ph. 777 The man accused of killing the head of one of the biggest U.S. health insurance companies is fighting being sent to face charges in New York City, where the attack happened. Luigi Mangione, 26, is being held without bail in Pennsylvania, where he was arrested at a McDonald's on Monday after a broad search following the Dec. 4 ambush of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson . During a hearing Tuesday, Mangione's lawyer said he wouldn't agree to waive his right to an extradition hearing. Although it might delay the defendant being sent to New York to face murder and other charges, Blair County (Pennsylvania) District Attorney Peter Weeks said Mangione's decision to fight extradition won’t be a substantial barrier to it happening. New York Gov. Kathy Hochul said Tuesday on social media that she would sign “a request for a governor’s warrant to ensure the suspect in the murder of Brian Thompson is held accountable in New York.” The case has captured the American imagination, at least for the moment, with online arguments over whether Mangione is a hero, a killer, or both. The gun found on Mangione when he was arrested in Pennsylvania matched shell casings found at the shooting scene in midtown Manhattan, New York City Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch said Wednesday, adding that his fingerprints also matched prints on a water bottle and protein bar wrapper found near the crime scene. Police have said they believed the gunman bought them at a nearby coffee shop while awaiting his target. Writings found in Mangione’s possession hinted at a hatred of corporate greed, authorities have said. Among the items investigators have recovered was a spiral notebook, along with a three-page handwritten letter found when he was arrested, a law enforcement official said Wednesday. The official wasn’t authorized to disclose information about the investigation and spoke to The Associated Press on the condition of anonymity. Police have not disclosed what was in the notebook, but Mangione said in his letter that it would contain clues about the attack, according to the official. In addition to the letter, arresting officers also found Mangione to be carrying a ghost gun, which is a type of firearm that can be assembled at home and is difficult to trace. NYPD Chief of Detectives Joseph Kenny said Monday. Officers also found a sound suppressor, or silencer, “consistent with the weapon used in the murder,” New York Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch said. He had clothing and a mask similar to those worn by the shooter and a fraudulent New Jersey ID matching one the suspect used to check into a New York City hostel before the shooting, the commissioner said. Kenny told CBS New York on Tuesday that no prints were found on the bullets that killed Thompson, but there was one fingerprint on a cellphone that was recovered. He said the evidence was being processed. Kenny also suggested that the motive might have been related to an accident that sent Mangione to an emergency room on July 4, 2023. Mangione, who comes from a prominent Maryland family, was valedictorian of his elite Baltimore prep school and had degrees from one of the nation’s top private universities. He earned undergraduate and graduate degrees in computer science in 2020 from the University of Pennsylvania. From January to June 2022, Mangione lived at Surfbreak, a “co-living” space at the edge of touristy Waikiki in Honolulu. Josiah Ryan, a spokesperson for owner and founder R.J. Martin, said that Martin had learned that Mangione had severe back pain from childhood that interfered with many aspects of his life. A law enforcement bulletin obtained by the AP earlier this week said Mangione likely was motivated by his anger at what he called “parasitic” health insurance companies and a disdain for corporate greed. He wrote that the U.S. has the most expensive health care system in the world and that the profits of major corporations continue to rise while “our life expectancy” does not, according to the bulletin, which law enforcement said was based on a review of Mangione's handwritten notes and social media posts. Investigators are also looking at Mangione’s Facebook page, where he posted X-rays of numerous screws that were inserted into his spine, as well as writings in which he discussed the difficulty of sustaining that injury. In his first public words since his arrest, Mangione shouted about an “insult to the intelligence of the American people” as he was escorted into the courthouse Tuesday. Associated Press reporters Michael R. Sisak, Jamie Stengle and Lea Skene contributed to this report.

Jenkins throws for 3 TDs to carry FIU to 35-24 win over Middle Tennessee

Budgetary allocations for select government offices, commonly termed “intelligence” and “confidential” funds, are typically exempt from standard auditing procedures in order to preserve the secrecy of the operations they support. While such exemptions may be justifiable for safeguarding national security and law enforcement objectives, their application to civilian agencies without clear security functions is harder to defend. The secrecy surrounding these funds creates a fertile ground for misuse. The legislative challenge lies in establishing stricter oversight mechanisms to prevent fraud and ensure that these funds serve their intended purposes effectively. This is the apparent aim of the ongoing hearings in the House of Representatives, focusing on the use of confidential funds by the Office of the Vice President (OVP) and the Department of Education (DepEd) during Vice President Sara Duterte’s tenure as education secretary. The first critical question is whether the OVP and DepEd—both civilian agencies entities—require confidential funds at all. If they do, what level of auditing and oversight is appropriate? Under normal circumstances, such issues might not capture much public attention. However, the current inquiry is complicated by its political undertones. The spotlight is on Sara Duterte’s use of confidential funds both as incumbent vice president and as former education secretary, even though hers is not the only office with such allocations. The timing of the investigation—coinciding with Sara Duterte’s public break from the Marcos administration, of which she was a key member—raises suspicions about the real motive behind these hearings. Her supporters allege this is part of a calculated move to discredit her as a contender in the 2028 