Michigan rolls to 112-64 victory over Western Kentucky
President-elect Donald Trump is stacking the Department of Health and Human Services with people who are poised to favor the health fantasies of the rich. It started with the nomination of Robert F. Kennedy Jr. —an environmental lawyer with a history of promoting anti-vaccination conspiracy theories —to head the department. Then, Trump tapped Janette Nesheiwat, a Fox News contributor who peddles vitamins , for surgeon general; Marty Makary, who opposed vaccine mandates and supported natural immunity during the COVID-19 pandemic, for Food and Drug Administration ( FDA ) commissioner; and Dave Weldon, who has championed the idea that vaccine preservatives contribute to the rise of autism (they do not), for director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. These picks do not inspire confidence. Under Kennedy's leadership, we will see a push for more individual empowerment—the kind only afforded to those with economic means. Trump said he would let Kennedy "go wild on health." This is alarming because Kennedy's beliefs on health are... wild . Kennedy has expressed interest in revisiting vaccine recommendations , removing fluoride from water, rolling back research on infectious diseases , and overhauling the FDA . Between his support for vaccine choice and relaxing access to substances with questionable benefits, it is clear that he leans in favor of increasing individual health decisions. After some of these measures have been undone, individuals will have to be more vigilant and assume greater risks when navigating their health care. While this sort of individualism in the realm of public health is most harmful to low- and middle-class people, those least able to exercise choice, it is ultimately bad for everyone. Kennedy's vision for "Making America Healthy Again" hopes to increase individual choice, which effectively translates to individual responsibility. However, one's ability to take responsibility is constrained by economic resources. Socioeconomic status is inversely correlated with morbidity and mortality. Unsurprisingly, money and education are protective. Those with more money and education have more opportunities to reduce risk of disease and maintain good health. Kennedy's plans to ramp up food regulation (motivated in part by ideology and pseudoscience ), for instance, will likely increase the cost of groceries and make it harder for Americans to buy food. Even among those with the means, health individualism is burdensome and does not guarantee better health. I am a medical sociologist who spent three years studying people who have long aligned with Kennedy , sharing many of his beliefs—they are parents of autistic children and allies who are convinced that vaccines and other environmental "triggers" contribute to autism. The debunked vaccine-autism link appeals to them because it suggests that autistic children can "recover" with the right combination of food, supplements, and experimental therapies. Here, parents find hope in the darkness of vaccine fear and confidence in their consumer power. Although the parents I studied are better resourced than most other Americans, they take on enormous risks and debt when they experiment with products that are not FDA approved. Parents spend countless hours doing their own "research" on efficacy and thousands of dollars on substances and devices that are not evidence-based (one mother sold her house and accrued $125,000 in credit card debt). Parents' desire for less government regulation and oversight ironically stems from a lack of universal health care and adequate social safety nets to protect the most vulnerable Americans. It is in this context that they make risky health decisions in hopes that their disabled children could become more "typical" and better able to survive a neoliberal world. What we need as a country are population-level efforts to improve everyone's well-being. When it comes to improving public health, we cannot keep privileging personal preference. Individual health is inseparable from population health. As we all had to learn during the COVID-19 pandemic, no individual, no matter how rich, can fully insulate themselves from the world around them. The U.S. failed to control the virus because we prioritized individualism at a time when our survival depended on collective action. Some resisted mandates to shelter in place and mask in public, placing their preferences over the safety of others. Then, when vaccines finally became available, skepticism and misinformation slowed efforts toward reducing transmission. Rich or poor, everyone was affected by the U.S.'s devastatingly inadequate response to COVID . Now, with mounting concerns about the transmission of avian flu , we might be tested again. As sociologist Andrew Szasz argued, insulating ourselves does not actually work and the delusion that it could will lead to complacency. Kennedy's promotion of consumer choice may sound appealing—especially to those who believe they have choice—but it will ultimately endanger everyone. From what we already know about his beliefs and stated plans, Kennedy is not suited to lead the health department. Catherine Tan is an Assistant Professor in Sociology at Vassar College. She is the author of Spaces on the Spectrum: How Autism Movements Resist Experts and Create Knowledge , published by Columbia University Press (January 2024). The views expressed in this article are the writer's own.Image of Trump, Putin on Economist cover is altered | Fact check
By LOLITA C. BALDOR and FATIMA HUSSEIN WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. (AP) — President-elect Donald Trump said Wednesday that he has chosen Keith Kellogg, a highly decorated retired three-star general, to serve as his special envoy for Ukraine and Russia. Kellogg, who is one of the architects of a staunchly conservative policy book that lays out an “America First” national security agenda for the incoming administration, will come into the role as Russia’s invasion of Ukraine enters its third year in February. Trump, making the announcement on his Truth Social account, said, “He was with me right from the beginning! Together, we will secure PEACE THROUGH STRENGTH, and Make America, and the World, SAFE AGAIN!” Kellogg, an 80-year-old retired Army lieutenant general who has long been Trump’s top adviser on defense issues, served as national security adviser to Vice President Mike Pence , was chief of staff of the National Security Council and then stepped in as an acting security adviser for Trump after Michael Flynn resigned. As special envoy for Ukraine and Russia, Kellogg will have to navigate an increasingly untenable war between the two nations. The Biden administration has begun urging Ukraine to quickly increase the size of its military by drafting more troops and revamping its mobilization laws to allow for the conscription of those as young as 18. The White House has pushed more than $56 billion in security assistance to Ukraine since the start of Russia’s February 2022 invasion and expects to send billions more before Biden leaves office in less than two months. The U.S. has recently stepped up weapons shipments and has forgiven billions in loans provided to Kyiv. Trump has criticized the billions the Biden administration has spent in supporting Ukraine and has said he could end the war in 24 hours, comments that appear to suggest he would press Ukraine to surrender territory that Russia now occupies. As a co-chairman of the American First Policy Institute’s Center for American Security, Kellogg wrote several of the chapters in the group’s policy book. The book, like the Heritage Foundation’s “Project 2025,” is designed to lay out a Trump national security agenda and avoid the mistakes of 2016 when he entered the White House largely unprepared. Kellogg in April wrote that “bringing the Russia-Ukraine war to a close will require strong, America First leadership to deliver a peace deal and immediately end the hostilities between the two warring parties.” Trump’s proposed national security adviser , U.S. Rep. Michael Waltz of Florida, tweeted Wednesday that “Keith has dedicated his life to defending our great country and is committed to bringing the war in Ukraine to a peaceful resolution.” Kellogg featured in multiple Trump investigations dating to his first term. He was among the administration officials who listened in on the July 2019 call between Trump and Volodymyr Zelenskyy in which Trump prodded his Ukrainian counterpart to pursue investigations into the Bidens. The call, which Kellogg would later say did not raise any concerns on his end, was at the center of the first of two House impeachment cases against Trump, who was acquitted by the Senate both times. On Jan. 6, 2021, hours before pro-Trump rioters stormed the U.S. Capitol, Kellogg, who was then Pence’s national security adviser, listened in on a heated call in which Trump told his vice president to object or delay the certification in Congress of President Joe Biden ’s victory. He later told House investigators that he recalled Trump saying to Pence words to the effect of: “You’re not tough enough to make the call.” Baldor reported from Washington. AP writer Eric Tucker in Washington contributed to this report.Lesabelimab by Dragonboat Biopharmaceutical (Shanghai) for Endometrial Cancer: Likelihood of ApprovalUS lawmakers seek to halt weapons sales to UAE, citing Sudan
Best North East days out to enjoy now and into the New Year
Michigan rolls to 112-64 victory over Western Kentucky
NEW YORK — Donald Trump’s attorneys have asked the judge who presided over his criminal hush money case to dismiss the indictment and vacate the jury’s guilty verdicts — arguing their client is a victim of the same “raw politics” President Joe Biden cited in pardoning his son, Hunter, according to filings made public Tuesday. “President Biden argued that ‘raw politics has infected this process and it led to a miscarriage of justice,'” Trump lawyers Todd Blanche and Emil Bove wrote in the lengthy and politically charged filing, referring to Biden’s weekend statement announcing a 10-year pardon for his son. Javascript is required for you to be able to read premium content. Please enable it in your browser settings.
