is committed to reducing its carbon emission intensity by 45 percent by 2030 and 60 percent by 2035, using 2005 levels as a baseline. To achieve these goals, Malaysia plans to halt the construction of new coal plants and retire 7 GW of coal-fired power by 2033. These initiatives highlight Malaysia’s dedication to reducing fossil fuel dependence, curbing carbon emissions, and fostering a sustainable energy future aligned with global climate commitments. Malaysia’s E&E industry is thriving and evolving with increasing opportunities for investment. Semiconductor manufacturing remains one of the country’s primary contributors to economic growth, with strong participation from multinational corporations (MNCs) in the downstream segments such as assembly, advanced packaging, and testing. , as of 2021, foreign investment accounted for 99.4 percent of the total approved investment in electronic components, with the sector receiving US$19.38 billion in investment, resulting in over 12,400 job opportunities. The growing demand for electronics, driven by global trends in automation, electric vehicles, and renewable energy, ensures that Malaysia will remain at the forefront of the semiconductor and electronic component industries. By 2027, the global semiconductor market is expected to grow to US$141.1 billion, and this favorable business climate makes it an attractive location for investors looking to capture a share of this expanding market. Malaysia is also emerging as a leader in the solar energy space, with an almost complete ecosystem of 250 companies involved in solar cell production, inverters, and system integration. The solar sector attracted a significant portion of the total approved investment, reflecting Malaysia’s strategic commitment to renewable energy. Additionally, Malaysia is well-positioned to capitalize on the shift toward advanced manufacturing, with a focus on -embedded electronic products, smart devices, and smart energy solutions. The government’s ongoing support for research and development, coupled with favorable tax incentives, further enhances Malaysia’s appeal as a global electronics manufacturing hub. shows the government’s objectives to attract financial incentives, grants, and support to encourage AI adoption and innovation domestically. In 2024, Malaysia presents an increasingly attractive landscape for investors in the AI industry, driven by its strategic integration of AI technologies across key sectors such as manufacturing, healthcare, finance, and education. , the country is on track to harness AI to significantly boost its GDP, with projections indicating a 30 percent increase. This robust government-backed initiative, coupled with improvements in global AI readiness rankings, reflects Malaysia’s commitment to becoming a regional and global leader in AI. The country’s focus on fostering public-private partnerships, workforce upskilling, and cutting-edge digital infrastructure enhances its attractiveness for investors seeking growth in a rapidly evolving AI ecosystem. Additionally, and its emphasis on digitalization as a regional priority highlight the nation’s growing influence in shaping the future of AI adoption within Southeast Asia. Investors can expect a conducive environment for innovation, supported by a clear national AI vision, strategic research investments, and initiatives designed to overcome AI adoption barriers. With Malaysia positioning itself as a hub for AI-driven growth, the country’s comprehensive approach to AI readiness, workforce development, and cross-border collaboration presents significant opportunities for long-term investment in this dynamic sector. Malaysia’s healthcare sector is also offering compelling opportunities for international investors. Investors are attracted by incentives such as tax allowances for establishing or expanding private hospitals and facilities specializing in ambulatory care or rehabilitation. With a rising middle class and a growing aging population, there is a substantial demand for high-quality private healthcare services, including . The sector’s push toward digitalization presents additional avenues for investment in telemedicine, health data analytics, and AI-driven diagnostics. Furthermore, Malaysia’s position as a global medical tourism hub offers lucrative opportunities in wellness centers, cosmetic surgery, and fertility treatments. So, catering to regional and global healthcare demands while tapping into Malaysia’s skilled workforce and robust public-private collaboration frameworks will be attractive in the near future. China Briefing is one of five regional publications, supported by . For a complimentary subscription to China Briefing’s content products, please click . Dezan Shira & Associates assists foreign investors into and has done so since 1992 through offices in , , , , , , , , , , , , , and . We also have offices in , , , , , , , and and partner firms assisting foreign investors in , , , , and . For assistance in China, please contact the firm at or visit our website at . Our free webinars are packed full of useful information for doing business in China. Meet the firm behind our content. Visit their website to see how their services can help your business succeed. Subscribing grants you this, plus free access to our articles and magazines.
