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INVESTORS in the Hong Kong initial public offering (IPO) of Chinese cosmetics firm Mao Geping Cosmetics received an early Christmas present on Dec 10 when the company made its trading debut – the shares rose as much as 92 per cent before closing the day 77 per cent higher. It was the best first-day performance in four years and a further sign that the three-year slump in IPOs on the Hong Kong stock market is finally over. As at Dec 8, 63 companies, mostly from the Chinese mainland, had listed on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange (HKEX) this year, according to a recent report from international accounting firm KPMG. They raised a combined HK$83 billion (S14.5 billion), 80 per cent more than in 2023, and pushing the exchange back up to fourth place in the global ranking for IPO fundraising. Of the total, HK$69 billion came in the second half of the year, driven by several sizeable deals, including the four largest IPOs in the past two years, the report said. It’s a welcome turnaround from 2023, when the city’s IPO market plunged to its worst showing in 20 years and only HK$46.3 billion was raised in total from 73 listings amid poor market sentiment. “It’s fair to say that market activity and sentiment have improved significantly compared with six months ago,” said Xu Wenjia, head of Greater China equity capital markets at law firm Linklaters LLP. According to forecasts by KPMG and its peer EY, IPOs in Hong Kong are set to recover further in 2025, with total fundraising projected to reach HK$100 billion to HK$120 billion, pushing the bourse back to its position among the top three global exchanges in terms of IPO fundraising. The turning point for what looked set to be another disappointing year came in September with the blockbuster IPO of home-appliance manufacturer Midea Group. The company, which listed in Shenzhen in 2013, raised HK$35.7 billion in the largest listing in Hong Kong in three years and the second-largest globally in 2024. Although the company is in a traditional consumer-focused industry rather than a hot emerging technology sector, demand massively outstripped the shares on offer in the IPO and as at Tuesday (Dec 24), the stock had climbed more than 40 per cent from its offer price of HK$54.80. Three more major IPOs took place in October and November, each raising more than HK$5 billion – China Resources Beverage, autonomous-driving tech firm Horizon Robotics, and delivery group SF Holding. This compares with 2023 when only one company, liquor-maker ZJLD Group, raised more than HK$5 billion. The rebound in the IPO market follows the implementation of a series of favourable policies issued by the HKEX, efforts by mainland regulators to bolster Hong Kong’s position as an international financial centre and support Chinese companies’ international expansion, and an improvement in market sentiment fuelled by a slew of stimulus measures unleashed in late September and early October by the Chinese government. This year saw the first three companies list under Chapter 18C of the exchange’s listing rules, a new IPO pathway introduced in March 2023 for money-losing specialist technology firms in fields such as next-generation information technology, advanced materials, new energy and new agricultural technology. Several other companies have submitted listing applications. Hong Kong’s special purpose acquisition company listing mechanism, introduced on Jan 1, 2022, also completed its first merger transaction in October this year. New regulations on overseas listings for mainland companies, implemented from Mar 31, 2023, were intended to make it easier for them to list in Hong Kong by standardising procedures, clarifying regulatory requirements, shifting to a filing-based regime from an approval-based regime, making the process more transparent. In April this year, the China Securities Regulatory Commission (CSRC) introduced five measures to enhance collaboration with Hong Kong’s capital markets, including boosting support for companies such as Midea and SF Holding to do their Hong Kong IPOs. The commission was reported to have held meetings in October with more than 10 international banks and law firms, urging them to help speed up the offshore listings of mainland companies which had already gained CSRC consent to create some “successful cases” of high-profile deals to bolster sentiment in the market. “Midea’s listing in Hong Kong gave everyone a very positive impression,” said Xu from Linklaters. “The company is in a traditional industry, has an overseas setup, and priced its Hong Kong IPO at a moderate discount to its A-shares, which generated a lot of interest.” Its success should encourage more firms, especially those with a record not only of stable and sustainable profitability but also of financial disclosure discipline honed by years of oversight from mainland regulators, Xu said. Midea’s listing has paved the way for a string of other IPOs from mainland companies. SF Holding listed in November, and in December, auto-driving systems maker Ningbo Joyson Electronic, pharmaceutical company Jiangsu Hengrui Pharmaceuticals, and condiment manufacturer Foshan Haitian Flavouring and Food, all announced plans to issue shares in Hong Kong. Sources have told Caixin that leading battery manufacturer Contemporary Amperex Technology and leading energy-drink company Eastroc Beverage are among others planning Hong Kong IPOs. Mining companies are also eyeing Hong Kong as a venue to raise money after years of silence, according to Frank Bi, head of corporate transactions practice in Asia at lawyers Ashurst. They are being seen from a new perspective – as upstream suppliers for new materials, new energy, and hard technology companies, he said. “Moreover, post-pandemic, as China’s Belt and Road Initiative progresses, mining companies are needed for infrastructure development, which will drive greater financing demand.” The slowdown in IPO activity on the mainland market has also prompted many companies originally intending to list on the Shanghai, Shenzhen or Beijing stock exchanges to switch to Hong Kong. Beijing 51World Digital Twin Technology, a specialty technology company, became the