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“I’VE ordered champagne” were the first words Barbara Taylor Bradford said to me when I interviewed her in 2015. We met at The Dorchester, her home from home whenever she visited London , where she was holding court in a quiet corner of the swanky hotel. Dressed to the nines, with a perfectly made up face and coiffed hair that hinted at her twice-weekly visits to the stylist, she looked nothing like the 81 years old she was at the time. Barbara, who died on Sunday, aged 91 , following a short illness at her home in New York City , was every inch the best-selling author honoured by Queen Elizabeth with an OBE for her contribution to women’s literature. Clearly beloved by the hotel staff, they fussed around her, making sure she had everything she needed. And she was kind and courteous in return — as she was to all who met her. READ MORE ON CELEBS Although we had chatted on many occasions on the phone, this was the first time we had spoken face to face. You would imagine someone who had sold 90 million books — making a rumoured £160million from sales — might be bored by the interview pro­cess and give standard, predictable answers. But she was a wonderful, generous hostess and although we were there to chat about her latest release, she asked me questions and genuinely wanted to know about my life. The interview lasted well over two hours — and remains one of my favourite encounters. Most read in Celebrity Known for writing incredible sweep­ing sagas, her first novel A Woman Of Substance was published in 1979, when she was 46. It was an immediate hit. Legions of fans A rags to riches story, it told how Emma Harte, a servant in rural Yorkshire , went on to head up a huge business empire. It sold more than 30million copies and was adapted into a 1984 TV miniseries, starring Jenny Sea­grove as young Emma, Deborah Kerr as her in later life and Liam Neeson as her friend Shane “Blackie” O’Neill. It was the beginning of a career spanning more than 40 years and 40 novels — each received rapturously by her legions of adoring fans. Our latest meeting was in 2019, to talk about her book, In The Lion’s Den, but it was a very different encounter. Her beloved husband, Robert — who she met when she was 28 — had recently died from a stroke aged 92. Again, we met for tea at The Dorchester, and although she tried to put on her game face, it was clear that Barbara was utterly broken. Tears weren’t far away, as she held my hand and told me his last words to her had been, “I love you”. But despite her obvious distress, she was determined to continue making the most of her remaining years — plus Bob had told her never to stop writing so she was keen to honour his wishes. Although her books sold tens of millions of copies, making her one of the world’s wealthiest writers, and she loved her luxuries, she stayed grounded — with fish and chips her favourite meal, coated in lashings of malt vinegar. Even when she discovered her solidly working-class mum was probably the illegitimate daughter of the Marquess of Ripon, a Yorkshire aristocrat, she never took a DNA test. Yet she was rumoured to have maintained the heating of a lake at her former Connecticut home, which a farmer had installed to keep swans warm in winter. And she sold her 13-room Manhattan apartment for £6.7million in 2013 to actress Uma Thurman. But right until the end, Barbara grafted — and her work ethic was second to none. She followed a strict routine, beginning at 6am where she used a typewriter to bash out her novels. She also read the papers every day and had opinions about everything from the royals to politics and the importance of reading. It was why she was so happy to be an ambassador for charities and not-for-profit organisations including the UK’s National Literacy Trust, Literacy Partners in the US, Women In Journ­alism and Reporters Without Borders. Always a supporter of women, she twice chaired the judges for The Sunday Times Write Stuff competition which encouraged the next generation of female fiction writers. Barbara was born and bred in Leeds and came from a working-class family, who adored literature. During one of our book-related chats she told me she was “force-fed books from a very young age”, and was reading confidently by four years old. At primary school — where she was in the same class as future author and playwright Alan Bennett — she dreamed of being a writer. She had her first story published in a children’s magazine when she was ten. 