Betty White Forever: New stamp will honor the much-beloved 'Golden Girls' actorNone
SOUTH FLORIDA 74, PORTLAND 68The dizzying array of legal threats to Brazil's former President Jair BolsonaroARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — The roof at the home of the Dallas Cowboys opened without incident and will stay that way for a Monday night meeting with the Cincinnati Bengals. It was to be the first game with the roof open at AT&T Stadium since Oct. 30, 2022, a 49-29 Dallas victory over Chicago. The roof was supposed to be open three weeks ago for Houston's 34-10 victory on another Monday night, but a large piece of metal and other debris fell roughly 300 feet to the field as the retractable roof was opening about three hours before kickoff. The Cowboys decided to close the roof after the incident, and it remained that way for the game. There were no injuries, and the start of the game wasn't delayed. The club said at the time it would investigate the cause with a plan to reopen the roof when it was deemed safe. Wind was cited as a cause for the falling debris. There were gusts of at least 30 mph in the afternoon before the meeting with the Texans. It was sunny with a high in the 70s Monday in the Dallas area, and winds were in the 10 mph range. AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/NFL
Gabbard, Trump's pick for intel chief, faces questions on Capitol Hill amid Syria falloutBy LISA MASCARO and FARNOUSH AMIRI WASHINGTON (AP) — President-elect Donald Trump’s pick for intelligence chief Tulsi Gabbard faced fresh scrutiny Monday on Capitol Hill about her proximity to Russian-ally Syria amid the sudden collapse of that country’s hardline Assad rule. Gabbard ignored shouted questions about her 2017 visit to war-torn Syria as she ducked into one of several private meetings with senators who are being asked to confirm Trump’s unusual nominees . Related Articles National Politics | Trump promises to end birthright citizenship: What is it and could he do it? National Politics | Trump has flip-flopped on abortion policy. His appointees may offer clues to what happens next National Politics | In promising to shake up Washington, Trump is in a class of his own National Politics | Election Day has long passed. In some states, legislatures are working to undermine the results National Politics | Trump taps his attorney Alina Habba to serve as counselor to the president But the Democrat-turned-Republican Army National Reserve lieutenant colonel delivered a statement in which she reiterated her support for Trump’s America First approach to national security and a more limited U.S. military footprint overseas. “I want to address the issue that’s in the headlines right now: I stand in full support and wholeheartedly agree with the statements that President Trump has made over these last few days with regards to the developments in Syria,” Gabbard said exiting a Senate meeting. The incoming president’s Cabinet and top administrative choices are dividing his Republican allies and drawing concern , if not full opposition, from Democrats and others. Not just Gabbard, but other Trump nominees including Pentagon pick Pete Hegseth, were back at the Capitol ahead of what is expected to be volatile confirmation hearings next year. The incoming president is working to put his team in place for an ambitious agenda of mass immigrant deportations, firing federal workers and rollbacks of U.S. support for Ukraine and NATO allies. “We’re going to sit down and visit, that’s what this is all about,” said Sen. Mike Rounds, R-S.D., as he welcomed Gabbard into his office. Meanwhile, Defense Secretary pick Hegseth appeared to be picking up support from once-skeptical senators, the former Army National Guard major denying sexual misconduct allegations and pledging not to drink alcohol if he is confirmed. The president-elect’s choice to lead the FBI, Kash Patel , who has written extensively about locking up Trump’s foes and proposed dismantling the Federal Bureau of Investigation, launched his first visits with senators Monday. “I expect our Republican Senate is going to confirm all of President Trump’s nominees,” said Sen. Tom Cotton, R-Ark., on social media. Despite widespread concern about the nominees’ qualifications and demeanors for the jobs that are among the highest positions in the U.S. government, Trump’s team is portraying the criticism against them as nothing more than political smears and innuendo. Showing that concern, nearly 100 former senior U.S. diplomats and intelligence and national security officials have urged Senate leaders to schedule closed-door hearings to allow for a full review of the government’s files on Gabbard. Trump’s allies have described the criticisms of Hegseth in particular as similar to those lodged against Brett Kavanaugh, the former president’s Supreme Court nominee who denied a sexual assault allegation and went on to be confirmed during Trump’s first term in office. Said Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., about Hegseth: “Anonymous accusations are trying to destroy reputations again. We saw this with Kavanaugh. I won’t stand for it.” One widely watched Republican, Sen. Joni Ernst of Iowa, herself a former