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how to cheat jili games NOGALES, Ariz., Dec. 23, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Alpha Pro Tech, Ltd. (NYSE American: APT) , a leading manufacturer of products designed to protect people, products and environments, including disposable protective apparel and building products, today announced that its Board of Directors has authorized a $2.0 million expansion of the Company's existing share repurchase program. With this authorized expansion, the Company now has approximately $2.8 million available to repurchase shares of the Company's common stock, $0.8 million of which remains from the previous expansion, most recently announced in October 2024. Management anticipates repurchasing shares through open market purchases or through privately-negotiated transactions and intends to retire all shares purchased through the share repurchase program. Open market purchases may be executed by the Company's broker through a pre-arranged repurchase plan, which operates in accordance with the guidelines specified under Rule 10b5-1 and Rule 10b-18 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. Any transactions under the repurchase plan will be effected in accordance with the terms of the plan, including specified price, volume and timing conditions, and will be applied against the amount authorized for the Company's share repurchase program. Other open market and privately-negotiated purchases may occur from time to time outside the repurchase plan based on market and general business conditions, subject to applicable rules and regulations. About Alpha Pro Tech, Ltd. Alpha Pro Tech, Ltd. is the parent company of Alpha Pro Tech, Inc. and Alpha ProTech Engineered Products, Inc. Alpha Pro Tech, Inc. develops, manufactures and markets innovative disposable and limited-use protective apparel products for the industrial, clean room, medical and dental markets. Alpha ProTech Engineered Products, Inc. manufactures and markets a line of construction weatherization products, including building wrap and roof underlayment. The Company has manufacturing facilities in Nogales, Arizona; Valdosta, Georgia; and a joint venture in India. For more information and copies of all news releases and financials, visit Alpha Pro Tech's website at http://www.alphaprotech.com . Certain statements made in this press release constitute "forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements include any statement that may predict, forecast, indicate or imply future results, performance or achievements instead of historical facts and may be identified generally by the use of forward-looking terminology and words such as "expects,” "anticipates,” "estimates,” "believes,” "predicts,” "intends,” "plans,” "potentially,” "may,” "continue,” "should,” "will” and words of similar meaning. Without limiting the generality of the preceding statement, all statements in this press release relating to the Company's strategy, including the number of shares of common stock to be repurchased by the Company, if any, are forward-looking statements. We caution investors that any such forward-looking statements are only estimates based on current information and involve risks and uncertainties that may cause actual results to differ materially from the results contained in the forward-looking statements. We cannot give assurances that any such statements will prove to be correct. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those estimated by us include the risks, uncertainties and assumptions described from time to time in our public releases and reports filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including, but not limited to, our most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K. Specifically, these factors include, but are not limited to, changes in global economic conditions; the inability of our suppliers and contractors to meet our requirements; potential challenges related to international manufacturing; the inability to protect our intellectual property; competition in our industry; customer preferences; the timing and market acceptance of new product offerings; security breaches or disruptions to the information technology infrastructure; the impact of legal and regulatory proceedings or compliance challenges; and volatility in our common stock price and our investments. We also caution investors that the forward-looking information described herein represents our outlook only as of this date, and we undertake no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements to reflect events or developments after the date of this press release. Given these uncertainties, investors should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements as a prediction of actual results. CONTACT: Company Contact: Alpha Pro Tech, Ltd. Donna Millar 905-479-0654 e-mail: [email protected] Investor Relations Contact: Hayden IR Cameron Donahue 651-653-1854 e-mail: [email protected]

Architect of the Auburn soccer program and the dean of the university’s coaches, coach Karen Hoppa announced her retirement on Tuesday. Hoppa led the program for 26 seasons. Her final season was one of her best, with the Tigers putting together a stellar run through non-conference play and contending for top national rankings for much of the season before bowing out of the NCAA Tournament last week in the round of 32. Hoppa has been the head coach of Auburn soccer for most of the program’s history. Her first season with Auburn was in 1999. The program’s first season was in 1993. She led Auburn to 18 NCAA Tournament appearances, which are all the appearances the program’s ever made. Also a pioneer through the emergence of women’s soccer at major colleges in the 1980s as a player and the 1990s as a coach, Hoppa retires as Auburn’s most accomplished female coach for team sports. Counting team sports and individual sports, only the resume of current women’s golf coach Melissa Luellen would rival hers. “It is with a mix of emotions that I’m announcing my retirement from college soccer today,” Hoppa said. “While I will miss all the excitement of college athletics, I am looking forward to spending more time with my family and moving into a new phase of life. It has been the greatest professional honor to be the head coach at Auburn University.” Hoppa goes out with 13 seniors including star midfielder Anna Haddock and five-year starter in goal Maddie Prohaska. She played at UCF, her senior season being in 1990, then she coached at UCF from 1993 through the 1998 season before taking the Auburn job. She finishes her career with a 293-192-60 record at Auburn and with a 357-236-69 overall between UCF and Auburn. “I want to thank all of my coaches, all of the support staff and especially all of my players throughout the years,” Hoppa said. “I also want to thank John Cohen, Rich McGlynn, Courtney Gage and Daniel Watkins for providing such tremendous leadership for our soccer program. I look forward to the next head coach building on the foundation we have established for this program.” Hoppa has been a steady presence on the Plains for over two decades. She became the athletics department’s longest-tenured coach in 2022 when former track coach Ralph Spry stepped down. “Karen Hoppa’s incredible success over three-plus decades, including 26 at Auburn, is a testament to the type of coach and leader she is,” said Auburn athletics director John Cohen. “Auburn soccer would not be where it is without Karen’s unwavering work ethic and determination. She not only achieved success on the field, but her program was also a model for success in the classroom and community. On behalf of the entire Auburn Family, we want to wish Karen and her family all the best in her retirement.” Hoppa coached 15 All-Americans at Auburn and 77 All-SEC selections. In 2016, Auburn made its deepest-ever run in the NCAA Tournament, finishing in the Elite Eight. The Tigers also made the Sweet 16 in 2015. Hoppa coached Auburn to the round of 32 nine times. She retires not only as Auburn’s best soccer coach, but one of its best coaches in women’s sports and at the top among female Auburn coaches. Get local news delivered to your inbox! Sports Editor {{description}} Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items.None

