the peanut farmer who tried to restore virtue to the White House after the Watergate scandal and Vietnam War, then rebounded from a landslide defeat to become a global advocate of human rights and democracy, has died. . The Carter Center said the 39th president died Sunday, , at his home in Plains, Georgia, where he and his wife, who died in November 2023, lived most of their lives. A moderate Democrat, as a little-known Georgia governor with a broad grin, effusive Baptist faith and technocratic plans for efficient government. His promise to never deceive the American people resonated after Richard Nixon’s disgrace and U.S. defeat in southeast Asia. “If I ever lie to you, if I ever make a misleading statement, don’t vote for me. I would not deserve to be your president,” Carter said. Carter’s victory over Republican Gerald Ford, whose fortunes fell after pardoning Nixon, came amid Cold War pressures, turbulent oil markets and social upheaval over race, women’s rights and America’s role in the world. His achievements included brokering Mideast peace by keeping Egyptian President Anwar Sadat and Israeli Prime Minister Menachem Begin at Camp David for 13 days in 1978. But his coalition splintered under double-digit inflation and the 444-day hostage crisis in Iran. His negotiations ultimately brought all the hostages home alive, but in a final insult, Iran didn’t release them until the inauguration of Ronald Reagan, who had trounced him in the 1980 election. Humbled and back home in Georgia, Carter said his faith demanded that he keep doing whatever he could, for as long as he could, to try to make a difference. He and Rosalynn co-founded in 1982 and spent the next 40 years traveling the world as peacemakers, human rights advocates and champions of democracy and public health. Awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2002, Carter helped ease nuclear tensions in North and South Korea, avert a U.S. invasion of Haiti and and Sudan. By 2022, the center had monitored at least 113 elections around the world. Carter was determined to as one of many health initiatives. the Carters built homes with Habitat for Humanity. The common observation that he was better as an ex-president rankled Carter. His allies were pleased that he lived long enough to see biographers and historians and declare it more impactful than many understood at the time. Propelled in 1976 by voters in Iowa and then across the South, Carter ran a no-frills campaign. Americans were captivated by the earnest engineer, and while an election-year Playboy interview drew snickers when he said he “had looked on many women with lust. I’ve committed adultery in my heart many times,” voters tired of political cynicism found it endearing. The first family set an informal tone in the White House, carrying their own luggage, trying to silence the Marine Band’s traditional “Hail to the Chief” and enrolling daughter, Amy, in public schools. Carter was lampooned for wearing a cardigan and urging Americans to turn down their thermostats. But Carter set the stage for an economic revival and sharply reduced America’s dependence on foreign oil by deregulating the energy industry along with airlines, trains and trucking. He established the departments of Energy and Education, appointed record numbers of women and nonwhites to federal posts, preserved millions of acres of Alaskan wilderness and pardoned most Vietnam draft evaders. , he ended most support for military dictators and took on bribery by multinational corporations by signing the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act. He persuaded the Senate to ratify the Panama Canal treaties and normalized relations with China, an outgrowth of Nixon’s outreach to Beijing. But crippling turns in foreign affairs took their toll. When OPEC hiked crude prices, making drivers line up for gasoline as inflation spiked to 11%, Carter tried to encourage Americans to overcome “a crisis of confidence.” Many voters lost confidence in Carter instead after the infamous address that media dubbed his “malaise” speech, even though he never used that word. After Carter reluctantly agreed to admit the exiled Shah of Iran to the U.S. for medical treatment, the American Embassy in Tehran was overrun in 1979. Negotiations to quickly free the hostages broke down, and then eight Americans died when a top-secret military rescue attempt failed. Carter also had to reverse course on the SALT II nuclear arms treaty after the Soviets invaded Afghanistan in 1979. Though historians would later credit Carter’s diplomatic efforts for hastening the end of the Cold war, Republicans labeled his soft power weak. Reagan’s “make America great again” appeals resonated, and he beat Carter in all but six states. Born Oct. 1, 1924, James Earl Carter Jr. in 1946, the year he graduated from the Naval Academy. He brought his young family back to Plains after his father died, abandoning his Navy career, and . Carter reached the state Senate in 1962. After rural white and Black voters elected him governor in 1970, he drew national attention by declaring that “the time for racial discrimination is over.” Carter published more than 30 books and remained influential as his center turned its democracy advocacy onto U.S. politics, monitoring an audit of Georgia’s 2020 presidential election results. After Carter said he felt “perfectly at ease with whatever comes.” “I’ve had a wonderful life,” “I’ve had thousands of friends, I’ve had an exciting, adventurous and gratifying existence.” ___Indian legend Virat Kohli was on his way back to the pavilion in Perth. And almost instantaneously, every Fox Cricket and Kayo Sports viewer had exceptional insight as to why. By the time a bereft Kohli had left the centre wicket area in the first Test of the summer, the production team behind the Halo technology being used exclusively by Fox Cricket this summer had the images demonstrating what caused his downfall. In the broadcast booth, former Australian captain Allan Border was awaiting confirmation of something he suspected Josh Hazlewood had managed to extract from the pitch with his delivery. Watch every ball of Australia v India LIVE & ad-break free during play in 4K on Kayo | New to Kayo? Get your first month for just $1. Limited time offer. Border’s instincts were as sharp as the reflexes he used to show when facing the ferocious West Indian attack and within the blink of an eye he had what he needed from behind the scenes. He had believed additional bounce was the key and so it proved. The 80 cameras circling Perth Stadium had captured