Can PEPE and SUI Bounce Back To Green? Whales Fill Bags With This $0.05 AI-Token InsteadFormer Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, the first person of India's minority Sikh faith to hold that office, died in New Delhi on Thursday at age 92. A renowned economist, he was known as the father of economic reforms in India but was seen as a weak leader by many, including some within his party, the Indian National Congress. "India mourns the loss of one of its most distinguished leaders, Dr. Manmohan Singh Ji," Prime Minister Narendra Modi posted on X. "Rising from humble origins, he rose to become a respected economist. ... As our Prime Minister, he made extensive efforts to improve people's lives." Singh served as prime minister between 2004 and 2014, but political commentators say it was his time as finance minister in the early 1990s that was most significant. His policies during that period set India on the path of economic liberalization and globalization. "Wise, thoughtful, and scrupulously honest" is how former U.S. President Barack Obama described Singh in his memoir A Promised Land. Singh was born on Sept. 26, 1932, in a village called Gah in what is now Pakistan. His family migrated east when Great Britain divided the subcontinent into independent India and the Muslim-majority nation of Pakistan in 1947. The partition triggered mass migration and sectarian violence that killed hundreds of thousands of people, including Singh's grandfather. An Oxford-educated economist, Singh in 1991 drafted what economists call one of the most radical budgets in India's history: It opened up the country to the free market. "Let the whole world hear it loud and clear. India is now wide awake," Singh proclaimed during his budget speech . "The budget declaration was a shocker because it almost turned on its head most of what was the received economic wisdom of the day," says Rajesh Chakrabarti, a finance and public policy expert. Until 1991, Chakrabarti explains, India had been a socialist, public sector-dominated and import-restricted economy. When Singh became finance minister, the situation was dire. India was in a severe balance of payments crisis. "We were importing far, far more than what we were exporting, and our foreign exchange reserves had touched a low," says Chakrabarti. "India had to actually ship out gold — that means physically putting its gold reserves in ships and sending them to [banks in] London, to get money for running the economy." Singh's landmark budget opened India's economy to foreign direct investment, cut import duties and put an end to the Permit Raj, a complex system of regulations and red tape that discouraged private investment. In 2004, Singh was once again thrust into the limelight when Sonia Gandhi, the Italian-born matriarch of the Congress party, named Singh to the top job after she declined to become the prime minister following the party's landslide victory. But critics called him the Gandhis' " puppet ," ridiculed his soft-spoken manner and said he lacked oratory skills. "Humility was his strength and, at some level, his weakness, because he could not play to the gallery," says Rasheed Kidwai, author of a book on the Congress party. Even so, he steered India through several international and domestic crises, says Kidwai. "When the world economy tottered in 2008, India stood firmly," he says. While Singh was in office, "there was no confrontation with difficult neighbors like Pakistan and China," despite a deadly 2008 terrorist attack in Mumbai by Pakistani militants. Kidwai says Singh was particularly successful when it came to foreign policy. "He was not one-dimensional," he says. "[Singh] had very good relations and functional ties with Iran, and at the same time he was highly welcomed in Saudi Arabia." Under Singh's leadership, India drew closer to the U.S. on multiple fronts. Notably, the two countries agreed to a nuclear deal lifting a decades-long moratorium on nuclear trade. Singh's other achievements included accelerating India's economy and launching a social welfare program that guaranteed employment in rural areas. But his second term was marred by corruption scandals followed by the worst-ever defeat for his Congress party in the 2014 national elections. Singh did not run again for office in those elections, which were swept by the Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party. He was absolved of wrongdoing in the corruption scandals. After leaving office, Singh continued to live in Delhi with his family. He is survived by his wife, Gursharan Kaur, a historian, and their three daughters. Chakrabarti says Singh was one of India's most graceful prime ministers. "I don't think even his worst critics will ever have anything but respect for the man," he says. "My life and tenure in public office are an open book," Singh, wearing his signature light-blue Sikh turban, said in his farewell speech in 2014. "Serving this nation has been my privilege. There is nothing more that I could ask for." Copyright 2024 NPR(Bloomberg) -- David Sacks, President-elect Donald Trump’s surprise pick to guide policy on artificial intelligence and cryptocurrency, doesn’t have deep ties to either industry or an extensive track record of investing in them. What he does have, though, is even more important in the eyes of technology investors — a tech-friendly worldview and a long history of skepticism about government regulation. Most Read from Bloomberg “He will ensure the United States is at the cutting edge of innovation,” said Keith Rabois, who celebrated with Sacks at a private home in Miami Thursday night. Sacks will keep the country from falling behind China, and will protect “newly emerging tech from left-wing censorship and bias,” Rabois said. The appointment of Sacks, a major Trump fundraiser, was not widely anticipated in Silicon Valley. The VC has only made a handful of crypto investments, and isn’t seen as a key player in the industry. He’s also made relatively few AI bets, though he’s a backer of xAI, the startup helmed by Elon Musk that has raised more than $10 billion this year. But Sacks has long been critical of too much government involvement in the affairs of private companies. The 52-year-old founder of VC firm Craft Ventures and member of the so-called PayPal Mafia has been one of the loudest right-leaning voices in the industry for years. The pick is seen as a boon to the startup world, where AI and crypto executives view government intervention as a potential existential threat. US action against crypto companies has driven many startups overseas. And AI leaders have worried that overly burdensome regulations could stifle the fledgling industry in the name of safety. Crypto supporters celebrated the selection, which Trump said would give startups regulatory clarity. “Crypto and AI are two of the United States’ most pressing strategic priorities right now, and David Sacks is one of the only people in the world that is uniquely qualified to lead in this pivotal role,” said Kyle Samani, a managing partner at Multicoin Capital, where Sacks is an investor. Sacks will be an “invaluable asset in shaping the nation’s future,” Samani said. Startup competition Trump has signaled that he’ll take a friendly approach to both crypto and AI. Bitcoin has hit all-time highs since his election, and he has vowed to repeal President Biden’s 2023 AI executive order that requires developers to safety-test new models. AI is also a focus for Musk, a key Trump ally and a longtime friend of Sacks. Investor Marc Andreessen, whose firm invests heavily in both industries, was ebullient at Sacks’ pick. “From the Wright Brothers to Starship With Chopsticks, in just a single election,” Andreessen wrote on X on Thursday night, referencing SpaceX’s latest achievement of landing re-usable starships. OpenAI Chief Executive Officer Sam Altman also struck a celebratory note, writing on X, “congrats to czar @DavidSacks!” But there’s been some trepidation over Sacks’ allegiances in the AI world. Sacks’ Craft Ventures is an investor in Musk’s xAI, and Sacks’ ties to Musk have raised questions about how he would treat rival companies in the fiercely competitive industry. Sacks has previously spoken critically of OpenAI, a key xAI competitor. In a now-deleted post on X, Sacks said, “I’m all in favor of accelerating technological progress, but there is something unsettling about the way OpenAI explicitly declares its mission to be the creation of AGI.” AGI, or artificial general intelligence, refers to AI technology that can perform most tasks better than humans. Sacks did not respond to a request for comment on the post. Sacks and Trump allies say that involvement in the industry is a prerequisite for understanding it, and that some perceptions of conflict of interest will be inevitable. “I think we should take people at their word,” said Shaun Maguire, an investor at the prestigious Sequoia Capital, which has backed both xAI and OpenAI. Sacks “won’t harm any competitors,” he said. Sacks’ other bets include BitGo and Bitwise in the crypto world. In AI, Sacks co-founded a startup called Glue that makes chat software for companies, and he’s invested in developer startup Replit Inc. and AI writing tool CopyAI Inc. Sacks will not leave Craft, a spokeswoman said, and the new czar position will function as an advisory role, rather than a full-time government job. The appointment won’t require Sacks to divest or publicly disclose his assets. Like Musk, Sacks will be a special government employee. He can serve a maximum of 130 