With a focus on human rights, US policy toward Latin America under Jimmy Carter briefly tempered a long tradition of interventionism in a key sphere of American influence, analysts say. Carter, who died Sunday at the age of 100, defied the furor of US conservatives to negotiate the handover of the Panama Canal to Panamanian control, suspended aid to multiple authoritarian governments in the region, and even attempted to normalize relations with Cuba. Carter's resolve to chart a course toward democracy and diplomacy, however, was severely tested in Central America and Cuba, where he was forced to balance his human rights priorities with pressure from adversaries to combat the spread of communism amid the Cold War standoff with the Soviet Union. "Latin America was fundamental and his global policy was oriented toward human rights, democratic values and multilateral cooperation," political analyst Michael Shifter of the Inter-American Dialogue, a think tank in Washington, told AFP. During his 1977-1981 administration, which was sandwiched between the Republican presidencies of Gerald Ford and Ronald Reagan, the Democrat sought to take a step back from US alignment with right-wing dictatorships in Latin America. An important symbol of Carter's approach was the signing of two treaties in 1977 to officially turn over the Panama Canal in 1999. "Jimmy Carter understood that if he did not return the canal to Panama, the relationship between the United States and Panama could lead to a new crisis in a country where Washington could not afford the luxury of instability," said Luis Guillermo Solis, a political scientist and former president of Costa Rica. Carter called the decision, which was wildly unpopular back home, "the most difficult political challenge I ever had," as he accepted Panama's highest honor in 2016. He also hailed the move as "a notable achievement of moving toward democracy and freedom." During his term, Carter opted not to support Nicaraguan strongman Anastasio Somoza, who was subsequently overthrown by the leftist Sandinista Front in 1979. But in El Salvador, the American president had to "make a very uncomfortable pact with the government," said Shifter. To prevent communists from taking power, Carter resumed US military assistance for a junta which then became more radical, engaging in civilian massacres and plunging El Salvador into a long civil war. Carter took a critical approach to South American dictatorships in Argentina, Chile, Uruguay and Paraguay, suspending arms deliveries and imposing sanctions in some cases. But his efforts "did not achieve any progress in terms of democratization," said Argentine political scientist Rosendo Fraga. The American president also tried to normalize relations with Cuba 15 years after the missile crisis. He relaxed sanctions that had been in force since 1962, supported secret talks and enabled limited diplomatic representation in both countries. "With him, for the first time, the possibility of dialogue rather than confrontation as a framework for political relations opened up," Jesus Arboleya, a former Cuban diplomat, told AFP. But in 1980, a mass exodus of 125,000 Cubans to the United States, with Fidel Castro's blessing, created an unexpected crisis. It "hurt Carter politically with the swarm of unexpected immigrants," said Jennifer McCoy, a professor of political science at Georgia State University. Castro continued to support Soviet-backed African governments and even deployed troops against Washington's wishes, finally putting an end to the normalization process. However, more than 20 years later, Carter made a historic visit to Havana as ex-president, at the time becoming the highest-profile American politician to set foot on Cuban soil since 1959. During the 2002 visit, "he made a bold call for the US to lift its embargo, but he also called on Castro to embrace democratic opening," said McCoy, who was part of the US delegation for the trip, during which Castro encouraged Carter to throw out the ceremonial first pitch at a Cuban All-Star baseball game. "Castro was sitting in the front row and we were afraid he would rise to give a long rebuttal to Carter's speech. But he didn't. He just said, 'Let's go to the ball game.'" In the years following Carter's presidency, Ronald Reagan (1981-1989) would go on to resume a full-frontal confrontation with Cuba. Decades later, Barack Obama (2009-2017) opened a new phase of measured normalization, which Donald Trump (2017-2021) brought to an end. US President Joe Biden promised to review US policy toward Cuba, but hardened his stance after Havana cracked down on anti-government protests in 2021. "Carter showed that engagement and diplomacy are more fruitful than isolation," McCoy said. bur-lp-rd-jb/lbc/mlr/bfm/sst/bbkHowever, some state workers failed to return to their jobs and a United Nations official said the country’s public sector had come “to a complete and abrupt halt”. Meanwhile, streams of refugees crossed back into Syria from neighbouring countries, hoping for a more peaceful future and looking for relatives who disappeared during Mr Assad’s brutal rule. There were already signs of the difficulties ahead for the rebel alliance now in control of much of the country. The alliance is led by a former