perfectly the surprise on Kohli’s face at the Hazlewood delivery that reared sharply into his rib cage before deflecting from the upper portion of his bat through to Usman Khawaja at first slip. A graphic detailing the difference in height from the previous delivery, even though it landed on a similar length, was broadcast to viewers as Border readied himself to explain what had just unfolded. “He is on the front foot and he makes himself a little vulnerable (and) was surprised by the extra bounce,” Border explained to the Kayo Sports subscribers. Border marvels at the technology now available for viewers. As he explained to foxsports.com.au prior to the series, the detail provided by innovations including Fox Halo provides a phenomenal insight into what occurs in the middle. That is a massive bonus for subscribers to Kayo Sports and Fox Cricket. Perhaps the only people not pleased with the intensive insights it provides are those who are holding the bat. “There’s so much homework done on you as a batsman, about where to bowl. Now there’s so much footage of you batting on all sorts of services, against all sorts of bowlers, so you’re analysed,” Border said. THE HOLY GRAIL FOR BROADCASTERS Brad McNamara, who played 59 first class games for New South Wales and is now Innovation and Production Lead of the Fox Cricket coverage, was conducting the process behind the scenes in Perth, just as he is in Brisbane for what shapes as a pivotal Test. Standing a few metres behind Border, with more television screens than one would find at a Harvey Norman outlet between them, he alternated between whispering instructions to the Korean team operating the Halo system and letting the commentators know what was coming. The broadcasting business has changed since “Buzz”, who is also a member of the Six & Out crew performing gigs at Tests throughout the summer, swapped his time in the middle for the Blues to help enhance the entertainment for viewers after his retirement in 2000. He loves the context his team are now capable of delivering to lovers of the sport watching at home on Kayo and Fox Cricket and checking in with foxsports.com.au for on-line coverage as well. Being able to deploy the groundbreaking technology, which is used in American baseball among other elite global sports, has added to his excitement broadcasting what is shaping as another nail-biting series between Australia and India. “We’ve been able to do that before, but with another program, but it took about 25 minutes to stitch all those camera angles together,” McNamara said. “This is ready within 15 seconds, which is extraordinary. We’re all about being live and being immediate and people these days, they don’t want to wait 20 minutes. They want to see what happened now. “Our philosophy at Fox Sports, with all our sports, is to get it live immediately. ‘What happened? Why did it happen? What’s going to happen?’ And the quicker you can do that, that’s the Holy Grail for us. What once used to take 20 minutes, now it is immediate.” Champion Australian wicketkeeper Adam Gilchrist has no doubt the technology, which was used by international broadcasters to cover the Paris Olympics, will improve the ability of former players to explain to subscribers the reason something has happened. “It is going to be very interesting to analyse ... the batting positions, the foot positions, the weight transferrals (and) to try and bring you people at home, wherever you are, out into the middle of these fine venues. It is fantastic,” he said. Fox Cricket’s executive producer Joe Bromham told News Corp papers leading into the Adelaide Test the new technology was a big hit back in India as well. “It’s really made for cricket. It’s an incredible innovation for analysis. Our coverage is going to the Indian audience through Star and they’re raving about Fox Halo,” he said. “There was a cut shot from Yashasvi Jaiswal (in Perth) which just showed his footwork and his movement and when he contacted the ball, both his feet were off the ground. (Halo) just showed it perfectly.” THE CREW TAKING CRICKET TO THE WORLD As impressive as the insights provided by Fox Halo are, it is just one facet of a massive operation aimed at delivering the best coverage the sport of cricket has ever seen. From the expert analysts in the commentary booth in the grandstands to the camera operators out on the fence to the broadcast vans tucked under or behind the stadiums, it is an immense operation. A quick view of the main centre of operation — a broadcast van where everything comes together before beamed around the world — would be mind-boggling for the average viewer. Plugged into the back of the van is a tangle of blue, yellow, red and white cords resembling a nest of snakes, but every single link is critical to telling the whole story out in the middle. In this van sits the director and about 10 other specialists viewing feeds from various vantage points around Adelaide Oval to decide what goes to air and when. From one second to the next, decisions are made as to whether to flick from the top of the bowler’s mark to the vantage point of the keeper, or from the DRS graphic and out to the centre to get a close-up on the face of the batter anxiously awaiting their fate at the hands of the third umpire. Fox Cricket host Mark Howard provided an insight into the Flying Fox, which uses a Sony P50 camera weighing about 10kg, for viewers during a lunch break in the first Test in Perth. It is, pilot Nick Linton said, one of about 30 systems in the world and it costs about $1 million to operate through a Test match. But the value to the subscribers watching is immense. Howard said the quality of the microphones attached to Flying Fox made it easier to interview players and fellow Fox Cricket analysts before and during a day’s play. “Originally when we started interviewing players in the middle, the player had to put on a headset to be able to hear the questions from commentary,” Howard said. “But the way it has been developed now, there is an actual speaker on the camera, so the players no longer have to put the headset on. “They stand next to the camera and they can hear commentary blaring out from the speakers asking all sorts of questions. Then you can see the microphone under the camera where we get the return audio from the players.” AN ANALYSTS DELIGHT William Edwards is a broadcast operator in the Virtual Eye technology van, which is positioned about the length of a pitch away from the main broadcast truck. This van drips diamonds when it comes to providing insights as well. The crew staffing the