haha777 official broadcast philippines Friday, December 20, 2024 As the holiday season approaches, travelers are embracing digital tools to plan their getaways, from booking hotels to reserving rental cars with just a few clicks. However, one critical aspect of travel—identity verification—remains heavily reliant on physical documents. But change is on the horizon, with advanced technologies poised to redefine the travel experience. Digital Solutions Enhance Efficiency at Borders Modern technology is already transforming parts of the identity verification process, making it faster and more secure. Travelers can now use apps with Near Field Communication (NFC) technology to transfer personal data from their e-passport chip directly to their smartphones. This data can then be securely shared with trusted parties, such as airlines or border authorities, enabling travelers to apply for visas or provide necessary documentation online, eliminating tedious manual steps. Streamlined Airport Experiences: eGates and eKiosks Automated systems like eGates and eKiosks are reducing queues and improving the efficiency of airport processes: eGates, common in European airports, allow travelers to scan their electronic passports and verify their identity through facial recognition within seconds. eKiosks, frequently seen in U.S. airports, offer a similar process. Travelers input personal information, scan their passport, and complete biometric verification, resulting in faster processing times at checkpoints. These innovations minimize manual interventions, making travel smoother and more convenient. Physical IDs Still Essential – For Now Despite advancements, physical ID documents remain indispensable. Passports and IDs include sophisticated security features, such as holograms and watermarks, that digital systems have yet to replicate. Additionally, the absence of global standards and infrastructure for digital identities limits their widespread adoption. For the time being, traditional passports will continue to serve as the primary identity verification tool for international travel. A Glimpse into the Future: Biometric Corridors The future of travel could see a shift to entirely biometric systems. The European Union’s pilot project for biometric corridors offers a preview of a world without physical passports. After pre-registering their passport and biometric data online, travelers could seamlessly pass through advanced biometric corridors at airports. These corridors use high-tech cameras to verify identity, linking pre-registered data with passenger manifests and sharing this information with destination border authorities. This futuristic system could eliminate the need for manual identity checks upon arrival, creating a seamless and stress-free travel experience. Toward a More Seamless Travel Experience While physical IDs are here to stay for now, digital innovations are paving the way for a future where travel is faster, safer, and more convenient. As biometric and NFC technologies continue to evolve, the vision of a fully digital travel experience is becoming a reality, ensuring that the journey is as enjoyable as the destination.

Hello, Reader... How do you balance the potential for another 20%+ return for the market in 2025 with the growing risk of a fiery crash that ends this bull market? InvestorPlace’s technology investing expert, my friend and colleague Luke Lango , recommends that you “embrace the boom”... while you also “beware the bust.” But how do we do that, exactly? Today, I’m going to share a special video interview between Luke and InvestorPlace Digest Editor Jeff Remsburg in which they dive into this idea in more detail. Their discussion centers around Luke’s new stock screener, Auspex , which is engineered to identify the strongest stocks in the market according to a suite of fundamental, technical, and sentiment indicators. It’s one of the most rigorous, selective screening systems I’ve ever seen, flagging only around 10 to 20 stocks per month out of a universe of 10,000. Luke crunched the historical data, and from September 2019 to September 2024, if rebalanced monthly, Auspex would have returned 1,054%.Over the same period, the S&P 500 returned just 110%. Here are a handful of the other questions Luke and Jeff tackle: I’ll note that Luke’s commentary about 2025’s market conditions by itself is well worth the listen. By the way, if you missed it, Luke held a live event last week that went into even more details about Auspex. We’re making that broadcast available for a limited time, which you can access here. That’s enough introduction from me, folks. Press “play” below to watch for yourself. And once again, here’s the link to Luke’s Auspex Anomaly Event . Now, let’s look at what we covered here at Smart Money this past week... Smart Money Roundup There’s a Multi-Bagger Opportunity in This Classic Daily Routine If you live in the Pacific Northwest, you probably know this company and have frequented one of its drive-through coffee kiosks. If you live anywhere else in the U.S., you probably haven’t... but you will. That is why I’m highlighting a coffee company that I believe is especially attractive to investors right now. History Tells Us That This Is the Best Investing Strategy Similar to how the best predictor of college grades is a student’s high school grades, high performing companies tend to keep doing well once they get going. However, while momentum investing works well, Tom Yeung shares why we get excited when stocks go down. Google’s Quantum Breakthrough Could Change the Way We Invest in... Just About Everything Google’s latest quantum chip – called Willow – has the potential to reshape entire industries. Continue reading to learn how this advancement may impact your investment strategy going forward, especially as we continue down the Road to AGI. What Elon Musk’s Game-Changing Supercomputer Means for the AI Boom... Last month, we learned that Colossus – the world’s largest supercomputer – is about to get a lot bigger. And two AI companies are key in this expansion: Nvidia and Supermicro. My InvestorPlace colleague Louis Navellier discusses the ramifications of this announcement on the AI Boom, and briefly addresses whether investors can feel confident in these names moving forward . Looking Ahead When OpenAI launched ChatGPT two years ago, that was the moment that many consider the dawn of the Age of AI. But the newest development in the world of AI – what Louis Navellier, Luke Lango, and myself are calling AI Day One – is fast approaching. AI Day One will