The USS Savannah departed from Cambodia last Friday, after the first port visit by the U.S. Navy to the Southeast Asian nation in eight years. Despite being a close partner of China, analysts say the stop in Cambodia’s port city of Sihanoukville shows that the country is looking to improve its relations with the United States. The Savannah arrived in Sihanoukville last Monday and docked there about 30 kilometers from the Chinese-funded Ream Naval Base, which has drawn concern from U.S. analysts as a potential permanent base for Chinese forces. Cambodia’s Ministry of National Defense says the U.S. warship’s five-day visit was aimed at “strengthening and expanding friendship” and “promoting bilateral cooperation.” In June 2024, U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin met with Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet and Minister of National Defense Tea Seiha, with the two sides agreeing to strengthen their bilateral defense relationship. Recent anti-democratic reforms, human rights violations and an increasing Chinese presence within Cambodia have strained relations. The Ream Naval Base is a particular sore spot for the two nations, with the U.S. imposing sanctions in 2021 on two senior Cambodian military officials accused of profiting from the Chinese-built base. However, last week’s port call and official promises suggest that Cambodia wishes to push back against its reputation as a client state of Beijing, analysts say. “I think that Cambodians are trying to show that — look, we’re not taking the side of the Chinese or the Americans,” said Abdul Rahman Yaacob, a researcher at the Lowy Institute in Australia. Yaacob said that Cambodia is using the return of a U.S. defense presence to its shores to demonstrate its adherence to self-proclaimed principles of nonalignment to the broader Asian region. Sam Seun, a policy analyst at the Royal Academy of Cambodia, told VOA that the international community too often focuses on Cambodia’s relationship with China, and that this port call proves Cambodia can have good relationships with the United States and other countries too. He said China’s presence in Cambodia’s defense infrastructure is normal for a small country looking to “strengthen its military capabilities.” One port call, though, might not be enough to quell U.S. fears about Chinese military influence in Cambodia and mend the U.S.-Cambodian relationship. Although he viewed it as a “good start,” the warship docking in Cambodia “will not lead to a full restoration of relations between Cambodia and the United States. The United States will still accuse Cambodia of allowing China to establish a military base in its territory,” Seun said. China's two Type 056A frigates, the Aba and the Tianmen , had been stationed at Ream Naval Base for nearly 12 months by the time the Savannah arrived in Cambodia. Cambodian officials earlier stated that the ships were there for training engagements with the Cambodian navy. The base’s location holds strategic significance to China, given its proximity to potential conflict arenas and vital shipping routes in the South China Sea, said Sun Kim, assistant dean and lecturer at the Faculty of Social Sciences and International Relations at the Pannasastra University of Cambodia. Sun said the base is important to Chinese oil and gas transportation, as it allows for a greater ease of transport of fuel from Africa and the Middle East. Additionally, in the event of a conflict in the South China Sea or the Taiwan Strait, Ream Base could prove even more important, analysts say. "If China needs to deploy its navy, Ream Naval Base may be used as one of the bases for deployment by China,” said Sun. However, according to Cambodian law, foreign forces are prohibited from being permanently stationed in the country and from conducting military operations out of Cambodian bases. Cambodia has denied that the Ream Naval Base is controlled by China. On Friday, Cambodia’s former Prime Minister Hun Sen said Japan would be granted visitation rights to Ream Naval Base, according to a post on his Facebook page. The announcement came during a visit to Cambodia by Japan national security adviser Akiba Takeo. Katherine Michaelson contributed to this report.
