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Former President Jimmy Carter has died at the age of 100. The 39th president of the United States was a Georgia peanut farmer who sought to restore trust in government when he assumed the presidency in 1977 and then built a reputation for tireless work as a humanitarian. He earned a Nobel Peace Prize in 2002. Carter died Sunday, more than a year after entering hospice care, at his home in Plains, Georgia. At age 52, Carter was sworn in as president on Jan. 20, 1977, after defeating President Gerald R. Ford in the 1976 general election. Carter left office on Jan. 20, 1981, following his 1980 general election loss to Ronald Reagan. Here's the latest: Jason Carter is now the chairman of The Carter Center’s board of governors. He said his grandparents “never changed who they were” even after reaching the White House and becoming global humanitarians. He says their four years in Washington were just one period of putting their values into action and that the center his grandparents founded in Atlanta is a lasting “extension of their belief in human rights as a fundamental global force.” Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter traveled the world advocating for democracy and fighting disease, but Jason Carter said they weren’t motivated by pity, or arrogance that a former American president had all the answers — they ventured to remote places because they could “recognize these people.” They too were from “a 600-person village” and understood that even the poorest people “have the power ... the ability ... the knowledge and the expertise to change their own community.” As reaction poured in from around the world, President Joe Biden mourned Carter’s death, saying the world lost an “extraordinary leader, statesman and humanitarian” and he lost a dear friend. Biden cited Carter’s compassion and moral clarity, his work to eradicate disease, forge peace, advance civil and human rights, promote free and fair elections, house the homeless and advocacy for the disadvantaged as an example for others. Biden said he is ordering a state funeral for Carter in Washington. Former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi is remembering Carter as a man steeped “in devotion to public service and peace.” The California Democrat said in a statement Sunday that Carter was committed to “honoring the spark of divinity within every person,” something she said manifested in “teaching Sunday school in his beloved Marantha Baptist Church, brokering the landmark Camp David Accords to pave the way to peace or building homes with Habitat for Humanity.” Pelosi also said Carter led “perhaps the most impactful post-presidency in history.” British Prime Minister Keir Starmer noted in a post on X the special contribution Carter made by brokering the Camp David Accords between Israel and Egypt and through his work with the Carter Center. “Motivated by his strong faith and values, President Carter redefined the post-presidency with a remarkable commitment to social justice and human rights at home and abroad,” Starmer said. To commemorate Carter’s death, officials with the Empire State Building said in a post on social media that the iconic New York City landmark would be lit in red, white and blue on Sunday night, “to honor the life and legacy” of the late former president. 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.” 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. “Our founder, former U.S. President Jimmy Carter, passed away this afternoon in Plains, Georgia,” The Carter Center said in posting about his death on the social media platform X. It added in a statement that he died peacefully, surrounded by his family. In his 1975 book “Why Not The Best,” Carter said of himself: “I am a Southerner and an American, I am a farmer, an engineer, a father and husband, a Christian, a politician and former governor, a planner, a businessman, a nuclear physicist, a naval officer, a canoeist, and among other things a lover of Bob Dylan’s songs and Dylan Thomas’s poetry.” A moderate Democrat, Carter entered the 1976 presidential race as a little-known Georgia governor with a broad smile, outspoken Baptist mores and technocratic plans reflecting his education as an engineer. After he left office and returned home to his tiny hometown of Plains in southwest Georgia, Carter regularly taught Sunday School lessons at Maranatha Baptist Church until his mobility declined. Those sessions drew visitors from around the world. 