fishing drawing easy
Modern train likely to hit tracks in January next yearIt wasn’t good, but it could’ve been a lot worse. Given the lingering effects of last year’s Hollywood labor strikes, the relative lack of big movies and a dismal first half of the year at the box office, the film industry is breathing a collective sigh of relief as 2024 comes to a close. This year’s box office revenue could total $8.75 billion in the U.S. and Canada, according to estimates from data firm Comscore. That figure would put the box office about 3% lower than in 2023. More dispiriting for theaters, it’s down about 23% compared with 2019. But the numbers also represent a remarkable turnaround considering revenue was down 27.5% just six months ago after a weak slate and a string of high-profile flops, before Pixar’s “Inside Out 2” hit theaters in June. “It was not your typical year because there was no traditional road map to follow through the entire calendar,” said Paul Dergarabedian, senior media analyst at Comscore. “The fact that we’re even here shows that audiences really love going to the movies, but they need a path to follow to get there.” While 2024 presented unique challenges for the film business, moviegoing still faces a slew of hurdles that were accelerated by the pandemic. Once-regular movie watchers aren’t seeing films in theaters at the same rate as before, waiting until their preferred movies show up as premium digital rentals or on streaming platforms. Films are also in theaters for shorter periods, meaning they’re often gone by the time casual moviegoers decide to check out a flick . Last year’s strikes by Hollywood writers and actors also resulted in many movie releases being pushed out of 2024 due to production delays or a need for more marketing time. That meant there weren’t as many wide releases for moviegoers to get excited about. As of Dec. 18, there were 95 domestic releases in 2,000 theaters this year, according to data from the National Assn. of Theater Owners trade group. That paled in comparison with 2023 (101 films). Next year is expected to be stronger, with 110 wide release movies on the schedule. “As we were coming into the year, as a result of the strikes last year, I think there was clearly just some concern about what impact that would have,” said Sean Gamble, chief executive of Plano, Texas-based movie theater chain Cinemark. “The big thing that we’re just continuing to keep an eye on is what is the timing for volume, and where is volume going to fully fill out over the next couple of years.” A lighter release schedule, combined with bombs early in the year, such as Warner Bros. Pictures’ “Furiosa: A Mad Max Story” and Universal Pictures’ “The Fall Guy,” had industry players feeling apocalyptic about the movies . But a strong string of hits throughout the summer and holidays has put some wind back in the sails. “We’re ending the year in a better place than we were at the beginning of the year,” Tony Chambers, head of theatrical distribution at the Walt Disney Studios, said of the industry’s progress. “Part of it was how well these summer titles worked.” Animation was a major win for the year, grossing more than $2 billion — a quarter of annual domestic box office revenue — and the biggest percentage ever for the genre. Summer films like Universal Pictures and Illumination Entertainment’s “Despicable Me 4” and Pixar’s “Inside Out 2,” the latter of which became the highest-grossing film of the year with nearly $1.7 billion in global sales, brought families to theaters in droves. Months later, Disney’s “Moana 2” helped anchor a massive Thanksgiving weekend box office haul. Worldwide, animated films brought in more than $5 billion this year, according to Comscore. Analysts have credited family films — and more broadly, PG-rated titles, such as Universal’s “Wicked” — with boosting this year’s box office. The films not only resonated with their target audience of families, but also featured well-known and beloved characters, which can ease trepidation among families wrestling with whether a trip to the theaters is worth it. While animated movies were a clear winner this summer, some superheroes also did their jobs. Marvel Studios’ latest film, “Deadpool & Wolverine,” grossed $1.3 billion worldwide, boosting the Disney-owned studio’s prospects after a string of lackluster films . The film also proved there is a niche