Hong Kong should start third medical school sooner amid Sino-US tensions: expertPublished 17:04 IST, December 22nd 2024 India and Kuwait upgraded their ties to a strategic partnership, with PM Modi and Emir Sheikh Meshal Al-Ahmad focusing on IT, pharma, fintech, infrastructure. Kuwait City: India and Kuwait on Sunday elevated their relationship to a strategic partnership after Prime Minister Narendra Modi held extensive talks with Kuwaiti Emir Sheikh Meshal Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah. In their discussions, the two leaders focused on boosting ties in areas of information technology, pharmaceuticals, fintech, infrastructure and security. In a post on 'X', Modi described his meeting with the Emir as "excellent". "Excellent meeting with His Highness the Amir of Kuwait, Sheikh Meshal Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al Sabah. We discussed cooperation in key sectors like pharmaceuticals, IT, FinTech, Infrastructure and security," he said. "In line with the close ties between our nations, we have elevated our partnership to a strategic one and I am optimistic that our friendship will flourish even more in the times to come," he added. Modi arrived here on Saturday on a two-day trip, the first to this Gulf nation by an Indian prime minister in 43 years. The prime minister has also met Crown Prince Sheikh Sabah Al-Khalid Al-Sabah. External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said the talks between the prime minister and the Emir focused on exploring ways to take India-Kuwait ties to "new heights". PM Modi expressed his gratitude to the Emir for the welfare of the Indian community in Kuwait, he said. On Saturday, Modi addressed an Indian community event and visited an Indian labour camp. The Indian community is the largest expatriate community in Kuwait. The last Indian prime minister to visit Kuwait was Indira Gandhi in 1981. The Gulf nation is among India's top trading partners, with bilateral trade valued at USD 10.47 billion in the financial year 2023-24. Kuwait is India's sixth largest crude supplier, meeting 3 per cent of the country's energy needs. Indian exports to Kuwait reached USD 2 billion for the first time, while investments by the Kuwait Investment Authority in India exceeded USD 10 billion. (Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by Republic and is published from a syndicated feed.) Get Current Updates on India News , Entertainment News along with Latest News and Top Headlines from India and around the world. Updated 17:04 IST, December 22nd 2024None
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On Dec. 11, 2024, the bicameral conference committee (House of Representatives and the Senate) approved the final version of the proposed P6.352-trillion 2025 national budget. Leaders of both legislative houses praised the 2025 budget, which is roughly a 10 percent increase of the 2024 budget, as the “...most important legislation passed annually by Congress...” said Senate President Francis Escudero. He stressed that the huge budget for next year underscores “the crucial role of the budget in shaping the nation’s priorities; highlighting the principle of balancing additions and cuts.” Escudero added that next year’s budget aligns with President Marcos’ plans. In a classic statement of support to PBBM, Escudero claims that “it is only right for Congress to support President BBM’s plans.” However, he explained that it was not a matter of “blind adherence” to presidential wishes, but a “recognition of the overwhelming electoral mandate given to him by over 31 million voters.” For her part, Sen. Grace Poe, chair of the Senate finance panel, lauded the passage of the 2025 budget in the bicameral body, saying that the budget “reflects significant increases in funding priority sectors like social protection, education, health, livelihood, disaster response ... and that these increases demonstrate the government’s commitment to uplifting vulnerable sectors and investing in the nation’s future.” Hearing these remarks can make anyone feel confident that the government has already factored in much-needed expenditures that will allow all Filipinos access to basic social services (education and health), and that marginalized and vulnerable sectors of the population will be provided opportunities for them to be uplifted from the dire situation they are in. However, government laws that outline how national budgets are spent are not implemented in a political vacuum. Laws, including the republic acts that govern how the annual national budgets are spent, are not implemented on their own; the whole gamut of processes and procedures implementing a national budget includes both legal and political structures and the people that run these. And herein lies the complicated budgetary implementation process, leading to possible anomalies and in some cases to allegations of plunder, as what some politicians have been accused of doing as the signing authority in the disbursement of public funds. More than 18 million are living below the poverty line, or not able to feed their families, let alone provide expenses for clothing and maintaining good health among their family members. The Universal Health Care Act or Republic Act No. 11223 is a safeguard for the vulnerable members of the Philippine population for them to receive much-needed quality health care services. Former president Rodrigo Duterte signed the Universal Health Care Act on Feb. 20, 2019. It aims to “progressively realize universal health care in the country, ensuring that all Filipinos are guaranteed equitable access to quality and affordable health care goods and services and that such services are protected from