A novel method has been developed by scientists to convert heat into electricity using tungsten disilicide (WSi2). This breakthrough, achieved by researchers at the Tokyo University of Science, marks the first demonstration of transverse thermoelectric conversion in WSi2, paving the way for more efficient thermoelectric devices. The research team, led by Associate Professor Ryuji Okazaki from the Department of Physics and Astronomy at TUS, found that WSi2 is a promising candidate for transverse thermoelectric effect (TTE-based) devices. Transverse thermoelectric conversion “Transverse thermoelectric conversion is a phenomenon that is gaining attention as a new core technology for sensors capable of measuring temperature and heat flow,” said Prof. Okazaki. “However, there are only a limited number of such materials, and no design guidelines have been established. This is the first direct demonstration of the transverse thermoelectric conversion in WSi2.” The study published in journal PRX Energy involved performing experimental and computational studies on the transport properties of WSi2 single crystals. Physical experiments and computer simulations Researchers analyzed the properties of WSi2 through a combination of physical experiments and computer simulations. They measured the thermopower, electrical resistivity, and thermal conductivity of a WSi2 single crystal along its two crystallographic axes at low temperatures. Their findings revealed that the axis-dependent conduction polarity (ADCP) of WSi2 stems from its unique electronic structure, characterized by mixed-dimensional Fermi surfaces. This structure reveals that electrons and holes (positive charge carriers) exist in different dimensions. A Fermi surface is a theoretical geometrical surface that separates occupied and unoccupied electronic states of charge carriers inside a solid material. In WSi2, electrons form quasi-one-dimensional Fermi surfaces and holes form quasi-two-dimensional Fermi surfaces. These unique Fermi surfaces create direction-specific conductivity, enabling the TTE effect, according to a press release . To demonstrate the transverse thermoelectric effect, the researchers applied a temperature gradient at a 45-degree angle to the crystallographic axis. Researchers observed strongly sample-dependent transport properties, which have also been observed in previous studies, and together with first-principles calculations, they show that such sample-dependent transport properties originate from the band-dependent scattering rates of carriers. The calculated band-resolved Peltier conductivity shows that the mixed-dimensional electronic structure consisting of a quasi-one-dimensional electron Fermi surface and a quasi-two-dimensional hole surface is a key property for the axis-dependent conduction polarity, according to the study . Charge carriers In the study, researchers mentioned that they observed variations in how these charge carriers conduct electricity from sample to sample, consistent with previous studies. Using simulations based on first principles, the researchers showed that these variations were due to differences in how charge carriers scatter due to imperfections in the crystal lattice structure of WSi2 . This insight is key to fine-tuning the material and developing reliable thermoelectric devices. Further, they demonstrated direct TTE generation in WSi2 by applying a temperature difference along a specific angle relative to both crystallographic axes, resulting in a voltage perpendicular to the temperature difference, according to the study.New Hampshire courts hear two cases on transgender girls playing girls sports

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When Gemma Bentley walked down the aisle to marry the man of her dreams with her two daughters as bridesmaids, it was a bittersweet moment. While Gemma beamed at finding happiness with future husband Ben, there was one person missing from the celebrations. Her first-born daughter Honey Cook, 15, took her own life during lockdown in February 2021 after a vicious campaign of online bullying on Instagram - by girls she had never met. She is one of countless teens throughout the UK who have quite literally been bullied to death on social media. Now parents are backing growing calls for social media to be banned for under 16s after Australia moved to protect its kids from harmful content. The UK government this month warned tech giants to get their act together or they face a blanket ban among British kids . Read more bullying Gemma, 38, whose daughter Honey already suffered mental health problems when bullies told her to kill herself, said: “We absolutely need more control over social media when it comes to our children. “Kids say thing to each other online they might not say in person and online grooming is a massive issue. It makes sense to ban kids from platforms altogether.” Gemma says Honey, a talented artist who enjoyed cosplay, was sent more than 100 vile messages after being befriended by a group of girls on Instagram, where she often posted her pictures. “These girls were relentless,” says Gemma, of Barnsley, South Yorks . Most read in The Sun “They told Honey to kill herself, that everyone hated her, that she was ugly and never wanted by her family. They went into really graphic detail about how to take her own life. “Honey would still be here if it hadn’t been for these kids, in my opinion. She had very poor mental health already and was struggling with an eating disorder so was very fragile, but had been coping a lot better before these messages. “I don’t understand how these messages were able to get through the Instagram app because of their damaging content and that’s something else that needs to be looked at.” Gemma wed new husband Ben,32, a family friend, in October this year, with daughters Indie, 17, and 10-year-old Teddy as bridesmaids. She said: “It was such a bittersweet moment because I was marrying the man I love but Honey wasn’t there to see it. “I attached her favourite picture to my bouquet so she was there in some sense and we spoke about her a lot at times during the day. “Her sisters still struggle without her. Teddy was six when she lost her big sister and Honey doted on her. “Indie was 13 and has grieved very differently, which shows how it impacts everyone differently and how hard it is to navigate your child's grief while dealing with your own too." Gemma, who has set up a charity in her daughter’s name which provides self-help journals to help other struggling children, added: “I don’t think kids will take any of the online bullying seriously until one of them is prosecuted.” South Yorkshire Police investigated Honey’s death, which a coroner ruled suicide, but it’s understood they were unable to make any criminal charges against those involved. Police probe A spokeswoman said: "Both girls were dealt with via restorative justice, in which they wrote a letter each to the coroner explaining their involvement in creating malicious communications and expressing their remorse." Last year, additions to the Online Safety Bill mean trolls can be jailed up to five years for encouraging victims to harm themselves, but they were not in force when Honey