be the biggest, most transformational economic event of our lifetimes. It will also be the biggest investment opportunity of our lifetimes, where we believe the AI appliers will dominate. These are companies that are not at the forefront of producing the material needed to create AI. Instead, they are employing AI technology within their own products and services. Louis, Luke, and I will continue discussing AI Day One – and all that it entails – throughout this week. Stay tuned... Regards, Eric FryIn the early hours of a Wednesday morning, 95-year-old nursing-home resident Clare Nowland climbed out of bed, grabbed her four-wheeled walker and began shuffling through the facility's dimly lit corridors. or signup to continue reading Only a few hours later, the great-grandmother was on her back with a fatal head injury after being tasered by police. The officer who pulled the weapon's trigger was Senior Constable Kristian James Samuel White, who was called to the Yallambee Lodge aged-care centre in the southern NSW town of Cooma on May 17, 2023. Just after 3am that day, Mrs Nowland had arisen before eventually finding her way to a kitchenette, where she grabbed two steak knives and a jar of prunes. The elderly woman, who had symptoms of dementia, was later coaxed out of the rooms of two other residents by nursing staff but refused to move from a third. As a call was made about 4.10am by a registered nurse asking triple zero for an ambulance, Mrs Nowland threw one of the knives at a carer. The blade missed, flying through the doorway and falling harmlessly onto the corridor floor. After staff locked the 95-year-old in the room, she escaped by a back door and vanished. It was into that situation that White arrived with his partner and senior officer, acting Sergeant Jessica Pank, and two paramedics. The four of them searched the grounds with the nurse, eventually finding Mrs Nowland about 5.10am. She was seated next to her walker on a wheeled chair in a treatment room. The 95-year-old was holding the remaining knife and a black penlight. Less than three minutes later, White had discharged his taser, hitting the 95-year-old in the torso, causing her to crumple forward and fall onto her back. "Nah, bugger it," he said before firing. Mrs Nowland was stretchered out of the facility and taken to Cooma Hospital, where she suffered a brain bleed due to the blunt-force trauma she suffered when she hit her head in the fall. She died a week later. After eight hours of deliberations, a NSW Supreme Court jury is yet to decide whether White will be convicted or acquitted of manslaughter. They will reconvene for their deliberations on Monday. The 34-year-old officer has been accused of unlawfully killing Mrs Nowland through either criminal negligence by breaching his duty of care or by committing an unlawful and dangerous act that exposed her to a risk of serious injury. He has always said his decision to fire the Taser was a reasonable use of force that was proportionate to the risk the great-grandmother posed with the knife. "As a violent confrontation was imminent and to prevent injury to police, the Taser was discharged," he wrote in a police entry describing the incident. In bodyworn footage played to the court, White was heard talking to Sgt Pank about the sharpness of the knife and plans to either grab it from her hand or kick the wheels of her walker. Neither strategy succeeded and Mrs Nowland was shot around two and a half minutes after police and paramedics located her. "Oh, s***," Sgt Pank was heard saying as the 95-year-old fell to the floor. "Got her, grab it, grab it, grab it," White yelled, signalling others to seize the knife. After loading Mrs Nowland into the ambulance, Sgt Pank radioed back to Cooma police station. "Female is fine, has small lump on head, the ambos are managing," she said. But one of the paramedics told the court he noticed a large bruise-like mark on Mrs Nowland's head and facial droop, which indicated a significant brain bleed. The 95-year-old's daughter, Lesley Lloyd, said she was initially only told her mother had a fall and had been taken to hospital. It was only later, after they had gathered around her mother's bedside, that she was told the incident involved a police Taser. DAILY Today's top stories curated by our news team. WEEKDAYS Grab a quick bite of today's latest news from around the region and the nation. WEEKLY The latest news, results & expert analysis. WEEKDAYS Catch up on the news of the day and unwind with great reading for your evening. WEEKLY Get the editor's insights: what's happening & why it matters. WEEKLY Love footy? We've got all the action covered. WEEKLY Every Saturday and Tuesday, explore destinations deals, tips & travel writing to transport you around the globe. WEEKLY Going out or staying in? Find out what's on. WEEKDAYS Sharp. Close to the ground. Digging deep. Your weekday morning newsletter on national affairs, politics and more. 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BARCELONA, Spain (AP) — Tens of thousands of Spaniards marched in downtown Barcelona on Saturday to protest the skyrocketing cost of renting an apartment in the popular tourist destination. Protesters cut off traffic on main avenues in the city center, holding up homemade signs in Spanish reading “Fewer apartments for investing and more homes for living" and “The people without homes uphold their rights.” The lack of affordable housing has become one of the leading concerns for the southern European Union country, mirroring the housing crunch across many parts of the world, including the United States . Organizers said that over 170,000 had turned out, while Barcelona’s police said they estimated some 22,000 marched. Either way, the throngs of people clogging the streets recalled the massive separatist rallies at the height of the previous decade’s Catalan independence movement. Now, social concerns led by housing have displaced political crusades. That is because the average rent for Spain has doubled in last 10 years. The price per square meter has risen from 7.2 euros ($7.5) in 2014 to 13 euros this year, according to the popular online real estate website Idealista. The growth is even more acute in cities like Barcelona and Madrid. Incomes meanwhile have failed to keep up, especially for younger people in a country with chronically high unemployment. Protester Samuel Saintot said he is “frustrated and scared” after being told by the owners of the apartment he has rented for the past 15 years in Barcelona’s city center that he must vacate the premises. He