Virtual Eye truck have all played cricket at various levels and love the sport, and have also covered elite golf tournaments, top-level baseball and also the America’s Cup. They aim to provide the best experience at every international event they attend and are delighted to be contributing to the broader Fox Cricket and Kayo Sports offering. Edwards explains there are four cameras dedicated to tracking the ball every single delivery and the information provided enables various technologies that enhance the spectacle. The detail features in graphics that portray, as examples, the DRS system, pitch maps, the wagon wheels as to where a batter has scored, the launch angle from the bat and so on. It also uses two cameras dedicated to tracking the players for every single ball, which provides a mini-map to allow the viewers to know where the cricketers are positioned. At Adelaide Oval on the opening day of the Second Test, the Flying Fox added to the detail and accuracy of what was broadcast. A prime example was the footage used to decide whether Nathan McSweeney had managed to execute a fine catch to dismiss KL Rahul. “If we didn’t have this technology and cricket broadcasted the way that we have it now, I probably wouldn’t watch cricket,” Edwards told foxsports.com.au . “I’d probably find it a little dull, to be honest, but being able to show what players are up to and how they’re moving, along with their decision making and the process behind it, and why they’re doing what they’re doing, it adds to the excitement to the game. “We’re trying to tell the most valuable stories that the general public wouldn’t be able to tell while watching the normal broadcast because we have access to dozens of cameras ... and we can show this before anyone else can see it. We work very closely with the producers at Fox so we can tell those stories.” Another innovation on the Fox Cricket coverage is HyperLayer, but the Virtual Eye team say this is only just the beginning of a new intelligence stream that will assist players, broadcasters and also the viewers to understand what is going on in the centre. Already this technology is providing detail for graphics on ball and bat speeds, for example, but in time ... well, it might just be able to tell us what is going to unfold based on probability. “The whole idea is that it could end up predicting what play could be the right one to make, it could be the right field to place, it could be better decision making than the players themselves are capable of,” Edwards said. As McNamara said, the aim is to provide the “Holy Grail” when it comes to broadcasting cricket. And in an intriguing series, the technology further magnifies the interest.Jill Biden tells military children at Marine Corps Reserve toy drive to remember that they are lovedTrampoline Market to Increase by USD 978.4 Million (2023-2028), Segmented by Product, End-User, Channel, and Geography, with AI Redefining Market Landscape - Technavio
NoneWASHINGTON (AP) — Thomas Sorber's 22 points helped Georgetown defeat Coppin State 83-53 on Saturday. Sorber also had 12 rebounds and four blocks for the Hoyas (11-2). Drew Fielder scored 20 points while shooting 6 of 7 from the field and 8 for 8 from the line and added 13 rebounds. Malik Mack finished with 15 points. The Eagles (1-13) were led in scoring by Toby Nnadozie, who finished with 22 points. Julius Ellerbe added 12 points and six steals for Coppin State. Zahree Harrison finished with nine points and four steals. Georgetown took the lead with 19:44 left in the first half and did not give it up. The score was 37-30 at halftime, with Sorber racking up 13 points. Georgetown pulled away with a 21-2 run in the second half to extend a seven-point lead to 26 points. They outscored Coppin State by 23 points in the final half, as Mack led the way with a team-high nine second-half points. The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar .
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NEW YORK (AP) — Top-ranked chess player Magnus Carlsen is headed back to the World Blitz Championship on Monday after its governing body agreed to loosen a dress code that got him fined and denied a late-round game in another tournament for refusing to change out of jeans . Lamenting the contretemps, International Chess Federation President Arkady Dvorkovich said in a statement Sunday that he'd let World Blitz Championship tournament officials consider allowing “appropriate jeans” with a jacket, and other “elegant minor deviations” from the dress code. He said Carlsen's stand — which culminated in his quitting the tournament Friday — highlighted a need for more discussion “to ensure that our rules and their application reflect the evolving nature of chess as a global and accessible sport.” Carlsen, meanwhile, said in a video posted Sunday on social media that he would play — and wear jeans — in the World Blitz Championship when it begins Monday. “I think the situation was badly mishandled on their side,” the 34-year-old Norwegian grandmaster said. But he added that he loves playing blitz — a fast-paced form of chess — and wanted fans to be able to watch, and that he was encouraged by his discussions with the federation after Friday's showdown. “I think we sort of all want the same thing,” he suggested in the video on his Take Take Take chess app’s YouTube channel. “We want the players to be comfortable, sure, but also relatively presentable.” The events began when Carlsen wore jeans and a sportcoat Friday to the Rapid World Championship, which is separate from but held in conjunction with the blitz event. The chess federation said Friday that longstanding rules prohibit jeans at those tournaments, and players are lodged nearby to make sartorial switch-ups easy if needed. An official fined Carlsen $200 and asked him to change pants, but he refused and wasn't paired for a ninth-round game, the federation said at the time. The organization noted that another grandmaster, Ian Nepomniachtchi, was fined earlier in the day for wearing sports shoes, changed and continued to play. Carlsen has said that he offered to wear something else the next day, but officials were unyielding. He said “it became a bit of a matter of principle,” so he quit the rapid and blitz championships. In the video posted Sunday, he questioned whether he had indeed broken a rule and said changing clothes would have needlessly interrupted his concentration between games. He called the punishment “unbelievably harsh.” “Of course, I could have changed. Obviously, I didn’t want to,” he said, and “I stand by that.”