died. This month Technology Secretary Peter Kyle said a ban on social-media for the under 16's is “on the table” if tech giants don’t take action to protect kids. He said: “I don’t want to ban things outright unless I absolutely need to. I will always put the safety of people first.” The minister made the warning as he prepares to tell Ofcom to be more assertive with firms - including a crackdown on age-restricted content for under 13s. He is in talks with counterparts in Australia where new laws are expected to be ushered in to block under-16s from accessing platforms like Facebook, TikTok , Snapchat , X and Instagram . This week an inquest heard how Welsh schoolgirl Megan Evans, 14, was found dead in her bedroom after a cyber-bullying campaign . Megan, of Milford Haven, Pembrokeshire, took her own life in February 2017 after being told to “kill yourself” by vile trolls. After her death, mum Nicola Harteveld found a Facebook group entitled ‘I hate Megan Evans’. Mum-of-eight Nicola has worked to raise awareness of mental health and the dangers of social media following her daughter’s death. Yet a coroner last week ruled bullying had not played a part in Megan's death - saying phrases like 'go kill yourself' can be "interpreted in different ways" by pupils. Nicola said: "It's heartbreaking and beyond disgusting to see a conclusion that tries to blur the line between bullying and banter. "Phrases like those can never be dismissed as a joke." Bully demands She launched the Megan’s Starr Foundation, which provides free counselling and support to young people. Nicola continued: "As a society we've become far too comfortable with dismissing harmful words as 'banter' or 'harmless fun'. "Phrases like 'Go kill yourself' are deeply damaging and never acceptable, yet they are being trivialised. "This normalisation teaches young people that cruelty is acceptable and victims should just toughen up. "Social media amplifies this harm, making it inescapable, yet accountability remains inconsistent both online and off line. "We need to stop normalising cruelty and start protecting our young children." Tech is an everyday part of children’s lives now. Here’s some ways you can protect their online safety. Talking to your kids about the dangers is an important part of safeguarding them. For the under 11s try simple NSPCC resources like Talk PANTS and Techosaurus . Older kids might find it embarrassing to talk about difficult topics but it’s worth checking in with them regularly to see if there’s anything they want to chat about. It’s worth buying a book on the topic and reading it together, before talking about it. Or ask if they’ve discussed the issue in class. You could pretend a friend of yours needs advice to find out how much they know about online safety. The NSPCC has created an online safety toolkit which you can access here . It can be helpful to remind kids they shouldn't share their location or personal information on their posts, on public forums and chats, on videos or with people they don't know. Exploring the safety and privacy settings on apps will help you decide which are right for your child to use. Apps have different ways to set up an account but most have options to set an account to private, ban new friend requests and hide the user's location. Each app has slightly different ways to set up an account, but most have the option. Each has a different age rating. For more information log on to the NSPCC or for more advice the Internet Watch Foundation A third family also told The Sun how they want to see tougher regulations - or a total ban. The family of 16-year-old Kibi Wade were left devastated after she took her own life in July this year after classroom bullies continued to stalk her when she left school. Vile messages shown to The Sun reveal how Kibi was sent messages by a group of girls who warned her she would be continually bullied unless she met their demands - which included sitting at the front of the school bus, a bar on talking to certain kids and not going to the toilets if they were using them. She was also blackmailed into buying vapes or her tormentors threatened to spread false rumours about her. Kibi’s mum Michelle Barrett, 47, of Caistor, Lincs, said: “Kibi was very distressed by it and we thought it would all come to an end when she left school in the summer, but the messages just kept coming until she couldn’t take anymore. “If she left a group chat they would just add her to another and start abusing her again. I think she felt there was no escape from them.” Michelle and partner Michelle Gardner, 50, have now launched a campaign to raise awareness about cyberbullying - but are also backing calls for the blanket ban. Michelle said: "If it was up to us we wouldn’t let kids on social media until they were at least 18. Kids don’t seem to have any awareness of the impact their words can have on others.” The NSPCC says any under-16 ban would “penalise children for the failure of tech companies” CEO Sir Peter Wanless said: “Social media is now an integral part of young people’s lives. It provides them with opportunities to communicate with friends and family, to learn and be creative. “We understand concerns about children having access to social media that is fundamentally unsafe for them. However, children deserve to have age appropriate experiences online rather than being cut off from it all together.” Campaigner Ian Russell, whose daughter Molly took her own life after being exposed to suicide and self-harm online, said a ban would push "bad actors en masse" onto gaming platforms. Fourteen-year-old Molly, of Harrow, north-west London, died in November 2017 after viewing "dark, graphic, harmful" content. Her death sparked campaigning to clean up the internet, leading to the Online Safety Act that will force firms to take down damaging posts from their platforms. According to the experts at Family Lives, there are some specific signs to look out for. These can be split into three different sections - emotional, physical and changes at school. Emotional - the child is isolating themselves and not talking to family, they are becoming more withdrawn, there are changes in eating habits, and behaviour, such as becoming more angry, they avoid social media, they don't see their friends outside school, they show new anxiety and nervousness. Physical - the child may have unexplained bruises, cuts or marks on their body, issues with sleep, complain of headaches or tummy aches and wet the bed. Changes at school - the child suddenly starts doing badly in lesson, becomes anxious about school, claims to feel unwell more than usual, loses items or money that can't be explained, have damaged possessions and refuse to take part in after school clubs. You can call The National Bullying Helpline for a free consultation on 0300 323 0169. Ensure your offspring has the number for Childline on 0800 1111. Ian told the i paper that a ban would wrongly deny youngsters the benefits of the digital world - and called for the Government to strengthen existing laws . Tech giant Meta said it has recently introduced an initiative called Teen Accounts which can limit what kids are exposed to. All young people who sign up to Instagram in Britain, America and Canada will be put under the restrictions with a global rollout planned for later this year. READ MORE SUN STORIES It means teens will need to accept new followers and people who don’t follow them can’t see their content or interact with them. Parents can also put on controls which mean they can see who their child is messaging and a sleep mode will mute nighttime notifications. A spokesperson said Instagram also has a ‘hidden words’ feature, which allows users to filter emojis, words, phrases or comments they don’t want to see.