senior al-Qaida militant, who severed ties with the extremist group years ago and has promised representative government and religious tolerance. The rebel command said they would not tell women how to dress. “It is strictly forbidden to interfere with women’s dress or impose any request related to their clothing or appearance, including requests for modesty,” the command said in a statement on social media. Nearly two days after rebels entered the capital, some key government services had shut down after state workers ignored calls to go back to their jobs, the UN official said, causing issues at airports and borders and slowing the flow of humanitarian aid. Rebel leader Ahmad al-Sharaa, who was known by his nom de guerre Abu Mohammed al-Golani, also met with Prime Minister Mohammad Ghazi Jalali for the first time. Mr Jalali stayed in Syria when Mr Assad fled and has sought to project normalcy since. “We are working so that the transitional period is quick and smooth,” he told Sky News Arabia TV on Monday, saying the security situation had already improved from the day before. At the court of Justice in Damascus, which was stormed by the rebels to free detainees, Judge Khitam Haddad, an aide to the justice minister in the outgoing government, said that judges were ready to resume work quickly. “We want to give everyone their rights,” Mr Haddad said outside the courthouse. “We want to build a new Syria and to keep the work, but with new methods.” But a UN official said some government services had been paralysed as worried state employees stayed at home. The public sector “has just come to a complete and abrupt halt,” said Adam Abdelmoula, UN resident and humanitarian co-ordinator for Syria, noting, for example, that an aid flight carrying urgently needed medical supplies had been put on hold after aviation employees abandoned their jobs. “This is a country that has had one government for 53 years and then suddenly all of those who have been demonised by the public media are now in charge in the nation’s capital,” Mr Abdelmoula told The Associated Press. “I think it will take a couple of days and a lot of assurance on the part of the armed groups for these people to return to work again.” In a video shared on a rebel messaging channel, Mr al-Sharaa said: “You will see there are skills” among the rebels. The Kremlin said Russia has granted political asylum to Mr Assad, a decision made by President Vladimir Putin. Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov declined to comment on Mr Assad’s specific whereabouts and said Mr Putin did not plan to meet with him. Damascus was quiet Monday, with life slowly returning to normal, though most shops and public institutions were closed. In public squares, some people were still celebrating. Civilian traffic resumed, but there was no public transport. Long lines formed in front of bakeries and other food stores. There was little sign of any security presence though in some areas, small groups of armed men were stationed in the streets.
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TORONTO, Nov. 25, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Churchill Resources Inc. (“Churchill” or the “Company”) (TSXV: CRI) is pleased to announce that it has completed the second and final tranche of its $2,000,000 non-brokered private placement consisting of the sale today of 2,500,000 common shares which were issued on a “flow-through” basis at a price of $0.08 per share (each an “ FT Share ”) for gross proceeds of $200,000 (and together with the sale of $1,800,000 FT Shares completed on November 22, 2024, the “ Offering ”). The Company intends to use the gross proceeds of the Offering for the exploration of the Company’s key projects in Newfoundland and Labrador. The gross proceeds from the issuance of the FT Shares will be used for “Canadian Exploration Expenses” (within the meaning of the Income Tax Act (Canada)) (the “ Qualifying Expenditures ”), and that qualify for the federal 30% Critical Mineral Exploration Tax Credit, which will be renounced with an effective date no later than December 31, 2024 to the purchasers of the FT Shares in an aggregate amount not less than the gross proceeds raised from the issue of the FT Shares. The FT Shares are subject to a statutory hold period of four months and one day, and remain subject to the final approval of the TSX Venture Exchange (the " TSXV "). In connection with the Offering, the Company paid eligible finders a cash fee equal to 7.0% of the gross proceeds raised by the Company from the sale of FT Shares to subscribers directly introduced to the Company by such finders. About Churchill Resources Inc. Churchill Resources Inc. is a Canadian exploration company focused on high grade, magmatic nickel sulphides in Canada, principally at its prospective Taylor Brook and Florence Lake properties in Newfoundland & Labrador. The Churchill management team, board and its advisors have decades of combined management experience in mineral exploration and in the establishment of successful publicly listed mining companies, both in Canada and around the world. Churchill’s Taylor Brook and Florence Lake projects have the potential to benefit from the province’s large and diversified minerals industry, which includes