With a focus on human rights, US policy toward Latin America under Jimmy Carter briefly tempered a long tradition of interventionism in a key sphere of American influence, analysts say. Carter, who died Sunday at the age of 100, defied the furor of US conservatives to negotiate the handover of the Panama Canal to Panamanian control, suspended aid to multiple authoritarian governments in the region, and even attempted to normalize relations with Cuba. Carter's resolve to chart a course toward democracy and diplomacy, however, was severely tested in Central America and Cuba, where he was forced to balance his human rights priorities with pressure from adversaries to combat the spread of communism amid the Cold War standoff with the Soviet Union. "Latin America was fundamental and his global policy was oriented toward human rights, democratic values and multilateral cooperation," political analyst Michael Shifter of the Inter-American Dialogue, a think tank in Washington, told AFP. During his 1977-1981 administration, which was sandwiched between the Republican presidencies of Gerald Ford and Ronald Reagan, the Democrat sought to take a step back from US alignment with right-wing dictatorships in Latin America. An important symbol of Carter's approach was the signing of two treaties in 1977 to officially turn over the Panama Canal in 1999. "Jimmy Carter understood that if he did not return the canal to Panama, the relationship between the United States and Panama could lead to a new crisis in a country where Washington could not afford the luxury of instability," said Luis Guillermo Solis, a political scientist and former president of Costa Rica. Carter called the decision, which was wildly unpopular back home, "the most difficult political challenge I ever had," as he accepted Panama's highest honor in 2016. He also hailed the move as "a notable achievement of moving toward democracy and freedom." During his term, Carter opted not to support Nicaraguan strongman Anastasio Somoza, who was subsequently overthrown by the leftist Sandinista Front in 1979. But in El Salvador, the American president had to "make a very uncomfortable pact with the government," said Shifter. To prevent communists from taking power, Carter resumed US military assistance for a junta which then became more radical, engaging in civilian massacres and plunging El Salvador into a long civil war. Carter took a critical approach to South American dictatorships in Argentina, Chile, Uruguay and Paraguay, suspending arms deliveries and imposing sanctions in some cases. But his efforts "did not achieve any progress in terms of democratization," said Argentine political scientist Rosendo Fraga. The American president also tried to normalize relations with Cuba 15 years after the missile crisis. He relaxed sanctions that had been in force since 1962, supported secret talks and enabled limited diplomatic representation in both countries. "With him, for the first time, the possibility of dialogue rather than confrontation as a framework for political relations opened up," Jesus Arboleya, a former Cuban diplomat, told AFP. But in 1980, a mass exodus of 125,000 Cubans to the United States, with Fidel Castro's blessing, created an unexpected crisis. It "hurt Carter politically with the swarm of unexpected immigrants," said Jennifer McCoy, a professor of political science at Georgia State University. Castro continued to support Soviet-backed African governments and even deployed troops against Washington's wishes, finally putting an end to the normalization process. However, more than 20 years later, Carter made a historic visit to Havana as ex-president, at the time becoming the highest-profile American politician to set foot on Cuban soil since 1959. During the 2002 visit, "he made a bold call for the US to lift its embargo, but he also called on Castro to embrace democratic opening," said McCoy, who was part of the US delegation for the trip, during which Castro encouraged Carter to throw out the ceremonial first pitch at a Cuban All-Star baseball game. "Castro was sitting in the front row and we were afraid he would rise to give a long rebuttal to Carter's speech. But he didn't. He just said, 'Let's go to the ball game.'" In the years following Carter's presidency, Ronald Reagan (1981-1989) would go on to resume a full-frontal confrontation with Cuba. Decades later, Barack Obama (2009-2017) opened a new phase of measured normalization, which Donald Trump (2017-2021) brought to an end. US President Joe Biden promised to review US policy toward Cuba, but hardened his stance after Havana cracked down on anti-government protests in 2021. "Carter showed that engagement and diplomacy are more fruitful than isolation," McCoy said. bur-lp-rd-jb/lbc/mlr/bfm/sst/bbkThe wife of Kentucky governor – and Donald Trump and J.D. Vance critic – Andy Beshear, the mother of 2 and ordained deacon is also a dedicated volunteer worker She’s been the first lady of Kentucky since 2019 and this year all eyes were on her family, after her husband’s name was thrown into the ring as a potential running mate for Democrat Kamala Harris in the November US presidential election. Britainy Beshear, wife of Kentucky governor Andy, has dedicated her life to volunteer work and serving her community. {"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"ImageObject","caption":"Britainy Beshear is a supporter of Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library programme. Photo: @britainybeshear/Instagram","url":"https://img.i-scmp.com/cdn-cgi/image/fit=contain,width=1024,format=auto/sites/default/files/d8/images/canvas/2024/12/19/12d82a05-2bed-4982-bb9a-a9522fe0bc41_d7491f3d.jpg"} Britainy Beshear is a supporter of Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library programme. Photo: @britainybeshear/Instagram Advertisement Although her husband’s powerful political ascent has never been in doubt, Britainy has moved from a behind-the-scenes role to embracing the spotlight. Just weeks before the US election, Andy made headlines for his tough stance against Donald Trump and J.D. Vance, criticising their refusal to acknowledge that Trump lost the 2020 election. {"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"ImageObject","caption":"Britainy is married to Kentucky governor Andy Beshear. Photo: @britainybeshear/Instagram","url":"https://img.i-scmp.com/cdn-cgi/image/fit=contain,width=1024,format=auto/sites/default/files/d8/images/canvas/2024/12/19/2de0c932-4444-4876-a1b1-1223d85a9744_d7491f3d.jpg"} Britainy is married to Kentucky governor Andy Beshear. Photo: @britainybeshear/Instagram Back home, Britainy, 45, is working on education and Kentucky family matters – core interests for her remaining period as first lady, following Andy’s re-election last year. Here’s what you need to know about Britainy’s work and how she remains determined to hit her goals. First, who is Andy Beshear? {"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"ImageObject","caption":"Kentucky governor Andy Beshear pictured in Frankfort, Kentucky, in September. Photo: AP","url":"https://img.i-scmp.com/cdn-cgi/image/fit=contain,width=1024,format=auto/sites/default/files/d8/images/canvas/2024/12/19/42a18ae0-96b8-48cf-a4ef-b82672c876a7_d3082453.jpg"} Kentucky governor Andy Beshear pictured in Frankfort, Kentucky, in September. Photo: AP Andy Beshear’s name was catapulted into global headlines after he was named one of Kamala Harris’ possible running mates before the election . Although she finally chose Tim Walz, Beshear’s political career has been elevated by his potential inclusion. The two-term Kentucky governor grew up in politics: his father Steve was state governor from 2007 to 2015. In an interview with the Herald Leader in July, Andy said his political fate was always clear: “Dad and I are really close, as you can tell. I always say I’ve got two jobs – to be the best governor I can be, and to be the best Gov. Beshear.” Covid heightened Britainy Beshear’s profile {"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"ImageObject","caption":"Britainy Beshear with husband Andy and singer-songwriter Dolly Parton in August. Photo: @britainybeshear/Instagram","url":"https://img.i-scmp.com/cdn-cgi/image/fit=contain,width=1024,format=auto/sites/default/files/d8/images/canvas/2024/12/19/79cd4ec5-f9c3-42f7-8679-d738910568ae_77e70e99.jpg"} Britainy Beshear with husband Andy and singer-songwriter Dolly Parton in August. Photo: @britainybeshear/Instagram Although her husband has been governor since 2019, having previously been the attorney general of Kentucky, it wasn’t until the Covid-19 pandemic that Britainy’s profile became more public. According to Spectrum News, she had focused on behind the scenes work, choosing to remain out of the spotlight. But in an effort to help families during the crisis, Britainy said she offered an inside look into her private life. “It just seemed like a really great time to maybe offer a little bit more of a glimpse into my family and talk to the mums out there, and you know, put our heads together and come up with some fun things we can do with our kids, while we are healthy at home,” she said.

Swansea boss Luke Williams thought his side were second best for the majority of the contest despite earning a 2-1 win at Derby. The Swans stunned Pride Park into silence with less than two minutes on the clock when Zan Vipotnik sent a bullet past Jacob Widell Zetterstrom before Ronald slotted home his first of the season in the 14th minute. Cyrus Christie brought Tom Barkhuizen down inside the box and Nathaniel Mendez-Laing dispatched the resulting penalty to cut the deficit in half and, despite piling on the pressure, Derby succumbed to a second home defeat of the season. Williams told a press conference: “We started the game very well, we were good up until we scored the second goal then we lost the grip on the game and I thought Derby were the better team. “The next thing for us we have to be able to maintain that level throughout the game and we weren’t able to do that to be quite honest today. “They made it difficult, reacted very well after the second goal and didn’t go under, far from it.” Swansea leapfrogged their opponents into the top half of the table with their sixth win of the season and took three points back to south Wales following two last-minute defeats by Burnley and Leeds heading into the match. Williams added: “We’ve recently conceded late goals but they’re a very resilient group and we saw it out in the end. “We’ve dominated games a lot but probably failed to score when we’ve been that dominant and tonight we managed to score the goals when we were dominant. “We scored the goals at the right time today.” Derby had been unbeaten in their last three matches coming into this one but Paul Warne put defeat down to a poor start. He said: “We conceded two and didn’t get close enough, weren’t aggressive enough, not enough body contact and looked soft, that’s my fault. “Maybe I didn’t message it properly. Sometimes it doesn’t come down to shape and tactics but I thought that was what the difference was. “Credit Swansea for the win but after the 25 mins it looked like we would score. I really enjoyed it, that’s the truth. I had 70 minutes of a team giving everything, I don’t think we’ve had that many attempts in the Championship this season. “It’s a rude awakening, last year we would’ve won that 4-2.”BJP targets Congress over posters showing ‘distorted’ map of J&K at CWC meet in BelagaviMumbai: The citizens' protest against the proposed 22-storeyed Multi-Level Robotic Parking Tower (MRPT) outside Matunga Central railway station has intensified which they allege is being implemented to help a builder constructing a commercial complex. Designed to accommodate 480 vehicles, local citizens said the approach road Lakamsi Napoo Road is very narrow and if a large number cars use the facility it will create massive traffic congestion. On Wednesday, officials from Central Railway and the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) conducted a joint site inspection, during which the activists gathered in large numbers demanding scrapping of the controversial project. “The parking tower will be nothing but a safety hazard and should be revoked immediately. It is aimed at helping a builder with political connections who is building a commercial complex. If the authorities do not relent then we will file a PIL in Bombay high court. We also demand the appointment of the Veermata Jijabai Technical Institute (VJTI) as a third party which will prepare an unbiased feasibility report,” Dr G.R. Vora, a trustee of the Petitions Group, which is vehemently opposing the project, told the FPJ on Wednesday. The other main worry of citizens is that in the event of a rail disaster it will be very difficult to move out the injured and dead bodies. Most importantly, ambulances will have no access to the station. Matunga station is used by thousands of students of Ruia College, Podar College, Welingkar Institute, Khalsa college, among others, apart from regular commuters. For constructing the parking tower, the police chowky outside the railway station is proposed to be relocated, which is being strongly objected to by the citizens. The MRPT, which will cost Rs 119 crore, consists of two towers aimed at accommodating 480 vehicles. The project is undertaken by the BMC’s Road and Traffic department and recently received an NOC from Central Railway. The robotic parking tower is set to come up right outside Matunga Central railway station, opposite the ticket counter. The area is around 1,518 square metres. The BMC-appointed contractor Jignesh Sanghavi has already erected fencing and is ready to start the construction. “If the BMC cancels the project then it should reimburse me the money I have spent on it," he added. “Unless there are high-profile parties involved, such a project cannot be sanctioned,” Vora alleged. The Petitions Group recently wrote the Central Railways and BMC raising strong objections against the project citing the disadvantages and risks to the common public the project would create. Deepak Chaurasia, who owns a shop outside Matunga Central railway station said, “There is an influx of college students at the railway station, especially in the morning. Additionally, there is a school for the blind, who walk with the support of a stick. It is true, in case of a disaster like fire, there will be hardly any space to escape." A senior policeman from the beat chowky, which is proposed to be removed from for project said, “The beat chowky is proposed to be relocated. However, the existence of a police chowky near railway stations and colleges is a crime deterrent. Although the project is sanctioned, we wonder how will the ambulance go in in case of a disaster at the railway station.” However, the contractor claimed that as per the project design, the beat chowky will be on the ground floor of the parking tower and 6 to 10-meter space will be left from all three sides of the tower for commuters exiting the railway station.