presidential elections. Regardless of political motivations, the separate Senate and House inquiries into Sara Duterte’s budgets are exposing glaring systemic weaknesses in our governance system. These hearings highlight how populist leaders like Sara Duterte exploit these dysfunctions to gain enormous power and maintain it. The crux of the problem appears to be the unrestricted access to public funds with minimal accountability. These funds are often used to distribute political patronage, secure compliance with illegal directives, or sustain an ecosystem of political operators, troll farms, loyal media, bodyguards, and even assassins. Those who resist can be intimidated, coerced, or silenced. This is governance at its darkest—a form of criminal politics. While such practices are not unique to one administration, the Vice President’s father and former president Rodrigo Duterte’s tenure arguably made them the cornerstone of his rule. Enabled by obsequious politicians, a complicit police force, a subdued judiciary, a silenced press, and a fearful bureaucracy, his brazen and whimsical presidency found no need for transparency and accountability. The people seemed satisfied so long as he appeared to deliver results. Yet, all presidencies end. Without a political party to anchor his influence, Rodrigo Duterte’s power quickly vanished after his term, though his popularity persisted for some time. The Marcos administration rode to power in part by recruiting Sara Duterte to be the vice president. Now, the fallout from the collapse of their dynastic alliance has thrust the government into a situation that tests the Marcos administration’s seriousness about strengthening the rule of law and reforming governance. The breakup has been ugly—marked by accusations of betrayal, broken promises, and incendiary rhetoric. In her latest outburst on Nov. 23, a defiant Sara Duterte unleashed a torrent of expletives and threats against the President, the First Lady, and the Speaker of the House during an impromptu press conference at her brother, Davao City 1st District Rep. Paolo Duterte’s office. If words could kill, there would be decimation in the upper echelons of government. This is no longer mere political theater. As the saying goes, when elephants fight, it’s the grass that suffers. The public’s growing frustration with their leaders drains the energy needed for national progress. Calls for people power are already surfacing on social media. While another Edsa revolution seems unlikely, the current climate of distrust and disillusionment only deepens the country’s political malaise. —————– [email protected] Subscribe to our daily newsletter By providing an email address. I agree to the Terms of Use and acknowledge that I have read the Privacy Policy .In an interview on Fox News Live former CIA operations officer Laura Ballman offered her theory as to what the mysterious drone sightings could be and how the federal government isn't being "transparent" with the American people. Sightings of these drones in the northeastern night sky hav sky rocked in recent weeks with reports from several states most notably in New Jersey where the first sightings were reported. The state now seen over 1,000 reports of these unknown SUV-sized drones, terrifying residents and prompting demands from state and local officials that the federal government in step and definitively answer what these strange flying objects are. Federal officials have continuously downplayed the risk of these drones saying they are not a national security threat or the result of a foreign actor. Aliens 'trying to send us a message about nuclear weapons' says ex-US army official Pentagon insider accuses government of concealing UFO evidence: 'We are not alone' In a call with reporters Saturday that was organized by the White House, senior officials from the FBI, Pentagon, FAA and other agencies sought to assure people that the drones are not a national security or public safety threat or the handywork of a malicious foreign actor. But Ballman offered her own theory during her appearance on Fox News, saying that the federal government needs to be "more transparent" with the American people, implying that there is some information about these sightings that the federal government is not revealing. Ballman suggested that this may be a classified exercise by the U.S Military to test detection evasion systems. “Now in terms of who is behind this, deducing the statements that have been made by John Kirby, who has said that these objects are not operating illegally coupled with the several op-eds that have been out the last 24 hours about the need to look at our detection systems, makes me think, perhaps, this is actually a classified exercise to test either evasion technology or detection technology in urban areas,” Ballman told Fox News. “In terms of why the federal government would not be more forthcoming, I’ve actually been troubled by that. If I were in a position to advise on this, I would say it’s time to become more transparent," she added. Ballman is not the only one calling for the federal government to do more to assure the American people of what exactly these drones are. New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy wrote to President Joe Biden asking for answers. New Jersey’s new senator, Andy Kim, spent Thursday night on a drone hunt in rural northern New Jersey and posted about it on X. Murphy and law enforcement officials have stressed that the drones don’t appear to be a threat to public safety, but many state and municipal lawmakers have nonetheless called for stricter rules about who can fly the unmanned aircraft. New York Gov. Kathy Hochul on Saturday joined Murphy in his appeals to the Biden administration, calling on Congress to pass the Counter-UAS Authority Security, Safety, and Reauthorization Act, a bill that would give more oversight of drone policy to state and local governments. “Until those powers are granted to state and local officials, the Biden Administration must step in by directing additional federal law enforcement to New York and the surrounding region to ensure the safety of our critical infrastructure and our people,” Hochul said in a statement posted to X. The FBI is among several agencies investigating and has asked residents to share videos, photos and other information they may have about the drones. DAILY NEWSLETTER: Sign up here to get the latest news and updates from the Mirror US straight to your inbox with our FREE newsletter.