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 that “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. But Gore said he is “grateful” for “many years of friendship and collaboration” 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." 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.Fort Lauderdale, Dec 24 (AP) A boat explosion at a South Florida marina has left one person dead and five others injured, officials said. The explosion occurred Monday night at the Lauderdale Marina, Fort Lauderdale Fire Rescue said in a social media post. Also Read | American Airlines Operations Up and Running Again After Brief Grounding Due to Systemwide Technical Issues on Christmas Eve. Rescue workers transported five people to local hospitals, three with traumatic injuries, officials said. A sixth person was found dead in the water several hours later by the Broward Sheriff's Office. Fire rescue officials said they didn't immediately know what caused the explosion. (AP) Also Read | Apple To Become World's Most Valuable Company Soon, Nears USD 4 Trillion Market Cap Amid AI Push and iPhone Supercycle: Reports. (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body)
UnitedHealthcare CEO kept a low public profile. Then he was shot to death in New YorkJimmy Carter had the longest post-presidency of anyone to hold the office, and one of the most active. Here is a look back at his life. — Jimmy Carter was born on Oct. 1 to Earl and Lillian Carter in the small town of Plains, Georgia. — Earl Carter bought a 350-acre farm 3 miles from Plains in the tiny community of Archery. The Carter family lived in a house on the farm without running water or electricity. — He graduated from Plains High School and enrolled at Georgia Southwestern College in Americus. — He transferred to Georgia Institute of Technology in Atlanta. — Carter’s boyhood dream of being in the Navy becomes a reality as he is appointed to the U.S. Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland. — He received his naval commission and on July 7 married Rosalynn Smith of Plains. They moved to Norfolk, Virginia. — Carter’s three sons are born, Jack in 1947, Chip in 1950 and Jeff in 1952. — Carter is elected to the Georgia State Senate and serves two terms. — Carter’s father died and he cut his naval career short to save the family farm. Due to a limited income, Jimmy, Rosalynn and their three sons moved into Public Housing Apartment 9A in Plains. — He ran for governor, but lost. — Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter’s fourth child, Amy, is born. — He ran for governor again and won the election, becoming Georgia’s 76th governor on Jan. 12. — Carter announced his candidacy for president. — Carter was elected 39th president on Nov. 2, narrowly defeating incumbent Gerald Ford. — U.S. and the Peoples’ Republic of China establish full diplomatic relations. President Carter negotiates and mediates an accord between Egypt and Israel at Camp David. — The Department of Education is formed. Iranian radicals overrun the U.S. Embassy and seize American hostages. The Strategic Arms Limitations Treaty is signed. — On March 21, Carter announces that the U.S. will boycott the Olympic Games scheduled in Moscow. A rescue attempt to get American hostages out of Iran is unsuccessful. Carter was defeated in his bid for a second term as president by Ronald Reagan in November. — President Carter continues to negotiate the release of the American hostages in Iran. Minutes before his term as president is over, the hostages are released. — Carter became a distinguished professor at Emory University in Atlanta, and founded The Carter Center. The nonpartisan and nonprofit center addresses national and international issues of public policy. — Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter volunteer one week a year for Habitat for Humanity, a nonprofit organization that helps needy people in the United States and in other countries renovate and build homes, until 2020. He also taught Sunday school in the Maranatha Baptist Church of Plains from the mid-’80s until 2020. — Awarded the Nobel Peace Prize. — Carter announced in August he had been diagnosed with melanoma that spread to his brain. — He said in March that he no longer needed cancer treatment. — Carter dies at 100 years old.