fifth company to file under Chapter 18C with the HKEX after unsuccessful attempts to list on the high-tech Star Market in Shanghai and the Beijing Stock Exchange for innovative small and medium-sized companies. Stricter oversight of applicants for mainland listings has reduced the number of companies in the queue from over 1,000 to about 300, according to Louis Lau, a partner of the capital markets advisory group at KPMG China. Many of these firms may switch to Hong Kong and become a significant source of IPOs for the city in future, he said. Companies currently in Hong Kong’s IPO pipeline include Jingdong Industrials, a supply-chain technology and service provider spun off from e-commerce giant JD.com, and transport and logistics firm Lalatech Holdings. The central government’s encouragement of mainland companies to list in Hong Kong has opened up a new financing platform for their global expansion, according to Kelvin Leung, managing director at Huatai Financial Holdings (Hong Kong). Midea, for example, plans to use 20 per cent of the proceeds of its IPO for global technology research and development and 35 per cent for boosting its global distribution channels and sales networks over the next five years. SF Holding’s chairman, Wang Wei, has said his company’s Hong Kong listing will be a platform to expand into international markets, while Mao Geping said 15 per cent of the funds it raised will be used for overseas expansion and acquisitions. Hong Kong is making even more changes to help mainland companies list on its bourse. In October, the Hong Kong Securities and Futures Commission and the exchange jointly announced plans to streamline the local listing approval process, including setting up a fast-track path for companies which are already trading on the mainland stock market that could cut the number of rounds of regulatory feedback to one and shorten the IPO evaluation process to just 30 working days. Edward Au, managing partner of the Deloitte China Southern Region, said that the collaboration between the two regulators to improve the approval process should help avoid repetitive inquiries to issuers and improve the overall pace of listings. CAIXIN GLOBAL
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"I thought I was never going to get it back" | Young fan gets to keep game ball after it was taken by securityLondon: The UK will end a tax exemption for private schools on Wednesday, the centre-left Labour government has announced, in a move set to raise over £1.5 billion ($1.9 billion) for public education . 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 After years of worsening educational inequalities, from January 1, private schools will have to pay 20 percent value added tax on tuition fees, which will be used to fund thousands of new teachers and improve standards in state schools. "It's time things are done differently", finance minister Rachel Reeves said in a statement on Sunday. The funding will "go towards our state schools where 94 percent of this country's children are educated", she said. The policy was promised by Labour in its election campaign and officially laid out in its inaugural budget in October. 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Tuition fees in private schools already average £18,000 a year, according to the Independent Schools Council, which represents private schools. That figure is set to rise, with the government estimating that tuition fees will increase by around 10 percent, with schools taking on part of the additional cost. "High and rising standards cannot just be for families who can afford them," said education secretary Bridget Phillipson. Opponents of the reform say state school enrolment will explode if the private sector is lost, increasing the cost to the government. But studies contradict this. The Institute for Fiscal Studies calculated that the number of children in state schools will actually fall by 2030 due to a projected population decline. Several research centres also point out that the disparity between private and state schools widened sharply under the 14-year Conservative rule. The Labour government won a landslide election in July promising to boost economic growth and improve public services. (You can now subscribe to our Economic Times WhatsApp channel )
The Valley Water Board of Directors on Dec. 10 elected Tony Estremera as the board chair for 2025. Richard P. Santos was elected as vice chair. Estremera has been a member of the Valley Water Board since 1996 and is serving his fifth term as chair. He represents District 6, which encompasses areas of Central and East San Jose, including the Mayfair neighborhood. Santos is beginning his fifth term as vice chair. He represents District 3, which includes Alviso, Sunnyvale, Santa Clara, Milpitas and the Berryessa/Alum Rock area of San Jose. Metropolitan Education District (MetroED) has been awarded a grant of almost $1 million from a state program that helps community colleges expand career technical education and workforce training to prepare students for high-wage employment in industries that meet regional labor market needs. Related Articles Local News | Student wins Cupertino nonprofit’s art contest Local News | Get a jump on New Year’s resolutions at Los Gatos Library Local News | MetroED gets state grant for green tech programs Local News | Community college district taking applications for Sunnyvale trustee seat Local News | Saratoga student wins nonprofit art contest MetroED’s Silicon Valley Career Technical Education (SVCTE) received $989,645 through the K12 Strong Workforce Program. This funding will support SVCTE’s efforts to meet the increasing demand for green technology, providing students with skills needed for sustainable industries. These industries include electric vehicle technology, eco-friendly HVAC systems, fire science with environmental solutions and clean diesel technologies. MetroED provides career technical education for high school and adult students in Santa Clara County. It is overseen by a joint powers agreement that includes the Milpitas Unified School District. Its educational partners include Evergreen Community College, Mission College, San Jose City College and West Valley College.