'Powerhouse of glamour’ Her first job, aged 15, was in the Yorkshire Evening Post’s typing pool. Determined to follow her dream to be a reporter, she surreptitiously slipp­ed her stories into the sub-editor’s tray. When the editors realised, they pro­m­oted her and she became the paper’s only female reporter at the time. By the age of 18, she was its Woman’s Editor. While working at the paper she met a fellow journalist who she said was “lanky and dishevelled with acne”. He kept trying to talk to her, she said, even after she turned him down for a date at the cinema — it was actor Peter O’Toole. Always ambitious, Barbara moved to London aged 20 when Fleet Street called. Her career went from strength to strength and she worked as fashion editor of Woman’s Own magazine. In 1961, when she was 28, Barbara met her husband, Robert, a German- born successful American film producer. They married on Christmas Eve, 1963, and moved to New York. There, Barbara wrote for an interior decoration column that was syndicated to 183 newspapers — even though Robert was wealthy enough that she did not need to work. Her first books were about home design. They included The Complete Encyclopedia Of Homemaking Ideas in 1968. She also wrote a string of entries in the How To Be The Perfect Wife series. When A Woman Of Substance was published, Barbara was over the moon. She had the success she had always dreamed of. She said she wrote books about sexy, scrappy, hard-working women. “What I really wanted to do was to write about a very strong woman, because I’m strong,” she told an interviewer in 1983. “That doesn’t mean I’m tough or hard but I have the strength to meet adversity, not to give in,” she said. Actress Jenny Seagrove, 67, paid tribute to a “dear friend” and “powerhouse of glamour and warmth”. She said: “Success never diluted her warmth and humour or her ability to relate to everyone she met, whether a cleaner or a princess. “She never, ever forgot that she was just a girl from Yorkshire that worked hard and made good.” Charlie Redmayne, chief executive of publisher HarperCollins, said: “She was a natural storyteller, deeply proud of her Yorkshire roots. She would regale us of her time working on the Yorkshire Evening Post with fellow reporter Keith Waterhouse and Peter O’Toole, the dawn of the Soho cafe society, and the many happy years shared with the love of her life, her husband, Bob. Generous and thoughtful Other friends included Sean Connery , Christopher Plummer , Boris Johnson and Joan Rivers . She was also a huge fan of Queen Elizabeth. Maria Boyle, who worked as Barbara’s personal PR for more than 15 years, said: “Book signings were always busy, queues were guaranteed. “Fans would travel from afar, bring­ing old copies of her novels for her to sign while buying the latest release. “One American reader even brought a copy of A Woman Of Substance with a bullet hole in it. Barbara was alarmed, asked what had happened and the lady said her husband shot the book as she was reading it so much. Her books became like Bibles to many.“ When I wrote A Woman Of Substance I didn’t think, ‘I’m going to write about a woman warrior who conquers the world and smashes the glass ceiling’. But I did want to write about them in a positive way “Readers would frequently tell her their story and cite how her books changed their lives — ‘It inspired me to set up a business’, ‘It helped me through some dark times’ or ‘It gave me courage to change my career’. Barbara told one paper: “When I wrote A Woman Of Substance I didn’t sit down and think, ‘I’m going to write about a woman warrior who conquers the world and smashes the glass ceiling’. But I did want to write about women in a positive way. “At the time there were a lot of very sexy books out there but the women didn’t come out of them very well.” One of Barbara’s favourite shops in London was Fortnum & Mason and she would visit every time she was in the capital — where she would order gifts for those she worked with. And me. I wasn’t the only one to be touched by her kindness. Maria said: “Barbara gave generously. “She waived royalties, donated fees and contributed work freely. “During the pandemic , she gifted one of her books so it could be adapted for blind readers and wrote a 25,000-word short story for a national newspaper when asked for just 5,000. “In the interview which went alongside it, Barbara quoted her hero Winston Churchill , telling them to “KBO” (Keep Buggering On) — and she did that throughout her own life.” She was frequently described as the “grand dame of blockbusters”, “Queen of the genre”, and she absolutely was. My lasting memories of Barbara were she was kind, generous and thoughtful. She had an incredible work ethic and was one of those rare people who are both interested and interesting. READ MORE SUN STORIES May she rest in peace. For more on Barbara’s books, go to barbarataylorbradford.com.