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Join our newsletter to get the latest military space news every Tuesday by veteran defense journalist Sandra Erwin. WASHINGTON — Umbra Space secured a contract extension with the National Reconnaissance Office, the company announced Dec. 4. The California-based startup, which specializes in synthetic aperture radar (SAR) satellite technology, has been working with the agency since 2022 under the Strategic Commercial Enhancements initiative. The extension offers the company continued opportunities to demonstrate its technology and refine its offerings to meet government needs, said Joe Morrison, Umbra’s vice president of remote sensing. The financial terms of the contract were not disclosed. Unlike traditional optical imaging satellites, SAR can penetrate clouds and capture high-resolution images in all weather conditions, day or night. This makes the technology valuable for applications such as environmental monitoring, disaster response, maritime surveillance and intelligence gathering. Umbra currently operates five spacecraft, with more in production. The company is positioning itself in the government and commercial markets, Morrison noted, developing satellites for its own constellation and for international government clients. Umbra is one of several SAR imaging companies the NRO selected in 2022 for study contracts. Companies’ performance under these cooperative agreements positions them to compete in an upcoming “ Commercial Radar Layer ” program, a multi-year initiative modeled after the agency’s Electro Optical Commercial Layer program, which awarded contracts to three firms in 2022. The NRO, a U.S. intelligence agency responsible for designing, building and operating reconnaissance satellites, has a Commercial Systems Program Office that plays a pivotal role in integrating technology from private industry into national security operations. “The beautiful thing about the NRO is that they’re incredibly meritocratic,” Morrison said. “They don’t reward bluster or marketing. They reward performance.” Morrison credited the NRO’s expertise with helping commercial firms navigate the complex demands of government markets. “If you can go in humbly and ask, ‘What do you need?’ they will tell you exactly what they need to see.” Under the NRO’s Strategic Commercial Enhancements initiative, Umbra is also working with the agency to provide radio frequency (RF) data collected by its SAR satellites that can be used to locate and track electronic emissions.
NEW YORK (AP) — U.S. stocks tiptoed to more records amid a mixed Tuesday of trading, tacking a touch more onto what’s already been a stellar year so far. The S&P 500 edged up by 2 points, or less than 0.1%, to set an all-time high for the 55th time this year. It’s climbed in 10 of the last 11 days and is on track for one of its best years since the turn of the millennium. The Dow Jones Industrial Average slipped 76 points, or 0.2%, while the Nasdaq composite added 0.4% to its own record set a day earlier. AT&T rose 4.6% after it boosted its profit forecast for the year. It also announced a $10 billion plan to send cash to its investors by buying back its own stock, while saying it expects to authorize another $10 billion of repurchases in 2027. On the losing end of Wall Street was U.S. Steel, which fell 8%. President-elect Donald Trump reiterated on social media that he would not let Japan’s Nippon Steel take over the iconic Pennsylvania steelmaker. Nippon Steel announced plans last December to buy the Pittsburgh-based steel producer for $14.1 billion in cash, raising concerns about what the transaction could mean for unionized workers, supply chains and U.S. national security. Earlier this year, President Joe Biden also came out against the acquisition. Tesla sank 1.6% after a judge in Delaware reaffirmed a previous ruling that the electric car maker must revoke Elon Musk’s multibillion-dollar pay package. The judge denied a request by attorneys for Musk and Tesla’s corporate directors to vacate her ruling earlier this year requiring the company to rescind the unprecedented pay package. All told, the S&P 500 rose 2.73 points to 6,049.88. The Dow fell 76.47 to 44,705.53, and the Nasdaq composite gained 76.96 to 19,480.91. In the bond market, Treasury yields held relatively steady after a report showed U.S. employers were advertising slightly more job openings at the end of October than a month earlier. Continued strength there would raise optimism that the economy could remain out of a recession that many investors had earlier worried was inevitable. The yield on the 10-year Treasury rose to 4.23% from 4.20% from late Monday. Yields have seesawed since Election Day amid worries that Trump’s preferences for lower tax rates and bigger tariffs could spur higher inflation along with economic growth. But traders are still confident the Federal Reserve will cut its main interest rate again at its next meeting in two weeks. They’re betting on a nearly three-in-four chance of that, according to data from CME Group. Story continues below video Lower rates can give the economy more juice, but they can also give inflation more fuel. The key report this week that could guide the Fed’s next move will arrive on Friday. It’s the monthly jobs report , which will show how many workers U.S. employers hired and fired during November. It could be difficult to parse given how much storms and strikes distorted figures in October. Based on trading in the options market, Friday’s jobs report appears to be the biggest potential market mover until the Fed announces its next decision on interest rates Dec. 18, according to strategists at Barclays Capital. In financial markets abroad, the value of South Korea’s currency fell 1.1% against the U.S. dollar following a frenetic night where President Yoon Suk Yeol declared martial law and then later said he’d lift it after lawmakers voted to reject military rule. Stocks of Korean companies that trade in the United States also fell, including a 1.6% drop for SK Telecom. Japan’s Nikkei 225 jumped 1.9% to help lead global markets. Some analysts think Japanese stocks could end up benefiting from Trump’s threats to raise tariffs , including for goods coming from China . Trade relations between the U.S. and China took another step backward after China said it is banning exports to the U.S. of gallium, germanium, antimony and other key high-tech materials with potential military applications. The counterpunch came swiftly after the U.S. Commerce Department expanded the list of Chinese technology companies subject to export controls to include many that make equipment used to make computer chips, chipmaking tools and software. The 140 companies newly included in the so-called “entity list” are nearly all based in China. In China, stock indexes rose 1% in Hong Kong and 0.4% in Shanghai amid unconfirmed reports that Chinese leaders would meet next week to discuss planning for the coming year. Investors are hoping it may bring fresh stimulus to help spur growth in the world’s second-largest economy. In France, the CAC 40 rose 0.3% amid continued worries about politics in Paris , where the government is battling over the budget. AP Business Writers Yuri Kageyama and Matt Ott contributed.