This Week in History 12-28-24AP Business SummaryBrief at 3:48 p.m. EST
Muscle Maker, Inc. ( NASDAQ:GRIL – Get Free Report )’s share price shot up 2.4% during mid-day trading on Friday . The stock traded as high as $3.52 and last traded at $3.47. 41,116 shares traded hands during mid-day trading, a decline of 89% from the average session volume of 364,840 shares. The stock had previously closed at $3.39. Muscle Maker Price Performance The company has a current ratio of 1.16, a quick ratio of 0.29 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.04. The stock has a 50-day simple moving average of $3.43 and a 200 day simple moving average of $1.47. The stock has a market capitalization of $111.40 million, a price-to-earnings ratio of -13.84 and a beta of 1.11. About Muscle Maker ( Get Free Report ) Muscle Maker, Inc owns, operates, and franchises Muscle Maker Grill, SuperFit Foods meal prep, and Pokemoto Hawaiian Poke restaurants. The company operates a fast-casual restaurant that specializes in preparing protein-based meals featuring chicken, seafood, pasta, hamburgers, wraps, and flat breads, as well as entrée salads and sides, protein shakes, and fruit smoothies. Recommended Stories Receive News & Ratings for Muscle Maker Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Muscle Maker and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter .The MFA in Visual Arts at Purchase College, State of New York (SUNY), is a small, selective interdisciplinary program that fosters the artistic, intellectual, and professional growth of students through independent studio work and rigorous academic studies. State-of-the-art facilities include photography, video, and digital labs; wood and metal shops; sound art studios; and printmaking and letterpress studios. Nearby, the vast art communities in New York City play a crucial role in curricular and extracurricular activities. The 2025 thesis show will take place at PS122 Gallery in Manhattan. For students interested in developing teaching skills, we offer paid opportunities to teach undergraduates and develop courses based on individual expertise. Dual Degree Option The MFA/MA degree combines the MFA degree with an MA in Visual Art and Modern and Contemporary Art, Criticism, and Theory, with the art history requirements completed in a third year of study. Enriching their experience, students have access to the Neuberger Museum of Art, Purchase College’s campus museum and the eighth largest university museum in the country; a renowned Performing Arts Center; and opportunities for community engagement throughout the United States. Housing Fellowships and Scholarships Founded in 1967, Purchase College was created to provide students from all backgrounds with access to affordable, high-quality arts education. We remain committed to that mission today: In-state tuition is $13,256 ($25,506 for out-of-state students), along with considerable scholarships, full housing aid for qualified students, and teaching stipends. A Vibrant Community of Makers and Thinkers Graduate students are mentored by renowned working artists in diverse disciplines, from traditional materials to cutting-edge technology. Faculty include Sharon Horvath, Rob Swainston, Kate Gilmore, Cynthia Lin, Liz Flood, Stella Ebner, Hakan Topal, Rachel Owens, Joshua Lutz, Lachell Workman, Katie Murray, Adam Pape, Timothy Briner, Amanda Thackray, Brooke Singer, Max Ferro, Georgina Arroyo, Dave Walsh, Virginia Wagner, Esteban Cabeza de Baca, Travis Fairclough, and Tova Snyder. Students also receive frequent critiques as part of a robust visiting artist and curator lecture series. Recent visitors include Elle Pérez, Fred Wilson, Katherine Bradford, James Welling, Hank Willis Thomas, Latoya Hobbs, Tomashi Jackson, Guadalupe Maravilla, Clarity Haynes, Mark Dion, and Chie Fueki. Contact admissions@purchase.edu for application information and apply online at purchase.edu . Get in touch with Julian Kreimer, MFA Chair, at julian.kreimer@purchase.edu for further details. Share Copied to clipboard Mail Bluesky Threads LinkedIn Facebook
Renuka Rayasam | (TNS) KFF Health News In April, just 12 weeks into her pregnancy, Kathleen Clark was standing at the receptionist window of her OB-GYN’s office when she was asked to pay $960, the total the office estimated she would owe after she delivered. Clark, 39, was shocked that she was asked to pay that amount during this second prenatal visit. Normally, patients receive the bill after insurance has paid its part, and for pregnant women that’s usually only when the pregnancy ends. It would be months before the office filed the claim with her health insurer. Clark said she felt stuck. The Cleveland, Tennessee, obstetrics practice was affiliated with a birthing center where she wanted to deliver. Plus, she and her husband had been wanting to have a baby for a long time. And Clark was emotional, because just weeks earlier her mother had died. “You’re standing there at the window, and there’s people all around, and you’re trying to be really nice,” recalled Clark, through tears. “So, I paid it.” On online baby message boards and other social media forums , pregnant women say they are being asked by their providers to pay out-of-pocket fees earlier than expected. The practice is legal, but patient advocacy groups call it unethical. Medical providers argue that asking for payment up front ensures they get compensated for their services. How frequently this happens is hard to track because it is considered a private transaction between the provider and the patient. Therefore, the payments are not recorded in insurance claims data and are not studied by researchers. Patients, medical billing experts, and patient advocates say the billing practice causes unexpected anxiety at a time of already heightened stress and financial pressure. Estimates can sometimes be higher than what a patient might ultimately owe and force people to fight for refunds if they miscarry or the amount paid was higher than the final bill. Up-front payments also create hurdles for women who may want to switch providers if they are unhappy with their care. In some cases, they may cause women to forgo prenatal care altogether, especially in places where few other maternity care options exist. It’s “holding their treatment hostage,” said Caitlin Donovan, a senior director at the Patient Advocate Foundation . Medical billing and women’s health experts believe OB-GYN offices adopted the practice to manage the high cost of maternity care and the way it is billed for in the U.S. When a pregnancy ends, OB-GYNs typically file a single insurance claim for routine prenatal care, labor, delivery, and, often, postpartum care. That practice of bundling all maternity care into one billing code began three decades ago, said Lisa Satterfield, senior director of health and payment policy at the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists . But such bundled billing has become outdated, she said. Previously, pregnant patients had been subject to copayments for each prenatal visit, which might lead them to skip crucial appointments to save money. But the Affordable Care Act now requires all commercial insurers to fully cover certain prenatal services. Plus, it’s become more common for pregnant women to switch providers, or have different providers handle prenatal care, labor, and delivery — especially in rural areas where patient transfers are common. Some providers say prepayments allow them to spread out one-time payments over the course of the pregnancy to ensure that they are compensated for the care they do provide, even if they don’t ultimately deliver the baby. “You have people who, unfortunately, are not getting paid for the work that they do,” said Pamela Boatner, who works as a midwife in a Georgia hospital. While she believes women should receive pregnancy care regardless of their ability to pay, she also understands that some providers want to make sure their bill isn’t ignored after the baby is delivered. New parents might be overloaded with hospital bills and the costs of caring for a new child, and they may lack income if a parent isn’t working, Boatner said. In the U.S., having a baby can be expensive. People who obtain health insurance through large employers pay an average of nearly $3,000 out-of-pocket for pregnancy, childbirth, and postpartum care, according to the Peterson-KFF Health System Tracker . In addition, many people are opting for high-deductible health insurance plans, leaving