Dubai: What Key Trends Will Drive The Property Market In 2025?PL Predictions: Forest to turn up heat on stubborn AngeWinston Churchill is credited with saying that history is written by the victors. And in the world of major labels, these corporate entities have a long history of emerging as top dogs by controlling artist’s musical output and writing contracts that give acts the short end of the stick. David Lowery and his band Cracker, who will perform Monday at Lulu’s Downtown in Colorado Springs, had some of those experiences following a wild and often successful ride signed to Virgin Records. But Lowery and fellow founding member Johnny Hickman have managed to take the wheel of their band’s narrative in recent years. A case in point is the recently released “Alternative History: A Cracker Retrospective,” a three-LP/two-CD set that serves as a proxy version of the band’s canon. For Lowery, the impetus for this undertaking can be traced to the most nefarious modern-day anti-musician piece of technology — streaming services. “Part of this grew out of me talking to our students where they would sort of go on a streaming service to see the Cracker best of algorithmic playlists,” he said. “Based on the number of streams, it tends to favor the older stuff. It was sort of skewed and not really representing (us). And then two of our three greatest hits compilations were also kind of 2002 backwards. We felt there needed to be another compilation. We got into talking about licensing some with Universal Music Group and Concord in conjunction with Cooking Vinyl, but it seemed like it was going to eat up all the money if we licensed the tracks.” Rather than funnel money to their former labels, Lowery decided to sift through re-recordings, demos, outtakes and live tracks for a set that ranges far and wide throughout the Cracker catalog. “This turned out to be an interesting project because basically what we were doing was telling the story of Cracker sort of using alternate takes like the stuff we did with Leftover Salmon re-records we’d done through the years, rare B-sides and a few unreleased things,” Lowery said. “There are songs that over the years have become fan favorites, and while they were never singles, they were important live songs we do.” With “Alternative History” out, Lowery and Hickman are back on tour fronting Cracker. They’re also adding a twist by bringing out Chicago-based fiddler Anne Harris. “The setlist will be a pretty strict retrospective approach with a little bit from every part of the catalog. Having Anne play with us means we’ve been able to incorporate some of the Camper stuff as well,” Lowery said, referencing his other band, Camper Van Beethoven. “ She’s actually a very interesting and versatile artist in her own right. It’s a little bit of a different show when we play with her.”

Article content Millions of Canadians have already unlocked the capabilities of “generative AI” – beginning with OpenAI’s ChatGPT, which launched exactly two years ago – and quickly followed by Google Gemini, Microsoft Copilot, Meta AI, Grok (from Elon Musk), and several others. Recommended Videos “Gen AI” tools have empowered people to create text, photos, and other content – from building a custom itinerary for a trip to Greece, to helping draft business plans for entrepreneurs, to creating images that can be freely used on a website or presentation at school or work. Much of the content is free, though more advanced features require a paid subscription. Regardless, gen AI to date has been mostly an online “cloud” application, which requires an internet connection. But things are about to change. Much of the heavy lifting is moving to your device itself – and with it comes several benefits. While some mobile phone platforms have started to do this, you’ll notice the most significant change on your Windows PC. If it’s been a while since you’ve purchased a laptop, you’ll likely be blown away at what an “AI PC” can do. What’s an AI PC? At the risk of getting too geeky, a computer’s “CPU” (central processing unit) is the engine that drives general performance of the machine, while a “GPU,” or graphics processing unit, is used primarily for rendering video and 3D graphics (important for gamers). Today, an AI PC also includes an “NPU” under the hood – a neural processing unit – to handle AI-related requests. Again, forgive the jargon soup. But you get the idea. “An AI PC is a personal computer equipped with advanced artificial intelligence capabilities built directly into the hardware,” confirms Asma Aziz, director of marketing for Americas territories at Intel Canada. “This integration allows the PC to perform tasks like enhancing the quality of your images, greatly improving battery life, and even assisting with real-time language translation –automatically and more efficiently than traditional PCs.” AI PCs from Intel are powered by Intel Core Ultra (Series 2) processors. Laptop shoppers may notice a dedicated “Copilot+” button on the keyboard, too, which wakes up the AI assistant for your question or command (called a “query”). “Once customers understand what’s possible with ‘AI on device,’ it’s a no-brainer,” says Sam Chang, senior vice president and division president of Consumer PC Solutions at HP. “You’re getting cost savings since you don’t need to pay for a subscription, it’s more secure and private (than the cloud), and you get a faster response by running the model locally,” Additional benefits of an AI PC As hinted at by Aziz and Chang, AI PCs can help you get more done in less time. AI PCs render AI prompts faster, plus it doesn’t need to share some queries with others online, such as info tied to your taxes or a proprietary company document – to help build the “large language model,” like how ChatGPT works – and so it’s more secure and personalized since it combs through your own info. For example, ask your laptop “Show me the email where I was promised a raise” or “Where are the photos from my daughter’s last birthday?” There are several business-related benefits, too. Allan Kambeitz, category officer at Best Buy Canada, says AI can also help with mundane, time-consuming or complicated tasks. “An AI PC provides an increased level of productivity, such as simplifying presentations and spreadsheets, by asking AI to do, or to help do, these normally complex tasks,” Kambeitz says. “There are enhanced security features, such as biometric