suspects that the owners want him out so they can renovate it and boost the price. “Even looking in a 20- or 30-kilometer radius outside town, I can’t even find anything within the price range I can afford,” he told The Associated Press. “And I consider myself a very fortunate person, because I earn a decent salary. And even in my case, I may be forced to leave town.” A report by the Bank of Spain indicates that nearly 40% of Spaniards who rent dedicate an average of 40% of their income to paying rents and utilities, compared to the European Union average of 27% of renters who do so. “We are talking about a housing emergency. It means people having many difficulties both in accessing and staying in their homes,” said Ignasi Martí, professor for Esade business school and head of its Dignified Housing Observatory. The rise in rents is causing significant pain in Spain, where traditionally people seek to own their homes. Rental prices have also been driven up by short-term renters including tourists. Many migrants to Spain are also disproportionately hit by the high rents because they often do not have enough savings. Spain is near the bottom end of OECD countries with under 2% of all housing available being public housing for rent. The OECD average is 7%. Spain is far behind France, with 14%, Britain with 16%, and the Netherlands with 34%. “I think it’s impossible to make prices fall to what they were a few years back. It makes me cry,” said protester Laia Pizjuán. “It's so upsetting. I know so many people who are in a bad situation. I have relatives living together in crowded apartments because they can’t afford to live on their own.” Carme Arcarazo, spokesperson for Barcelona’s Tenants Union which helped organize the protest, said that renters should consider a “rent strike” and cease paying their monthly rents in a mass protest movement. “I think we the tenants have understood that this depends on us. That we can’t keep asking and making demands to the authorities and waiting for an answer. We must take the reins of the situation,” Arcarazo told the AP. “So, if they (the owners) won’t lower the rent, then we will force them to do it." The Barcelona protest came a month after tens of thousands rallied against high rents in Madrid. The rising discontent over housing is putting pressure on Spain’s governing Socialist party, which leads a coalition on the national level and is in charge of Catalonia’s regional government and Barcelona’s city hall. Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez presided over what the government termed a “housing summit” including government officials and real estate developers last month. But the Barcelona’s Tenants Union boycotted the event, saying it was like calling a summit for curing cancer and inviting tobacco companies to participate. The leading government measure has been a rent cap mechanism that the central government has offered to regional authorities based on a price index established by the housing ministry. Rent controls can be applied to areas deemed to be “highly stressed” by high rental prices. Catalonia was the first region to apply those caps, which are in place in downtown Barcelona. Many locals blame the million of tourists who visit Barcelona, and the rest of Spain, each year for the high prices. Barcelona’s town hall has pledged to completely eliminate the city’s 10,000 so called “tourist apartments,” or dwellings with permits for short-term rents, by 2028.“Mind blowing:” Battery cell prices plunge in China’s biggest energy storage auction

Have you ever wanted to find all your favorite NASA technology in one place? NASA stakeholders did, too! We listened to your feedback, brainstormed user-focused features, and created the most robust technology system to date. NASA’s Space Technology Mission Directorate is excited to announce the release of TechPort version 4.0 – your gateway into our technology community. NASA tuned into feedback from the public, industry, academia, and our internal audiences to make significant updates to the TechPort system. From improvements in usability, customizability, and analysis views, users will now be able to search and explore NASA’s vast portfolio of technologies more easily than ever before. “When it comes to the ever-growing advancements in space technology, we need a system that encompasses a modernized look and feel coupled with a more intuitive interface,” said Alesyn Lowry, director for Strategic Planning & Integration for STMD at NASA Headquarters in Washington. “TechPort 4.0 offers just that. As the largest and most significant update to TechPort in the past five years, users will now be able to enjoy the most accessible, user-friendly, and all-encompassing version yet.” Check out the five features of TechPort 4.0 and how they can help you research NASA’s cutting-edge technology projects and partnerships: 1. New and Improved Homepage Featuring a new look and feel, users are able to search NASA’s comprehensive system of vast technologies. Including over 18,000 current and historical NASA technologies, users will now have more access to knowledge about the agency’s technology development at the touch of their fingertips! The modernized look and feel lends itself to a more intuitive interface that upgrades technology search capabilities. 2. Advanced Search One of the most exciting features of TechPort 4.0 is the new capability to search and filter on all fields associated with technologies. This advanced filtering feature will allow users to uncover the exact information they are seeking, creating a more accessible and swifter experience for users. 3. New Grid View Expanding upon the previous view, TechPort 4.0 offers a new grid view that enables users to view even more project data all at once. This upgrade also allows a user to customize all of the fields visible in search results, tailor how the data is sorted, and filter on any visible field. This new view provides a familiar interface tailored to data analysis needs that require rapid review of multiple data facets simultaneously. 4. NASA Technology Taxonomy Recommendation (T-Rex) NASA’s Technology Taxonomy provides a structure for technology classification spanning over 350 categories. The Taxonomy is featured in TechPort, and all technologies in the system align to at least one Taxonomy area, making it easy to view technologies of interest. Technologists from various fields, including academia and nonprofits, now have the opportunity to use the T-Rex tool to automatically classify their technology according to the NASA Taxonomy. Serving as a machine learning model, TechPort will offer more organization and an easier way for users to access relevant information. 