WiMi Develops a Quantum Technology-Based Random Access Memory ArchitectureFollowing weeks of drones reported flying overhead in the tri-state area, the Federal Aviation Administration imposed temporary restrictions on flying aircraft over certain locations. The agency last Friday published 30 temporary flight restrictions prohibiting drone flights over “critical New York infrastructure,” including near LaGuardia Airport, where drones were spotted earlier this month. It did so “at the request of federal security partners,” according to faa.gov . “Special security reasons” are listed as the cause, and restrictions are in effect until mid-January. The agency last Thursday enacted similar restrictions at 22 locations in New Jersey. Gov. Hochul said in a statement issued last Thursday that the FAA’s actions are “purely precautionary” and that there are no threats to the sites where restrictions apply. “While we have not detected any public safety or national security threats, we will continue aggressively monitoring the situation as we call on Congress to pass legislation to give states and local law enforcement the authority and resources they need to manage this evolving technology,” Hochul said. The FAA’s measures come in addition to the “state-of-the-art drone detection system” delivered by the Biden-Harris administration last week, Hochul added. The Chronicle reported last week that while some Queens folks are afraid that no one seems to know what the aircraft are, others see no reason to panic.

Rebbie Brassfield: It’s time to face the music. Chappell Roan? Drat, that Spotify Warped, er, Wrapped.24X National Exchange Plans to be the First Exchange to Offer U.S. Equities Trading 23 Hours-Per-Day on Weekdays STAMFORD, Conn. , Nov. 27, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- 24 Exchange announced today that it has received approval from the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission to operate 24X National Exchange as the first national securities exchange in the U.S. that allows trading of U.S. securities 23 hours each workday. The extended hour trading is subject to Equity Data Plans making changes that would facilitate overnight trading hours and 24X National Exchange making an additional rule filing with the SEC confirming the changes and the Exchange's ability to comply with the Securities Exchange Act. 24X National Exchange will be subject to the SEC's ongoing regulatory oversight and full range of investor protections. The new Exchange will enable retail and institutional customers anywhere in the world to trade in U.S. equities via broker-dealers who are approved members of 24X National Exchange. 24X National Exchange will be launched in two stages. A first stage will open in the second half of 2025, with the Exchange operating from 4:00AM ET to 7:00PM ET on weekdays. The second stage, which will launch once the conditions noted above are met, will offer trading in U.S. equities from 8:00PM ET on Sunday through 7:00PM ET on Friday . A one-hour operational pause will occur during each trading day to accommodate routine software upgrades and functionality testing. 24 Exchange CEO and Founder Dmitri Galinov said: "The SEC's approval of our new exchange is a thrilling development that the 24X Team has been working toward for many years. Traders are most at-risk when the market is closed in their geographic location. 24X National Exchange will seek to alleviate this problem by facilitating around-the-clock U.S. equities trading for broker-dealers and their institutional and retail customers." As the first national securities exchange approved by the SEC to operate 23 hours each weekday, subject to the conditions noted above, 24X National Exchange will initially focus on capturing the expanding demand in the APAC region for overnight liquidity in U.S. equities. The 24X National Exchange will run on a proven, state-of-the-art technology platform provided by MEMX Technologies. The new Exchange's executive team will place a high priority on enhancing client experience through continuous technology innovations and improvements. "With this historic SEC approval in place, we will build and operate a customer-driven Exchange that can rapidly align with market demands and adapt quickly to client feedback," Galinov added. "We look forward to bringing a superior trading experience to global customers. 24X National Exchange will deliver the cost efficiency, speed, resilience, and adaptability that the company's financial institutional customers have long come to expect." 24X National Exchange will close on U.S. market holidays, similar to the schedules maintained by the NYSE and Nasdaq. 24 Exchange through 24X Bermuda Limited, an affiliate of 24X National Exchange, will continue to offer FX NDFs, Swaps and Spot trading to institutional clients. Since its launch in 2019, 24 Exchange's multi-asset offering through a single trading interface has enabled clients to access increased liquidity at lower cost. About 24 Exchange 24 Exchange allows market participants to seamlessly exchange their exposures at the lowest possible cost. 24 Exchange's mission is to enable members to initiate the most cost-effective trades across a growing range of asset classes, 24 hours a day. 24 Exchange lowers the cost of exchanging assets in the global markets while delivering creative and unique workflows catered to each asset class. More information is available at https://24exchange.com/ . Media Contact: Eric Andrus , KARV 24Xmedia@karv.global Phone: +1 (212) 333-0275 View original content: https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/24-exchange-receives-sec-approval-of-its-new-national-securities-exchange-24x-national-exchange-302317878.html SOURCE 24 Exchange

Orange House Launches First-Ever Pop-Up at Beverly Hills’ Westfield

On Nov. 1, Texas hospitals that accept Medicaid or Children's Health Insurance Plan coverage started asking all patients about their immigration status and whether they are lawfully present in the United States. The requirement is part of an executive order Gov. Greg Abbott issued this summer. The information is statistical only. No identifying information about the patient is passed along to the governor's office. Here's what you need to know. Do I have to answer hospitals' questions about my citizenship or immigration status? No. According to several advocacy groups, including the American Civil Liberties Union, while hospitals are required to ask patients about their citizenship or immigration status, they cannot force anyone to answer the question. Patients can either answer the question or tell the hospital that they don't wish to respond. Will I be denied treatment if I refuse to answer? You should not be denied health care treatment for refusing to answer questions about your citizenship or immigration status. Abbott's order says hospitals should inform patients that their response to this question will not affect their care as required by federal law. Harris Health in Houston, which includes Ben Taub and LBJ hospitals, said in a statement: "Regardless of how they answer the citizenship status question, it will in no way interfere with their receiving healthcare at Harris Health emergency rooms or hospitals." What if a hospital employee pressures me to respond? What recourse do I have? A patient can ask to speak to the supervising nurse on duty, the hospital's guest relations staff or a patient rights advocate. If a patient believes the hospital's staff behaved improperly when asking for their citizenship or immigration status, they can contact the ACLU through this intake form. Why are hospitals doing this? Hospitals are required to do this because of the governor's order. Abbott is requiring them to do this because he wants a clearer picture of how much money Texas hospitals spend caring for undocumented immigrants. Abbott has argued that the Biden administration's immigration policies have cost states more money and that the federal government should reimburse states for those costs. What will hospitals do with this information? Abbott's order requires hospitals to count how many times they have asked the question of patients and keep track of the patient answers they receive. They are not sharing personal information about a patient to any state agency. At what point of the visit are they asking this question? Hospital staff can ask about their citizenship or immigration status at any point during the intake process but asking the question cannot impact patient care. Does the governor's order apply to the urgent care clinics that are run by hospitals? It only applies to hospitals, not their clinics, according to the Texas Hospital Association. The Texas Tribune has not received any reports of urgent care clinics asking patients about their citizenship or immigration status. Are all patients being asked this question? Yes. Will I be asked this question regardless of my ability to pay for care? Yes. What if I don't feel comfortable asking for more information or discussing my rights in English? According to the ACLU, if you have concerns about your rights or care but don't feel comfortable discussing them in English, you should request an interpreter fluent in your native language. The Texas Tribune is a nonprofit, nonpartisan media organization that informs Texans - and engages with them - about public policy, politics, government and statewide issues.