Army National Guard lieutenant colonel and sexual assault survivor who had been criticized by Trump allies for her cool reception to Hegseth, appeared more open to him after their follow-up meeting Monday. “I appreciate Pete Hegseth’s responsiveness and respect for the process,” Ernst said in a statement. Ernst said that following “encouraging conversations,” he had committed to selecting a senior official who will “prioritize and strengthen my work to prevent sexual assault within the ranks. As I support Pete through this process, I look forward to a fair hearing based on truth, not anonymous sources.” Ernst also had praise for Patel — “He shares my passion for shaking up federal agencies” — and for Gabbard. Once a rising Democratic star, Gabbard, who represented Hawaii in Congress, arrived a decade ago in Washington, her surfboard in tow, a new generation of potential leaders. She ran unsuccessfully for president in 2020. But Gabbard abruptly left the party and briefly became an independent before joining with Trump’s 2024 campaign as one of his enthusiasts, in large part over his disdain for U.S. involvement overseas and opposition to helping Ukraine battle Russia. Her visit to Syria to meet with then-President Bashar Assad around the time of Trump’s first inauguration during the country’s bloody civil war stunned her former colleagues and the Washington national security establishment. The U.S. had severed diplomatic relations with Syria. Her visit was seen by some as legitimizing a brutal leader who was accused of war crimes. Gabbard has defended the trip, saying it’s important to open dialogue, but critics hear in her commentary echoes of Russia-fueled talking points. Assad fled to Moscow over the weekend after Islamist rebels overtook Syria in a surprise attack, ending his family’s five decades of rule. She said her own views have been shaped by “my multiple deployments and seeing firsthand the cost of war and the threat of Islamist terrorism.” Gabbard said, “It’s one of the many reasons why I appreciate President Trump’s leadership and his election, where he is fully committed, as he has said over and over, to bring about an end to wars.” Last week, the nearly 100 former officials, who served in both Democratic and Republican administrations, said in the letter to Senate leaders they were “alarmed” by the choice of Gabbard to oversee all 18 U.S. intelligence agencies. They said her past actions “call into question her ability to deliver unbiased intelligence briefings to the President, Congress, and to the entire national security apparatus.” The Office of the Director of National Intelligence was created after the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks to coordinate the nation’s intelligence agencies and act as the president’s main intelligence adviser. Associated Press writer Stephen Groves contributed to this report.
Jimmy Carter, the 39th President of the United States, died on Sunday at the age of 100 — the first president ever to live to be a centenarian. Carter had turned 100 on Oct. 1, more than four decades after leaving office in 1981, having served one term in the White House — a period defined by economic woes at home, a valiant effort to bring about Middle East peace, and the hostage crisis in Iran. Get the Full Story Carter’s son, Chip, said that the former president and Georgia governor had died in his Plains, GA home on Sunday afternoon, according to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution . Jimmy Carter had spent the last several years in hospice care, and was preceded in death by former First Lady Rosalynn Carter, who died last year; they had been married 77 years. A Washington outsider, Jimmy Carter was elected president in 1976, narrowly beating President Gerald Ford just two years shy of the Watergate scandal that led to the resignation of Richard Nixon. But as president from 1977 to 1981, Carter struggled to deal with Congress, a sign of his political inexperience. His presidency was marked by stagflation: a toxic mix of high inflation, stagnant growth and persistent unemployment. Tensions in the Middle East further eroded his support. The 1979 Iranian Revolution led to sharp increases in energy costs and the infamous hostage crisis. The Soviet invasion of Afghanistan contributed to the atmosphere of chaos in Carter’s final year in office. Carter’s defeat in a landslide loss to Ronald Reagan in 1980 was humiliating. A post-political life in obscurity might have been expected. And yet, the opposite occurred. A legacy that outweighed his presidency James Earl Carter’s long post-presidency arguably achieved more than his presidency, which became bogged down in economic malaise and foreign policy reversals. As president, Carter’s greatest achievements came in his efforts to implement a human rights-based foreign policy. He continually put his own political well-being on the line to pressure US allies to improve their human rights records, as well as return the Panama Canal from US control. Arguably his greatest achievement was the Camp David peace accords, which established “normal and friendly relations” between Israel and Egypt after 31 years of warfare and hostility. Historian Richard Perlstein