In a message to the American people, the King expressed “great sadness” at the news of Mr Carter’s death, describing him as “a committed public servant” who “devoted his life to promoting peace and human rights”. He added: “His dedication and humility served as an inspiration to many, and I remember with great fondness his visit to the United Kingdom in 1977. “My thoughts and prayers are with President Carter’s family and the American people at this time.” Mr Carter, a former peanut farmer, served one term in the White House between 1977 and 1981 and spent his post-presidency years as a global humanitarian, winning the Nobel Peace Prize in 2002. Sir Keir Starmer said Mr Carter had “lived his values in the service of others to the very end” through “decades of selfless public service”. Praising a “lifelong dedication to peace” that saw him win the Nobel Peace Prize in 2002, Sir Keir added: “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.” Tributes to Mr Carter followed the announcement of his death by his family on Sunday, more than a year after he decided to enter hospice care. His son, Chip Carter, said: “My father was a hero, not only to me but to everyone who believes in peace, human rights, and unselfish love.” Very sorry to hear of President Carter’s passing. I pay tribute to his decades of selfless public service. My thoughts are with his family and friends at this time. pic.twitter.com/IaKmZcteb1 — Keir Starmer (@Keir_Starmer) December 29, 2024 US President Joe Biden, one of the first elected politicians to endorse Mr Carter’s bid for the presidency in 1976, said the world had “lost an extraordinary leader, statesman and humanitarian”. He said: “Over six decades, we had the honour of calling Jimmy Carter a dear friend. But, what’s extraordinary about Jimmy Carter, though, is that millions of people throughout America and the world who never met him thought of him as a dear friend as well. “With his compassion and moral clarity, he worked to eradicate disease, forge peace, advance civil rights and human rights, promote free and fair elections, house the homeless, and always advocate for the least among us.” Vice President Kamala Harris said Mr Carter “reminded our nation and the world that there is strength in decency and compassion”. “His life and legacy continue to inspire me — and will inspire generations to come,” she said. “Our world is a better place because of President Carter.” Other UK politicians also paid tribute to Mr Carter. Liberal Democrat leader Sir Ed Davey said he was “an inspiration” who “led a truly remarkable life dedicated to public service with a genuine care for people”. Scottish First Minister John Swinney described the former president as “a good, decent, honest man who strove for peace in all that he did”, while Welsh First Minister said he was “a remarkable man” and “a humanitarian and scholar”. Former prime minister Sir Tony Blair said Mr Carter’s “life was a testament to public service”. He added: “I always had the greatest respect for him, his spirit and his dedication. He fundamentally cared and consistently toiled to help those in need.” Gordon Brown, another former prime minister, said it was a “privilege” to have known Mr Carter, who “will be mourned, not just in America, but in every continent where human rights are valued”. Mr Carter is expected to receive a state funeral featuring public observances in Atlanta, Georgia, and Washington DC before being buried in his hometown of Plains, Georgia. A moderate democrat born in Plains in October 1924, Mr Carter’s political career took him from the Georgia state senate to the state governorship and, finally, the White House, where he took office as 39th president in the wake of the Watergate scandal and the Vietnam War. His presidency saw economic disruption amid volatile oil prices, along with social tensions at home and challenges abroad including the Iranian revolution that sparked a 444-day hostage crisis at the US embassy in Tehran. But he also brokered the Camp David Accords between Egypt and Israel, which led to a peace treaty between the two countries in 1979. After his defeat in the 1980 presidential election, he worked more than four decades leading The Carter Centre, which he and his late wife Rosalynn co-founded in 1982 to “wage peace, fight disease, and build hope”. Under his leadership, the Carter Center virtually eliminated Guinea Worm disease, which has gone from affecting 3.5 million people in Africa and Asia in 1986 to just 14 in 2023. Mrs Carter, who died last year aged 96, had played a more active role in her husband’s presidency than previous first ladies, with Mr Carter saying she had been “my equal partner in everything I ever accomplished”. Earlier this year, on his 100th birthday, Mr Carter received a private congratulatory message from the King, expressing admiration for his life of public service7-777 。

Another important aspect of the refined measures is the promotion of fair competition and the prevention of monopoly practices in the procurement of pharmaceuticals and medical consumables. The authorities have introduced measures to encourage the participation of a diverse range of suppliers, including small and medium-sized enterprises, in the centralized procurement system. This not only fosters innovation and efficiency but also helps prevent the concentration of market power in the hands of a few large suppliers.In addition to improved connectivity and positioning capabilities, the deployment of 5G EasyMacro in subway tunnels also paves the way for new business opportunities and revenue streams for subway operators. By leveraging the power of 5G technology, operators can explore innovative services and applications that can enhance the value proposition of their subway systems and drive new sources of revenue.None