5. Funding Opportunities Now, users can get connected, too! If your TechPort research is inspiring you to think about solving an aerospace or technology challenge, TechPort 4.0 gives users easy access to relevant opportunities and information on how to apply. Launch into TechPort 4.0 to embark on your journey into our technology community. With the wide range of improvements in accessibility and customizability, explore NASA technologies like never before! Gabrielle ThawTonight, Survivor Series: WarGames streams live on Peacock in the U.S. and on the WWE Network worldwide, starting at 6 p.m. ET / 3 p.m. PT . This year's event promises to deliver some of the most intense and unforgettable matches of the year, all inside the chaos-filled WarGames structure. How to Watch Survivor Series : WarGames: Date: Saturday, November 30, 2024 Time: 6:00 PM ET Channel/Stream: Peacock Stream: Peacock ( watch now ) The highlight of the night? The Men's and Women's WarGames Matches, where alliances will be tested, chaos will reign, and rivalries will reach their boiling points. In the Men's WarGames Match, a powerhouse team led by Roman Reigns, CM Punk, and the Usos is set to collide with the dominant faction of Solo Sikoa, Tama Tonga, Tonga Loa, Jacob Fatu, and "Big" Bronson Reed. This clash of titans will be a brutal showcase of strength, strategy, and pure grit. On the women's side, a star-studded roster enters the WarGames cage. Rhea Ripley, Bianca Belair, Bayley, Naomi, and IYO SKY will take on a formidable team of Liv Morgan, Nia Jax, Raquel Rodriguez, Tiffany Stratton, and Candice LeRae. Expect high-flying chaos, jaw-dropping moments, and plenty of surprises in this epic showdown. But the WarGames matches aren't the only reason to tune in tonight. Survivor Series boasts a stacked card of championship clashes: With every match bringing its level of intensity, Survivor Series: WarGames is shaping up to be a night for the history books. From the chaos of WarGames to the drama of championship clashes, there's something for every WWE fan to enjoy. Grab your snacks, clear your schedule, and tune in tonight on Peacock . The countdown starts at 4 p.m. ET , and the main event kicks off at 6 p.m. ET . Let the games begin! Who will survive? Find out live tonight at Survivor Series: WarGames! WATCH: WWE Survivor Series: WarGames live on Peacock If you purchase a product or register for an account through one of the links on our site, we may receive compensation.By BILL BARROW, Associated Press ATLANTA (AP) — Jimmy Carter, the peanut farmer who won the presidency in the wake of the Watergate scandal and Vietnam War, endured humbling defeat after one tumultuous term and then redefined life after the White House as a global humanitarian, has died. He was 100 years old. The longest-lived American president died on Sunday, more than a year after entering hospice care , at his home in the small town of Plains, Georgia, where he and his wife, Rosalynn, who died at 96 in November 2023 , spent most of their lives, The Carter Center said. Businessman, Navy officer, evangelist, politician, negotiator, author, woodworker, citizen of the world — Carter forged a path that still challenges political assumptions and stands out among the 45 men who reached the nation’s highest office. The 39th president leveraged his ambition with a keen intellect, deep religious faith and prodigious work ethic, conducting diplomatic missions into his 80s and building houses for the poor well into his 90s. “My faith demands — this is not optional — my faith demands that I do whatever I can, wherever I am, whenever I can, for as long as I can, with whatever I have to try to make a difference,” Carter once said. A moderate Democrat, Carter entered the 1976 presidential race as a little-known Georgia governor with a broad smile, outspoken Baptist mores and technocratic plans reflecting his education as an engineer. His no-frills campaign depended on public financing, and his promise not to deceive the American people resonated after Richard Nixon’s disgrace and U.S. defeat in southeast Asia. “If I ever lie to you, if I ever make a misleading statement, don’t vote for me. I would not deserve to be your president,” Carter repeated before narrowly beating Republican incumbent Gerald Ford, who had lost popularity pardoning Nixon. Carter governed amid Cold War pressures, turbulent oil markets and social upheaval over racism, women’s rights and America’s global role. His most acclaimed achievement in office was a Mideast peace deal that he brokered by keeping Egyptian President Anwar Sadat and Israeli Prime Minister Menachem Begin at the bargaining table for 13 days in 1978. That Camp David experience inspired the post-presidential center where Carter would establish so much of his legacy. Yet Carter’s electoral coalition splintered under double-digit inflation, gasoline lines and the 444-day hostage crisis in Iran. His bleakest hour came when eight Americans died in a failed hostage rescue in April 1980, helping to ensure his landslide defeat to Republican Ronald Reagan. Carter acknowledged in his 2020 “White House Diary” that he could be “micromanaging” and “excessively autocratic,” complicating dealings with Congress and the federal bureaucracy. He also turned a cold shoulder to Washington’s news media and lobbyists, not fully appreciating their influence on his political fortunes. “It didn’t take us long to realize that the underestimation existed, but by that time we were not able to repair the mistake,” Carter told historians in 1982, suggesting that he had “an inherent incompatibility” with Washington insiders. Carter insisted his overall approach was sound and that he achieved his primary objectives — to “protect our nation’s security and interests peacefully” and “enhance human rights here and abroad” — even if he fell spectacularly short of a second term. Ignominious defeat, though, allowed for renewal. The Carters founded The Carter Center in 1982 as a first-of-its-kind base of operations, asserting themselves as international peacemakers and champions of democracy, public health and human rights. “I was not interested in just building a museum or storing my White House records and memorabilia,” Carter wrote in a memoir published after his 90th birthday. “I wanted a place where we could work.” That work included easing nuclear tensions in North and South Korea, helping to avert a U.S. invasion