days per year, with or without compensation. However, conflict of interest rules apply to special government employees, and Sacks would be required to recuse himself from matters that could impact his holdings. Tech-Friendly There’s a long history of technology officials taking advisory roles to the government, said Silicon Valley historian Margaret O’Mara. But the roles don’t always have a clear mandate. “You can have a title, but if you don’t actually have a budget or people reporting to you, it’s something more ambiguous,” O’Mara said, pointing out that Sacks would not be a White House staff member. “Sometimes it does morph into something that has some power to it.” Some industry observers would have preferred the crypto and AI czar positions to be separate — a move that might have telegraphed the importance of each, and reflected the different risks and rewards of both technologies. “While I am very encouraged by the new administration’s crypto-friendly focus, I would have preferred separate crypto and AI czars,” said Campbell Harvey, finance professor at Duke University. “Both need urgent, dedicated attention,” he said. Sacks has forged a more wide-ranging career, rather than focusing on just AI or crypto. He first made a name for himself at PayPal, the payments company whose founders in the late 1990s included Musk and billionaire investor Peter Thiel. During a stint in Hollywood, he produced the 2005 satire Thank You for Smoking. At Craft, his venture firm with stakes in Musk-owned businesses including SpaceX, he has invested widely as well as serving as a host of the All-In podcast. His comments about crypto on the podcast have not been universally positive, but he has discouraged attempts to penalize or control industry players. “The fact of the matter is you’ve got a lot of brilliant young entrepreneurs, computer scientists building this financial infrastructure of the future with crypto,” he said in a podcast episode in 2021. “We don’t necessarily want to interfere with that to the point where we break it.” He’s also made significant money on crypto. Craft Ventures invested in Samani’s Multicoin Capital in 2018, which in turn was an early investor in the Solana cryptocurrency. The token was worth less than a dollar when it launched in 2020, but notched a peak price of around $250 in late 2021. “It will end up being about $1 billion of Solana for us in terms of returns,” Sacks said at the time. More recently, in a November episode of the podcast after Trump’s election, Sacks took aim at the Securities and Exchange Commission’s aggressive positions on crypto under its chair, Gary Gensler. “The days of Gensler terrifying crypto companies — those days are about to be over.” --With assistance from Shirin Ghaffary, Olga Kharif, Katie Roof and Jackie Davalos. (Updates with historian's comment in 15th paragraph.) Most Read from Bloomberg Businessweek ©2024 Bloomberg L.P.
AP News Summary at 5:36 p.m. EST
Some quotations from Jimmy Carter: We have a tendency to exalt ourselves and to dwell on the weaknesses and mistakes of others. I have come to realize that in every person there is something fine and pure and noble, along with a desire for self-fulfillment. Political and religious leaders must attempt to provide a society within which these human attributes can be nurtured and enhanced. — from 1975 book “Why Not the Best?” Our government can express the highest common ideals of human beings — if we demand of government true standards of excellence. At this Bicentennial time of introspection and concern, we must demand such standards. — “Why Not the Best?” I am a Southerner and an American, I am a farmer, an engineer, a father and husband, a Christian, a politician and former governor, a planner, a businessman, a nuclear physicist, a naval officer, a canoeist, and among other things a lover of Bob Dylan’s songs and Dylan Thomas’s poetry. — “Why Not the Best?” Christ said, “I tell you that anyone who looks on a woman with lust has in his heart already committed adultery.” I’ve looked on a lot of women with lust. I’ve committed adultery in my heart many times. This is something that God recognizes I will do — and I have done it — and God forgives me for it. But that doesn’t mean that I condemn someone who not only looks on a woman with lust but who leaves his wife and shacks up with somebody out of wedlock. — Interview, November 1976 Playboy. This inauguration ceremony marks a new beginning, a new dedication within our Government, and a new spirit among us all. A President may sense and proclaim that new spirit, but only a people can provide it. — Inaugural address, January 1977. It’s clear that the true problems of our nation are much deeper — deeper than gasoline lines or energy shortages, deeper even than inflation and recession. ... All the legislation in the world can’t fix what’s wrong with America. ... It is a crisis of confidence. — So-called “malaise” speech, July 1979. But we know that democracy is always an unfinished creation. Each generation must renew its foundations. Each generation must rediscover the meaning of this hallowed vision in the light of its own modern challenges. For this generation, ours, life is nuclear survival; liberty is human rights; the pursuit of happiness is a planet whose resources are devoted to the physical and spiritual nourishment of its inhabitants. — Farewell Address, January 1981. We appreciate the past. We are grateful for the present and we’re looking forward to the future with great anticipation and commitment. — October 1986, at the dedication of the Carter Presidential Library and Museum. War may sometimes be a necessary evil. But no matter how necessary, it is always an evil, never a good. We will not learn to live together in peace by killing each other’s children. — December 2002, Nobel Peace Prize acceptance speech. Fundamentalists have become increasingly influential in both religion and government, and have managed to change the nuances and subtleties of historic debate into black-and-white rigidities and the personal derogation of those who dare to disagree. ... The influence of these various trends poses a threat to many of our nation’s historic customs and moral commitments, both in government and in houses of worship. — From 2005 book “Our Endangered Values.” I think that this breakthrough by Barack Obama has been remarkable. When he made his speech (on race) a few months ago in Philadelphia, I wept. I sat in front of the television and cried, because I saw that as the most enlightening and transforming analysis of racism and a potential end of it that I ever saw in my life. — August 2008, commenting on then-Sen. Barack Obama’s candidacy. I think it’s based on racism. There is an inherent feeling among many in this country that an African-American should not be president. ... No matter who he is or how much we disagree with his policies, the president should be treated with respect. — September 2009, reacting to Rep. Joe Wilson’s shout of “You lie!” during a speech to Congress by President Barack Obama. I’m still determined to outlive the last guinea worm. — 2010, on The Carter Center’s work to eradicate guinea worm disease. You know how much I raised to run against Gerald Ford? Zero. You know how much I raised to run against Ronald Reagan? Zero. You know how much will be raised this year by all presidential, Senate and House campaigns? $6 billion. That’s 6,000 millions. — September 2012, reacting to the 2010 “Citizens United” U.S. Supreme Court decision permitting unlimited third-party political spending. I have become convinced that the most serious and unaddressed worldwide challenge is the deprivation and abuse of women and girls, largely caused by a false interpretation of carefully selected religious texts and a growing tolerance of violence and warfare, unfortunately following the example set during my lifetime by the United States. — From 2014 book “A Call to Action.” I don’t think there’s any doubt now that the NSA or other agencies monitor or record almost every telephone call made in the United States, including cellphones, and I presume email as well. We’ve gone a long way down the road of violating Americans’ basic civil rights, as far as privacy is concerned. — March 2014, commenting on U.S. intelligence monitoring after the Sept. 11, 2001, terror attacks We accept self-congratulations about the wonderful 50th anniversary – which is wonderful – but we feel like Lyndon Johnson did it and we don’t have to do anything anymore. — April 2014, commenting on racial inequality during a celebration of the Civil Rights Act’s 40th anniversary. I had a very challenging question at Emory (University) the other night: “How would you describe the United States of America today in one word?” And I didn’t know what to say for a few moments, but I finally said, “Searching.” I think the country in which we live is still searching for what it ought to be, and what it can be, and I’m not sure we’re making much progress right at this moment. — October 2014 during a celebration of his 90th birthday. The life we have now is the best of all. We have an expanding and harmonious family, a rich life in our church and the Plains community, and a diversity of projects at The Carter Center that is adventurous and exciting. Rosalynn and I have visited more than 145 countries, and both of us are as active as we have ever been. We are blessed with good health and look to the future with eagerness and confidence, but are prepared for inevitable adversity when it comes. — From 2015 book, “A Full Life.”
