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Aden Holloway established career highs of 26 points and eight 3-pointers to help No. 5 Alabama roll to a 105-82 nonconference victory over South Dakota State on Sunday at Tuscaloosa, Ala. Freshman Labaron Philon had the best game of his young career with 21 points and six assists for the Crimson Tide (11-2). Mark Sears had 20 points, including 6-for-14 3-point shooting. Grant Nelson added 17 points and eight rebounds and scored the game's first eight points. Alabama coach Nate Oats has sometimes been critical of his squad's defensive effort and the second half against the Jackrabbits will provide more fuel for that concern. Alabama did connect on a season-best 19 3-point shots but also attempted 55 long-range shots (34.5 percent). The Tide also saw South Dakota State put up 49 points in the second half to keep the score relatively competitive. Alabama claimed a fifth straight win with its third 100-plus point performance of the season. South Dakota State (9-6) was led by Washington State transfer Oscar Cluff, who had 21 points and 15 rebounds, including seven offensive boards. The Jackrabbits connected on 11-for-26 3-point shooting (42.3 percent), with guard Isaac Lindsey scoring 11 points, including 3-for-6 on 3-point tries. After Nelson's personal 8-0 run to open the game, South Dakota State pulled with 16-14 on a shot by William Whorton with 11:45 to play in the opening half. But Alabama then broke the game open, going on a 24-3 run culminating in a Holloway 3-pointer to give the Tide a 40-17 edge with 7:37 left in the opening half. South Dakota State trailed 57-33 at halftime, but played a much more competitive second half offensively by connecting on 17 of 33 shots (51.5 percent). Alabama will open 2025 with a home game against No. 12 Oklahoma on Saturday. South Dakota State will host Summit Conference opponent Denver on Thursday. --Field Level MediaIt was 2019 when Tanner Morris and Taurus Jones first arrived on campus as members of the James Madison football program. Morris was set to join an experienced offensive line while Jones was slotting in at linebacker. Both freshmen were ready to join an FCS powerhouse in the Dukes. In hindsight, so much has changed about the program since the two first arrived as true freshmen. Curt Cignetti, who’s now at Indiana, was in his first season as JMU’s head coach. Ben DiNucci was preparing for his second year as the Dukes’ starting quarterback and there was no solidified plan to move to the FBS. Now, after six seasons, the pair has just one game left in Bridgeforth Stadium. “A little surreal, a little bittersweet,” Morris said. “It’s been a long time coming. I feel like, I mean, I’ve been here for six years. I feel like I’ve given everything I’ve got to this university.” Through the first five years with the Dukes, there was a trip to the FCS National Championship, multiple playoff runs and a successful transition to the FBS level. As Jones and Morris were nearing the end of last season and turning their sights on their final year of college football, a coaching change happened. The departure of Cignetti and the arrival of first-year JMU head coach Bob Chesney brought new faces and different practices. For Morris, he welcomed the change. He said he viewed a coaching switch as a learning opportunity on how to handle change in life. For Jones, he said he was weighing his options. He knew what he had at JMU, but decided to enter the transfer portal to see what other opportunities were out there. While Jones did enter the portal, the Dukes stayed present in his mind. “The family, the tight-knit group, the football atmosphere, the fans, the school, everything about it — you don’t get this anywhere else in the country,” Jones said. “You got P4 schools, you got other Group of Five schools, other Sun Belt schools, but JMU, it’s a very special place. And you hear it multiple times, but it’s true when we say that.” JMU has won a lot while Jones and Morris have been on the roster. Since the start of the 2019 season, the Dukes are 60-13 with only three of those losses coming in Bridgeforth Stadium. While there have been big wins like the Dukes’ 70-50 triumph over North Carolina earlier this season or the program’s first-ever win as an FBS program in the season opener in 2022, those aren’t what stick out to Jones. It’s the people. “We won a bunch of games, but the best memories are probably in the locker room,” Jones said. “Joking, laughing with the guys. Every day it’s something new. It’s really something new that you will find funny in there. Those guys are clowns — really.” Jones and Morris have both been around to help make sure the culture of JMU football remains intact even as coaches and players depart the program. There was a standard before they arrived in Harrisonburg and they want to make sure it remains long after they leave, too. When Morris hangs up his helmet for the final time at JMU, he has a few things he wants to be remembered for — all of which play into the standard that’s been set in Harrisonburg. As a football player, he wants to leave a legacy that he was a “student of the game.” Off the field, Morris wants his teammates to remember him as a good person. “Someone that they could approach and have a conversation with, and I would listen no matter what their issues are,” Morris said. “They could come to me with problems that are on or off the field, and I’d be there for them.” In his first season leading the Dukes, Chesney found leadership in players like Morris and Jones. As two sixth-year seniors, Chesney said they both understand the idea of “finality.” There’s no next season for Morris and Jones. They have two games left in a JMU jersey, and just one left in Harrisonburg. Their understanding that time is running out is something Chesney believes is good for younger players. “I think as freshmen and sophomores, it’s the same thing with any high schooler or any freshman in college, you just think four years is so far away,” Chesney said. “You get to be a senior and you walk out there and that is your final year, you certainly understand it. So that group has to be the ones to sort of carry the torch, but also to educate the younger guys that eventually you will be in our shoes and it goes a lot quicker than you think.” Morris and Jones will lead the Dukes into Bridgeforth Stadium one last time on Saturday when the Dukes face off with Marshall. The game is scheduled for 8 p.m. and will air nationally on ESPNU. “It’s been a long six years,” Jones said. “Gave a lot to this program, thankful for everything that it has brought me, excited to go out there and play with the guys on this field one last time.”