of Haiti and negotiating cease-fires in Bosnia and Sudan. By 2022, The Carter Center had declared at least 113 elections in Latin America, Asia and Africa to be free or fraudulent. Recently, the center began monitoring U.S. elections as well. Carter’s stubborn self-assuredness and even self-righteousness proved effective once he was unencumbered by the Washington order, sometimes to the point of frustrating his successors . He went “where others are not treading,” he said, to places like Ethiopia, Liberia and North Korea, where he secured the release of an American who had wandered across the border in 2010. “I can say what I like. I can meet whom I want. I can take on projects that please me and reject the ones that don’t,” Carter said. He announced an arms-reduction-for-aid deal with North Korea without clearing the details with Bill Clinton’s White House. He openly criticized President George W. Bush for the 2003 invasion of Iraq. He also criticized America’s approach to Israel with his 2006 book “Palestine: Peace Not Apartheid.” And he repeatedly countered U.S. administrations by insisting North Korea should be included in international affairs, a position that most aligned Carter with Republican President Donald Trump. Among the center’s many public health initiatives, Carter vowed to eradicate the guinea worm parasite during his lifetime, and nearly achieved it: Cases dropped from millions in the 1980s to nearly a handful. With hardhats and hammers, the Carters also built homes with Habitat for Humanity. The Nobel committee’s 2002 Peace Prize cites his “untiring effort to find peaceful solutions to international conflicts, to advance democracy and human rights, and to promote economic and social development.” Carter should have won it alongside Sadat and Begin in 1978, the chairman added. Carter accepted the recognition saying there was more work to be done. “The world is now, in many ways, a more dangerous place,” he said. “The greater ease of travel and communication has not been matched by equal understanding and mutual respect.” Carter’s globetrotting took him to remote villages where he met little “Jimmy Carters,” so named by admiring parents. But he spent most of his days in the same one-story Plains house — expanded and guarded by Secret Service agents — where they lived before he became governor. He regularly taught Sunday School lessons at Maranatha Baptist Church until his mobility declined and the coronavirus pandemic raged. Those sessions drew visitors from around the world to the small sanctuary where Carter will receive his final send-off after a state funeral at Washington’s National Cathedral. The common assessment that he was a better ex-president than president rankled Carter and his allies. His prolific post-presidency gave him a brand above politics, particularly for Americans too young to witness him in office. But Carter also lived long enough to see biographers and historians reassess his White House years more generously. His record includes the deregulation of key industries, reduction of U.S. dependence on foreign oil, cautious management of the national debt and notable legislation on the environment, education and mental health. He focused on human rights in foreign policy, pressuring dictators to release thousands of political prisoners . He acknowledged America’s historical imperialism, pardoned Vietnam War draft evaders and relinquished control of the Panama Canal. He normalized relations with China. “I am not nominating Jimmy Carter for a place on Mount Rushmore,” Stuart Eizenstat, Carter’s domestic policy director, wrote in a 2018 book. “He was not a great president” but also not the “hapless and weak” caricature voters rejected in 1980, Eizenstat said. Rather, Carter was “good and productive” and “delivered results, many of which were realized only after he left office.” Madeleine Albright, a national security staffer for Carter and Clinton’s secretary of state, wrote in Eizenstat’s forward that Carter was “consequential and successful” and expressed hope that “perceptions will continue to evolve” about his presidency. “Our country was lucky to have him as our leader,” said Albright, who died in 2022. Jonathan Alter, who penned a comprehensive Carter biography published in 2020, said in an interview that Carter should be remembered for “an epic American life” spanning from a humble start in a home with no electricity or indoor plumbing through decades on the world stage across two centuries. “He will likely go down as one of the most misunderstood and underestimated figures in American history,” Alter told The Associated Press. James Earl Carter Jr. was born Oct. 1, 1924, in Plains and spent his early years in nearby Archery. His family was a minority in the mostly Black community, decades before the civil rights movement played out at the dawn of Carter’s political career. Carter, who campaigned as a moderate on race relations but governed more progressively, talked often of the influence of his Black caregivers and playmates but also noted his advantages: His land-owning father sat atop Archery’s tenant-farming system and owned a main street grocery. His mother, Lillian , would become a staple of his political campaigns. Seeking to broaden his world beyond Plains and its population of fewer than 1,000 — then and now — Carter won an appointment to the U.S. Naval Academy, graduating in 1946. That same year he married Rosalynn Smith, another Plains native, a decision he considered more important than any he made as head of state. She shared his desire to see the world, sacrificing college to support his Navy career. Carter climbed in rank to lieutenant, but then his father was diagnosed with cancer, so the submarine officer set aside his ambitions of admiralty and moved the family back to Plains. His decision angered Rosalynn, even as she dived into the peanut business alongside her husband. Carter again failed to talk with his wife before his first run for office — he later called it “inconceivable” not to have consulted her on such major life decisions — but this time, she was on board. “My wife is much more political,” Carter told the AP in 2021. He won a state Senate seat in 1962 but wasn’t long for the General Assembly and its back-slapping, deal-cutting ways. He ran for governor in 1966 — losing to arch-segregationist Lester Maddox — and then immediately focused on the next campaign. Carter had spoken out against church segregation as a Baptist deacon and opposed racist “Dixiecrats” as a state senator. Yet as a local school board leader