“That’s A Crime”: Jay-Z’s Legal Team Accused Of Offering $1,000 For Lawsuits Targeting Texas Firm Representing Jane Doe Rape Cases Against Sean “Diddy” CombsRape allegation against Jay-Z won’t impact NFL's relationship with music mogul, Goodell saysSacramento Kings fire Mike Brown: Why former NBA Coach of the Year was let go despite recent extension | Sporting News
Rape allegation against Jay-Z won’t impact NFL's relationship with music mogul, Goodell saysThe Eagles are looking to clinch the NFC East title while completing a rare sweep of the rival Dallas Cowboys on Sunday in Philadelphia. The Eagles (12-3) will have to play without starting quarterback Jalen Hurts, who sustained a concussion during last weekend's 36-33 loss at Washington that snapped their team-record 10-game winning streak. He was ruled out on Friday after missing practice all week. Backup quarterback Kenny Pickett suffered a rib injury against the Commanders, but he was a full participant at Thursday's practice and was limited on Friday. Pickett is expected to start, with Tanner McKee his backup on Sunday as Philadelphia tries to sweep Dallas for the first time since 2011. Meanwhile, the Cowboys (7-8) are clicking with their own QB2 at the controls. Cooper Rush has guided Dallas to wins in four of the last five games, throwing nine touchdown passes and just one interception in that span. The Cowboys are in the unfamiliar position of playing spoiler, missing the playoffs for the first time since 2020. Two more wins would give Dallas its fourth straight winning season under fifth-year coach Mike McCarthy. "It's hard to win games in this league. It's definitely an end goal just to have a winning season," Cowboys right guard Brock Hoffman said. "... But definitely where we've been at on this journey, take it week by week, win these last two games, have a winning season, and it's definitely a big boost going into next season." The Eagles cruised to a 34-6 win over the Cowboys in Arlington, Texas, in the first meeting in Week 10, with Hurts throwing two touchdown passes and rushing for two scores. Rush finished with just 45 yards on 13-of-23 passing. Pickett replaced a woozy Hurts in the first quarter against Washington and finished the drive with a touchdown pass to A.J. Brown. "I thought it was so cool for our guys to have the confidence in (Pickett) to just hop in there and handle a third down, handle another completion, throw a third-down touchdown in the red zone," Eagles offensive coordinator Kellen Moore said Tuesday. "I thought that was a really cool moment." A sixth-round pick out of Stanford in 2023, McKee has yet to appear in a regular-season game. "I feel like I've always been preparing to be the starter and preparing to play, and so my preparation is going to stay the same," McKee said Tuesday. "And you know, I'm obviously excited for any opportunity that I do get, but we're going to take it day by day for those guys." No matter who plays QB, the Eagles likely will lean heavily on Saquon Barkley. With a league-leading 1,838 rushing yards, he needs 268 in the last two games to break Eric Dickerson's 1984 NFL single-season record of 2,105. Philadelphia's injury report Friday also included the team ruling out wide receiver Britain Covey (neck), who also returns punts, and running back Will Shipley (concussion), a contributor on kickoff return duty. Linebacker Nakobe Dean (abdomen) is doubtful after limited participation on Friday, while defensive end Bryce Huff (wrist) was a full participant and listed as questionable. He would need to be activated from injured reserve to play on Sunday. The Cowboys have shut down star wideout CeeDee Lamb for the rest of the season because of a sprained right shoulder. Also ruled out for Sunday are cornerbacks Kemon Hall (hamstring) and Amani Oruwariye (foot). Guard TJ Bass (thigh) is doubtful, while those with questionable status are wide receivers Jalen Brooks (knee) and Jalen Tolbert (finger), offensive tackles Chuma Edoga (toe) and Asim Richards (ankle), linebackers Eric Kendricks (calf) and Nick Vigil (foot), and safety Donovan Wilson (knee). --Field Level Media
After the turn of the 20th century, when an accident or lack of dental care caused one to possess a broken or rotted tooth, a patient would consult a dentist for a pin tooth. A pin tooth was a dental prosthesis consisting of an artificial crown attached to a thin platinum pin. The pin was inserted through the stump of the patient’s natural tooth, pushed down into the root canal, and anchored there with a piece of foil or linen. Platinum was used in the manufacture of the pins because of its strength and durability. Because platinum was also valuable — worth about $20 per ounce in 1911 — several local dentists found themselves the victims of theft. On May 28, 1911, 67-year-old Dr. Albert Hamilton Spencer contacted police to report that his dental parlor, located in the Briggs Building on Main Street in Westerly, had been entered either early that morning or the previous night. At 11 that morning, Dr. Spicer had arrived at his business for the day. His son Albert Jr., who worked in partnership with him, was sitting at the desk in their laboratory writing a letter. The elder Albert passed through the small extracting room into the area where a case of artificial teeth was kept. In front of the case, he saw two artificial teeth on the floor. When he opened the case to investigate, he discovered that every single artificial pin tooth they’d stocked inside was gone. He then entered the laboratory, where two more cases of pin teeth had also been emptied, along with several sets of false teeth containing platinum pins, which were kept in a cabinet. The only teeth that remained were those not containing platinum pins. The financial loss totalled about $950. By the next morning, police discovered the robbery was not an isolated event and that the robber obviously knew about lock-picking, dentistry and the layout of Westerly’s dental parlors. Dr. Freemont Nye, a 48-year-old dentist who ran a dental parlor in the Hinckley-Mitchell building on High Street, called to report that someone had entered his office overnight. He explained that he always kept his dental bag packed for his weekly visits to see patients in Hope Valley, and although he always kept the bag closed, he never clasped it. When he came into work that morning, the bag was clasped and emptied of several dental items, including a bottle of gold and a single platinum pin crown. As Nye kept his valuable teeth in a safe, his loss only amounted to about $50. That same morning, 35-year-old dentist Dr. John Hobart Chapman called the police to report that someone had entered his parlor in the Memorial Building on High Street and stolen dental supplies. Because he also kept most of his valuables confined, his monetary loss was also minimal. Police noticed scratches on the lock catches of the dental parlor doors and concluded the perpetrator had pried open the catches by inserting a thin object between the doors and the casings and working it back and forth until the doors opened. Albert Spicer & Son had been known for having the most extensive stock of platinum pin teeth in the state of Rhode Island. If anyone should have employed a dental parlor safe, it was the Spicers. Kelly Sullivan is a journalist and author who lives in Hope Valley. You can contact her at kjshem77@gmail.com .None