Kansas once required voters to prove citizenship. That didn't work out so wellEASTON, Pa. (AP) — Louie Semona scored 15 points off of the bench to lead Stonehill over Lafayette 70-65 on Sunday. Semona had six rebounds for the Skyhawks (8-7). Hermann Koffi scored 13 points, shooting 4 for 8 (2 for 5 from 3-point range) and 3 of 4 from the free-throw line. Josh Morgan had 13 points and shot 4 of 9 from the field, including 1 for 3 from 3-point range, and went 4 for 4 from the line. The Leopards (5-8) were led by Caleb Williams, who recorded 15 points. Lafayette also got 14 points, 11 rebounds and three blocks from Justin Vander Baan. Alex Chaikin also recorded 12 points, two steals and two blocks. Stonehill went into the half leading Lafayette 28-27. Semona put up seven points in the half. Stonehill used a 7-0 second-half run erase a five-point deficit and take the lead at 47-45 with 11:20 remaining in the half before finishing off the victory. Todd Brogna scored nine second-half points. The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar .
Agriculture is not just growing a crop or raising livestock, as around 190 high schoolers interested in agriculture found out at the annual Careers in Ag Day at the Panhandle Research Extension and Education Center in Scottsbluff. The event, held on Nov. 13, was hosted by the Scottsbluff/Gering Chamber of Commerce Ag Committee. It had 26 community business representatives discussing their place in agriculture. “When people start thinking about agriculture, they're like, well, I don't want to grow a crop, or I don't want to take care of cattle, right?” said Kelly Downer, Careers in Ag chair, Scottsbluff/Gering Chamber of Commerce Ag Committee. “So the goal of today is to let the students know there is so much more to agriculture.” The event had 11 different pathways, from ag education to technology and veterinarian. The event gives the students a broad-based look at all aspects of agriculture, from working in the field doing hands-on work to being the person sitting in the bank as an ag lender. “We have an incredible set of resources with the business people in this community and the ag community here to share what we do and how we got where we are with these students,” said Paul Burgener, vice president of Farm Management, Manulife Investment Management. “So they have some idea of some opportunities coming out of high school and if they want to be involved in agriculture.” Students heard from and could ask questions of professionals in grain merchandising, ethanol production, conventional production ag, and feedlot and livestock production. “So, it's one thing to think, I want to get into the banking world,” Downer said. “Until you have that conversation with somebody and understand why they got into banking and what they're doing with banking, are you going to understand what it looks like.” The event also had representatives with information for students from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Western Nebraska Community College, University of Wyoming, and Nebraska College of Technical Agriculture. Platte Valley Bank, Manulife Investment Management, Farm Credit Services, and Runza sponsored the Careers in Ag Day. Get local news delivered to your inbox!DETROIT — Fifty years later, a man who grew up in suburban Detroit tried to return a very overdue baseball book to his boyhood library. The answer: You can keep it — and no fine. Chuck Hildebrandt, 63, of Chicago said he visited the public library in Warren while in town for Thanksgiving, carrying a book titled "Baseball's Zaniest Stars." He borrowed it in 1974 as a 13-year-old "baseball nut" but never returned it. Chuck Hildebrandt of Chicago holds the book "Baseball's Zaniest Stars," which was due Dec. 4, 1974, at the Warren, Mich., library, on Dec. 10. "When you're moving with a bunch of books, you're not examining every book. You throw them in a box and go," said Hildebrandt, who lived in many cities. "But five or six years ago, I was going through the bookshelf and there was a Dewey decimal library number on the book. 'What is this?'" Inside the book was a slip of paper indicating it was due back at the Warren library on Dec. 4, 1974. Hildebrandt told The Associated Press he decided to keep the book until 2024 — the 50th anniversary — and then try to return it. He figured the library might want to publicize the long overdue exchange. Chuck Hildebrandt of Chicago shows the library slip in the overdue book "Baseball's Zaniest Stars" on Dec. 10. He said he recently met library director Oksana Urban, who listened to his pitch. Hildebrandt said he hasn't heard anything since then, though Urban told the Detroit Free Press that all is forgiven. "Some people never come back to face the music," she said of patrons with overdue books. "But there was really no music to face because he and the book were erased from our system." So "Baseball's Zaniest Stars" is back on Hildebrandt's shelf. In return, he's now trying to raise $4,564 for Reading is