SPRINGFIELD — In the days after former President Donald Trump was reelected, Illinois Democrats’ raised alarms about the ramifications of his second term and said they would consider whether the state needs to strengthen any of its progressive laws on reproductive rights and other issues that might be threatened by an unfriendly White House. But the Democratic-led Illinois General Assembly adjourned its final session of the year without taking any meaningful steps in that direction, with some lawmakers saying more time is needed to consider what might be done. Republicans countered by accusing Democrats of considering legislation based only on assumptions about potential actions by the Trump administration. During their five-day fall veto session — legislators left town a day early in the first week — lawmakers did pass a measure to phase out a subminimum wage for people with disabilities, and moved forward on another aimed at making it easier for the state’s child welfare system to have a child’s family member serve as their legal guardian. Some bigger issues were pushed into next year, among them legislation adjusting the state’s pension system and a proposal to consolidate the Chicago area’s transit agencies. Following a lame duck session scheduled for Jan. 2-7, a new General Assembly will be seated on Jan. 8, and after that Gov. JB Pritzker and lawmakers will also need to confront a projected budget shortfall of nearly $3.2 billion for next year’s state budget. Pritzker last week announced he was part of an initiative called Governors Safeguarding Democracy with Colorado Gov. Jared Polis to leverage states’ rights against threats following Trump’s reelection. But Pritzker didn’t go the route of California Gov. Gavin Newsom, who directly asked his state’s general assembly to address Trump’s election in a special legislative session next month. Illinois’ Democratic lawmakers said figuring out exactly what to do will take some time, and that the just-completed session simply provided an opportunity to get discussions started. “So many people that we legislators represent, including ourselves, have so much anxiety about changes to come due to the incoming administration and we don’t know immediately what we can do in the state legislative arena, but we are already listening, talking about it and planning for it,” said Rep. Lindsey LaPointe, a Democrat from Chicago’s Northwest Side. “Those are complicated issues and once we start putting stuff on paper and talking about it publicly, we have to get it right.” Some of the issues being explored are in the areas of environmental protections, immigration and health care access, along with abortion, LGBTQ+ and workers’ rights. State Rep. Lindsey LaPointe, 19th District, speaks during a community violence intervention news conference at the Institute for Nonviolence Chicago in the Austin neighborhood on June 17, 2024. (Eileen T. Meslar/Chicago Tribune) State Rep. Bob Morgan, a Democrat from Deerfield, believes he and his colleagues will be working on issues that address “preemptive, proactive protections” for Illinoisans. Morgan, who has a special interest in gun safety issues following a deadly mass shooting in his district at the 2022 Fourth of July parade in Highland Park, questioned whether President Joe Biden’s Office of Gun Violence Prevention would be on the chopping block and how that would affect Illinois. “When we start talking about policy to keep people safe, it really puts the pressure on states like Illinois to really figure out what can we do to reduce gun violence, and the opportunity to rely on the federal government will no longer be there,” Morgan said. Morgan was a main sponsor of Illinois’ sweeping gun ban that took effect in January 2023, but earlier this month was ruled unconstitutional by a federal judge who was appointed to the bench during Trump’s first term. House Republican leader Tony McCombie, who has been critical of the Democratic call for a legislative response to Trump’s approaching presidency, said Thursday she was against having a lame duck session if the Democrats don’t intend to to pass any meaningful measures. “We do not need more time for out-of-touch Democrats to dream up harmful legislation,” said McCombie, of Savanna. “We need bipartisan legislation that focuses on the issues Illinois families care about most.” Republican Rep. Charlie Meier said Democrats shouldn’t be changing laws or passing laws “just because America’s doing what America does” by electing a new president. “They’re going to try to think what he might do before he even does it to create another law on the Illinois citizens that we may not need,” said Meier, of Okawville. “We are a state that has written so many laws, so many rules, that we are about the worst in unemployment in the country.” State Rep. Charlie Meier, R-Highland, speaks during Republican Day at the DuQuoin State Fair, Aug. 29, 2023. (E. Jason Wambsgans/Chicago Tribune) Among the measures lawmakers did move to Pritzker’s desk during the brief session was a heavily debated bill to phase out subminimum wage for disabled workers over the next five years. Federal law allows some employers to pay disabled workers less than minimum wage. In Illinois, some disabled workers are paid less than a dollar an hour, according to the bill’s advocates. Erin Compton, a student who identified as having an intellectual disability, testified in favor of the bill in committee, saying she has held several jobs including in research and as a ticket scanner for the Cubs. “Some people say that having a job isn’t for me, because I’m not smart enough or good enough to work, but I was given opportunities to work in the community and have to have a fair wage,” Compton said. Pritzker praised the legislation, calling it an “unprecedented, crucial leap forward” for disabled people to earn a fair wage. “Far too often, people with disabilities still endure barriers to employment and discrimination in the workplace,” he said in a statement. “Many are paid subminimum wages that devalue their contributions and diminish their likelihood to secure meaningful work and participate in other life-enhancing activities.” While the bill passed with bipartisan support, opponents including Republican Sen. Chapin Rose of Mahomet warned it could lead to a loss of opportunities for some disabled people. Another measure that has bipartisan support provides additional incentives for relatives of children in the care of the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services to maintain a home for the youths as an alternative to the children being placed in foster care with nonfamily members. It passed with no opposition in the Senate on Thursday after passing 113-0 in the House last spring. But because of an amendment that was attached to the bill by the Senate, it has to go back to the House for what will likely be the bill’s final vote. The legislation requires DCFS to seek federal funding to start a “kinship navigator program” to assist relatives who are caregivers with the agency and increase financial