financial risks.” Yet, such a safeguard might no longer be available if the President chooses to approve the 2025 budget as it has been approved by the two legislative bodies. This is because the Philippine Health Insurance Corp. or PhilHealth will be defunded, at a zero budget. The reason: according to Health Secretary Teodoro J. Herbosa, PhilHealth is “awash” with funds, and therefore it can support the health needs of Filipinos. Thus, he has proposed that PhilHealth divert its billions of pesos to the National Treasury. However, as the members of the Philippine Medical Association have noted, through their president, Dr. Hector Santos, doctors might disengage with PhilHealth due to its zero subsidy from the government and might make it worse for impoverished Filipinos to bear the cost of expensive hospital bills since they cannot afford to pay the counterpart costs of the medical bills. Santos added that the zero subsidy for the government’s health insurer might also prolong the payment to health service providers or hospitals, thus making them wary of treating patients who cannot afford quality medical care, as provided for in RA 11223. Impoverished patients are marginalized in their access to health care provided by hospitals since they are denied admission if they cannot present cash or proof of being a member of a health care plan. I have seen this happen many times, since I had been subjected to the same “policy” at hospitals here in General Santos City. With this new budget that defunds the government health insurer, is the national government once again affirming that quality of health care is good only for the privileged few rich people? —————- Subscribe to our daily newsletter By providing an email address. I agree to the Terms of Use and acknowledge that I have read the Privacy Policy . Comments to rcquiam@gmail.comDecember 30 - The Philadelphia 76ers will continue a Western Conference swing with a meeting with the host Portland Trail Blazers on Monday night as they attempt to keep finding their form. After a slow start to the campaign, the Sixers are on a season-best three-game winning streak that includes a 114-111 victory over the Utah Jazz in Salt Lake City on Saturday. Joel Embiid and Tyrese Maxey each scored 32 points to pace Philadelphia's offensive attack. Embiid went 11-for-13 from the charity stripe -- where he is 70-for-75 on the season -- against Utah to help the 76ers rally from a 14-point first-half deficit. It marked Philadelphia's ninth win in 12 games. The Sixers are finally starting to have Embiid in the lineup more consistently, as the MVP of the 2022-23 campaign is in line to play four games in a row for the first time this season when Philadelphia takes on Portland. Embiid has appeared in 10 of the 76ers' 29 games. "I thought he was rolling really good (against the Jazz)," 76ers coach Nick Nurse said of Embiid. "I thought he really played at a great tempo. He was under control, had the shot fakes, drawing all the fouls, all that stuff. ... I thought he played pretty assertive. Philadelphia will face a rejuvenated Trail Blazers team, which is seeking a third consecutive win. Portland most recently relied on an even spread of contributors in a 126-122 win over the visiting Dallas Mavericks on Saturday night. Shaedon Sharpe (23 points), Anfernee Simons (22), Deandre Ayton (21), Deni Avdija (21) and Scoot Henderson (19) all took turns in getting the scoreboard moving. Blazers coach Chauncey Billups missed his second straight game due to the death of his grandmother, but it seems like his messages are starting to finally sink in. "Everything is starting to click," said Ayton, who also had 16 rebounds on Saturday. "The things we've been doing in the lab is being consistent and guys just buying in. ... It's starting to click where we're starting to see some of these results. ... The vets on the team are talking a lot more, and the young guys are really speaking up as well; (they're) asking a lot more questions." Henderson's improved form has been a key to Portland's recent surge. The exciting second-year playmaker has seemingly snapped out of a rut by following an 18-point, 10-assist double-double against the Jazz with six assists and a career-best five steals against the Mavericks to complement his scoring. "He's contagious," Ayton said of Henderson. "When he's firing like that, he's downhill, he starts flexing, being animated, (and) that energy spreads quickly." Sharpe has also noticed a new and improved version of Henderson since Christmas. "He's just been more aggressive and been himself," Sharpe said. "(Henderson is) making the right plays and getting everyone involved -- just being the point guard everyone knows he can be. Everyone's touching the ball, everyone's creating for each other, and the energy is high right now." --Field Level Media Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles. , opens new tab