By MICHELLE L. PRICE and ROB GILLIES NEW YORK (AP) — President-elect Donald Trump’s recent dinner with Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and his visit to Paris for the reopening of the Notre Dame Cathedral were not just exercises in policy and diplomacy. They were also prime trolling opportunities for Trump. Related Articles National Politics | Trump names Andrew Ferguson as head of Federal Trade Commission to replace Lina Khan National Politics | Biden says he was ‘stupid’ not to put his name on pandemic relief checks like Trump did National Politics | Biden issues veto threat on bill expanding federal judiciary as partisan split emerges National Politics | Trump lawyers and aide hit with 10 additional felony charges in Wisconsin over 2020 fake electors National Politics | After withdrawing as attorney general nominee, Matt Gaetz lands a talk show on OANN television Throughout his first term in the White House and during his campaign to return, Trump has spun out countless provocative, antagonizing and mocking statements. There were his belittling nicknames for political opponents, his impressions of other political figures and the plentiful memes he shared on social media. Now that’s he’s preparing to return to the Oval Office, Trump is back at it, and his trolling is attracting more attention — and eyerolls. On Sunday, Trump turned a photo of himself seated near a smiling first lady Jill Biden at the Notre Dame ceremony into a social media promo for his new perfume and cologne line, with the tag line, “A fragrance your enemies can’t resist!” The first lady’s office declined to comment. When Trudeau hastily flew to Florida to meet with Trump last month over the president-elect’s threat to impose a 25% tax on all Canadian products entering the U.S., the Republican tossed out the idea that Canada become the 51st U.S. state. The Canadians passed off the comment as a joke, but Trump has continued to play up the dig, including in a post Tuesday morning on his social media network referring to the prime minister as “Governor Justin Trudeau of the Great State of Canada.” After decades as an entertainer and tabloid fixture, Trump has a flair for the provocative that is aimed at attracting attention and, in his most recent incarnation as a politician, mobilizing fans. He has long relished poking at his opponents, both to demean and minimize them and to delight supporters who share his irreverent comments and posts widely online and cheer for them in person. Trump, to the joy of his fans, first publicly needled Canada on his social media network a week ago when he posted an AI-generated image that showed him standing on a mountain with a Canadian flag next to him and the caption “Oh Canada!” After his latest post, Canadian Immigration Minister Marc Miller said Tuesday: “It sounds like we’re living in a episode of South Park.” Trudeau said earlier this week that when it comes to Trump, “his approach will often be to challenge people, to destabilize a negotiating partner, to offer uncertainty and even sometimes a bit of chaos into the well established hallways of democracies and institutions and one of the most important things for us to do is not to freak out, not to panic.” Even Thanksgiving dinner isn’t a trolling-free zone for Trump’s adversaries. On Thanksgiving Day, Trump posted a movie clip from “National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation” with President Joe Biden and other Democrats’ faces superimposed on the characters in a spoof of the turkey-carving scene. The video shows Trump appearing to explode out of the turkey in a swirl of purple sparks, with the former president stiffly dancing to one of his favorite songs, Village People’s “Y.M.C.A.” In his most recent presidential campaign, Trump mocked Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, refusing to call his GOP primary opponent by his real name and instead dubbing him “Ron DeSanctimonious.” He added, for good measure, in a post on his Truth Social network: “I will never call Ron DeSanctimonious ‘Meatball’ Ron, as the Fake News is insisting I will.” As he campaigned against Biden, Trump taunted him in online posts and with comments and impressions at his rallies, deriding the president over his intellect, his walk, his golf game and even his beach body. After Vice President Kamala Harris took over Biden’s spot as the Democratic nominee, Trump repeatedly suggested she never worked at McDonalds while in college. Trump, true to form, turned his mocking into a spectacle by appearing at a Pennsylvania McDonalds in October, when he manned the fries station and held an impromptu news conference from the restaurant drive-thru. Trump’s team thinks people should get a sense of humor. “President Trump is a master at messaging and he’s always relatable to the average person, whereas many media members take themselves too seriously and have no concept of anything else other than suffering from Trump Derangement Syndrome,” said Steven Cheung, Trump’s communications director. “President Trump will Make America Great Again and we are getting back to a sense of optimism after a tumultuous four years.” Though both the Biden and Harris campaigns created and shared memes and launched other stunts to respond to Trump’s taunts, so far America’s neighbors to the north are not taking the bait. “I don’t think we should necessarily look on Truth Social for public policy,” Miller said. Gerald Butts, a former top adviser to Trudeau and a close friend, said Trump brought up the 51st state line to Trudeau repeatedly during Trump’s first term in office. “Oh God,” Butts said Tuesday, “At least a half dozen times.” “This is who he is and what he does. He’s trying to destabilize