Intuitive Machines Announces Launch of Public Offering of its Class A Common Stock and ...Jimmy Carter, the 39th US president, has died at 100 ATLANTA (AP) — Former U.S. President Jimmy Carter has died. He was 100 years old and had spent roughly 22 months in hospice care. The Georgia peanut farmer served one turbulent term in the White House before building a reputation as a global humanitarian and champion of democracy. He defeated President Gerald Ford in 1976 promising to restore trust in government but lost to Ronald Reagan four years later amid soaring inflation, gas station lines and the Iran hostage crisis. He and his wife Rosalynn then formed The Carter Center, and he earned a Nobel Peace Prize while making himself the most internationally engaged of former presidents. The Carter Center said he died peacefully Sunday afternoon in Plains, Georgia, surrounded by his family. Jimmy Carter: Many evolutions for a centenarian ‘citizen of the world’ PLAINS, Ga. (AP) — The 39th and longest-lived U.S. president, James Earl Carter Jr., died Sunday at the age of 100. His life ended where it began, in Plains, Georgia. He left and returned to the tiny town many times as he climbed to the nation’s highest office and lost it after four tumultuous years. Carter spent the next 40 years setting new standards for what a former president can do. Carter wrote nearly a decade ago that he found all the phases of his life challenging but also successful and enjoyable. The Democrat's principled but pragmatic approach defied American political labels, especially the idea that one-term presidents are failures. Jet crash disaster in South Korea marks another setback for Boeing WASHINGTON (AP) — A machinists strike. Another safety problem involving its troubled top-selling airliner. A plunging stock price. 2024 was already a dispiriting year for Boeing, the American aviation giant. But when one of the company’s jets crash-landed in South Korea on Sunday, killing all but two of the 181 people on board, it brought to a close an especially unfortunate year for Boeing. The cause of the crash remains under investigation, and aviation experts were quick to distinguish Sunday’s incident from the company’s earlier safety problems. Alan Price, an airline consultant, said it would be inappropriate to link the incident Sunday to two fatal crashes involving Boeing’s troubled 737 Max jetliner in 2018 and 2019. South Korean authorities seek warrant to detain impeached President Yoon in martial law probe SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — South Korean law enforcement officials have requested a court warrant to detain impeached President Yoon Suk Yeol as they investigate whether his short-lived martial law decree this month amounted to rebellion. The Corruption Investigation Office for High-Ranking Officials, which is leading a joint investigation with police and military authorities into the power grab that lasted only a few hours, confirmed it requested the warrant on Monday. Investigators plan to question Yoon on charges of abuse of authority and orchestrating a rebellion. Tornadoes in Texas and Mississippi kill 2 and injure 6 as severe weather system moves east HOUSTON (AP) — A strong storm system is threatening to whip up tornadoes in parts of the U.S. Southeast, a day after severe weather claimed at least two lives as twisters touched down in Texas and Mississippi. Strong storms moving eastward Sunday are expected to continue producing gusty, damaging winds, hail and tornadoes through Sunday. That is according to National Weather Service meteorologist Frank Pereira. So far, the line of severe weather has led to about 40 tornado reports from southeastern Texas to Alabama, Pereira said, but those reports remain unconfirmed until surveys of damage are completed. Israeli hospital says Netanyahu has undergone successful prostate surgery TEL AVIV, Israel (AP) — An Israeli hospital says Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has undergone successful prostate surgery. Jerusalem’s Hadassah Medical Center said his prostate was removed late Sunday and that he was recovering. Netanyahu’s office had said Justice Minister Yariv Levin, a close ally, would serve as acting prime minister during the procedure. Doctors ordered the operation after detecting an infection last week. Netanyahu is expected to remain hospitalized for several days. With so much at stake, Netanyahu’s health in wartime is a concern for both Israelis and the wider world. Azerbaijan's president says crashed jetliner was shot down by Russia unintentionally Azerbaijan’s President Ilham Aliyev says the Azerbaijani airliner that crashed last week was shot down by Russia, albeit unintentionally. Aliyev told Azerbaijani state television on Sunday that the aircraft was hit by fire from the ground over Russia and rendered uncontrollable by electronic warfare. He accused Russia of trying to “hush up” the issue for several days. The crash on Wednesday killed 38 of 67 people on board. Russian President Vladimir Putin apologized to Aliyev on Saturday for what he called a “tragic incident” but stopped short of acknowledging Moscow’s responsibility. Croatia's incumbent