ATLANTA — Jimmy Carter, the peanut farmer who won the presidency in the wake of the Watergate scandal and Vietnam War, endured humbling defeat after one tumultuous term and then redefined life after the White House as a global humanitarian, has died. He was 100 years old. The longest-lived American president died on Sunday, more than a year after entering hospice care , at his home in the small town of Plains, Georgia, where he and his wife, Rosalynn, who died at 96 in November 2023 , spent most of their lives, The Carter Center said. “Our founder, former U.S. President Jimmy Carter, passed away this afternoon in Plains, Georgia,” the center simply said in posting about Carter’s death on the social media platform X. Businessman, Navy officer, evangelist, politician, negotiator, author, woodworker, citizen of the world — Carter forged a path that still challenges political assumptions and stands out among the 45 men who reached the nation’s highest office. The 39th president leveraged his ambition with a keen intellect, deep religious faith and prodigious work ethic, conducting diplomatic missions into his 80s and building houses for the poor well into his 90s. “My faith demands — this is not optional — my faith demands that I do whatever I can, wherever I am, whenever I can, for as long as I can, with whatever I have to try to make a difference,” Carter once said. A moderate Democrat, Carter entered the 1976 presidential race as a little-known Georgia governor with a broad smile, outspoken Baptist mores and technocratic plans reflecting his education as an engineer. His no-frills campaign depended on public financing, and his promise not to deceive the American people resonated after Richard Nixon’s disgrace and U.S. defeat in southeast Asia. “If I ever lie to you, if I ever make a misleading statement, don’t vote for me. I would not deserve to be your president,” Carter repeated before narrowly beating Republican incumbent Gerald Ford, who had lost popularity pardoning Nixon. Carter governed amid Cold War pressures, turbulent oil markets and social upheaval over racism, women’s rights and America’s global role. His most acclaimed achievement in office was a Mideast peace deal that he brokered by keeping Egyptian President Anwar Sadat and Israeli Prime Minister Menachem Begin at the bargaining table for 13 days in 1978. That Camp David experience inspired the post-presidential center where Carter would establish so much of his legacy. Yet Carter’s electoral coalition splintered under double-digit inflation, gasoline lines and the 444-day hostage crisis in Iran. His bleakest hour came when eight Americans died in a failed hostage rescue in April 1980, helping to ensure his landslide defeat to Republican Ronald Reagan. Carter acknowledged in his 2020 “White House Diary” that he could be “micromanaging” and “excessively autocratic,” complicating dealings with Congress and the federal bureaucracy. He also turned a cold shoulder to Washington’s news media and lobbyists, not fully appreciating their influence on his political fortunes. “It didn’t take us long to realize that the underestimation existed, but by that time we were not able to repair the mistake,” Carter told historians in 1982, suggesting that he had “an inherent incompatibility” with Washington insiders. Carter insisted his overall approach was sound and that he achieved his primary objectives — to “protect our nation’s security and interests peacefully” and “enhance human rights here and abroad” — even if he fell spectacularly short of a second term. Ignominious defeat, though, allowed for renewal. The Carters founded The Carter Center in 1982 as a first-of-its-kind base of operations, asserting themselves as international peacemakers and champions of democracy, public health and human rights. “I was not interested in just building a museum or storing my White House records and memorabilia,” Carter wrote in a memoir published after his 90th birthday. “I wanted a place where we could work.” That work included easing nuclear tensions in North and South Korea, helping to avert a U.S. invasion of Haiti and negotiating cease-fires in Bosnia and Sudan. By 2022, The Carter Center had declared at least 113 elections in Latin America, Asia and Africa to be free or fraudulent. Recently, the center began monitoring U.S. elections as well. Carter’s stubborn self-assuredness and even self-righteousness proved effective once he was unencumbered by the Washington order, sometimes to the point of frustrating his successors . He went “where others are not treading,” he said, to places like Ethiopia, Liberia and North Korea, where he secured the release of an American who had wandered across the border in 2010. “I can say what I like. I can meet whom I want. I can take on projects that please me and reject the ones that don’t,” Carter said. He announced an arms-reduction-for-aid deal with North Korea without clearing the details with Bill Clinton’s White House. He openly criticized President George W. Bush for the 2003 invasion of Iraq. He also criticized America’s approach to Israel with his 2006 book “Palestine: Peace Not Apartheid.” And he repeatedly countered U.S. administrations by insisting North Korea should be included in international affairs, a position that most aligned Carter with Republican President Donald Trump. Among the center’s many public health initiatives, Carter vowed to eradicate the guinea worm parasite during his lifetime, and nearly achieved it: Cases dropped from millions in the 1980s to nearly a handful. With hardhats and hammers, the Carters also built homes with Habitat for Humanity. The Nobel committee’s 2002 Peace Prize cites his “untiring effort to find peaceful solutions to international conflicts, to advance democracy and human rights, and to promote economic and social development.” Carter should have won it alongside Sadat and Begin in 1978, the chairman added. Carter accepted the recognition saying there was more work to be done. “The world is now, in many ways, a more dangerous place,” he said. “The greater ease of travel and communication has not been matched by equal understanding and mutual respect.” Carter’s globetrotting took him to remote villages where he met little “Jimmy Carters,” so named by admiring parents. But he spent most of his days in the same one-story Plains house — expanded and guarded by Secret Service agents — where they lived before he became governor. He regularly taught Sunday School lessons at Maranatha Baptist Church until his mobility declined and the coronavirus pandemic raged. Those sessions drew visitors from around the world to the small sanctuary where Carter will receive his final send-off after a state funeral at Washington’s National Cathedral. The common assessment that he was a better ex-president than president rankled Carter and his allies. His prolific post-presidency