support to those relatives. According to the American Civil Liberties Union of Illinois, which pushed for the measure, more than 10,000 children in DCFS care live with relatives, but over 60% of these caregivers are denied the foster care benefits necessary to care for a youth being placed in their household because state law requires them to meet complex standards that were put in place decades ago. “Current licensing procedures create unnecessary roadblocks to financial assistance for relatives serving as caregivers,” Sen. Mattie Hunter, a Chicago Democrat who was a chief sponsor of the measure, said in a statement. “Research shows children are better off when they can maintain connections to their families and traditions. We need to provide these families with the support they need to make this possible.” The veto session was also an opportunity for lobbyists, unions and other advocates to make last-minute pushes to get their bill proposals on lawmakers’ agendas. On the second day of the veto session, thousands descended on the state Capitol for a rally highlighting their concerns over changes made to Illinois’ beleaguered pension system 13 years ago. Workers hired after Jan. 1, 2011, were placed into a “Tier 2” system that offered reduced benefits compared with other employees hired before that date. The overall goal of creating the Tier 2 plan was to shrink a pension debt that now runs to about $141 billion. But benefits paid out under the Tier 2 system at some point won’t equal to what Social Security would provide to those employees, a violation of a federal “safe harbor” law. This would require Illinois to pay large sums in Social Security taxes instead of operating its own pension system which, while still costly, allows the state more flexibility. At the rally, proponents cheered and bellowed chants calling for equality in the state’s pension system. “We are union people. We believe people doing the same job, a fair day’s work, deserve a fair day’s pay, whether that’s in your paycheck, your benefits or your retirement security in a pension,” Pat Devaney, secretary-treasurer of the Illinois AFL-CIO, said to the crowd. “So what happened over the years? Politicians, state governments, local governments came up with schemes to underfund the pensions, take pension holidays, use other gimmicks to cause stress in the system.” The state’s perennial pension problems are among several budgetary matters that will likely be taken up in the coming months by the legislature, along with how to deal with a $730 million fiscal cliff for Chicago-area public transit once federal pandemic aid dries up in early 2026 and whether to set aside more state funding for Chicago’s public school system. Other unresolved issues include gun safety measures that Democrats haven’t been able to bring over the finish line. Legislation often referred to as “Karina’s Bill,” named after Chicago resident Karina Gonzalez, who, along with her 15-year-old daughter, was shot and killed by her husband last year, would require police to remove guns from people who have orders of protection against them, clarifying when and how authorities can confiscate such firearms. As it stands, firearms aren’t always taken from people in those situations even if the firearm owner’s identification card is revoked. Illinois lawmakers could weigh a proposal to create a statewide office to help under-resourced public defenders. One of the proposal’s goals is to address the lack of public defense resources in rural areas, many of which don’t even have a public defender’s office. The measure also seeks to address disparities in the resources allotted to county prosecutors and public defenders. For example, Cook County’s 2024 budget provided about $102 million for its public defender’s office, and about $205 million for its state’s attorney’s office. Other unresolved issues range from whether to allow all dispensaries to sell medical cannabis to legalizing medical aid in dying, often referred to as physician-assisted suicide or medically assisted death. This proposal would give mentally competent, terminally ill adults the right to choose to end their lives by allowing these patients the right to access life-ending prescription medication.
Former MLA calls for action on Chronic Wasting DiseaseBreastfeeding can be hard and lonely. These women are trying to change that | CNN Business
Tesla loses bid to restore Musk’s $56bn pay packageis making significant improvements in the base version of its upcoming Galaxy S25, offering more RAM and storage compared to its predecessor, the . This news comes as a relief to many fans and tech enthusiasts who were disappointed with the Galaxy S24’s base model specifications. Galaxy S24’s Shortcomings in RAM and Storage The Galaxy S24, which was launched in January 2024, came with 8GB of RAM and 128GB of storage in its base model. While these specs are decent for a mid-range phone, they lagged behind those of competing flagship devices. Many rival phones from other manufacturers now offer base versions with 12GB of RAM and 256GB of storage, or even more. As a result, Samsung’s previous offering felt somewhat underwhelming, especially for a high-end device. According to a recent rumour from a , the Galaxy S25 will come with 12GB of RAM and 256GB of storage as standard in its base version. This marks a significant upgrade over the Galaxy S24 and brings the S25 more in line with its competitors. The increase in RAM has already been confirmed by a benchmark run last month, adding credibility to these claims. This improvement will likely be welcomed by consumers. More RAM generally leads to better multitasking performance, while increased storage offers more space for apps, photos, and videos. The combination of 12GB RAM and 256GB storage should make the base Galaxy S25 much more competitive in the flagship smartphone market. In addition to the base model’s upgrade, another rumour suggests that the Galaxy S25 Ultra, Samsung’s top-tier version, will feature 16GB of RAM across all its variants. This would further position the Galaxy S25 Ultra as a powerhouse. It should cater to users who need the highest performance for gaming, productivity, and multimedia tasks. Samsung needs to raise the bar with its flagship phones to keep up with its rivals. Chinese brands have been offering higher RAM and storage in their devices for some time. Thus, these upgrades would help Samsung’s Galaxy S25 better match, if not exceed, the standards set by its rivals. Nevertheless, these rumours should be taken with caution. The rumoured upgrades for the Galaxy S25 mark a significant step forward for Samsung. The company looks to address the criticisms of its Galaxy S24 model. Samsung is gearing up to compete more aggressively in the in 2025. The 12GB RAM and 256GB of storage in the base model with the promise of more powerful specs is intriguing. If these rumours turn out to be true, the Galaxy S25 will be a welcome upgrade. It will be useful for those seeking top-tier performance and storage capacity in their next smartphone.