BUFFALO — The year started with a bang. In January, Gov. Kathy Hochul named UB the home of Empire AI, a new $400 million supercomputing center that will provide UB and partners with breathtakingly powerful resources to harness artificial intelligence for the betterment of society. An avalanche of advancements – all pointing towards UB’s leadership in AI, in New York State and nationwide – followed the governor’s announcement. With interest in AI surging globally, these advancements showcase and build upon UB’s impressive half-century of expertise in AI research and education. They also hint at a brighter future, where AI’s uncanny abilities merge with human ingenuity to tackle society’s greatest challenges. “Traditionally, colleges and universities are at the epicenter of life-changing research and ideas,” said Venu Govindaraju, vice president for research and economic development. “The University at Buffalo is pushing the boundaries of artificial intelligence and data science in fields that are critical to the state’s and nation’s future.” As 2024 comes to a close, here’s a look back at what has been a year of AI at UB. January UB researchers have been laying the groundwork for today’s boom in artificial intelligence for decades. This includes pioneering work creating the world’s first autonomous handwriting recognition system, which the U.S. Postal Service and Royal Mail adopted to save billions of dollars. Those innovations explain, in part, why Gov. Kathy Hochul chose UB to be the home of Empire AI, a consortium of public and private universities, and foundations, that will harness AI for the public good while driving economic development. “We want to make sure New York State is the capital of AI development ... but I need a home for this supercomputer that’ll power the innovation all over our state. And I’m proud to announce that the home will be right here at [UB],” Hochul said Jan. 26 at the Center for the Arts. Earlier in the month, during her State of the State address in Albany, the governor spotlighted UB student Holliday Sims for her work using AI to improve the child welfare system. February UB was chosen to join the federal government’s first-ever consortium dedicated to ensuring that AI systems are safe and trustworthy. Announced Feb. 8, the U.S. AI Safety Institute Consortium (AISIC) includes government agencies and top research universities, as well as Microsoft, Apple, Google, OpenAI and other tech companies. AISIC will create standards for AI usage that protect Americans’ privacy; advance equity and civil rights; and promote innovation and competition. Weeks later, UB was among 28 new members to join AI Alliance, an international coalition led by IBM and Meta that is dedicated to promoting open, safe and responsible AI. March On a beautiful spring day, engineering professor Chase Murray and students took to the skies at UB’s Structure for Outdoor Autonomy Research, one of the largest outdoor drone-testing labs among the nation’s colleges and universities. Murray uses AI and other technologies to optimize how autonomous vehicles work together – research that has implications in logistics, search-and-rescue, surveillance and more. Elsewhere, researchers in UB’s Institute for Artificial Intelligence and Data Science kept tabs on their AI system that aims to improve indoor farming and address food insecurity. And another research group began using AI to make algae fuel production more cost-effective. The projects illustrate UB’s commitment to sustainability and social justice. April April brought Senate Majority Leader Charles Schumer and Sethuraman Panchanathan, director of the National Science Foundation, to campus. The occasion? “Today, we’re here to celebrate something truly amazing: the opening of the new, $20 million, federally funded National AI Institute for Exceptional Education, and it’s going to be housed right here at UB,” said Schumer. Funded by the NSF and Department of Education, the institute will create AI systems that ensure children with speech and language disorders receive timely, effective assistance. The work, which addresses the nationwide shortage of speech-language pathologists, will help ensure that millions of children do not fall behind in their academic and socio-emotional development. May On May 31, UB hosted thought leaders from IBM, M&T Bank, Moog and other institutions for its ongoing chat series on AI and society. “Don’t be an AI user, be an AI value creator,” Dario Gil, IBM senior vice president and director of research, told attendees at the Center of Excellence in Bioinformatics and Life Sciences. The event included presentations from UB researchers using AI to make advancements in medicine, medical devices, climate change, materials science, pharmaceutical science and other fields. June An electricity grid that uses AI to identify and fix problems before they cause widespread power outages? It could become reality sooner than you think due to research published June 4 and co-led by Souma Chowdhury, who studies how to apply AI to complex systems. He is among more than 200 researchers at UB using AI to address societal challenges. Also in June, more than 300 scholars from the Association for the Advancement of Artificial Intelligence, one of the world’s most recognized scientific organizations dedicated to advancing AI research, gathered at UB for a multiday conference. The scholars represented more than a dozen fields – including machine learning, psychology, political science, the humanities and more. July On July 17, SUNY Chancellor John B. King Jr. and state lawmakers visited UB for a roundtable discussion on AI. The attendees learned about UB researchers using AI to identify “forever chemicals,” as well as spinoff companies working on technology to improve treatment for strokes and aneurysms. “We are pioneering AI discoveries that will drive progress in research and economic development, demonstrating UB’s commitment to leveraging technology for societal benefit,” Govindaraju said. August The start of the new semester brought record enrollment to UB’s Master of Science program focusing on AI. Launched in 2020 with five students, the number swelled to 73 students this fall, with an additional 50 expected next semester. The program’s growth “shows that we’re providing students with in-demand skills that they can use for the betterment of society,” said Kemper E. Lewis, dean of the School of Engineering and Applied Sciences. Graduates have taken jobs at Amazon Web Services, NVIDIA, Visa and other companies. September UB was awarded $10 million from the U.S. Department of Education to establish the Center for Early Literacy and Responsible AI. The center will create AI tools to ensure culturally and linguistically diverse learners in grades K-2, including those in Western New York, receive transformative early literacy instruction. “We believe that, with the right support, all students — regardless of their backgrounds — can succeed in literacy,” says project leader X. Christine Wang, a professor of learning and instruction in the Graduate School of Education. Later in the month, Rep. Tim Kennedy announced UB would receive $475,000 to equip its wind tunnel with equipment that allows it to leverage the power of AI, among other technologies. UB uses the facility to study and improve the nation’s response to hurricanes, wildfires and other extreme weather. October On Oct. 11, roughly nine months after it was announced, Empire AI went live. Gov. Kathy Hochul flipped the switch on a stack of powerful new computer servers at Center of Excellence in Bioinformatics and Life Sciences. The servers represent a fraction of the eventual power of Empire AI, which will be located at a new building on North Campus. On the same day, UB President Satish K. Tripathi delivered his annual State of the University address. “While today, only the private sector has the computing power needed to seriously advance AI research, Empire AI will put New York State at the epicenter of artificial intelligence innovation. This game-changing initiative will enable us to tap the full power of AI to solve complex issues facing our state, nation and world.” November From fake celebrity endorsements to manipulated videos of politicians, the 2024 election was rife with misleading information. Debunking much of this content was the DeepFake-o-Meter, a publicly available tool used by journalists, law enforcement and others. The tool was created by UB computer scientist Siwei Lyu and students. With AI being added to medical devices, the Food and Drug Administration wants to ensure these products meet public health standards. The agency called upon experts, including UB’s Peter Elkin, for insight at a public meeting. Elkin, professor and chair of the Department of Bioinformatics, said the FDA should allow these devices to learn and therefore improve. “AI-enabled devices are no longer just tools; now they are partners in care,” he said. Back on campus, UB hosted the latest in a series of “AI at UB” forums on Nov. 21. Organizers updated faculty and staff on how UB is implementing AI in its classrooms and labs. Presenters also discussed how AI can be a tool to foster collaboration and enhance learning outcomes. December In early December, UB officials detailed plans to create a new academic department focused on AI and its impact on society. The department aligns with the mission of UB and SUNY, both of which are committed to responsibly harnessing the power of AI for social good. Around the same time, UB computer scientist Nalini Ratha published a series of research papers focused on machine learning and encrypted data. One of the papers suggests a new technique for safeguarding personal medical data as it travels from third-party cloud service providers back to patients and their doctors. The work points to a future where medical diagnostics are quicker and more accurate, and patient medical records remain confidential.Xcel Energy Using AI Technology to Detect Wildfires in Texas PanhandlePutin says Russia struck plant in Ukraine’s Dnipro using new 'Oreshnik' ballistic missile
Carter remembered as "statesman and humanitarian" after death at 100