Fundamental , a nonprofit literacy group. The amount roughly represents a 50-year overdue library fine. Hildebrandt seeded the effort with $457. The Major League Baseball draft is unique among professional sports drafts. The 30 organizations pick teenagers and college students who will not join their big league clubs for years—if ever. These athletes will spend that time honing their craft in the minor leagues, where long bus rides and minuscule paychecks are the norm. A few will move quickly up the ranks, seizing playing time opportunities to advance their careers and making their names known to scouts, fans, and other observers around the country. Some of the best will become MLB stars, but there's minimal correlation to draft position. Four of the players on this list were picked after hundreds of other diamond darlings, and only two were #1 overall selections. There's also more than a handful who didn't do much for the teams that drafted them, including superstars such as Nolan Ryan, Ozzie Smith, and Randy Johnson. Each of these players was traded before they evolved into Hall of Famers. Still, calling the draft a "crapshoot" might be going too far. College players are " slightly more likely " than high schoolers to reach the revered stadiums of the majors, and third-rounders have a better chance than fifth-rounders, for example, though the margins are slim, as Vice reported. Teams not only make picks based on years-in-advance projections but also whether they can sign players, a step that must be completed before those youngsters begin playing professionally. To see how clubs have fared since the inaugural draft in 1965, ATS.io compiled a list of the best draft pick by each franchise using data from Baseball Reference . The players were ranked using career wins above replacement , so not one recent choice was named. The amazing Mike Trout, a 32-year-old selected in 2009, is the youngest player. Unsigned picks were not considered, and players who were traded as picks were credited to their acquiring teams. Data is as of June 5, 2024. - Draft: 11th overall pick in 2006 - Position: Pitcher - Games played: 457 - Career stats: 214 wins, 3.15 earned run average, 1.08 walks plus hits per inning - College/HS: University of Missouri (Columbia, Mo.) - Wins above replacement: 75.0 - Draft: 1st overall pick in 1990 - Position: Shortstop - Games played: 2,499 - Career stats: 468 home runs, .303 batting average, .930 on-base plus slugging - College/HS: The Bolles School (Jacksonville, Fla.) - Wins above replacement: 85.3 - Draft: 31st overall pick in 1984 - Position: Pitcher - Games played: 744 - Career stats: 355 wins, 3.16 earned run average, 1.14 walks plus hits per inning - College/HS: Valley HS (Las Vegas, Nev.) - Wins above replacement: 106.6 - Draft: 7th overall pick in 1989 - Position: First baseman - Games played: 2,322 - Career stats: 521 home runs, .301 batting average, .974 on-base plus slugging - College/HS: Auburn University (Auburn, Ala.) - Wins above replacement: 73.8 - Draft: 333rd overall pick in 1989 - Position: Shortstop - Games played: 2,543 - Career stats: 612 home runs, .276 batting average, .956 on-base plus slugging - College/HS: Illinois Central College (East Peoria, Ill.) - Wins above replacement: 73.1 - Draft: 8th overall pick in 1995 - Position: First baseman - Games played: 2,247 - Career stats: 369 home runs, .316 batting average, .953 on-base plus slugging - College/HS: University of Tennessee (Knoxville, Tenn.) - Wins above replacement: 61.8 - Draft: 2nd overall pick in 2004 - Position: Pitcher - Games played: 518 - Career stats: 260 wins, 3.25 earned run average, 1.12 walks plus hits per inning - College/HS: Old Dominion University (Norfolk, Va.) - Wins above replacement: 81.7 - Draft: 428th overall pick in 1988 - Position: Outfielder - Games played: 2,103 - Career stats: 130 home runs, .299 batting average, .794 on-base plus slugging - College/HS: University of Arizona (Tucson, Ariz.) - Wins above replacement: 68.4 - Draft: 29th overall pick in 1971 - Position: Shortstop - Games played: 2,707 - Career stats: 317 home runs, .305 batting average, .857 on-base plus slugging - College/HS: El Segundo HS (El Segundo, Calif.) - Wins above replacement: 88.6 - Draft: 25th overall pick in 2009 - Position: Centerfielder - Games played: 1,518 - Career stats: 378 home runs, .299 batting average, .991 on-base plus slugging - College/HS: Millville Senior HS (Millville, N.J.) - Wins above replacement: 86.1 - Draft: 7th overall pick in 2006 - Position: Pitcher - Games played: 425 - Career stats: 210 wins, 2.48 earned run average, 1.00 walks plus hits per inning - College/HS: Highland Park HS (Dallas, Texas) - Wins above replacement: 79.7 - Draft: 76th overall pick in 2007 - Position: First baseman - Games played: 1,589 - Career stats: 417 home runs, .258 batting average, .874 on-base plus slugging - College/HS: Notre Dame HS (Sherman Oaks, Calif.) - Wins above replacement: 44.3 - Draft: 3rd overall pick in 1973 - Position: Shortstop - Games