president gains most votes for re-election, but not enough to avoid a runoff ZAGREB, Croatia (AP) — Croatia’s incumbent President Zoran Milanovic has swept most votes in the first round of a presidential election, but will have to face a runoff against a ruling party candidate to secure another five-year term. With 99% percent of the vote counted Sunday, Milanovic won 49% while his main challenger Dragan Primorac, a candidate of the ruling HDZ party, trailed far behind with 19%. Pre-election polls had predicted that the two would face off in the second round on Jan. 12, as none of the eight presidential election contenders were projected to get more than 50% of the vote. A fourth infant dies of the winter cold in Gaza as families share blankets in seaside tents DEIR AL-BALAH, Gaza Strip (AP) — A fourth infant has died of hypothermia in Gaza, where hundreds of thousands of Palestinians displaced by nearly 15 months of war are huddled in tents along the rainy, windswept coast as winter arrives. The baby's father says the 20-day-old child was found with his head as “cold as ice” Sunday morning in their tent. The baby’s twin brother was moved to the intensive care unit of Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital. Their father says the twins were born one month premature and spent just a day in hospital, which like other Gaza health centers has been overwhelmed and only partially functions. Syria's de facto leader says it could take up to 4 years to hold elections BEIRUT (AP) — Syria’s de facto leader has said it could take up to four years to hold elections in Syria, and that he plans on dissolving his Islamist group that led the country’s insurgency at an anticipated national dialogue summit for the country. Ahmad al-Sharaa, who leads Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, the group leading the new authority in Syria, made the remarks in an interview Sunday. That's according to the Saudi television network Al-Arabiyya. It comes almost a month after a lightning insurgency led by HTS overthrew President Bashar Assad’s decades-long rule, ending the country’s uprising-turned civil war that started back in 2011.
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HOUSTON (AP) — An elaborate parody appears to be behind an effort to resurrect Enron, the Houston-based energy company that exemplified the worst in American corporate fraud and greed after it went bankrupt in 2001. If its return is comedic, some former employees who lost everything in Enron’s collapse aren’t laughing. “It’s a pretty sick joke and it disparages the people that did work there. And why would you want to even bring it back up again?” said former Enron employee Diana Peters, who represented workers in the company’s bankruptcy proceedings. Here’s what to know about the history of Enron and the purported effort to bring it back. What happened at Enron? Once the nation’s seventh-largest company, Enron filed for bankruptcy protection on Dec. 2, 2001, after years of accounting tricks could no longer hide billions of dollars in debt or make failing ventures appear profitable. The energy company’s collapse put more than 5,000 people out of work, wiped out more than $2 billion in employee pensions and rendered $60 billion in Enron stock worthless. Its aftershocks were felt throughout the energy sector. Twenty-four Enron executives, including former CEO Jeffrey Skilling, were eventually convicted for their roles in the fraud. Enron founder Key Lay’s convictions were vacated after he died of heart disease following his 2006 trial. Is Enron coming back? On Monday — the 23rd anniversary of the bankruptcy filing — a company representing itself as Enron announced in a news release that it was relaunching as a “company dedicated to solving the global energy crisis.” It also posted a video on social media, advertised on at least one Houston billboard and a took out a full-page ad in the Houston Chronicle In the minute-long video that was full of generic corporate jargon, the company talks about “growth” and “rebirth.” It ends with the words, “We’re back. Can we talk?” Enron’s new website features a company store, where various items featuring the brand’s tilted “E” logo are for sale, including a $118 hoodie. In an email, company spokesperson Will Chabot said the new Enron was not doing any interviews yet, but that “We’ll have more to share soon.” Signs point to the comeback being a joke. In the “terms of use and conditions of sale” on the company’s website, it says “the information on the website about Enron is First Amendment protected parody, represents performance art, and is for entertainment purposes only.” Documents filed with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office show that College Company, an Arkansas-based LLC, owns the Enron trademark. The co-founder of College Company is Connor Gaydos, who helped create a joke conspiracy theory that claims all birds are actually surveillance drones for the government. What do former Enron employees think of the company’s return? Peters said that since learning about the “relaunch” of Enron, she has spoken with several other former employees and they are also upset by it. She