gave him a brand above politics, particularly for Americans too young to witness him in office. But Carter also lived long enough to see biographers and historians reassess his White House years more generously. His record includes the deregulation of key industries, reduction of U.S. dependence on foreign oil, cautious management of the national debt and notable legislation on the environment, education and mental health. He focused on human rights in foreign policy, pressuring dictators to release thousands of political prisoners . He acknowledged America’s historical imperialism, pardoned Vietnam War draft evaders and relinquished control of the Panama Canal. He normalized relations with China. “I am not nominating Jimmy Carter for a place on Mount Rushmore,” Stuart Eizenstat, Carter’s domestic policy director, wrote in a 2018 book. “He was not a great president” but also not the “hapless and weak” caricature voters rejected in 1980, Eizenstat said. Rather, Carter was “good and productive” and “delivered results, many of which were realized only after he left office.” Madeleine Albright, a national security staffer for Carter and Clinton’s secretary of state, wrote in Eizenstat’s forward that Carter was “consequential and successful” and expressed hope that “perceptions will continue to evolve” about his presidency. “Our country was lucky to have him as our leader,” said Albright, who died in 2022. Jonathan Alter, who penned a comprehensive Carter biography published in 2020, said in an interview that Carter should be remembered for “an epic American life” spanning from a humble start in a home with no electricity or indoor plumbing through decades on the world stage across two centuries. “He will likely go down as one of the most misunderstood and underestimated figures in American history,” Alter told The Associated Press. James Earl Carter Jr. was born Oct. 1, 1924, in Plains and spent his early years in nearby Archery. His family was a minority in the mostly Black community, decades before the civil rights movement played out at the dawn of Carter’s political career. Carter, who campaigned as a moderate on race relations but governed more progressively, talked often of the influence of his Black caregivers and playmates but also noted his advantages: His land-owning father sat atop Archery’s tenant-farming system and owned a main street grocery. His mother, Lillian , would become a staple of his political campaigns. Seeking to broaden his world beyond Plains and its population of fewer than 1,000 — then and now — Carter won an appointment to the U.S. Naval Academy, graduating in 1946. That same year he married Rosalynn Smith, another Plains native, a decision he considered more important than any he made as head of state. She shared his desire to see the world, sacrificing college to support his Navy career. Carter climbed in rank to lieutenant, but then his father was diagnosed with cancer, so the submarine officer set aside his ambitions of admiralty and moved the family back to Plains. His decision angered Rosalynn, even as she dived into the peanut business alongside her husband. Carter again failed to talk with his wife before his first run for office — he later called it “inconceivable” not to have consulted her on such major life decisions — but this time, she was on board. “My wife is much more political,” Carter told the AP in 2021. He won a state Senate seat in 1962 but wasn’t long for the General Assembly and its back-slapping, deal-cutting ways. He ran for governor in 1966 — losing to arch-segregationist Lester Maddox — and then immediately focused on the next campaign. Carter had spoken out against church segregation as a Baptist deacon and opposed racist “Dixiecrats” as a state senator. Yet as a local school board leader in the 1950s he had not pushed to end school segregation even after the Supreme Court’s Brown v. Board of Education decision, despite his private support for integration. And in 1970, Carter ran for governor again as the more conservative Democrat against Carl Sanders, a wealthy businessman Carter mocked as “Cufflinks Carl.” Sanders never forgave him for anonymous, race-baiting flyers, which Carter disavowed. Ultimately, Carter won his races by attracting both Black voters and culturally conservative whites. Once in office, he was more direct. “I say to you quite frankly that the time for racial discrimination is over,” he declared in his 1971 inaugural address, setting a new standard for Southern governors that landed him on the cover of Time magazine. His statehouse initiatives included environmental protection, boosting rural education and overhauling antiquated executive branch structures. He proclaimed Martin Luther King Jr. Day in the slain civil rights leader’s home state. And he decided, as he received presidential candidates in 1972, that they were no more talented than he was. In 1974, he ran Democrats’ national campaign arm. Then he declared his own candidacy for 1976. An Atlanta newspaper responded with the headline: “Jimmy Who?” The Carters and a “Peanut Brigade” of family members and Georgia supporters camped out in Iowa and New Hampshire, establishing both states as presidential proving grounds. His first Senate endorsement: a young first-termer from Delaware named Joe Biden. Yet it was Carter’s ability to navigate America’s complex racial and rural politics that cemented the nomination. He swept the Deep South that November, the last Democrat to do so, as many white Southerners shifted to Republicans in response to civil rights initiatives. A self-declared “born-again Christian,” Carter drew snickers by referring to Scripture in a Playboy magazine interview, saying he “had looked on many women with lust. I’ve committed adultery in my heart many times.” The remarks gave Ford a new foothold and television comedians pounced — including NBC’s new “Saturday Night Live” show. But voters weary of cynicism in politics found it endearing. Carter chose Minnesota Sen. Walter “Fritz” Mondale as his running mate on a “Grits and Fritz” ticket. In office, he elevated the vice presidency and the first lady’s office. Mondale’s governing partnership was a model for influential successors Al Gore, Dick Cheney and Biden. Rosalynn Carter was one of the most involved presidential spouses in history, welcomed into Cabinet meetings and huddles with lawmakers and top aides. The Carters presided with uncommon informality: He used his nickname “Jimmy” even when taking the oath of office, carried his own luggage and tried to silence the Marine Band’s “Hail to the Chief.” They bought their clothes off the rack. Carter wore a cardigan for a White House address, urging Americans to conserve energy by turning down their thermostats. Amy, the youngest of four children, attended District of Columbia public school. Washington’s social and media elite scorned their style. But