everybody and make people anxious,” Butts said. “He’s trying to get people on the defensive and anxious and therefore willing to do things they wouldn’t otherwise entertain if they had their wits about them. I don’t know why anybody is surprised by it.” Gillies reported from Toronto. Associated Press writer Darlene Superville contributed to this report.The president of Panama is pushing back on rhetoric from President-elect Donald Trump after days of social media posts threatening to take back control of the Panama Canal. Panamanian President Jose Raul Mulino spoke at a press conference Thursday in which he dismissed various assertions made by the president-elect about the canal, including the accusation that China is exerting influence over its traffic. “There is absolutely no Chinese interference or involvement in anything that has to do with the Panama Canal,” said Mulino. “There are no Chinese at the canal, no Chinese nor any other world power at the canal.” This week, Trump wished a Merry Christmas to the "wonderful soldiers of China, who are lovingly, but illegally, operating the Panama Canal." It was the latest in a long series of criticisms made by Trump about the crucial maritime passage, which he believes is "ripping off" the United States with high shipping rates. “There is no discrimination against any warship, whether it be from the US or another country,” Mulino said at the Thursday press conference. “The canal is Panamanian and belongs to Panamanians, and there is no possibility of opening any kind of conversation around that reality." Trump announced Wednesday that he is appointing Miami-Dade Commissioner Kevin Marino Cabrera as the U.S. ambassador to Panama. In the announcement, the president-elect called Panama a "country that is ripping us off on the Panama Canal, far beyond their wildest dreams." He has even floated the idea of demanding "the Panama Canal be returned to [the U.S.], in full, quickly and without question" if shipping rates are not lowered. The Panama Canal was operated entirely by the U.S. government until 1977. Negotiations and treaty stipulations slowly ceded control to the Panamanian government until 1999, when full control was turned over. Trump's feud with Panamanian leaders is part of a larger trend within his foreign policy rhetoric . CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER In recent weeks, the president-elect has threatened to buy Greenland from the Kingdom of Denmark and negotiate a deal to make Canada the "51st state." These expansionist machinations have drawn criticism from Canadian leaders, and Greenland's military has bolstered security in a token gesture of defiance.Cell phone and laptop searches do happen but they are relatively rare. Although the Fourth Amendment right to be free of unreasonable searches and seizures is drastically reduced at a port of entry, as are expectations of privacy, U.S. Customs & Border Protection (“CBP”) has internal protocols requiring Officers to have some basis for the search. Below, we dive into the CBP protocols and what to expect if one of your employees is selected for a search. Probability: The risk of a laptop search is very low, around 1 in 10,000. CBP recognizes that a laptop and phone search is invasive. Further, CBP Officers do not want to unnecessarily interfere with and delay the flow of passenger inspections. Data Mining : CBP uses a variety of algorithms and databases to determine security threats and admissibility for immigration purposes. While a flight is inbound to the U.S., CBP systems query databases from the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Department of Homeland Security, Department of Justice, National Security Agency, Central Intelligence Agency, Interpol, and other government databases and may also review social media and other open source information. AI Algorithm: If the searches produce a hit, the CBP Officer conducting the primary inspection may refer your employee to secondary inspection, which can involve a more thorough interview and/or searches of bags and devices. There could be many reasons for a hit, such as countries visited or past criminal history. It might only take one hit to cause CBP to send someone to secondary inspection. Detention of the Device : Cooperating with CBP and giving them the passwords to the traveler’s device is usually – but not always – best as they have the right to detain the device for additional inspection if they cannot unlock it. A basic search involves the CBP Officer looking at the device in the traveler’s presence. An advanced search involves the copying of the data from the device. Secondary Inspection : While U.S. citizens and permanent residents almost always must be admitted into the U.S., CBP can keep devices if they are not given the passwords to access the device. A search during secondary inspection can take anywhere from 30 minutes to 6 hours depending upon the reason for the search, its thoroughness, and staffing levels at the port of entry that day. With a few exceptions, the traveler is permitted to be present for that search. Retention of the Data : Per a CBP directive , most of the data that CBP collects must be destroyed unless there is a valid law enforcement reason to keep it. In addition, CBP may only search data resident on the device, not information that is only stored remotely, but accessible from the device. For example, if your data is stored on iCloud but not on the device, CBP protocols do not permit searching it. False Hit and Redress : In some cases, the CBP software can produce a false hit. For example, a traveler could have a similar name to someone who has a negative history or derogatory record in a U.S. Government database. If your employee suspects that the search was due to an error in identity, they can file a CBP Traveler Redress Inquiry Program (“TRIPS”) request to have CBP clear up the false hit. That is a simple process that sometimes works (but often does not and can take significant time). Complaints: If your employee has a complaint about treatment in secondary inspection, they can file a complaint with the Office of Civil Rights and Civil Liberties at crcl@dhs.gov or with the DHS Office of Privacy at privacy@dhs.gov . Both have programs to address such complaints. Caveat: The above is based on current CBP policies. With a new Presidential administration about to take office, it is possible that some of these policies will be changed, though we do not believe that is likely in this area. If changes occur, we will be sure to update this guidance.