Lori Falce: The time I met Jimmy Carter
U.S. stocks closed at more records after Donald Trump’s latest talk about tariffs created only some ripples on Wall Street. The S&P 500 rose 0.6% to reach another all-time high. The Dow Jones Industrial Average added 0.3% to its own record set the day before, while the Nasdaq composite rose 0.6% as Big Tech stocks helped lead the way. Stock markets abroad saw mostly modest losses, after President-elect Trump said he plans to impose sweeping tariffs on Mexico, Canada and China as soon as he takes office. U.S. automakers and other companies that could be hurt particularly by such tariffs fell. On Tuesday: The S&P 500 rose 34.26 points, or 0.6%, to 6,021.63. The Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 123.74 points, or 0.3%, to 44,860.31. The Nasdaq composite rose 119.46 points, or 0.6%, to 19,174.30. The Russell 2000 index of smaller companies fell 17.72 points, or 0.7%, to 2,424.31. For the week: The S&P 500 is up 52.29 points, or 0.9%. The Dow is up 563.80 points, or 1.3%. The Nasdaq is up 170.65 points, or 0.9%. The Russell 2000 is up 17.64 points, or 0.7%. For the year: The S&P 500 is up 1,251.80 points, or 26.2%. The Dow is up 7,170.77 points, or 19%. The Nasdaq is up 4,162.95 points, or 27.7%. The Russell 2000 is up 397.23 points, or 19.6%.Stock market enters final stretch of 2024: What to know this weekNone
Wildlife TV presenter Chris Packham and former Green Party MP Caroline Lucas have quit as president and vice-president of the RSPCA after a campaign group alleged animal cruelty at some of the charity's approved list of abattoirs. Animal Rising released footage from facilities as part of its investigation into the RSPCA's "Assured Scheme" which certifies farms, food producers and food retailers that meet its specific animal welfare standards. In response, the RSPCA said it takes allegations of poor animal welfare "incredibly seriously". The charity said it was "simply not true" that it had not taken urgent action, adding unannounced visits had been significantly increased, and use of bodyworn cameras and CCTV was also being explored. In its most recent investigation, Animal Rising singled out four abattoirs where it said "experts found systemic animal cruelty". It said its investigators had found that "in one slaughterhouse 85% of pigs were stunned incorrectly, leaving animals conscious during slaughter, and in another 96% of cows were prodded with an electric goad, a practice banned by the RSPCA, and 46% of cows showed clear signs of panic or escape behaviours. "There was also frequent verbal and physical abuse from workers, and animals watching in terror and panic as other animals were killed or stunned in front of them." In a statement posted on Animal Rising's website, Packham said he was prioritising his "love for animals above all else" and was stepping down immediately, following the "irrefutable evidence of abuse uncovered". He accused the RSPCA of making "no meaningful change" after "years of raising concerns about salmon farming and tirelessly pushing for reform within the Assured Schemes". "I believe the charity has lost sight of its mandate to protect all animals from cruelty and suffering," he added. In a separate statement, Lucas said: "The recent horrific revelations of abuse at RSPCA-approved slaughterhouses, filmed undercover by Animal Rising, were the final straw for me. "The systemic cruelty exposed was unbearable to witness. "While the RSPCA's response was to suspend the implicated facilities and launch yet another investigation, they failed to confront the deeper flaws of the scheme itself. "This approach not only fails to uphold their own standards but also risks misleading the public and legitimising cruelty." In a statement, the RSPCA said: "We agree with Chris and Caroline on so many issues and have achieved so much together for animals but we differ on how best to address the incredibly complex and difficult issue of farmed animal welfare. "We have discussed our work to drive up farmed animal welfare standards openly at length with them on many occasions and it is simply not true that we have not taken urgent action. "We took allegations of poor welfare incredibly seriously, launching an independent review of 200 farms which concluded that it was 'operating effectively' to improve animal welfare. "We are taking strong steps to improve oversight of welfare, implementing the recommendations in full including significantly increasing unannounced visits, and exploring technology such as bodyworn cameras and CCTV, supported by £2m of investment."Liverpool star fires warning to teammates ahead of Southampton game - 90min UK
German Q3 GDP downgraded
Saturday, December 21, 2024 HAECO is thrilled to reveal its collaboration with the City of Dallas for the relocation to a modern, 290,000-square-foot facility.Set to begin operations in January 2025, this move will generate numerous job opportunities in the area and substantially bolster HAECO’s capabilities in the industrialization and repair of next-generation aircraft engines. This strategic relocation represents a key milestone in HAECO’s growth within the engine business. The new facility will expand production capacity and allow the company to meet the increasing demand for advanced aircraft engine repair services. Equipped with state-of-the-art manufacturing and engineering technologies, the facility will reinforce HAECO’s position as a frontrunner in the competitive aviation industry. “This project is bringing new, high-paying and high-skill aviation repair jobs into Dallas,” said Councilmember Omar Narvaez (District 6), a member of the City Council’s Economic Development Committee. “I appreciate HAECO’s selection of Dallas and commitment to Dallas hiring.” “We are thrilled to be partnering with the City of Dallas in this exciting venture,” said James Clarke , Executive Vice President of HAECO Global Engine Support. “This new location represents a tremendous opportunity for growth, both for our company and for the local community. It will bring high-quality jobs and support the development of cutting-edge technology that will shape the future of aviation. Working with the leadership of the City’s business development group within the Office of Economic Development has been an extremely positive experience.” HAECO expects the expansion to create more than 100 new job opportunities locally, boosting the regional economy and benefiting surrounding businesses. Alongside strengthening its operational capacity, HAECO is dedicated to workforce development in the area. The company plans to roll out extensive training and development programs aimed at building a highly skilled workforce, fostering both economic growth and innovation. “This project is a true win-win for our community,” said Kimberly Bizor Tolbert, Interim City Manager for the City of Dallas. “HAECO will provide high-skill and high paying jobs in Dallas, and by participating in a workforce partnership program, we are building a pipeline of Dallas workers for Dallas jobs.” HAECO is a top-tier provider of on-wing and near-wing engine services, with key facilities strategically located in Hong Kong, London, Amsterdam, and Dallas. In addition to its specialization in engine installation, HAECO delivers cutting-edge tooling solutions and extensive training programs. The company operates EASA- and FAA-approved workshops to meet the varied engine needs of its international clientele. HAECO also manages engine storage centers in Dallas and Greensboro, serving as a critical hub for the lease redelivery of major engine models.ATLANTA (AP) — Jimmy Carter, the peanut farmer who won the presidency in the wake of the Watergate scandal and Vietnam War, endured humbling defeat after one tumultuous term and then redefined life after the White House as a global humanitarian, has died. He