the larger concern was that “he hated politics,” according to Eizenstat, leaving him nowhere to turn politically once economic turmoil and foreign policy challenges took their toll. Carter partially deregulated the airline, railroad and trucking industries and established the departments of Education and Energy, and the Federal Emergency Management Agency. He designated millions of acres of Alaska as national parks or wildlife refuges. He appointed a then-record number of women and nonwhite people to federal posts. He never had a Supreme Court nomination, but he elevated civil rights attorney Ruth Bader Ginsburg to the nation’s second highest court, positioning her for a promotion in 1993. He appointed Paul Volker, the Federal Reserve chairman whose policies would help the economy boom in the 1980s — after Carter left office. He built on Nixon’s opening with China, and though he tolerated autocrats in Asia, pushed Latin America from dictatorships to democracy. But he couldn’t immediately tame inflation or the related energy crisis. And then came Iran. After he admitted the exiled Shah of Iran to the U.S. for medical treatment, the American Embassy in Tehran was overrun in 1979 by followers of the Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini. Negotiations to free the hostages broke down repeatedly ahead of the failed rescue attempt. The same year, Carter signed SALT II, the new strategic arms treaty with Leonid Brezhnev of the Soviet Union, only to pull it back, impose trade sanctions and order a U.S. boycott of the Moscow Olympics after the Soviets invaded Afghanistan. Hoping to instill optimism, he delivered what the media dubbed his “malaise” speech, although he didn’t use that word. He declared the nation was suffering “a crisis of confidence.” By then, many Americans had lost confidence in the president, not themselves. Carter campaigned sparingly for reelection because of the hostage crisis, instead sending Rosalynn as Sen. Edward M. Kennedy challenged him for the Democratic nomination. Carter famously said he’d “kick his ass,” but was hobbled by Kennedy as Reagan rallied a broad coalition with “make America great again” appeals and asking voters whether they were “better off than you were four years ago.” Reagan further capitalized on Carter’s lecturing tone, eviscerating him in their lone fall debate with the quip: “There you go again.” Carter lost all but six states and Republicans rolled to a new Senate majority. Carter successfully negotiated the hostages’ freedom after the election, but in one final, bitter turn of events, Tehran waited until hours after Carter left office to let them walk free. At 56, Carter returned to Georgia with “no idea what I would do with the rest of my life.” Four decades after launching The Carter Center, he still talked of unfinished business. “I thought when we got into politics we would have resolved everything,” Carter told the AP in 2021. “But it’s turned out to be much more long-lasting and insidious than I had thought it was. I think in general, the world itself is much more divided than in previous years.” Still, he affirmed what he said when he underwent treatment for a cancer diagnosis in his 10th decade of life. “I’m perfectly at ease with whatever comes,” he said in 2015 . “I’ve had a wonderful life. I’ve had thousands of friends, I’ve had an exciting, adventurous and gratifying existence.” Former Associated Press journalist Alex Sanz contributed to this report.Corey puts up 27 and South Alabama knocks off East Texas A&M 81-72After final game, Iowa State's Jaylin Noel roasts Iowa Hawkeye fans on social media

Chess grandmaster Magnus Carlsen returns to a tournament after a dispute over jeans is resolved

Michael Daniel has developed an app aimed at bridging the communication gap for people with . or signup to continue reading It's called the NeuroTranslator, and it quickly achieved viral status when it was launched online in November. The 34-year-old father of three from Newcastle only recently discovered that he was autistic. The diagnosis was life-changing. "My journey toward understanding that I was autistic started with my eldest daughter. As she grew into toddlerhood, I noticed certain unique traits and behaviours that felt extremely familiar - things I distinctly remembered doing myself as a child," he explains. "About a year ago, a family friend gently suggested that my daughter might be autistic. I didn't think too much about it at the time, but one day, while visiting the local library, I came across by Jenara Nerenberg. I picked it up, thinking it might offer some helpful parenting insights for my wife and I. "That night, after everyone was asleep, I stayed up reading. As I turned the pages, I felt a wave of emotion wash over me. Every story, every experience described, resonated so deeply. "I got goosebumps all over my body as it felt like the pieces of my life all fell into place. In that quiet moment by myself, I realised - I'm autistic. It was a life-changing realisation that helped me better understand myself." Looking back at his life through a different lens explained so much. "Being autistic means having a brain that's wired differently, so it has shaped literally every decision I've made throughout my life, often in ways I didn't fully understand," Daniel says. "Growing up, I always sensed that I thought differently, but society isn't always accepting of those who don't fit the norm. In response, I subconsciously developed what's known as a 'mask' - adopting behaviours that felt more socially acceptable to blend in and gain acceptance. "This experience is common among autistic individuals, especially those who don't fit the narrow, stereotypical portrayals often seen in media (think Sheldon Cooper from ). But autism is highly individual." He quotes a saying - "If you've met one autistic person, you've met one autistic person" - which he says explains how autistic traits vary, sometimes dramatically, from person to person. "After discovering that I was autistic, it felt like the process of unmasking kicked in automatically. I was eager to find the 'real me'," Daniel says. "What I didn't expect was that my brain would seemingly shut off in some areas, and I'd lose skills that had always felt second nature. It was as if the mask I had worn for years to navigate life had come off - but what lay beneath felt unfamiliar, even to me." It was a tumultuous time for the Daniel family. "I didn't recognise myself, and neither did my wife. We found ourselves speaking completely different languages, trapped in a cycle of constant misunderstandings," he says. "I'd say something with a completely different intention to how it was interpreted. Every misunderstanding seemed to trigger more emotional pain, creating a rift in our marriage that at times felt impossible to bridge. "It was that pain that drove me to create my own