Greene Jr. runs for 3 TDs, Matthews adds 134 yards and a score to lead Towson over Campbell 45-23Jimmy Carter, nation’s 39th president who became influential human rights advocate, dies

Joe Burrow threw three touchdown passes to Tee Higgins, including a game-winning scoring strike with 1:07 left in overtime, to give the host Cincinnati Bengals an electrifying 30-24 win over the Denver Broncos on Saturday. Cade York could have given Cincinnati (8-8) the win with 2:43 to go in the extra session, but his 33-yard field-goal attempt hit the left upright. The Bengals' defense buckled down, though, forcing Denver to go three-and-out to get Burrow, Higgins and the rest of the offense back out on the field. Cincinnati proceeded to go 63 yards in five plays, with Higgins' 3-yard TD catch giving the Bengals their fourth straight victory. Higgins finished with 11 catches for 131 yards. Marvin Mims Jr. forced overtime by hauling in a 25-yard score on fourth-and-1 to draw the Broncos (9-7) even at 24 with eight seconds left in regulation. Burrow had put Cincinnati in front by plunging into the end zone from 1 yard out just 1:21 earlier. Burrow completed 39 of 49 passes for 412 yards and the three touchdowns while Ja'Marr Chase had nine catches for 102 yards and set a single-season franchise record for receptions. He now has 117. Tight end Mike Gesicki played a key role in the Cincinnati passing game, grabbing a season-high 10 catches for 86 yards. Rams 13, Cardinals 9 Cornerback Ahkello Witherspoon intercepted a pass in the end zone with 37 seconds left to preserve Los Angeles' win over Arizona in Inglewood, Calif. Witherspoon made a diving catch after the ball bounced high off the helmet of Arizona tight end Trey McBride on the pass attempt by Kyler Murray. The Rams (10-6), who lead the NFC West by one game, have won five straight, while the Cardinals (7-9) have lost five of their last six. Los Angeles could clinch a playoff berth on Sunday depending on the outcome of other games. Matthew Stafford threw for 189 yards while completing 17 of 32 pass attempts without a touchdown or interception. Puka Nacua finished with 10 receptions for 129 yards. Murray was 33 of 48 for 321 yards with a touchdown and two interceptions. McBride made 12 catches for 123 yards to surpass 1,000 yards for the first time in his three NFL seasons. Chargers 40, Patriots 7 Justin Herbert passed for 281 yards and a season-high three touchdowns and Los Angeles clinched an AFC playoff berth with a dominating victory over New England in Foxborough, Mass. Ladd McConkey caught eight passes for 94 yards and two touchdowns and Derwin James had two sacks and a fumble recovery for the Chargers (10-6), who are playoff-bound in Jim Harbaugh's first season as coach. Derius Davis also had a scoring catch, J.K. Dobbins rushed for 76 yards and a touchdown on 19 carries and Cameron Dicker booted four field goals.Herbert completed 26 of 38 passes as the Chargers improved to 3-12 all-time in Foxborough, including playoffs. Drake Maye completed 12 of 22 passes for 117 yards and one touchdown for New England (3-13), which lost its sixth consecutive game. DeMario Douglas caught a scoring pass for the Patriots. -Field Level Media

By KENYA HUNTER, Associated Press ATLANTA (AP) — As she checked into a recent flight to Mexico for vacation, Teja Smith chuckled at the idea of joining another Women’s March on Washington . As a Black woman, she just couldn’t see herself helping to replicate the largest act of resistance against then-President Donald Trump’s first term in January 2017. Even in an election this year where Trump questioned his opponent’s race , held rallies featuring racist insults and falsely claimed Black migrants in Ohio were eating residents’ pets , he didn’t just win a second term. He became the first Republican in two decades to clinch the popular vote, although by a small margin. “It’s like the people have spoken and this is what America looks like,” said Smith, the Los Angeles-based founder of the advocacy social media agency, Get Social. “And there’s not too much more fighting that you’re going to be able to do without losing your own sanity.” After Trump was declared the winner over Democratic Vice President Kamala Harris , many politically engaged Black women said they were so dismayed by the outcome that they were reassessing — but not completely abandoning — their enthusiasm for electoral politics and movement organizing. Black women often carry much of the work of getting out the vote in their communities. They had vigorously supported the historic candidacy of Harris, who would have been the first woman of Black and South Asian descent to win the presidency. Harris’ loss spurred a wave of Black women across social media resolving to prioritize themselves, before giving so much to a country that over and over has shown its indifference to their concerns. AP VoteCast , a survey of more than 120,000 voters, found that 6 in 10 Black women said the future of democracy in the United States was the single most important factor for their vote this year, a higher share than for other demographic groups. But now, with Trump set to return to office in two months, some Black women are renewing calls to emphasize rest, focus on mental health and become more selective about what fight they lend their organizing power to. “America is going to have to save herself,” said LaTosha Brown, the co-founder of the national voting rights group Black Voters Matter. She compared Black women’s presence