described Carter’s efforts: he knew just when to risk a scathing remark and when to say nothing at all; when to horse-trade and when to hold fast, ever reassessing the balance between the visionary and the pragmatic. Once free from the pressures of being president, Carter’s skills in foreign affairs flourished, working assiduously for human rights and peace, especially in the Middle East. In 2002, he won the Nobel Peace Prize for his “decades of untiring efforts” to find peaceful solutions to international conflict. Carter is one of only four US presidents to win the prize and the only one to win it after leaving office. Recently, the Carter Center in Atlanta, another of his legacies, called for a ceasefire in Gaza and noted that Carter would be on the plane to try and secure one if his health permitted it. Today, Carter’s Middle Eastern efforts – while certainly not perfect, given the intractability of the challenges – stand the test of time and remain especially relevant. Building on important environmental work as president, Carter installed the first solar panels at the White House and saved millions of acres in Alaska from development. This was long before climate change was widely recognized. For more than 40 years, Carter was also a stalwart of Habitat for Humanity, a charity that builds free houses for needy working families. In the early 1980s, he gave the group “national visibility”, an outcome that helped it expand internationally. This was well before housing affordability became a major political issue. Carter also strove to remove the stigma associated with mental illness, again long before such efforts were common. A former peanut farmer from Georgia, Carter’s post-presidency is distinctive in other ways. Most former presidents retire to live in luxury in Washington DC, New York or on private estates in the country. Carter, however, went back to Plains, GA, the small town (population 776) where he and Rosalynn had grown up. Carter has decreed that upon his death, the “modest” ranch house that he built there in 1961 will be gifted to the US National Park Service. The planned museum will showcase the house’s ordinariness; it is a typical example of the brick homes built by millions of Americans after World War II. Strong Christians, the Carters lived for decades among the citizens of Plains, going to church and mingling with the community. When Rosalynn died in 2023, the funeral was held at the local Baptist church, not in Washington DC. The entire town turned out to watch the procession. Presidents, first ladies, governors and senators were in the congregation, but only pastors, family and friends spoke. Carter’s survival is also notable. He has been in “end-of-life” hospice care at home for almost two years. In the US, the average stay in such care is 70 days. Carter’s family publicized his condition partly to break taboos about death and provide support for the millions around the world whose loved ones are in hospice care. Although frail, the former president had no underlying conditions; ahead of the Nov. 5 presidential election, his family reported that he was looking forward to voting for Democrat Kamala Harris, who lost the election to Republican Donald Trump. A man who lived the first 40 years of his life in a racially segregated southern state, with most adult black people unable even to vote, has witnessed tremendous social change. Carter may not have been the best politician, but his fundamental decency is an important legacy. Even his opponents could agree on that. According to James Fallow, a former aide who wrote an important account of the Carter administration, the 39th president had admirable personal qualities. Fallow described Carter as “disciplined, funny, enormously intelligent and deeply spiritual.”
NoneSEVEN of Scotland's popular walking routes has been named among the most beautiful winter trails across the UK. Experts at BBC Countryfile compiled a list of the 30 best winter landscapes across Britain to create their latest walking guide. Advertisement 7 The walking trail along Loch Morlich topped the list of Scottish winter walks Credit: Alamy 7 The path with steps to Oxen Craig at Bennachie, Aberdeenshire Credit: Alamy 7 Glencoe Lochan was also mentioned Credit: Getty The festive time is known for being one of the best times of the year to be out on the trails. So the experts broke down the 30 walks by region and considered everything from locations with frozen lakes and frosted hills to the snowy, twinkling forests. They also added details on its total distance as well as how long it takes to complete each one and their difficulty levels. The seven best walks in Scotland included in the guide are the following. Advertisement READ MORE IN TRAVEL BUZZ OFF! I'm a travel expert - four steps you need to take to mosquito-proof your holiday COUGH UP Motorhome park owner shuts after guests leave without paying using shock trick Loch Morlich, Highland The walking trail along Loch Morlich in the town of Aviemore in the Highlands tops the list for being the best in Scotland. The route, which is 3.1 miles (5.1km) long, takes around an hour and a half to complete and is described as being "easy" in terms of difficulty. The