authentication to keep data safe, while real-time noise suppression and video quality adjustments make virtual meetings smoother and clearer – an important benefit for Canada’s diverse workforce and remote work trends,” adds Aziz. AI PC sales are promising AI PCs are the fastest growing PC segment, says Intel, with the company saying it has shipped more than 15 million devices since December 2023 – and on track to ship more than 40 million before the end of the year. This space is forecasted by Gartner to grow 165% year over year into 2025 and account for 43% of all PCs, which includes products from Intel competitors like AMD and Qualcomm Snapdragon. “Based on the early success of Copilot+ Windows PCs, we are confident that AI PCs will be popular, especially now that there are so many to choose from,” Kambeitz says. Patrick O’Rourke, editor-in-chief at Pocket-lint, a technology publication focused on portable devices, agrees AI tasks handled locally can result in “greater efficiency” but clarifies some features still require an internet connection – such as asking the AI to create recipe ideas for hosting a dinner party attended by pescatarians. “Copilot+ allows you to do things like add real-time subtitles to video content, create various studio-like video effects, and view your activity via Recall (in beta), which allows you to view your PC’s activity history,” O’Rourke explains. “Whether or not these AI-powered features are useful will depend on how you use your computer.” What to look for in an AI PC All major computer manufacturers have embraced AI PCs, and so stick with brands you know and trust, such as ASUS, HP, Lenovo, Dell, Acer, LG, Samsung, MSi, and Microsoft Surface. If you’re into gaming, popular PC brands with AI features include ROG (ASUS), Legion (Lenovo), Omen (HP), Alienware (Dell), Nitro/Predator (Acer), and Razer. Next, decide on a form factor, such as laptop, 2-in-1 (touchscreen laptop that converts into tablet, by bending back or removing the screen), desktop or all-in-one (where the guts of the computer are tucked in behind the monitor). Laptop shoppers should test out the weight, especially those who travel, but know that all Copilot+ laptops have at least 12 hours of battery, so you’re good there. Some laptops last twice as long as that, between charges, depending on the application. Apple all-in on AI, too For Mac shoppers, “Apple Intelligence” is Apple’s take on AI, which also works on the latest iPhone and iPad, and it, too, is a suite of tools and technologies to empower users – while protecting your privacy at the same time, says the company. Ask the AI to help draft emails and messages and other text for you; create images based on what you ask for; record, transcribe, and summarize audio; and a smarter Siri that’s more conversational and contextual. Marc Saltzman is the host of the Tech It Out podcast and the author of the book, Apple Vision Pro For Dummies (Wiley).British Columbia Premier David Eby said Canada must approach Donald Trump's plan to impose a 25 per cent U.S. tariff on Canadian goods from a position of strength, as business, trade and community organizations called for quick action on the trade threat. Eby said premiers and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau would meet this week to discuss "our strategic approach" to the U.S. president-elect's plan to impose the tariff on Canadian and Mexican imports immediately after his inauguration on Jan. 20, unless action was taken to stem the cross-border flow of migrants and illegal drugs. The B.C. premier made the comments Tuesday in a speech to the annual convention of the B.C. Federation of Labour in Vancouver. "Obviously, this will be devastating to workers on both sides of the border," he said. "Both in the U.S. and in Canada, the impact on families will be profoundly significant." Canada and the U.S. have long been top trading partners, on imports as well as exports, and the strength of this relationship put Canada in a solid position when it came to Trump's tariff threat, Eby said. "We have more in common with Americans than what separates us," he said. "We buy more American stuff than France, than China and Japan and the United Kingdom combined. So, we are negotiating, I believe, from a position of strength." Eby called for a united Canadian approach to the proposed U.S. tariff. "We're going to stand together and we're going to ensure we negotiate from a position of strength and that we negotiate hard and ensure any decisions that are made are in the best interests of British Columbians and Canadians," he said. Eby acknowledged improvements could be made on Canada's border, especially when it came to policing contraband and illegal drugs. "We've called repeatedly, for example, for port police to ensure what comes into B.C. is not contraband, is not illicit drugs or precursor chemicals," he said. "These are things that we can do to make life better here in B.C., as well as respond to concerns that have been raised south of the border." Trump issued a statement on social media on Monday saying Canada and Mexico had the power to solve their border issues, which he called a "long simmering problem." Opposition B.C. Conservative Leader John Rustad called for the immediate recall of the B.C. legislature Tuesday to provide funding to secure borders to stop the flow of illegal drugs and migrants. Business organizations in B.C. called on the provincial and federal government to immediately address Trump's tariff plan, which they said would will hurt businesses. The proposal would have significant consequences for B.C. businesses of all sizes and would harm communities and workers across the province, said Fiona Famulak, B.C. Chamber of Commerce president and chief executive officer. “Ottawa must take this news seriously and work proactively with representatives of the incoming U.S. administration immediately to address the issue before the tariffs are implemented," she said in a statement. "We cannot afford to wait until January to take action." The Metro Vancouver city of Surrey, which has two U.S. border crossings, said in a statement the proposed tariff would have severe implications for the city's business community. Most of B.C.'s manufacturing industry is located in Surrey and the city is also home to many thriving import-export-reliant businesses, which would face increased costs and potential job losses if the U.S. tariff was imposed, said