Irish civil servants compiled a list of “major leaks” they claimed originated from the Northern Ireland Office (NIO) and Special Branch officers in the region, records show. The confidential briefing note is part of the tranche of documents made public in the annual release of State papers from the Irish National Archives. An Irish Department of Foreign Affairs official focusing on justice and security created the list in October 2002. The document starts by referencing a 1999 interview given by George Mitchell, the chairman of the Good Friday Agreement negotiations, in which he claimed the British and Irish governments, as well as Northern Ireland’s political parties, had leaked information to manipulate public opinion. However, he further accused the NIO of attempting to sabotage the process by leaking information on British Government policy to the media. Mr Mitchell, a former US senator, is said to have expressed alarm and anger over the frequency of leaks from the NIO – saying they were uniquely “designed to undermine the policy of the British Government of which they were a part”. The Irish civil servant notes Mr Mitchell himself was subjected to an attempted “smear” when he first arrived in Northern Ireland, as newspaper articles falsely claimed his chief of staff Martha Pope had had a liaison with Sinn Fein representative Gerry Kelly with ulterior motives. The Irish civil servant goes on to list several “leaks”, starting with the publication of a proposed deal in a newspaper while “intense negotiations” for the Downing Street Declaration were under way. Next, the Department lists two “high-profile and damaging leaks issued from the NIO”. A so-called “gameplan” document was leaked in February 1998, showing papers had been prepared weeks before the Drumcree march on July 6, 1997. In the preceding years, there had been standoffs and clashes as nationalists opposed the procession of an Orange parade down Garvaghy Road in Portadown. The gameplan document showed then secretary of state for Northern Ireland Mo Mowlam, who was publicly expressing a desire for a negotiated solution to the 1997 parade, advocated “finding the lowest common denominator for getting some Orange feet on the Garvaghy Road”. In 1997, a large number of security forces were deployed to the area to allow the march to proceed. The incident sparked heightened tension and a wave of rioting. The document further describes the release of a document submitted by the NIO’s director of communications to the secretary of state as a “second major leak”. It claims a publicity strategy was released to the DUP in the aftermath of the Good Friday Agreement and showed how the UK Government would support a yes vote in a referendum following any talks agreement. In addition, it is claimed unionists used leaked sections of the Patten report on policing to invalidate its findings ahead of its publication in 1999. The report recommended the replacement of the Royal Ulster Constabulary with the Police Service of Northern Ireland, the changing of symbols, and a 50-50 recruitment policy for Catholics and Protestants. At the time, UUP leader David Trimble said the recommendations would lead to a corruption of policing in Northern Ireland. Chris Patten, chairman of the independent commission on policing, said some of the assertions were a “total fabrication” and designed to “muddy the waters” to create a difficult political atmosphere. Elsewhere, the author notes it was leaked to the media there was serious disagreement between the governments of the UK and Ireland on the composition of that commission – with not a single name submitted by the Irish side being accepted by the other. The author notes this incident, still under the heading “NIO leaks”, was believed by British officials to have emanated from the Irish side. The report turns to leaks of other origin, claiming “disgruntled Special Branch officers in Northern Ireland” were blamed by the British Government for a series of releases about the IRA which were designed to damage Sinn Fein in the 2001 general election in Northern Ireland. One senior Whitehall source was quoted in the Guardian as complaining that Special Branch was “leaking like a sieve” after details of an IRA intelligence database containing the names of leading Tories – described at the time as a “hit list” – was passed to the BBC in April 2002. The briefing note adds: “This was followed days later by a leak to The Sunday Telegraph which alleged that senior IRA commanders bought Russian special forces rifles in Moscow last year. “The newspaper said it was passed details by military intelligence in London.” The briefing note adds that other Special Branch leaks were associated with the Castlereagh break-in. The final incident in the document notes the Police Ombudsman’s Report on the Omagh bombing was also leaked to the press in December 2001. Then Northern Ireland secretary John Reid said at the time: “Leaks are never helpful and usually malicious – I will not be commenting on this report until I have seen the final version.” The reason for creating the list of leaks, which the Irish National Archives holds in a folder alongside briefing notes for ministers ahead of meetings with officials from the UK Government and NIO, is not outlined in the document itself. – This document is based on material in 2024/130/6.Inside the Gaetz ethics report, a trove of new details alleging payments for sex and drug use