said the apparent stunt was “in poor taste.” “If it’s a joke, it’s rude, extremely rude. And I hope that they realize it and apologize to all of the Enron employees,” Peters said. Peters, who is 74 years old, said she is still working in information technology because “I lost everything in Enron, and so my Social Security doesn’t always take care of things I need done.” “Enron’s downfall taught us critical lessons about corporate ethics, accountability, and the consequences of unchecked ambition. Enron’s legacy was the employees in the trenches. Leave Enron buried,” she said. ___ Follow Juan A. Lozano on X at https://x.com/juanlozano70The Centre for Ageing Better said data analysed on its behalf suggested more than a fifth of people in this age group are living in a poor-quality home that could be making their existing health condition worse. It said people from black and minority ethnic backgrounds, those living in London and those who have a serious health condition or disability are more likely to be affected. Data from the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing covering 2022/23 was analysed by the National Centre for Social Research on behalf of the charity. It found an estimated 4.5 million people aged 50 or older in England with a health condition aggravated by the cold are living in a home with one or more serious problems. Some 2.8 million were aged between 50 and 70, while 1.7 million were aged 70 and older. Health conditions included respiratory diseases, congestive heart failure, heart disease and lung conditions, including asthma. Housing problems identified in the research included damp, water leaks, bad condensation, electrical or plumbing problems, rot and decay. While some 2.2 million people over 50 with health and housing problems owned their home outright, the biggest proportion of people (51%) with such issues lived in rented accommodation. The charity said older renters with a health condition were up to three times more likely to have five or more issues with their home than someone in the same age group who owns their home. Those with a health condition that can be affected by poor housing who had a significant issue in their homes were most likely to live in London (52%) followed by the North East (35%) and the North West (35%), the West Midlands and the East of England (both on 28%), and the South West (27%). Almost half (46%) of people aged 50 and above from black and minority ethnic backgrounds with one of the health conditions had at least one problem with their home, which the charity said amounted to almost 500,000 people. Among white people in this age group it was just under one in three (32%). The research also suggested people from black and minority ethnic backgrounds living with a health condition were also more than twice as likely to have five or more issues with their housing compared with their white counterparts – 15% compared with 6%. Dr Carole Easton, the charity’s chief executive, said not only does the research show the difficulties faced by those living in poor housing, but it is also “very bad news” for both the economy and the NHS. She said: “Our latest research shows that our poor-quality housing crisis is putting people with health conditions in their 50s, 60s and beyond, in harm’s way. “This is obviously terrible for those individuals who live in homes that carry a very real risk of making them sick, particularly when winter comes around. “But it is also very bad news for the country. Older workers living in homes that are making their health conditions worse are going to be less likely to be able to work and help grow the economy. “Older people whose serious health conditions are made worse by their homes will require treatment, putting additional winter pressures on our health system. “All could be averted if we tackled poor-quality housing with the urgency and priority it demands.” Holly Holder, deputy director for homes at the charity, said the Government must “fix this hidden housing crisis by delivering a national strategy to tackle poor quality housing across all tenures and committing to halving the number of non-decent homes over the next decade”. She added: “No-one should have to live in a home that damages their health, yet it is the norm for far too many people in England today. “By failing to address poor-quality homes we are limiting the lives of some of the country’s poorest and most vulnerable people. “Our new analysis shows that the combination of health and house problems are most likely to impact groups of people who are already disadvantaged by multiple health and wealth inequalities.” A Government spokesperson said: “Despite the challenging inheritance faced by this Government, through our Plan for Change we’re taking action to improve housing conditions across all tenures and ensure homes are decent, safe and warm – especially for the most vulnerable. “We’re consulting on reforms to the Decent Homes Standard next year to improve the quality of social and privately rented housing, and introducing Awaab’s Law to both sectors to tackle damp, dangerous and cold conditions for all renters in England. “Our warm homes plan will also help people find ways to save money on energy bills and deliver cleaner heating, with up to 300,000 households to benefit from upgrades next year.”