loch is nestled along the trees of Glenmore Forest Park which has incredible views of the Cairngorms mountains. The journey is a favourite among nature lovers, with the woods home to a host of animals including golden eagles, red squirrels, pine martens, badgers and deer. Advertisement Most read in Travel Exclusive WORLD VIEW A Place In The Sun made me move abroad - but when I got there it made me cry COUGH UP Motorhome park owner shuts after guests leave without paying using shock trick ROCK OUT Dolphins, gin, super sundaes and duty-free drinks make Gibraltar a winner HIGH ON MORZINE I visited chocolate-box resort in EU with husky-sledding and igloo villages It's also perfect for winter because the mountains are covered in snow for over 100 days of the year. Afterwards, visitors can visit Aviemore which has a range of bars , restaurants and hotel-run wooden cabins for a cosy night in. Discover the Scenic Arran Coastal Way Glenfinnan, Highland The route along Glenfinnan, also in the Highlands, is one of the most challenging walks on the list and can take around six hours to complete. It spans 10.5 miles (17km), but it is worth every step with its gorgeous views and dramatic landscapes. Advertisement It starts at the Glenfinnan Visitor Centre - which has a shop, toilets, café and parking - and passes along Loch Shiel to the mountain pass of Bealach a’Chaorainn. Describing the journey, the experts at BBC Countryfile said: "Gothic in style, the Church of St Mary and St Finnan stands like a stoical watchman over the mountain-flanked waters of Loch Shiel, surely one of Britain’s most enchanting landscapes. "In winter, as day breaks from a cloudless night, the glen is particularly magical. "Frost envelops everything: the pine trees, the mountain ridges, the church’s pitched roof. It dusts frozen puddles, crunches beneath feet and petrifies plants . Advertisement "The Church of St Mary and St Finnan, built between 1870 and 1872, was designed by architect Edward Welby Pugin, son of one of the greatest British architects, designers and writers of the 19th century Augustus Welby Pugin." Bennachie, Aberdeenshire Third on the list is the five-and-a-half-mile (8.9km) journey in the Bennachie Hills near Inverurie in Aberdeenshire. Described as being of moderate difficulty, it takes around three and a half hours to complete. Advertisement It was singled out for being "a prominent prospect" for walkers as they make their way through the hills and river valleys of Deeside. Incredible scenery can be seen for miles along the trail, with Bennachie’s twin tops of Oxen Craig and Mither Tap providing even better views. The two tops of the hills are connected by a plateau that is described as being "wild and wonderful". And the experts say this is where "meadow pipits, lapwings and red grouse thrive.". Advertisement Visitors can also visit the remains of a Pictish hill fort along the way. 7 The route leading to Steall Falls in Glen Nevis was singled out Credit: Alamy Steall Falls and Glen Nevis, Highland The route that leads to a waterfall in the Highlands that features in the Harry Potter films is also mentioned in the guide as being one of the best walks in Scotland this winter. Steall Falls can be found tumbling down the rocks into a wide, open scenic valley in Glen Nevis near Fort William, in the Highlands, close to Ben Nevis. Advertisement And at a staggering 393ft (120m) tall, it towers over Niagara Falls which stands at around 190ft in height. Those who hike to see it say the journey takes them back to nature as the area was owned by the John Muir Trust. The whole low-level trail is described as being of moderate difficulty, and covers two miles (3.2km), taking around an hour and a half to complete. The guide states: "The walk through the dramatic Nevis Gorge that really packs a punch and provides an unforgettable aural and visual experience. Advertisement "Sections of the path can be rocky and slippery but with a little care this is a superb walk." 7 Ben Lomond also impressed the experts Credit: Alamy Ben Lomond, Argyll and Bute Ben Lomond has also made the guide for being the most often climbed Munro in Scotland. The 7.6 mile (12.3km) hike is favoured by hillwalkers because it has a direct ascent to the 974 summit. Advertisement However, it is still described as being a challenging climb and can take around five to six hours to complete. The experts say: "Climb north up the tourist path from Rowardennan. "Then either retrace your ascent route or take the rougher return along Ptarmigan Ridge to the west. "It is a tall hill, so bring clothing and supplies for any eventuality." Advertisement Scots walking route named one of best in the world ONE of Scotland's most popular walking routes has been named one of the most in-demand hikes in the world. Adventure tour guides Explore Worldwide conducted new research to find which hikes around the globe are the most congested and which trails offer a quieter trekking experience. From the alpine crossings of Tongariro in New Zealand to coastal routes like the West Coast Trail in Canada , the study has highlighted the most popular trails worldwide. It based its figures on the number of Instagram posts uploaded per kilometre of trail. The