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Powell: Fed's independence from politics is vital to its interest rate decisions WASHINGTON (AP) — Chair Jerome Powell said the Federal Reserve’s ability to set interest rates free of political interference is necessary for it to make decisions to serve “all Americans” rather than a political party or political outcome. Speaking at the New York Times’ DealBook summit, Powell addressed a question about President-elect Donald Trump’s numerous public criticisms of the Fed and of Powell himself. During the election campaign, Trump had insisted that as president, he should have a “say” in the Fed’s interest rate policies. Despite Trump’s comments, the Fed chair said he was confident of widespread support in Congress for maintaining the central bank’s independence. UnitedHealthcare CEO kept a low public profile. Then he was shot to death in New York NEW YORK (AP) — Brian Thompson led one of the biggest health insurers in the US but was unknown to the millions of people his decisions affected. The fatal shooting of UnitedHealthcare's chief executive on a midtown Manhattan sidewalk early Wednesday swiftly became a mystery that riveted the nation. Police say it was a targeted killing. Thompson was 50. He had run health care giant UnitedHealth Group Inc.'s insurance business since 2021. It provides health coverage for more than 49 million Americans. He had worked at the company for 20 years. The business run by Thompson brought in $281 billion in revenue last year. Thompson's $10.2 million annual compensation package made him one of the company’s highest-paid executives. Trump nominates cryptocurrency advocate Paul Atkins as SEC chair President-elect Donald Trump says he intends to nominate cryptocurrency advocate Paul Atkins to chair the Securities and Exchange Commission. Atkins is the CEO of Patomak Partners and a former SEC commissioner. Trump calls Atkins a “proven leader for common sense regulations.” In the years since leaving the SEC, Atkins has made the case against too much market regulation. The SEC oversees U.S. securities markets and investments. If confirmed next year by the new Republican-led Senate, Atkins would replace Gary Gensler, who's been leading the U.S. government’s crackdown on the crypto industry. Atkins was widely considered the most conservative SEC member during his tenure and known to have a strong free-market bent. Australia is banning social media for people under 16. Could this work elsewhere — or even there? It is an ambitious social experiment of our moment in history. Experts say it could accomplish something that parents, schools and other governments have attempted with varying degrees of success — keeping kids off social media until they turn 16. Australia’s new law was approved by its Parliament last week. It's an attempt to swim against many tides of modern life — formidable forces like technology, marketing, globalization and, of course, the iron will of a teenager. The ban won’t go into effect for another year. But how will Australia be able to enforce it? That’s not clear, nor will it be easy. White House says at least 8 US telecom firms, dozens of nations impacted by China hacking campaign WASHINGTON (AP) — A top White House official says at least eight U.S. telecom firms and dozens of nations have been impacted by a Chinese hacking campaign. Deputy national security adviser Anne Neuberger offered the new details Wednesday about the breadth of the sprawling Chinese hacking campaign that gave officials in Beijing access to private texts and phone conversations of an unknown number of Americans. Neuberger divulged the scope of the hack a day after the FBI and the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency issued guidance intended to help root out the hackers and prevent similar cyberespionage in the future. White House officials cautioned that number of telecommunication firms and countries impacted could still grow. District of Columbia says Amazon secretly stopped fast deliveries to 2 predominantly Black ZIP codes The District of Columbia is alleging in a lawsuit that Amazon secretly stopped providing its fastest delivery service to residents of two predominantly Black neighborhoods in the city. The district says the online retailer still charged residents of two ZIP codes millions of dollars for a service that provides speedy deliveries. The complaint filed on Wednesday in District of Columbia Superior Court revolves