By LOLITA BALDOR and FATIMA HUSSEIN WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. (AP) — President-elect Donald Trump said Wednesday that he has chosen Keith Kellogg, a highly decorated retired three-star general, to serve as his special envoy for Ukraine and Russia. Kellogg, who is one of the architects of a staunchly conservative policy book that lays out an “America First” national security agenda for the incoming administration, will come into the role as Russia’s invasion of Ukraine enters its third year in February. Trump made the announcement on his Truth Social account, and said “He was with me right from the beginning! Together, we will secure PEACE THROUGH STRENGTH, and Make America, and the World, SAFE AGAIN!” Kellogg, an 80 year-old retired Army lieutenant general who has long been Trump’s top adviser on defense issues, served as national security adviser to Vice President Mike Pence , was chief of staff of the National Security Council and then stepped in as an acting security adviser for Trump after Michael Flynn resigned. As special envoy for Ukraine and Russia, Kellogg will have to navigate an increasingly untenable war between the two nations. The Biden administration has begun urging Ukraine to quickly increase the size of its military by drafting more troops and revamping its mobilization laws to allow for the conscription of troops as young as 18. The White House has pushed more than $56 billion in security assistance to Ukraine since the start of Russia’s February 2022 invasion and expects to send billions more to Kyiv before Biden leaves office in less than months. Trump has criticized the billions that the Biden administration has poured into Ukraine. Washington has recently stepped up weapons shipments and has forgiven billions in loans provided to Kyiv. The incoming Republican president has said he could end the war in 24 hours, comments that appear to suggest he would press Ukraine to surrender territory that Russia now occupies. As a co-chairman of the American First Policy Institute’s Center for American Security, Kellogg wrote several of the chapters in the group’s policy book. The book, like the Heritage Foundation’s “Project 2025,” is a move to lay out a Trump national security agenda and avoid the mistakes of 2016 when he entered the White House largely unprepared. Kellogg in April wrote that “bringing the Russia-Ukraine war to a close will require strong, America First leadership to deliver a peace deal and immediately end the hostilities between the two warring parties.” Trump’s proposed national security advisor U.S. Rep. Michael Waltz (R-Fla.) tweeted Wednesday that “Keith has dedicated his life to defending our great country and is committed to bringing the war in Ukraine to a peaceful resolution.” Kellogg was a character in multiple Trump investigations dating to his first term. He was among the administration officials who listened in on the July 2019 call between Trump and Volodymyr Zelenskyy in which Trump prodded his Ukrainian counterpart to pursue investigations into the Bidens. The call, which Kellogg would later say did not raise any concerns on his end, was at the center of the first of two House impeachment cases against Trump, who was acquitted by the Senate both times. On Jan. 6, 2021, hours before pro-Trump rioters stormed the U.S. Capitol, Kellogg, who was then Pence’s national security adviser, listened in on a heated call in which Trump told his vice president to object or delay the certification in Congress of President Joe Biden ’s victory. He later told House investigators that he recalled Trump saying to Pence words to the effect of: “You’re not tough enough to make the call.” Baldor reported from Washington. AP writer Eric Tucker in Washington contributed to this report.
From peanut farmer to president: How Jimmy Carter rose to the Oval Office James Earl Carter Jr was born on October 1, 1924 in Plains, Georgia, a tiny town The eldest son, he was named after his father, a peanut farmer and businessman He married Rosalynn Smith on July 7, 1946 and they were together 77 years DEEP DIVE: Step by step, how Hamas carried out Oct 7 atrocities inside Israel By TATE DELLOYE FOR DAILYMAIL.COM and KATELYN CARALLE SENIOR U.S. POLITICAL REPORTER Published: 23:00, 29 December 2024 | Updated: 23:16, 29 December 2024 e-mail View comments Jimmy Carter, the 39th President of the United States, has died at the age of 100. His humble roots and astonishing life story encapsulated the American Dream. Born the son of a peanut farmer in rural Georgia, Carter began his path to the presidency as the longest of longshot candidates. As a one-term Georgia governor with little national recognition, he became America's first president from the Deep South since 1850. His devout Baptist faith perplexed the Northern establishment. As one Washington Post columnist joked at the time, 'Relax, He's not crazy. He's just Southern.' Carter ascended to the White House in 1977 in the shadow the Watergate scandal and Richard Nixon's blighted administration. As a political outsider, he ran on a platform to 'clean up the mess in Washington'— a strategy that reverberated almost 40 years later when a fast talking interloper from New York named Donald Trump pledged to 'drain the swamp' during his 2016 campaign for the Oval Office. Carter's single term was marred by an oil crisis that saw Americans waiting in line for gas, and the scourge of 'stagflation' - which is high inflation coupled with slow economic growth. It culminated in the Iran hostage crisis which saw 52 Americans held in the US Embassy in Tehran for 444 days. But as president he also had his victories, including the signing of a formal peace treaty between Israel and Egypt in 1979, known as the Camp David Accords. His decades-long focus on humanitarian and diplomatic efforts eventually earned him a Nobel Peace Prize in 2002. Until he was sidelined by the 2020 pandemic, Carter continued to teach Sunday school at Maranatha Baptist Church in his hometown of Plains, Georgia. He was married to his wife Rosalynn, for 77 years until her death in November 2023. They were the longest-married presidential couple. Together they raised four children and enjoyed dozens of grandchildren and great-grandchildren. After surviving metastatic brain and liver cancer in 2015, Carter began hospice care in February 2023 from his two-bedroom Georgia home that he has owned for more than six decades. His grandson, Jason, told the New York Times in January 2024: 'He was really honored and glad that he made it to the end with my grandmother, and that was a real treasure for him.' 'I think that for whatever reason, the way he approaches this is from a place of enormous faith. And so he just believes that for whatever reason, God’s not done with him yet.' Jimmy Carter, above in 2018, was the 39th president of the United States from 1977 to 1981. After his one term, Carter went on to found a nonprofit and worked closely with Habitat to Humanity. His decades-long focus on humanitarian and diplomatic efforts earned him a Nobel Peace Prize in 2002 James Earl Carter Jr was born on October 1, 1924 in Plains, Georgia, a village that now has a population of around 725. He has the distinction of being the first US president to be born in a hospital. His father, whom he was named after, was a hardworking farmer and businessman, and his mother, Lillian Gordy Carter, was a nurse. Jimmy, as he would be called, was raised on his family's peanut farm outside of Plains in a rural community of 200 people called Archery. His father, James Earl Carter Sr, also operated a store for his workers that sold essentials such as salt and sugar and goods like soap, overalls and work shoes, according to Peter G Bourne's 1997 biography on Jimmy Carter. His father was 'fastidious about every dollar, (and) had a rule that everything on the farm had to pay its way.' Carter later attributed 'his fiscal conservatism to the teaching of his father during these depression years,' according to the biography. James Earl Carter Jr was born on October 1, 1924 in Plains, Georgia. His father was a hardworking farmer and businessman, and his mother, Lillian Gordy Carter, was a nurse. Jimmy, as he would be called, was raised on his family's peanut farm outside of Plains in a rural community called Archery. Above, Carter in 1937 with his pet dog Bozo Carter when he was a student at the United States Naval Academy in Annapolis in an undated photo. He was admitted in 1943 and graduated in 1946 While on leave from the Naval Academy and back home in Plains two years later, Carter went on a date with 17-year-old Rosalynn Smith, a local girl he had known his whole life. Above, the couple on their wedding day on July 7, 1946 Rosalynn rejected his first proposal, telling Carter she promised her father she would finish college before marriage. They continued to write each other until she eventually accepted his proposal. Above, the couple on their wedding day in Plains, Georgia. 