While serving as the 39th president of the United States, Jimmy Carter—who died on December 29 at age 100—brokered a peace deal between Israel and Egypt, pioneered a federal energy program and reassured a nation that was still shaken by the Watergate scandal. Carter’s greatest legacy, however, might just be the way he approached life following his presidency. Carter, inaugurated at age 52, was relatively young when he took the highest office in the nation. He had decades of possibility ahead of him when he left the White House in 1981, and he chose to devote the latter half of his life to continued public service. In 1982, in partnership with Emory University, he established the Carter Center , an organization dedicated to promoting peace and well-being around the globe. Carter and his wife, Rosalynn , who died in November 2023 at age 96, famously volunteered with Habitat for Humanity for decades, and he brought to action what most presidents only speak about, says Claire Jerry, curator of political history at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History . “He doesn’t just talk about housing issues; he’s building houses. He doesn’t just talk about fair elections; he’s traveling the world to ensure that they happen,” Jerry says. “He’s actually doing the things that other people only give words to.” Mindy Farmer, a historian with the Smithsonian’s National Portrait Gallery, agrees. “One of the interesting things about being a post-president or former president is that there’s no job description for what you do. You can do any number of things, and some presidents have chosen a life that’s quiet. Some have chosen to be activists. But Carter is really remarkable for choosing to be a nonpartisan humanitarian.” The National Portrait Gallery is home to a significant archive of Carter images , including those displayed here. “Our portraits of Jimmy Carter include images by noted photographers Ansel Adams and Diana Walker. We have prints by Andy Warhol,” says Farmer. “We have several paintings of distinction, and we have many pieces that at one time adorned the cover of Time magazine. Those span a number of mediums, including collages, sculptures and more paintings. And, of course, we have political cartoons.” Carter will be remembered for governing with a sense of morality and honesty, in his approach to both foreign affairs and domestic matters. The late president said in 1978, “Human rights is the soul of our foreign policy.” He maintained his commitment to human rights in his projects with the Carter Center, and he was awarded the 2002 Nobel Peace Prize “for his decades of untiring effort to find peaceful solutions to international conflicts, to advance democracy and human rights, and to promote economic and social development.” “He was absolutely steadfast in promoting human rights across the globe,” says Farmer. “It actually cost him at times in his overall foreign policy, but to that he was committed, and that commitment extended not just to the presidency, but the post-presidency.” Domestically, Carter implemented policies that were progressive for his time. He was devoted to protecting the environment in ways big and small, from the Alaska National Interest Lands Conservation Act to the solar panels he installed on the roof of the White House. In his infamous “Crisis of Confidence” speech , Carter stressed the gravity of the energy crisis and warned of “a loss of a unity of purpose for our nation”—ideas that the public perhaps was not ready to hear in the 1970s, Jerry says. Carter enjoyed the longest life of any U.S. president, and he made his many years count. Although his commitment to human rights and ethics may have been underappreciated during his term in office, Jerry says his reputation was resurrected in his out-of-office life. “This idea that the post-presidential platform has a lot of power will be an enduring legacy of Jimmy Carter,” she says. “I think future post-presidencies will be measured against his mark.” James Earl Carter Jr. was born on October 1, 1924, in Plains, Georgia. His family owned a peanut farm, which would become the subject of good-natured jokes throughout Carter’s political campaigns. At age 10, young Jimmy had already started helping with the family business by selling produce from the farm at the town market. Inspired by postcards from his uncle Tom Gordy , Carter decided to join the Navy at a young age. After completing two years at Georgia Southwestern College and the Georgia Institute of Technology, Carter enrolled in the U.S. Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland. He graduated in the top ten percent of his class in 1946. In the Navy, Carter completed two years of surface ship duty before applying to join the submarine service. Admiral Hyman G. Rickover selected the then-lieutenant to join a new nuclear submarine program, where he would become an engineering officer for the nuclear power plant of the U.S.S. Seawolf . However, when the senior Carter fell ill and died in 1953, Jimmy returned to Plains to take over the family business. Carter married Rosalynn Smith, a friend of his sister Ruth, shortly after graduating from the Naval Academy in 1946. Together, they operated Carter’s Warehouse, a seed and farm supply company, in the years following his father’s death. Upon his return to Plains, Carter quickly became a community leader in the areas of education, the hospital authority and the local library. He pursued leadership roles in local elections, winning a seat in the State Senate in 1962 and becoming Georgia’s governor in 1971 after losing his first gubernatorial race in 1966. On December 12, 1974, Carter announced his candidacy for president of the United States. Although he was the Democratic National Committee chairman for the congressional and gubernatorial elections earlier that year, he was entirely unknown in the public sphere—in fact, after his announcement, the Atlanta Constitution ran a headline that read, “Jimmy Who is Running for What!?” Carter’s outsider status turned out to be an advantage given the state of post- Watergate politics. The public was still distrustful of what has come to be known as the imperial presidency, says Jerry, so a newcomer was more than welcome in Washington. “Carter ran very much as a more personal candidate,” Jerry said. “‘We’re going to restore honesty to the White House; we’re going to really work on this together.’ And that resonated very, very positively with the American people.” The 1976 election saw a record number of primaries as the presidential nomination process we know today coalesced, giving Carter the opportunity for nationwide exposure. His campaign established the modern role of the Iowa caucuses as a litmus test for the nation. “He really anticipated that if he was to make a showing in Iowa, it would vault him to the list of front-runner candidates,” Jerry says. Carter came out of Iowa as the top candidate—second only to “uncommitted” in the polls—proving his personal campaigning strategy to be a success. Carter was nominated on the first ballot at the 1976 Democratic National Convention, and he went on to defeat incumbent President Gerald Ford in the presidential election on November 2, 1976. Following his inauguration, Carter opted to walk from the Capitol to the White House with his wife and daughter in the Inaugural Parade, symbolizing a humble shift away from the imperial presidency. On his first full day in office, Carter pardoned hundreds of thousands of Vietnam War draft evaders in an attempt to heal the psychic effects of the war and the social unrest that came with it. Throughout his inaugural year, Carter prioritized energy policy and urged the public to seriously consider the energy crisis. In a televised April 1977 speech , the president called the impending crisis the “moral equivalent of war” and emphasized energy conservation measures. He established the Department of Energy with the Department of Energy Organization Act later that year, but he expressed frustration with the slow pace of energy reform for the remainder of his presidency. “He creates new protected land, especially in Alaska,” notes Farmer. “He encouraged the creation of new forms of renewable energy. In fact, he created [the] Department of Energy just to do that. Under his administration, we see the development of nuclear, wind, solar and other sustainable sources of energy.” Carter inherited the economic quagmire of stagflation, a combination of high inflation and unemployment and slow economic growth. He managed to decrease the budget deficit and create some eight million jobs during his time in office, but inflation and interest rates continued to rise. Toward the end of his presidency, Carter created another new cabinet-level department, the Department of Education , to expand social services for children and families. When it came to foreign policy, Carter took a values-based approach of protecting democracy and advocating for human rights abroad. His most celebrated achievement in the global sphere is the Camp David Accords, the result of a two-week meeting that put to rest 30 years of conflict between Egypt and Israel, and that set a framework for the Egypt-Israel Peace Treaty of 1979. Carter also relieved tension between the U.S. and Latin America with the ratification of the Panama Canal treaties that returned the canal zone to the Panamanians. Additionally, he set a precedent for future foreign affairs in Asia by officially establishing diplomatic relations with the People’s Republic of China. Carter further strained U.S. relations with the Soviet Union, especially when he criticized Soviet rights abuses openly. While this may have exacerbated Cold War tensions, some historians credit Carter’s bold criticism as a catalyst for later social reforms in the Soviet Union. Nonetheless, there were casualties in Carter’s dicey diplomacy with the Soviets, such as the failure to ratify the SALT II nuclear limitation treaty. With a series of unfortunate events—namely the Iran hostage crisis—causing discord during Carter’s final year in office, he failed to win reelection in 1980. However, he bounced back with a uniquely strong post-presidency. The Carter Center , a nongovernmental organization committed to promoting human rights around the globe, has engaged in conflict resolution, overseen democratic elections and pioneered public health initiatives in more than 80 countries. His 2002 Nobel Peace Prize made him the third of four presidents to receive the honor. The former chief executive also wrote more than 30 books , including several memoirs, a poetry collection and a children’s book, and he won three Grammy Awards for his audiobooks. Many of Carter’s books deal with the topic of religious faith, which was central to the way he approached his life and death. At a Sunday school lesson at Maranatha Baptist Church in Plains, Georgia, in November 2019, Carter shared his reflections on death. “I obviously prayed about it,” Carter said of his diagnosis of metastatic melanoma, which he beat in 2015. “I didn’t ask God to let me live, but I asked God to give me a proper attitude toward death. And I found that I was absolutely and completely at ease with death.”CELH Investors Have Opportunity to Lead Celsius Holdings, Inc. Securities Fraud Lawsuit
WASHINGTON (AP) — President said Tuesday he was “stupid” not to put his own name on pandemic relief checks in 2021, noting that had and likely got credit for helping people out through this simple, effective act of branding. Biden did the second-guessing as he delivered a speech at the Brookings Institution defending his economic record and challenging Trump to preserve Democratic policy ideas when he returns to the White House next month. As Biden focused on his legacy with his term ending, he suggested Trump should keep the Democrats’ momentum going and ignore the policies of his allies. The president laid out favorable recent economic data but acknowledged his rare public regret that he had not been more self-promotional in advertising the financial support provided by his administration as the country emerged from the pandemic. “I signed the American Rescue Plan, the most significant economic recovery package in our history, and also learned something from Donald Trump,” Biden said at the Washington-based think tank. “He signed checks for people for 7,400 bucks ... and I didn’t. Stupid.” The decision by the former reality TV star and real estate developer to add his name to the checks sent by the U.S. Treasury to millions of Americans struggling during the coronavirus marked the first time a president’s name appeared on any IRS payments. Biden and Vice President , who , largely failed to convince the American public of the strength of the economy. The addition of 16 million jobs, funding for infrastructure, new factories and investments in renewable energy were not enough to overcome public exhaustion over inflation, which spiked in 2022 and left many households coping with elevated grocery, gasoline and housing costs. More than 6 in 10 voters in November’s election described the economy as “poor” or “not so good,” according to AP VoteCast, an extensive survey of the electorate. who felt the economy was in bad shape, paving the way for a second term as president after his 2020 loss to Biden. Biden used his speech to argue that Trump was inheriting a strong economy that is the envy of the world. The inflation rate fell without a recession that many economists had viewed as inevitable, while the and applications to start new businesses are at record levels. Biden called the numbers under his watch “a new set of benchmarks to measure against the next four years.” “President-elect Trump is receiving the strongest economy in modern history,” said Biden, who warned that Trump’s planned tax cuts could lead to massive deficits or deep spending cuts. He also said that Trump’s promise of broad tariffs on foreign imports would be a mistake, part of a broader push Tuesday by the administration to warn against Trump’s threatened action. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen also issued a word of caution about them at a summit of The Wall Street Journal’s CEO Council. “I think the imposition of broad based tariffs, at least of the type that have been discussed, almost all economists agree this would raise prices on American consumers,” she said. Biden was also critical of Trump allies who have pushed , a policy blueprint from the Heritage Foundation that calls for a complete overhaul of the federal government. Trump has disavowed participation in it, though parts were written by his allies and on economics, immigration, education policy and civil rights. “I pray to God the president-elect throws away Project 2025,” Biden said. “I think it would be an economic disaster.”