around Amazon’s Prime membership service. The lawsuit alleges Amazon in mid-2022 imposed what it called a delivery “exclusion” on the two low-income ZIP codes. An Amazon spokesperson says the company made the change based on concerns about driver safety. The spokesperson says claims that Amazon's business practices are discriminatory are “categorically false.” Biden says 'Africa is the future' as he pledges millions more on the last day of Angola visit LOBITO, Angola (AP) — President Joe Biden has pledged another $600 million for an ambitious multi-country rail project in Africa as one of the final foreign policy moves of his administration. He told African leaders Wednesday that the resource-rich continent of more than 1.4 billion people had been “left behind for much too long. But not anymore. Africa is the future.” Biden used the third and final day of his visit to Angola to showcase the Lobito Corridor railway. The U.S. and allies are investing heavily to refurbish train lines in Zambia, Congo and Angola in a region rich in critical minerals to counter China's influence. The end of an Eras tour approaches, marking a bittersweet moment for Taylor Swift fans NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — The global phenomenon that is Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour is coming to an end after the popstar performed more than 150 shows across five continents over nearly two years. Since launching the tour in 2023, Swift has shattered sales and attendance records. It's even created such an economic boom that the Federal Reserve took note. But for many who attended the concerts, and the millions more who eagerly watched on their screens, the tour also became a beacon of joy. It's become a chance not only to appreciate Swift’s expansive music career, but also celebrate the yearslong journey fans have taken with her. US senators grill officials from 5 airlines over fees for seats and checked bags A U.S. Senate subcommittee is taking aim at airlines and their growing use of fees for things like early boarding and better seats. Members of the Senate Permanent on Investigations say airlines have raised billions of dollars by imposing fees that are getting hard to understand and even harder to avoid paying. The senators and the Biden administration call them “junk fees,” and they say the extra charges are making travel less affordable. Some senators expressed frustration during a hearing on Wednesday hearing when airline executives couldn't explain how they set various fees. Airlines say fees let consumers pay for things they want, like more legroom, and avoid paying for things they don't want. OpenAI's Sam Altman 'not that worried' about rival Elon Musk's influence in the Trump administration OpenAI CEO Sam Altman is locked in a legal dispute with rival Elon Musk. But he says he is not that worried about Musk’s influence in the incoming Trump administration. Altman told a New York Times conference Wednesday that he may turn out to be wrong but he believes strongly that Musk will do the right thing and won't use his political power to hurt competitors. Musk was an early OpenAI investor and board member. He sued the artificial intelligence company earlier this year alleging that it betrayed its founding aims of benefiting the public good rather than pursuing profits.Christopher Nolan is following his Oscar-winning “Oppenheimer” with a true epic: Homer’s “The Odyssey.” It will open in theaters on July 17, 2026, Universal Pictures said Monday. Details remain scarce, but the studio teased that it will be a “mythic action epic shot across the world using brand new IMAX technology.” It will also be the first time that an adaptation of Homer’s saga will play on IMAX film screens. Nolan has been an IMAX enthusiast for years, going back to “The Dark Knight,” and has made his last three films exclusively using large format film and the highest resolution film cameras. For “Oppenheimer,” the first black-and-white IMAX film stock was developed. Nolan hasn’t said specifically what the new technology for “The Odyssey” will be, but earlier this month he told The Associated Press that they’re in an intensive testing phase with IMAX to prepare for the new production. “They have an incredible engineering staff, really brilliant minds doing extraordinary work,” Nolan said. “It’s wonderful to see innovation in the celluloid film arena still happening and happening at the highest level possible.” “The Odyssey” will be Nolan’s second collaboration with Universal Pictures following “Oppenheimer,” which earned nearly $1 billion at the box office and won the filmmaker his first Oscars, including for best director and best picture . Rumors about his next project have been swirling ever since, with near-daily speculations about plot — none of which turned out to be true — and casting. While there are many reports about actors joining the ensemble, none has been officially confirmed by the studio.