NASSAU, Bahamas — It’s coming, slowly but methodically. Kadary Richmond is getting there. He’s showing glimpses of the dominant figure he was at Seton Hall. There was the more aggressive performance in a win over New Mexico, his clutch play to force multiple overtimes in the loss to No. 13 Baylor before cramps shut him down for the second extra session, and his efficient effort in the blowout of Virginia . “Starting to get comfortable picking my spots,” the 6-foot-6 lead guard said on Saturday, as St. John’s prepared to face Georgia on Sunday to end this challenging trip to The Bahamas. “I’m playing with a lot of talented guys who also have the ball in their hands, so just adjusting to that.” Over the last three games, Richmond is averaging 13.3 points, 5.3 assists, 4.6 rebounds and 2.3 steals, numbers more along the lines of how he performed a year ago. He’s been more assertive at both ends of the floor, not as passive as he was out of the gate, finding the right balance between getting his teammates involved and taking charge himself. “He’s one of one,” teammate Aaron Scott said. “He’s an All-American for a reason. Nobody can really guard him one-on-one. He makes everybody around him better. That’s what a point guard is supposed to do. “That’s Kadary — he’s going to step it up when it’s time to step it up.” This is obviously still new for the All-American — new teammates, new coaching staff, new school. He’s never been surrounded by so much talent at this level. Everything ran through him at Seton Hall. That doesn’t have to be the case for No. 22 St. John’s to be successful. He’s sharing ballhandling duties with another point guard, Deivon Smith, and sometimes is playing off the ball. “It was rough because we really didn’t get much practice reps together because we were switching teams and stuff,” Richmond said. “But once we kept it consistent and started playing with each other more, I feel it’s helping for all of us.” It remains an adjustment, along with his jump shot. Richmond is still working to get the hitch out of his shot. In practice, you don’t see it, but in games it has been there at times. He has attempted nine 3s so far, making three. “I’m about 40-50 percent with my mechanics, changing it,” he said. “I feel good about it though, it’s going well. I just have to get more attempts up. ... I try not to [revert back to my old form], but at times it happens. With more reps and more attempts, I think I’ll feel much more comfortable and [get] a lot more attempts and a lot more makes.” Overall, Richmond is pleased with St. John’s 5-1 start. They are further along at this point than he expected. The response to the Baylor loss was impressive , a sign of this group’s toughness when facing adversity. It has a chance to head home feeling really good about itself by beating Georgia on Sunday before a six-day break. “It’s a lot of fun, a lot of talented, high-flying guys, a lot of dunking going on, a lot of sharing the ball,” Richmond said. “We’re just showing we’re getting more comfortable playing together and we handled adversity well the other day with that tough loss to Baylor. We’re showing that we’re resilient and that we’re a pretty good team and we can play with anybody.”
Valley District Lions Club rings bells again for this year's Christmas season in Preston County (West Virginia)President-elect Donald Trump’s “America First” plan to enact huge tariffs on imported goods threatens to jack up the cost and slow down the development of US cleantech projects. On the campaign trail, Trump pledged to enact 10% to 20% across-the-board tariffs on all overseas products, 60% to 100% tariffs on Chinese goods, and 25% to 100% tariffs on products from Mexico—the last in part to prevent the flow of goods from Chinese companies setting up manufacturing plants there and in part to force Mexico to halt migration into the US. These plans could easily add billions of dollars to the prices that US companies—and therefore consumers—pay for batteries and electric vehicles, as well as the steel used to build solar farms, geothermal plants, nuclear facilities, transmission lines, and much more. “This is going to raise the cost of clean energy and that will slow down the revolution,” says David Victor, a professor of public policy at the University of California, San Diego, in reference to the otherwise accelerating development of low-emissions industries. Trump’s campaign rhetoric certainly hasn’t always translated into enacted policies. But he has consistently asserted that tariffs will force companies to produce more goods on American soil, restoring US manufacturing, creating jobs, and easing the federal deficit—while inflicting economic pain on international economic rivals like China. “Tariffs are the greatest thing ever invented,’’ Trump proclaimed at a rally in Flint, Michigan, in September. But despite what Trump says or understands about tariffs, they are effectively a domestic tax paid by the US businesses purchasing those goods and passed on to American consumers in the form