Microchip Technology closing down Tempe facilityHome | EXCLUSIVE: Ramaphosa reflects on SA’s 30 years of democracy South Africa has achieved a great deal in the space of a generation – but much more needs to be done to achieve the high ideals of the Freedom Charter and realise the aspirations of the constitution. These are the sentiments of President Cyril Ramaphosa in his exclusive SABC, reflecting on the country’s democratic journey. The President lauded the gains made in education, mining, and to some extent the economy, with a commitment for more concerted efforts in regard to land redistribution, black economic empowerment, and social cohesion. Choosing to describe the country’s progress as a half-full glass, Ramaphosa says in efforts to undo the damage wrought by colonialism and apartheid – considerable achievements were made in the last thirty years of South Africa’s democracy. He cited progress made in education, saying it was on this issue that a deliberate strategy was employed to destroy the country’s black majority. “We now have almost 90% of our schools being no fees paying schools. We feed 9 million children every day at school, and we are now moving to two meals a day. That in itself is important because it improves the learning ability of children. When we started, we gave 40,000 of our young people assistance to be at a higher level of learning tertiary. We now give that assistance to 1 point two million and we have built more universities.” The President says government is working to improve the quality of education, and schools’ infrastructure and lower the dropout rate. On mining, Ramaphosa indicated that trade unions and government have worked hard in the last few decades to improve the lives of these workers. He himself was the first leader of the National Union of Mineworkers established in 1982. Ramaphosa says he continues to support the efforts of mineworkers to agitate for better working conditions and wages. “Mineworkers did not have a pension fund, they now have a pension fund. Mineworkers could not resist going underground when it was dangerous, they now do. They have a whole number of areas where they have progressed and on pay the pay has improved but it will never improve in a way where we can be proud mainly because of where mineworkers work, they work in dangerous spaces. Therefore, they need to be remunerated commensurate to the dangers they are exposed to.” With reference to the August 2012 Marikana Massacre at Lonmin Mine – where he was a non-executive Director, Ramaphosa denies contributing to the exploitation of the striking workers as well as the shooting down of 34 people by police. Speaking on land, the President acknowledged more needs to be done to resolve land hunger in South Africa – conceding the government’s weak efforts, whilst citing the prohibitive cost of purchasing land for redistribution and legislative challenges faced in amending the constitution. He has committed to greater speed in giving people land – starting with state-owned land. Ramaphosa also says another area of concern is the slow empowerment of blacks and women in the economy and business sector – citing the 70% of CEOs on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange being white males. He says growing jobs is central to the challenge facing the country – hence the interventions to stop load shedding and fix transportation networks and ports amongst others. Ultimately, he says the formation of the GNU has given South Africans renewed hope for the future. “Many people have become hopeful that yes we can look to a South Africa that can change for the better and we need to exploit that. We want to exploit that next year. We are going to be chairing the G20, and I want a broad section of South Africa’s people to have a sense that this is their G20, and it will not just yield a declaration that will be crafted in the end but will also lead to investments to grow our economy next year. We will also have a national dialogue which I am hoping will bring as many South African organisations as possible so that we can talk about the South Africa we want.” SABC Exclusive | Moments in time: President Cyril Ramaphosa: SABC © 2024
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“I’m really proud of it”: How Enrique Sanchez worked through a season-ending injury with the help of his familyJimmy 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.”