for R-rated and irreverent storylines within the House of Mouse’s largely family-friendly and PG-13 superhero universe. The summer may have been bolstered by blockbusters, but Osgood Perkins’ original indie “Longlegs” also contributed to the box office momentum. The breakout horror film, which stars Nicolas Cage, handed independent distributor Neon its biggest opening ever, with $22 million, and came after an extensive and cryptic marketing campaign . As summer turned into fall, the string of hits continued with Tim Burton’s “Beetlejuice Beetlejuice,” Ridley Scott’s “Gladiator II” and the heavily marketed “Wicked.” The continued momentum helped affirm that theatrical movies are still in demand, said Gamble of Cinemark. In a recent meeting in Los Angeles with studio executives, he said a common topic of conversation was the meaning of this year’s box office for the health of theatrical exhibition. “Everybody’s viewed the collective results of this year as a really positive thing,” Gamble said. “What we continue to see are examples that suggest the enthusiasm for moviegoing remains very robust.” Disney had an especially good year, as the studio crossed the $2-billion mark in domestic box office with three of the top five films of 2024 — “Inside Out 2” and “Deadpool & Wolverine,” each of which cracked $1 billion globally at the box office, and “Moana 2,” which has now grossed almost $821 million worldwide. That puts the Burbank media and entertainment giant at about 25% of this year’s box office. “The successes we’ve had this year show that audiences are eager for that unbeatable experience of watching a great movie in a theater with a crowd of people who are enjoying it just as much as they are,” Alan Bergman, co-chairman of Disney Entertainment, said in a statement. While blockbusters filled seats in theaters this year, there were also plenty of duds. Oscar-winning director Francis Ford Coppola’s massive, $120-million passion project “Megalopolis” hit a hard wall at the box office , grossing just $4 million in its opening weekend and less than $14 million total worldwide. The loosely Roman-themed fable about an architect in a futuristic New York was anathema to major studios, leaving Coppola to shoulder much of the financial risk himself. Kevin Costner’s western epic “Horizon: An American Saga — Chapter 1” met a similar fate, grossing just $38 million worldwide after the “Yellowstone” actor put up his own property to fund the film . The movie was the first in a planned four-part saga. After the first movie’s reception, the sequel was pulled from its scheduled August theatrical release . Despite the success of “Deadpool & Wolverine,” other superhero-related films didn’t fare as well theatrically, including Sony Pictures’ “Madame Web” and “Kraven the Hunter,” along with Warner Bros.’ comic book sequel-turned-musical “Joker: Folie à Deux.” Eli Roth’s video game adaptation “Borderlands” also failed to connect with audiences, as did Lionsgate’s reboot of horror film “The Crow.” Still, film industry executives and analysts say they feel hopeful about 2025 — a year in which the effects of the strikes and the pandemic are further in the rearview mirror, and the cadence of movies gets closer to normal. Industry leaders said 2025 should be a return to the trajectory the business was on before the pandemic and the strikes. Next year’s slate is stocked with superhero fare (“Captain America: Brave New World,” “Thunderbolts” and a new DC reboot of “Superman”), action films (“Mission: Impossible — The Final Reckoning” and “Jurassic World Rebirth”) as well as sequels to popular films (“Now You See Me 3,” “Zootopia 2” and “Wicked: For Good”). The success of — and reliance on — sequels and reboots is also going to force a future reckoning for new stories. Though original films like A24’s “Civil War,” Amazon MGM Studios’ “Challengers” and “Longlegs” cashed in at the box office, the entirety of the top 10 highest-grossing films domestic or worldwide this year were sequels or films based on existing stories (“Wicked,” as an adaptation of the 21-year-old Broadway play and a revision of the classic “Wizard of Oz,” is included in this). “What studios and exhibition and the industry needs to focus on is possibly how to cut through with original content,” said Chambers of Disney. “Being able to have original titles cut through, that’s going to be the challenge.”