MONTREAL — Canadians face a fresh wave of scams as fraudsters seize on the Canada Post strike to try to trick victims out of their cash. The last few weeks have seen an "exponential" rise in fraud attempts, ranging from phishing emails to deepfake phone calls, says Octavia Howell, chief information security officer at Equifax Canada. "Any time there is a major political event, a major strike or anything like that, we'll see an uptick," she said in a phone interview. "Not only is there a Canada Post strike ... it's the holidays." Scams related to parcels and deliveries typically tick up in step with online shopping orders this time of year, but the work stoppage at Canada Post has led to even more fraud attempts amid the confusion around shipments, Howell said. Comprehensive figures on the latest batch of scams are not yet available from Equifax Canada, but the credit bureau's daily internal updates have marked the rise nonetheless. Rather than the roughly half-dozen daily consumer fraud reports of previous increases, Equifax Canada's investigations team is filing up to "87 in one report in one day coming from the same IP addresses," said Howell. She called the trend "insidious." "We're seeing exponential growth in the amount of scams that are actually happening ... because, one, holidays, and then two, people aren't able to get their shipments out." Mail carriers walked off the job on Nov. 15, halting deliveries of letters and packages at the start of the holiday shipping season. Canada Post says that it never reaches out to users about a delivery via text or email unless it has been requested to. The Crown corporation has asked Canadians to be on guard for telltale signs of a phishing scam or fraud attempt, including poor grammar, imagery inconsistent with Canada Post logos or a tracking number at odds with its standard format. A phishing scam refers to a message that appears to be from a well-known source and asks for personal information in order to invade a person's accounts. The Better Business Bureau similarly cautioned consumers when the strike kicked off. "Watch out for fake package delivery offers during Canada’s postal strike," the non-profit said in a release last month. It advised potential victims to verify delivery services, avoid unsolicited shipment offers from little-known companies and check for accreditation by the bureau before selecting a service. It also noted that scammers may send false messages that claim to be from Canada Post or another carrier, asking for payment for undelivered items or offering "priority service." "Do not click on links in unsolicited emails or texts. Instead, visit the official website of the courier service for updates," the bureau said. Canada Post recommends customers contact the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre if they receive a suspicious email, text or call related to the postal service. Timothy Byrnes said scams invoke not just nationally recognized brands but also companies like his own, the Montreal-based courier service Jet Worldwide. "The scam thing is huge," he said. "They'll say, 'Hey, we have (the package), it's with Jet Worldwide right now. Once you send the money, we'll instruct Jet Worldwide to ship it.'" One text message blasted out over the weekend claiming to be from the U.S. Postal Service stated that a parcel was "temporarily detained" because of an "invalid zip code." The message invites receivers to clear the package by clicking on a link. The site, which vaguely resembles that of the postal service, then asks visitors to enter their credit card number and "expire date" in order to pay "some service fees." Multiple web browsers flagged the site, warning of phishing threats that attempt to steal personal and financial information. "Always verify where it's coming from," Howell said. "Did you order something that cost $10,000? Just because it says that you did does not necessarily mean that you did." Common sense and awareness of recent purchases can go a long way. "I got a text message two days ago saying that my RBC account was locked out. Well, I don't have an RBC account, so there's no reason for me to click on that," she said. Ironically, consumers' knowledge of current events, such as strikes and stranded packages, can also be used against them by swindlers. "They feed off of heightened awareness," she said. "Take a step back. Don’t click, don’t do anything. Verify sources." This report by The Canadian Press was first published Dec. 2, 2024. Christopher Reynolds, The Canadian PressFurthermore, the question of the player's motivation and commitment must also be taken into account. Joining a club like Barcelona comes with immense pressure and expectations, and it is essential for players to maintain a high level of professionalism and dedication. The player's mentality, work ethic, and willingness to contribute to the team's success will play a crucial role in determining his success at the club.

Complete guide to what's open on New Year's Eve and New Year's Day 2025Dear Harriette: This Thanksgiving was an absolute disaster. I’ve been dating my boyfriend for a year, and this holiday felt like the perfect time to introduce him to my family. I was nervous because, while I love them, my family is known to be a little unconventional. They’re loud, opinionated and tend to say exactly what’s on their minds, no matter how inappropriate. From the moment we walked in, it was like a circus. My uncle started grilling my boyfriend about his job and his plans for the future, and then my aunt jumped in to question him about his political beliefs right in the middle of dinner. My cousins thought it would be hilarious to share every embarrassing story they could think of about me, and my mom kept dropping hints about how she’s “ready for grandchildren.” My boyfriend handled it all as well as he could, but I could tell he was overwhelmed. I’m worried this whole experience might have left a bad impression on my boyfriend, and I feel embarrassed about how things turned out. I want him to feel welcomed by my family, but instead, it felt like he was under a microscope. How can I smooth things over with him and also set some boundaries with my family for the future? — Crossing the Line Dear Crossing The Line: Since you already know what your family is like, you know that little that you say is going to get them to change. So don’t promise anything to your boyfriend about their behavior in the future. Instead, you can apologize for how overwhelming the experience may have been for him. If he likes being with you and wants to get to know you and your family better, he will need to learn to spar with them in an amicable way and not get too defensive. Ask him how he felt after the dinner and how he’s doing now. Find out if he is turned off by their behavior, or if he found it amusing. You never know. He may have some kooky family members, too, and he could be more OK with it than you think. Dear Harriette: After years of using traditional notebooks, I decided to transition to digital planning, especially as schools are now adapting to digital tools. Back in grade school, pen and paper were my go-to, and I loved the simplicity they offered. While I was excited about the potential for better organization, the switch hasn’t been as smooth as I hoped. I find myself missing the tactile joy of writing and feeling overwhelmed by learning new apps and systems. I don’t want to give up, but I am starting to wonder if digital tools are truly the right fit for me. The promise of efficiency and flexibility is tempting, yet the adjustment feels daunting. How can I embrace this change without losing the joy and comfort of my old ways? — Digital Planning Dilemmas Dear Digital Planning Dilemmas: Who says you have to choose? I use a mix of digital resources and old-fashioned notepads. This makes me feel comfortable and satisfies my desire to write things down. The technology is wonderful for support in organizing thoughts, dates and details quickly.In 1998, a small village team with only 1,300 inhabitants made history by playing against the mighty Real Madrid for the first time. The team, established in the year of 1998, had never dreamt of such an opportunity, let alone the incredible turn of events that followed their match with the Spanish giants.