in the 1950s he had not pushed to end school segregation even after the Supreme Court’s Brown v. Board of Education decision, despite his private support for integration. And in 1970, Carter ran for governor again as the more conservative Democrat against Carl Sanders, a wealthy businessman Carter mocked as “Cufflinks Carl.” Sanders never forgave him for anonymous, race-baiting flyers, which Carter disavowed. Ultimately, Carter won his races by attracting both Black voters and culturally conservative whites. Once in office, he was more direct. “I say to you quite frankly that the time for racial discrimination is over,” he declared in his 1971 inaugural address, setting a new standard for Southern governors that landed him on the cover of Time magazine. His statehouse initiatives included environmental protection, boosting rural education and overhauling antiquated executive branch structures. He proclaimed Martin Luther King Jr. Day in the slain civil rights leader’s home state. And he decided, as he received presidential candidates in 1972, that they were no more talented than he was. In 1974, he ran Democrats’ national campaign arm. Then he declared his own candidacy for 1976. An Atlanta newspaper responded with the headline: “Jimmy Who?” The Carters and a “Peanut Brigade” of family members and Georgia supporters camped out in Iowa and New Hampshire, establishing both states as presidential proving grounds. His first Senate endorsement: a young first-termer from Delaware named Joe Biden. Yet it was Carter’s ability to navigate America’s complex racial and rural politics that cemented the nomination. He swept the Deep South that November, the last Democrat to do so, as many white Southerners shifted to Republicans in response to civil rights initiatives. A self-declared “born-again Christian,” Carter drew snickers by referring to Scripture in a Playboy magazine interview, saying he “had looked on many women with lust. I’ve committed adultery in my heart many times.” The remarks gave Ford a new foothold and television comedians pounced — including NBC’s new “Saturday Night Live” show. But voters weary of cynicism in politics found it endearing. Carter chose Minnesota Sen. Walter “Fritz” Mondale as his running mate on a “Grits and Fritz” ticket. In office, he elevated the vice presidency and the first lady’s office. Mondale’s governing partnership was a model for influential successors Al Gore, Dick Cheney and Biden. Rosalynn Carter was one of the most involved presidential spouses in history, welcomed into Cabinet meetings and huddles with lawmakers and top aides. The Carters presided with uncommon informality: He used his nickname “Jimmy” even when taking the oath of office, carried his own luggage and tried to silence the Marine Band’s “Hail to the Chief.” They bought their clothes off the rack. Carter wore a cardigan for a White House address, urging Americans to conserve energy by turning down their thermostats. Amy, the youngest of four children, attended District of Columbia public school. Washington’s social and media elite scorned their style. But the larger concern was that “he hated politics,” according to Eizenstat, leaving him nowhere to turn politically once economic turmoil and foreign policy challenges took their toll. Carter partially deregulated the airline, railroad and trucking industries and established the departments of Education and Energy, and the Federal Emergency Management Agency. He designated millions of acres of Alaska as national parks or wildlife refuges. He appointed a then-record number of women and nonwhite people to federal posts. He never had a Supreme Court nomination, but he elevated civil rights attorney Ruth Bader Ginsburg to the nation’s second highest court, positioning her for a promotion in 1993. He appointed Paul Volker, the Federal Reserve chairman whose policies would help the economy boom in the 1980s — after Carter left office. He built on Nixon’s opening with China, and though he tolerated autocrats in Asia, pushed Latin America from dictatorships to democracy. But he couldn’t immediately tame inflation or the related energy crisis. And then came Iran. After he admitted the exiled Shah of Iran to the U.S. for medical treatment, the American Embassy in Tehran was overrun in 1979 by followers of the Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini. Negotiations to free the hostages broke down repeatedly ahead of the failed rescue attempt. The same year, Carter signed SALT II, the new strategic arms treaty with Leonid Brezhnev of the Soviet Union, only to pull it back, impose trade sanctions and order a U.S. boycott of the Moscow Olympics after the Soviets invaded Afghanistan. Hoping to instill optimism, he delivered what the media dubbed his “malaise” speech, although he didn’t use that word. He declared the nation was suffering “a crisis of confidence.” By then, many Americans had lost confidence in the president, not themselves. Carter campaigned sparingly for reelection because of the hostage crisis, instead sending Rosalynn as Sen. Edward M. Kennedy challenged him for the Democratic nomination. Carter famously said he’d “kick his ass,” but was hobbled by Kennedy as Reagan rallied a broad coalition with “make America great again” appeals and asking voters whether they were “better off than you were four years ago.” Reagan further capitalized on Carter’s lecturing tone, eviscerating him in their lone fall debate with the quip: “There you go again.” Carter lost all but six states and Republicans rolled to a new Senate majority. Carter successfully negotiated the hostages’ freedom after the election, but in one final, bitter turn of events, Tehran waited until hours after Carter left office to let them walk free. At 56, Carter returned to Georgia with “no idea what I would do with the rest of my life.” Four decades after launching The Carter Center, he still talked of unfinished business. “I thought when we got into politics we would have resolved everything,” Carter told the AP in 2021. “But it’s turned out to be much more long-lasting and insidious than I had thought it was. I think in general, the world itself is much more divided than in previous years.” Still, he affirmed what he said when he underwent treatment for a cancer diagnosis in his 10th decade of life. “I’m perfectly at ease with whatever comes,” he said in 2015 . “I’ve had a wonderful life. I’ve had thousands of friends, I’ve had an exciting, adventurous and gratifying existence.” ___ Former Associated Press journalist Alex Sanz contributed to this report.