of higher prices. (Plenty of Republicans agree.) Many economists and international affairs experts argue that such trade restrictions should be applied judiciously, if at all, because they can boost inflation, trigger retaliatory trade policies, chill investment, and stall broader economic growth. The precise impact of Trump’s proposed tariffs on any given sector will depend on how high the incoming administration ultimately sets those fees, how they compare to existing tariffs, where else the goods in question can be purchased, how companies and nations respond over time, and what other policies the administration enacts. But here are three areas where the costs of materials and products that are crucial to the energy transition could rise under the plans that Trump sketched out on the campaign trail. Batteries China is one of the world’s largest producers of EVs, batteries, solar cells, and steel, but in part due to previous trade restrictions, the US doesn’t rely heavily on the nation for most of these products (at least not directly). “But there’s one exception to that, and it’s batteries,” says Antoine Vagneur-Jones, head of trade and supply chains at BloombergNEF, a market research firm. China absolutely dominates the battery sector. According to a 2022 report from the International Energy Agency, the country produces around 85% of the world’s battery anodes, 70% of its cathodes, and 75% of its battery cells. In addition, more than half of the global processing of lithium, cobalt, and graphite, key minerals used to produce lithium-ion batteries, occurs in China. The US imported some $4 billion worth of lithium-ion batteries from China in the first four months of this year, according to BloombergNEF. The US already has a variety of tariffs on Chinese goods in place. President Biden preserved many of the ones that Trump enacted during his first term, and he even increased a number of them earlier this year. The White House said the action was taken in response to what it described as China’s “unfair trade practices.” But it was just the latest action in a long-running, bipartisan quest to counter China’s growing economic strength and grip on key components of the high-tech and cleantech sectors. Still, Trump’s proposed 60% to 100% tariffs would far exceed the ones currently set on batteries, which stand at 28.4% for EV batteries. On a $4 billion purchase, those border fees would add up to $2.4 billion at the low end, more than double the added cost under the current tariff rate, or (perhaps obviously) $4 billion at the high end, all else being equal. Vagneur-Jones notes that even with a 60% tariff, Chinese batteries are so inexpensive that they would remain cost competitive with US-produced ones. But this would still represent a big jump over current costs for companies that need to buy batteries for EVs, home solar systems, or grid storage plants. And because China is such a dominant producer, US businesses would have limited paths for purchasing those batteries from other sources at similar volumes. Steel Steel is used in just about every single cleantech or climate-tech project today. Strong and durable, it forms vital parts of wind turbines, hydropower plants, and solar farms. All that steel has to come from somewhere, and for the most part, it’s not the US. Last year, the US imported 3.8 million tons of “steel mill products” valued at $4.2 billion from Mexico, according to data from the International Trade Administration’s Global Steel Trade Monitor. Steel imported to the US from Mexico, the nation’s second-largest supplier of the metal alloy, generally isn’t subject to significant tariffs, so long as it was originally melted and poured in Mexico, Canada, or the United States. So a 25% to 100% tariff on the same value of steel would cost US companies an extra $1.1 billion to $4.2 billion (all else being equal and without accounting for fees on certain steel products.) (Earlier this year, the Biden administration did impose a 25% tariff on imports of steel from Mexico that were originally melted and poured in other nations, as part of an effort to prevent major suppliers like China from sidestepping tariffs. But those taxes apply only to a small fraction of shipments.) Meanwhile, Trump’s 10% to 20% tariff on all nations could add up to that same amount to the cost of steel from other suppliers around the world, depending on how those compare to each nation’s existing tariffs. That may, for example, lump up to $1.6 billion onto the nearly $8 billion worth of steel the US imported last year from Canada, the nation’s largest source (all else being equal and without accounting for fees on certain steel products.) Those fees would boost the costs for any US company that uses steel that isn’t supplied by domestic producers, including cleantech businesses building demo projects or commercial-scale facilities. Plenty of projects will be spared, though. Those that are receiving various federal loans, grants, or