West Highland Way - Scotland's first officially designated long-distance walking path - is the ninth busiest trail in the world. The 96-mile route begins just outside Glasgow at the marker in Milngavie town centre in East Dunbartonshire and finished in the Highlands town on Fort William . Popular with tourists from America and Canada, the trek takes an average of seven days taking them through the peaks and valleys around Conic Hill, Loch Lomond, the Rannoch Moor, Devil 's Staircase, Kinlochleven and finishing up in the Lochaber town. In 2023, 47,576 people were recorded as walking the route, a year-on-year rise since the pandemic , making it the busiest path in Scotland. Explore Worldwide said social media users on the trail left 998 Instagram posts per kilometre of trail. Glencoe Lochan, Highland Glencoe Lochan in the Highlands sits in one of the most picturesque settings across Scotland. The serene lochan was actually created in the 19th century by Lord Strathcona to remind his Canadian wife of her previous home in British Columbia. It is now a popular tourist destination for those interested in hiking and the outdoors, set in the centre of the woodland, surrounded by lofty conifers and rugged mountains. It's the most famous glen in the country and the incredible scenery has been featured in films like Harry Potter . Advertisement Experts say: "There are many ways to enjoy its wild and rugged landscape, but one of the most satisfying is to take a winter walk around the tranquil waters of Glencoe Lochan." The easy trail spans two miles (3.2km) and takes just one hour to complete. 7 Calgary Bay in the Inner Hebrides Credit: Alamy Tobermory and Calgary Bay, Inner Hebrides The walking route along Calgary Bay in the Inner Hebrides is the final trail mentioned in the BBC Countryfile guide. Advertisement The broad, sandy bay, on the Isle of Mull, faces west towards Coll and Tiree. And the sea is said to be an idyllic blue if you catch it in the right weather conditions. The guide reads: "Fires crackle and smoke, warming the walls of Tobermory’s colourful houses and shops – the Isle of Mull Soap Company, Tobermory Chocolate and Mull Pottery, to name a few. Read more on the Scottish Sun REST EASY Andy Murray flooded with messages as he shares heart-breaking family update COUGH UP Motorhome park owner shuts after guests leave without paying using shock trick "A short drive away on the opposite side of the island is Calgary Bay and the start of a woodland sculpture trail. Advertisement "Discover the willow-woven stag, dens for the kids and a hidden face in the hillside." 7 It is the final trail mentioned in the BBC Countryfile guide Credit: AlamyWholesale Voice Carrier Market Emerging Trends and Forecast 2024-2031
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Dallas 34, Washington 26Ruud van Nistelrooy admits he was “hurt” at having to leave Manchester United last month. Van Nistelrooy returned to Old Trafford as Erik ten Hag’s assistant in the summer and had a four-game interim spell in charge following his compatriot’s sacking in October. He left the club in the wake of Ruben Amorim’s appointment but was only out of work for two weeks after being appointed Leicester’s new manager on a deal until 2027. The 48-year-old had a glittering playing career with United and was disappointed his return had to end so soon. “The moment I took over the interim job what I said was I’m here to help United and to stay to help United, and I meant it,” he said. “So I was disappointed, yeah, very much so, and it hurt I had to leave. “The only job I would take as an assistant was at United because of the bond that I have with the people in the club and the fans. “But in the end I got my head around it because I also understand the new manager. I’m in football long enough, and I’ve managed myself, that you can think of a situation, me being there, I understand. “I spoke to Ruben about it, fair enough to him, the conversation was grateful, man to man, person to person, manager to manager, and that helped a lot to move on and straightaway get into talks with new possibilities which of course lifted my spirits.” The Dutchman takes on a difficult job at the King Power Stadium as he is tasked with keeping Leicester in the Premier League. He inherits an influential dressing room, which has seen a number of managers come and go over the last few years. Ruud's here for his first press conference as our Manager 😃 — Leicester City (@LCFC) Van Nistelrooy revealed he has done his due diligence and also let the players know as well. “It’s the only way you can work. It’s mutual respect. I also mentioned to the players yesterday that I looked at the squad and started to make phone calls about players, because in football everyone knows everyone,” he said. “With two or three phone calls you hear stories about 20 players and for me it was important that you hear there are good characters there. That’s important, that there are good people there. “I look at the players how they play. I obviously don’t know them but I got general information and the individuals that they are a good bunch of people. That was important for me to get in.”
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