A since-deleted TikTok purportedly depicts a person using an illegal flamethrower to burn the words “TRUMP” and “USA” onto a street in Glen Burnie, according to a screen recording obtained by the Capital Gazette. Before it was taken down, the TikTok post was used by Anne Arundel County Fire investigators to file one felony and two misdemeanors against Craig Philip McQuin . Authorities say McQuin, 35, set the road outside his home ablaze less than two weeks after Donald Trump won the presidency for a second, nonconsecutive term. Attorney Richard Altmark, who identified himself in an email as representing McQuin, declined to comment Wednesday. Messages sent to social media accounts for McQuin’s wife, who investigators say first published the TikTok, were not returned. The 30-second video, first published Nov. 15, shows a person walk up to a black-outlined set of letters on a street. A line of small flames ignites a blue ring of fire that expands across the road. The flamethrower soon pushes a streak into the air before the person directs it to the ground. Doing so, the word “TRUMP” appears across Hickory Hollow Drive in an orange glow. One photograph then shows the same person posing with their work before transitioning to another with the enflamed “USA.” The TikTok ends with a clip of the person setting off a firework. During the entire video, a song celebrating Trump and denouncing President Joe Biden plays in the background, while “God Bless America!” sits onscreen in red font. Investigators responded to the Creekside Village community Nov. 15 following a vandalism complaint, according to charging documents. The burn marks, they said, had stretched between 15 and 20 feet in length and approximately 5 feet in width, costing $5,500 to repair. After speaking with someone in the neighborhood’s homeowners association, investigators were told a video of the incident had been posted online by McQuin’s wife, according to charging documents. Most of the TikTok page is dedicated to two pigs she cares for, though one post makes reference to a construction site outside the White House and says, “Hang them all!” As of Monday, the flamethrower video could no longer be viewed on the wife’s TikTok account. A representative from the Creekside Village Homeowners Association declined to comment or provide the name of its president Wednesday. The association’s website does not list its board members. The flamethrower McQuin allegedly used can be purchased in every state except Maryland, according to its manufacturer, Exothermic Technologies. Though the Florida-based company describes the device allegedly used in Glen Burnie as a “long range torch,” capable of launching fire up to 25 feet, it said flamethrowers are “outright prohibited” in Maryland. State law categorizes flamethrowers as “ destructive devices ,” similar to a grenade, Molotov cocktail or missile. The felony McQuin faces for possessing a destructive device carries with it a 25-year maximum sentence and/or a fine upwards of $250,000. Though a summons has been issued for McQuin to appear before a judge, a date was not specified in the court record. Have a news tip? Contact Luke Parker at lparker@baltsun.com , 410-725-6214, or on X @lparkernews .