played: 2,856 - Career stats: 251 home runs, .285 batting average, .772 on-base plus slugging - College/HS: William Howard Taft Charter HS (Woodland Hills, Calif.) - Wins above replacement: 77.4 - Draft: 55th overall pick in 1969 - Position: Pitcher - Games played: 692 - Career stats: 287 wins, 3.31 earned run average, 1.20 walks plus hits per inning - College/HS: Santiago HS (Garden Grove, Calif.) - Wins above replacement: 94.5 - Draft: 295th overall pick in 1965 - Position: Pitcher - Games played: 807 - Career stats: 324 wins, 3.19 earned run average, 1.25 walks plus hits per inning - College/HS: Alvin HS (Alvin, Texas) - Wins above replacement: 81.3 - Draft: 6th overall pick in 1992 - Position: Shortstop - Games played: 2,747 - Career stats: 260 home runs, .310 batting average, .817 on-base plus slugging - College/HS: Central HS (Kalamazoo, Mich.) - Wins above replacement: 71.3 - Draft: 96th overall pick in 1976 - Position: Outfielder - Games played: 3,081 - Career stats: 297 home runs, .279 batting average, .820 on-base plus slugging - College/HS: Oakland Technical HS (Oakland, Calif.) - Wins above replacement: 111.1 - Draft: 30th overall pick in 1971 - Position: Shortstop - Games played: 2,404 - Career stats: 548 home runs, .268 batting average, .908 on-base plus slugging - College/HS: Ohio University (Athens, Ohio) - Wins above replacement: 106.9 - Draft: 6th overall pick in 1985 - Position: Outfielder - Games played: 2,986 - Career stats: 762 home runs, .298 batting average, 1.051 on-base plus slugging - College/HS: Arizona State University (Tempe, Ariz.) - Wins above replacement: 162.8 - Draft: 86th overall pick in 1977 - Position: Shortstop - Games played: 2,573 - Career stats: 28 home runs, .262 batting average, .666 on-base plus slugging - College/HS: California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo (San Luis Obispo, Calif.) - Wins above replacement: 76.9 - Draft: 2nd overall pick in 1985 - Position: First baseman - Games played: 1,976 - Career stats: 284 home runs, .303 batting average, .880 on-base plus slugging - College/HS: Mississippi State University (Mississippi State, Miss.) - Wins above replacement: 56.5 - Draft: 1st overall pick in 1993 - Position: Shortstop - Games played: 2,784 - Career stats: 696 home runs, .295 batting average, .930 on-base plus slugging - College/HS: Westminster Christian School (Miami, Fla.) - Wins above replacement: 117.6 - Draft: 402nd overall pick in 1999 - Position: Third baseman - Games played: 3,080 - Career stats: 703 home runs, .296 batting average, .918 on-base plus slugging - College/HS: Metropolitan Community College-Maple Woods (Kansas City, Mo.) - Wins above replacement: 101.4 - Draft: 3rd overall pick in 2006 - Position: Third baseman - Games played: 1,986 - Career stats: 342 home runs, .264 batting average, .804 on-base plus slugging - College/HS: California State University, Long Beach (Long Beach, Calif.) - Wins above replacement: 58.6 - Draft: 4th overall pick in 1986 - Position: Pitcher - Games played: 486 - Career stats: 211 wins, 3.28 earned run average, 1.22 walks plus hits per inning - College/HS: Georgia Institute of Technology (Atlanta, Ga.) - Wins above replacement: 67.8 - Draft: 17th overall pick in 1995 - Position: Pitcher - Games played: 416 - Career stats: 203 wins, 3.38 earned run average, 1.18 walks plus hits per inning - College/HS: Arvada West HS (Arvada, Colo.) - Wins above replacement: 64.2 - Draft: 48th overall pick in 1978 - Position: Third baseman - Games played: 3,001 - Career stats: 431 home runs, .276 batting average, .788 on-base plus slugging - College/HS: Aberdeen HS (Aberdeen, Md.) - Wins above replacement: 95.9 - Draft: 19th overall pick in 1983 - Position: Pitcher - Games played: 709 - Career stats: 354 wins, 3.12 earned run average, 1.17 walks plus hits per inning - College/HS: University of Texas at Austin (Austin, Texas) - Wins above replacement: 139.2 - Draft: 36th overall pick in 1965 - Position: Catcher - Games played: 2,158 - Career stats: 389 home runs, .267 batting average, .817 on-base plus slugging - College/HS: Binger HS (Binger, Okla.) - Wins above replacement: 75.1 - Draft: 36th overall pick in 1985 - Position: Pitcher - Games played: 618 - Career stats: 303 wins, 3.29 earned run average, 1.17 walks plus hits per inning - College/HS: University of Southern California (Los Angeles, Calif.) - Wins above replacement: 101.1 Data reporting by Karim Noorani. Story editing by Carren Jao. Additional editing by Kelly Glass. Copy editing by Robert Wickwire. Photo selection by Clarese Moller. This story originally appeared on ATS.io and was produced and distributed in partnership with Stacker Studio. Receive the latest in local entertainment news in your inbox weekly!