'Jimmy was wearing his white navy summer uniform and Rosalynn wore a white-and-blue dress,' Bourne wrote Carter's growing family moved around while he was deployed in the Navy. Above, Carter sits alongside his wife, and three sons in the 1950s, left to right: Chip, Jack, Rosalynn, Carter and Jeff Life on the farm, where he did chores from a young age - gathering eggs and pumping water - 'was a Huckleberry Finn existence,' wrote Bourne, who served as a special assistant to Carter during his presidency and who had known him since the 1960s. His mother worked as a nurse while his father became a community leader and, at one point, served in Georgia's state legislature. Carter was the first of four children. His sister, Gloria, was born on October 22, 1926, then Ruth, born on August 7, 1929, and the youngest, his brother, Billy, on March 29, 1937. All three of his younger siblings later died of pancreatic cancer. While the family would eventually become somewhat affluent, Carter's childhood home lacked electricity and indoor plumbing. At age ten, Carter stacked produce from his family farm onto a wagon and began selling it in town. After saving his money by age 13, Carter purchased five houses around Plains that the Great Depression had put on the market at rock-bottom prices. Postcards from his uncle, Tom Gordy, during his travels as part of the US Navy, interested the young Carter, and from an early age he set his sights on going to the United States Naval Academy in Annapolis, which has a high bar for admission. After Carter graduated from high school in 1941, he attended Georgia Southwestern College and the Georgia Institute of Technology in order to get into the academy. He was admitted in 1943. Carter left the Navy and took over the struggling family farm in 1953 when his father died of pancreatic cancer, eventually turning the business around. Above, Carter, who was then the governor of Georgia, announces his intention to seek the Democratic nomination for president on December 12, 1974 While working and managing the peanut farm and business, Carter also started becoming more involved in his community, and by 1955, he ran his first successful campaign: a seat on the Sumter County Board of Education. By 1962, Carter was a Georgia state senator, and won governor in 1970. Above, Walter Mondale (his selection for vice president) and Carter talking to reporters during their campaign for the White House in 1976 Carter wasn't well known when he announced his run for presidency in 1976. The leading newspaper in his home state ran a headline the day after his announcement that proclaimed, 'Jimmy Who Is Running For What!?' Above, Carter, campaigning for president in 1976, shakes hands with a factory worker who makes costume jewelry Carter positioned himself as a Washington outsider and the strategy worked. Above, Carter and Walter Mondale accept the Democratic nomination for president at the party's convention in New York City in 1976 with their wives, Rosalynn Carter, left, and Joan Mondale, right While on leave and back home in Plains two years later, Carter went on a date with 17-year-old Rosalynn Smith. He had known Rosalynn since she was born, and he was just three years old. Rosalynn was friends with his younger sister Ruth. The morning after the date, he told his mother: 'She's the one I'm going to marry,' Carter recalled in his 2015 book, A Full Life: Reflections at Ninety. 'She was remarkably beautiful, almost painfully shy, obviously intelligent, and yet unrestrained in our discussions on the rumble seat of the Ford Coupe,' he wrote. Eleanor Rosalynn Smith was born on August 18, 1927. Growing up in Plains, she excelled academically and was her class valedictorian, and had a strong relationship with God and her faith. Carter grew up in the Baptist church, according to Bourne's biography. Rosalynn rejected his first proposal, telling Carter she promised her father she would finish college before marriage. They continued to write each other, however, when he went back to Annapolis, and by the next February, she accepted his proposal, according to the book. They were married on July 7, 1946 in Plains. 'Jimmy was wearing his white navy summer uniform and Rosalynn wore a white-and-blue dress,' Bourne wrote. After he graduated from the Naval Academy with a bachelor's degree, Carter's Naval career started in Norfolk, Virginia where he trained enlisted men. The couple had their first child, John William Carter, known as Jack, on July 3, 1947. He then applied to the Navy's submarine program and the young family moved to New London, Connecticut. The couple would have three more children: James Earl Carter III, known as Chip, on April 12, 1950, Donnel Jeffrey, known as Jeff, born on August 18, 1952, and Amy Lynn, the youngest who was born on October 19, 1967. Americans would get to know her later as a young child in the White House. After about six years in the Navy and moving around the country depending on his deployment, Carter began working under then Captain Hyman G Rickover, who was overseeing the branch's nuclear-powered submarine program. But then Carter had 'a major existential crisis,' according to Bourne's biography. His father, 58, was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. He died on July 22, 1953. His mother, Lillian, wanted Carter to come back to Plains to take over the family's business, which was struggling. But Rosalynn did not want to go back. 'It precipitated the greatest crisis of their marriage,' according to the biography with Carter saying: 'She almost quit me.' Nonetheless, Carter resigned from the Navy after serving for seven years and the family moved back to Plains. By the end of the decade, Carter and Rosalynn were able to turn around the farm and business, which was called Carter's Warehouse, 'a general-purpose seed and farm supply company,' according to the biography on his presidential library website. Above, Rosalynn, Amy and Jimmy Carter during one of his inaugural parties in 1977. Amy, the couple's youngest child, was nine-years-old when her father became president. Like many president's children, she was covered by the media during her time in the White House, including the fact that she had a cat named Misty Malarky Ying Yang. Amy was the first child to live in the White House since the Kennedys 'The Carters were, by and large, unpretentious people. Much of the pomp and circumstance that had been a feature of previous administrations was frowned upon. Richard Nixon's huge presidential limousine was retired and replaced by a smaller one,' Robert A Strong wrote in his essay, Jimmy Carter: A Family Life. Above, during his inaugural parade on January 21, 1977, newly-elected Jimmy Carter walks with his wife, Rosalynn, and their daughter, Amy, followed by the rest of the family, including the Carters' three grown sons. It was the first time in history that a president had not rode to the White House in a carriage or car Jimmy Carter was born in Plains, Georgia to a father who was a peanut farmer and businessman. Carter joined the Navy but resigned after his father, James Earl Carter Sr, died at age 58 in 1953. He went back to Plains with his family, and rebuilt the family's farm and business, which were close to ruin. Above, a peanut-shaped float passes by Carter during his inauguration in Washington, DC in 1977. Before he became president, Carter told reporters that his peanut farm and business would by handled by trustees to avoid any conflict of interest Carter also started becoming more involved in his community, and in 1955, he ran his first successful campaign: a seat on the Sumter County Board of Education. By 1962, Carter was a Georgia state senator, serving two terms. He ran for governor in 1966 but lost. After the loss, Carter 'turned increasingly for solace to his faith' and became a born-again Christian, according to Bourne's biography. In his book, A Full Life, Carter noted that it took him running for office in 1962 for some of the dynamics in his marriage to Rosalynn to change, writing that they became 'real partners.' Bourne pointed out that Rosalynn became his 'political partner,' and she chose to focus on mental health issues. 'Few were aware of what a significant role she played in their political symbiosis,' Bourne wrote. Carter tried again for governor, this time winning in 1970. While governor, Carter served both as chair for the Democratic Governor's Campaign Committee in 1972 and then the campaign chairman of the Democratic National Committee in 1974. When he announced his candidacy for president in 1974, Carter was not well-known on a national level. 'Public reaction to his candidacy revealed that exposure to his party was not enough to gain him wide recognition,' said his biographer. In fact, the leading newspaper in his home state ran a headline the day after his announcement that proclaimed, "Jimmy Who Is Running For What!?"' But the country was reeling. President Richard Nixon resigned on August 9, 1974 after three articles of impeachment, including obstruction of justice, were adopted by a House of Representatives' committee. The scandal began after the arrest of the five men who broke into the Democratic National Committee's headquarters at the Watergate complex in Washington, DC, and subsequent cover-up. Meanwhile, the war in Vietnam continued and did not end until the next year under Gerald Ford, who became president after Nixon's resignation. 'In response to the twin nightmares of Vietnam and Watergate that had shattered public confidence in government... Americans gravitated toward leaders who were outside the Washington sphere. Answering the nation's need, Carter's slogan was 'A Leader, For A Change,' and Carter portrayed himself as an outsider who could 'clean up the mess in Washington.' It worked, and Carter won the Democratic nomination, and chose Walter Mondale, a senator from Minnesota, as his running mate. Gerald Ford had represented Michigan's 5th congressional district since 1949 when then Vice President Spiro T Agnew resigned on October 10, 1973 due to a corruption scandal that was separate from Watergate. Ford then became vice president and after Nixon resigned, president. He secured the Republican presidential nomination and chose Bob Dole, a senator for Kansas, as his running mate. The election was close but Carter won. When Carter took office on January 20, 1977, he 'sought to run the country the way he had run his farm - with unassuming austerity. Above, Carter signs an extension of the Equal Rights Amendment, which was passed by both the House and the Senate in the 1970s but had yet to be ratified (and still has not), at the White House on October 20, 1978 During Jimmy Carter's one term, there were many foreign policy issues, including the negotiation of the treaty that gave Panama control over the Panama Canal. It was officially handed over to Panama on December 31, 1999. Panamanians had rioted over American control of the canal in 1964. The treaty was signed on September 7, 1977. Above, Muhammad Ali, left, with Jimmy Carter, right, at a White House dinner in 1977 to celebrate the treaty signing Left photo: President Jimmy Carter, left, with Israeli Prime Minister Menachem Begin, middle, and Egyptian President Anwar Sadat, right, start peace talks between the two nations on September 6, 1978 at presidential retreat