LAS VEGAS — There are three races remaining in the Formula 1 season and Max Verstappen of Red Bull is close to a fourth consecutive world championship, which can wrap up Saturday night at the Las Vegas Grand Prix. All is not smooth sailing headed into this final month of racing: "It was a bit of a surprise, I think, for everybody," said Mercedes driver George Russell, a GPDA director. "It's a hell of a lot of pressure now onto the new race director (with) just three races left. Often, as drivers, we probably feel like we're the last to find out this sort of information." The Andretti team is expected to receive F1 approval to join the grid, albeit without Michael Andretti, who has scaled back his role dramatically since the IndyCar season ended in September. Many drivers, particularly seven-time champion Lewis Hamilton, have been at odds with FIA President Mohammed Ben Sulayem since his election following the 2021 season finale. In the GDPA statement, they reminded the sanctioning body "our members are adults" who don't need lectures and fines on foul language or jewelry bans, and simply want fair and consistent race control. There's been no response from Ben Sulayem, and won't be this weekend since he does not attend the LVGP. He will be at Qatar and the finale in Abu Dhabi next month. Hamilton doesn't think all the behind-the-scenes changes will be a fan topic as the season comes to a close. But he noted that consistency from race control is all the drivers have asked for, while throwing his support behind Domenicali and the job Maffei has done in growing F1 since Liberty took over. "I really hope Stefano is not leaving because he's been so instrumental in changes and progress to this whole thing," Hamilton said. "And he knows the sport as well as anyone. But all good things do come to an end, and whoever they put into place, I just hope they are like-minded. But sometimes you have to shake the trees." That's just what happened with the surprise departure of race director Wittich. Although drivers have been unhappy with race officiating this season and held a private GPDA meeting in Mexico City, Russell said they had no prior warning Wittich was out. The race director is the referee each weekend and Wittich has been in charge since 2022, when Michael Masi was fired following the controversial 2021 season-ending, championship-altering finale at Abu Dhabi. Now the man in charge for the final three races is Rui Marques, the Formula 2 and Formula 3 race director. Las Vegas, which overcame multiple stumbling blocks in last year's debut before putting on one of the best races of the season, is a difficult place to start. Verstappen can win his fourth title by simply scoring three points more than Lando Norris of McLaren. "It's a bit weird with three races to go to do that," Verstappen said. "It doesn't matter if you're positive or negative about certain things. I thought in Brazil there was definitely room for improvement, for example. It's still a bit weird having to now then deal with a different race director." Charles Leclerc of Ferrari wondered why the move was made with only three races to go. "To do it so late in the season, at such a crucial moment of the season, it could have probably been managed in a better way," he said. The drivers have consistently asked for clearer guidelines in the officiating of races, specifically regarding track limits and racing rules. The drivers have no idea how Marques will officiate, highlighting a disconnect between the competitors and Ben Sulaymen's FIA. "We just want to be transparent with the FIA and have this dialogue that is happening," Russell said. "And I think the departure of Niels is also a prime example of not being a part of these conversations." The GDPA statement made clear the drivers do not think their voice is being heard. "If we feel we're being listened to, and some of the changes that we are requesting are implemented, because ultimately we're only doing it for the benefit of the sport, then maybe our confidence will increase," Russell said. "But I think there's a number of drivers who feel a bit fed up with the whole situation. It only seems to be going in the wrong direction." He also said the relationship between the drivers and the FIA seems fractured. "Sometimes just hiring and firing is not the solution," he said. "You need to work together to improve the problem." Norris, who has battled Verstappen this year with mixed officiating rulings, said "obviously things are not running as smoothly as what we would want." Marques has his first driver meeting ahead of Thursday night's two practice sessions and then three weeks to prove to the competitors he is up for the job. Carlos Sainz Jr., who will leave Ferrari for Williams at the end of the season, hopes the drama doesn't distract from the momentum F1 has built over the last five years. "I think Formula 1 is in a great moment right now and all these rumors, I think in every team, every job, there's job changes," he said. "It's not big drama. I'm a big fan of the people you mentioned, they've done an incredible job in Formula 1 and Formula 1 is what it is thanks to these people. But it's just so emotional, especially the Stefano one. The only one that has a real effect is the race director. But I think if he does a good job, it should be transparent and nothing big." Get local news delivered to your inbox!President Jimmy Carter, the only Georgian to ever occupy the White House, died on Sunday, after spending over a year in hospice care. Carter, who turned 100 on Oct. 1 and is the longest-lived president in American history, died at his home in Plains on Sunday surrounded by family, according to the Carter Center. “My father was a hero, not only to me but to everyone who believes in peace, human rights and unselfish love,” Chip Carter, the former president’s son, said in a statement. “My brothers, sister and I shared him with the rest of the world through these common beliefs. The world is our family because of the way he brought people together, and we thank you for honoring his memory by continuing to live these shared beliefs.” Public services are planned for Atlanta and Washington, with a private burial service following in Plains. A full schedule has not yet been released. President Carter and former first lady Rosalynn Carter were beloved residents of Plains, the small town in southwest Georgia where the couple grew up. Rosalynn Carter died Nov. 19, 2023 at 96. Democratic presidential candidate Jimmy Carter embraces his wife Rosalynn after receiving the final news of his victory in the national general election, Nov. 2, 1976. (Hulton Archive/Getty Images) Their affection for one another never seemed to fade during their 77-year marriage, which spanned Carter’s ever-changing career, from peanut farmer to state senator, governor and president, as well as his post-White House roles as diplomat, humanitarian and volunteer. The former president’s passion for helping others and devotion to his faith, family and country garnered praise from Georgia’s political leaders. In a statement, Gov. Brian Kemp praised Carter’s dedication to the state and the nation as well as his humanitarian work and love for the former first lady. “Their family continues to be in our prayers as President Carter is reunited with his beloved wife and the world mourns this native Georgian, former state and national leader, and proud peanut farmer from Plains,” Kemp said. U.S. Sen. Raphael Warnock called Carter a hero, a friend and one of his favorite people, who moved the country “closer toward our highest ideals.” “A former president, he got his hands dirty, literally building people’s homes while helping them build their lives. President Carter was a Matthew 25 Christian. He believed, as I do, that the true test of your faith is the depth of your commitment to the most marginalized members of the human family. I believe he passed that test and has now graduated into immortality. Democracies around the world are stronger and children across the globe are alive today because of President Carter’s work — what a legacy to leave.” U.S. Sen Jon Ossoff said Carter will be remembered for “his commitment to democracy and human rights, his enduring faith, his philanthropic leadership and his deep love of family.” “From Plains to across the state of Georgia, the United States, and around the world, millions will forever admire and appreciate all that President Carter did for the United States and for the global community,” Ossoff said. “The State of Georgia and the United States are better places because of President Jimmy Carter.” As president, he helped broker the Camp David Peace Accords between Israel and Egypt, established diplomatic relations with China, and oversaw the creation of the departments of Energy and Education, among other accomplishments. But he would serve only one term as president, losing to Ronald Reagan in 1980 amid a struggling economy and the Iranian hostage crisis. His popularity increased after leaving the White House, becoming the face of Habitat for Humanity — and even showing up at his namesake build after suffering injuries in a fall — and taking on global crises and strife with his Atlanta-based Carter Center. He won the Nobel Peace Prize in 2002 for “his decades of untiring effort to find peaceful solutions to international conflicts, to advance democracy and human rights, and to promote economic and social development.” Former President Jimmy Carter begins work at a future Habitat for Humanity home in Nashville in 2019. (Courtesy of Habitat for Humanity International) Carter was also a prolific author who was a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize for a memoir about growing up on a Georgia farm in the rural South after the Great Depression and before the civil rights movement. He has won a Grammy three times for his audio books and was nominated another nine times. The Carters returned to their hometown after leaving the White House, moving back into the same modest ranch-style home they first purchased in 1961. A devout Christian, Carter famously continued to teach Sunday School class at Maranatha Baptist Church until 2020, ending a four-decade run that became part of Georgia political lore. The Atlanta-based Carter Center announced Feb. 18, 2023 that Carter had decided to enter hospice care and spend his remaining time at home with his family. The announcement triggered an outpouring of tributes and fond remembrances from Georgians on both sides of the aisle. Carter overcame brain cancer in 2015 and several accidents in recent years. The former president also continued to wield influence in politics – especially in Georgia. He continued to endorse candidates in high-profile races, including Vice President Kamala Harris. His grandson Jason Carter told reporters he was hanging on to cast a ballot for Harris. Carter also threw his endorsement behind top Democrats including Sen. Raphael Warnock and gubernatorial candidate Stacey Abrams — and hosted the Bidens at their home in Plains in 2021. Back in 1976, Biden, then a senator, was one of the first elected officials outside Georgia to back Carter’s presidential run. Georgia Recorder , like Oregon Capital Chronicle, is part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Georgia Recorder maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor John McCosh for questions: [email protected] .