them to shoulder a larger share of the costs. Of the 100 million U.S. people with health care debt, 12% attribute at least some of it to maternity care, according to a 2022 KFF poll . Families need time to save money for the high costs of pregnancy, childbirth, and child care, especially if they lack paid maternity leave, said Joy Burkhard , CEO of the Policy Center for Maternal Mental Health, a Los Angeles-based policy think tank. Asking them to prepay “is another gut punch,” she said. “What if you don’t have the money? Do you put it on credit cards and hope your credit card goes through?” Calculating the final costs of childbirth depends on multiple factors, such as the timing of the pregnancy , plan benefits, and health complications, said Erin Duffy , a health policy researcher at the University of Southern California’s Schaeffer Center for Health Policy and Economics. The final bill for the patient is unclear until a health plan decides how much of the claim it will cover, she said. But sometimes the option to wait for the insurer is taken away. During Jamie Daw’s first pregnancy in 2020, her OB-GYN accepted her refusal to pay in advance because Daw wanted to see the final bill. But in 2023, during her second pregnancy, a private midwifery practice in New York told her that since she had a high-deductible plan, it was mandatory to pay $2,000 spread out with monthly payments. Daw, a health policy researcher at Columbia University, delivered in September 2023 and got a refund check that November for $640 to cover the difference between the estimate and the final bill. “I study health insurance,” she said. “But, as most of us know, it’s so complicated when you’re really living it.” While the Affordable Care Act requires insurers to cover some prenatal services, it doesn’t prohibit providers from sending their final bill to patients early. It would be a challenge politically and practically for state and federal governments to attempt to regulate the timing of the payment request, said Sabrina Corlette , a co-director of the Center on Health Insurance Reforms at Georgetown University. Medical lobbying groups are powerful and contracts between insurers and medical providers are proprietary. Because of the legal gray area, Lacy Marshall , an insurance broker at Rapha Health and Life in Texas, advises clients to ask their insurer if they can refuse to prepay their deductible. Some insurance plans prohibit providers in their network from requiring payment up front. If the insurer says they can refuse to pay up front, Marshall said, she tells clients to get established with a practice before declining to pay, so that the provider can’t refuse treatment. Related Articles Health | Which health insurance plan may be right for you? Health | 23andMe, tech companies disclose hundreds of Bay Area job cuts Health | Bay FC’s Beattie wins NWSL honor for breast cancer awareness advocacy Health | Your cool black kitchenware could be slowly poisoning you, study says. Here’s what to do Health | Does fluoride cause cancer, IQ loss, and more? Fact-checking Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s claims Clark said she met her insurance deductible after paying for genetic testing, extra ultrasounds, and other services out of her health care flexible spending account. Then she called her OB-GYN’s office and asked for a refund. “I got my spine back,” said Clark, who had previously worked at a health insurer and a medical office. She got an initial check for about half the $960 she originally paid. In August, Clark was sent to the hospital after her blood pressure spiked. A high-risk pregnancy specialist — not her original OB-GYN practice — delivered her son, Peter, prematurely via emergency cesarean section at 30 weeks. It was only after she resolved most of the bills from the delivery that she received the rest of her refund from the other OB-GYN practice. This final check came in October, just days after Clark brought Peter home from the hospital, and after multiple calls to the office. She said it all added stress to an already stressful period. “Why am I having to pay the price as a patient?” she said. “I’m just trying to have a baby.” ©2024 KFF Health News. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.U.S. ammo vending machine start-up aiming for growth in more grocery stores
Ex-minister Ravindra Chavan could be next state BJP chief
FREDERICTON — Some nasty weather is headed toward parts of the Maritimes over the next few days, bringing with it a mix of freezing rain, rain and snow. Environment Canada says Fredericton could see freezing rain Sunday, followed by rain and a mix of rain and snow late on New Year's Day. The forecast for Charlottetown includes periods of freezing drizzle for Sunday and then rain until the end of the year, with temperatures going up to 8 C. Halifax is also expected to see periods of drizzle and rain through New Year's Day with the mercury set to reach 8 C on New Year's Eve. Donald Wright, a professor of political science at the University of New Brunswick and a contributor to Yale Climate Connections at Yale University, says the Maritimes – like the rest of Canada – are not immune from a warming climate. He says long-term weather patterns in New Brunswick are changing due to global heating caused by the burning of fossil fuels. This report by The Canadian Press was first published Dec. 28, 2024. The Canadian PressU.S. leaders from across the political spectrum began honoring former President Jimmy Carter just minutes after the Carter Center confirmed that the 39th president of the United States had died Sunday. The top Democrat and Republican in the Senate each released statements honoring Carter’s life and impact. “President Carter’s faith in the American people and his belief in the power of kindness and humility leave a strong legacy,” said Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y. “He taught us that the strength of a leader lies not in rhetoric but in action, not in personal gain but in service to others.” Outgoing Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., said that “Carter’s character and commitment, just like his crops, were fruits of all-American soil.” “After every season when life led him to lofty service far from home, he came back home again, determined to plow his unique experiences and influence into helping others; into building and teaching and volunteering; into further enriching the same rich soil that had made his own life possible,” McConnell said. "Like much of the Greatest Generation, President Carter will be remembered by what he built and left behind for us — a model of service late into life, a tireless devotion to family and philanthropy, and a more peaceful world to call home," said Sen. Mark Warner, D-Va., in a statement. Sen. Andy Kim, D-N.J., said in a post on X that Carter "gave us a pure and lasting example of a public servant." "I’m sending love to the Carter family today as we honor his life and untiring, humble mission to help others," he added. The condolences rolled in from both sides of the aisle, with Republicans also honoring Carter, a Democrat. Sen. Rick Scott, R-Fla., said that Carter "devoted his entire life to serving others." "Please join Ann & me in praying for the Carter family, their friends & all who worked alongside the former president," he said. Carter was widely recognized for his work on human rights and social justice following his presidency. He established the Carter Center, a nonprofit that was founded "on a fundamental commitment to human rights and the alleviation of human suffering," according to the group's website. Carter also worked with Habitat for Humanity, a nonprofit, to help build homes for people in need. "Even more historic than his time in the White House was Carter’s post-presidency, which he dedicated to serving his fellow man," said Sen. Mike Lee, R-Utah, in a post on X . "From providing housing for thousands of families to Sunday school for the children of his community, he will remain distinguished among America’s leaders for his great humanitarian accomplishments and deep commitment to his Christian faith."Several politicians also pointed to Carter’s faith when reacting to his death. Carter taught Sunday school in his hometown of Plains, Georgia, up until the pandemic. “We were bit by different political bug but hv much in common incl love of the Lord,” said Sen. Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, in a typical short-hand post to X.