Former President Jimmy Carter has died at the age of 100. The 39th president of the United States was a Georgia peanut farmer who sought to restore trust in government when he assumed the presidency in 1977 and then built a reputation for tireless work as a humanitarian. He earned a Nobel Peace Prize in 2002. He died Sunday, more than a year after entering hospice care, at his home in Plains, Georgia. At age 52, Carter was sworn in as president on Jan. 20, 1977, after defeating President Gerald R. Ford in the 1976 general election. Carter left office on Jan. 20, 1981, following his 1980 general election loss to Ronald Reagan. Here's the latest: The longest-lived American president died 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. “Our founder, former U.S. President Jimmy Carter, passed away this afternoon in Plains, Georgia,” The Carter Center said in posting about his death on the social media platform X. It added in a statement that he died peacefully, surrounded by his family. In his 1975 book “Why Not The Best,” Carter said of himself: “I am a Southerner and an American, I am a farmer, an engineer, a father and husband, a Christian, a politician and former governor, a planner, a businessman, a nuclear physicist, a naval officer, a canoeist, and among other things a lover of Bob Dylan’s songs and Dylan Thomas’s poetry.” 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. After he left office and returned home to his tiny hometown of Plains in southwest Georgia, Carter regularly taught Sunday School lessons at Maranatha Baptist Church until his mobility declined. Those sessions drew visitors from around the world. Former Vice President Al Gore praised Jimmy Carter for living “a life full of purpose, commitment and kindness” and for being a “lifelong role model for the entire environmental movement.” Carter, who left the White House in 1981 after a landslide defeat to Ronald Reagan. concentrated on conflict resolution, defending democracy and fighting disease in the developing world. Gore, who lost the 2000 presidential election to George W. Bush, remains a leading advocate for action to fight climate change. Both won Nobel Peace Prizes. Gore said that “it is a testament to his unyielding determination to help build a more just and peaceful world” that Carter is often “remembered equally for the work he did as President as he is for his leadership over the 42 years after he left office.” During Gore’s time in the White House, President Bill Clinton had an uneasy relationship with Carter. But Gore said he is “grateful” for “many years of friendship and collaboration” with Carter. Former President Bill Clinton and his wife, former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, remember Carter as a man who lived to serve others. “Hillary and I mourn the passing of President Jimmy Carter and give thanks for his long, good life. Guided by his faith, President Carter lived to serve others — until the very end." The statement recalled Carter's many achievements and priorities, including efforts “to protect our natural resources in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, make energy conservation a national priority, return the Panama Canal to Panama, and secure peace between Egypt and Israel at Camp David." After he left office, the Clinton statement said, Carter continued efforts in "supporting honest elections, advancing peace, combating disease, and promoting democracy; to his and Rosalynn’s devotion and hard work at Habitat for Humanity — he worked tirelessly for a better, fairer world,” the statement said.Movie review: ‘Mufasa: The Lion King’ a boundary-pushing prequel worthy of original film
AudioEye Announces Launch of Secondary Offering of Common Stock by Selling StockholdersFormer President Jimmy Carter Dead at 100
WASHINGTON (AP) — One year after the Jan. 6, 2021 , U.S. Capitol attack, Attorney General Merrick Garland said the Justice Department was committed to holding accountable all perpetrators “at any level” for “the assault on our democracy.” That bold declaration won't apply to at least one person: Donald Trump. Special counsel Jack Smith's move on Monday to abandon the federal election interference case against Trump means jurors will likely never decide whether the president-elect is criminally responsible for his attempts to cling to power after losing the 2020 campaign. The decision to walk away from the election charges and the separate classified documents case against Trump marks an abrupt end of the Justice Department’s unprecedented legal effort that once threatened his liberty but appears only to have galvanized his supporters. The abandonment of the cases accusing Trump of endangering American democracy and national security does away with the most serious legal threats he was facing as he returns to the White House. It was the culmination of a monthslong defense effort to delay the proceedings at every step and use the criminal allegations to Trump's political advantage, putting the final word in the hands of voters instead of jurors. “We always knew that the rich and powerful had an advantage, but I don’t think we would have ever believed that somebody could walk away from everything,” said Stephen Saltzburg, a George Washington University law professor and