For many across the Middle East, the came as a relief: the first major sign of progress in the region since war began more than a year ago. But for Palestinians in Gaza and families of hostages held in the territory, the only to inaugurate a newer, grimmer period of the conflict there. For them, it marked yet another missed opportunity to end fighting that has stretched on for nearly 14 months. Palestinians had hoped that any ceasefire deal with Hezbollah would include a truce in Gaza as well. The families of people kidnapped when in October 2023, meanwhile, wanted part of the agreement to include returning their loved ones. Instead, the ceasefire was . “We feel this is a missed opportunity to tie in the hostages in this agreement that was signed today,” said Ruby Chen, whose son, Itay Chen, was taken hostage from an Israeli military base and has been declared dead. As much as they were intertwined, the two wars have been very different. In Lebanon, Israel said its aim was to drive Hezbollah back from the countries’ shared border and end the militant group’s barrages into northern Israel. The ceasefire is intended to do that. In Gaza, Israel’s goals . Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has been resolute in insisting that Hamas must be completely destroyed and Israel must retain lasting control over parts of the territory. Months of talks have failed to get Netanyahu to back down from those demands — or to convince Hamas to release hostages under those terms. For Palestinians in Gaza, that means continuing misery under an Israeli campaign that has and driven almost the entire population from their homes. Hundreds of thousands while living in squalid tent cities as the second winter of the war brings cold rains and flooding. ”They agree to a ceasefire in one place and not in the other? Have mercy on the children, the elderly and the women,” said Ahlam Abu Shalabi, living in tent in central Gaza. “Now it is winter, and all the people are drowning.” Palestinians feel resigned to continued war The war between Israel and Hamas began on Oct. 7, 2023, when militants attacked Israel from Gaza, killing around 1,200 people and taking some 250 hostage. Israel’s retaliatory offensive has rained devastation on the Palestinian territory, killing over 44,000 people, according to local health officials. The officials, who do not distinguish between civilians and fighters in their count, say over half of the dead are women and children. Hezbollah began firing into Israel a day after Hamas’ attack in solidarity with the Palestinian militant group. The two sides have exchanged near-daily barrages since. Moving thousands of troops to its northern border, Israel ramped up bombardment of southern Lebanon and launched a ground invasion there two months ago, . Palestinians now fear Israel’s military can return its full focus to Gaza — a point that Netanyahu made as he announced the ceasefire in Lebanon on Tuesday. “The pressure will be more on Gaza,” said Mamdouh Younis, a displaced man in a central Gaza tent camp. Netanyahu, he said, can now exploit the fact that “Gaza has become alone, far from all the arenas that were supporting it, especially the Lebanon front.” Israeli troops are already engaged in , where a two-month offensive has cut off most aid and caused experts to warn . Strikes all over the territory regularly kill dozens. In signing onto the ceasefire deal, Hezbollah reversed its long-held position that it wouldn’t stop its barrages across the border unless Israel ends the war in Gaza. “This could have a psychological impact, as it will further entrench the understanding that Palestinians in Gaza are alone in resisting against their occupiers,” said Tariq Kenney Shawa, a U.S. policy fellow at Al-Shabaka, a Palestinian think tank. Hamas may dig its heels in It also leaves Hamas — its capabilities already severely damaged by Israel’s offensive — to fight alone. Hamas official Osama Hamdan appeared to accept Hezbollah’s new position in an interview Monday. “Any announcement of a ceasefire is welcome. Hezbollah has stood by our people and made significant sacrifices,” Hamdan told the Lebanese broadcaster Al-Mayadeen, which is seen as politically allied with Hezbollah. Khalil Sayegh, a Palestinian analyst, said the ceasefire could make Hamas even less popular in Gaza, by proving the failure of its gambit that its attack on Israel would rally other militant groups to the fight. “It’s a moment where we can see the Hamas messaging become weaker and weaker, as they struggle to justify their strategy to the public,” said Sayegh. U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said Tuesday that the Israel-Hezbollah ceasefire could help force Hamas to the negotiating table because it would show the group that the “cavalry is not on the way.” But Hamas experts predicted that it would only dig in both on the battlefield and in talks. Hamas has insisted it will only release all the hostages in return for a full Israeli withdrawal from Gaza. “I expect Hamas will continue using guerrilla warfare to confront Israeli forces in Gaza as long as they remain,” said Shawa. Hostage families lose hope Dozens of Israelis thronged a major highway in Tel Aviv on Tuesday night, protesting for the return of the hostages as the country waited to hear if a ceasefire in Lebanon had been agreed. Around 100 people taken hostage are still held in Gaza, at least a third of whom are believed to be dead. Most of the other hostages seized by Hamas were released during a ceasefire last year. Ricardo Grichener, the uncle of 23-year-old hostage Omer Wenkert, said the ceasefire with Hezbollah showed how the Israeli government was openly disregarding the hostages. Even though Israel has inflicted greater damage on Hamas in Gaza than on Hezbollah in Lebanon, he said “the decision to postpone a deal in Gaza and release the hostages is not based on the same military success criteria.” The most recent effort to wind down the war stalled in October. U.S. President Joe Biden said Tuesday he would begin a renewed push, but his administration is now in its waning days after the reelection of former President Donald Trump. “This ceasefire doesn’t concern our hostages. I believe that Netanyahu forgot about them, and he just wants to keep fighting in Gaza,” said Ifat Kalderon, clutching a photo of her cousin, Ofer Kalderon, who is a hostage and a father to four. “Ofer yesterday had his 54th birthday. His second birthday in Gaza,” she said. “It’s unbelievable that he’s still there.”Stock market today: Wall Street rises at the start of a holiday-shortened week

Michael Croley | (TNS) Bloomberg News In the old days of 2016, when golfers visited the Dormie Club in West End, North Carolina — 15 minutes from the hotbed of American golf, Pinehurst — they were greeted by a small, single-wide trailer and a rugged pine straw parking lot. Related Articles Travel | A preview of some stunning hotels and resorts opening in 2025 Travel | Travel scams that can hurt your credit or finances Travel | Travel: Paddle the Loxahatchee River, one of two National Wild and Scenic Rivers in Florida Travel | 7 family-friendly ski resorts in the US that won’t break the bank Travel | Disneyland 2025: The top Disney events and festivals to plan for That trailer is now long gone. A gate has been installed at the club’s entrance and a long driveway leads to a grand turnaround that sweeps you past a new modern clubhouse that’s all right angles, with floor-to-ceiling glass. Seconds after you exit your car, valets are zipping up in golf carts, taking your name, then your bags, handing you keys to your own golf cart, and then zipping off to drop your luggage in the four-bedroom cottage where you’ll stay. A short walk past an expansive putting green you’ll find the pro shop — and then you’ll see the club’s most elegant feature: its golf course. The changes have all come about because Dormie Club was acquired in 2017 by the Dormie Network, a national group that owns seven private golf facilities from Nebraska to New Jersey. (“Dormie” is a word for being ahead in golf — the names were coincidences.) A key to the network’s success has been its ability to find clubs ripe for acquisition, with outstanding golf courses and existing on-site lodging or the room to build it, says Zach Peed, president of the company and its driving force. After investing in Arbor Links Golf Club in Nebraska City, Nebraska, in late 2015, Peed believed he saw an opening in the golf market: a new model of hospitality for traveling professionals who wanted a pure golf experience that eschewed the pools and pickleball courts of their home clubs. His clubs would become dream golf-only getaways for avid players and their pals. “Dormie Network’s concept was sparked by having played competitive golf in college, combined with an element of experiencing and understanding hospitality,” says Peed. “It made sense to blend the two to create golf trips that had more value than just playing golf. We want genuine hospitality to help create unforgettable memories and new friendships.” Part of that formula has been in the lodging strategy; in North Carolina, 15 four-bedroom cottages now are a short golf cart ride from the main clubhouse. In each, golfers all have their own king-size bed and en suite bathroom. A large common room is dominated by a flatscreen television along with a well-stocked bar and snacks. That ability to be both social, or tucked away in your room, extends to the expansive new clubhouse, where a high-ceilinged bar area with blond wood creates an inviting space for dining and drinking, and several hideaway rooms allow for more private diners with just your group. So far, their commitment to hospitality has been helping them expand in both membership and club usage in the increasingly competitive market for traveling golfers. Major players such as Bandon Dunes, Pinehurst Resort, and the Cabot Collection have created — or renovated — a new paradigm where golfers get dining and lodging that’s as showcase-worthy as the courses they play. Comfortable sheets and options beyond pub food aren’t luxuries anymore, but staples for many group trips. Dormie has answered that call by focusing on both the big details and the small ones, like having the dew wiped off each golf cart at dawn outside guest cottages before the day begins or having a tray of cocktails delivered to golfers as their final putt falls on the 18th green. These touches may seem over-the-top, but they stand out in a world where golf travel is increasingly popular — and expensive — after the pandemic lockdowns. Since 2020 there has been an explosion in participation in the sport, with new golfers picking up the game and avid golfers playing more: According to the National Golf Foundation, a record 531 million rounds were played in 2023, surpassing the high of 529 million set in 2021. Supreme Golf, a public golf booking website, reports in its latest analysis that the average cost of a tee time has increased to $49 in 2024 from $38 in 2019, a 30% increase. Those cost increases are also on par (pun intended) with the costs of private clubs and initiation fees during that same period, where membership rosters that were dwindling pre-COVID now have waitlists 50 to 60 people deep, according to Jason Becker, co-founder and chief executive officer of Golf Life Navigators, which matches homebuyers with golf course communities. “There’s been an absolute run on private golf. If we use southwest Florida as an example, where there are 158 golf communities, this time last November, only five had memberships available,” he said. That inability to find a club close to home has pushed avid golfers to look farther afield, choosing national memberships at clubs that require traveling, usually via plane, to play. Dormie has capitalized on this growing segment, offering two types of memberships: First, a national membership, where members pay an initiation fee and monthly dues just as they would at a local club, but instead of one club they have access to seven. The second option is a signature membership for companies, “which allows businesses to use our properties for entertainment needs and requires a multiyear commitment,” Peed says. The network also offers a limited number of regional memberships for those living within a certain distance of one of its clubs. Dormie Network declined to provide the cost of memberships or monthly dues and wouldn’t give membership numbers, but the clubs are structured to lodge roughly 60 golfers, max, on-site at any given property at any time. The total number of beds across the network’s portfolio of properties has increased from 84 in 2019 to 432 today. It saw a jump from 10,000 room nights in 2019 to 48,000 in 2023. This September, Dormie opened GrayBull in Maxwell, in Nebraska’s, Sandhills region. Dormie Network tabbed David McLay Kidd to build the course, who also built the original course at Oregon’s famed Bandon Dunes. Kidd says of the property GrayBull sits on, “It’s like the Goldilocks thing: not too flat, not too steep. It’s kind of in a bowl that looks inwards, and there are no bad views.” That kind of remote destination, where the long-range views are only Mother Nature or other golf holes, is what drives many traveling golfers these days. Peed says his team leaned on years of knowledge from Dormie’s acquisitions as they built GrayBull, which started construction in 2022. “We had an understanding of how our members and guests use the clubs that allowed us to take a blank canvas in the Sandhills of Nebraska and combine all of the greatest aspects of each Dormie property into one.” ©2024 Bloomberg L.P. Visit bloomberg.