Social media users are misrepresenting a report released Thursday by the Justice Department inspector general's office, falsely claiming that it's proof the FBI orchestrated the Capitol riot on Jan. 6, 2021. The watchdog report examined a number of areas, including whether major intelligence failures preceded the riot and whether the FBI in some way provoked the violence. Claims spreading online focus on the report's finding that 26 FBI informants were in Washington for election-related protests on Jan. 6, including three who had been tasked with traveling to the city to report on others who were potentially planning to attend the events.COMMERCE, Texas (AP) — Myles Corey had 27 points in South Alabama's 81-72 victory against East Texas A&M on Sunday. Corey also added five assists and four steals for the Jaguars (7-3). Barry Dunning Jr. scored 14 points and added five rebounds. John Broom went 4 of 5 from the field (3 for 3 from 3-point range) to finish with 11 points, while adding four steals. The Lions (1-10) were led in scoring by Khaliq Abdul-Mateen, who finished with 17 points. Yusef Salih added 17 points for Texas A&M-Commerce. Tay Mosher also had eight points. The loss is the seventh straight for the Lions. The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar .
Warning over routers falsely advertised as having 5G capability
By Will Dunham, Reuters Jimmy Carter, the earnest Georgia peanut farmer who as US president struggled with a bad economy and the Iran hostage crisis but brokered peace between Israel and Egypt and later received the Nobel Peace Prize for his humanitarian work, has died at his home in Plains, Georgia, on Monday, the Carter Centre said. He was 100 . "My father was a hero, not only to me but to everyone who believes in peace, human rights, and unselfish love," said Chip Carter, the former president's son. "My brothers, sister, and I shared him with the rest of the world through these common beliefs. The world is our family because of the way he brought people together, and we thank you for honouring his memory by continuing to live these shared beliefs." A Democrat, he served as president from January 1977 to January 1981 after defeating incumbent Republican President Gerald Ford in the 1976 US election. Carter was swept from office four years later in an electoral landslide as voters embraced Republican challenger Ronald Reagan, the former actor and California governor. Carter lived longer after his term in office than any other US president. Along the way, he earned a reputation as a better former president than he was a president - a status he readily acknowledged. His one-term presidency was marked by the highs of the 1978 Camp David accords between Israel and Egypt, bringing some stability to the Middle East. But it was dogged by an economy in recession, persistent unpopularity and the embarrassment of the Iran hostage crisis that consumed his final 444 days in office. In recent years, Carter had experienced several health issues including melanoma that spread to his liver and brain. Carter decided to receive hospice care in February 2023 instead of undergoing additional medical intervention. His wife, Rosalynn Carter, died on 19 November, 2023, at age 96. He looked frail when he attended her memorial service and funeral in a wheelchair. Carter left office profoundly unpopular but worked energetically for decades on humanitarian causes. He was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2002 in recognition of his "untiring effort to find peaceful solutions to international conflicts, to advance democracy and human rights, and to promote economic and social development." Carter had been a centrist as governor of Georgia with populist tendencies when he moved into the White House as the 39th US president. He was a Washington outsider at a time when America was still reeling from the Watergate scandal that led Republican Richard Nixon to resign as president in 1974 and elevated Ford from vice president. "I'm Jimmy Carter and I'm running for president. I will never lie to you," Carter promised with an ear-to-ear smile. Asked to assess his presidency, Carter said in a 1991 documentary: "The biggest failure we had was a political failure. I never was able to convince the American people that I was a forceful and strong leader." Despite his difficulties in office, Carter had few rivals for accomplishments as a former president. He gained global acclaim as a tireless human rights advocate, a voice for the disenfranchised and a leader in the fight against hunger and poverty, winning the respect that eluded him in the White House. Carter won the Nobel Peace Prize in 2002 for his efforts to promote human rights and resolve conflicts around the world, from Ethiopia and Eritrea to Bosnia and Haiti. His Carter Centre in Atlanta sent international election-monitoring delegations to polls around the world. A Southern Baptist Sunday school teacher since his teens, Carter brought a strong sense of morality to the presidency, speaking openly about his religious faith. He also sought to take some pomp out of an increasingly imperial presidency - walking, rather than riding in a limousine, in his 1977 inauguration parade. The Middle East was the focus of Carter's foreign policy. The 1979 Egypt-Israel peace treaty, based on the 1978 Camp David accords, ended a state of war between the two neighbours. Carter brought Egyptian President Anwar Sadat and Israeli Prime Minister Menachem Begin to the Camp David presidential retreat in Maryland for talks. Later, as the accords seemed to be unravelling, Carter saved the day by flying to Cairo and Jerusalem for personal shuttle diplomacy. The treaty provided for Israeli withdrawal from Egypt's Sinai Peninsula and establishment of diplomatic relations. Begin and Sadat each won a Nobel Peace Prize in 1978. By the 1980 election, the overriding issues were double-digit inflation, interest rates that exceeded 20 percent and soaring gas prices, as well as the Iran hostage crisis that brought humiliation to America. These issues marred Carter's presidency and undermined his chances of winning a second term. Hostage crisis On 4 November, 1979, revolutionaries devoted to Iran's Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini had stormed the US Embassy in