Camp David. Right photo: Pope John Paul II, left, with President Jimmy Carter, right, at the White House on October 6, 1979 Once he took office in 1977, Carter sought to revive the Middle East peace process. Diplomatic efforts between Israel, Egypt and the US bore fruit when Carter met with Israel's Prime Minister Menachem Begin, right, and Egypt's President Anwar Sadat, left, at Camp David for a peace summit that lasted 13 days starting on September 6, 1978. Above, the trio join hands after what would become known as the Camp David Accords in the White House's East Room on September 18, 1978. The treaty, which was signed on March 26, 1979, normalized relations between the two countries Carter and Leonid Brezhnev, General Secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union, right, talk before signing the Strategic Arms Limitation Talks, known as SALT, treaty on June 18, 1979 in Vienna, Austria. The first agreement between the two superpowers limiting nuclear armaments was signed in May 1972. This was the second arms control accord, known as SALT II, between the countries. However, after the Soviet Union invaded Afghanistan in December 1979, Carter did not pursue the Senate's approval of the treaty A little less than two years into his tenure, Carter would face the crisis that some contend was partly why he lost to Ronald Reagan in 1980: Iranian students took over the American Embassy in Tehran on November 4, 1979, taking 66 Americans hostage. While some of the hostages were freed, 52 people were held for 444 days until January 20, 1981 when Reagan took office. Above, Carter announces the settlement of the crisis on January 19, 1981 at the White House 'With hard work and favorable circumstances, I was chosen, and I relished the challenges and opportunities to make important decisions as president,' Carter wrote in his book, A Full Life: Reflections at Ninety. When Carter took office on January 20, 1977, he 'sought to run the country the way he had run his farm - with unassuming austerity. This would be no "imperial presidency" like those of (Lyndon B) Johnson and Nixon,' Robert Strong wrote. Carter wanted to 'portray himself as a president close to the people,' and to that end, 'carried his own suit bag when he traveled,' 'ended the practice of "Hail to the Chief" played whenever he made a public appearance,' and Amy was enrolled in a public school, Bourne wrote in his biography. He wanted to balance the budget and reduce the deficit, reorganize the federal government and establish 'a long-range energy policy for the nation,' according to the biography. But he had a contentious relationship with Congress despite the fact that Democrats had majorities in both the Senate and the House. Carter tried to reduce the country's dependence on oil – there had been an earlier energy crisis in 1973 – and created the Department of Energy while enacting conservation measures. The Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries, known as OPEC, pushed the price of oil higher from $13 to over $34, and Strong noted in his essay that 'this huge price increase resulted in a run-up in inflation.' By Independence Day in 1979, many Americans had to wait in line to get their gas. Soon after, Carter gave his so-called 'malaise' speech, which according to NPR, was 'to address the energy crisis, unemployment, inflation and something else a bit more nebulous: 'The threat is nearly invisible in ordinary ways. It is a crisis of confidence. It is a crisis that strikes at the very heart and soul and spirit of our national will. We can see this crisis in the growing doubt about the meaning of our own lives and in the loss of a unity of purpose for our nation,' Carter said. Initially, the speech was received positively, but then several members of his cabinet left – some resigned, some were fired. 'It's from then on that Carter had a really difficult time at bouncing back and being seen on the part of the American people as a strong and significant leader - especially a leader that could take America through solving the energy crisis,' Kevin Mattson, author of What the Heck Are You Up To, Mr. President?, told NPR . After Carter lost to Ronald Reagan, he and his wife, Rosalynn, founded the Carter Center in 1982, partnering with Emory University in Atlanta. The nonprofit's mission is to 'advance peace and health worldwide,' with numerous programs and democratic initiatives. Carter, left, and President George H W Bush, right, in the Oval Office on April 1, 1992. A reporter had asked who Carter was supporting in the 1992 presidential election between Bush and the Democratic nominee Bill Clinton. Carter, a Democrat, had said Clinton to laughs On August 9, 1999, President Bill Clinton awarded Carter and his wife, Rosalynn, the highest civilian honor, the Presidential Medal of Freedom. After leaving the White House, Carter and his wife worked on humanitarian and philanthropic efforts, including helping to build houses for Habitat for Humanity. At the ceremony, Clinton said that Carter's work was 'truly unprecedented in American history, but to call him the 'greatest former president' does not do justice to him or his work' 'As a one-term southern governor with no national experience, it was presumed Carter came to office with little knowledge or interest in foreign policy. In fact, Carter saw foreign affairs as the most exciting and intellectually stimulating challenge of his presidency,' Bourne wrote. Carter's biggest success and, perhaps, failure both came on the foreign policy front. Strong wrote that the 39th president was 'determined to make human rights considerations integral to US foreign policy... Just as important, Carter's emphasis on human rights was consistent with his own beliefs on the necessity of living one's life in a moral way.' Once he took office, Carter sought to revive the Middle East peace process. Diplomatic efforts between Israel, Egypt and the US bore fruit when Carter met with Israel's Prime Minister Menachem Begin and Egypt's President Anwar Sadat at Camp David, the president's retreat in Maryland, for a peace summit that lasted 13 days starting on September 6, 1978. The treaty, which was signed on March 26, 1979 normalized relations between the two countries. Carter also normalized relations between China and the United States in 1979. About two years into his tenure, Carter would face the crisis that some contend was partly why he lost to Ronald Reagan in 1980: Iranian students took over the American Embassy in Tehran, holding 66 Americans hostage on November 4, 1979. 'It was the most fateful day of the Carter presidency,' Bourne wrote. 'The nightly television pictures of Iranian students - burning the American flag, parading the hostages blindfolded, and shouting defiant anti-American slogans - enraged the American public.' A failed attempt to rescue the hostages in April 1980 along with an economic downtown lingered in the mind of voters during an election year. Carter was able to fend off a challenge from Ted Kennedy, then senator of Massachusetts, for the Democratic nomination but he was no match for Reagan, who beat him soundly: 489 electoral votes to Carter's 49. While some of the hostages were freed, 52 people were held until January 20, 1981 when Reagan took office. After his presidency, the Carters started working with Habitat for Humanity, a Christian nonprofit that builds affordable houses for those in need. The Carters contributed financially to the international organization, and helped build homes since 1984. Above, Rosalynn and Jimmy Carter attach siding to a Habitat for Humanity home in LaGrange, Georgia in June 2003 Carter noted that it took him running for office in 1962 for some of the dynamics in his marriage to Rosalynn to change, writing that they became 'real partners.' His biographer pointed out that Rosalynn became his 'political partner,' and she chose to focus on mental health issues, which she did for decades. 'Few were aware of what a significant role she played in their political symbiosis,' he wrote In 2002, Carter was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize, according to its website, '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.' Above, the former president shows the award after the ceremony in Oslo, Norway on December 10, 2002 In May 2002, Carter became the first US president - in or out of office - to visit Cuba since Fidel Castro came to power in 1959 Carter continued to put his foreign affair expertise to use, and served as a freelance ambassador for a variety of international missions. During his post-presidency, Carter, right, also met with several leaders, including Nelson Mandela, left, the former president of South Africa, celebrating his 89th birthday in Johannesburg on July 18, 2007 After the loss, Carter and his wife went back to Plains, but all was not well with the family's business, which had been put in a trust to avoid conflict of interests during his presidency. Bourne wrote that their warehouse business was 'more than $1 million in debt. They still owned approximately 4,000 acres of farmland, but in terms of cash they were near bankruptcy.' The couple wrote their memoirs, and Carter has authored more than 30 books. While working on his presidential library, Bourne wrote that Carter 'could not summon much enthusiasm for building a mausoleum to his presidency,' and that even before he left the White House, 'he had the idea of creating an institutional base for his continuing role in public life.' Carter said to Rosalynn, according to the book: 'We can develop a place to help people resolve disputes.' This was how the Carter Center, was born, according to the biography. The Carters founded the center in 1982, partnering with Emory University in Atlanta. The nonprofit's mission to 'advance peace and health worldwide,' with numerous programs and democratic initiatives that includes observing elections, according to its website. Carter also continued to put his skills as a negotiator and foreign affairs knowledge to use, and 'served as a freelance ambassador for a variety of international missions, including soothing disputes between countries, observing elections in nations with histories of fraudulent voting processes, and advising presidents on Middle East issues,' Strong wrote. In 1994, he helped the US to mediate with Kim Il-sung of North Korea regarding a pact on nuclear weapons. He also worked on other negotiations, such as the Nairobi Agreement in 1999 between Sudan and Uganda. He went on a mission to Haiti, and in 2002, a trip to Cuba where he met with Fidel Castro, according to Strong. The Carters also worked with Habitat for Humanity, a Christian nonprofit that builds affordable houses for those in need. The Carters contributed financially to the international organization, and helped to build homes since 1984. 