Kenny Pickett is expecting to be fine to play this weekend. Pickett spoke to reporters on Thursday and said he’s planning to be available to play, despite dealing with a ribs injury. The Eagles seem likely to need their backup Pickett, as starting quarterback Jalen Hurts is dealing with a concussion and has not practiced yet this week. “Yeah, full go today ,” Pickett said of his practice status on Thursday, via Tim McManus of ESPN. “Tested out some different things padding-wise, just making sure I feel good with it for Sunday. But, yeah.” Asked if he felt good about the tests he underwent after Sunday’s game, Pickett said, “It is what it is.” “Just something I’m going to have to deal with,” Pickett said. “So, yeah, I’ll be ready to go Sunday.” Pickett added he’s not expecting to have any limitations due to the injury. “I think after a couple more days, getting a chance to kind of rest a little bit more, go do some rehab, I’ll be good for Sunday. In his first year with the Eagles, Pickett got his first extended playing time of the season in last Sunday’s loss to Washington. Pickett completed 14-of-24 passes for 143 yards with a touchdown and an interception in that game.
MrBeast described meeting Elon Musk in an episode of Theo Von’s podcast, and the tech mogul’s first words to him are leaving viewers equal parts amused and confused. YouTube star Jimmy ‘MrBeast’ Donaldson is a proud fan of Elon Musk — so much so that his pinned tweet for the last two years has been a humorous interaction with the Tesla CEO after his acquisition of Twitter (now X). While the two have had back-and-forths on social media for some time, Donaldson opened up about his first meeting with Musk in-person during a December 2024 episode of comedian Theo Von’s podcast, where he recalled meeting him at the Super Bowl. Elon Musk’s first words to MrBeast were about X’s new name “We bumped into each other once at the Super Bowl,” the YouTuber recalled. “He asked me, ‘Do I think people call X Twitter still, do they call it X?’ I was like, ‘Yeah, most people call it Twitter, I’ve noticed.’ He’s like, ‘Interesting.'” (Topic begins at 1:39:50 ) MrBeast’s description of the conversation went viral on social media, with users instantly making memes about Musk’s question regarding Twitter’s rebranding. “‘Interesting,’ that’s peak Elon. The dude probably stayed up at night thinking about what MrBeast said,” one viewer commented. pic.twitter.com/IQFAGyslsg “But Elon gave MrBeast a Super Official CEO title for X, MrBeast should inspire people to call it X,” another joked, referencing the YouTuber’s X bio, ‘X Super Official CEO.’ But Elon gave MrBeast a Super Official CEO title for X, MrBeast should inspire people to call it X. 😂 Despite both being obscenely rich pioneers in their respective industries, MrBeast doesn’t believe he’s on the same level as Musk after Theo Von compared the two during their conversation and explained why he hasn’t teamed up with Elon on a project. Related: “I mean, he’s pioneering in taking us to Mars, electric cars, talking with your phone through your brain, digging tunnels, fixing traffic — you know, getting rid of a trillion dollars of government waste now, and this and that ...I’m pioneering funny videos.” MrBeast’s ‘funny videos’ have earned him a massive viewing empire, crowning him the most-subscribed creator on YouTube and even scoring him his very own game show on Amazon set to release December 2024.
Insurgents reach gates of Syria’s capital, threatening to upend decades of Assad rule BEIRUT (AP) — A Syrian opposition war monitor and a pro-government media outlet say government forces have withdrawn from much of the central city of Homs. The pro-government Sham FM reported that government forces took positions outside Syria’s third-largest city, without elaborating. Rami Abdurrahman who heads the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, said Syrian troops and members of different security agencies have withdrawn from the city, adding that rebels have entered parts of it. Losing Homs is a potentially crippling blow for Syria’s embattled leader, Bashar Assad. An archbishop's knock formally restores Notre Dame to life as winds howl and heads of state look on PARIS (AP) — France’s iconic Notre Dame Cathedral has formally reopened its doors for the first time since a devastating fire nearly destroyed the 861-year-old landmark in 2019. The five-year restoration is widely seen as a boost for French President Emmanuel Macron, who championed the ambitious timeline, and brings a welcome respite from his domestic political woes. World leaders, dignitaries, and worshippers gathered on Saturday evening for the celebrations under the cathedral's soaring arches. The celebration was attended by 1,500 dignitaries, including President-elect Donald Trump, Britain’s Prince William, and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. For Catholics, Notre Dame’s rector said the cathedral “carries the enveloping presence of the Virgin Mary, a maternal and embracing presence.′′ Trump is welcomed by Macron to Paris with presidential pomp and joined by Zelenskyy for their talks PARIS (AP) — French President Emmanuel Macron has welcomed Donald Trump to Paris with a full dose of presidential pomp. And they held a hastily arranged meeting with Ukraine’s Volodymyr Zelenskyy on a day that's mixing pageantry with attention to pressing global problems. The president-elect's visit to France is part of a global a celebration of the reopening of Notre Dame Cathedral five years after a devastating fire. Macron and other European leaders are trying to win Trump’s favor and persuade him to maintain support for Ukraine in its defense against Russia’s invasion. Trump isn't back in office but he's already pushing his agenda and negotiating with world leaders NEW YORK (AP) — Donald Trump is making threats, traveling abroad, and negotiating with world leaders. He has more than a month-and-a-half to go before he’s sworn in for a second term. But the president-elect is already moving aggressively to not only fill his Cabinet and outline policy goals, but also to try to achieve his priorities. In recent days, Trump has threatened to impose a 25% tariff on goods from Canada and Mexico, two of the country’s largest trading partners. That led to emergency calls and a visit. And he's warned of “ALL HELL TO PAY” if Hamas doesn't release the hostages still being held captive in Gaza. South Korea's president avoids an impeachment attempt over short-lived martial law SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — South Korea’s embattled President Yoon Suk Yeol has avoided an opposition-led attempt to impeach him over his short-lived imposition of martial law. Most of Yoon's ruling party lawmakers boycotted a parliamentary vote Saturday to deny a two-thirds majority needed to suspend his presidential powers. The scrapping of the motion is expected to intensify