LSU head coach Brian Kelly knows who will be under center for his team during the 2025 season. "I feel like my time at LSU is not over," quarterback Garrett Nussmeier announced Wednesday. "I'm officially announcing that I'm returning for my final year of eligibility, and I am fully committed to bringing this university a championship. My teammates, coaches and fans will get the absolute best out of me every single day." This decision is surely a welcome one for the Tigers and will allow Nussmeier to improve his NFL stock before the 2026 draft. After all, B/R's NFL Scouting Department did not rank him in the top 100 overall players or top eight quarterbacks in its most recent big board of prospects for the 2025 NFL draft. In the modern-day world of college football with the transfer portal and NIL opportunities, it feels somewhat rare to see a quarterback stick with one program for so long. But Nussmeier arrived at LSU as a 4-star prospect in the recruiting class of 2021, per 247Sports' composite rankings, and is staying put for another season. While he sat behind Heisman winner Jayden Daniels during the 2023 campaign, Nussmeier earned the starting role heading into the 2024 season. He completed 63.7 percent of his passes for 3,739 yards, 26 touchdowns and 11 interceptions in 12 games while leading the Tigers to an 8-4 record that included victories over South Carolina and Ole Miss. Nussmeier dealt with some turnover issues, including when he threw for a combined four touchdowns to five interceptions during three straight losses to Texas A&M, Alabama and Florida, and whether he can avoid those troubles next year could determine LSU's ceiling in the SEC. Still, he will provide a veteran presence for the Tigers as they look to compete for a conference crown and spot in the expanded 12-team College Football Playoff field. And then the 2026 NFL draft may be waiting after that.
Could a longevity pill for dogs be the secret to a longer life for humans? Scientists think soBiden touts economic gains despite Americans’ poor opinions of job in office
Two senior members of the federal cabinet were in Florida Friday pushing Canada’s new border plan with Donald Trump’s transition team, a day after Trudeau himself appeared to finally push back at the president-elect over his social media posts about turning Canada into the 51st state. Both Trudeau and former Bank of Canada governor Mark Carney, who Trudeau has been courting to become Canada’s next finance minister, shared posts on X Thursday, a day after Trump’s latest jab at Canada in his Christmas Day message. It isn’t clear if Finance Minister Dominic LeBlanc, who has repeatedly insisted Trump’s 51st state references are a joke, will raise the issue with Trump’s team when he and Foreign Affairs Minister Mélanie Joly meet with them in Palm Beach. The two are there to discuss Canada’s new $1.3 billion border plan with just under four weeks left before Trump is sworn in again as president. He has threatened to impose a new 25 per cent import tariff on Canada and Mexico the same day over concerns about a trade imbalance, as well as illegal drugs and migration issues at the borders. The broad strokes of Canada’s plan were made public Dec. 17, including a new aerial intelligence task force to provide round-the-clock surveillance of the border, and improved efforts using technology and canine teams to seek out drugs in shipments leaving Canada LeBlanc’s spokesman, Jean-Sébastien Comeau, said the ministers will also emphasize the negative impacts of Trump’s threatened tariffs on both Canada and the U.S. Comeau said the ministers will build on the discussions that took place last month when Trudeau and LeBlanc met Trump at Mar-a-Lago just days after Trump first made his tariff threat. It was at that dinner on Nov. 29 when Trump first raised the notion of Canada becoming the 51st state, a comment LeBlanc has repeatedly since insisted was just a joke. But Trump has continued the quip repeatedly in various social media posts, including in his Christmas Day message when he said Canadians would pay lower taxes and have better military protection if they became Americans. He has taken to calling Trudeau “governor” instead of prime minister. Trudeau had not directly responded to any of the jabs, but on Thursday posted a link to a six-minute long video on YouTube from 2010 in which American journalist Tom Brokaw “explains Canada to Americans.” The video, which originally aired during the 2010 Vancouver Olympics, explains similarities between the two countries, including their founding based on immigration, their trading relationship and the actions of the Canadian Army in World War 2 and other modern conflicts. “In the long history of sovereign neighbours there has never been a relationship as close, productive and peaceful as the U.S. and Canada,” Brokaw says in the video. Trudeau did not expand about why he posted a link to the video, posting it only with the words “some information about Canada for Americans.” Carney, who is at the centre of some of Trudeau’s recent domestic political troubles, also called out Trump’s antics on X Thursday, calling it “casual disrespect” and “carrying the ‘joke’ too far.” “Time to call it out, stand up for Canada, and build a true North American partnership,” said Carney, who Trudeau was courting to join his cabinet before Chrystia Freeland resigned as finance minister last week. Freeland’s sudden departure, three days after Trudeau informed her he would be firing her as finance minister in favour of Carney, left Trudeau’s leadership even more bruised than it already was. Despite the expectation Carney would assume the role, he did not and has not made any statements about it. LeBlanc was sworn in as finance minister instead the same day Freeland quit. More than two dozen Liberal MPs have publicly called on Trudeau to resign as leader, and Trudeau is said to be taking the holidays to think about his next steps. He is currently vacationing in British Columbia.