Sir Keir Starmer was speaking at the Joint Expeditionary Force (JEF) conference in Estonia where he met leaders of other Baltic states. After signing an energy partnership with Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Store in Bergen, Sir Keir flew to Estonia where he spoke alongside Mr Store and their Estonian counterpart Kristen Michal. Asked what else could be done to support Ukraine, Sir Keir said: “There is an ever-increasing demand for more capability. That is understandable, and Ukraine needs all the capability that it can get, so I think all of us have put in more capability into Ukraine by way of equipment.” He added: “A lot of money has been raised, funding has been raised, but more is going to be needed.” The Prime Minister’s also discussed making the economic case at home for continued support for Ukraine. Sir Keir said: “Making the case on the significance of Ukraine, making the case, to double down, linking it back to each of our countries – what does it mean for us if Russia succeeds, is a really important question that we have to answer with our people to make it clear why it is that we are so supportive of Ukraine, why it is that we must stand with our allies on this, why it is we must make sure that Nato is put in the strongest position as well. “Now, this is a different world to the world of 10, 20 years ago, to recognise the world that we are living in, there’s a positive case as well to be made. “Defence spending doesn’t sort of sit in a silo over here with no effect on the rest of the economy, no effect on technology. “It has a huge effect on technologies, the cutting edge of technology and change which can then be used in other areas. “It binds countries together. I think all of us have got joint projects on in terms of defence capabilities that bind us together. There’s a huge number of well-paid jobs that are very important to our economy in defence spending as well. “But we have to make that positive case. I don’t personally feel that we can sort of sit back and assume that all of those in our respective countries necessarily accept all of our arguments unless we make them in that positive way, which I do think the argument can and should and must be made. “But the challenge that you put to us is the right challenge, which is it’s very difficult when finances are tight, as they are in all of our countries.” On Tuesday morning the Prime Minister will meet Taavi Madiberk, the founder of Estonian tech start-up manufacturing low-cost air defence missiles, Frankenburg Technologies, which is planning to open a new office in London Specialising in the manufacture of the missiles, the rapidly growing company already collaborates closely with the UK defence industry, sourcing a significant portion of its subsystems locally, including from propulsion specialists Roxel in Worcestershire. The Prime Minister will again attend the JEF summit, joining leaders from the Nordics and Baltics to discuss support for Ukraine, the sustained threat posed by Russia and wider European security. He will then visit British forces serving in the region to deter malign Russian threats.Metabolism Assays Market Future Scope, Size, Share, Growing Trends & Demand, Opportunities, Key Segments And Forecast To 2028 12-16-2024 11:56 PM CET | Health & Medicine Press release from: ABNewswire Major players in metabolism assays market include Merck KGaA (Germany), Thermo Fisher (US), Abcam Plc. (UK), Agilent Technologies Inc. (US), and Kaneka Eurogentec S.A. (Belgium). Browse 126 market data Tables and 38 Figures spread through 192 Pages and in-depth TOC on "Metabolism Assays Market by Product (Instruments, Assays Kits), Technology (Colorimetry, Fluorimetry, Spectrometry), Application (Diagnostics (Diabetes, Obesity), Research), End User (Hospitals, Diagnostic Laboratories), & Region - Global Forecast to 2028 Metabolism Assays Market [ https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/Market-Reports/metabolism-assays-market-135163479.html?utm_source=abnewswire.com&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=paidpr ] in terms of revenue was estimated to be worth $1.4 billion in 2023 and is poised to reach $2.1 billion by 2028, growing at a CAGR of 7.8% from 2023 to 2028 according to a new report by MarketsandMarkets Trademark . The growth of this market is majorly driven by rising initiatives by government to promote metabolic & disease research, innovation in metabolism assays technology by integrating with wearable devices, increase in prevalence of metabolic disorders such as diabetes and obesity, and adoption of metabolism assays by fitness and sports industries. Download an Illustrative overview: https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/pdfdownloadNew.asp?id=135163479 [ https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/pdfdownloadNew.asp?id=135163479&utm_source=abnewswire.com&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=paidpr ] Assay Kits and reagents segment is expected to account for the larger share in 2022. The metabolism assay market, by product, has been segmented into instruments & analyzers and assay kits & reagents. In 2022, the assay kits & reagents dominated the products market and are also estimated to grow at the highest CAGR during the forecast period. The large share is due to the recurrence of assay kits & reagents and easy availability. The diagnostic segment held the largest market share in the metabolism assay market. By application, the global metabolism assay market is broadly segmented into diagnostics and research. The diagnostics segment accounted for the larger share of the market in 2022. The diagnostics segment is also estimated to grow at the highest CAGR during the forecast period. The large share of this segment can be attributed to various factors, such as the growing number of obese population and the growing number of hospitals which are important end users for metabolism assays. North America dominates the global metabolism assay market. Based on the region, the metabolism assay market is segmented into North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, and Rest of the World. North American market is driven by well-established pharmaceutical and biotechnology industry, investments around drug discovery and toxicity testing. The Asia Pacific segment is projected to register the highest CAGR during the forecast period. The presence of a large population base coupled with large patient population and increasing rate of obesity are some of the major factors driving the growth of this regional market. Request Sample Pages: https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/requestsampleNew.asp?id=135163479 [ https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/requestsampleNew.asp?id=135163479&utm_source=abnewswire.com&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=paidpr ] Metabolism Assays Market Dynamics: Drivers: 1. Increasing funding and investments in metabolic research Restraints: 1. High cost of metabolism assay analyzers Opportunities: 1. Integration with wearable devices Challenge: 1. Complexity of assay development Key Market Players: Major players in metabolism assays market include Merck KGaA (Germany), Thermo Fisher (US), Abcam Plc. (UK), Agilent Technologies Inc. (US), and Kaneka Eurogentec S.A. (Belgium). Get 10% Free Customization on this Report: https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/requestCustomizationNew.asp?id=135163479 [ https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/requestCustomizationNew.asp?id=135163479&utm_source=abnewswire.com&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=paidpr ] Media Contact Company Name: MarketsandMarkets Trademark Research Private Ltd. Contact Person: Mr. Rohan Salgarkar Email:Send Email [ https://www.abnewswire.com/email_contact_us.php?pr=metabolism-assays-market-future-scope-size-share-growing-trends-demand-opportunities-key-segments-and-forecast-to-2028 ] Phone: 18886006441 Address:1615 South Congress Ave. Suite 103, Delray Beach, FL 33445 City: Florida State: Florida Country: United States Website: https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/Market-Reports/metabolism-assays-market-135163479.html This release was published on openPR.