in social justice movements as “core strategists and core organizers” to the North Star, known as the most consistent and dependable star in the galaxy because of its seemingly fixed position in the sky. People can rely on Black women to lead change, Brown said, but the next four years will look different. “That’s not a herculean task that’s for us. We don’t want that title. ... I have no goals to be a martyr for a nation that cares nothing about me,” she said. AP VoteCast paints a clear picture of Black women’s concerns. Black female voters were most likely to say that democracy was the single most important factor for their vote, compared to other motivators such as high prices or abortion. More than 7 in 10 Black female voters said they were “very concerned” that electing Trump would lead the nation toward authoritarianism, while only about 2 in 10 said this about Harris. About 9 in 10 Black female voters supported Harris in 2024, according to AP VoteCast, similar to the share that backed Democrat Joe Biden in 2020. Trump received support from more than half of white voters, who made up the vast majority of his coalition in both years. Like voters overall, Black women were most likely to say the economy and jobs were the most important issues facing the country, with about one-third saying that. But they were more likely than many other groups to say that abortion and racism were the top issues, and much less likely than other groups to say immigration was the top issue. Despite those concerns, which were well-voiced by Black women throughout the campaign, increased support from young men of color and white women helped expand Trump’s lead and secured his victory. Politically engaged Black women said they don’t plan to continue positioning themselves in the vertebrae of the “backbone” of America’s democracy. The growing movement prompting Black women to withdraw is a shift from history, where they are often present and at the forefront of political and social change. One of the earliest examples is the women’s suffrage movement that led to ratification in 1920 of the 19th Amendment to the Constitution , which gave women the right to vote. Black women, however, were prevented from voting for decades afterward because of Jim Crow-era literacy tests, poll taxes and laws that blocked the grandchildren of slaves from voting. Most Black women couldn’t vote until the Voting Rights Act of 1965. Black women were among the organizers and counted among the marchers brutalized on the Edmund Pettus Bridge in Alabama, during the historic march in 1965 from Selma to Montgomery that preceded federal legislation. Decades later, Black women were prominent organizers of the Black Lives Matter movement in response to the deaths of Black Americans at the hands of police and vigilantes. In his 2024 campaign, Trump called for leveraging federal money to eliminate diversity, equity and inclusion programs in government programs and discussions of race, gender or sexual orientation in schools. His rhetoric on immigration, including false claims that Black Haitian immigrants in Springfield, Ohio, were eating cats and dogs, drove support for his plan to deport millions of people . Tenita Taylor, a Black resident of Atlanta who supported Trump this year, said she was initially excited about Harris’ candidacy. But after thinking about how high her grocery bills have been, she feels that voting for Trump in hopes of finally getting lower prices was a form of self-prioritization. “People say, ‘Well, that’s selfish, it was gonna be better for the greater good,”’ she said. “I’m a mother of five kids. ... The things that (Democrats) do either affect the rich or the poor.” Some of Trump’s plans affect people in Olivia Gordon’s immediate community, which is why she struggled to get behind the “Black women rest” wave. Gordon, a New York-based lawyer who supported the Party for Socialism and Liberation’s presidential nominee, Claudia de la Cruz, worries about who may be left behind if the 92% of Black women voters who backed Harris simply stopped advocating. “We’re talking millions of Black women here. If millions of Black women take a step back, it absolutely leaves holes, but for other Black women,” she said. “I think we sometimes are in the bubble of if it’s not in your immediate circle, maybe it doesn’t apply to you. And I truly implore people to understand that it does.” Nicole Lewis, an Alabama-based therapist who specializes in treating Black women’s stress, said she’s aware that Black women withdrawing from social impact movements could have a fallout. But she also hopes that it forces a reckoning for the nation to understand the consequences of not standing in solidarity with Black women. “It could impact things negatively because there isn’t that voice from the most empathetic group,” she said. “I also think it’s going to give other groups an opportunity to step up. ... My hope is that they do show up for themselves and everyone else.” Brown said a reckoning might be exactly what the country needs, but it’s a reckoning for everyone else. Black women, she said, did their job when they supported Harris in droves in hopes they could thwart the massive changes expected under Trump. “This ain’t our reckoning,” she said. “I don’t feel no guilt.” AP polling editor Amelia Thomson DeVeaux and Associated Press writer Linley Sanders in Washington contributed to this report. The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. The AP is solely responsible for all content.