The Sacramento Kings are parting ways with head coach Mike Brown following a poor start to the season. NBA insider Shams Charania reported the news on social media of the firing. Just In: The Sacramento Kings are parting ways with head coach Mike Brown, sources told ESPN. pic.twitter.com/mNdn5EOv4U Brown was the 2023 NBA Coach of the Year after helping to take the Kings to the postseason for the first time since 2006. The veteran head coach was seen as the man to lead Sacramento forward for the foreseeable future but a subpar season last year started to put doubt into things around the league. However, the Kings seemed to double down on their commitment to Brown, giving him a contract extension over the summer. Brown signed a three-year extension with the team and will be owed $25.5 million through the 2026-27 season. But things seemed to fall off the rails this season and Sacramento hasn't looked the same. The Kings started out this season with a record of 13-18 and are currently sitting in 12th place within the Western Conference standings. Before the Kings decided to fire Brown, the team had lost five straight games. This includes a frustrating loss to the Detroit Pistons that saw Sacramento be outscored by 15 points in the final quarter. Around the team, there has been a lot of noise about star point guard De'Aaron Fox possibly asking out of the organization. Fox hasn't asked out as of now but many around NBA circles have started to see more smoke around this idea. Read more: Lakers, Rockets Headline Potential Landing Spots For Star Guard Amid Trade Rumors The star point guard recently said that he would love to stay with the Kings but that he needs to see them competing. This firing of Brown could be a way for Sacramento to try and hold onto Fox for the long haul. "But I want to make sure that we're in that position to be competing and competing at a high level for a long time, not just fighting for a playoff spot. Obviously, the way that the West is going, we have to continue to get better as players and as a team, as an organization. And, I mean, I'm not saying I'm not staying or that I am staying. But I would love to be here, and I want to make sure that we're competing at a high level." It remains to be seen what the Kings will do with Fox but this move was a bit shocking. There had been talk of Sacramento possibly moving on from Brown but most didn't see this happening so soon. For more on the Kings and the NBA at large, check out Newsweek Sports .MediaProduction AMD Stock: Previous Thesis and Q3 Earnings I last wrote on Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. ( NASDAQ: AMD ) back in October 2024. 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TEMPE, AZ — Artificial intelligence technology is spreading rapidly, and a new class at Arizona State University could set the standard for how AI literacy is taught across the U.S. The class is called "AI Literacy in Design and the Arts," and it covers the benefits, challenges, and ethics surrounding AI. The class was added to ASU's selection of classes this fall and students will be able again in the spring. The class is taught by Lance Gharavi, a professor in the School of Music, Dance, and Theatre. Graduate student Doster Chastain admits he was initially apprehensive about using AI. “I was scared of AI, and that had kept me from using it for a long time,” Chastain says. Chastain said his interactions with AI in class has mostly come in the form of a warning. “There's always a clause, an AI clause, in every class syllabus that says, you know, here's the AI rules. Basically, don't use it.” Do you have a concern in your community or a news tip? We want to hear from you! Connect with us: share@abc15.com Facebook | Instagram | YouTube Gharavi’s course takes a different approach, encouraging students to explore AI’s capabilities and limitations. “I finally had a course that said, ‘No, let’s use this stuff. Let’s play with it. Let’s see where it breaks, let’s see where it excels,’” Chastain explains. Gharavi’s hope is to empower students with knowledge about generative AI. “We need people to seize their agency around these technologies,” Gharavi emphasizes. “These technologies are too powerful and too important for us to cede our agency to others.” Generative AI operates by learning from vast datasets and creating content based on its training. While some students initially viewed it as a glorified search engine, many, like Chastain, now see it as a digital assistant with a caveat. “At this point in the game, it takes a little more direction, honestly, than working with an actual assistant,” he observes. Chastain designs projections for theater productions and says that since taking the course he has used AI as a part of his creative process. “It doesn’t just find something and regurgitate it to you,” Chastain says. “It learns from the things it trains on and uses that knowledge.” Gharavi’s course ultimately encourages students to experiment with AI, understanding its potential and pitfalls. For those hesitant about the technology, Gharavi says they should take time to play with, and to truly have fun and play while they do. Latest from ABC15: WATCH: Deaf robotics team wins highest teamwork award at recent competition abc15.com staff Arizona seniors worried about landline services not working Christel Bell Sen. Kyrsten Sinema has missed more than 60% of votes in D.C. since mid-November Ben Brown Maricopa County to pay $6M to protestors arrested and falsely charged in 2020 Dave Biscobing