AI assistant. I needed something that could get me out of my own head and help me process interactions I didn't fully understand, especially in emotionally charged situations. "The AI became a lifeline, helping me break down and work through what would've taken me days to process on my own." An incident at his workplace was the final straw. In a Zoom meeting, his employer told him that the company no longer needed a full-time data analyst and that he was being "let go". "I completely misread the situation," Daniel says. "I didn't pick up on the seriousness in his facial expressions and, thinking he was joking, I burst out laughing. A moment later, HR joined the call, and that's when it hit me. It wasn't a joke. It was one of the most awkward moments of my life. "After the meeting, still reeling, I decided to release the AI tool I'd built for myself publicly for free. I thought, 'I can't be the only one going through this and if it helps even two or three people like me, that would be something good to come out of it'. "I spent the rest of the day building a simple website and posted about it on Reddit before going to bed. The next morning, I woke up to my phone blowing up with notifications. It had gone viral on Reddit and TikTok overnight, racking up hundreds of thousands of views." The app's web version had been viewed more than 400,000 times on TikTok and Reddit in the first 24 hours. There was a market for the app, but the cost was prohibitive. It was going to set Daniel back $300 a day to keep the app up and running, so he introduced "a small paywall to help cover the costs, and created a $2 per month financial hardship option for anyone struggling", while offering a slightly higher tier for people who wanted to support him as "a now-unemployed solopreneur". What started as a personal project had evolved into something much bigger. People started asking him if NeuroTranslator could be developed into a mobile app, and if it could be expanded to cover other neurotypes, such as ADHD. "I wanted NeuroTranslator to be more than just a translator for autistic communication - I wanted it to bridge communication gaps for a range of neurotypes," Daniel says. "The feedback I received from thousands of users inspired me to create something truly inclusive and scalable. "At first, I explored hiring developers to build a mobile app, but the quotes I received were far beyond what I could afford - especially given that I'd just lost my job. So, I decided to take a leap and teach myself how to build the app from scratch, with a little help from AI-powered tools along the way. "It's estimated that one in five people are neurodivergent, yet the world often isn't built for us. NeuroTranslator is my attempt to change that - to offer a way for neurodivergent and neurotypical people to connect in ways they may never have thought possible." The app works, he says, by acting as a bridge between different communication styles. Users type in a scenario and the app translates it in a way that's easy for the user to understand, based on their particular neurotype. "Anyone who isn't neurotypical will tell you that communicating can sometimes feel like speaking an entirely different language," he says. "Take something as seemingly simple as 'How are you?'. For a neurotypical person, it's often just a polite greeting, not meant to be answered in detail. For an autistic person, however, it can be interpreted as a literal question requiring an honest and thorough response. "The NeuroTranslator breaks down hidden meanings, implied context and common social cues that might not be obvious to everyone. "By making subtle adjustments in how we communicate, we can reduce misunderstandings and create more meaningful connections. That's what bridging the gap really means to me - fostering understanding by translating intent, not just words, and embracing our differences." Advertisement Sign up for our newsletter to stay up to date. We care about the protection of your data. Read our . Advertisement(The Center Square) – State and national officials lauded former President Jimmy Carter for his public service after learning of his death Sunday afternoon at the age of 100. President Joe Biden said an official state funeral would be held for Carter in Washington. "He was a man of great character and courage, hope and optimism," Biden said. "We will always cherish seeing him and Rosalynn together. The love shared between Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter is the definition of partnership and their humble leadership is the definition of patriotism." President-elect Donald Trump urged everyone to keep the Carter family in their thoughts and prayers. "The challenges Jimmy faced as President came at a pivotal time for our country and he did everything in his power to improve the lives of all Americans," Trump said in a statement released from his campaign. "For that, we all owe him a debt of gratitude." Former president Bill Clinton gave Carter and his wife Rosalynn the Medal of Freedom in 1999. "From his commitment to civil rights as a state senator and governor of Georgia; to his efforts as President to protect our natural resources in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, make energy conservation a national priority, return the Panama Canal to Panama, and secure peace between Egypt and Israel at Camp David; to his post-presidential efforts at the Carter Center supporting honest elections, advancing peace combating disease, and promoting democracy; to his and Rosalynn's devotion and hard work at Habitat for Humanity--he worked tirelessly for a fairer, better world," Clinton and his wife Hillary said in a statement. Former president George W. Bush hailed Carter as a man of deeply held convictions. "President Carter dignified the office," Bush said on social media. "And his efforts to leave behind a better world didn't end with the presidency. His work with Habitat for Humanity and the Carter Center set an example of service that will inspire Americans for generations." Carter served as Georgia's governor from 1971-1975 before becoming president. Under his leadership, the European and Japanese state trade offices were launched, as well as the Georgia Film Commission," Gov. Brian Kemp said. "He and former First Lady Rosalynn Carter's support of the civil rights movement in the place of its birth is also remembered with deep appreciation." Lt. Gov. Burt Jones said Carter exemplified what it meant to be a public servant. "I had the honor of meeting him and his wife, and I will never forget that day," Jones said. "They were kind, wonderful, accepting and exactly what they portrayed every day, two people devoted to lifting up those in their community who needed help the most. President Carter's legacy will live on in the numerous nonprofits, charities and organizations Rosalynn, his family and him started."