world class nickel mines and processing facilities, and a well-developed mineral exploration sector with locally based drilling and geological expertise. Further Information For further information regarding Churchill, please contact: Cautionary Note Regarding Forward Looking Information This news release contains "forward-looking information" and "forward-looking statements" (collectively, forward-looking statements") within the meaning of the applicable Canadian securities legislation. All statements, other than statements of historical fact, are forward-looking statements and are based on expectations, estimates and projections as at the date of this news release. Any statement that involves discussions with respect to predictions, expectations, beliefs, plans, projections, objectives, assumptions, future events or performance (often but not always using phrases such as "expects", or "does not expect", "is expected", "anticipates" or "does not anticipate", "plans", “proposed”, "budget", "scheduled", "forecasts", "estimates", "believes" or "intends" or variations of such words and phrases or stating that certain actions, events or results "may" or "could", "would", "might" or "will" be taken to occur or be achieved) are not statements of historical fact and may be forward-looking statements. In this news release, forward-looking statements relate to, among other things, the receipt of all applicable regulatory approvals for the Offering; the Company’s objectives, goals and exploration activities conducted and proposed to be conducted at the Company’s properties; future growth potential of the Company, including whether any proposed exploration programs at any of the Company’s properties will be successful; exploration results; and future exploration plans and costs and financing availability. These forward-looking statements are based on reasonable assumptions and estimates of management of the Company at the time such statements were made. Actual future results may differ materially as forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause the actual results, performance or achievements of the Company to materially differ from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Such factors, among other things, include: the expected benefits to the Company relating to the exploration conducted and proposed to be conducted at the Company’s properties; failure to identify any mineral resources or significant mineralization; the preliminary nature of metallurgical test results; uncertainties relating to the availability and costs of financing needed in the future, including to fund any exploration programs on the Company’s properties; fluctuations in general macroeconomic conditions; fluctuations in securities markets; fluctuations in spot and forward prices of gold, silver, base metals or certain other commodities; fluctuations in currency markets (such as the Canadian dollar to United States dollar exchange rate); change in national and local government, legislation, taxation, controls, regulations and political or economic developments; risks and hazards associated with the business of mineral exploration, development and mining (including environmental hazards, industrial accidents, unusual or unexpected formations pressures, cave-ins and flooding); inability to obtain adequate insurance to cover risks and hazards; the presence of laws and regulations that may impose restrictions on mining and mineral exploration; employee relations; relationships with and claims by local communities and indigenous populations; availability of increasing costs associated with mining inputs and labour; the speculative nature of mineral exploration and development (including the risks of obtaining necessary licenses, permits and approvals from government authorities); the unlikelihood that properties that are explored are ultimately developed into producing mines; geological factors; actual results of current and future exploration; changes in project parameters as plans continue to be evaluated; soil sampling results being preliminary in nature and are not conclusive evidence of the likelihood of a mineral deposit; title to properties; and those factors described in the most recently filed management’s discussion and analysis of the Company. Although the forward-looking statements contained in this news release are based upon what management of the Company believes, or believed at the time, to be reasonable assumptions, the Company cannot assure shareholders that actual results will be consistent with such forward-looking statements, as there may be other factors that cause results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements and information. There can be no assurance that forward-looking information, or the material factors or assumptions used to develop such forward-looking information, will prove to be accurate. The Company does not undertake to release publicly any revisions for updating any voluntary forward-looking statements, except as required by applicable securities law. Neither the TSXV nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSXV) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this news release.Ikea has posted its slowest sales expansion since it opened its first India