'Habitat, apart from the Carter Center, (is) the only organization for which they would allow their names to be used for fund-raising purposes,' Bourne noted. Indeed, even after a fall in October 2019, Carter was seen working and drilling on a Habitat home with Rosalynn. In 2002, Carter was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize, according to its website, '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.' Carter, who was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer in 2015 but beat it, told People that he had been at ease with having a few weeks left. In the July 2023, Carter's family announced that he was receiving hospice care at his two-bedroom home that he has lived in for the last 60 years. Carter taught Sunday school at Maranatha Baptist Church in his hometown up until he was sidelined by the 2020 covid pandemic 'It's hard to live until you're 95 years old,' Carter told People. 'I think the best explanation for that is to marry the best spouse: someone who will take care of you and engage and do things to challenge you and keep you alive and interested in life' Jimmy Carter (pictured above in 2018) was a Naval officer, peanut farmer and businessman, one-term President of the United States, founder of a nonprofit, winner of the Nobel Peace Prize for his diplomatic and humanitarian efforts over decades, author of over 30 books, devout Christian, husband of 77 years, and father of four His long goodbye had seemingly defied the odds of those who enter hospice care at the end of their life. 'He has also always been very ambitious — and that ambition extends to wanting to stick around and see what happens in the world,' said his biographer, Jonathan Alter. 'Carter once told me that he thought the biggest misconception about him was that he is weak,' Alter added. 'He’s been a record-breaker for decades — the oldest-living president, the longest-married president,' said longtime friend, Jill Stuckey, to the New York Times in February. 'It’s always been on President Carter’s terms. That’s how he’s living, and that’s how he’s going to die,' she added. 'It's hard to live until you're 95 years old,' he told the magazine for an article published in October 2019. 'I think the best explanation for that is to marry the best spouse: someone who will take care of you and engage and do things to challenge you and keep you alive and interested in life.' Israel-Hamas Politics New York Times Share or comment on this article: From peanut farmer to president: How Jimmy Carter rose to the Oval Office e-mail Add commentTrimble and Mallon sanctioned DUP ministers over rotation planThe green energy revolution is transforming even unlikely states despite political divisions, Bloomberg Opinion columnist Mark Gongloff writes. Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) Click to share on X (Opens in new window) Most Popular Chinese student’s drone got stuck in tree near Newport News Shipbuilding, leading to Espionage Act prosecution Chinese student’s drone got stuck in tree near Newport News Shipbuilding, leading to Espionage Act prosecution Former U.S. President Jimmy Carter dies at 100 Former U.S. President Jimmy Carter dies at 100 Candidates who ran against Sen. Christie New Craig say they tried to investigate residency concerns Candidates who ran against Sen. Christie New Craig say they tried to investigate residency concerns Longtime Phoebus Auction Gallery to close after New Year’s Day event Longtime Phoebus Auction Gallery to close after New Year’s Day event Column: Visiting America’s battlefields? Show some respect Column: Visiting America’s battlefields? Show some respect James City County officer, 17-year-old injured in Christmas Eve crash James City County officer, 17-year-old injured in Christmas Eve crash Norfolk State coach Michael Vick gains commitment from former UTSA defensive lineman Norfolk State coach Michael Vick gains commitment from former UTSA defensive lineman Journey of self: Williamsburg-area massage therapist helps others heal Journey of self: Williamsburg-area massage therapist helps others heal Column: Democrats take aim at Virginia’s marriage amendment Column: Democrats take aim at Virginia’s marriage amendment Juvenile humpback whale washes ashore on Outer Banks Juvenile humpback whale washes ashore on Outer Banks Trending Nationally Body found in wheel well of plane from Chicago to Maui How Diddy and Luigi Mangione spent Christmas in Brooklyn jail Massive invasive python is freed into the Palm Beach County wilderness. Here’s why ‘Baby Driver’ actor Hudson Meek dead at 16 Pregnant woman stabbed multiple times by pizza deliverer disgruntled about tip, sheriff says
Blake Lively is defended by director Paul Feig amid allegations of a smear campaign by Justin BaldoniWhat I want to see from next-gen graphics cards in 2025
Jimmy Carter, the 39th US president, has died at 100 ATLANTA (AP) — Former U.S. President Jimmy Carter has died. He was 100 years old and had spent more than a year in hospice care. The Georgia peanut farmer served one turbulent term in the White House before building a reputation as a global humanitarian and champion of democracy. He defeated President Gerald Ford in 1976 promising to restore trust in government but lost to Ronald Reagan four years later amid soaring inflation, gas station lines and the Iran hostage crisis. He and his wife Rosalynn then formed The Carter Center, and he earned a Nobel Peace Prize while making himself the most internationally engaged of former presidents. The Carter Center said he died peacefully Sunday afternoon in Plains, Georgia, surrounded by his family. Jimmy Carter: Many evolutions for a centenarian ‘citizen of the world’ PLAINS, Ga. (AP) — The 39th and longest-lived U.S. president, James Earl Carter Jr., died Sunday at the age of 100. His life ended where it began, in Plains, Georgia. He left and returned to the tiny town many times as he climbed to the nation’s highest office and lost it after four tumultuous years. Carter spent the next 40 years setting new standards for what a former president can do. Carter wrote nearly a decade ago that he found all the phases of his life challenging but also successful and enjoyable. The Democrat's principled but pragmatic approach defied American political labels, especially the idea that one-term presidents are failures. The Latest: Former President Jimmy Carter is dead at age 100 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. Carter was sworn in as president on Jan. 20, 1977, after defeating President Gerald R. Ford in the 1976 general election. He left office on Jan. 20, 1981, following his 1980 general election loss to Ronald Reagan. Jimmy Carter: A brief bio Former U.S. President Jimmy Carter has died at his home in Plains, Georgia. His death comes more than a year after the former president entered hospice care. He was 100 years old. Jetliner skids off runway and bursts into flames while landing in South Korea, killing 179 SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — A jetliner skidded off a runway, slammed into a concrete fence and burst into flames in South Korea after its landing gear apparently failed to deploy. Officials said all but two of the 181 people on board were killed Sunday in one of the country’s worst aviation disasters. The 737-800 operated by Jeju Air plane arrived from Bangkok and crashed while attempting to land in the town of Muan, about 290 kilometers (180 miles) south of Seoul. Footage of the crash aired by South Korean television channels showed the plane skidding across the airstrip at high speed, evidently with its landing gear still closed. Tornadoes in Texas and Mississippi kill 2 and injure 6 as severe weather system moves east HOUSTON (AP) — A strong storm system is threatening to whip up tornadoes in parts of the U.S. Southeast, a day after severe weather claimed at least two lives as twisters touched down in Texas and Mississippi. Strong storms moving eastward Sunday are expected to continue producing gusty, damaging winds, hail and tornadoes through Sunday. That is according to National Weather Service meteorologist Frank Pereira. So far, the line of severe weather has led to about 40 tornado reports from southeastern Texas to Alabama, Pereira said, but those reports remain unconfirmed until surveys of damage are completed. Israeli hospital says Netanyahu has undergone successful prostate surgery TEL AVIV, Israel (AP) — An Israeli hospital says Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has undergone successful prostate surgery. Jerusalem’s Hadassah Medical Center said his prostate was removed late Sunday and that he was recovering. Netanyahu’s office had said Justice Minister Yariv Levin, a close ally, would serve as acting prime minister during the procedure. Doctors ordered the operation after detecting an infection last week. Netanyahu is expected to remain hospitalized for several days. With so much at stake, Netanyahu’s health in wartime is a concern for both Israelis and the wider world. Syria's de facto leader says it could take up to 4 years to hold elections BEIRUT (AP) — Syria’s de facto leader has said it could take up to four years to hold elections in Syria, and that he plans on dissolving his Islamist group that led the country’s insurgency at an anticipated national dialogue summit for the country. Ahmad al-Sharaa, who leads Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, the group leading the new authority in Syria, made the remarks in an interview