Tehran, seized the Americans present and demanded the return of the ousted shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, who was backed by the United States and was being treated in a US hospital. The American public initially rallied behind Carter. But his support faded in April 1980 when a commando raid failed to rescue the hostages, with eight US soldiers killed in an aircraft accident in the Iranian desert. Carter's final ignominy was that Iran held the 52 hostages until minutes after Reagan took his oath of office on 20 January 1981, to replace Carter, then released the planes carrying them to freedom. In another crisis, Carter protested the former Soviet Union's 1979 invasion of Afghanistan by boycotting the 1980 Olympics in Moscow. He also asked the US Senate to defer consideration of a major nuclear arms accord with Moscow. Unswayed, the Soviets remained in Afghanistan for a decade. Carter won narrow Senate approval in 1978 of a treaty to transfer the Panama Canal to the control of Panama despite critics who argued the waterway was vital to American security. He also completed negotiations on full US ties with China. Carter created two new US Cabinet departments - education and energy. Amid high gas prices, he said America's "energy crisis" was "the moral equivalent of war" and urged the country to embrace conservation. "Ours is the most wasteful nation on earth," he told Americans in 1977. In 1979, Carter delivered what became known as his "malaise" speech to the nation, although he never used that word. "After listening to the American people I have been reminded again that all the legislation in the world can't fix what's wrong with America," he said in his televised address. "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. The erosion of our confidence in the future is threatening to destroy the social and the political fabric of America." As president, the strait-laced Carter was embarrassed by the behaviour of his hard-drinking younger brother, Billy Carter, who had boasted: "I got a red neck, white socks, and Blue Ribbon beer." 'There you go again' Jimmy Carter withstood a challenge from Massachusetts Senator Edward Kennedy for the 1980 Democratic presidential nomination but was politically diminished heading into his general election battle against a vigourous Republican adversary. Reagan, the conservative who projected an image of strength, kept Carter off balance during their debates before the November 1980 election. Reagan dismissively told Carter, "There you go again," when the Republican challenger felt the president had misrepresented Reagan's views during one debate. Carter lost the 1980 election to Reagan, who won 44 of the 50 states and amassed an Electoral College landslide. James Earl Carter Jr. was born on 1 October, 1924, in Plains, Georgia, one of four children of a farmer and shopkeeper. He graduated from the U.S. Naval Academy in 1946, served in the nuclear submarine program and left to manage the family peanut farming business. He married his wife, Rosalynn, in 1946, a union he called "the most important thing in my life." They had three sons and a daughter. Carter became a millionaire, a Georgia state legislator and Georgia's governor from 1971 to 1975. He mounted an underdog bid for the 1976 Democratic presidential nomination, and out-hustled his rivals for the right to face Ford in the general election. With Walter Mondale as his vice presidential running mate, Carter was given a boost by a major Ford gaffe during one of their debates. Ford said that "there is no Soviet domination of Eastern Europe and there never will be under a Ford administration," despite decades of just such domination. Carter edged Ford in the election, even though Ford actually won more states - 27 to Carter's 23. Not all of Carter's post-presidential work was appreciated. Former President George W. Bush and his father, former President George H.W. Bush, both Republicans, were said to have been displeased by Carter's freelance diplomacy in Iraq and elsewhere. In 2004, Carter called the Iraq war launched in 2003 by the younger Bush one of the most "gross and damaging mistakes our nation ever made." He called George W. Bush's administration "the worst in history" and said Vice President Dick Cheney was "a disaster for our country." In 2019, Carter questioned Republican Donald Trump's legitimacy as president, saying "he was put into office because the Russians interfered on his behalf." Trump responded by calling Carter "a terrible president." Carter also made trips to communist North Korea. A 1994 visit defused a nuclear crisis, as President Kim Il Sung agreed to freeze his nuclear program in exchange for resumed dialogue with the United States. That led to a deal in which North Korea, in return for aid, promised not to restart its nuclear reactor or reprocess the plant's spent fuel. But Carter irked Democratic President Bill Clinton's administration by announcing the deal with North Korea's leader without first checking with Washington. In 2010, Carter won the release of an American sentenced to eight years hard labour for illegally entering North Korea. Carter wrote more than two dozen books, ranging from a presidential memoir to a children's book and poetry, as well as works about religious faith and diplomacy. His book "Faith: A Journey for All," was published in 2018. - ReutersSorber scores 22 as Georgetown beats Coppin State 83-53