store six years ago with a 5% increase to ₹1,852 crore in FY24 while its net loss widened amid large-scale investments to solidify its footprint in the country. The world's largest furniture retailer saw its India business slowing as consumers tightened their wallets on discretionary spends across lifestyle categories. ET Year-end Special Reads What kept India's stock market investors on toes in 2024? India's car race: How far EVs went in 2024 Investing in 2025: Six wealth management trends to watch out for Its net loss widened 15% to ₹1,303 crore in FY24. So far, the retailer known for its ready-to-assemble products has incurred a cumulative loss of ₹5,550 crore in India as it spent to buy and build distribution centres, a city outlet and three big box stores-each large enough to fit about four football fields. "Ikea in India maintained a solid sales growth despite no price increase and lowering the prices on certain products in FY24," a company spokesperson said. "Our losses largely reflect the investment we are making towards our omni-channel growth. We remain committed to our plan of opening more stores and serving 200 million people by 2025 through our high quality, affordable range." Last fiscal, Ikea cut costs after raw material prices softened, helping the company lower prices of several products by about 20% both in India as well as globally. Earlier this year, the flat-pack furniture giant said it is still trying to get a foothold in the Indian market and that it will take at least 8-10 stores to benefit from economies of scale. Artificial Intelligence(AI) Java Programming with ChatGPT: Learn using Generative AI By - Metla Sudha Sekhar, IT Specialist and Developer View Program Artificial Intelligence(AI) Basics of Generative AI: Unveiling Tomorrows Innovations By - Metla Sudha Sekhar, IT Specialist and Developer View Program Artificial Intelligence(AI) Generative AI for Dynamic Java Web Applications with ChatGPT By - Metla Sudha Sekhar, IT Specialist and Developer View Program Artificial Intelligence(AI) Mastering C++ Fundamentals with Generative AI: A Hands-On By - Metla Sudha Sekhar, IT Specialist and Developer View Program Artificial Intelligence(AI) Master in Python Language Quickly Using the ChatGPT Open AI By - Metla Sudha Sekhar, IT Specialist and Developer View Program Marketing Performance Marketing for eCommerce Brands By - Zafer Mukeri, Founder- Inara Marketers View Program Office Productivity Zero to Hero in Microsoft Excel: Complete Excel guide 2024 By - Metla Sudha Sekhar, IT Specialist and Developer View Program Finance A2Z Of Money By - elearnmarkets, Financial Education by StockEdge View Program Marketing Modern Marketing Masterclass by Seth Godin By - Seth Godin, Former dot com Business Executive and Best Selling Author View Program Astrology Vastu Shastra Course By - Sachenkumar Rai, Vastu Shashtri View Program Strategy Succession Planning Masterclass By - Nigel Penny, Global Strategy Advisor: NSP Strategy Facilitation Ltd. View Program Data Science SQL for Data Science along with Data Analytics and Data Visualization By - Metla Sudha Sekhar, IT Specialist and Developer View Program Artificial Intelligence(AI) AI and Analytics based Business Strategy By - Tanusree De, Managing Director- Accenture Technology Lead, Trustworthy AI Center of Excellence: ATCI View Program Web Development A Comprehensive ASP.NET Core MVC 6 Project Guide for 2024 By - Metla Sudha Sekhar, IT Specialist and Developer View Program Marketing Digital Marketing Masterclass by Pam Moore By - Pam Moore, Digital Transformation and Social Media Expert View Program Artificial Intelligence(AI) AI-Powered Python Mastery with Tabnine: Boost Your Coding Skills By - Metla Sudha Sekhar, IT Specialist and Developer View Program Office Productivity Mastering Microsoft Office: Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and 365 By - Metla Sudha Sekhar, IT Specialist and Developer View Program Marketing Digital marketing - Wordpress Website Development By - Shraddha Somani, Digital Marketing Trainer, Consultant, Strategiest and Subject Matter expert View Program Office Productivity Mastering Google Sheets: Unleash the Power of Excel and Advance Analysis By - Metla Sudha Sekhar, IT Specialist and Developer View Program Web Development Mastering Full Stack Development: From Frontend to Backend Excellence By - Metla Sudha Sekhar, IT Specialist and Developer View Program Finance Financial Literacy i.e Lets Crack the Billionaire Code By - CA Rahul Gupta, CA with 10+ years of experience and Accounting Educator View Program Data Science SQL Server Bootcamp 2024: Transform from Beginner to Pro By - Metla Sudha Sekhar, IT Specialist and Developer View Program "The sooner we can get to that, the better," Jesper Brodin, global chief executive officer of Ingka Group that owns Ikea, told ET in February this year. "Chapter one was the sourcing and foundation and then getting the first door up and running. And then the intention is to get the company in top big cities. We are measuring out and laying out plans to see how we can do it for 1.4 billion people. And if I am certain about anything, it is that the economic outlook for India is looking good," he said. Ikea started sourcing from India in the 1980s and has more than