Sunday. That's according to the Saudi television network Al-Arabiyya. It comes almost a month after a lightning insurgency led by HTS overthrew President Bashar Assad’s decades-long rule, ending the country’s uprising-turned civil war that started back in 2011. A fourth infant dies of the winter cold in Gaza as families share blankets in seaside tents DEIR AL-BALAH, Gaza Strip (AP) — A fourth infant has died of hypothermia in Gaza, where hundreds of thousands of Palestinians displaced by nearly 15 months of war are huddled in tents along the rainy, windswept coast as winter arrives. The baby's father says the 20-day-old child was found with his head as “cold as ice” Sunday morning in their tent. The baby’s twin brother was moved to the intensive care unit of Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital. Their father says the twins were born one month premature and spent just a day in hospital, which like other Gaza health centers has been overwhelmed and only partially functions. Musk causes uproar for backing Germany's far-right party ahead of key elections BERLIN (AP) — Tech entrepreneur Elon Musk has caused uproar after backing Germany’s far-right party in a major newspaper ahead of key parliamentary elections in the Western European country, leading to the resignation of the paper’s opinion editor in protest. Germany is to vote in an early election on Feb. 23 after Chancellor Olaf Scholz’s three-party governing coalition collapsed last month in a dispute over how to revitalize the country’s stagnant economy. Musk’s guest opinion piece for Welt am Sonntag, published in German over the weekend, was the second time this month he supported the Alternative for Germany, or AfD.Trump selects longtime adviser Keith Kellogg as special envoy for Ukraine and RussiaPAT Kenny has accused RTE of blundering by having two debate moderators on Wednesday night. The broadcaster hit out at the hosts of RTE’s Prime Time leaders’ debate Sarah McInerney and Miriam O’Callaghan on his Newstalk radio programme. He said on the Pat Kenny Show: “It really wasn’t a debate , and it comes down to the format that they had. “They had two moderators and I think that was the big competition of the night. Who could ask the best questions , who could be the best moderator, rather than who is going to be the best leader of the country . “Because I watched that from a professional perspective watching how that was done, and I think that probably did inhibit the debate a bit.” He said the best debate he could host is one where “I say nothing and I let them at it. That’s where it becomes, for me, I’m watching like a sentry waiting to jump in if I have to, but otherwise I want the protagonists to have a right go at each other”. He added: “The moderators were kind of like the fire brigade putting out the fires before the fires could erupt.” Meanwhile, a Sinn Fein TD has said anyone voting for Fianna Fail will be voting for Simon Harris . Housing spokesperson Eoin O Broin warned voters that backing Fianna Fail on Friday will put Fine Gael and Mr Harris back into government. He said: “This Friday will be the last chance voters have for the next five years to fix the housing crisis and to change the government. “Five years ago, Micheal Martin told voters that Fine Gael had been in power for too long and that they needed to come out of government. He then went and put them in. We all know the results of that decision. “Micheal Martin now wants to give Fine Gael five more years - a fourth term in government. His only offering to the Irish people is 19 unbroken years of Fine Gael in government. “Mícheal Martin is determined to put the discredited Simon Harris back into government, despite everything that we have seen during this campaign. “The best way and the only way to stop this is to vote for Sinn Féin on Friday. Sinn Féin is the only party that can change the government, and chart a new course which will tackle the critical issues facing our society.” The Greens have accused their former coalition partners of wanting them out for an easier life. Green Party leader Roderic O’Gorman fears a new government made up of small right-wing groups will set Ireland back. He said: “It’s been clear from the briefings that have been coming out from Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael that they want a coalition partner that represents the path of least resistance. “They know that the Green Party fights hard. We fought hard in the programme for government negotiations in 2020. We got one of the strongest, one of the greenest programmes for governments ever agreed. “My sense is certainly the mood music from Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael is that they like an easier life in the next government and my concern is they use these kind of populists, small populist parties, right-wing independents that they can put little deals [in place] with, but who are then in Cabinet and are actually rolling back the progressive policies of climate, on transport, on supporting families and kids that we’ve introduced over the last four-and-a-half years.” Elsewhere, the Social Democrats said it’s not possible to cut taxes and invest heavily in the likes of health and housing - despite what the other parties make out. Deputy Leader Cian O’Callaghan said: “A lot of other parties are promising very significant tax cuts and very significant increases in public services and investment and it is simply not possible to do the two, to erode the tax base and improve our public services. “So, if you want to have change, you want to see affordable purchase housing, you want to see improvements in disability services, you want to see affordable childcare, a full implementation of Sláintecare, you want real action on climate, then you need to vote Social Democrats number one. “It’s not going to be delivered by parties that are promising to do two contradictory things, erode funding for public services and improve public services at the same time.”Vertex Acquires LitCon Group
Martin scores 17, Southeast Missouri State beats Westminster (MO) 88-39After a very “painful” three years since he accidentally shot and killed cinematographer Halyna Hutchins on the set of his Western “Rust” in 2021, Alec Baldwin was supposed to enjoy the opportunity to celebrate his career this week by being honored in Europe with a Lifetime Achievement Award. But as is typical for Baldwin, he opened his mouth to reporters. During a press conference at the Torino Film Festival, the often polarizing actor ended up saying things about Americans and female directors that have aggravated some corners of the internet. During another interview, he sought sympathy for his almost equally controversial influencer wife, Hilaria Baldwin, insisting that she was particularly “traumatized” by the death of Hutchins. So, where to begin with Baldwin’s headline-making media remarks in Italy? First off, during the press conference, Baldwin expressed concerns about Americans’ lack understanding of politics and the state of the world in the wake of Donald Trump’s election to a second term as president, according to The Hollywood Reporter . While Baldwin was asked about his concerns for America after Trump retakes office, the veteran actor, a lifelong Democrat who famously parodied Trump on “Saturday Night Live,” didn’t mention the former reality TV star by name. Still, he said: “There’s a hole, a vacuum... a gap in information for Americans. Americans are very uninformed about reality, what’s really going on — climate change, Ukraine, you name it.” “The biggest topics in the world, Americans have an appetite for a little bit of information,” Baldwin continued, with comments sure to stir up outrage among critics who see him as arrogant and elitist. “That vacuum is filled by the film industry,” Baldwin said. “Not just the independent film industry, not just the documentary film industry but narrative films as well.” Baldwin also was asked about the role of female directors in the industry, according to The Hollywood Reporter . On one hand, he tried to praise female directors by saying it’s “a good thing” that more women are directing major films. “In the cinema of the ’80s and ’90s, out of 100 directors there were 98 men and two women,” Baldwin said. “Now, it’s not like that, and that’s a good thing.” But then Baldwin couldn’t help himself. He said, “For some films you need an energetic director who moves the camera continuously and maybe a male director is better.” “But for a comedy or a drama with a lot of talk, what’s the difference between a male director and a female director?” Baldwin said. “In fact, there’s more introspective capacity in a female director.” So women can’t be energetic? It’s possible that Baldwin was referring to his belief that women are not particularly suited to directing male-oriented action films, with lots of fighting and big-budget special effects. But Kathryn Bigelow famously became the first woman to win an Academy Award for best director for helming “The Hurt Locker,” the intense 2009 Iraq War film that won best picture. Jane Campion, certainly known for dramas “with a lot of talk,” also won best director for the 2022 Western “The Power of the Dog.” It was reported that Baldwin only agreed to be the guest of honor at the Torino Film Festival if Italian reporters at the press conference were barred from asking him about Hutchins’ death in October 2021, Variety said. But Baldwin ended up talking to a reporter for Variety about “Rust,” “candidly sharing his feelings” about the film’s premiere and “cancel culture.” Hutchins was killed on the film’s New Mexico set when Baldwin was handling a prop gun during a rehearsal and pointed it in her direction. The gun was supposed to be loaded with only dummy rounds, but held a live round, which fatally wounded Hutchins when the gun fired. Baldwin was put on trial for involuntary manslaughter, but the judge dismissed the charges after learning the prosecution withheld evidence. Baldwin, director Joel Souza and other members of the cast and crew ended up completing the film, saying they wanted to honor Hutchins. The film received a mostly “polite” response when it had