protests calling for Yoon’s ouster and deepen political chaos in South Korea. A survey suggests a majority of South Koreans support the president’s impeachment. Yoon’s martial law declaration drew criticism from his own ruling conservative People Power Party. But the party also apparently fears losing the presidency to liberals. Days after gunman killed UnitedHealthcare's CEO, police push to ID him and FBI offers reward NEW YORK (AP) — Nearly four days after the shooting of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson, police still do not know the gunman’s name or whereabouts or have a motive for the killing. But they have made some progress in their investigation into Wednesday's killing of the leader of the largest U.S. health insurer, including that the gunman likely left New York City on a bus soon after fleeing the scene. The also found that the gunman left something behind: a backpack that was discovered in Central Park. Police are working with the FBI, which on Friday night announced a $50,000 reward for information leading to an arrest and conviction. UnitedHealthcare CEO's shooting opens a door for many to vent frustrations over insurance The fatal shooting of UnitedHealthcare's CEO has opened the door for many people to vent their frustrations and anger over the insurance industry. The feelings of exasperation, anger, resentment, and helplessness toward insurers aren’t new. But the shooting and the headlines around it have unleashed a new wave of patients sharing such sentiments and personal stories of interactions with insurance companies. Conversations at dinner tables, office water coolers, social gatherings and on social media have pivoted to the topic. Many say they hope the new amplified voices can bring about change for companies often accused of valuing profits over people. 2 Pearl Harbor survivors, ages 104 and 102, return to Hawaii to honor those killed in 1941 attack PEARL HARBOR, Hawaii (AP) — The bombing of Pearl Harbor 83 years ago launched the United States into World War II. Two survivors returned to the Hawaii military base on Saturday for a remembrance ceremony on the attack's anniversary. Both are over 100 years old. They joined active-duty troops, veterans and members of the public for an observance hosted by the Navy and the National Park Service. A third survivor was planning to join them but had to cancel due to health issues. The bombing killed more than 2,300 U.S. servicemen. An explosion destroys an apartment block in a Dutch city, killing at least 3 and injuring others THE HAGUE, Netherlands (AP) — An explosion and fire has rocked a neighborhood in the Dutch city of The Hague, killing three people and injuring other people and destroying several apartments. The cause of the disaster is unclear. Emergency authorities said four people were rescued from the rubble and taken to the hospital. The mayor said rescuers were no longer looking for survivors but for eventual bodies, but could not specify how many people might still be unaccounted for. Residents of the northeastern neighborhood of Mariahoeve in The Hague heard a huge bang and screams before dawn. Dutch authorities have deployed a specialized urban search and rescue team to find victims. How 'Mufasa' rose with Aaron Pierre and Blue Ivy's voices along with new Lin-Manuel Miranda music SAN DIEGO (AP) — When Aaron Pierre was cast as Mufasa, the weight of following in the late James Earl Jones’ legendary footsteps was enough to rattle any actor. But instead of letting the pressure roar too loudly, he harnessed his nerves to breathe fresh life into his young lion character. Pierre found parallels between himself and his character while filming his leading role in “Mufasa: The Lion King,” which opens in theaters Dec. 20. He took the reigns as the new voice of Mufasa after Jones played the iconic King Mufasa in both the 1994 and 2019 versions of Disney’s “The Lion King.” The prequel offers a fresh exploration into Mufasa’s origin story.Morgan Rogers looked to have given Emery’s side another famous win when he slammed a loose ball home in stoppage time, but referee Jesus Gil Manzano ruled Diego Carlos to have fouled Juve goalkeeper Michele Di Gregorio and the goal was chalked off. Contact seemed minimal but VAR did not intervene and Villa had to settle for a point in a 0-0 draw. “With the last action, it is the interpretation of the referee,” the Spaniard said. “In England, 80 per cent of those is given a goal and it’s not a foul. It’s very soft. “But in Europe, it could be a foul. We have to accept. “Everybody will know, in England the interpretation is different. The England referees, when actions like that the interpretation is a clear no foul but in Europe that interpretation is different. “They have to be working to get the same decision when some action like that is coming. I don’t know exactly why but we knew before in the Premier League that it is different. A very controversial finish at Villa Park 😲 Morgan Rogers' late goal is ruled out for a foul on Juventus goalkeeper Michele Di Gregorio and the match ends 0-0 ❌ 📺 @tntsports & @discoveryplusUK pic.twitter.com/MyYL5Vdy3r — Football on TNT Sports (@footballontnt) November 27, 2024 “In Europe for example we are not doing a block like in England and we are not doing in front of the goalkeeper in offensive corners the same situations like in England. “When the action happened, I was thinking here in Europe it’s a foul. In England not, but in Europe I have to accept it. “At first, I thought the referee gave us a goal. In cases like that, it’s confusing because he has to wait for VAR. I don’t know what happened but I think so (the referee changed his mind with VAR).” It was a disappointment for Villa, who remain unbeaten at home in their debut Champions League campaign and are still in contention to qualify automatically for the last 16. “We were playing a favourite to be in the top eight and usually a contender to win this competition,” Emery added. “We are a team who for a long time didn’t play in Europe and the Champions League and this year is very important. “We wanted to play competitive and we are in the right way. Today to get one point is very good, we wanted to win but wanted to avoid some mistakes we made in previous games. “We have 10 points and we’re happy.” Before the game Emery called Juventus one of the “best teams in the world, historically and now”, but this was an Italian side down to the bare bones. Only 14 outfield players made the trip from Turin, with striker Dusan Vlahovic among those who stayed behind. Juve boss Thiago Motta, whose side are 19th but still in contention to reach the top eight, said: “There’s just three games left to qualify. The next home against Man City, then Brugge, then Benfica. “One at a time, as we always did with the goal to qualify for the next round. “In the end we will try and reach our goal which is to go to the next round.”