Jasroop Gosal, Surrey Board of Trade spokesman. The B.C. Lumber Trade Council said the proposed tariff would hurt U.S. consumers and homebuyers by driving up the cost of building materials from Canada, while the Greater Vancouver Board of Trade said the U.S. was B.C.’s most important trading partner, accounting for 54 per cent of the province’s commodity exports in 2023. "It is imperative that we engage constructively with our U.S. counterparts to advance our collective interests," said Bridgitte Anderson, board of trade president and CEO. "This should act as a wake-up call to all levels of government that a new Team Canada approach is required," said Anderson. "We saw the reaction in the markets, and we saw the (Canadian) dollar fall. The shock waves were quite significant and we shouldn't underestimate what the impact of this could be." She said some of B.C.’s top exports to the U.S. are natural gas, softwood lumber, agricultural products, and minerals and metals. But some economists and policy analysts warned against falling for familiar Trump negotiation tactics. “He likes nothing more than to see his negotiating partners trembling in fear or running around screaming with their hair on fire," said Carlo Dade, trade and infrastructure director at the Alberta-based Canada West Foundation. "So, we need to react, but we need to do so with prudence, with firmness, with thought and without fear and panic." Prof. Nicolas Schmitt said the tariff proposal was a threat rather than a solid policy decision. “We should not panic about the 25 per cent threat right now," said Schmitt, who teaches economics at Simon Fraser University. "It's a bullying tactic. It's like bullying in the schoolyard." B.C. government data says the province's exports to the U.S. in the first half of 2024 were worth $16.9 billion, down 1.1 per cent compared to the same period last year. The U.S. is by far B.C.'s largest export destination, with mainland China in second place receiving goods worth $4.9 billion in the year to July, up 13.2 per cent. This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 26, 2024. Dirk Meissner and Nono Shen, The Canadian PressBy BILL BARROW, Associated Press ATLANTA (AP) — Jimmy Carter, the peanut farmer who won the presidency in the wake of the Watergate scandal and Vietnam War, endured humbling defeat after one tumultuous term and then redefined life after the White House as a global humanitarian, has died. He was 100 years old. The longest-lived American president died on Sunday, more than a year after entering hospice care , at his home in the small town of Plains, Georgia, where he and his wife, Rosalynn, who died at 96 in November 2023 , spent most of their lives, The Carter Center said. Businessman, Navy officer, evangelist, politician, negotiator, author, woodworker, citizen of the world — Carter forged a path that still challenges political assumptions and stands out among the 45 men who reached the nation’s highest office. The 39th president leveraged his ambition with a keen intellect, deep religious faith and prodigious work ethic, conducting diplomatic missions into his 80s and building houses for the poor well into his 90s. “My faith demands — this is not optional — my faith demands that I do whatever I can, wherever I am, whenever I can, for as long as I can, with whatever I have to try to make a difference,” Carter once said. A moderate Democrat, Carter entered the 1976 presidential race as a little-known Georgia governor with a broad smile, outspoken Baptist mores and technocratic plans reflecting his education as an engineer. His no-frills campaign depended on public financing, and his promise not to deceive the American people resonated after Richard Nixon’s disgrace and U.S. defeat in southeast Asia. “If I ever lie to you, if I ever make a misleading statement, don’t vote for me. I would not deserve to be your president,” Carter repeated before narrowly beating Republican incumbent Gerald Ford, who had lost popularity pardoning Nixon. Carter governed amid Cold War pressures, turbulent oil markets and social upheaval over racism, women’s rights and America’s global role. His most acclaimed achievement in office was a Mideast peace deal that he brokered by keeping Egyptian President Anwar Sadat and Israeli Prime Minister Menachem Begin at the bargaining table for 13 days in 1978. That Camp David experience inspired the post-presidential center where Carter would establish so much of his legacy. Yet Carter’s electoral coalition splintered under double-digit inflation, gasoline lines and the 444-day hostage crisis in Iran. His bleakest hour came when eight Americans died in a failed hostage rescue in April 1980, helping to ensure his landslide defeat to Republican Ronald Reagan. Carter acknowledged in his 2020 “White House Diary” that he could be “micromanaging” and “excessively autocratic,” complicating dealings with Congress and the federal bureaucracy. He also turned a cold shoulder to Washington’s news media and lobbyists, not fully appreciating their influence on his political fortunes. “It didn’t take us long to realize that the underestimation existed, but by that time we were not able to repair the mistake,” Carter told historians in 1982, suggesting that he had “an inherent incompatibility” with Washington insiders. Carter insisted his overall approach was sound and that he achieved his primary objectives — to “protect our nation’s security and interests peacefully” and “enhance human rights here and abroad” — even if he fell spectacularly short of a second term. Ignominious defeat, though, allowed for renewal. The Carters founded The Carter Center in 1982 as a first-of-its-kind base of operations, asserting themselves as international peacemakers and champions of democracy, public health and human rights. “I was not interested in just building a museum or storing my White House records and memorabilia,” Carter wrote in a memoir published after his 90th birthday. “I wanted a place where we could work.” That work included easing nuclear tensions in North and South Korea, helping to avert a U.S. invasion of Haiti and negotiating cease-fires in Bosnia and Sudan. By 2022, The Carter Center had declared at least 113 elections in Latin America, Asia and Africa to be free or fraudulent. Recently, the center began monitoring U.S. elections as well. Carter’s stubborn self-assuredness and even self-righteousness proved effective