Price-to-book value is irrelevant, according to conventional wisdom. The common argument states that all that matters is Central Bank liquidity and the total addressable market. It has been a powerful story with massive tailwinds from technology and politics. Today, intangible assets, like intellectual property and brand value, matter the most. Critics claim that only “dinosaurs” use price-to-book value, and most of them are extinct. None of the biggest fund managers or self-proclaimed experts on the internet pay attention to the price of tangible book value. “Value investing is dead,” they say, “and even if it weren’t, metrics like EBITDA and adjusted non-GAAP cash flow measures would be much more important than asset value.” I write some version of this column every four or five months, as this remains the widely accepted opinion. That may be true if you’re managing billions of dollars and need to dump millions of shares instantly to justify your existence. If you feel compelled to be part of the tribe and own all the same stocks everybody else does, deep-value investing based on tangible book value is probably not for you. However, if you’re an individual investor looking to grow your wealth to finance the life that’s important to you, then deep-value investing isn’t only alive, it's probably your best choice. If you want to achieve high returns without sitting in front of screens or losing sleep over market volatility, the deep-value approach may be ideal for you. The heart of deep-value investing is buying companies that trade for the value of their assets minus all debt and obligations. Unlike most analysts who rely on earnings forecasts, deep-value analysts approach the matter from a credit-first perspective. The simple truth is that a credit-first, deep-value approach to investing has outperformed the market over almost any measurable period. The market has just experienced one of its best decades ever, with index fund investors earning over 13%. For every dollar the successful index fund investor has earned over the decade, investors who used the combination of credit and value would have earned $4.39. 2024 has been a fantastic year for large-cap stock investors, yet deep-value investors who focused on credit have performed even better. At no point in this journey would you have owned the stocks everyone loved. Over two decades, you would have owned few tech stocks. Your holdings would have been old-economy stalwart businesses that everyone ignored. Many of them would have been acquired by private equity firms and strategic buyers who recognized the value of adding these businesses to their existing operations over the years.. You would own more stocks at market bottoms than at market tops, as bargains become scarce as markets move higher. Today is no exception. While you won’t own any high-tech companies on the cutting edge of artificial intelligence, you will own companies that will be key providers of the energy needed for the economy to grow and support the expansion of AI and other technologies. Consider PBF Energy Inc. PBF , one of North America’s largest independent petroleum refiners and suppliers. Headquartered in Parsippany, New Jersey, the company owns and operates a diverse portfolio of refining assets strategically located across the United States. PBF Energy also operates a logistics subsidiary, PBF Logistics LP PBFX , which provides transportation, storage, and terminal services to support its refining operations and third-party customers. The stock currently trades at less than 60% of its tangible book value and has a strong credit profile. It pays a dividend yield of 3.6%, so investors collect cash while waiting for the price to reflect the company’s value. The decline in the stock price has attracted significant buying from Mexican billionaire and activist investor Carlos Slim, who owns 23% of the company. Another example lies in shipping. Everyone claims the shipping business is terrible, arguing that China will never make, sell, or buy anything ever again, and that trade tariffs will bring global trade to a screeching halt. While I have no idea how things will play out for the global economy given China’s ongoing difficulties or the looming prospect of punitive tariffs, I do know that Genco Shipping GNK trades for less than the value of its ships and has a strong balance sheet. The fundamentals of the business are fantastic despite the industry’s negative perception. Genco Shipping is a leading provider of dry bulk shipping services. Based in New York, the company operates a modern and diversified fleet of dry bulk vessels. As of October 2024, Genco’s fleet comprises 42 vessels, including various sizes of freight carriers. The fleet has a total carrying capacity of approximately 4.45 million deadweight tons and an average age of 11.9 years. Genco continues to execute its comprehensive value strategy, focusing on paying substantial quarterly cash dividends, making voluntary debt repayments, and opportunistically growing and renewing its asset base. In line with this strategy, the company acquired the Genco Intrepid, a high-specification 2016-built 180,000 dwt Capesize vessel, delivered in October 2024. The stock yields over 10% at the current price and trades for just 65% of tangible book value and 8 times earnings. Wall Street pays very little attention to these stocks, and internet pundits have no idea these companies even exist. Deep-value investors who understand the power of valuation, credit, and patience could do very well with both of these stocks. © 2024 Benzinga.com. Benzinga does not provide investment advice. 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