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Annual Career Horoscope 2025: Best job and money prospects for each Zodiac Sign in the new yearTORONTO — There’s never a dull moment in the travel industry and that’s especially true for Canada’s airlines. This past year was a strong one for Canada’s carriers. While it wasn’t the gold rush of 2023, demand was still high, and another year of revenge travel kept plenty of bookings coming in. As the airlines worked to maximize loads and streamline operations for the most efficient networks, there were schedule and operational changes, leading to headaches for many travel advisors. The year ended with execs from four of Canada’s biggest carriers testifying before a parliamentary committee on contentious issues ranging from carry-on baggage fees to aviation industry reform. Travelweek connected with six airlines – Air Canada, WestJet, Porter Airlines, Air Transat, Sunwing Airlines and Flair Airlines – to get their take on 2024 highlights, and what’s on the horizon for 2025. __________________________________________________________________________ AIR CANADA Lisa Pierce VP, Global Sales & Air Canada Vacations 2024: “This year was incredible, and a key accomplishment was returning to stability and growth after the pandemic. This was highlighted by our decision to resume service to Beijing and increase our Shanghai flights, as China is a very important market. As well, there were other increases in the Pacific, with capacity up 31 per cent in the third quarter over 2023 and an exciting new route to Manila. 2025: “In 2025, customers will benefit from new technology throughout their journey, including biometric boarding options, more WiFi access, and even a new aircraft type as the first two A320 XLRs are due to arrive later this year. There are also important milestones such as the 40th anniversary of Aeroplan in 2024 and the 50th anniversary of ACV in 2025, which we celebrate not only as past accomplishments, but also because they speak to Air Canada’s long-term commitment to the future.” __________________________________________________________________________ WESTJET Jeff Hagen VP, Commercial Development & Strategic Partnerships 2024: “As part of our ambitious growth strategy, WestJet has made significant strides in expanding air connectivity across Canada. This summer, we enhanced our presence in Eastern Canada, strengthening connections to key Western Canadian destinations and restarting transoceanic flights from Halifax and St. John’s. Additionally, we launched new service between Calgary and Seoul, South Korea, solidifying YYC as a global hub for WestJet. We also unveiled two new offerings: UltraBasic fares, providing more affordable options, and Extended Comfort, enhancing the flying experience with extra space and convenience. 2025: “Looking ahead to 2025, we’re excited to complete the integration of Sunwing Airlines, which will further augment our ability to serve sun and leisure destinations for travellers across the country. We’ll also be rolling out several initiatives to improve affordability and convenience for Canadian travellers, including our partnership with TELUS to offer free in-flight WiFi.” __________________________________________________________________________ PORTER AIRLINES Edmond Eldebs Senior VP & Chief Commercial Officer 2024: “Porter’s reach is expanding rapidly across North America. We are already the third-largest airline at Toronto Pearson Airport and the second-largest serving the combined Canada-U.S. markets from there. Our growing presence is disrupting the status quo and giving passengers genuine alternatives that previously didn’t exist. This winter season, we added substantially more flight options and became a real player in sun destinations, such as Florida (14 routes, from four Eastern Canada airports, to six destinations), California (Los Angeles, San Francisco, San Diego and Palm Springs), Las Vegas (from Toronto-Pearson, Ottawa and Montréal) and Phoenix. As we take on more aircraft, we will continue to expand our elevated economy service to more sun destinations and increase frequencies. “Porter continues to expand our joint venture with Air Transat. The flow of passengers on both carriers means that Porter is able to develop a more robust North American network by increasing flight frequency on key domestic and transborder routes, and entering into new markets with less point-to-point traffic. Air Transat is then able to focus its capacity and destinations on transatlantic and sun routes that integrate with Porter flights. The joint venture also allows customers to book stand-alone flights on each airline through our respective distribution channels.” 