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Home | News | Mcg Shatters 87 Year Old Record Test Attendance Stands At MCG shatters 87-year-old record, Test attendance stands at... Presence of 51,371 spectators at lunch meant the overall turnout surpassed previous high of 3,50,535 set way back during 1937 Ashes By PTI Published Date - 30 December 2024, 09:38 AM The scoreboard shows the official attendance on the last day of the fourth cricket test between Australia and India at the Melbourne Cricket Ground, Melbourne. — Photo:AP Melbourne: The all-time attendance record at the Melbourne Cricket Ground was smashed on Monday when the total attendance of the fourth Test touched an unprecedented 3,50,700. The presence of 51,371 spectators at lunch time meant the overall turnout had surpassed the previous high of 3,50,535 set way back during the 1937 Ashes when the great Don Bradman was at the peak of his powers. The number crossed the 60,000 mark post lunch on day five with India chasing a daunting 340-run target. “Day 5 current attendance is 51,371. The total attendance of 3,50,700 is the greatest for any Test match at the MCG exceeding the total of 3,50,534 v England in 1937 over 6 days. This is also the greatest attendance for any Test match played in Australia ,” said Cricket Australia in a release. The fourth Test between India and Australia has also become the second highest attended game of all time behind only the India-Pakistan game at the Eden Gardens in 1999 when the overall turnout stood at 4,65,000. It was not a record but as many as 87,242 fans watched the proceedings on day one. Day two turnout was a record with 85,147 people thronging to the stadium and so was day three when 83,073 fans walked into the iconic venue. On Sunday, the count was 43,867. All tickets for the action on Monday were priced at 10 Australian dollars. “I’ve not seen anything like it at a cricket match,” Melbourne Cricket Club boss Stuart Fox was quoted as saying by cricket.com.au. “I think that just the spirit in the stadium ... all of our staff on day one just said how happy the crowd were. I thought Taylor Swift was big, but this has been something else. Follow Us : Tags Australia BGT India Melbourne Related News Watch: Indian cricketer Nitish Kumar Reddy’s father touches Gavaskar’s feet at MCG U.S. Mission to India continues to break records in 2024 Kohli and Smith will be dangerous and hungry: Shastri 19-year-old Sam Konstas all set to make Test debut for Australia at MCG

Jim Harbaugh, Justin Herbert and the Los Angeles Chargers celebrated in the locker room Saturday after they wrapped up a playoff spot with a 40-7 victory over the New England Patriots . But even as they realized one goal by making the postseason, Harbaugh tried to keep things focused on the road ahead by stressing: “There's more to do.” The Chargers (10-6) go into the regular-season finale at Las Vegas knowing they will be at least the AFC's sixth seed and avoid a trip to Buffalo for the wild-card round. Los Angeles currently is in line to face Baltimore in a Harbaugh Bowl rematch, but it has an outside shot at the fifth seed and a trip to Houston if Cincinnati beats Pittsburgh next weekend. While Harbaugh credited his players for the turnaround from five wins last year to double-digit victories this season, Herbert gave most of it to Harbaugh and first-year general manager Joe Hortiz. “They have done such a great job of getting the right guys here. You look in the locker room and everybody plays for each other,” Herbert said. “(Harbaugh's) a competitor, and he wants to win no matter what it is. It definitely shows, and it’s the way everyone fights for him, wants to play for him, and respects him.” Harbaugh is the fifth coach in NFL history to win at least 10 games in his first season with two teams. He is also the eighth to make the playoffs in his first season with two teams. “Very little to do with me. If it goes right, then it’s our players. They’re doing a great job. It’s gone bad a couple times. That’s on me,” he said. “I’ve been drinking the Kool-Aid here from day one, I can’t give enough credit to Derwin James, Justin Herbert, and those two in particular. And Khalil Mack and Rashawn Slater. I mean, stalwarts. Brad Bozeman has come in. He’s been a stalwart. There’s a bunch. There’s probably, like — I counted it up early. There was maybe 15, 15 stalwarts that we had, and it’s grown since then.” Even though the Chargers are 3-5 against teams with winning records at the time they've played them, they are 7-1 against teams that were at or under .500. Four of those wins against opponents with losing records have come by at least 17 points, the first time since 2017 the Bolts have won that many games by as big a margin. Since halftime of their Dec. 19 game against Denver, the Chargers have outscored the Broncos and Patriots 61-13 over six quarters. “That’s the type of football we want to be playing in December, January, and hopefully on. That’s the type of football you want to be playing, especially in these big games like that. It was really good to see,” Herbert said. What’s working Offensive coordinator Greg Roman has said throughout the season it's tough to