was 100 years old. The longest-lived American president died on Sunday, more than a year after entering hospice care , at his home in the small town of Plains, Georgia, where he and his wife, Rosalynn, who died at 96 in November 2023 , spent most of their lives, The Carter Center said. “Our founder, former U.S. President Jimmy Carter, passed away this afternoon in Plains, Georgia,” the center said in posting about his death on the social media platform X. It added in a statement that he died peacefully, surrounded by his family. Businessman, Navy officer, evangelist, politician, negotiator, author, woodworker, citizen of the world — Carter forged a path that still challenges political assumptions and stands out among the 45 men who reached the nation’s highest office. The 39th president leveraged his ambition with a keen intellect, deep religious faith and prodigious work ethic, conducting diplomatic missions into his 80s and building houses for the poor well into his 90s. “My faith demands — this is not optional — my faith demands that I do whatever I can, wherever I am, whenever I can, for as long as I can, with whatever I have to try to make a difference,” Carter once said. A moderate Democrat, Carter entered the 1976 presidential race as a little-known Georgia governor with a broad smile, outspoken Baptist mores and technocratic plans reflecting his education as an engineer. His no-frills campaign depended on public financing, and his promise not to deceive the American people resonated after Richard Nixon’s disgrace and U.S. defeat in southeast Asia. “If I ever lie to you, if I ever make a misleading statement, don’t vote for me. I would not deserve to be your president,” Carter repeated before narrowly beating Republican incumbent Gerald Ford, who had lost popularity pardoning Nixon. Carter governed amid Cold War pressures, turbulent oil markets and social upheaval over racism, women’s rights and America’s global role. His most acclaimed achievement in office was a Mideast peace deal that he brokered by keeping Egyptian President Anwar Sadat and Israeli Prime Minister Menachem Begin at the bargaining table for 13 days in 1978. That Camp David experience inspired the post-presidential center where Carter would establish so much of his legacy. Yet Carter’s electoral coalition splintered under double-digit inflation, gasoline lines and the 444-day hostage crisis in Iran. His bleakest hour came when eight Americans died in a failed hostage rescue in April 1980, helping to ensure his landslide defeat to Republican Ronald Reagan. Carter acknowledged in his 2020 “White House Diary” that he could be “micromanaging” and “excessively autocratic,” complicating dealings with Congress and the federal bureaucracy. He also turned a cold shoulder to Washington’s news media and lobbyists, not fully appreciating their influence on his political fortunes. “It didn’t take us long to realize that the underestimation existed, but by that time we were not able to repair the mistake,” Carter told historians in 1982, suggesting that he had “an inherent incompatibility” with Washington insiders. Carter insisted his overall approach was sound and that he achieved his primary objectives — to “protect our nation’s security and interests peacefully” and “enhance human rights here and abroad” — even if he fell spectacularly short of a second term. Ignominious defeat, though, allowed for renewal. The Carters founded The Carter Center in 1982 as a first-of-its-kind base of operations, asserting themselves as international peacemakers and champions of democracy, public health and human rights. “I was not interested in just building a museum or storing my White House records and memorabilia,” Carter wrote in a memoir published after his 90th birthday. “I wanted a place where we could work.” That work included easing nuclear tensions in North and South Korea, helping to avert a U.S. invasion of Haiti and negotiating cease-fires in Bosnia and Sudan. By 2022, The Carter Center had declared at least 113 elections in Latin America, Asia and Africa to be free or fraudulent. Recently, the center began monitoring U.S. elections as well. Carter’s stubborn self-assuredness and even self-righteousness proved effective once he was unencumbered by the Washington order, sometimes to the point of frustrating his successors . He went “where others are not treading,” he said, to places like Ethiopia, Liberia and North Korea, where he secured the release of an American who had wandered across the border in 2010. “I can say what I like. I can meet whom I want. I can take on projects that please me and reject the ones that don’t,” Carter said. He announced an arms-reduction-for-aid deal with North Korea without clearing the details with Bill Clinton’s White House. He openly criticized President George W. Bush for the 2003 invasion of Iraq. He also criticized America’s approach to Israel with his 2006 book “Palestine: Peace Not Apartheid.” And he repeatedly countered U.S. administrations by insisting North Korea should be included in international affairs, a position that most aligned Carter with Republican President Donald Trump. Among the center’s many public health initiatives, Carter vowed to eradicate the guinea worm parasite during his lifetime, and nearly achieved it: Cases dropped from millions in the 1980s to nearly a handful. With hardhats and hammers, the Carters also built homes with Habitat for Humanity. The Nobel committee’s 2002 Peace Prize cites his “untiring effort to find peaceful solutions to international conflicts, to advance democracy and human rights, and to promote economic and social development.” Carter should have won it alongside Sadat and Begin in 1978, the chairman added. Carter accepted the recognition saying there was more work to be done. “The world is now, in many ways, a more dangerous place,” he said. “The greater ease of travel and communication has not been matched by equal understanding and mutual respect.” Carter’s globetrotting took him to remote villages where he met little “Jimmy Carters,” so named by admiring parents. But he spent most of his days in the same one-story Plains house — expanded and guarded by Secret Service agents — where they lived before he became governor. He regularly taught Sunday School lessons at Maranatha Baptist Church until his mobility declined and the coronavirus pandemic raged. Those sessions drew visitors from around the world to the small sanctuary where Carter will receive his final send-off after a state funeral at Washington’s National Cathedral. The common assessment that he was a better ex-president than president rankled Carter and his allies. His prolific post-presidency gave him a brand above politics, particularly for Americans too young to witness him in office. But Carter also lived long enough to see biographers and historians reassess his White House years more generously. His record includes the deregulation of key industries, reduction of U.S. dependence on foreign oil, cautious management of the national debt and notable legislation on the environment, education and mental health. He focused on human rights in foreign policy, pressuring dictators to release thousands of political prisoners . He acknowledged America’s historical imperialism, pardoned Vietnam War draft evaders and relinquished control of the Panama Canal. He normalized relations with China. “I am not nominating Jimmy Carter for a place on Mount Rushmore,” Stuart Eizenstat, Carter’s domestic policy director, wrote in a 2018 book. “He was not a great president” but also not the “hapless and weak” caricature voters rejected in 1980, Eizenstat said. Rather, Carter was “good and productive” and “delivered results, many of which were realized only after he left office.” Madeleine Albright, a national security staffer for Carter and Clinton’s secretary