The general secretary of BNP's Shiddhirganj upazila unit, Iqbal Hossain, has been suspended after assaulting a bus driver and a journalist in Narayanganj yesterday. The incident took place on Dhaka-Chattogram highway in Sanarpar area. Passengers said Iqbal became enraged over a trivial matter and, with his supporters, assaulted the driver and vandalised the bus. Journalist Minhaj Aman, a passenger, was also attacked while trying to protect the driver. Both sustained injuries. The attackers left after handing the driver Iqbal's visiting card, according to the driver. In a press release signed by Ruhul Kabir Rizvi, BNP announced Iqbal's suspension, citing his harassment of journalist Minhaj Aman. Shahinur Alam, OC of Shiddhirganj Police Station, said no formal complaint has been filed yet. The general secretary of BNP's Shiddhirganj upazila unit, Iqbal Hossain, has been suspended after assaulting a bus driver and a journalist in Narayanganj yesterday. The incident took place on Dhaka-Chattogram highway in Sanarpar area. Passengers said Iqbal became enraged over a trivial matter and, with his supporters, assaulted the driver and vandalised the bus. Journalist Minhaj Aman, a passenger, was also attacked while trying to protect the driver. Both sustained injuries. The attackers left after handing the driver Iqbal's visiting card, according to the driver. In a press release signed by Ruhul Kabir Rizvi, BNP announced Iqbal's suspension, citing his harassment of journalist Minhaj Aman. Shahinur Alam, OC of Shiddhirganj Police Station, said no formal complaint has been filed yet.The game was tied at 7 in the second quarter when the Phoenix turned a fumble recovery into a field goal. That started a string of four-straight scoring possessions. Downing was 16 of 21 for 203 yards. Chandler Brayboy had 12 receptions for 118 yards with a score. Rushawn Baker ran for 106 yards for the Phoenix (6-6, 5-3 Coastal Athletic Association). Julian Bumper also had a 10-yard rushing touchdown on his only carry and Jamarien Dalton had a 30-yard receiving touchdown on his only catch. Freshman Cortez Lane returned a kickoff 97 yards for a touchdown for the Aggies (1-11, 0-8), who lost their 11th straight. Justin Fomby threw for 190 yards and a touchdown pass to Daniel Cole and Shimique Blizzard ran for 87 yards and a TD. AP college football: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-football-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/college-football . Sign up for the AP’s college football newsletter: https://apnews.com/cfbtop25
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Cherry on top! Edinburgh hooker eyes Scotland recall after dominant display against Glasgow Dave Cherry hasn't featured for Scotland since falling down stairs at last year's Rugby World Cup The hooker issued a reminder to Scotland coach Gregor Townsend that he remains available for selection Glasgow's Kyle Steyn has vowed to use pain of 1872 Cup setback as motivation for the rest of his side's campaign By GRAEME MACPHERSON Published: 22:00, 29 December 2024 | Updated: 22:00, 29 December 2024 e-mail View comments If the advent of a new year provides fresh opportunity for all then what chance Dave Cherry donning a Scotland shirt again in 2025? Stranger things have surely happened. Cherry was an integral part of Gregor Townsend ’s plans at last year’s World Cup, coming off the bench in the loss to South Africa . Then came his downfall, literally, as he reportedly tumbled down a flight of stairs on a day off, suffered a concussion and was sent home. Fifteen months later and Cherry hasn’t featured in a Scotland squad since, never mind taking to the field. It is a curious state of affairs partially explained by the emergence of his Edinburgh team-mates Ewan Ashman and Patrick Harrison, who have pushed their way into the picture. But given the retirement of Stuart McInally and Fraser Brown, and with George Turner decanting to Japan, Cherry’s experience would surely have proved handy at some point. The 33-year-old has mostly kept his counsel in the intervening period but emerged following Edinburgh’s 1872 Cup win over Glasgow to insist that he hasn’t quietly slipped into international retirement. There is an undoubted pecking order now at hooker and Cherry is at the back of it but, should the opportunity arise, the Edinburgh-born player revealed he would jump at the chance to pull on a Scotland jersey once again. Edinburgh hooker Dave Cherry is applauded by rival Glasgow stars after Murrayfield win Cherry was a big presence for the capital side as they salvaged pride after last week's loss Cherry makes a big hit on Glasgow's Scotland fly-half Tom Jordan as Warriors are closed out Asked if he had given up on a recall, Cherry replied: ‘Not at all. I want to make it clear I am still going and still available. My desire to get back in and play for Scotland is still there. ‘(Townsend) has basically said just keep doing what you’re doing, and that’s about it. I’m just focused on myself and my own performance and trying to put my best foot forward. Hopefully I get selected.’ More performances like Saturday’s — both individually and as a collective — won’t do his chances any harm. Edinburgh smothered Glasgow’s attacking intent, restricting one of rugby’s most potent attacks to just the one penalty try late in the contest. Cherry, on his 100th club appearance, was at the heart of the battle and ought to have had an assist to his name too late in the first half when Luke Crosbie spilled his pass right on the Glasgow line. Edinburgh still aren’t getting the most out of their attacking resources — Duhan van der Merwe and Darcy Graham barely saw the ball once again — and they still have to show they can perform outside of the capital. This, though, was a defiant response to their Hampden humbling the previous weekend. ‘Clarity through the week led to intent in the game,’ added Cherry. ‘It showed out there, it was far clearer what we were doing. Our defence was structured and that kind of led to the win. ‘Our discipline and turnovers were spot on. We were only two and two (penalties and turnovers) at the half and that made a big difference to our game this week. We were able to control Glasgow better and their defence, not give them as many entries. I think that was the ultimate winning of the match, our defence. ‘I was discussing it with the lads afterwards. It felt more than a 10-7 scoreline. There were opportunities and both sides didn’t convert. But it’s four URC points and that’s the big one for us. We needed to get back on the horse and we have done that.’ Cherry last featured for Scotland at the 2023 World Cup against South Africa Scotland head coach Gregor Townsend has seen his options at hooker diminish recently It was the ideal way for Cherry to bring up his landmark appearance, even if Edinburgh never really threatened to overturn the 19-point first-leg deficit to lift the trophy. ‘I’m very pleased (to become a club centurion),’ he beamed. ‘As a little boy, I never thought I would reach that landmark so I am absolutely delighted. But the bigger picture is about the team and their performance, rather than my own. ‘Our home form has been good but we need to take that on the road. Playing Glasgow, you always want to win those games — a big crowd and a big occasion for myself. I am delighted with the team’s performance. We went in believing we could get those 19 points. Ultimately we didn’t, but we will take the win and the four points.’ The late yellow card shown to Harrison saw Cherry summoned back from the stand for another 10-minute shift which he wasn’t hugely enthusiastic about. ‘Well... we were winning and the clock has got to be run down,’ he added. ‘They said: “Take your time” so I was more than happy to do that.’ Kyle Steyn says Glasgow will head into their New Year break licking their wounds but determined to make amends when they return. Steyn raises a smile after his side's aggregate win, but it was all too much for Zander Fagerson Steyn did his best to look excited as he lifted the 1872 Cup but, having just lost the match, if not the tie, to Edinburgh, it was hard for the captain to get too enthusiastic about it. It was deja vu for the visitors who also lost the Murrayfield leg last year only to rebound and go on to win the URC title. And Steyn hoped this setback could similarly provide a springboard when Warriors return for Champions Cup matches against Racing 92 and Harlequins. ‘Yeah, it’s very frustrating,’ said the Scotland winger. ‘Fair enough to Edinburgh, I thought they stood up pretty well and did well to slow down our ball. We did struggle to find some momentum in attack but I thought we created enough opportunities to get the job done and didn’t close enough of them out. ‘The problem was our ruck speed. It becomes pretty easy to defend once our ball was that slow. They’ve done well there and we’ll take our lessons. ‘We’ve had loads of changes in pretty much every game and I’m really proud of the boys, especially up front. We’ve had four or five changes every week and whoever has played has stepped up. I think it’s disappointing to end this year, for what it has been, with a game like this, but that will keep the hunger going for next year. ‘We’ve got Racing at home and we’ve got to go down to Quins after losing narrowly down there last year. There are motivations aplenty and the way the first two rounds have gone, every game now is going to be important. ’ Share or comment on this article: Cherry on top! Edinburgh hooker eyes Scotland recall after dominant display against Glasgow e-mail Add commentATLANTA (AP) — 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. years old. The died on Sunday, more than a year after entering , at his home in the small town of Plains, Georgia, where he and his wife, who , spent most of their lives, The Carter Center said. 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, and 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, 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 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 . 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 Among the center’s many public health initiatives, Carter vowed to eradicate the guinea worm parasite during his lifetime, and 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 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 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, . 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, 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. , 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 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. 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 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 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?” 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. 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 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 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 in his 10th decade of life. “I’m perfectly at ease with whatever comes,” . “I’ve had a wonderful life. I’ve had thousands of friends, I’ve had an exciting, adventurous and gratifying existence.” ___ Former Associated Press journalist Alex Sanz contributed to this report.