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.As Hambantota International Port (HIP) gears up to enhance its container operations with the introduction of advanced crane technology in early February 2025, Hambantota International Port Group (HIPG) CEO Wilson Qu emphasised the port’s commitment to exploring untapped markets to expand its portfolio. This strategic initiative aims to significantly boost container volumes and solidify Sri Lanka’s position as a competitive force in global maritime trade. To achieve this, the port is implementing a comprehensive seaside and landside strategy designed to position HIP’s container division strategically for future growth. The port’s landside strategy is progressing actively to attract investors to its industrial zone. Recently, an agreement was signed to establish a sponge-mattress factory within the zone. This business, targeting export markets in the USA, Europe, and Canada, marks a significant milestone as the first agreement finalised since the port launched container operations. Currently, the port is handling an increasing number of inquiries and anticipates finalising several additional agreements in 2025. The industrial zone is poised to create substantial employment opportunities while fostering a collaborative environment where Sri Lankan entrepreneurs can either partner with international companies or invest independently to meet rising international demand. HIPG’s industrial zone will also generate more gateway cargo, drawing liners to the port and significantly enhancing connectivity. This initiative provides a considerable logistical advantage for cargo originating in the region, further solidifying the port’s role as a strategic hub in global trade. “Hambantota Port’s strategic location on Sri Lanka’s southern coast, combined with the island’s central position along key maritime routes, offers a unique opportunity to attract customers who may not have previously considered Sri Lanka a viable option,” the CEO explained, emphasising that HIPG’s strategy goes beyond geopolitical influences and traditional market segmentation. “Instead, our focus is on delivering competitive commercial rates and exceptional service with investment in infrastructure and superstructure, because we are well aware that the port cannot rely solely on its location.” As part of its seaside strategy, the port is entering the relay cargo market, representing a new opportunity for the country, which has a set goal to handle 10 million TEUs between 2025 and 2026. HIPG is also targeting the region’s container market, particularly transhipment. Currently, more than 70% of containerised cargo from the BIMSTEC countries bypasses Sri Lankan ports, presenting a substantial opportunity for HIP to capture a significant portion of this untapped market. Through aggressive and strategic marketing to this segment, HIP aims to position itself as a key hub and unlock untapped potential in the region. Relay cargo refers to the transfer of cargo between two ships at an intermediate port, which involves vessels from the same carrier. It is a strategic move aimed at improving operational efficiency and connecting services across different regions. By utilising an intermediate port, shipping lines can optimise their routes, streamline operations, and reduce overall transit times. In contrast, transhipment involves the movement of cargo between ships — often from different carriers, at an intermediate hub port when there is no direct route between the origin and the destination. By leveraging Sri Lanka’s strategic location and offering tailored landside and seaside solutions for container operations, the Hambantota International Port is poised to redefine regional shipping dynamics and establish itself as a major player in the global logistics sector.Want a Rowing Machine But Don't Want a Monthly Membership? Hydrow's New Rower Is Your AnswerHudson Meek, the 16-year-old actor who appeared in “Baby Driver,” died last week after falling from a moving vehicle in Vestavia Hills, Alabama, according to CNN affiliate WVTM. The teen sustained blunt force trauma in the fall on Dec. 19 and was admitted to the University of Alabama at Birmingham Hospital, where he died from his injuries on Dec. 21, the Jefferson County Coroner’s office told CNN affiliate WVTM . “His 16 years on this earth were far too short, but he accomplished so much and significantly impacted everyone he met,” reads a post on his Instagram account . Hudson Meek attends the "A Different Man" premiere during the Deauville American Film Festival in Deauville, France, on September 9. Francois G. Durand/Getty Images/File via CNN Newsource Listen now and subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | Spotify | RSS Feed | SoundStack The teen actor had various acting and voice over credits, most notably playing a younger version of Ansel Elgort’s character Baby in 2017 movie “Baby Driver.” People are also reading... Meek also voiced the lead in “Badanamu Stories” — a children’s show that examines themes relevant to preschoolers, according to IMDb . He also appeared in shows including NBC’s “Found” and The CW’s “Legacies,” as well as the recently released thriller “The School Duel.” Meek’s obituary described the teenager as a “reflective and thoughtful” avid traveler and fan of the outdoors. “He loved snow-skiing and could easily navigate the hardest trails that no one else in the family would dare attempt,” the obituary read. “One of his favorite places to be was at the lake, tubing and wakeboarding.” The Vestavia Hills Police Department is still investigating the circumstances surrounding Meek’s death, WTVM reported. CNN has reached out to Vestavia Hills police for more information on the incident. Photos: Notable deaths in 2024 Andreas Brehme Germany players celebrate after Andreas Brehme, left on ground, scores the winning goal in the World Cup soccer final match against Argentina, in the Olympic Stadium, in Rome, July 8, 1990. Andreas Brehme, who scored the only goal as West Germany beat Argentina to win the 1990 World Cup final, died Feb. 20, 2024. He was 63. AP Photo/Carlo Fumagalli, File Brian Mulroney Brian Mulroney, the former prime minister of Canada, listens during a Senate Foreign Relations Committee hearing on the Canada-U.S.-Mexico relationship, Tuesday, Jan. 30, 2018, on Capitol Hill in Washington. Mulroney died at the age of 84 on Feb. 29, 2024. Jacquelyn Martin The Rev. James Lawson Jr. The Rev. James Lawson Jr. speaks Sept. 17, 2015, in Murfreesboro, Tenn. Lawson Jr., an apostle of nonviolent protest who schooled activists to withstand brutal reactions from white authorities as the Civil Rights Movement gained traction, has died, his family said Monday. He was 95. His family said Lawson died on Sunday after a short illness in Los Angeles, where he spent decades working as a pastor, labor movement organizer and university professor. Lawson was a close adviser to the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr., who called him “the leading theorist and strategist of nonviolence in the world.” Lawson met King in 1957, after spending three years in India soaking up knowledge about Mohandas K. Gandhi’s independence movement. King would travel to India himself two years later, but at the time, he had only read about Gandhi in books. Mark Humphrey, Associated Press Jerry West Basketball Hall of Fame inductee Jerry West, representing the 1960 USA Olympic Team, is seen Aug. 13, 2010, during the enshrinement news conference at the Hall of Fame Museum in Springfield, Mass. Jerry West, who was selected to the Basketball Hall of Fame three times in a storied career as a player and executive, and whose silhouette is considered to be the basis of the NBA logo, died June 12, the Los Angeles Clippers announced. He was 86. West, nicknamed “Mr. Clutch” for his late-game exploits as a player, was an NBA champion who went into the Hall of Fame as a player in 1980 and again as a member of the gold medal-winning 1960 U.S. Olympic Team in 2010. He will be enshrined for a third time later this year as a contributor, and NBA Commissioner Adam Silver called West “one of the greatest executives in sports history.” Elise Amendola, Associated Press Ron Simons Actor and director Ron Simons, seen Jan. 23, 2011, during the 2011 Sundance Film Festival, died June 12. Simons turned into a formidable screen and stage producer, winning four Tony Awards and having several films selected at the Sundance Film Festival. He won Tonys for producing “Porgy and Bess,” “A Gentleman’s Guide to Love and Murder,” “Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike,” and “Jitney.” He also co-produced “Hughie,” with Forest Whitaker, “The Gin Game,” starring Cicely Tyson and James Earl Jones, “Ain’t Too Proud: The Life and Times of The Temptations,” an all-Black production of “A Streetcar Named Desire,” the revival of "for colored girls who have considered suicide/when the rainbow is enuf" and the original work “Thoughts of a Colored Man.” He was in the films “27 Dresses” and “Mystery Team,” as well as on the small screen in “The Resident,” “Law & Order,” “Law & Order: Criminal Intent” and “Law & Order: SVU.” Victoria Will, Associated Press Bob Schul Bob Schul of West Milton, Ohio, hits the tape Oct. 18, 1964, to win the 5,000 meter run at the Olympic Games in Tokyo. Schul, the only American distance runner to win the 5,000 meters at the Olympics, died June 16. He was 86. His death was announced by Miami University in Ohio , where Schul shined on the track and was inducted into the school’s hall of fame in 1973. Schul predicted gold leading into the 1964 Tokyo Olympics and followed through with his promise. On a rainy day in Japan, he finished the final lap in a blistering 54.8 seconds to sprint to the win. His white shorts were covered in mud at the finish. He was inducted into the USA Track and Field Hall of Fame in 1991. He also helped write a book called “In the Long Run.” Associated Press Willie Mays San Francisco Giants superstar Willie Mays poses for a photo during baseball spring training in 1972. Mays, the electrifying “Say Hey Kid” whose singular combination of talent, drive and exuberance made him one of baseball’s greatest and most beloved players, died June 18. He was 93. The center fielder, who began his professional career in the Negro Leagues in 1948, had been baseball’s oldest living Hall of Famer. He was voted into the Hall in 1979, his first year of eligibility, and in 1999 followed only Babe Ruth on The Sporting News’ list of the game’s top stars. The Giants retired his uniform number, 24, and set their AT&T Park in San Francisco on Willie Mays Plaza. Mays died two days before a game between the Giants and St. Louis Cardinals to honor the Negro Leagues at Rickwood Field in Birmingham , Alabama. Over 23 major league seasons, virtually all with the New York/San Francisco Giants but also including one in the Negro Leagues, Mays batted .301, hit 660 home runs, totaled 3,293 hits, scored more than 2,000 runs and won 12 Gold Gloves. He was Rookie of the Year in 1951, twice was named the Most Valuable Player and finished in the top 10 for the MVP 10 other times. His lightning sprint and over-the-shoulder grab of an apparent extra base hit in the 1954 World Series remains the most celebrated defensive play in baseball history. For millions in the 1950s and ’60s and after, the smiling ballplayer with the friendly, high-pitched voice was a signature athlete and showman during an era when baseball was still the signature pastime. Awarded the Medal of Freedom by President Barack Obama in 2015, Mays left his fans with countless memories. But a single feat served to capture his magic — one so untoppable it was simply called “The Catch.” Associated Press Donald Sutherland Actor Donald Sutherland appears Oct. 13, 2017, at the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences in Beverly Hills, Calif. Sutherland, the Canadian actor whose wry, arrestingly off-kilter screen presence spanned more than half a century of films from “M.A.S.H.” to “The Hunger Games,” died June 20. He was 88. Kiefer Sutherland said on X he believed his father was one of the most important actors in the history of film: “Never daunted by a role, good, bad or ugly. He loved what he did and did what he loved, and one can never ask for more than that.” The tall and gaunt Sutherland, who flashed a grin that could be sweet or diabolical, was known for offbeat characters like Hawkeye Pierce in Robert Altman's "M.A.S.H.," the hippie tank commander in "Kelly's Heroes" and the stoned professor in "Animal House." Before transitioning into a long career as a respected character actor, Sutherland epitomized the unpredictable, antiestablishment cinema of the 1970s. He never stopped working, appearing in nearly 200 films and series. Over the decades, Sutherland showed his range in more buttoned-down — but still eccentric — roles in Robert Redford's "Ordinary People" and Oliver Stone's "JFK." More, recently, he starred in the “Hunger Games” films. A memoir, “Made Up, But Still True,” is due out in November. Chris Pizzello, Associated Press Bill Cobbs Actor Bill Cobbs, a cast member in "Get Low," arrives July 27, 2010, at the premiere of the film in Beverly Hills, Calif. Cobbs, the veteran character actor who became a ubiquitous and sage screen presence as an older man, died June 25. He was 90. A Cleveland native, Cobbs acted in such films as “The Hudsucker Proxy,” “The Bodyguard” and “Night at the Museum.” He made his first big-screen appearance in a fleeting role in 1974's “The Taking of Pelham One Two Three." He became a lifelong actor with some 200 film and TV credits. The lion share of those came in his 50s, 60s, and 70s, as filmmakers and TV producers turned to him again and again to imbue small but pivotal parts with a wizened and worn soulfulness. Cobbs appeared on television shows including “The Sopranos," “The West Wing,” “Sesame Street” and “Good Times.” He was Whitney Houston's manager in “The Bodyguard” (1992), the mystical clock man of the Coen brothers' “The Hudsucker Proxy” (1994) and the doctor of John Sayles' “Sunshine State” (2002). He played the coach in “Air Bud” (1997), the security guard in “Night at the Museum” (2006) and the father on “The Gregory Hines Show." Cobbs rarely got the kinds of major parts that stand out and win awards. Instead, Cobbs was a familiar and memorable everyman who left an impression on audiences, regardless of screen time. He won a Daytime Emmy Award for outstanding limited performance in a daytime program for the series “Dino Dana” in 2020. Chris