its world premiere last week at the EnergaCamerimage festival in Poland. However, some audience members were visibly “uncomfortable” watching scenes of Baldwin “shooting people” in the film, a critic for Vulture reported. Baldwin was not invited to the premiere, because festival organizers said they were concerned that his presence would be “too distracting.” In his interview with Variety, Baldwin said he hasn’t seen a final cut of “Rust” and doesn’t want to “right now.” “Only because this is obviously the most difficult thing I’ve ever dealt with in my life,” said Baldwin, who then went on to explain why the shooting and its aftermath was particularly difficult for his wife. Related Articles Entertainment | Album review: For Kendrick Lamar, spite is an engine on the exhilarating ‘GNX’ Entertainment | Column: ‘Wicked’ box office proves Hollywood needs to take family films seriously again Entertainment | ‘Gladiator II’ exaggerates, but historians say the real-life Colosseum was plenty wild Entertainment | Drake alleges Universal falsely inflated popularity of Kendrick Lamar diss track ‘Not Like Us’ Entertainment | Liam Payne pal got him escorts, cocaine hours before death: prosecutors “Beyond the victims themselves, the thing that most pains me is what it did to my wife,” Baldwin said. “My wife has been very, very traumatized from this. There has been a lot of pain. When you are married to somebody and everything was going fairly well and we had seven kids ... and the floor falls out. It’s very frightening and very disturbing. And we are trying to get the wind in our sails, to get away from this stuff.” While it may be that the shooting was “traumatizing” for Hilaria Baldwin, the former yoga teacher and once-aspiring lifestyle and parenting influencer also faced criticism for appearing to exploit the tragedy and in ways that involved her use of their seven young children. In the weeks after Hutchins’ death, Hilaria Baldwin, known for her love of media attention, continued to post multiple images of their children on a daily basis. The posts on Instagram included potentially private content about the Baldwin family’s home life amid her husband’s crisis for the on-set shooting. Some images showed the children playing and enjoying Christmas. But other images showed the children acting out or looking sad and distressed, leading PR and crisis experts to accuse Hilaria Baldwin of using her children as “props” to garner sympathy, while also appearing to be “narcissistic” and “callous,” given that Hutchins’ young son lost his mother. Both Hilaria and Alec Baldwin faced criticism more recently of exploiting their children, including in the weeks leading up to his manslaughter trial this summer. In a “bizarrely”-timed move before the start of the trial, the couple announced that they and their seven children would star in a new TLC reality TV show about their hectic family life. Starring in a reality TV show is seen as a career let-down for Baldwin, an Emmy winner and Oscar nominee who was once on track to be a Hollywood leading man before becoming valued as one of the industry’s most valued character actors. But a reality show gig was considered to be more in tune with the professional aspirations of his wife, whose once lucrative career as an influencer was derailed when she was embroiled in a scandal over damning evidence that she spent more than a decade faking a Spanish accent and identity.
Backlash From Key Chinese industries as U.S. Expands Chip Export RestrictionsBy LOLITA BALDOR and FATIMA HUSSEIN WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. (AP) — President-elect Donald Trump said Wednesday that he has chosen Keith Kellogg, a highly decorated retired three-star general, to serve as his special envoy for Ukraine and Russia. Kellogg, who is one of the architects of a staunchly conservative policy book that lays out an “America First” national security agenda for the incoming administration, will come into the role as Russia’s invasion of Ukraine enters its third year in February. Trump made the announcement on his Truth Social account, and said “He was with me right from the beginning! Together, we will secure PEACE THROUGH STRENGTH, and Make America, and the World, SAFE AGAIN!” Kellogg, an 80 year-old retired Army lieutenant general who has long been Trump’s top adviser on defense issues, served as national security adviser to Vice President Mike Pence , was chief of staff of the National Security Council and then stepped in as an acting security adviser for Trump after Michael Flynn resigned. As special envoy for Ukraine and Russia, Kellogg will have to navigate an increasingly untenable war between the two nations. The Biden administration has begun urging Ukraine to quickly increase the size of its military by drafting more troops and revamping its mobilization laws to allow for the conscription of troops as young as 18. The White House has pushed more than $56 billion in security assistance to Ukraine since the start of Russia’s February 2022 invasion and expects to send billions more to Kyiv before Biden leaves office in less than months. Trump has criticized the billions that the Biden administration has poured into Ukraine. Washington has recently stepped up weapons shipments and has forgiven billions in loans provided to Kyiv. The incoming Republican president has said he could end the war in 24 hours, comments that appear to suggest he would press Ukraine to surrender territory that Russia now occupies. As a co-chairman of the American First Policy Institute’s Center for American Security, Kellogg wrote several of the chapters in the group’s policy book. The book, like the Heritage Foundation’s “Project 2025,” is a move to lay out a Trump national security agenda and avoid the mistakes of 2016 when he entered the White House largely unprepared. Kellogg in April wrote that “bringing the Russia-Ukraine war to a close will require strong, America First leadership to deliver a peace deal and immediately end the hostilities between the two warring parties.” Related Articles Trump’s proposed national security advisor U.S. Rep. Michael Waltz (R-Fla.) tweeted Wednesday that “Keith has dedicated his life to defending our great country and is committed to bringing the war in Ukraine to a peaceful resolution.” Kellogg was a character in multiple Trump investigations dating to his first term. He was among the administration officials who listened in on the July 2019 call between Trump and Volodymyr Zelenskyy in which Trump prodded his Ukrainian counterpart to pursue investigations into the Bidens. The call, which Kellogg would later say did not raise any concerns on his end, was at the center of the first of two House impeachment cases against Trump, who was acquitted by the Senate both times. On Jan. 6, 2021, hours before pro-Trump rioters stormed the U.S. Capitol, Kellogg, who was then Pence’s national security adviser, listened in on a heated call in which Trump told his vice president to object or delay the certification in Congress of President Joe Biden ’s victory. He later told House investigators that he recalled Trump saying to Pence words to the effect of: “You’re not tough enough to make the call.” Baldor reported from Washington. AP writer Eric Tucker in Washington contributed to this report.
The Los Angeles Lakers pulled off a massive move today , as they sent D'Angelo Russell and Maxwell Lewis, along with three second-round picks, to the Brooklyn Nets in exchange for Dorian Finney-Smith and Shake Milton. And according to Dan Woike of the Los Angeles Times , Russell is looking forward to his new adventure, after a difficult second stint with the Lakers comes to an end. "Talked to someone close to D'Angelo Russell. He's excited for a new opportunity, obviously saw his role diminishing with Lakers. A MASSIVE few months for him as he heads into free agency this upcoming summer. Considering the market for Tyus Jones last summer, it could be an uphill battle." This marks the second time in Russell's career that he has been traded from the Lakers to the Nets, as he becomes one of the very few players to be traded from and to the same franchise twice in his career. The Lakers sent Russell to the Nets first in 2017, which kicked off a roller coaster journey for him in the NBA. After the trade was completed, many expected Russell to be bought out by the Nets, as he is on an expiring contract this season and will become a free agent in the summer. With no genuine upside to keeping him going forward and a risk that he might improve and hurt their tanking chances, the thought process was that Russell would be back on the market pretty soon. But it appears that isn't the case, as Michael A. Scotto of HoopsHype is reporting that Russell is expected to stay with the Nets and play regularly. This might be a smart move for the Nets, who could even use Russell and flip him, using his expiring contract as a makeweight for any future deals they try to pull off. Russell's first stint with Brooklyn was quite strong, as he earned his first All-Star nomination with the franchise in 2019. He averaged 19.0 points, 6.3 assists, 3.9 rebounds, 1.1 steals, and 0.3 blocks during his 129 games with the team, and had a 58-71 record across two seasons. But Russell is a much different player now than when he first joined the Nets. Now an NBA veteran, Russell's production has taken a significant dip over the last few years. This season, he has been playing quite poorly, averaging 12.4 points, 4.7 assists, 2.8 rebounds, 0.8 steals, and 0.1 blocks per game, while shooting 41.5% from the field, 33.3% from deep, and 84.9% from the free-throw line. Perhaps the Nets will want to keep Russell for his lackluster production, as they are currently in a rebuild and looking to have a poor record this year to give themselves the best chance to land a high lottery pick in the 2025 NBA Draft. And the risk is quite low, with Russell's $18.7 million salary coming off the books in the summer. Stay tuned to Fadeaway World, as we continue to break down and analyze the details of this massive trade. This article first appeared on Fadeaway World and was syndicated with permission.