use the full playbook when the Chargers have short drives. They came into Saturday's game ranked 26th with only 23 possessions of at least 10 plays, but they had four against the Patriots, leading to three touchdowns and a field goal. It was the first time since Week 10 last season against Detroit they have had at least four drives of double-digit plays. What needs help Kickoff return coverage. The Chargers have allowed nine kick returns of at least 30 yards, eighth most in the league. New England's Alex Erickson had three returns for 90 yards, including 34 and 31 yards. Stock up RB J.K. Dobbins was activated off injured reserve and provided a boost to the offense with 76 yards on 19 carries and a touchdown. Dobbins, who missed four games due to a knee injury, has set career highs in scrimmage yards (983) and rushing yards (842) in his first season with the Chargers. Stock down WR D.J. Chark was targeted four times but didn't have a catch. Chark was signed during the offseason to provide experience and speed to a young receiver group. However, he missed the first half of the season with a hip injury and has played sparingly since his return. He has three receptions on the season. Injuries Three starters — RB Gus Edwards (ankle), LB Denzel Perryman (groin) and OG Trey Pipkins (hip) — were inactive. WR Joshua Palmer (heel) and DB Elijah Molden (shin) were injured in the second half. Key numbers 77 and 1,054 — Receptions and receiving yards by Ladd McConkey, both records for a Chargers rookie. 5 — Consecutive seasons by Herbert with at least 3,000 passing yards and 20 touchdown passes, tied with Peyton Manning and Russell Wilson for the most to start a career. 2 — Sacks by Derwin James Jr. against the Patriots, the first time in the safety's seven-year career he has had multiple sacks in a game. What’s next The Chargers go for their first season sweep of the Raiders since 2018 in the regular-season finale. ___ AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/NFL Joe Reedy, The Associated Press

Jimmy Carter, the former U.S. president known as a champion of international human rights both during and after his White House tenure, has died at 100. Carter won the Nobel Peace Prize in 2002 for his lifetime of dedication to fighting human rights causes. Carter’s death was also announced by the Carter Center on X, which posted “Our founder, former U.S. President Jimmy Carter, passed away this afternoon in Plains, Georgia.” “Hillary and I mourn the passing of President Jimmy Carter and give thanks for his long, good life,” former President Bill Clinton and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said in a joint statement in reaction to Carter’s death, in part. “Guided by his faith, President Carter lived to serve others – until the very end ... he worked tirelessly for a better, fairer world.” Carter had endured several health challenges in recent years. In 2019, he underwent surgery after breaking his hip in a fall. Four years earlier, Carter was diagnosed with metastatic melanoma that had spread to his brain, though just months later, he announced that he no longer needed treatment due to a new type of cancer therapy he’d been receiving. Carter turned 100 years old on Oct. 1, 2024, an occasion that was celebrated with events both at the Carter Center in Atlanta, and in Carter’s Plains, Georgia hometown, though Carter himself was by that time too frail to attend them. The son of a Georgia peanut farmer, Jimmy Carter first appeared on the national political scene in 1976 with a toothy grin and the simple words that would become his trademark: “My name is Jimmy Carter, and I’m running for president.” Among his administration’s most notable achievements were the Camp David Accords, which Carter brokered between Israeli Prime Minister Menachem Begin and Egyptian President Anwar Sadat in 1978, and that led to the Egypt-Israel Peace Treaty the following year. Carter’s time in office also saw the first efforts toward developing a U.S. policy for energy independence. However, the Iran hostage crisis, in which 52 Americans were held hostage in Iran for a total 444 days, beginning Nov. 4, 1979, battered Carter’s 1980 reelection campaign. He won just six states and the District of Columbia, for a total of 49 electoral votes compared to Republican challenger Ronald Reagan’s 489 electoral votes. Reagan also defeated Carter by more than eight million ballots in the popular vote. Though political pundits of the era predicted he would be remembered as an average, one-term president, it’s often been observed that Carter’s reputation became more distinguished after he left the White House. He continued to champion international human rights and peace efforts, prompting Time magazine to declare in 1989, just eight years after the end of his presidency, that Carter “may be the best former president America has ever had. Carter “redefined the meaning and purpose of the modern ex-presidency,” Time wrote. “While Reagan peddles his time and talents to the highest bidder and Gerald Ford perfects his putt, Carter, like some jazzed superhero, circles the globe at 30,000 feet, seeking opportunities to Do Good.” Faasalalauga Tāua – Public Notices