Nyla Hampton lifts No. 17 Michigan State past No. 21 IowaThe euro rallied against the dollar on Thursday as French government bonds stabilized a day after the collapse of the French government, while bitcoin galloped to a record past $100,000, as investors cheered the nomination of a pro-cryptocurrency head to run the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. Despite Thursday’s gains, the euro was on track to post a loss this week, the fourth in the last five weeks. French President Emmanuel Macron met allies and parliament leaders on Thursday as he sought to swiftly appoint a new prime minister to replace Michel Barnier, who officially resigned a day after opposition lawmakers voted to outs his government. That is not an easy task, according to Shaun Osborne, chief FX strategist, at Scotiabank in Toronto. “For now, local bonds have stabilized — outperforming OATs have closed the yield gap over 10-year Bunds — helping give the euro a modest boost,” he wrote in a research note, referring to French bonds. The spread between French and German 10-year yields narrowed on Thursday to 77.2 basis points (bps) , the tighest gap since Nov.22. He added that the positive short-term price action on Wednesday coupled with moderate gains through the low $1.05s on Thursday, have given “the euro a shot at extending a little higher to test key resistance and potential bull trigger at $1.0590.” Meawnhile, bitcoin, the world’s best known cryptocurrency, has been on a tear since November on expectations that Donald Trump’s U.S. election win will usher in a friendly regulatory environment for cryptocurrencies. It rose to an all-time high of $103,649 in Asian hours, boosted in part by President-elect Trump’s nomination of pro-crypto Paul Atkins to run the SEC. It was last up 4% at 101,523 , taking its year-to-date gains to more than 140%. “With a better U.S. regulatory environment and next-generation stablecoins driving adoption in Europe, we believe bitcoin and the broader crypto market could continue to go from strength to strength,” wrote Arnoud Star Busmann, chief executive of Quantoz Payments, a Netherlands-based payments technology company. The euro was last up 0.6% at $1.0567, further moving away from the two-year low of $1.0332 hit at the end of November as traders braced for a drawn-out reckoning for France. French lawmakers passed a no-confidence vote against the government on Wednesday evening, throwing the country deeper into a crisis that threatens its ability to tame a massive budget deficit. Traders are all but certain the European Central Bank will cut rates next week and are pricing in around 157 basis points of easing by the end of 2025. In Asia, the Japanese yen rose as high as 149.66 per dollar but was last up 0.3% at 150.18 as traders pondered whether the Bank of Japan will hike interest rates later this month. Analysts said comments from typically dovish policymaker Toyoaki Nakamura that he’s not opposed to rate hikes had helped push the currency higher. Expectations had been growing that the BOJ will hike rates at its Dec. 18-19 meeting, buoyed by comments from Governor Kazuo Ueda. But media reports published on Wednesday suggested the BOJ may skip a rate hike this month, muddling those wagers. The South Korean won dipped slightly as the nation’s finance ministry said the government would activate 40 trillion won ($28.35 billion) worth of market stabilization funds after the chaos that followed President Yoon Suk Yeol declaring martial law on Tuesday and then rescinding this. The won was last down 0.2% at 1,416 per U.S. dollar. The dollar index , which measures the U.S. currency against six rivals, fell 0.5% to 105.83. It extended losses after data showed that initial claims for state unemployment benefits rose 9,000 to a seasonally adjusted 224,000 for the week ended Nov. 30. Economists polled by Reuters had forecast 215,000 claims for the latest week. On Wednesday, Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell had said the U.S. economy is stronger now than the central bank had expected when it started cutting rates in September, and he appeared to signal his support for a slower pace of reductions ahead. Bets on Fed rate cuts held broadly steady, however, perhaps influenced by weaker-than-expected services sector data released on Wednesday and the higher-than-expected jobless claims. Markets are pricing in about a 70% chance of a 25-bp rate cut later this month, and a 30% chance of a pause. Currency bid prices at 5 December 04:13 p.m. GMT Source: Reuters (Reporting by Gertrude Chavez-Dreyfuss in New York and Harry Robertson in London; Additional reporting by Ankur Banerjee in Singapore; Editing by Shri Navaratnam, Tom Hogue, Sherry Jacob-Phillips, Susan Fenton, Frances Kerry, Alexandra Hudson)
Cosy and inclusive
NEW YORK (AP) — A number of President-elect Donald Trump 's most prominent Cabinet picks and appointees have been targeted by bomb threats and “swatting attacks," Trump's transition team said Wednesday. The FBI said it was investigating. “Last night and this morning, several of President Trump’s Cabinet nominees and Administration appointees were targeted in violent, unAmerican threats to their lives and those who live with them," Trump transition spokesperson Karoline Leavitt said in a statement. She said the attacks ranged from bomb threats to swatting, in which attackers initiate an emergency law enforcement response against a target victim under false pretenses. The tactic has become a popular one in recent years. Leavitt said law enforcement and other authorities acted quickly to ensure the safety of those who were targeted and Trump and his transition team are grateful. Among those targeted were New York Rep. Elise Stefanik, Trump’s pick to serve as the next ambassador to the United Nations ; Matt Gaetz, Trump’s initial pick to serve as attorney general ; and former New York congressman Lee Zeldin, who has been tapped to lead the Environmental Protection Agency. Law enforcement officials are also looking into whether Susie Wiles, Trump’s incoming chief of staff, and Pam Bondi, the former Florida attorney general whom Trump has chosen as Gaetz’s replacement, and other incoming administration officials were also victims — as well as how each was targeted, according to a law enforcement official who spoke on condition of anonymity as the investigation continues. Wiles and Bondi did not immediately respond to requests for comment. The FBI said in a statement that it was “aware of numerous bomb threats and swatting incidents targeting incoming administration nominees and appointees" and was investigating with its law enforcement partners. The FBI added: "We take all potential threats seriously, and as always, encourage members of the public to immediately report anything they consider suspicious to law enforcement.” White House spokesperson Saloni Sharma said President Joe Biden had been briefed and the White House is in touch with federal law enforcement and Trump's transition team. Biden “continues to monitor the situation closely," Sharma said, adding the president and his administration “condemn threats of political violence.” Stefanik's office said that, on Wednesday morning, she, her husband, and their 3-year-old son were driving home from Washington for Thanksgiving when they were informed of a bomb threat to their residence in Saratoga County. Her office said “New York State, County law enforcement, and U.S. Capitol Police responded immediately with the highest levels of professionalism.” The New York State Police said a team was dispatched to sweep Stefanik’s home on Wednesday morning in response to the bomb threat but did not locate any explosive devices. The agency directed further questions to the FBI. Zeldin said in a social media post that he and his family had been threatened. “A pipe bomb threat targeting me and my family at our home today was sent in with a pro-Palestinian themed message,” he wrote on X . “My family and I were not home at the time and are safe. We are working with law enforcement to learn more as this situation develops.” Police in Suffolk County, Long Island, said emergency officers responded to a bomb threat Wednesday morning at an address listed in public records as Zeldin’s home and were checking the property. In Florida, the Okaloosa County sheriff’s office said on Facebook that it “received notification of a bomb threat referencing former Congressman Matt Gaetz’s supposed mailbox at a home in the Niceville area" around 9 a.m. Wednesday. While a family member resides at the address, the office said, Gaetz “is NOT a resident.” No threatening devices were found. Gaetz was Trump’s initial pick to serve as attorney general, but he withdrew from consideration after allegations that he paid women for sex and slept with underage women. Gaetz has vehemently denied any wrongdoing and said last year that a Justice Department investigation into sex trafficking allegations involving underage girls had ended with no federal charges against him. The