LEWISTON, N.Y. (AP) — Jaeden Marshall scored 21 points as Niagara beat Le Moyne 88-69 on Sunday. Read this article for free: Already have an account? To continue reading, please subscribe: * LEWISTON, N.Y. (AP) — Jaeden Marshall scored 21 points as Niagara beat Le Moyne 88-69 on Sunday. Read unlimited articles for free today: Already have an account? LEWISTON, N.Y. (AP) — Jaeden Marshall scored 21 points as Niagara beat Le Moyne 88-69 on Sunday. Marshall shot 5 for 8 (4 for 6 from 3-point range) and 7 of 8 from the free-throw line for the Purple Eagles (6-7). Justice Smith added 15 points while going 6 of 12 from the floor, including 1 for 3 from 3-point range, and 2 for 3 from the line and had five rebounds. Zion Russell shot 4 for 7, including 3 for 3 from beyond the arc to finish with 11 points. AJ Dancier finished with 17 points and four steals for the Dolphins (5-10). Le Moyne also got 11 points and 10 rebounds from Ocypher Owens. Dwayne Koroma had nine points and six rebounds. ___ The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar. Advertisement

King and PM honour former US president Jimmy Carter after his death aged 100

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In the aftermath of Dogecoin’s extraordinary rise in the cryptocurrency market, investors are on the lookout for the next significant opportunity. Lightchain AI has emerged as a potential frontrunner, merging artificial intelligence with blockchain technology. Unlike Dogecoin, which primarily gained fame as a meme coin, Lightchain AI emphasizes practical applications, utilizing its Proof of Intelligence consensus mechanism and Artificial Intelligence Virtual Machine. These innovations support scalable, intelligent applications across diverse industries, suggesting that Lightchain AI is more than a speculative venture. The token, currently offered in a presale at $0.003, is gaining traction among investors seeking substantive growth in value and utility. Dogecoin’s surge, driven by social media and celebrity endorsements, highlights the power of community support and viral growth. However, it faces criticism due to its limited technical advancements and utility. This shortfall leaves room for other projects like Lightchain AI, which offers groundbreaking technology aimed at solving real-world issues. Lightchain AI, with its advanced technology, presents a credible alternative to the meme coin phenomenon. The project integrates AI-driven solutions within blockchain framework, targeting industries like healthcare and finance. As the digital currency market evolves, emphasis is shifting towards projects promising long-term value and scalability. Lightchain AI stands out in this regard, backed by its innovative approach and potential for widespread application. There are no certainties in investment, but Lightchain AI’s strategic positioning and development roadmap suggest a promising future. It has drawn significant interest from investors and established partnerships across various sectors. The ongoing presale and the rising buzz around Lightchain AI hint at its potential for success, although only time will reveal its full impact.

President Vladimir Putin said on Wednesday that Russia would develop artificial intelligence with BRICS partners and other countries, in a bid to challenge the dominance of the United States in one of the most promising and crucial technologies of the 21st century. Speaking at Russia's flagship AI conference, Putin said the new AI Alliance Network would include national associations and development institutions in the field of AI from BRICS countries and other interested states. "Russia must participate on equal terms in the global race to create strong artificial intelligence. It is precisely the advanced solutions that Russian scientists are currently working on," Putin told an AI conference in Moscow. "We invite scientists from all over the world to join in the collaboration," he added. Western sanctions intended to restrict Russia's access to the technologies it needs to sustain its war against Ukraine have resulted in the world's major producers of microchips halting exports to Russia, sorely limiting its AI ambitions. Russia's dominant lender Sberbank is spearheading AI development in Russia, but Sberbank CEO German Gref acknowledged in 2023 that graphics processing units (GPUs), the microchips that underpin AI development, were the trickiest hardware for Russia to replace. On Wednesday, the bank said national AI associations from BRICS members Brazil, China, India and South Africa, but also from Serbia, Indonesia and other non-BRICS countries, had joined the AI Alliance Network. It said the network would facilitate joint research into technology and AI regulation, and provide opportunities for AI products to be sold in member countries' markets. The United States and China are the world's top AI powers, and U.S. President-elect Donald Trump has named a "White House AI and Crypto Czar" to help ensure the United States remains the richest and most technologically advanced power in the world. But Putin's move to ally with China could change the dynamics of the AI race. Russia is one of 10 countries, including the U.S., China, Britain and Israel, that are developing their own generative AI models. The Yakov and Partners consultancy, run by former McKinsey employees in Moscow, says this gives it the potential to become a much more significant player. Russia sees the use of AI technologies across all sectors adding 11.2 trillion roubles ($109 billion) to gross domestic product in 2030, compared to 0.2 trillion roubles ($1.9 billion) in 2023. Its AI strategy also says that 80% of all Russian workers should have AI skills by 2030, compared with 5% in 2023, while AI investment should grow seven-fold to 850 billion roubles. Sberbank, which has developed a generative AI model called GigaChat, and technology leader Yandex, with its YandexGPT model, dominate Russia's domestic AI market. Russia currently ranks 31st of 83 countries by AI implementation, innovation and investment on UK-based Tortoise Media's Global AI Index, well behind not only the United States and China but also fellow BRICS members India and Brazil. Stanford University's AI vibrancy tool, which evaluates 36 countries based on 42 AI indicators including research and development, ranks Russia 29th.Thiruvananthapuram: The Group of Technology Companies (GTech), the industry body of IT companies in Kerala, organised a Christmas-themed mini marathon at Technopark, with CEOs and IT professionals joining hands to bolster the state govt's ‘no to drugs' campaign. The event served as a promotional precursor to the state's largest marathon, GTech Kerala Marathon , scheduled to be held on Feb 9 at Technopark. Technopark CSO Sunil Thomas, along with others present at the event, flagged off the five-kilometre run, which saw participation from several IT company CEOs and over 100 tech professionals from various firms. "Technopark, the largest employment generator for the youth, proudly stands with the GTech Kerala Marathon 2025. Championing the inspiring message of embracing fitness and advocating for a ‘ drug-free Kerala ,' the marathon symbolises a collective movement for positive change. This initiative aligns seamlessly with Technopark's values as we celebrate 35 years of innovation, growth, and fostering harmony at work," said Technopark CEO Sanjeev Nair. GTech chairman and executive chairman of IBS Software V K Mathews emphasised the importance of raising awareness about the growing issue of substance abuse in