of state, wrote in Eizenstat’s forward that Carter was “consequential and successful” and expressed hope that “perceptions will continue to evolve” about his presidency. “Our country was lucky to have him as our leader,” said Albright, who died in 2022. Jonathan Alter, who penned a comprehensive Carter biography published in 2020, said in an interview that Carter should be remembered for “an epic American life” spanning from a humble start in a home with no electricity or indoor plumbing through decades on the world stage across two centuries. “He will likely go down as one of the most misunderstood and underestimated figures in American history,” Alter told The Associated Press. James Earl Carter Jr. was born Oct. 1, 1924, in Plains and spent his early years in nearby Archery. His family was a minority in the mostly Black community, decades before the civil rights movement played out at the dawn of Carter’s political career. Carter, who campaigned as a moderate on race relations but governed more progressively, talked often of the influence of his Black caregivers and playmates but also noted his advantages: His land-owning father sat atop Archery’s tenant-farming system and owned a main street grocery. His mother, Lillian , would become a staple of his political campaigns. Seeking to broaden his world beyond Plains and its population of fewer than 1,000 — then and now — Carter won an appointment to the U.S. Naval Academy, graduating in 1946. That same year he married Rosalynn Smith, another Plains native, a decision he considered more important than any he made as head of state. She shared his desire to see the world, sacrificing college to support his Navy career. Carter climbed in rank to lieutenant, but then his father was diagnosed with cancer, so the submarine officer set aside his ambitions of admiralty and moved the family back to Plains. His decision angered Rosalynn, even as she dived into the peanut business alongside her husband. Carter again failed to talk with his wife before his first run for office — he later called it “inconceivable” not to have consulted her on such major life decisions — but this time, she was on board. “My wife is much more political,” Carter told the AP in 2021. He won a state Senate seat in 1962 but wasn’t long for the General Assembly and its back-slapping, deal-cutting ways. He ran for governor in 1966 — losing to arch-segregationist Lester Maddox — and then immediately focused on the next campaign. Carter had spoken out against church segregation as a Baptist deacon and opposed racist “Dixiecrats” as a state senator. Yet as a local school board leader in the 1950s he had not pushed to end school segregation even after the Supreme Court's Brown v. Board of Education decision, despite his private support for integration. And in 1970, Carter ran for governor again as the more conservative Democrat against Carl Sanders, a wealthy businessman Carter mocked as “Cufflinks Carl.” Sanders never forgave him for anonymous, race-baiting flyers, which Carter disavowed. Ultimately, Carter won his races by attracting both Black voters and culturally conservative whites. Once in office, he was more direct. “I say to you quite frankly that the time for racial discrimination is over,” he declared in his 1971 inaugural address, setting a new standard for Southern governors that landed him on the cover of Time magazine. His statehouse initiatives included environmental protection, boosting rural education and overhauling antiquated executive branch structures. He proclaimed Martin Luther King Jr. Day in the slain civil rights leader’s home state. And he decided, as he received presidential candidates in 1972, that they were no more talented than he was. In 1974, he ran Democrats’ national campaign arm. Then he declared his own candidacy for 1976. An Atlanta newspaper responded with the headline: “Jimmy Who?” The Carters and a “Peanut Brigade” of family members and Georgia supporters camped out in Iowa and New Hampshire, establishing both states as presidential proving grounds. His first Senate endorsement: a young first-termer from Delaware named Joe Biden. Yet it was Carter’s ability to navigate America’s complex racial and rural politics that cemented the nomination. He swept the Deep South that November, the last Democrat to do so, as many white Southerners shifted to Republicans in response to civil rights initiatives. A self-declared “born-again Christian,” Carter drew snickers by referring to Scripture in a Playboy magazine interview, saying he “had looked on many women with lust. I’ve committed adultery in my heart many times.” The remarks gave Ford a new foothold and television comedians pounced — including NBC’s new “Saturday Night Live” show. But voters weary of cynicism in politics found it endearing. Carter chose Minnesota Sen. Walter “Fritz” Mondale as his running mate on a “Grits and Fritz” ticket. In office, he elevated the vice presidency and the first lady’s office. Mondale’s governing partnership was a model for influential successors Al Gore, Dick Cheney and Biden. Rosalynn Carter was one of the most involved presidential spouses in history, welcomed into Cabinet meetings and huddles with lawmakers and top aides. The Carters presided with uncommon informality: He used his nickname “Jimmy” even when taking the oath of office, carried his own luggage and tried to silence the Marine Band’s “Hail to the Chief.” They bought their clothes off the rack. Carter wore a cardigan for a White House address, urging Americans to conserve energy by turning down their thermostats. Amy, the youngest of four children, attended District of Columbia public school. Washington’s social and media elite scorned their style. But the larger concern was that “he hated politics,” according to Eizenstat, leaving him nowhere to turn politically once economic turmoil and foreign policy challenges took their toll. Carter partially deregulated the airline, railroad and trucking industries and established the departments of Education and Energy, and the Federal Emergency Management Agency. He designated millions of acres of Alaska as national parks or wildlife refuges. He appointed a then-record number of women and nonwhite people to federal posts. He never had a Supreme Court nomination, but he elevated civil rights attorney Ruth Bader Ginsburg to the nation’s second highest court, positioning her for a promotion in 1993. He appointed Paul Volker, the Federal Reserve chairman whose policies would help the economy boom in the 1980s — after Carter left office. He built on Nixon’s opening with China, and though he tolerated autocrats in Asia, pushed Latin America from dictatorships to democracy. But he couldn’t immediately tame inflation or the related energy crisis. And then came Iran. After he admitted the exiled Shah of Iran to the U.S. for medical treatment, the American Embassy in Tehran was overrun in 1979 by followers of the Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini. Negotiations to free the hostages broke down repeatedly ahead of the failed rescue attempt. The same year, Carter signed SALT II, the new strategic arms treaty with Leonid Brezhnev of the Soviet Union, only to pull it back, impose trade sanctions and order a U.S. boycott of the Moscow Olympics after the Soviets invaded Afghanistan. Hoping to instill optimism, he delivered what the media dubbed his “malaise” speech, although he didn’t use that word. He declared the nation was suffering “a crisis of confidence.” By then, many Americans had lost confidence in the president, not themselves. Carter campaigned sparingly for reelection because of the hostage crisis, instead sending Rosalynn as Sen. Edward M. Kennedy challenged him for the Democratic nomination. Carter famously said he’d “kick his ass,” but was hobbled by Kennedy as Reagan rallied a broad coalition with “make