Why Anne Hathaway Is Receiving Backlash Over 'Verity' CastingThe National Green Tribunal has sought a response from the Centre on the "feasibility and mechanism" for implementation of the CPCB's recommendations for controlling ozone levels, which were found beyond the permissible limits in some areas of the national capital. The green body earlier directed the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) and other agencies to submit relevant material explaining why ozone levels in these areas exceeded permissible limits. It had also sought "targeted approaches" that could be adopted for these areas. ET Year-end Special Reads What kept India's stock market investors on toes in 2024? India's car race: How far EVs went in 2024 Investing in 2025: Six wealth management trends to watch out for In an order dated December 23, a bench of NGT Chairperson Justice Prakash Shrivastava and expert member A Senthil Vel noted that the CPCB had submitted a report dated December 20 about the measures for control of ozone levels along with some suggestions or recommendations. The CPCB report said, "It has been recognised globally that control of ozone is only possible through control of its precursors. It is also evident that control of local sources of its precursors may not yield significant benefits in terms of ozone reduction, as both ozone and its precursors can be transported over hundreds of kilometres." "Considering the same, the government has undertaken several initiatives at the national level, to control the precursors of ozone, i.e, nitrous acid (NOx), volatile organic compound (VOC), methane and carbon monoxide (CO) to some extent," it said. The tribunal noted the report about the government's National Clean Air Programme (NCAP) of 2019, aimed at reducing air pollution levels across the country, where city-specific clean air action plans had been prepared and rolled out for implementation in 130 non-attainment million-plus cities to improve the air quality. 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The tribunal noted that the report also mentioned specific interventions for the sectors of transport, power plants and industries, besides the measures for preventing biomass burning, especially paddy straw burning in northern India. It said along with the Union government controlling ozone concentrations through control of their precursors at national or regional levels, the pollution board's report mentions various suggestions. The tribunal noted the CPCB's suggestion that "considering the elevated levels of ozone observed during COVID-19 lockdown and that the ozone concentration is also influenced by transboundary movement, soil and biogenic emissions, a detailed study may be required with help of air quality experts to evaluate the reasons for higher ozone levels at various locations in Delhi." It also noted that the CPCB had discussed the issue with air quality experts, who said that a study was required. "The feasibility and mechanism for implementation of recommendations made by CPCB needs consideration. Hence, we deem it proper to implead the following as respondent, the Union Ministry of Environment Forest and Climate Change through the secretary," the tribunal said. "Let notice be issued for filing the response by way of affidavit, especially commenting upon the recommendations that have been made by CPCB," it added. The tribunal also sought a fresh report from the CPCB, which had to mention how effectively the measures of the Centre were being implemented. The matter has been posted on April 21 for further proceedings. The NGT had taken suo motu cognisance of a news report regarding the elevated ozone levels. During the hearing in September, the NGT noted that as per a Delhi Pollution Control Committee (DPCC) report, ozone concentrations surpassed national standards at seven monitoring stations in Delhi last year while nine stations recorded similar breaches during this summer. The DPCC's report highlighted that dangerous levels of ground-level ozone were recorded in several traffic-heavy areas during April and May 2023. Nehru Nagar witnessed 56 days of high ozone levels, Patparganj 45 days and Aurobindo Marg 38 days. Nehru Nagar, located near Lajpat Nagar, recorded the highest concentration of ozone at 224.9 micrograms per cubic metre, far above the national standard of 100 micrograms per cubic metre during an eight-hour period. Other peaks included 188.3 micrograms per cubic metre in Patparganj and 175.4 micrograms per cubic metre in RK Puram, according to the DPCC's findings. (You can now subscribe to our Economic Times WhatsApp channel )RAHWAY, N.J.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Nov 22, 2024-- Merck (NYSE: MRK), known as MSD outside the United States and Canada, has been notified that TRC Capital Investment Corporation (TRC Capital) has commenced an unsolicited “mini-tender” offer, dated November 12, 2024, to purchase up to 1,000,000 shares of Merck common stock at $96.38 per share. The offer price is approximately 4.32% below the closing price of the Merck common stock on November 11, 2024 ($100.73), the last trading day before the date of the offer, and approximately 3.48% below the closing price of the Merck common stock on November 21, 2024 ($99.86), the day prior to this release. Merck does not endorse TRC Capital’s offer and recommends that Merck shareholders reject the offer and not tender their shares in response to TRC Capital’s unsolicited mini-tender offer. This mini-tender offer is at a price below the closing price for Merck’s shares (as of the