tax incentives are generally already required to source their steel from the US, in which case they wouldn’t be affected by such tariffs, explained Derrick Flakoll, a North America policy associate at BloombergNEF, in an email. But competition to secure limited supplies of domestic steel is likely to get more intense. The US dominated global steel production during much of the last century, but it’s now ranked a distant fourth, generating about one-twelfth as much as China last year, according to the World Steel Association. “We went down the path of globalization,” says Joshua Posamentier, co-founder and managing partner of Congruent Ventures, a climate-focused venture firm in San Francisco. “We are now utterly dependent on all the other parts of the world.” Electric vehicles The US is the world’s largest importer of EVs, purchasing nearly $44 billion dollars worth of battery, hybrid, and plug-in hybrid cars and trucks last year, according to the World Trade Organization. It’s the biggest export market for Germany and South Korea, according to BloombergNEF. If Trump enacted a 10% to 20% tariff on all foreign goods, it would add between $4.4 and $8.8 billion in costs on the same volume of EV purchases (all else being equal and without adjusting for nation-by-nation fees already in place). His still higher proposed tariffs on Mexico would add substantially bigger premiums on vehicles built in the country, which exported more than 100,000 EVs produced by auto giants including Ford and Chevrolet last year, according to the Mexican Automotive Industry Association. Meanwhile, BMW, Tesla and Chinese companies BYD and Jetour have all announced plans to produce EVs in Mexico. While China is the world’s largest manufacturer of EVs, Trump’s hopes of levying a 60% to 100% tariff on the nation’s goods probably wouldn’t have a huge impact on that sector. That’s because the nation already imports very few Chinese EVs. Plus, President Biden himself recently ratcheted up the tariff rate to 100%. The broader impacts on EVs will likely be further complicated by the incoming Trump administration’s reported plans to roll back federal rules and subsidies supporting the sector, including parts of the Inflation Reduction Act. Repealing key provisions of Biden’s signature climate law would work against the goal of countering China’s dominance, as those federal incentives have already triggered a development boom for US-based battery and EV projects, says Albert Gore, executive director of the Zero Emission Transportation Association. “It would undercut a lot of investment into manufacturing across the United States,” he says. The ‘big concern’ Applied sensibly, tariffs can help certain domestic industries, by enabling companies to compete with the lower costs of overseas producers, catch up with manufacturing innovations or product improvements, and counter unfair trade practices. Some US cleantech companies and trade groups, including solar manufacturers like First Solar and Swift Solar, have argued in favor of stricter trade restrictions. Earlier this year, those and other companies represented by the American Alliance for Solar Manufacturing Trade Committee petitioned the federal government to investigate “potentially illegal trade practices” in Cambodia, Malaysia, and Vietnam. They alleged that China and Chinese-based companies have circumvented trade restrictions by shipping goods through distribution hubs in those countries and dumped goods priced below production costs in the US to seize market share. Neither the companies nor the trade association responded to inquiries from MIT Technology Review concerning their view of Trump’s proposals before press time. Nor did the American Clean Power Association, which represents developers of solar farms and has opposed recent duty increases, which can drive up the costs of such projects. Over time, Trump’s tariffs may indeed compel companies to bring more of their manufacturing operations back to the US and help diversify the global supply chain for crucial goods, UC San Diego’s Victor says. The tariffs are likely to fuel more mining and processing of critical minerals like lithium and nickel in the US, too, given both the increased costs on imported materials and the administration’s plans to roll back environmental and permitting rules. “They love extractive sectors,” says Jonas Nahm, an associate professor at the Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies. But the “big concern” is that Trump’s plans to boost tariffs, cut government spending, and enact other policy changes could stall the broader economy, says Rachel Slaybaugh, a partner at DCVC, a San Francisco venture firm. Indeed, the combined effects of Trump’s proposals, including his pledge to deport hundreds of thousands to millions of workers, may drive up US inflation more than 4% by 2026 while cutting gross domestic product by at least 1.3%, according to an analysis by the Peterson Institute for International