Pizzello, Associated Press Kinky Friedman Independent gubernatorial candidate Kinky Friedman speaks with the media Nov. 7, 2009, at his campaign headquarters in Austin, Texas. The singer, songwriter, satirist and novelist, who led the alt-country band Texas Jewboys, toured with Bob Dylan, sang with Willie Nelson, and dabbled in politics with campaigns for Texas governor and other statewide offices, died June 27. He was 79 and had suffered from Parkinson's disease. Often called “The Kinkster" and sporting sideburns, a thick mustache and cowboy hat, Friedman earned a cult following and reputation as a provocateur throughout his career across musical and literary genres. In the 1970s, his satirical country band Kinky Friedman and the Texas Jewboys wrote songs with titles such as “They Ain't Makin' Jews Like Jesus Anymore” and “Get Your Biscuits in the Oven and Your Buns in Bed.” Friedman joined part of Bob Dylan's Rolling Thunder Revue tour in 1976. By the 1980s, Friedman was writing crime novels that often included a version of himself, and he wrote a column for Texas Monthly magazine in the 2000s. Friedman's run at politics brought his brand of irreverence to the serious world of public policy. In 2006, Friedman ran for governor as an independent in a five-way race that included incumbent Republican Rick Perry. Friedman launched his campaign against the backdrop of the Alamo. Eric Gay, Associated Press Martin Mull Martin Mull participates in "The Cool Kids" panel during the Fox Television Critics Association Summer Press Tour on Aug. 2, 2018, at The Beverly Hilton hotel in Beverly Hills, Calif. Mull, whose droll, esoteric comedy and acting made him a hip sensation in the 1970s and later a beloved guest star on sitcoms including “Roseanne” and “Arrested Development,” died June 28. He was 80. Mull, who was also a guitarist and painter, came to national fame with a recurring role on the Norman Lear-created satirical soap opera “Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman,” and the starring role in its spinoff, “Fernwood Tonight." His first foray into show business was as a songwriter, penning the 1970 semi-hit “A Girl Named Johnny Cash” for singer Jane Morgan. He would combine music and comedy in an act that he brought to hip Hollywood clubs in the 1970s. Mull often played slightly sleazy, somewhat slimy and often smarmy characters as he did as Teri Garr's boss and Michael Keaton's foe in 1983's “Mr. Mom.” He played Colonel Mustard in the 1985 movie adaptation of the board game “Clue,” which, like many things Mull appeared in, has become a cult classic. The 1980s also brought what many thought was his best work, “A History of White People in America,” a mockumentary that first aired on Cinemax. Mull co-created the show and starred as a “60 Minutes” style investigative reporter investigating all things milquetoast and mundane. Willard was again a co-star. In the 1990s he was best known for his recurring role on several seasons on “Roseanne,” in which he played a warmer, less sleazy boss to the title character, an openly gay man whose partner was played by Willard, who died in 2020 . Mull would later play private eye Gene Parmesan on “Arrested Development,” a cult-classic character on a cult-classic show, and would be nominated for an Emmy, his first, in 2016 for a guest run on “Veep.” Willy Sanjuan, Invision Robert Towne Screenwriter Robert Towne poses at The Regency Hotel, March 7, 2006, in New York. Towne, the Oscar-winning screenplay writer of "Shampoo," "The Last Detail" and other acclaimed films whose work on "Chinatown" became a model of the art form and helped define the jaded allure of his native Los Angeles, died Monday, July 1, 2024, surrounded by family at his home in Los Angeles, said publicist Carri McClure. She declined to comment on any cause of death. Jim Cooper - stringer, ASSOCIATED PRESS Vic Seixas Vic Seixas of the United States backhands a volley from Denmark's Jurgen Ulrich in the first round of men's singles match at Wimbledon, England, June 27, 1967. Vic Seixas, a Wimbledon winner and tennis Hall of Famer who was the oldest living Grand Slam champion, has died July 5 at the age of 100. The International Tennis Hall of Fame announced Seixas’ death on Saturday July 6, 2024, based on confirmation from his daughter Tori. AP Photo/File James Inhofe In this June 30, 2020, file photo, Sen. James Inhofe, R-Okla., speaks to reporters following a GOP policy meeting on Capitol Hill in Washington. Former Sen. Jim Inhofe of Oklahoma died July 9. He was 89. The family says in a statement that the Republican had a stroke during the July Fourth holiday and died Tuesday morning. Inhofe was a powerful fixture in state politics for decades. He doubted that climate change was caused by human activity, calling the theory “the greatest hoax ever perpetrated on the American people.” As Oklahoma’s senior U.S. senator, he was a staunch supporter of the state’s military installations. He was elected to a fifth Senate term in 2020 and stepped down in early 2023. Manuel Balce Ceneta Joe Bonsall The Oak Ridge Boys, from left, Joe Bonsall, Richard Sterban, Duane Allen and William Lee Golden hold their awards for Top Vocal Group and Best Album of the Year for "Ya'll Come Back Saloon", during the 14th Annual Academy of Country Music Awards in Los Angeles, Calif., May 3, 1979. Bonsall died on July 9, 2024, from complications of Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis in Hendersonville, Tenn. He was 76. A Philadelphia native and resident of Hendersonville, Tennessee, Bonsall joined the Oak Ridge Boys in 1973, which originally formed in the 1940s. He saw the band through its golden period in the '80s and beyond, which included their signature 1981 song “Elvira.” The hit marked a massive crossover moment for the group, reaching No. 1 on the country chart and No. 5 on Billboard’s all-genre Hot 100. The group is also known for such hits as 1982’s “Bobbie Sue." Lennox Mclendon - staff, ASSOCIATED PRESS Shelley Duvall Shelley Duvall poses for photographers at the 30th Cannes Film Festival in France, May 27, 1977. Duvall, whose wide-eyed, winsome presence was a mainstay in the films of Robert Altman and who co-starred in Stanley Kubrick's “The Shining,” died July 11. She was 75. Jean-Jacques Levy - staff, ASSOCIATED PRESS Dr. Ruth Westheimer Dr. Ruth Westheimer holds a copy of her book "Sex for Dummies" at the International Frankfurt Book Fair 'Frankfurter Buchmesse' in Frankfurt, Germany, Thursday, Oct. 11, 2007. Westheimer, the sex therapist who became a pop icon, media star and best-selling author through her frank talk about once-taboo bedroom topics, died on July 12, 2024. She was 96. Bernd Kammerer - stringer, ASSOCIATED PRESS Richard Simmons Richard Simmons sits for a portrait in Los Angeles, June 23, 1982. Simmons, a fitness guru who urged the overweight to exercise and eat better, died July 13 at the age of 76. Simmons was a court jester of physical fitness who built a mini-empire in his trademark tank tops and short shorts by urging the overweight to exercise and eat better. Simmons was a former 268-pound teen who shared his hard-won weight loss tips as the host of the Emmy-winning daytime “Richard Simmons Show" and the “Sweatin' to the Oldies” line of exercise videos, which became a cultural phenomenon. Richard Drew - staff, ASSOCIATED PRESS Jacoby Jones Former NFL receiver Jacoby Jones died July 14 at age 40. Jones' 108-yard kickoff return in 2013 remains the longest touchdown in Super Bowl history. The Houston Texans were Jones’ team for the first five seasons of his career. They announced his death on Sunday. In a statement released by the NFL Players Association, his family said he died at his home in New Orleans. A cause of death was not given. Jones played from 2007-15 for the Texans, Baltimore Ravens, San Diego Chargers and Pittsburgh Steelers. He made several huge plays for the Ravens during their most recent Super Bowl title season, including that kick return. AP File Photo Shannen Doherty The "Beverly Hills, 90210" star whose life and career were roiled by tabloid stories, Shannen Doherty died July 13 at 53. Doherty's publicist said the actor died Saturday following years with breast cancer. Catapulted to fame as Brenda in “Beverly Hills, 90210,” she worked in big-screen films including "Mallrats" and "Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back" and in TV movies including "A Burning Passion: The Margaret Mitchell Story," in which she played the "Gone with the Wind" author. Doherty co-starred with Holly Marie Combs and Alyssa Milano in the series “Charmed” from 1998-2001; appeared in the “90210” sequel series seven years later and competed on “Dancing with the Stars” in 2010. Peter Kramer, Associated Press James Sikking Actor James Sikking poses for a photograph at the Los Angeles gala celebrating the 20th anniversary of the National Organization for Women, Dec. 1, 1986. Sikking, who starred as a hardened police lieutenant on “Hill Street Blues” and as the titular character's kindhearted dad on “Doogie Howser, M.D.,” died July 13 of complications from dementia, his publicist Cynthia Snyder said in a statement. He was 90. Avery - staff, ASSOCIATED PRESS Pat Williams Pat Williams chats with media before the 2004 NBA draft in Orlando, Fla. Williams, a co-founder of the Orlando Magic and someone who spent more than a half-century working within the NBA, died July 17 from complications related to viral pneumonia. The team announced the death Wednesday. Williams was 84. He started his NBA career as business manager of the Philadelphia 76ers in 1968, then had stints as general manager of the Chicago Bulls, the Atlanta Hawks and the 76ers — helping that franchise win a title in 1983. Williams was later involved in starting the process of bringing an NBA team to Orlando. The league’s board of governors granted an expansion franchise in 1987, and the team began play in 1989. AP File Photo Lou Dobbs Lou Dobbs speaks Feb. 24, 2017, at the Conservative Political Action Conference in Oxon Hill, Md. Dobbs, the conservative political pundit and veteran cable TV host who was a founding anchor for CNN and later was a nightly presence on Fox Business Network for more than a decade, died July 18. He was 78. His death was announced in a post on his official X account, which called him a “fighter till the very end – fighting for what mattered to him the most, God, his family and the country.” He hosted “Lou Dobbs Tonight” on Fox from 2011 to 2021, following two separate stints at CNN. No cause of death was given. Alex Brandon, Associated Press Bob Newhart Bob Newhart, center, poses with members of the cast and crew of the "Bob Newhart Show," from top left, Marcia Wallace, Bill Daily, Jack Riley, and, Suzanne Pleshette, foreground left, and Dick Martin at TV Land's 35th anniversary tribute to "The Bob Newhart Show" on Sept. 5, 2007, in Beverly Hills, Calif. Newhart has died at age 94. Jerry Digney, Newhart’s publicist, says the actor died July 18 in Los Angeles after a series of short illnesses. The accountant-turned-comedian gained fame with a smash album and became one of the most popular TV stars of his time. Newhart was a Chicago psychologist in “The Bob Newhart Show” in the 1970s and a Vermont innkeeper on “Newhart” in the 1980s. Both shows featured a low-key Newhart surrounded by eccentric characters. The second had a twist ending in its final show — the whole series was revealed to have been a dream by the psychologist he played in the other show. Mark J. Terrill - staff, ASSOCIATED PRESS Cheng Pei-Pei Cheng Pei-pei, a Chinese-born martial arts film actor who starred in Ang Lee’s “Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon,” died July 17 at age 78. Her family says Cheng, who had been diagnosed with a rare illness with symptoms similar to Parkinson’s disease, passed away Wednesday at home surrounded by her loved ones. The Shanghai-born film star became a household name in Hong Kong, once dubbed the Hollywood of the Far East, for her performances in martial arts movies in the 1960s. She played Jade Fox, who uses poisoned needles, in “Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon,” which was released in 2000, grossed $128 million in North America and won four Oscars. Chris Pizzello - invision linkable, Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP Abdul 'Duke' Fakir Abdul “Duke” Fakir holds his life time achievement award backstage at the 51st Annual Grammy Awards on Feb. 8, 2009, in Los Angeles. The last surviving original member of the Four Tops died July 22. Abdul “Duke” Fakir was 88. He was a charter member of the Motown group along with lead singer Levi Stubbs, Renaldo “Obie" Benson and Lawrence Payton. Between 1964 and 1967, the Tops had 11 top 20 hits and two No. 1′s: “I Can’t Help Myself (Sugar Pie Honey Bunch)” and the operatic classic “Reach Out I’ll Be There.” Other songs, often stories of romantic pain and longing, included “Baby I Need Your Loving,” “Standing in the Shadows of Love,” “Bernadette” and “Just Ask the Lonely.” Matt Sayles, Associated Press Bernice Johnson Reagon Sculptress Elizabeth Catlett, left, then-Washington D.C. Mayor Sharon Pratt Dixon, center, and then-curator, division