2025: “We’re done a lot of research over the last year to better understand what Porter passengers want and expect in a loyalty program. Not only the types of ways they want to earn and redeem their points, but the underlying tenets of loyalty that represent what people want and expect from a brand. In 2025, we’ll be adding earning and redemption options with partner airlines to the VIPorter program, introducing a credit card and broadly improving the program to maximize the benefits for frequent travellers.” __________________________________________________________________________ AIR TRANSAT Marie-Eve Vallières Senior Advisor, PR & Content 2024: “2024 was a year of bold initiatives and concrete progress, reinforcing our position as a leader in leisure travel and setting the stage for even greater accomplishments in the years ahead. One of Air Transat’s outstanding operational achievements in 2024 was the successful insourcing of passenger and ramp services at Montreal-Trudeau earlier this year. We’re very pleased to report a 7-percentage-point improvement in our on-time performance in the fourth quarter compared to the same period last year. This marks the second consecutive quarter of significant progress, largely due to this massive transition. “On the network front, 2024 was a year of exciting growth. We launched flights to Lima and Marrakesh, marking our expansion into a new continent, and announced upcoming flights to Valencia in 2025. These additions highlight our dedication to connecting travellers with unique and culturally rich destinations. Strategically, our joint venture with Porter Airlines continues to be a game-changer, enhancing connectivity across Canada and laying the foundation for future growth. Finally, we continue to excel in customer experience. Our customer satisfaction rating (CSAT) saw continued improvement in the fourth quarter, reflecting the exceptional service that has earned us multiple accolades, including the Skytrax award for World’s Best Leisure Airline for the sixth time. 2025: “At Air Transat, our commitment is to ensure that anyone who flies with us feels they’re getting great value from every aspect of the journey, from the warm hospitality on board to the destinations we thoughtfully select. We are carrying forward the energy that drove our 2024 introductions of Marrakesh and Lima as we ramp up frequencies on key routes like Toronto–Amsterdam, Toronto–Montego Bay, and Toronto–Varadero in 2025. In fact, with 26 direct European routes now available from Toronto, Montreal, and Quebec City, we’re establishing ourselves as the only airline in the Americas opening doors to a wealth of curated, extraordinary places. Our evolving transatlantic and South networks underscore our trailblazing role in helping travellers see more of the world on their own terms.” __________________________________________________________________________ SUNWING AIRLINES Len Corrado President 2024: “Our biggest accomplishment has to be our people. Sunwing Airlines has been successful because of our team of EPIC employees across all areas of the business, from our head office employees to our cabin crew and pilots, our maintenance and engineering team, and our partners on the frontline at the airport interacting with customers. This past November we also marked a milestone – 19 incredible years of service in the industry, helping to make our customers’ vacation dreams come true. We could not be prouder of all that we’ve accomplished together during this time.” 2025: “2025 is a big year for us. It will be Sunwing Airlines’ last winter in service, which is bittersweet, but we are looking forward to making this our best winter season yet. Our incredible airline team will remain focused on prioritizing the safety of our customers and employees throughout the travel journey, and on helping customers make incredible vacation memories to last a lifetime.” __________________________________________________________________________ FLAIR AIRLINES Eric Tanner VP of Revenue Management & Network Planning 2024: “In 2024, Flair became the only airline offering direct flights from Vancouver International Airport and Toronto Pearson International Airport to Guadalajara International Airport (GDL), with up to three flights per week from each city. We’ve been warmly welcomed in Guadalajara as a vital link connecting friends, family, and business opportunities between Mexico and Canada. “Despite inflation, Flair continues to carry over 4.5 million travellers annually, with a 3% year-over-year increase in load factors. We’re making air travel better, more affordable, and accessible for Canadians. In 2024, Flair delivered the highest flight completion rate and one of the best On-Time Performance (OTP) records among Canadian airlines. To strengthen that promise, we launched Canada’s first On-Time Guarantee (OTG), ensuring passengers can rely on us to get home, see loved ones, and attend important events – on time and at the right price.” 2025: “Expect more daily flights between Vancouver International Airport (YVR) and Toronto Pearson International Airport (YYZ), making same-day trips between British Columbia and Alberta easier than ever. Flair is committed to making Canada more connected – affordably. Beyond offering lower fares and streamlined services, Flair is committed to delivering the ‘gift of connection.’ Flair is creating opportunities for lasting memories and positive experiences.”
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