Economics, a nonpartisan research firm in Washington, DC. The tariffs alone could cost typical households an extra $2,600 per year. They may also trigger retaliatory measures by other nations, including China, which could impose their own steeper fees on US products or cut off the flow of crucial goods. Slaybaugh expects to see a continued slowdown in venture investments into cleantech companies in the coming months, as investors wait to see how aggressively the Trump administration implements the various pledges he made on the campaign trail. That pause alone will make it harder for startups to secure the capital they need to scale up or sustain operations. Even if the tariffs do eventually push US businesses to produce more of the goods currently being delivered cheaply and efficiently from elsewhere, it leaves a big problem when it comes to the clean energy transition: Given the higher expenses of US labor, land, and materials, it will simply cost far, far more to build the modern, low-emissions energy and transportation systems the nation now needs, Nahm says. At this point, after China has spent decades and vast sums locking down global supply chains, scaling up production, and driving down manufacturing costs, it’s foolhardy to believe that US businesses can easily step in and crank out these essential goods in relative global isolation, as Victor and his colleague, Michael Davidson, argued in a recent Brookings essay. “Collaboration and competition, not hostility, are how we can catch up to the world’s largest supplier of clean technology products,” they wrote. Source: MIT Technology Review
WASHINGTON D.C., DC — Jimmy Carter, the longest-lived American president died 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. President Joe Biden and First Lady Jill Biden are among the many Americans mourning the loss Sunday. “Today, America and the world lost an extraordinary leader, statesman and humanitarian,” they said in a statement . “He saved, lifted, and changed the lives of people all across the globe. He was a man of great character and courage, hope and optimism. We will always cherish seeing him and Rosalynn together.” Their statement continued to recognize the work Carter did for the country and encouraged "young people" in the country to study Carter and his life if they're in "search of what it means to live a life of purpose and meaning." 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 father was a hero, not only to me but to everyone who believes in peace, human rights and unselfish love,” said Chip Carter, the former president’s son, in a statement . “My brothers, sister, and I shared him with the rest of the world through these common beliefs. The world is our family because of the way he brought people together, and we thank you for honoring his memory by continuing to live these shared beliefs.” President Carter is survived by his children — Jack, Chip, Jeff, and Amy; 11 grandchildren; and 14 great-grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his beloved wife, Rosalynn, and one grandchild, according to the Carter Center . “We will miss them both dearly, but take solace knowing they are reunited once again and will remain forever in our hearts,” said Jill and Joe Biden. “To the entire Carter family, we send our gratitude for sharing them with America and the world.” President-elect Donald Trump took to his social media website Truth Social to offer the family his condolences and remember Carter. "The challenges Jimmy faced as President came at a pivotal time for our country and he did everything in his power to improve the lives of all Americans. For that, we all owe him a debt of gratitude," he said. "Melania and I are thinking warmly of the Carter Family and their loved ones during this difficult time. We urge everyone to keep them in their hearts and prayers." In a statement issued Sunday, former President Barack Obama and first lady Michelle Obama said Carter’s beloved Maranatha Baptist Church “will be a little quieter on Sunday's” but added that the late former president “will never be far away — buried alongside Rosalynn next to a willow tree down the road, his memory calling all of us to heed our better angels.” Noting the “hundreds of tourists from around the world crammed into the pews” to see the former president teach Sunday school, as he did “for most of his adult life,” the Obamas listed Carter’s accomplishments as president. But they made special note of the Sunday school lessons, saying they were catalysts for people making a pilgrimage to the church. “Many people in that church on Sunday morning were there, at least in part, because of something more fundamental: President Carter’s decency.” Former Vice President Al Gore praised Jimmy Carter for living “a life full of purpose, commitment and kindness” and for being a “lifelong role model for the entire environmental movement.” Carter, who left the White House in 1981 after a landslide defeat to Ronald