former Justice Department official. “If there ever was a Teflon defendant, that’s Donald Trump.” While prosecutors left the door open to the possibility that federal charges could be re-filed against Trump after he leaves office, that seems unlikely. Meanwhile, Trump's presidential victory has thrown into question the future of the two state criminal cases against him in New York and Georgia. Trump was supposed to be sentenced on Tuesday after his conviction on 34 felony counts in his New York hush money case , but it's possible the sentencing could be delayed until after Trump leaves office, and the defense is pushing to dismiss the case altogether. Smith's team stressed that their decision to abandon the federal cases was not a reflection of the merit of the charges, but an acknowledgement that they could not move forward under longstanding Justice Department policy that says sitting presidents cannot face criminal prosecution. Trump's presidential victory set “at odds two fundamental and compelling national interests: On the one hand, the Constitution’s requirement that the President must not be unduly encumbered in fulfilling his weighty responsibilities . . . and on the other hand, the Nation’s commitment to the rule of law,” prosecutors wrote in court papers. The move just weeks after Trump's victory over Vice President Kamala Harris underscores the immense personal stake Trump had in the campaign in which he turned his legal woes into a political rallying cry. Trump accused prosecutors of bringing the charges in a bid to keep him out of the White House, and he promised revenge on his perceived enemies if he won a second term. “If Donald J. Trump had lost an election, he may very well have spent the rest of his life in prison,” Vice President-elect JD Vance, wrote in a social media post on Monday. “These prosecutions were always political. Now it’s time to ensure what happened to President Trump never happens in this country again.” After the Jan. 6 attack by Trump supporters that left more than 100 police officers injured, Republican leader Mitch McConnell and several other Republicans who voted to acquit Trump during his Senate impeachment trial said it was up to the justice system to hold Trump accountable. The Jan. 6 case brought last year in Washington alleged an increasingly desperate criminal conspiracy to subvert the will of voters after Trump's 2020 loss, accusing Trump of using the angry mob of supporters that attacked the Capitol as “a tool” in his campaign to pressure then-Vice President Mike Pence and obstruct the certification of Democrat Joe Biden's victory. Hundreds of Jan. 6 rioters — many of whom have said they felt called to Washington by Trump — have pleaded guilty or been convicted by juries of federal charges at the same courthouse where Trump was supposed to stand trial last year. As the trial date neared, officials at the courthouse that sits within view of the Capitol were busy making plans for the crush of reporters expected to cover the historic case. But Trump's argument that he enjoyed absolute immunity from prosecution quickly tied up the case in appeals all the way up to the Supreme Court. The high court ruled in July that former presidents have broad immunity from prosecution , and sent the case back to the trial court to decide which allegations could move forward. But the case was dismissed before the trial court could get a chance to do so. The other indictment brought in Florida accused Trump of improperly storing at his Mar-a-Lago estate sensitive documents on nuclear capabilities, enlisting aides and lawyers to help him hide records demanded by investigators and cavalierly showing off a Pentagon “plan of attack” and classified map. But U.S. District Judge Aileen Cannon dismissed the case in July on grounds that Smith was illegally appointed . Smith appealed to the Atlanta-based 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, but abandoned that appeal on Monday. Smith's team said it would continue its fight in the appeals court to revive charges against Trump's two co-defendants because “no principle of temporary immunity applies to them.” In New York, jurors spent weeks last spring hearing evidence in a state case alleging a Trump scheme to illegally influence the 2016 election through a hush money payment to a porn actor who said the two had sex. New York prosecutors recently expressed openness to delaying sentencing until after Trump's second term, while Trump's lawyers are fighting to have the conviction dismissed altogether. In Georgia, a trial while Trump is in office seems unlikely in a state case charging him and more than a dozen others with conspiring to overturn his 2020 election loss in the state. The case has been on hold since an appeals court agreed to review whether to remove Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis over her romantic relationship with the special prosecutor she had hired to lead the case. Associated Press reporter Lisa Mascaro in Washington contributed.