the state. "It inflicts severe damage on society. It's crucial for responsible individuals to unite and send a powerful message of ‘no to drugs' and ‘yes to fitness.' We must transform campaigns like this into a widespread public movement to create a drug-free Kerala," he said. Stay updated with the latest news on Times of India . Don't miss daily games like Crossword , Sudoku , and Mini Crossword .Michael Daniel has developed an app aimed at bridging the communication gap for people with . or signup to continue reading It's called the NeuroTranslator, and it quickly achieved viral status when it was launched online in November. The 34-year-old father of three from Newcastle only recently discovered that he was autistic. The diagnosis was life-changing. "My journey toward understanding that I was autistic started with my eldest daughter. As she grew into toddlerhood, I noticed certain unique traits and behaviours that felt extremely familiar - things I distinctly remembered doing myself as a child," he explains. "About a year ago, a family friend gently suggested that my daughter might be autistic. I didn't think too much about it at the time, but one day, while visiting the local library, I came across by Jenara Nerenberg. I picked it up, thinking it might offer some helpful parenting insights for my wife and I. "That night, after everyone was asleep, I stayed up reading. As I turned the pages, I felt a wave of emotion wash over me. Every story, every experience described, resonated so deeply. "I got goosebumps all over my body as it felt like the pieces of my life all fell into place. In that quiet moment by myself, I realised - I'm autistic. It was a life-changing realisation that helped me better understand myself." Looking back at his life through a different lens explained so much. "Being autistic means having a brain that's wired differently, so it has shaped literally every decision I've made throughout my life, often in ways I didn't fully understand," Daniel says. "Growing up, I always sensed that I thought differently, but society isn't always accepting of those who don't fit the norm. In response, I subconsciously developed what's known as a 'mask' - adopting behaviours that felt more socially acceptable to blend in and gain acceptance. "This experience is common among autistic individuals, especially those who don't fit the narrow, stereotypical portrayals often seen in media (think Sheldon Cooper from ). But autism is highly individual." He quotes a saying - "If you've met one autistic person, you've met one autistic person" - which he says explains how autistic traits vary, sometimes dramatically, from person to person. "After discovering that I was autistic, it felt like the process of unmasking kicked in automatically. I was eager to find the 'real me'," Daniel says. "What I didn't expect was that my brain would seemingly shut off in some areas, and I'd lose skills that had always felt second nature. It was as if the mask I had worn for years to navigate life had come off - but what lay beneath felt unfamiliar, even to me." It was a tumultuous time for the Daniel family. "I didn't recognise myself, and neither did my wife. We found ourselves speaking completely different languages, trapped in a cycle of constant misunderstandings," he says. "I'd say something with a completely different intention to how it was interpreted. Every misunderstanding seemed to trigger more emotional pain, creating a rift in our marriage that at times felt impossible to bridge. "It was that pain that drove me to create my own AI assistant. I needed something that could get me out of my own head and help me process interactions I didn't fully understand, especially in emotionally charged situations. "The AI became a lifeline, helping me break down and work through what would've taken me days to process on my own." An incident at his workplace was the final straw. In a Zoom meeting, his employer told him that the company no longer needed a full-time data analyst and that he was being "let go". "I completely misread the situation," Daniel says. "I didn't pick up on the seriousness in his facial expressions and, thinking he was joking, I burst out laughing. A moment later, HR joined the call, and that's when it hit me. It wasn't a joke. It was one of the most awkward moments of my life. "After the meeting, still reeling, I decided to release the AI tool I'd built for myself publicly for free. I thought, 'I can't be the only one going through this and if it helps even two or three people like me, that would be something good to come out of it'. "I spent the rest of the day building a simple website and posted about it on Reddit before going to bed. The next morning, I woke up to my phone blowing up with notifications. It had gone viral on Reddit and TikTok overnight, racking up hundreds of thousands of views." The app's web version had been viewed more than 400,000 times on TikTok and Reddit in the first 24 hours. There was a market for the app, but the cost was prohibitive. It was going to set Daniel back $300 a day to keep the app up and running, so he introduced "a small paywall to help cover the costs, and created a $2 per month financial hardship option for anyone struggling", while offering a slightly higher tier for people who wanted to support him as "a now-unemployed solopreneur". What started as a personal project had evolved into something much bigger. People started asking him if NeuroTranslator could be developed into a mobile app, and if it could be expanded to cover other neurotypes, such as ADHD. "I wanted NeuroTranslator to be more than just a translator for autistic communication - I wanted it to bridge communication gaps for a range of neurotypes," Daniel says. "The feedback I received from thousands of users inspired me to create something truly inclusive and scalable. "At first, I explored hiring developers to build a mobile app, but the quotes I received were far beyond what I could afford - especially given that I'd just lost my job. So, I decided to take a leap and teach myself how to build the app from scratch, with a little help from AI-powered tools along the way. "It's estimated that one in five people are neurodivergent, yet the world often isn't built for us. NeuroTranslator is my attempt to change that - to offer a way for neurodivergent and neurotypical people to connect in ways they may never have thought possible." The app works, he says, by acting as a bridge between different communication styles. Users type in a scenario and the app translates it in a way that's easy for the user to understand, based on their particular neurotype. "Anyone who isn't neurotypical will tell you that communicating can sometimes feel like speaking an entirely different language," he says. "Take something as seemingly simple as 'How are you?'. For a neurotypical person, it's often just a polite greeting, not meant to be answered in detail. For an autistic person, however, it can be interpreted as a literal question requiring an honest and thorough response. "The NeuroTranslator breaks down hidden meanings, implied context and common social cues that might not be obvious to everyone. "By making subtle adjustments in how we communicate, we can reduce misunderstandings and create more meaningful connections. That's what bridging the gap really means to me - fostering understanding by translating intent, not just words, and embracing our differences." Advertisement Sign up for our newsletter to stay up to date. We care about the protection of your data. Read our . Advertisement