once he was unencumbered by the Washington order, sometimes to the point of frustrating his successors . He went “where others are not treading,” he said, to places like Ethiopia, Liberia and North Korea, where he secured the release of an American who had wandered across the border in 2010. “I can say what I like. I can meet whom I want. I can take on projects that please me and reject the ones that don’t,” Carter said. He announced an arms-reduction-for-aid deal with North Korea without clearing the details with Bill Clinton’s White House. He openly criticized President George W. Bush for the 2003 invasion of Iraq. He also criticized America’s approach to Israel with his 2006 book “Palestine: Peace Not Apartheid.” And he repeatedly countered U.S. administrations by insisting North Korea should be included in international affairs, a position that most aligned Carter with Republican President Donald Trump. Among the center’s many public health initiatives, Carter vowed to eradicate the guinea worm parasite during his lifetime, and nearly achieved it: Cases dropped from millions in the 1980s to nearly a handful. With hardhats and hammers, the Carters also built homes with Habitat for Humanity. The Nobel committee’s 2002 Peace Prize cites his “untiring effort to find peaceful solutions to international conflicts, to advance democracy and human rights, and to promote economic and social development.” Carter should have won it alongside Sadat and Begin in 1978, the chairman added. Carter accepted the recognition saying there was more work to be done. “The world is now, in many ways, a more dangerous place,” he said. “The greater ease of travel and communication has not been matched by equal understanding and mutual respect.” Carter’s globetrotting took him to remote villages where he met little “Jimmy Carters,” so named by admiring parents. But he spent most of his days in the same one-story Plains house — expanded and guarded by Secret Service agents — where they lived before he became governor. He regularly taught Sunday School lessons at Maranatha Baptist Church until his mobility declined and the coronavirus pandemic raged. Those sessions drew visitors from around the world to the small sanctuary where Carter will receive his final send-off after a state funeral at Washington’s National Cathedral. The common assessment that he was a better ex-president than president rankled Carter and his allies. His prolific post-presidency gave him a brand above politics, particularly for Americans too young to witness him in office. But Carter also lived long enough to see biographers and historians reassess his White House years more generously. His record includes the deregulation of key industries, reduction of U.S. dependence on foreign oil, cautious management of the national debt and notable legislation on the environment, education and mental health. He focused on human rights in foreign policy, pressuring dictators to release thousands of political prisoners . He acknowledged America’s historical imperialism, pardoned Vietnam War draft evaders and relinquished control of the Panama Canal. He normalized relations with China. “I am not nominating Jimmy Carter for a place on Mount Rushmore,” Stuart Eizenstat, Carter’s domestic policy director, wrote in a 2018 book. “He was not a great president” but also not the “hapless and weak” caricature voters rejected in 1980, Eizenstat said. Rather, Carter was “good and productive” and “delivered results, many of which were realized only after he left office.” Madeleine Albright, a national security staffer for Carter and Clinton’s secretary of state, wrote in Eizenstat’s forward that Carter was “consequential and successful” and expressed hope that “perceptions will continue to evolve” about his presidency. “Our country was lucky to have him as our leader,” said Albright, who died in 2022. Jonathan Alter, who penned a comprehensive Carter biography published in 2020, said in an interview that Carter should be remembered for “an epic American life” spanning from a humble start in a home with no electricity or indoor plumbing through decades on the world stage across two centuries. “He will likely go down as one of the most misunderstood and underestimated figures in American history,” Alter told The Associated Press. James Earl Carter Jr. was born Oct. 1, 1924, in Plains and spent his early years in nearby Archery. His family was a minority in the mostly Black community, decades before the civil rights movement played out at the dawn of Carter’s political career. Carter, who campaigned as a moderate on race relations but governed more progressively, talked often of the influence of his Black caregivers and playmates but also noted his advantages: His land-owning father sat atop Archery’s tenant-farming system and owned a main street grocery. His mother, Lillian , would become a staple of his political campaigns. Seeking to broaden his world beyond Plains and its population of fewer than 1,000 — then and now — Carter won an appointment to the U.S. Naval Academy, graduating in 1946. That same year he married Rosalynn Smith, another Plains native, a decision he considered more important than any he made as head of state. She shared his desire to see the world, sacrificing college to support his Navy career. Carter climbed in rank to lieutenant, but then his father was diagnosed with cancer, so the submarine officer set aside his ambitions of admiralty and moved the family back to Plains. His decision angered Rosalynn, even as she dived into the peanut business alongside her husband. Carter again failed to talk with his wife before his first run for office — he later called it “inconceivable” not to have consulted her on such major life decisions — but this time, she was on board. “My wife is much more political,” Carter told the AP in 2021. He won a state Senate seat in 1962 but wasn’t long for the General Assembly and its back-slapping, deal-cutting ways. He ran for governor in 1966 — losing to arch-segregationist Lester Maddox — and then immediately focused on the next campaign. Carter had spoken out against church segregation as a Baptist deacon and opposed racist “Dixiecrats” as a state senator. Yet as a local school board leader in the 1950s he had not pushed to end school segregation even after the Supreme Court’s Brown v. Board of Education decision, despite his private support for integration. And in 1970, Carter