five dozen suppliers in the country, most of them in textiles. Over a decade ago, the erstwhile Foreign Investment Promotion Board (FIPB) had approved Ikea's ₹10,500-crore investment proposal to open 25 stores in the country by 2025. It has since opened three large-format stores in Hyderabad, Mumbai and Bengaluru and one smaller city store in Mumbai. It aims to open bigger stores in Gurugrma and Noida in the National Capital Region soon. The Swedish retailer, which opened its first India store in 2018 in Hyderabad, has been a runaway success in the country, outpacing local rivals Urban Ladder and Pepperfry in its first year of operations with that single outlet. During the year, Ikea's paid-up share capital was increased by ₹600 crore to ₹4.615 crore. "When we think about India, we think about size," Brodin told ET in February. "In terms of investment priorities, India ranks one, two and three. We have consciously decided we cannot financially afford to be in the startup phase in too many places. But India is the top priority for us now." Nominations for ET MSME Awards are now open. The last day to apply is December 31, 2024. Click here to submit your entry for any one or more of the 22 categories and stand a chance to win a prestigious award. (You can now subscribe to our Economic Times WhatsApp channel )
NoneFive bear cubs believed to be orphans have been released back into the wild after spending the summer at a Colorado Parks and Wildlife Department's rehabilitation center. The cubs, which were found in separate incidents, were released on Nov. 20 at separate locations near Pagosa Springs, about 250 miles southwest of Colorado Springs, near the border of New Mexico, the agency's Durango office said in a post on Facebook . One set of three cubs was rescued by wildlife officers over the summer after their mother was euthanized because she entered a home in the Durango area, ABC News reported . Under the agency's directives , bears that come into contact with humans need to be euthanized to avoid further conflicts endangering human lives. Since the cubs did not enter the home, they were captured by wildlife officers, who assessed their health and determined that the best course of action would be to rehabilitate them, agency spokesperson John Livingston told ABC News. Another cub, meanwhile, was spotted wandering alone on the property of a concerned resident in southern Jefferson County in June, the wildlife agency said . Since it was it was still too early for a cub to be on their own, wildlife officers determined the cub was orphaned. The cubs were taken to the Frisco Creek Wildlife Rehabilitation Center in Del Norte, where they joined other cubs to “grow and socialize." Rehabilitating the bears As the cubs recouped at the wildlife agency's facility, extreme measure were taken to ensure the bears did not associate with humans. "There’s no talking allowed near bear pens, and the bears never see a person feeding them," the agency said. "They get a feed diet as well as natural foods such as berries and dead fish from a hatchery." Agency spokesperson Kara Van Hoose told USA TODAY on Monday that the cubs were placed in pens "with the slides covered so they do not see humans." The cubs are fed without any interaction and as they grow, "they are moved into larger pens with more rehabbed bears." As the weather changes, steps are taken to prepare the bears for denning and their diet is switched to high sugar and no protein. "We decrease the feeding as the year goes on to mimic the conditions in the wild and encourage their bodies to go into hibernation," Van Hoose said. "When they are ready to hibernate, we release them into the wild, so they are able to build their own dens." Once they "instinctively try to den at the rehab" by diggings dens in the aspen grove pen or using "sticks and hay bales to get cozy in den boxes," and weigh over 60 to 70 pounds, "they are good to release to go find their own natural dens ahead of winter," the agency said. Releasing the bears into the wild The bears are taken to location where the wildlife agency has previously observed "great success in not seeing the bears turn back up as conflict bears or roadkill." Video footage shared by the agency shows the bears bolting and running away from the trucks towards the trees. "In both releases Wednesday, the cubs do exactly what we want: they bolt away and show their natural fear of humans," they said. Of the 25 cubs rehabilitated at Frisco Creek this year, eight were released Wednesday following three earlier last week. Eight more are expected will go out this week, the agency said, adding the remaining cubs “aren’t fat enough yet." Releasing the bears right now "maximizes their time in rehab, while also giving them time in the wild to prepare for hibernation (torpor) and building a den," the agency said. "The cubs that remain at Frisco Creek will continue to eat before going into artificial den boxes to be released later in January or February," the agency said. "We like to get cubs over 80 pounds for release to give them an extra head start on getting through winter and the early spring months." Saman Shafiq is a trending news reporter for USA TODAY. Reach her at sshafiq@gannett.com and follow her on X and Instagram @saman_shafiq7.