threats follow a political campaign marked by disturbing and unprecedented violence. In July, a gunman opened fire at a Trump rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, grazing the then-candidate in the ear with a bullet and killing one of his supporters. The Secret Service later thwarted a subsequent assassination attempt at Trump's West Palm Beach, Florida, golf course when an agent spotted the barrel of a gun poking through a perimeter fence while Trump was golfing. Trump was also the subject of an Iranian murder-for-hire plot , with a man saying he had been tasked with planning the assassination of the Republican president-elect. Also this week, authorities arrested a man they say posted videos on social media threatening to kill Trump, according to court documents. In one video posted on Nov. 13, Manuel Tamayo-Torres threatened to shoot the former president while holding what appeared to be an AR-15 style rifle, authorities said Among the other videos he posted was one from an arena in Glendale, Arizona on Aug. 23, the same day Trump held a campaign rally there, according to court papers. An attorney for Tamayo-Torres did not immediately respond to a request for comment Wednesday. Public figures across the political spectrum have been targeted in recent years by hoax bomb threats and false reports of shootings at their homes. About a year ago the FBI responded to an uptick in such incidents at the homes of public officials, state capitols and courthouses across the country around the holidays. Many were locked down and evacuated in early January after receiving bomb threats. No explosives were found and no one was hurt. Some of those targeted last year were Georgia Lt. Gov. Burt Jones, Boston Mayor Michelle Wu and Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost. In Wu’s case, a male caller told police he had shot his own wife and tied another man up. When police and EMT responders arrived at the address given by the caller, they quickly realized it was the Boston mayor’s home. Wu, a Democrat, has also been targeted by many swatting calls since she took office in 2021. The judges overseeing the civil fraud case against Trump in New York and the criminal election interference case against him in Washington were both targeted earlier this year. Justice Department special counsel Jack Smith, who recently abandoned the two criminal cases he brought against Trump, was also the subject of a fake emergency call on Christmas Day last year. Earlier this year, schools, government buildings and the homes of city officials in Springfield, Ohio, received a string of hoax bomb threats after Trump falsely accused members of Springfield’s Haitian community of abducting and eating cats and dogs. And in 2022, a slew of historically Black colleges and universities nationwide were targeted with dozens of bomb threats, with the vast majority arriving during the celebration of Black History Month. The U.S. Capitol Police said in a statement Wednesday that anytime a member of Congress is the victim of a swatting' incident, “we work closely with our local and federal law enforcement partners.” The force declined to provide further details, in part to “minimize the risk of copy-cats.” Republican House Speaker Mike Johnson called the threats “dangerous and unhinged.” “This year, there was not just one but TWO assassination attempts on President Trump," he wrote on X . “Now some of his Cabinet nominees and their families are facing bomb threats.” He added: “It is not who we are in America.” ___ Richer reported from Washington. Associated Press writers Colleen Long and Eric Tucker in Washington, Scott Bauer in Madison, Wisconsin, and Anthony Izaguirre in Albany, New York, contributed to this report.
Manmohan Singh, India's prime minister from 2004 to 2014, has died1929’s “Black Thursday” was a stock market crash that marked the beginning of the great depression. 1987’s “Black Monday” was also a devastating blow to financial markets that decimated $1.71 trillion of wealth in a single day. Despite its similar name, Black Friday is the moniker of a much more benign phenomenon — the biggest and most publicized shopping day of the year. Every year on the Friday after Thanksgiving, millions of turkey-stuffed Americans used to overcome their tryptophan-induced tiredness to brave early-morning shopping center crowds in search of the best deals on the hottest products ahead of the winter holidays. And while this still occurs to some extent today, although much of the fervor has moved online, where cold temperatures, overnight camping, and dangerous retail stampedes can be easily avoided. And since the bulk of Black Friday shopping now occurs “ from the warm glow of shoppers’ smartphone screens ,” it’s become quite a bit easier to measure its volume in recent years. So, just how big of an event is Black Friday (and the subsequent “Cyber Week”)? How much have Black Friday and Cyber Monday sales volume grown over time? And will 2024’s Black Friday be the biggest ever? Here’s what you should know. Related: Black Friday 2024: Should you buy online or in-store? When did the day after Thanksgiving become Black Friday? According to conventional wisdom, the concept of Black Friday, as we know it today, emerged in the 1950s, when police in Philidelphia began to complain of large crowds appearing in the city the day after Thanksgiving to cruise retail shops for deals ahead of the Christmas holiday. That being said, it would be several decades before Black Friday would grow into the marketing tool and cultural phenomenon it is now. According to Nancy Koehn , a historian at Harvard Business School, retailers really began to invest heavily in the concept of Black Friday in the 1970s and 80s by marketing it as a discounted holiday shopping occasion and competing with one another to offer steeper discounts and earlier shopping hours. 💰💸 Don’t miss the move: SIGN UP for TheStreet’s FREE Daily newsletter 💰💸 The fervor continued to grow in the 1990s and 2000s, during which time camping out overnight on Thanksgiving to be the first in line for doorbuster electronic deals on Black Friday became common. In the modern day, Black Friday remains well-cemented in the minds of shoppers, especially those on the younger half of the age spectrum. 57% of Gen Z and 57% of Millenials claim to understand Black Friday “very well,” according to a survey published by Statista in November 2024. The event is also familiar to older generations, although to a lesser degree, with 46% of Gen X and 34% of Baby Boomers claiming to be intimately familiar with the holiday shopping phenomenon. Adobe Analytics Black Friday sales volume by year Since 2019, consumers have spent more money online shopping on Black Friday than they did the year before, with one exception — on Black Friday 2022, online shoppers spent about $410 million less than they did in 2021. At the time, the inflation rate had been above 6% for a year, which could help explain the slight decline in Black Friday shopping. Here’s how much consumers spent online on Black Friday each year from 2019 to 2023: Adobe Analytics, CapitalOne 2024 (projected) $10.80 billion 2023 $9.80 billion 2022 $9.12 billion 2021 $9.53 billion 2020 $9.00 billion 2019 $7.40 billion Adobe Analytics Cyber Monday sales volume by year Much like Black Friday, online Cyber Monday revenues have increased every year since 2019 with a single (and relatively small) exception — this time in 2021 instead of 2022. In November of 2021, inflation had only been above the Fed’s 2% target for about 8 months, and Cyber Monday sales only dropped by about $100 million compared to the year before. Here’s how much consumers spent online on Cyber Monday each year from 2019 to 2023: Adobe Analytics, CapitalOne 2024 (projected) $13.20 billion 2023 $12.40 billion 2022 $11.30 billion 2021 $10.70 billion 2020 $10.80 billion 2019 $9.40 billion More consumer finance: Sales projections for Black Friday & Cyber Monday 2024: Will they be the biggest ever? Aside from some inflation and supply chain-related hiccups, Black Friday and Cyber Monday have been growing steadily in popularity, and more and more consumer dollars have been flowing into online retail each year. Over the past decade or so, retailers have been beginning their Black Friday and Cyber Monday promotions earlier and earlier — and extending them longer and longer, muddying the waters of which sales do and don’t count as part of these events. Cyber Monday has become Cyber Week, and Black Friday, according to some, has been expanded to Black November. Adobe Analytics, one of the most-cited holiday shopping statistic authorities, shared a variety of projections regarding sales volume on Black Friday and Cyber Monday proper as well as the holiday shopping season as a whole. Here’s what 2024’s Black Friday sales could look like, according to Adobe : Anna Barclay/Getty Images What is Amazon’s market share of Black Friday sales? Amazon is the undisputed behemoth of online shopping in the U.S., with $574.8 billion in total sales and an e-commerce market share of almost 63% in 2023, according to Statista. The company’s next-largest competitor, Walmart, had about a sixth of Amazon’s online sales volume that year. But what does Amazon’s dominance of the overall online retail market look like on Black Friday — and during the rest of the holiday shopping season? Unfortunately, we don’t have a clear answer to this question, but we do have a series of related statistics that shed some light on how pervasive Amazon is in the holiday shopping arena: The takeaway Love it or lament it, Black Friday (and the rest of the highly commercialized and ever-expanding holiday shopping season) is here to stay, growing year over year, and showing no signs of slowing down. In fact, 2024 is poised to see the highest Black Friday and Cyber Monday sales of all time. Luckily for the crowd-avoidant, the bulk of holiday shopping volume (about 71%, according to Demandsage ) has moved online. And when it comes to online holiday shopping, Amazon is the clear leader among the major e-commerce retailers competing for holiday traffic. Related: The 10 best investing books (according to stock market pros)