Reagan. concentrated on conflict resolution, defending democracy and fighting disease in the developing world. Gore, who lost the 2000 presidential election to George W. Bush, remains a leading advocate for action to fight climate change. Both won Nobel Peace Prizes. Gore said it is a testament to his "unyielding determination to help build a more just and peaceful world” that Carter is often “remembered equally for the work he did as President as he is for his leadership over the 42 years after he left office.” During Gore’s time in the White House, President Bill Clinton had an uneasy relationship with Carter. Former President Bill Clinton and his wife former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, remember Carter as a man who lived to serve others. “Hillary and I mourn the passing of President Jimmy Carter and give thanks for his long, good life. Guided by his faith, President Carter lived to serve others — until the very end," they said in a statement . The statement recalled Carter's many achievements and priorities, including efforts “to protect our natural resources in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, make energy conservation a national priority, return the Panama Canal to Panama, and secure peace between Egypt and Israel at Camp David." After he left office, the Clinton statement said, Carter continued efforts in "supporting honest elections, advancing peace, combating disease, and promoting democracy; to his and Rosalynn’s devotion and hard work at Habitat for Humanity — he worked tirelessly for a better, fairer world,” the statement said. Biden issued an official state funeral to be held in Washington D.C. for James Earl Carter, Jr., 39th President of the United States, 76th Governor of Georgia, Lieutenant of the United States Navy, graduate of the United States Naval Academy, and favorite son of Plains, Georgia, who gave his full life in service to God and country.
'Unbelievable' Odegaard transforms Arsenal and gets Saka smiling again LISBON, Portugal (AP) — The goals are flying in again for Arsenal — and it just happens to coincide with the return from injury of Martin Odegaard. Canadian Press Nov 26, 2024 3:14 PM Nov 26, 2024 3:35 PM Share by Email Share on Facebook Share on X Share on LinkedIn Print Share via Text Message Arsenal's Martin Odegaard, left, and Sporting's Goncalo Inacio fight for the ball during the Champions League opening phase soccer match at the Alvalade stadium in Lisbon, Tuesday, Nov. 26, 2024. (AP Photo/Armando Franca) LISBON, Portugal (AP) — The goals are flying in again for Arsenal — and it just happens to coincide with the return from injury of Martin Odegaard. Make that eight goals in two games since the international break for Arsenal after its 5-1 hammering of Sporting Lisbon in the Champions League on Tuesday, tying the English team’s heaviest ever away win in the competition. Odegaard is back in Arsenal’s team after missing two months with an ankle injury . In that time, Mikel Arteta’s attack stuttered, with a 2-0 loss to Bournemouth and a 1-0 defeat at Newcastle dropping the Gunners well off the pace in the Premier League. There was also a 0-0 draw at Atalanta in the Champions League as well as a 1-0 loss to Inter Milan last month, when Odegaard made his comeback from injury as an 89th-minute substitute. Since then, Arsenal hasn’t lost and the goals have returned. After a 3-0 win over Nottingham Forest on Saturday came the cruise in Lisbon — and Odegaard was at the heart of everything as Sporting’s unbeaten start to the season came to an end. “He’s an unbelievable player,” Arsenal winger Bukayo Saka said of Odegaard. “The day he returned, there was a big smile on my face. You can see the chemistry we have. I hope he stays fit for the rest of the season.” Odegaard was involved in the build-up to Arsenal’s first two goals against Sporting — scored by Gabriel Martinelli and Kai Havertz — and was fouled to win the penalty converted by Saka in the 65th to restore Arsenal’s three-goal lead at 4-1. Odegaard was seen flexing his leg after that but continued untroubled and was substituted in the 78th minute. The last thing Arteta would want now is another injury to Odegaard as Arsenal attempts to reel in first-place Liverpool in the Premier League. Liverpool is already nine points ahead of fourth-place Arsenal after 12 games. ___ AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer The Associated Press See a typo/mistake? Have a story/tip? This has been shared 0 times 0 Shares Share by Email Share on Facebook Share on X Share on LinkedIn Print Share via Text Message Get your daily Victoria news briefing Email Sign Up More Soccer Man City blows 3-goal lead and gets booed by fans in draw with Feyenoord in Champions League Nov 26, 2024 3:29 PM Bayern Munich fans protest against PSG president Nasser Al-Khelaifi Nov 26, 2024 3:26 PM Lewandowski scores his 100th Champions League goal. He is the 3rd player to reach the milestone Nov 26, 2024 3:02 PM