ATLANTA (AP) — 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. years old. The died on Sunday, more than a year after entering , at his home in the small town of Plains, Georgia, where he and his wife, who , 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, and 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, 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 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 . 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 Among the center’s many public health initiatives, Carter vowed to eradicate the guinea worm parasite during his lifetime, and 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 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 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, . 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, 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. , 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 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. 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 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 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?” 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. 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 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 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 in his 10th decade of life. “I’m perfectly at ease with whatever comes,” . “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. Bill Barrow, The Associated Press
Amazon’s Stock Rides the AI Wave Amazon’s stock showed resilience after a successful boost from their AI-centered cloud initiatives showcased last week. The tech powerhouse is keen on expanding its influence, driven by positive feedback from analysts regarding its latest ambitions unveiled at the Amazon Web Services (AWS) re:Invent conference. A Major Analyst’s Optimism Mizuho’s analyst, James Lee, recently revised his price target for Amazon from 240 to 260, expressing confidence in AWS’s strategic direction. He highlighted that generative AI is approaching a significant transition, moving promising projects into practical applications. Key Technological Advances by AWS AWS is making waves with transformative AI strategies. They introduced cost-effective computing through their own chips, simplified AI app development, and added AI-agent functionalities to enhance workflow automation. Lee anticipates a strong 21% revenue growth for AWS by 2025. Conference Highlights and Strategic Moves In Las Vegas, AWS revealed that major companies like Apple are adopting its Trainium2 AI chip, with Trainium3 slated for release. An impressive “UltraCluster” of AI chips will soon train Anthropic’s latest models, reflecting Amazon’s $8 billion investment in the AI startup. Additionally, CEO Andy Jassy presented Amazon Nova, a new AI model line available via the Bedrock AI platform. Market Reception and Stock Performance Amazon’s recent initiatives are aimed at maintaining its cloud services lead over competitors like Microsoft and Google’s Alphabet. Positive feedback from analysts suggests a turning tide in favor of AWS’s AI prowess. This year, Amazon’s stock has climbed 49%, significantly outpacing the S&P 500’s 27% rise. This growth catapults Amazon’s position further into the spotlight of robust investment opportunities. The Untold Future of Amazon’s AI Strategies: What’s Next? Amazon’s AI-Driven Ambitions: A Closer Look at Emerging Trends and Innovations Amazon continues to capture attention in the tech world, leveraging its vast resources to make significant strides in artificial intelligence. The AWS re:Invent conference brought new insights, revealing Amazon’s progress and future directions. Let’s explore the key developments, market trends, and strategic innovations shaping Amazon’s AI landscape. Innovative AI Technologies by AWS At the heart of Amazon’s AI advancement is AWS’s innovative approach to cloud computing. A major highlight is the introduction of their proprietary chips, notably the Trainium series, which offer both cost-effectiveness and enhanced performance for AI tasks. Trainium2 has already attracted major industry players like Apple, while the soon-to-be-released Trainium3 promises to revolutionize AI computing further. AWS’s focus on simplifying AI application development is particularly noteworthy. By integrating AI-agent functionalities to automate workflows, AWS is enabling businesses to streamline operations and improve efficiency. These technological innovations offer exciting possibilities for future AI applications across various industries. Diving Deeper into Market Trends and Analyst Predictions Mizuho’s analyst, James Lee, sheds light on the expanding role of generative AI, which is transitioning from experimental to practical applications. This shift is expected to drive substantial revenue growth for AWS, potentially reaching 21% by 2025. Such predictions underscore AWS’s strategic positioning in the competitive AI and cloud market. The positive market reception of Amazon’s AI endeavors is evident in its stock performance. With a notable 49% rise this year, considerably outstripping the S&P 500’s growth, Amazon stands out as an appealing investment option. This growth trajectory is a testament to investor confidence in Amazon’s strategic initiatives and future prospects in AI. Future Prospects and Market Analysis With an $8 billion investment in AI startup Anthropic, Amazon’s commitment to pushing the boundaries of AI technology is clear. This investment reflects a strategic move to enhance AWS’s capabilities, particularly in training sophisticated AI models. The introduction of the “UltraCluster” of AI chips signifies a monumental step in Amazon’s AI journey, potentially setting new industry standards. Furthermore, the unveiling of Amazon Nova on the Bedrock AI platform symbolizes a forward-thinking approach, promising to deliver advanced AI solutions. As Amazon competes with tech giants like Microsoft and Google, such strategic developments will be crucial in maintaining its lead in the cloud services arena. Concluding Insights and Predictions Looking ahead, Amazon’s focus on AI innovations positions it well for sustained growth and influence in the technology sector. With strategic advancements in chip technology, AI applications, and substantial investments, Amazon is gearing up to shape the future of AI. As we anticipate these developments, it’s clear that Amazon’s relentless pursuit of AI excellence is set to redefine the landscape, offering new opportunities and setting benchmarks for the industry. For more insights and updates on Amazon’s latest ventures, visit the Amazon website.
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