The liberal media and Democrat activist groups are in overdrive trying to dig up enough dirt on President-elect Donald Trump’s cabinet picks to scuttle as many nominations as possible. But at least one nominee is unlikely to fail: Florida Republican Sen. Marco Rubio for secretary of State. Even progressive firebrand Sen. Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts admitted that Rubio is “qualified” and has the right experience. California Democratic Rep. Adam Schiff, an incoming senator, called Rubio “enormously well-qualified.” And Sen. John Fetterman of Pennsylvania said he’s a “fan.” Rubio’s likely confirmation means Republican Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis will need to appoint a successor to fill his Senate seat. “Florida deserves a senator who will help President Trump deliver on his election mandate, be strong on immigration and border security, take on the entrenched bureaucracy and administrative state, reverse the nation’s fiscal decline, be animated by conservative principles, and has a proven record of results,” wrote DeSantis, saying he plans to make his choice by early January. DeSantis’ pick has extra importance given Florida’s emerging role as the center of today’s conservative movement. The Sunshine State’s new senator will immediately vault into a prominent position within the party. Florida has a deep conservative bench and no shortage of talented prospects responsible for the state’s remarkable Republican transformation. Yet DeSantis should consider holding the seat for a fellow Hispanic in Rubio’s mold to reflect Florida’s sizeable Latino population and its growing role in Republican electoral success. Hispanic support propelled Republicans to their election day victories. According to the NBC exit poll , Trump won 46% of the Hispanic vote, a modern-day Republican record and a massive improvement over the 32% he received four years ago. Trump did even better in Florida, winning this demographic outright . By appointing a Hispanic to replace Rubio, DeSantis can reward these crucial voters. He can help the Republican Party solidify its growing support among Latino voters both nationwide and in the critical swing areas of South Florida. More broadly, with Hispanics making up 26% of Florida’s population , the state’s elected leaders should reflect this ethnic makeup. Latinos deserve to keep this important seat on political and economic issues at the Senate table. Several top Florida Hispanic legislators could seamlessly fill the role left by Rubio. They include Lt. Gov. Jeanette Nuñez , State Sen. Ileana García and former Florida House Speaker Jose Oliva . “Let’s welcome the browns into the GOP because the browns have the same values that are entrenched into the Republican Party,” says Florida Republican Rep. Maria Salazar, whose district is on the southeast coast of the state. “The GOP has not really been able to understand that the browns are GOPs in another language.” In fact, Job Creators Network’s Hispanic Vote Coalition , led by executive director Mary Thomas, spent the year traveling across the country to engage with Hispanic voters and faith leaders, speaking their political language and equipping them with the resources to vote their values this election. We found a highly receptive audience eager to engage in political issues and sick of being talked down to and taken for granted by Democrats. Such robust engagement with Hispanics is responsible for Republicans’ long overdue political success with this demographic. To consolidate and build on these Hispanic gains, conservatives need to continue to genuinely engage with and learn from this constituency between election cycles, not just during them. We need a permanent Hispanic engagement infrastructure to make these voters part of our coalition for the long term. Part of the success of this project is keeping Florida’s Senate seat in Hispanic hands. Alfredo Ortiz is CEO of Job Creators Network, author of “The Real Race Revolutionaries,” and co-host of the Main Street Matters podcast. The views and opinions expressed in this commentary are those of the author and do not reflect the official position of the Daily Caller News Foundation. All content created by the Daily Caller News Foundation, an independent and nonpartisan newswire service, is available without charge to any legitimate news publisher that can provide a large audience. All republished articles must include our logo, our reporter’s byline and their DCNF affiliation. For any questions about our guidelines or partnering with us, please contact licensing@dailycallernewsfoundation.org .
Jimmy Carter, the earnest peanut farmer who as US president struggled with a bad economy and the Iran hostage crisis but brokered peace between Israel and Egypt has died at his home in Plains, Georgia, the Carter Centre said. He was 100. Login or signup to continue reading "My father was a hero, not only to me but to everyone who believes in peace, human rights, and unselfish love," said Chip Carter, the former president's son. "My brothers, sister, and I shared him with the rest of the world through these common beliefs". A Democrat, Carter served as president from January 1977 to January 1981 after defeating incumbent Republican President Gerald Ford in the 1976 US election. Carter was swept from office four years later in an electoral landslide as voters embraced Republican challenger Ronald Reagan, the former actor and California governor. Carter's one-term presidency was marked by the highs of the 1978 Camp David accords between Israel and Egypt, bringing some stability to the Middle East. But it was dogged by an economy in recession, persistent unpopularity and the embarrassment of the Iran hostage crisis that consumed his final 444 days in office. In recent years, Carter experienced several health issues including melanoma that spread to his liver and brain. Carter decided to receive hospice care in February 2023 instead of undergoing additional medical intervention. His wife, Rosalynn Carter, died in November, 2023, at age 96. He looked frail when he attended her memorial service and funeral in a wheelchair. Carter left office profoundly unpopular but worked energetically for decades on humanitarian causes. He was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2002 in recognition of his "untiring effort to find peaceful solutions to international conflicts, to advance democracy and human rights, and to promote economic and social development." A Southern Baptist Sunday school teacher since his teens, Carter brought a strong sense of morality to the presidency, speaking openly about his religious faith. Despite his difficulties in office, Carter had few rivals for accomplishments as a former president. He gained global acclaim as a tireless human rights advocate, a voice for the disenfranchised and a leader in the fight against hunger and poverty, winning the respect that eluded him in the White House. Carter won the Nobel Peace Prize in 2002 for his efforts to promote human rights and resolve conflicts around the world, from Ethiopia and Eritrea to Bosnia and Haiti. His Carter Centre in Atlanta sent international election-monitoring delegations to polls around the world. The Middle East was the focus of Carter's foreign policy. The 1979 Egypt-Israel peace treaty, based on the 1978 Camp David accords, ended a state of war between the two neighbours. Carter brought Egyptian President Anwar Sadat and Israeli Prime Minister Menachem Begin to the Camp David presidential retreat in Maryland for talks. Later, as the accords seemed to be unravelling, Carter saved the day by flying to Cairo and Jerusalem for personal shuttle diplomacy. The treaty provided for Israeli withdrawal from Egypt's Sinai Peninsula and establishment of diplomatic relations. Begin and Sadat each won a Nobel Peace Prize