ran for governor again as the more conservative Democrat against Carl Sanders, a wealthy businessman Carter mocked as “Cufflinks Carl.” Sanders never forgave him for anonymous, race-baiting flyers, which Carter disavowed. Ultimately, Carter won his races by attracting both Black voters and culturally conservative whites. Once in office, he was more direct. “I say to you quite frankly that the time for racial discrimination is over,” he declared in his 1971 inaugural address, setting a new standard for Southern governors that landed him on the cover of Time magazine. His statehouse initiatives included environmental protection, boosting rural education and overhauling antiquated executive branch structures. He proclaimed Martin Luther King Jr. Day in the slain civil rights leader’s home state. And he decided, as he received presidential candidates in 1972, that they were no more talented than he was. In 1974, he ran Democrats’ national campaign arm. Then he declared his own candidacy for 1976. An Atlanta newspaper responded with the headline: “Jimmy Who?” The Carters and a “Peanut Brigade” of family members and Georgia supporters camped out in Iowa and New Hampshire, establishing both states as presidential proving grounds. His first Senate endorsement: a young first-termer from Delaware named Joe Biden. Yet it was Carter’s ability to navigate America’s complex racial and rural politics that cemented the nomination. He swept the Deep South that November, the last Democrat to do so, as many white Southerners shifted to Republicans in response to civil rights initiatives. A self-declared “born-again Christian,” Carter drew snickers by referring to Scripture in a Playboy magazine interview, saying he “had looked on many women with lust. I’ve committed adultery in my heart many times.” The remarks gave Ford a new foothold and television comedians pounced — including NBC’s new “Saturday Night Live” show. But voters weary of cynicism in politics found it endearing. Carter chose Minnesota Sen. Walter “Fritz” Mondale as his running mate on a “Grits and Fritz” ticket. In office, he elevated the vice presidency and the first lady’s office. Mondale’s governing partnership was a model for influential successors Al Gore, Dick Cheney and Biden. Rosalynn Carter was one of the most involved presidential spouses in history, welcomed into Cabinet meetings and huddles with lawmakers and top aides. The Carters presided with uncommon informality: He used his nickname “Jimmy” even when taking the oath of office, carried his own luggage and tried to silence the Marine Band’s “Hail to the Chief.” They bought their clothes off the rack. Carter wore a cardigan for a White House address, urging Americans to conserve energy by turning down their thermostats. Amy, the youngest of four children, attended District of Columbia public school. Washington’s social and media elite scorned their style. But the larger concern was that “he hated politics,” according to Eizenstat, leaving him nowhere to turn politically once economic turmoil and foreign policy challenges took their toll. Carter partially deregulated the airline, railroad and trucking industries and established the departments of Education and Energy, and the Federal Emergency Management Agency. He designated millions of acres of Alaska as national parks or wildlife refuges. He appointed a then-record number of women and nonwhite people to federal posts. He never had a Supreme Court nomination, but he elevated civil rights attorney Ruth Bader Ginsburg to the nation’s second highest court, positioning her for a promotion in 1993. He appointed Paul Volker, the Federal Reserve chairman whose policies would help the economy boom in the 1980s — after Carter left office. He built on Nixon’s opening with China, and though he tolerated autocrats in Asia, pushed Latin America from dictatorships to democracy. But he couldn’t immediately tame inflation or the related energy crisis. And then came Iran. After he admitted the exiled Shah of Iran to the U.S. for medical treatment, the American Embassy in Tehran was overrun in 1979 by followers of the Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini. Negotiations to free the hostages broke down repeatedly ahead of the failed rescue attempt. The same year, Carter signed SALT II, the new strategic arms treaty with Leonid Brezhnev of the Soviet Union, only to pull it back, impose trade sanctions and order a U.S. boycott of the Moscow Olympics after the Soviets invaded Afghanistan. Hoping to instill optimism, he delivered what the media dubbed his “malaise” speech, although he didn’t use that word. He declared the nation was suffering “a crisis of confidence.” By then, many Americans had lost confidence in the president, not themselves. Carter campaigned sparingly for reelection because of the hostage crisis, instead sending Rosalynn as Sen. Edward M. Kennedy challenged him for the Democratic nomination. Carter famously said he’d “kick his ass,” but was hobbled by Kennedy as Reagan rallied a broad coalition with “make America great again” appeals and asking voters whether they were “better off than you were four years ago.” Reagan further capitalized on Carter’s lecturing tone, eviscerating him in their lone fall debate with the quip: “There you go again.” Carter lost all but six states and Republicans rolled to a new Senate majority. Carter successfully negotiated the hostages’ freedom after the election, but in one final, bitter turn of events, Tehran waited until hours after Carter left office to let them walk free. At 56, Carter returned to Georgia with “no idea what I would do with the rest of my life.” Four decades after launching The Carter Center, he still talked of unfinished business. “I thought when we got into politics we would have resolved everything,” Carter told the AP in 2021. “But it’s turned out to be much more long-lasting and insidious than I had thought it was. I think in general, the world itself is much more divided than in previous years.” Still, he affirmed what he said when he underwent treatment for a cancer diagnosis in his 10th decade of life. “I’m perfectly at ease with whatever comes,” he said in 2015 . “I’ve had a wonderful life. I’ve had thousands of friends, I’ve had an exciting, adventurous and gratifying existence.” ___ Former Associated Press journalist Alex Sanz contributed to this report.

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