day prior to this release) and is subject to numerous conditions, including TRC Capital’s ability to obtain financing. Merck is not associated in any way with TRC Capital, its mini-tender offer or the offer documentation. TRC Capital has made similar unsolicited mini-tender offers for shares of other publicly traded companies. Mini-tender offers seek to acquire less than 5% of a company's outstanding shares. This lets the offering company avoid many of the disclosure and procedural requirements the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) requires for tender offers. As a result, mini-tender offers do not provide investors the same level of protections as provided by larger tender offers under U.S. federal securities laws. On its website , the SEC advises that the people behind mini tender-offers “frequently use mini-tender offers to catch shareholders off guard” and that investors “may end up selling at below-market prices.” The SEC's website also contains important tips for investors regarding mini-tender offers. Like TRC Capital’s other offers, this one puts individual investors at risk because they may not realize they are selling their shares at a discount. Merck urges shareholders to obtain current stock quotes for their shares of Merck common stock, to review the terms and conditions of the offer, to consult with their brokers or financial advisers, and to exercise caution with respect to TRC Capital’s mini-tender offer. Merck shareholders who have already tendered are advised they may withdraw their shares by following the procedures for withdrawal described in the TRC Capital offer documents prior to the expiration of the offer, which is currently scheduled for 11:59 a.m. EST on December 11, 2024. Merck encourages brokers, dealers, and other investors to review the SEC’s letter regarding broker-dealer mini-tender offer dissemination and disclosure. Merck requests that a copy of this news release be included with all distribution of materials related to TRC Capital’s offer for shares of Merck common stock. About Merck At Merck, known as MSD outside of the United States and Canada, we are unified around our purpose: We use the power of leading-edge science to save and improve lives around the world. For more than 130 years, we have brought hope to humanity through the development of important medicines and vaccines. We aspire to be the premier research-intensive biopharmaceutical company in the world – and today, we are at the forefront of research to deliver innovative health solutions that advance the prevention and treatment of diseases in people and animals. We foster a diverse and inclusive global workforce and operate responsibly every day to enable a safe, sustainable and healthy future for all people and communities. For more information, visit www.merck.com and connect with us on X (formerly Twitter) , Facebook , Instagram , YouTube and LinkedIn . Forward-Looking Statement of Merck & Co., Inc., Rahway, N.J., USA This news release of Merck & Co., Inc., Rahway, N.J., USA (the “company”) includes “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the safe harbor provisions of the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These statements are based upon the current beliefs and expectations of the company’s management and are subject to significant risks and uncertainties. If underlying assumptions prove inaccurate or risks or uncertainties materialize, actual results may differ materially from those set forth in the forward-looking statements. Risks and uncertainties include but are not limited to, general industry conditions and competition; general economic factors, including interest rate and currency exchange rate fluctuations; the impact of pharmaceutical industry regulation and health care legislation in the United States and internationally; global trends toward health care cost containment; technological advances, new products and patents attained by competitors; challenges inherent in new product development, including obtaining regulatory approval; the company’s ability to accurately predict future market conditions; manufacturing difficulties or delays; financial instability of international economies and sovereign risk; dependence on the effectiveness of the company’s patents and other protections for innovative products; and the exposure to litigation, including patent litigation, and/or regulatory actions. The company undertakes no obligation to publicly update any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. Additional factors that could cause results to differ materially from those described in the forward-looking statements can be found in the company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2023 and the company’s other filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) available at the SEC’s Internet site ( www.sec.gov ). View source version on businesswire.com : https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20241122275388/en/ CONTACT: Media Contacts:Robert Josephson (203) 914-2372 robert.josephson@merck.comMichael Levey (215) 872-1462 michael.levey@merck.comInvestor Contacts:Peter Dannenbaum (732) 594-1579 peter.dannenbaum@merck.comSteven Graziano (732) 594-1583 steven.graziano@merck.com KEYWORD: NEW JERSEY UNITED STATES NORTH AMERICA INDUSTRY KEYWORD: PROFESSIONAL SERVICES HEALTH FINANCE GENERAL HEALTH PHARMACEUTICAL BIOTECHNOLOGY SOURCE: Merck & Co., Inc. Copyright Business Wire 2024. PUB: 11/22/2024 04:17 PM/DISC: 11/22/2024 04:17 PM http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20241122275388/en