of community life, Smithsonian institution Bernice Johnson Reagon chat during the reception at the Candace awards on June 25, 1991 in New York. Reagon, a musician and scholar who used her rich, powerful contralto voice in the service of the American Civil Rights Movement and human rights struggles around the world, died on July 16, 2024, according to her daughter's social media post. She was 81. Chrystyna Czajkowsky - staff, ASSOCIATED PRESS John Mayall John Mayall, the British blues musician whose influential band the Bluesbreakers was a training ground for Eric Clapton, Mick Fleetwood and many other superstars, died July 22. He was 90. He is credited with helping develop the English take on urban, Chicago-style rhythm and blues that played an important role in the blues revival of the late 1960s. A statement on Mayall's official Instagram page says he died Monday at his home in California. Though Mayall never approached the fame of some of his illustrious alumni, he was still performing in his late 80s, pounding out his version of Chicago blues. Sandro Campardo - foreign subscriber, ASSOCIATED PRESS Erica Ash Erica Ash, an actor and comedian skilled in sketch comedy who starred in the parody series “Mad TV” and “Real Husbands of Hollywood,” has died. She was 46. Her publicist and a statement by her mother, Diann, says Ash died July 28 in Los Angeles of cancer. Ash impersonated Michelle Obama and Condoleeza Rice on “Mad TV,” a Fox sketch series, and was a key performer on the Rosie O’Donnell-created series “The Big Gay Sketch Show.” Her other credits included “Scary Movie V,” “Uncle Drew” and the LeBron James-produced basketball dramedy “Survivor’s Remorse.” On the BET series “Real Husbands of Hollywood,” Ash played the ex-wife of Kevin Hart’s character. Richard Shotwell - invision linkable, Richard Shotwell/Invision/AP Jack Russell Jack Russell, the lead singer of the bluesy '80s metal band Great White whose hits included “Once Bitten Twice Shy” and “Rock Me” and was fronting his band the night 100 people died in a 2003 nightclub fire in Rhode Island, died Wednesday, Aug. 7, 2024. He was 63. AP Photo/Jill Connelly, file Chi Chi Rodriguez Juan “Chi Chi” Rodriguez, a Hall of Fame golfer whose antics on the greens and inspiring life story made him among the sport’s most popular players during a long professional career, died Thursday, Aug. 8, 2024. AP Photo/Steven Senne, File Susan Wojcicki Susan Wojcicki, the former YouTube chief executive officer and longtime Google executive, died Friday, Aug. 9, 2024, after suffering with non small cell lung cancer for the past two years. She was 56. AP Photo/Markus Schreiber Frank Selvy Frank Selvy, an All-America guard at Furman who scored an NCAA Division I-record 100 points in a game and later played nine NBA seasons, died Tuesday, Aug. 13, 2024. He was 91. AP Photo/Mary Ann Chastain, File Wally Amos Wallace “Wally” Amos, the creator of the cookie empire that took his name and made it famous and who went on to become a children’s literacy advocate, died Tuesday, Aug. 13, 2024, from complications with dementia. He was 88. AP Photo/Lucy Pemoni, File Gena Rowlands Gena Rowlands, hailed as one of the greatest actors to ever practice the craft and a guiding light in independent cinema as a star in groundbreaking movies by her director husband, John Cassavetes, and who later charmed audiences in her son's tear-jerker “The Notebook,” died Wednesday, Aug. 14, 2024. She was 94. Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP, File Peter Marshall Peter Marshall, the actor and singer turned game show host who played straight man to the stars for 16 years on “The Hollywood Squares,” died. Thursday, Aug. 15, 2024 He was 98. Richard Shotwell/Invision/AP, File Alain Delon Alain Delon, the internationally acclaimed French actor who embodied both the bad guy and the policeman and made hearts throb around the world, died Sunday, Aug. 18, 2024. He was 88. Arthur Mola/Invision/AP, File Phil Donahue Phil Donahue, whose pioneering daytime talk show launched an indelible television genre that brought success to Oprah Winfrey, Montel Williams, Ellen DeGeneres and many others, died Sunday, Aug. 18, 2024, after a long illness. He was 88. AP Photo/Mark Lennihan, File Al Attles Al Attles, a Hall of Famer who coached the 1975 NBA champion Warriors and spent more than six decades with the organization as a player, general manager and most recently team ambassador, died Tuesday, Aug. 20, 2024. He was 87. AP Photo/Ben Margot, File John Amos John Amos, who starred as the family patriarch on the hit 1970s sitcom “Good Times” and earned an Emmy nomination for his role in the seminal 1977 miniseries “Roots,” died Wednesday, Aug. 21, 2024. He was 84. Amy Sussman/Invision/AP, File James Darren James Darren, a teen idol who helped ignite the 1960s surfing craze as a charismatic beach boy paired off with Sandra Dee in the hit film “Gidget,” died Monday, Sept. 2, 2024. He was 88. AP Photo, File James Earl Jones James Earl Jones, who overcame racial prejudice and a severe stutter to become a celebrated icon of stage and screen has died. He was 93. His agent, Barry McPherson, confirmed Jones died Sept. 9 at home. Jones was a pioneering actor who eventually lent his deep, commanding voice to CNN, “The Lion King” and Darth Vader. Working deep into his 80s, he won two Emmys, a Golden Globe, two Tony Awards, a Grammy, the National Medal of Arts, the Kennedy Center Honors and was given an honorary Oscar and a special Tony for lifetime achievement. In 2022, a Broadway theater was renamed in his honor. Michael Zorn - invision linkable, Michael Zorn/Invision/AP Frankie Beverly Frankie Beverly, who with his band Maze inspired generations of fans with his smooth, soulful voice and lasting anthems including “Before I Let Go,” has died. He was 77. His family said in a post on the band’s website and social media accounts that Beverly died Sept. 10. In the post, which asked for privacy, the family said “he lived his life with a pure soul, as one would say, and for us, no one did it better.” The post did not say his cause of death or where he died. Beverly, whose songs include “Joy and Pain,” “Love is the Key,” and “Southern Girl,” finished his farewell “I Wanna Thank You Tour” in his hometown of Philadelphia in July. Patrick Semansky - freelancer, ASSOCIATED PRESS Joe Schmidt Joe Schmidt, the Hall of Fame linebacker who helped the Detroit Lions win NFL championships in 1953 and 1957 and later coached the team, has died. He was 92. The Lions said family informed the team Schmidt died Sept. 11. A cause of death was not provided. One of pro football’s first great middle linebackers, Schmidt played his entire NFL career with the Lions from 1953-65. An eight-time All-Pro, he was enshrined into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1973 and the college football version in 2000. Born in Pittsburgh, Schmidt played college football in his hometown at Pitt. Jose Juarez, AP File Chad McQueen Chad McQueen, an actor known for his performances in the “Karate Kid” movies and the son of the late actor and racer Steve McQueen, died Sep. 11. His lawyer confirmed his death at age 63. McQueen's family shared a statement on social media saying he lived a life “filled with love and dedication.” McQueen was a professional race car driver, like his father, and competed in the famed 24 Hours of Le Mans and the 24 Hours of Daytona races. He is survived by his wife Jeanie and three children, Chase, Madison and Steven, who is an actor best known for “The Vampire Diaries.” Lionel Cironneau - stringer, ASSOCIATED PRESS Tito Jackson Tito Jackson, one of the brothers who made up the beloved pop group the Jackson 5, died at age 70 on Sept. 15. Jackson was the third of nine children, including global superstars Michael and Janet. The Jackson 5 included brothers Jackie, Tito, Jermaine, Marlon and Michael. They signed with Berry Gordy’s Motown empire in the 1960s. The group was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 1997 and produced several No. 1 hits in the 1970s, including “ABC,” “I Want You Back” and “I’ll Be There.” Mark Von Holden, Associated Press JD Souther John David “JD” Souther has died. He was a prolific songwriter and musician whose collaborations with the Eagles and Linda Ronstadt helped shape the country-rock sound that took root in Southern California in the 1970s. Souther joined in on some of the Eagles’ biggest hits, such as “Best of My Love,” “New Kid in Town,” and “Heartache Tonight." The Songwriters Hall of Fame inductee also collaborated with James Taylor, Bob Seger, Bonnie Raitt and many more. His biggest hit as a solo artist was “You’re Only Lonely.” He was about to tour with Karla Bonoff. Souther died Sept. 17 at his home in New Mexico, at 78. In this photo, JD Souther and Alison Krauss attend the Songwriters Hall of Fame 44th annual induction and awards gala on Thursday, June 13, 2013 in New York. Charles Sykes - invision linkable, Charles Sykes/Invision/AP Dan Evans Sen. Dan Evans stands with his three sons, from left, Mark, Bruce and Dan Jr., after he won the election for Washington's senate seat in Seattle, Nov. 8, 1983. Evans, a former Washington state governor and a U.S. Senator, died Sept. 20. The popular Republican was 98. He served as governor from 1965 to 1977, and he was the keynote speaker at the 1968 National Republican Convention. In 1983, Evans was appointed to served out the term of Democratic Sen. Henry “Scoop” Jackson after he died in office. Evans opted not to stand for election in 1988, citing the “tediousness" of the Senate. He later served as a regent at the University of Washington, where the Daniel J. Evans School of Public Policy and Governance bears his name. Barry Sweet - staff, ASSOCIATED PRESS Mercury Morris Eugene “Mercury” Morris, who starred for the unbeaten 1972 Miami Dolphins as part of a star-studded backfield and helped the team win two Super Bowl titles, died Sept. 21. He was 77. The team on Sunday confirmed the death of Morris, a three-time Pro Bowl selection. In a statement, his family said his “talent and passion left an indelible mark on the sport.” Morris was the starting halfback and one of three go-to runners that Dolphins coach Don Shula utilized in Miami’s back-to-back title seasons of 1972 and 1973, alongside Pro Football Hall of Famer Larry Csonka and Jim Kiick. Morris led the Dolphins in rushing touchdowns in both of those seasons. Charles Rex Arbogast, AP File John Ashton John Ashton, the veteran character actor who memorably played the gruff but lovable police detective John Taggart in the “Beverly Hills Cop” films, died Thursday, Sept. 26, 2024. He was 76. Richard Shotwell/Invision/AP, file Maggie Smith Maggie Smith, who won an Oscar for 1969 film “The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie” and won new fans in the 21st century as the dowager Countess of Grantham in “Downton Abbey” and Professor Minerva McGonagall in the Harry Potter films, died Sept. 27 at 89. Smith's publicist announced the news Friday. She was frequently rated the preeminent British female performer of a generation that included Vanessa Redgrave and Judi Dench. “Jean Brodie” brought her the Academy Award for best actress in 1969. Smith added a supporting actress Oscar for “California Suite” in 1978. Reed Saxon, Associated Press Kris Kristofferson Kris Kristofferson, a Rhodes scholar with a deft writing style and rough charisma who became a country music superstar and an A-list Hollywood actor, died Saturday, Sept. 28, 2024. He was 88. Owen Sweeney/Invision/AP, File Drake Hogestyn Drake Hogestyn, the “Days of Our Lives” star who appeared on the show for 38 years, died Saturday, Sept. 28, 2024. He was 70. AP Photo/Lionel Cironneau, File Ron Ely Ron Ely, the tall, musclebound actor who played the title character in the 1960s NBC series “Tarzan,” died Sunday, Sept. 29, 2024, at age 86. AP Photo/Reed Saxon, File Dikembe Mutombo Dikembe Mutombo, a Basketball Hall of Famer who was one of the best defensive players in NBA history and a longtime global ambassador for the game, died Monday, Sept. 30, 2024, from brain cancer, the league announced. He was 58. AP Photo/David Zalubowski, File Frank Fritz Frank Fritz, left, part of a two-man team who drove around the U.S. looking for antiques and collectibles to buy and resell on the reality show “American Pickers,” died Monday, Sept. 30, 2024. He was 60. He's shown here with co-host Mike Wolfe at the A+E Networks 2015 Upfront in New York on April 30, 2015. Andy Kropa/Invision/AP, File Pete Rose Pete Rose, baseball’s career hits leader and fallen idol who undermined his historic achievements and Hall of Fame dreams by gambling on the game he loved and once embodied, died Monday, Sept. 30, 2024. He was 83. AP Photo/Matt Rourke, File Cissy Houston Cissy Houston, the mother of Whitney Houston and a two-time Grammy winner who performed alongside superstar musicians like Elvis Presley and Aretha Franklin, died Monday, Oct. 7, 2024, in her New Jersey home. She was 91. Charles Sykes/Invision/AP, File Ethel Kennedy Ethel Kennedy, the wife of Sen. Robert F. Kennedy, who raised their 11 children after he was assassinated and remained dedicated to social causes and the family’s legacy for