in 1978. By the 1980 election, the overriding issues were double-digit inflation, interest rates that exceeded 20 per cent and soaring gas prices, as well as the Iran hostage crisis that brought humiliation to America. These issues marred Carter's presidency and undermined his chances of winning a second term. In November 1979, revolutionaries devoted to Iran's Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini stormed the US Embassy in Tehran, seized the Americans present and demanded the return of the ousted shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, who was backed by the United States and was being treated in a US hospital. The American public initially rallied behind Carter. But his support faded in April 1980 when a commando raid failed to rescue the hostages, with eight US soldiers killed in an aircraft accident in the Iranian desert. Carter's final ignominy was that Iran held the 52 hostages until minutes after Reagan took his oath of office on January 20, 1981, to replace Carter, then released the planes carrying them to freedom. Not all of Carter's post-presidential work was appreciated. In 2004, Carter called the Iraq war launched in 2003 by President George W Bush one of the most "gross and damaging mistakes our nation ever made." He called the younger Bush's administration "the worst in history" and said Vice President Dick Cheney was "a disaster for our country." In 2019, Carter questioned Republican Donald Trump's legitimacy as president, saying "he was put into office because the Russians interfered on his behalf." Trump responded by calling Carter "a terrible president." Australian Associated Press DAILY Today's top stories curated by our news team. Also includes evening update. WEEKDAYS Grab a quick bite of today's latest news from around the region and the nation. WEEKLY The latest news, results & expert analysis. WEEKDAYS Catch up on the news of the day and unwind with great reading for your evening. WEEKLY Get the editor's insights: what's happening & why it matters. WEEKLY Love footy? We've got all the action covered. WEEKLY Every Saturday and Tuesday, explore destinations deals, tips & travel writing to transport you around the globe. WEEKLY Get the latest property and development news here. 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Paul Krekorian, who is leaving the Los Angeles City Council due to term limits, will oversee the city’s handling of the 2026 World Cup, the 2028 Olympic and Paralympic Games and other large events. Mayor Karen Bass tapped Krekorian, who leaves office on Sunday and previously served as council president, to be executive director of the city’s Office of Major Events. In that post, he will ensure that the Olympics and other sporting events provide “positive economic impacts for the city,” Bass’ office said. Bass’ office didn’t respond to a request about Krekorian’s salary in the new role. The veteran city lawmaker will serve as the primary liaison between Bass’ office and LA28, the private group organizing and paying for the Games. He will coordinate with city departments, work with the business community and oversee an effort to beef up the city’s transportation networks. City leaders are hoping that the Games will boost tourism and the regional economy. During the 2024 Summer Games, Paris saw a surge of visitors but also a dramatic fall-off in business for some shops and museums because of security restrictions that closed off parts of the city, according to the Associated Press . City officials want the incoming Trump administration to pay for billions of dollars worth of transportation improvements ahead of the Games, though there is no clear indication that it will. Bass, Krekorian and other city and county officials visited Paris earlier this year to study that city’s preparations. “When we met with officials from Paris, they stressed the importance of pulling the entire city together to make sure all city departments were aligned and operating under the same vision,” Bass said in a statement, adding that “Krekorian is uniquely positioned” to lead that effort. Bass pointed to Krekorian’s decades of experience handling city and state finances. Elected to the council in 2009, Krekorian led the powerful Budget and Finance Committee for several years, helping the city emerge from the 2008 recession and weather the economic shocks created by COVID-19. The city is taking on a significant financial risk by hosting the Olympic Games. If the Olympics fail to bring in enough money, the city will be on the hook for the first $270 million and potentially millions more, according to an agreement reached several years ago. At the same time, the city has limited power when it comes to the Olympics and Paralympics. The City Council can vote on venue changes, and LA28 will reimburse the city for some services, but the planning and execution of the events falls to LA28. Krekorian, who was elected council president in 2022 and represents part of the San Fernando Valley, said earlier this year that he remains confident that the L.A. Olympics will be economically successful. On Thursday, in a statement, he said he would work with Bass to “deliver the 2028 Games in a way that benefits everyone.” Last month, Krekorian expressed worry about the election of Trump, who has repeatedly attacked California over its left-leaning policies. Krekorian said at the time that he was anticipating “four difficult years for our city on multiple levels, not least of which is our access to federal funding for different programs, and preparations for the Olympics.” Trump announced Wednesday on Truth Social that he is nominating television commentator and former assistant treasury secretary Monica Crowley as the administration’s representative for “major U.S. hosted events,” including the 2026 World Cup and 2028 Olympics.
NoneIowa moves on without injured quarterback Brendan Sullivan when the Hawkeyes visit Maryland for a Big Ten Conference contest on Saturday afternoon. Former starter Cade McNamara is not ready to return from a concussion, so Iowa (6-4, 4-3) turns to former walk-on and fourth-stringer Jackson Stratton to lead the offense in College Park, Md. "Confident that he'll do a great job," Iowa coach Kirk Ferentz said of Stratton on his weekly radio show. "He stepped in, did a really nice job in our last ballgame. And he's got a good ability to throw the football, and he's learning every day. ... We'll go with him and see what we can do." Iowa had been on an upswing with Sullivan, who had sparked the Hawkeyes to convincing wins over Northwestern and Wisconsin before suffering an ankle injury in a 20-17 loss at UCLA on Nov. 8. Stratton came on in relief against the Bruins and completed 3 of 6 passes for 28 yards. Another storyline for Saturday is that Ferentz will be opposing his son, Brian Ferentz, an assistant at Maryland. Brian Ferentz was Iowa's offensive coordinator from 2017-23. "We've all got business to take care of on Saturday," Kirk Ferentz said. "I think his experience has been good and everything I know about it. As a parent, I'm glad he's with good people." Maryland (4-6, 1-6) needs a win to keep its hopes alive for a fourth straight bowl appearance under Mike Locksley. The Terrapins have dropped five of their last six games, all by at least 14 points, including a 31-17 loss at home to Rutgers last weekend. "It's been a challenging last few weeks to say the least," Locksley said. The challenge this week will be to stop Iowa running back Kaleb Johnson, who leads the Big Ten in rushing yards (1,328) and touchdowns (20), averaging 7.1 yards per carry. "With running backs, it's not always about speed. It's about power, vision and the ability to make something out of nothing," Locksley said. "This guy is a load and runs behind his pads." Maryland answers with quarterback Billy Edwards Jr., who leads the Big Ten in passing yards per game (285.5) and completions (268). His top target is Tai Felton, who leads the conference in catches (86) and receiving yards (1,040). --Field Level Media( ) stock jumped on Thursday after the software maker swung to a profit for its third quarter while revenue topped views while revenue guidance met expectations. The company reported October quarter results after the market close. On the , shares jumped more than 19% to 18.40 in extended trading. In the Asana earnings report, the software maker reported a 2-cent profit on an adjusted basis vs. a 4-cent loss in the year-ago period. Analysts had predicted a loss of 7 cents per share. Revenue rose 10% to 183.9 million, topping views of $180.6 million. For the quarter ending in January, Asana forecast revenue of $188 million vs. estimates of $187.8 million. Asana's work management platform that helps users orchestrate work, from daily tasks to cross-functional strategic initiatives. Rivals include ( ). Heading into the Asana earnings report, the software stock was down 18% in 2024. Asana stock owned an IBD Relative Strength Rating of 56 out of a best-possible 99, according to .