Author Recent Posts Former US President Jimmy Carter Dies at 100 - December 30, 2024 South Korea plane crash kills 179 in one of country’s worst aviation disasters - December 30, 2024 NZ:Hero mum dies saving daughter and nephew from rip at a Northland Beach - December 28, 2024 RELATED ARTICLES MORE FROM AUTHOR South Korea plane crash kills 179 in one of country’s worst aviation disasters A Beautiful Christmas Message from His Highness the Head of State of Samoa St Joseph’s College Appoints New Principal LEAVE A REPLYMitsui O.S.K. Lines, Ltd. announced that it has decided to introduce a special incentive program to provide group employees with opportunities to acquire the company’s shares. This is aimed at enhancing MOL Group employees’ sense of participation in management and engagement by supporting the medium- to long-term asset formation. Under the program, special incentive payment for purchasing shares of MOL common share will be granted through the “MOL Employee Shareholding Association” to the members of the association. The MOL Group grants incentives to its members with the intention of helping employees build assets through the ownership of the company’s shares, and helping each individual to work with job satisfaction on a daily basis. It will further promote this concept by offering a special incentive grant equivalent to about 30 shares per person to all members who fulfill the conditions for the grant and purchase our shares on the stock market through the association. This program is designed to raise employees’ awareness of the need to participate in management and to improve their engagement with the group’s overall business. The company believes that encouraging employees who have not yet joined the association to join will help more employees to share with shareholders their awareness of medium- to long-term enhancement of corporate value. The MOL Group promotes “human capital management,” which views personnel as “capital” and maximizes its value to enhance corporate value over the medium- to long-term, and the share grant program is an initiative that will enhance human capital management and ultimately improve corporate value. (1) The MOL Group will provide special incentive payments to members. (2) Members contribute the special incentive funds to the shareholding association. (3) The shareholding association collects the special incentive funds contributed by the members and acquires the company’s shares in the market. (4) The acquired shares are allocated to and managed by the members of the shareholding association through the securities companies to which the association has entrusted its shareholding operations. In conjunction with the introduction of this program, the group will provide a special incentive payment equivalent to 30 shares for each member, and the shareholding association will use the funds to purchase the company’s shares on the market and grant them to the members. (The grant will be completed in March 2026). The recipients of the special incentive grants must be employees and members of the MOL Group as of a record date to be determined by MOL between March 2025 and February 2026. The outline of the shareholding association subject to the program is as follows (1) Name: MOL Employee Shareholding Association (2) Location: 1-1, Toranomon 2-chome, Minato-ku, Tokyo (3) Chairman: Shoichi Kataoka (4) Number of shares held: 2,003,711 shares (as of September 30, 2024) (5) Percentage of shares held: 0.55% (as a percentage of the number of shares issued) This program is intended for the MOL group located in Japan. However, we are also considering initiatives to promote human capital management, as we envision it, for our group companies located overseas. The introduction of this program will have a negligible impact on the MOL Group’s consolidated business performance. Source: Mitsui O.S.K. Lines

U.S. stock indexes drifted lower following some potentially discouraging data on the economy. The S&P 500 fell 0.5% Thursday, its third loss in the last four days. The Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 0.5%, and the Nasdaq composite dropped 0.7% from its record set the day before. A report earlier in the morning said more U.S. workers applied for unemployment benefits last week than forecast. A separate update showed that inflation at the wholesale level was hotter last month than economists expected. Adobe sank after issuing weaker-than-expected financial forecasts. Treasury yields rose in the bond market. On Thursday: The S&P 500 fell 32.94 points, or 0.5%, to 6,051.25. The Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 234.44 points, or 0.5%, to 43,914.12. The Nasdaq composite fell 132.05 points, or 0.7%, to 19,902.84. The Russell 2000 index of smaller companies fell 33.08 points, or 1.4%, to 2,361.08. For the week: The S&P 500 is down 39.02 points, or 0.6%. The Dow is down 728.40 points, or 1.6%. The Nasdaq is up 43.07 points, or 0.2%. The Russell 2000 is down 47.91 points, or 2%. For the year: The S&P 500 is up 1,281.42 points, or 26.9%. The Dow is up 6,224.58 points, or 16.5%. The Nasdaq is up 4,891.49 points, or 32.6%. The Russell 2000 is up 334.01 points, or 16.5%.