decades thereafter, died on Thursday, Oct. 10, 2024, her family said. She was 96. AP Photo/Henry Burroughs, File Liam Payne Former One Direction singer Liam Payne, 31, whose chart-topping British boy band generated a global following of swooning fans, was found dead Wednesday, Oct. 16, 2024, after falling from a hotel balcony in Buenos Aires, local officials said. He was 31. Rich Fury/Invision/AP, File Mitzi Gaynor Mitzi Gaynor, among the last survivors of the so-called golden age of the Hollywood musical, died of natural causes in Los Angeles on Thursday, Oct. 17, 2024. She was 93. Richard Shotwell/Invision/AP, File Fernando Valenzuela Fernando Valenzuela, the Mexican-born phenom for the Los Angeles Dodgers who inspired “Fernandomania” while winning the NL Cy Young Award and Rookie of the Year in 1981, died Tuesday, Oct. 22, 2024. He was 63. AP Photo/Abbie Parr, File Jack Jones Jack Jones, a Grammy-winning crooner known for “The Love Boat” television show theme song, died, Wednesday, Oct. 23, 2024. He was 86. AP Photo/Reed Saxon, File Phil Lesh Phil Lesh, a founding member of the Grateful Dead, died Friday, Oct. 25, 2024, at age 84. AP Photo/Morry Gash, File Teri Garr Teri Garr, the quirky comedy actor who rose from background dancer in Elvis Presley movies to co-star of such favorites as "Young Frankenstein" and "Tootsie," died Tuesday, Oct 29, 2024. She was 79. AP Photo/Mark Terrill, File Quincy Jones Quincy Jones, the multitalented music titan whose vast legacy ranged from producing Michael Jackson’s historic “Thriller” album to writing prize-winning film and television scores and collaborating with Frank Sinatra, Ray Charles and hundreds of other recording artists, died Sunday, Nov 3, 2024. He was 91 Photo by Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP, File Bobby Allison Bobby Allison, founder of racing’s “Alabama Gang” and a NASCAR Hall of Famer, died Saturday, Nov. 9, 2024. He was 86. AP Photo/File Song Jae-lim Song Jae-lim, a South Korean actor known for his roles in K-dramas “Moon Embracing the Sun” and “Queen Woo,” was found dead at his home in capital Seoul, Tuesday, Nov. 12, 2024. He was 39. Jo Soo-jung/Newsis via AP Timothy West British actor Timothy West, who played the classic Shakespeare roles of King Lear and Macbeth and who in recent years along with his wife, Prunella Scales, enchanted millions of people with their boating exploits on Britain's waterways, died Tuesday, Nov 12, 2024. He was 90. Gareth Fuller/PA via AP Bela Karolyi Bela Karolyi, the charismatic if polarizing gymnastics coach who turned young women into champions and the United States into an international power in the sport, died Friday, Nov. 15, 2024. He was 82. AP Photo/Susan Ragan, File Arthur Frommer Arthur Frommer, whose "Europe on 5 Dollars a Day" guidebooks revolutionized leisure travel by convincing average Americans to take budget vacations abroad, died Monday, Nov. 18, 2024. He was 95. AP Photo/Seth Wenig, File) Bob Love Former Chicago Bulls forward Bob Love, a three-time All-Star who spent 11 years in the NBA, died Monday, Nov. 18, 2024. He was 81. AP Photo/Fred Jewell, File Chuck Woolery Chuck Woolery, the affable, smooth-talking game show host of “Wheel of Fortune,” “Love Connection” and “Scrabble” who later became a right-wing podcaster, skewering liberals and accusing the government of lying about COVID-19, died Saturday, Nov. 23, 2024. He was 83. Ronda Churchill/Las Vegas Review-Journal via AP, File Barbara Taylor Bradford Barbara Taylor Bradford, a British journalist who became a publishing sensation in her 40s with the saga "A Woman of Substance" and wrote more than a dozen other novels that sold tens of millions of copies, died Sunday, Nov. 24, 2024. She was 91. Caroll Taveras/Bradford Enterprises via AP Stay up-to-date on what's happening

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HANGAR12 Announces The 2024 Maureen Filetti Scholarship WinnerThomas Moore is all around us, but you possibly never noticed. His birthplace is on the site of J Smyth’s, the legendary old live music bar on Dublin’s Aungier Street (now trading as the Thomas Moore Inn). There are busts and statues of him in cities around the globe, including Belfast, Dublin and New York. Listen carefully to the opening bars of Dexys Midnight Runners’ track 'Come On Eileen' and you’ll hear a sample of Moore’s song 'Believe Me, If All Those Endearing Young Charms'. Moore was a titan in Irish life in the nineteenth century. As the century drew to a close, Irish households kept a copy of Moore’s Melodies alongside the Bible, and made sure if sons or daughters were emigrating that the collection was packed off with them on their boat journey abroad. Moore’s story is full of colourful adventures and friends in the highest echelons of British and Irish society. It's a mystery as to why he has largely disappeared from our consciousness, which makes TG4’s documentary about him over Christmas timely. “I had read about Thomas Moore. A lot of people in my office had heard about him, but they didn't know anything about the man himself,” says Suzanne McNally, director of Thomas Moore – Bard na hÉireann. “Or else people would say they’d never heard of him, but when you mentioned The Last Rose of Summer or The Minstrel Boy, they’d know the songs. He had a fascinating life. "He was friends of Robert Emmet and Lord Byron. He lived in Bermuda. He was so famous in his lifetime. We wanted to know if he should be forgotten in Ireland today. That set us off on a journey.” McNally and her production team have made Moore’s music a big part of that story. It was an inspired – if perhaps an obvious – decision to make. The documentary is peppered with eight soaring studio performances of Moore’s melodies from artists such as Duke Special, Steve Cooney, Méav Ní Mhaolchatha and a breathtaking rendition of Oh! Breathe Not His Name by the soul artist Manukahunney and her band. The live recordings, a mix of traditional with modern interpretations, provide “chapter points,” says McNally, as Moore’s life story unfolds. Moore was born in 1779, the son of a Dublin grocer. His mother was ambitious for him. He was one of the first Catholics to study at Trinity College. His Irish Catholic identity – at a time when Catholics were second class citizens in Ireland, unable, for example, to sit in parliament – was the defining feature of his identity. It was at Trinity that Moore befriended Robert Emmet. Moore was less radical than Emmet, but they shared an Enlightenment worldview and the dream of an independent, pluralist Irish nation. Emmet’s execution – in which he was hung, drawn and quartered – was deeply disturbing for Moore, who penned the ballad Oh! Breathe Not His Name in his memory, picking up on Emmet’s famous dying wish that only when Ireland was free could his epitaph be written. Moore could walk on both sides of the street. At a time when England thought the Irish were barbarous and ignorant, he was a darling of the English aristocracy, invited, for instance, to the Prince Regent’s inauguration fête. King George VI – and the salons of fashionable, bohemian London – delighted in his wit and when he’d play the piano, performing his melodies. As Theo Dorgan, one of the contributors in the documentary, remarks about Moore’s ambiguous position in Anglo-Irish society – Moore wasn’t the only Irish person to be famous in London. He was a man for all seasons. “It's interesting,” says McNally, “Kevin Whelan, a history professor at Notre Dame University, said in the documentary that at the time, people said of him ‘Tommy dearly loved a lord.’ It's true. "When you see all his friends, it's the likes of Lord Moira and Lord Byron. When he got into trouble in Bermuda, it was his friends [e.g. Lord Lansdowne] who got him out of that debt. “As Theo Dorgan said, Moore was still very political. He was Irish. He was proud of that. He walked that thin line between both worlds. He did it well. Doing the research, time and again, people would say, ‘He would go to ‘big houses’ in England and he'd sing for his supper. "He would enjoy the big feast and then he would perform. A lot of the ladies liked him apparently. He must have been very charismatic. He was a popular man.” Tellingly, it was when Ireland achieved (limited) independence in the 1920s that Moore started to disappear from view. His reputation took a pounding during the Celtic Revival at the turn of the twentieth century. Joyce often sang his songs. “Moore’s maladies,” Joyce called them. He loved the songs, but he didn’t love the man. WB Yeats despised Moore’s “incarnate social ambition”, but perhaps Yeats’ hatred sprung from jealousy – there was only room for one person to be Ireland’s national poet. Moore’s music, which was always prone to melancholy, was reflected in his own life. He lived to a good age, dying in Wiltshire, England, in 1852, outliving cohorts like Daniel O’Connell. He was happily married to “Bessy”, a young Irish actress, and sister of the famous contemporary actress, Mary Dyke. But tragedy marred their family life – all five of their children died before them. “It seemed a sad, lonely ending for him, losing all five children before him,” says McNally. “A lot of his friends had all died too. We filmed in Wiltshire. It was sad to see the grave with the names of his family there. But it was a really interesting experience to delve into his life.” Thomas Moore and the tale of Lord Byron’s explosive memoirs Thomas Moore and Lord Byron, the most famous poet of his era, not least for his scandalous lifestyle, were firm friends. Byron reckoned there was no one to rival Moore’s talent for adapting words to music. In 1824, when word filtered back to London that Byron had drowned in western Greece, Moore was, legally, in possession of the Englishman’s memoirs. Unfortunately, Moore left the manuscript with Byron’s publisher, John Murray, two years beforehand as a security, placing himself in debt to Murray to the tune of 2,000 guineas. Immediately after news of Byron’s death, a bitter dispute broke out amongst Moore, Murray, Byron’s family and John Cam Hobhouse, Byron’s friend and executor. Hobhouse, in particular, was worried about the red-hot material in the memoirs, chiefly references about Byron’s homosexual encounters. After a fraught weekend of negotiation, full of nasty personal charges, Moore finally acquiesced at an infamous Monday morning summit meeting involving six interested parties (and a seventh, if you include Murray’s 16-year-old son) to Hobhouse’s demands that the manuscript be burnt. Although morose leaving the meeting, Moore still had the energy to leave the group with a parting shot, a story about an Irishman who had just been condemned to death. Asked if he had anything to add. “Oh nothing,” he replied, “except that by Jesus you’ve settled it all very nicely amongst you!”North Korea will launch its "toughest" ever strategy to counter the United States , state media said Sunday, reporting on a key year-end party meeting overseen by leader Kim Jong Un . ET Year-end Special Reads What kept India's stock market investors on toes in 2024? India's car race: How far EVs went in 2024 Investing in 2025: Six wealth management trends to watch out for The nuclear-armed state held a five-day party meeting last week as part of a drive to chart the country's course for 2025, the official Korean Central News Agency reported in a lengthy English dispatch. "The US is the most reactionary state that regards anti-communism as its invariable state policy," the report said. It slammed growing ties between South Korea, the US and Japan, saying it had "expanded into a nuclear military bloc for aggression". It also said South Korea had "turned into an out-and-out anti-communist outpost of the US". 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Against this backdrop, Kim's speech to top officials "clarified the strategy for the toughest anti-US counteraction to be launched aggressively", the report said without providing details. The meeting reviewed the response to widespread flooding earlier this year, and also included a vow to boost ties with "friendly" countries. Such party meetings, and Kim's speeches to officials, are typically used by Pyongyang to make key policy announcements. The KCNA report comes after Seoul's military claimed that more than a thousand North Korean soldiers had been killed or wounded since they entered combat in Ukraine as part of a military deal between Pyongyang and Moscow. North Korea and Russia have strengthened their military ties since Moscow's invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. A landmark defence pact between Pyongyang and Moscow -- signed in June when Russian President Vladimir Putin North Korea -- came into force this month. Putin hailed it as a "breakthrough document". North Korean state media said Friday that Putin sent a New Year's message to North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, saying, "the bilateral ties between our two countries have been elevated after our talks in June in Pyongyang". Ukraine's allies have called Pyongyang's growing involvement in Russia's war in Ukraine a "dangerous expansion" of the conflict. (You can now subscribe to our Economic Times WhatsApp channel )