Major stock indexes on Wall Street drifted to a mixed finish Friday, capping a rare bumpy week for the market. The S&P 500 ended essentially flat, down less than 0.1%, after wavering between tiny gains and losses most of the day. The benchmark index posted a loss for the week, its first after three straight weekly gains. Javascript is required for you to be able to read premium content. Please enable it in your browser settings. Get any of our free email newsletters — news headlines, obituaries, sports, and more.Downing throws for 2 TDs, runs for another, Elon tops North Carolina A&T 31-21Drone mystery deepens with Chinese man's troubling Google history after his arrest for 'flying over US base'
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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/bbkThe game was tied at 7 in the second quarter when the Phoenix turned a fumble recovery into a field goal. That started a string of four-straight scoring possessions. Downing was 16 of 21 for 203 yards. Chandler Brayboy had 12 receptions for 118 yards with a score. Rushawn Baker ran for 106 yards for the Phoenix (6-6, 5-3 Coastal Athletic Association). Julian Bumper also had a 10-yard rushing touchdown on his only carry and Jamarien Dalton had a 30-yard receiving touchdown on his only catch. Freshman Cortez Lane returned a kickoff 97 yards for a touchdown for the Aggies (1-11, 0-8), who lost their 11th straight. Justin Fomby threw for 190 yards and a touchdown pass to Daniel Cole and Shimique Blizzard ran for 87 yards and a TD. AP college football: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-football-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/college-football . 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SAN FRANCISCO , Nov. 22, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Smodin, a trailblazer in AI-powered tools for students, educators, and professionals, is thrilled to announce an exciting development: www. contemplativeinquiry.org and www. freshu.io now redirect to Smodin.io, creating a single, unified hub for innovation and productivity. This move marks a significant step forward in Smodin's mission to make advanced AI tools more accessible than ever. By integrating these domains into Smodin.io, users will enjoy seamless access to a broader range of resources, from AI writing assistance to content analysis, all on a single platform designed to meet diverse needs. "This isn't just about redirection—it's about transformation," said the founder of Smodin. "By bringing everything under the Smodin umbrella, we're creating a one-stop solution for anyone seeking smarter, faster, and more effective tools to achieve their goals." Visitors from contemplativeinquiry.org and freshu.io will now have direct access to Smodin's continually expanding suite of features, including plagiarism detection, essay generation, and tools tailored to enhance productivity and creativity. This evolution ensures users can focus on what truly matters: creating, learning, and growing. The consolidation is part of Smodin's vision to innovate and deliver an unparalleled user experience while solidifying its position as a global leader in AI technology. Discover the future of AI-driven solutions at www.smodin.io . About Smodin Smodin is a leading AI-powered platform dedicated to empowering users worldwide with smart tools for writing, research, and productivity. With a focus on innovation and accessibility, Smodin transforms the way students, educators, and professionals work and create. View original content: https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/smodin-unites-powerful-domains-to-deliver-an-all-in-one-ai-platform-302314508.html SOURCE Smodin