Handley — Senior Running back Led area in rushing yardage (1,572; 144 attempts, 10.9 average), rushing TDs (23) and points (150). Also had 3 catches for 23 yards and a TD. Class 4 State Second Team. Region 4D and Northwestern District First Team. Winchester Star Offensive Player of the Year. Wyatt Palmer Clarke County — Senior Running back Ranked 2nd in area in rushing yardage (1,467, 160 attempts, 9.2 average) and tied for 2nd in rushing TDs (19). Second in area in points (116). Region 2B and Bull Run District First Team. Micah Carlson Sherando — Senior Quarterback Led area in passing yardage (1,588; 113-177 passing) and TDs (18) and threw 10 interceptions. Ranked 3rd in area in rushing yardage (1,009; 149 attempts, 6.8 average) and tied for 2nd in rushing TDs (19). Third in area in points (116). Region 4D Offensive Player of the Year and First Team. Northwestern District Second Team. Jaishaun Offutt Handley — Senior Offensive line The tackle helped the Judges average area-bests in points (43 per game) and total offense (376.4 yards per game). Class 4 State, Region 4D and Northwestern District First Team. Will play for Wake Forest. Jarrett See Sherando — Junior Offensive line The center helped the Warriors average 32.6 points per game. Class 4 State and Northwestern District Second Team. Region 4D First Team. Ty Jahnigen Millbrook — Senior Offensive line The tackle helped the Pioneers average 26.1 points and 295.2 yards per game. Region 4D Second Team. Northwestern District First Team. Saia Tuivailala Clarke County — Senior Offensive line The guard helped the Eagles average 302.5 yards and 31.0 points per game. Region 2B and Bull Run District First Team. Parker Fredman Sherando — Senior Offensive line The tackle helped the Warriors average 344.9 yards per game. Region 4D and Northwestern District First Team. Will Yoder Handley — Junior Wide receiver Led area in receiving yardage (503), tied for area lead in receiving TDs (5) and ranked 4th in receptions (22). Region 4D First Team and Northwestern District Second Team. Aiden Leatch Sherando — Senior Wide receiver Tied for area lead in receptions (25) and receiving TDs (5) and ranked 3rd in receiving yards (465). Region 4D and Northwestern District Second Team. James Walters Sherando — Senior Halfback Walters had 22 carries for 138 yards (6.3 average) and five TDs. Had 9 catches for 137 yards and tied for area lead with 5 receiving TDs. Fifth in area with 10 TDs. Ben Taylor Sherando — Senior Tight end Taylor had 11 catches for 189 yards and tied for area lead with 5 receiving TDs. Triston Darling Handley — Freshman All-Purpose The quarterback ranked 4th in area in rushing yards (877; 69 attempts; 12.7 average) and in rushing TDs (17). Ranked 3rd in area in passing yards (803; 42-75 passing) and 2nd in passing TDs (11). Had 2 interceptions. Fourth in area in points (102). Region 4D and Northwestern District First Team All-Purpose. Masen Savage Millbrook — Junior Kicker Led area in field goals made (6, on 10 attempts). Had two field goals of 40 yards or more, including a school-record 48-yarder vs. Liberty. Made 25 of 28 extra-point kicks. Scored 43 points. Rylan Stribling Handley — Junior Kickoff returner Led area in kickoff return yardage (331; 9 attempts, 36.8 average). Had a 95-yard kickoff return TD against Millbrook. Honorable Mention Region 4D. Second Team Northwestern District.No, Butterball turkeys aren’t recalled amid abuse allegations circulating online
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