America great again” appeals and asking voters whether they were “better off than you were four years ago.” Reagan further capitalized on Carter’s lecturing tone, eviscerating him in their lone fall debate with the quip: “There you go again.” Carter lost all but six states and Republicans rolled to a new Senate majority. Carter successfully negotiated the hostages’ freedom after the election, but in one final, bitter turn of events, Tehran waited until hours after Carter left office to let them walk free. At 56, Carter returned to Georgia with “no idea what I would do with the rest of my life.” Four decades after launching The Carter Center, he still talked of unfinished business. “I thought when we got into politics we would have resolved everything,” Carter told the AP in 2021. “But it’s turned out to be much more long-lasting and insidious than I had thought it was. I think in general, the world itself is much more divided than in previous years.” Still, he affirmed what he said when he underwent treatment for a cancer diagnosis in his 10th decade of life. “I’m perfectly at ease with whatever comes,” he said in 2015 . “I’ve had a wonderful life. I’ve had thousands of friends, I’ve had an exciting, adventurous and gratifying existence.” Former Associated Press journalist Alex Sanz contributed to this report.President-elect Donald Trump is stocking his cabinet with people he wants to carry out his “America First” policies on the border, trade, national security, the economy and more. Trump has put a premium on loyalty with his picks, selecting lawmakers and aides who defended him as he navigated the fallout from the January 6, 2021, attempted insurrection and multiple criminal trials. He’s also prioritized those who have expressed an eagerness to hit the ground running as he prepares an expected flurry of executive actions and legislative proposals to quickly implement his agenda and roll back President Joe Biden’s policies. More choices are expected to be announced in the coming days—a big opening remains at Treasury—with Trump hoping to get as many nominees that require Senate confirmation in place ahead of his inauguration. Meanwhile, one controversial pick has already withdrawn from consideration: Matt Gaetz, who had announced his intention to resign from Congress when Trump named him as his pick for attorney general earlier this month. He faced an uphill battle to be approved on the Hill amid allegations of sexual misconduct. He has continued to deny any wrongdoing, while the president-elect applauded his decision to avoid being a lingering distraction to the incoming administration. Here’s a look at some of the people Trump has lined up so far: Pam Bondi, Attorney General Trump’s new pick to lead the Department of Justice he’s vowed to overhaul is another longtime ally who publicly championed his baseless claims of voter fraud in 2020. In his first administration, Bondi worked out of the White House assisting in communications related to his first impeachment trial. She also worked on an opioid and drug abuse commission in Trump’s first term. As Florida’s attorney general, Bondi earned national attention for her efforts to overturn the Affordable Care Act and provisions banning health insurance companies from charging more to customers with preexisting conditions. Linda McMahon, Education Secretary McMahon led the Small Business Administration from 2017-2019 during Trump’s first term, and stayed close to him afterwards, co-leading his transition team this year. She made her wealth as co-founder and chief executive officer of World Wrestling Entertainment. If confirmed for this latest post, McMahon will run a cabinet-level agency with a $114 billion budget that Trump and many of his allies say they’d like to see abolished, leaving its key responsibilities to the states. Such a move would require congressional approval. Howard Lutnick, Commerce Secretary As the tussle over who gets to head the Treasury Department wears on, one of the post’s contenders was assigned to another economic role, with Trump planning to install his transition co-chair Lutnick to the agency in charge of promoting US businesses and supporting economic growth. The chairman and CEO of Cantor Fitzgerald LP is a Wall Street pick who would be expected to carry out policy around Trump’s avowed favorite word—“tariffs”—and continue to tout a populist economic agenda. Among his comments berating the Biden administration on the campaign trail for Trump, Lutnick has said high inflation is “the meanest thing you can ever do to your people.” Trump also signaled Lutnick could have outsize responsibility for the office of US Trade Representative—typically filled by a separate appointment. Sean Duffy, Transportation Secretary Ex-congressman and television personality Sean Duffy is set to be Trump’s point person when it comes to decisions about America’s transportation infrastructure, including the expansion and upgrading of highways, rail networks and airports. The former Wisconsin lawmaker is the second Fox News contributor Trump has tapped for a cabinet post. He’ll have to navigate the tricky issue of the president-elect’s criticism of the electric vehicle industry, a focus of Biden’s administration, with the backing Trump has received from Tesla Inc. CEO Elon Musk. Chris Wright, Energy Secretary A Colorado-based oil and natural gas fracking services executive and Washington outsider, Chris Wright is Trump’s pick to lead the Energy Department. As CEO of Liberty Energy Inc., Wright has been a vocal proponent of fossil fuels and his company published a paper this year concluding there is “no climate crisis.” He is credited by Trump for being a “pioneer” of the “American Shale Revolution” and if confirmed, Wright would also sit on the newly formed National Energy Council. While the department’s mission includes helping to maintain the nation’s nuclear warheads, studying supercomputers and maintaining the US’s several hundred million-barrel stockpile of crude oil, Wright can be expected to push Trump’s over-arching mission to boost domestic energy production. Doug Collins, Secretary of Veterans Affairs Former Georgia Congressman Doug Collins got Trump’s nod to run Veterans Affairs, the second-largest federal government department with more than 400,000 employees tasked with providing health care and other assistance to military veterans and their families. Collins, who left Congress in 2021, would preside over sprawling operations—the department is one of the biggest consumers of medical equipment in the world. He’d also have to ensure the families get adequate support, especially in the wake of a 2014 scandal in which secret wait lists at VA hospitals shattered confidence in the system just as Iraq and Afghanistan veterans were needing fresh aid. Doug Burgum, Secretary of Interior North Dakota Governor Doug Burgum is Trump’s pick to run the Interior Department, which oversees energy development, grazing and other activities on some 500 million acres of public land, as well as US federal waters. That includes national parks such as Yellowstone and the Everglades. The 68-year-old raised his profile by running for the Republican nomination, but dropped out early and backed Trump. If confirmed, Burgum would likely be responsible for ramping up the sale of oil and gas leases, including in the Gulf of Mexico, which had been constrained under the Biden administration. Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., Health & Human Services Secretary The selection of Kennedy, a vocal vaccine skeptic, drew some worries for what it would mean for public health policy, and the news sent vaccine-makers’ stocks for a plunge. The Democrat-turned-independent—who suspended his presidential candidacy in favor of Trump—has long fielded criticism for his controversial comments on vaccines and the Covid-19 pandemic. The son of former Senator Robert F. Kennedy and nephew of former President John F. Kennedy became a public face in recent months for Trump’s call to “Make America Healthy Again.” In the final days of his campaign, Trump said he would let Kennedy “go wild” with health policy in his administration. Tulsi Gabbard, Director of National Intelligence Former US Representative and one-time Democrat Gabbard got Trump’s nod to be his head of the office that overseas the country’s 17 intelligence agencies. In Gabbard, Trump is making another unorthodox pick, elevating a loyalist and skeptic of support for Ukraine. Gabbard is a veteran of the Iraq War and continues to serve as an officer in the Army Reserve. She’s another voice backing Trump’s “peace through strength” strategy, having advocated for fewer deployments of US troops abroad. Pete Hegseth, Defense Secretary An Army veteran and Fox News personality, Hegseth would oversee the US military amid Russia’s continuing war in Ukraine, conflicts raging across the Middle East and heightened tensions with China around Taiwan and the South China Sea. While he’s a loyalist, the 44-year-old Hegseth has little experience managing a bureaucracy like the Defense Department, with its 770,000 employees and 2 million men and women in uniform. Its budget is more than $840 billion, and its finances are so complicated it’s never successfully completed an audit. Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy, Government Efficiency Trump turned to his richest supporter and a former primary opponent to oversee what he calls the “Department of Government Efficiency” whose acronym, DOGE, is the same as a popular meme coin that Musk has promoted online. While “department” suggests a government agency, it’s more likely to be a presidential commission that looks at ways to cut spending. Musk—whose companies receive billions in federal contracts—at one point in the campaign suggested that $2 trillion in government outlays could be slashed from the budget. John Ratcliffe, Central Intelligence Agency Trump is turning to his former director of national intelligence, John Ratcliffe, to lead the CIA. The 59-year-old ex-congressman was a fierce defender of Trump during his first impeachment before winning Senate confirmation to oversee the intelligence services in 2020. Assuming he wins confirmation this time around, Ratcliffe is expected to bring a sharp focus on countering national security threats and foreign adversaries such as China and Iran to the role. Marco Rubio, Secretary of State Rubio is a one-time rival of the president-elect who later became one of his biggest supporters in the Senate. He’s also a longtime critic of China, and technically barred from entering the country under retaliatory sanctions. Rubio has defended Trump’s position to bring a swift end to Russia’s war in Ukraine, calling for talks that could result in Kyiv giving up occupied territory. Mike Waltz, National Security Advisor Waltz is a former Army Green Beret and combat veteran of Afghanistan. As chairman of the House Armed Services Committee’s readiness panel, he criticized the Pentagon over teaching Critical Race Theory at military institutions and an overpriced bag of metal bushings for the Air Force, among other objections. Waltz has written that he views China as a “greater threat” to the US than any other nation. Kristi Noem, Homeland Security Secretary South Dakota Governor Kristi Noem, once a potential VP pick for Trump, is now his choice to lead the Homeland Security Department. Noem became the subject of intense criticism after she admitted in her book to shooting her own 14-month-old dog. Front and center for the 52-year-old in her expected new role will be implementing Trump’s policies on immigration, including his pledge to carry out mass deportations of undocumented migrants. Elise Stefanik, UN Ambassador Trump has described Stefanik as “an incredibly strong, tough, and smart America First fighter.” Stefanik was among the House Republicans who voted against certifying Biden’s 2020 victory over Trump and was the first House member to endorse him in this third White House bid. Tom Homan, border czar The man Trump has chosen to put “in charge of all Deportation of Illegal Aliens back to their Country of Origin” was the public face of the “zero tolerance” immigration policies during the Republican’s first term. That episode broke with the practice of keeping families together during detentions and deportations, resulting in thousands of undocumented migrant children getting separated from family members and drawing widespread backlash. Lee Zeldin, Environmental Protection Agency Administrator The former New York congressman was a member of Trump’s impeachment defense team and a vocal supporter in the aftermath of the January 6 riots. His environmental credentials are less robust, though he worked on Capitol Hill to protect the Long Island Sound from dredge dumping. Zeldin said he will seek to roll back regulations preventing energy development in the role, while also seeking to protect the air and water. Susie Wiles, White House Chief of Staff The Republican political operative brought stability, order and financial discipline to a campaign whose 2016 and 2020 iterations were far more volatile. She’s set to become the first woman tapped to become chief of staff and will likely help set strategy for Trump’s first 100 days in office. With assistance from Kevin Dharmawan, Justin Sink, Daniel Flatley, Ramsey Al-Rikabi, Meghashyam Mali, Skylar Woodhouse, John Harney and Romy Varghese/Bloomberg
Last week, the High Court in Dublin found former UFC champion Conor McGregor liable for sexual assault. This stems from an incident that allegedly took place in December 2018. McGregor was accused of sexually assaulting a woman in a hotel room. Apparently, they met at a Christmas party in Dublin. She accused him of forcing her onto a bed and choking her. According to BBC News, a paramedic who treated the woman never saw "such intense bruising." McGregor denied the accusations, saying they had sex that was athletic, not rough or nonconsensual. Fast forward to this Tuesday, and McGregor learned that he's no longer going to promote Proper No. 12 Irish Whiskey. That decision was made by Proximo Spirits, which acquired his majority stake in the company in 2021. "Since 2021, Proximo Spirits has been the 100 [percent] owner of Proper No. 12 Irish Whiskey. Going forward, we do not plan to use Mr. McGregor’s name and likeness in the marketing of the brand," a spokesperson for Proximo Spirits told TMZ. Not only has McGregor been essentially removed from any marketing plans for Proper No. 12 Irish Whiskey, the drink itself is being removed from shops under the retail chain Musgrave. David Fitzgerald/Getty Images McGregor has not responded to Proximo Spirits' statement regarding his future with Proper No. 12 Irish Whiskey. On Monday, however, McGregor posted a statement on X. He apologized to his fiancee before teasing his future in the octagon. "People want to hear from me, I needed time. I know I made mistakes. Six years ago, I should have never responded to her outreaches. I should have shut the party down. I should never have stepped out on the woman I love the most in the world. That’s all on me," McGregor wrote. "As much as I regret it, everything that happened that night was consensual and all the witnesses present swore to that under oath. I have instructed my legal team to appeal the decision. I can’t go back and I will move forward. I am beyond grateful to my family, friends and supporters all over the world who have stayed by my side. That’s it. No more. Getting back to the gym- the fight game awaits." Related: Conor McGregor Addresses Punch That Landed Mascot In HospitalIreland season ticket price hike defended by FAI boss who outlines 2025 schedule