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NEW YORK (AP) — U.S. stocks climbed Thursday after market superstar Nvidia and another round of companies said they’re making even fatter profits than expected. The S&P 500 pulled 0.5% higher after flipping between gains and losses several times during the day. Banks, smaller companies and other areas of the stock market that tend to do best when the economy is strong helped lead the way, while bitcoin briefly broke above $99,000. Crude oil, meanwhile, continued to rise. The Dow Jones Industrial Average jumped 461 points, or 1.1%, and the Nasdaq composite edged up by less than 0.1%. Nvidia rose just 0.5% after beating analysts’ estimates for profit and revenue yet again, but it was still the strongest force pulling the S&P 500 upward. It also gave a forecast for revenue in the current quarter that topped most analysts’ expectations due to voracious demand for its chips used in artificial-intelligence technology. Its stock initially sank in afterhours trading Wednesday following the release of the results. Some investors said the market might have been looking for Nvidia’s revenue forecast to surpass expectations by even more. But its stock recovered in premarket trading Thursday, and Wedbush analyst Dan Ives said it was another “flawless” profit report provided by Nvidia and CEO Jensen Huang, whom Ives calls “the Godfather of AI.” The stock meandered through Thursday as well, dragging the S&P 500 and other indexes back and forth. How Nvidia’s stock performs has more impact than any other because it’s grown into Wall Street’s most valuable company at roughly $3.6 trillion. The frenzy around AI is sweeping up other stocks, and Snowflake jumped 32.7% after reporting stronger results for the latest quarter than analysts expected. The company, whose platform helps customers get a better view of all their silos of data and use AI, also reported stronger revenue growth than expected. BJ’S Wholesale Club rose 8.3% after likewise delivering a bigger profit than expected. That may help calm worries about how resilient U.S. shoppers can remain, given high prices across the economy and still-high interest rates. A day earlier, Target tumbled after reporting sluggish sales in the latest quarter and giving a dour forecast for the holiday shopping season. It followed Walmart , which gave a much more encouraging outlook. Nearly 90% of the stocks in the S&P 500 ended up rising Thursday, and the gains were even bigger among smaller companies. The Russell 2000 index of smaller stocks jumped a market-leading 1.7%. Google’s parent company, Alphabet, helped keep indexes in check. It fell 4.7% after U.S. regulators asked a judge to break up the tech giant by forcing it to sell its industry-leading Chrome web browser. In a 23-page document filed late Wednesday, the U.S. Department of Justice called for sweeping punishments that would include restrictions preventing Android from favoring its own search engine. Regulators stopped short of demanding Google sell Android but left the door open to it if the company’s oversight committee continues to see evidence of misconduct. All told, the S&P 500 rose 31.60 points to 5,948.71. The Dow jumped 461.88 to 43,870.35, and the Nasdaq composite added 6.28 to 18,972.42. In the crypto market, bitcoin eclipsed $99,000 for the first time before pulling back toward $98,000, according to CoinDesk. It’s more than doubled so far this year, and its climb has accelerated since Election Day. President-elect Donald Trump has pledged to make the country “the crypto capital of the planet” and create a “strategic reserve” of bitcoin. Bitcoin got a further boost after Gary Gensler, the chair of the Securities and Exchange Commission, said Thursday he would step down in January . Gensler has pushed for more protections for crypto investors. Bitcoin and related investment have a notorious history of big price swings in both directions. MicroStrategy, a company that’s been raising cash expressly to buy bitcoin, saw an early Thursday gain of 14.6% for its stock quickly disappear. It finished the day with a loss of 16.2%. In the oil market, a barrel of benchmark U.S. crude rose 2% to bring its gain for the week to 4.8%. Brent crude, the international standard, climbed 1.8%. Oil has been rising amid escalations in the Russia-Ukraine war. In stock markets abroad, shares of India’s Adani Enterprises plunged 22.6% Thursday after the U.S. charged founder Gautam Adani in a federal indictment with securities fraud and conspiracy to commit securities and wire fraud. The businessman and one of the world’s richest people is accused of concealing that his company’s huge solar energy project on the subcontinent was being facilitated by an alleged bribery scheme. Stock indexes elsewhere in Asia and Europe were mixed. In the bond market, the yield on the 10-year Treasury inched up to 4.43% from 4.41% late Wednesday following some mixed reports on the U.S. economy. One said fewer U.S. workers applied for unemployment benefits last week in the latest signal that the job market remains solid. Another report, though, said manufacturing in the mid-Atlantic region unexpectedly shrank. Sales of previously occupied homes, meanwhile, strengthened last month by more than expected. AP Business Writers Matt Ott and Yuri Kageyama contributed.Hypocrite Alert: Stanford Prof Accused of Using AI to Write Legal Document Attacking AI-Generated Deepfakes