It's harder now than ever to win on the PGA Tour. The depth of professional golf has only grown in recent years, and a new wave of young stars enters the sport every year and makes their mark on the PGA Tour. In 2024, there were 15-first-time winners, meaning almost 33 percent of all Tour events were won by first timers. Then there was Scottie Scheffler, who won seven PGA Tour events in addition to his win at the Olympics and Hero World Challenge. Xander Schauffele won a pair of majors. Rory McIlroy won the Wells Fargo for the fourth time. However, not every star has lifted a trophy recently. Some are adding the years since they won. Here's a look at some PGA Tour stars who are looking to end lengthy win droughts in 2025. It's coming up on two years since Burns took down good friend Scottie Scheffler in the semis at the WGC-Dell Technologies Match Play in 2023 before a thrilling final against Cam Young, but the 19th ranked golfer in the world has yet to win since. Perhaps 2025 can be the year he gets PGA Tour win No. 6. The eight-time PGA Tour winner captured the 2022 BMW Championship, defending his title at the event. But heading into 2025, Cantlay is creeping up on three years without a victory and recently fell outside of the top 10 in the OWGR for the first time since June of 2021. Finau went through a stretch in 2022-23 where he won four times in 19 starts, including three wins in a seven-start stretch the latter half of 2022. But he hasn't won since the 2023 Mexico Open and is recovering from recent knee surgery. Hovland won the FedEx Cup and Tour Championship in 2023, and since then, it has been a spiral. He missed the cut in three of the four majors in 2024, though he seemed to find his groove toward the end of the year. He recently broke his pinky toe, however, and will try to play through the pain at The Sentry. Homa won on the DP World Tour late last year and had a strong week defending earlier this month, but his last PGA Tour win came nearly two years ago at the 2023 Farmers. Perhaps the West Coast Swing can result in another win for the California kid. It's hard to believe, but Adam Scott is coming up on five years since his last PGA Tour win at the 2020 Genesis Invitational. He's ranked 18th in the world thanks to a strong stretch of golf in 2024, but does the Aussie have a few more Ws in him? Who knows what to expect from Spieth in 2025 after wrist surgery in late August. He hasn't won since the 2022 RBC Heritage, including a playoff loss to Matt Fitzpatrick in the same event a year later. Last but not least, Thomas hasn't won since capturing his second major at the 2022 PGA Championship at Southern Hills. However, of all golfers on this list, it wouldn't be a surprise to see him win early in 2025. His last two starts of 2024? T-2 at the Zozo and solo third at the Hero.Kayla Oaddams/FilmMagic have made their red carpet debut! After seven years together, the couple finally walked the carpet side-by-side at the Los Angeles premiere of Hoult's new film, Hoult, 35, channeled the trend in a chocolate brown suit, including a brown shirt and brown tie. Bryana, 31, opted for a black satin gown with a square neckline. She added a subtle pop of color with red nail polish and wore her blonde hair in loose curls. Hoult stars in the Robert Eggers-directed horror film along with Aaron Taylor-Johnson, , and . Kayla Oaddams/FilmMagic Related: Hoult seemingly confirmed that he and Holly were married at the 2024 Governors Awards in Los Angeles on Sunday, Nov. 17, when While chatting with about Holly's scared reaction to the horror flick, the actor said, "Afterwards, I remember I had my wife's nails imprinted on my hand. I was like, 'Oh my gosh, this was tense.'" Jon Kopaloff/Getty In an interview with PEOPLE, the actor said of speculation around the couple's marital status, "I think it's fairly clear." "I feel like it's fairly from my comments," he added. Hoult and Holly, a model, have been together for nearly eight years and share two kids: son , 6, and a second child born in 2022, whose name and sex have yet to be announced. In March, Hoult and son Joaquin made , sitting courtside at an Atlanta Hawks' home game against the Milwaukee Bucks. Allen Berezovsky/Getty The family keeps their private life out of the spotlight, but in December 2023, Holly made a rare post on social media about her longtime love, sharing a featuring the couple in honor of their seventh anniversary. For the upcoming holidays, Hoult looks forward to enjoying some family traditions. "I play this really silly game where you have to roll dice," the actor told E! News, "and when someone gets a six, they have to put on oven gloves, a hat, a scarf, and then grab a knife and fork and try and eat the chocolate bar, and eat as much as they can of the chocolate bar before the next person in the circle rolls a six. It's [a] fun game." is in theaters Dec. 25. Read the original article onAC Milan coach Paulo Fonseca may be done with the Rossoneri after they drew 1-1 at San Siro on Sunday against AS Roma. The Portuguese manager is expected to be sacked by the Italian club, per multiple reports , after a challenging start to the season as AC Milan are currently eighth in the standings with 27 points after 17 Serie A games. Former Porto manager Sergio Conceicao is expected to replace him, according to the reports. Conceicao reportedly agreed to join AC Milan before the AS Roma game but the decision was postponed until now. Among the reasons for the sacking, Fonseca had some issues over the past weeks with some of the key players on this roster, including winger Rafael Leao and club captain Theo Hernandez, per reports. 🔴⚫️ AC Milan are on the verge of sacking Paulo Fonseca. Final steps being discussed internally. Sérgio Conceição, ready to become the new head coach if all goes to plan. pic.twitter.com/fRfM0rSvC3 The former FC Porto manager will take charge of AC Milan and will likely coach his first game against Juventus and his son Francisco on Friday in the semifinal of the Supercoppa Italiana. Conceicao is expected to sign a deal until the end of the season with an option to extend his deal and he is likely to sign his deal before the Rossoneri travel to Saudi Arabia for the Supercoppa Italiana. Fonseca's cycle at AC Milan had some ups, including the win at the Estadio Santiago Bernabeu against Real Madrid, and also some negative moments as the fans are now putting pressure on American businessman and Rossoneri owner Gerry Cardinale. The decision to sack Fonseca would only be the latest decision that goes against what the club planned before the start of the 2024-25 season. It's now up to Conceicao to turn things around, but it's difficult to imagine that things can drastically change only with the appointment of a new head coach, not to mention, also needing American Christian Pulisic to recover from his latest injury .Analysis: Win or lose at UNC, Belichick's NFL legacy cemented
Olivia Hussey, star of the 1968 film 'Romeo and Juliet,' dies at 73ECU CB Shavon Revel Jr. declares for NFL draftMike Sielski: The Eagles are great with Jalen Hurts. They showed against the Cowboys they might be good enough without him