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The fifth generation of home video game consoles saw a new competitor step up to the plate to disrupt the everlasting war between Sega and Nintendo: Sony's PlayStation. The original PlayStation, now usually referred to as the PS1, was an absolute powerhouse of a console, described by press at the time as "a technical marvel." Thanks in large part to the use of CDs as the media format, which allowed relatively large amounts of data compared to the cartridges used by the Nintendo 64. These factors combined to make the console a very attractive platform for developers, and boy did they deliver. Thousands of games were released on the PS1, and while not all of them were good, there are some real bangers in the PlayStation's library. That's why we've sorted through the list and picked out 10 of the best PS1 games ever made. Castlevania: Symphony of the Night Castlevania: Symphony of the Night is one of two games that ultimately inspired the entire metroidvania genre, the other being Super Metroid. The modern genre definitely takes more from Symphony of the Night, an absolutely fantastic reimagining of the Castlevania series that sees you playing as Dracula's son, Alucard. It's got some absolutely fantastic 2D pixel art, incredible non-linear progression that was definitely ahead of its time, and some of the best gameplay in the series. Looney Tunes: Sheep Raider If you grew up in PAL regions, you'll know this game as Sheep, Dog 'n' Wolf, but no matter what you call it, you'll want to play it. Sheep Raider is a puzzle platforming game in which you play as Ralph Wolf, a classic Looney Tunes character, and have to come up with inventive and ridiculous ways to steal sheep under the watchful eye of Sam Sheepdog. It's easily among the best PS1 games ever made, and in terms of puzzle platformers, it's probably the best on the console. Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 2 If you somehow haven't heard of Tony Hawk's Pro Skater, this is your wake up call. The second game in the pro skating video game series, THPS2 brings fantastic new stages, new tricks, a very good career mode, and of course, some of the best licensed music in any video game ever. You need to play this game. Ape Escape How does one even describe Ape Escape? It's kind of a platformer, but also kind of a puzzle game, depending on how you look at it. Either way, it's a game in which you chase down monkeys through time and space to catch them and prevent them from rewriting history. It's as weird as it sounds, but it's a lot of fun, as long as you can get used to the unique two-stick control scheme. Final Fantasy IX Any of the PS1's Final Fantasy games would be a worthy addition to the list, but FF9 truly is fantastic. The main cast is just wonderful – Vivi especially – and the world is exciting, but the combat is where the game really shines. After a few different games with the ATB system, FF9 really nailed it down. Its story might not be quite as compelling as FF7, but it offers a much rounder experience overall. Silent Hill Silent Hill is one of the best horror games ever made, on the PS1 or otherwise. It's spooky, it's filled with drama and touching emotion, it's a little bit goofy, but it's all 100% fantastic. The graphics, the sound design, the incredible soundtrack, the monsters, and even the admittedly frustrating combat — they all come together to make an experience that's just about perfect for the era. Tekken 3 Tekken might not be quite the juggernaut it used to be back in the day, but gosh what a wonderful era that was back on the PS1. The first two Tekken games were fantastic conversions of the arcade game to console, but Tekken 3 really went above and beyond, including mostly new characters across its entire roster, a beat 'em up mode, a beach volleyball mode, and more. It also introduced Eddy Gordo, who was absolutely busted in Tekken 3 and has become a staple of the series in the years since. PaRappa the Rapper Looking back on PaRappa the Rapper in 2024, it would be easy to think it's just another rhythm game, but it may surprise you to learn that it was actually the first true rhythm game ever made. Its release in 1996 came two years before the release of Dance Dance Revolution, and it's hard to overstate the influence that PaRappa had on the entire genre. And why wouldn't it? The gameplay was sound, the graphics were fun and silly, and the songs were absolutely incredible. Rapping a song about bargaining at the flea market with a Jamaican frog sounds very dumb, but somehow it just works, and it was easy for anybody of any age to get on board with.

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By A Staff Reporter,Kathmandu,Dec,1: Foreign Minister Dr. Arzu Rana Deuba has said that the implementation plan of the China promoted Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) will proceed based on mutual agreement between Nepal and China. “Nepal had signed the BRI framework agreement in 2017, and discussions are ongoing regarding its implementation plan. Any progress on the BRI would be based on mutual understanding between the two nations and a consensus within Nepal,” she said during a press briefing at the Tribhuvan International Airport upon her return from an official visit to China on Saturday. She completed a 3-day visit to China which happened at the invitation of her Chinese counterpart Wang Yi. The visit also set grounds for the visit of Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli to China who will embark on a 4-day visit from 2 to 5 November. According to her, Nepal is currently not in a position to take loans for projects under BRI so discussions with the Chinese government have focused on pursuing grants instead. "The Nepali Congress has already decided formally to advance these projects under grant assistance, and this decision is well-known to our coalition partner, the CPN-UML. We are holding discussions to move forward on this basis," said FM Dr. Rana. Dr. Rana reiterated the longstanding friendly and close ties between Nepal and China, describing her visit as a continuation of efforts to further strengthen these historic relations. She acknowledged the role of high-level visits in deepening bilateral relations and expanding people-to-people connections. During her visit, she held cordial bilateral talks with Chinese FM Wang. The discussions covered various aspects of Nepal-China relations, including preparations for the upcoming visit to China by Nepal’s Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli. “The talks focused on maximising opportunities for mutual benefit, including enhancing trade, investment, cross-border connectivity, and socio-economic partnerships,” she said. Dr. Rana shared Nepal's commitment to centring its ties with China on these areas, to which Minister Wang Yi expressed a positive response, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA) of Nepal said in a statement. See Page 6 She also underlined the importance of multi-faceted cooperation between the two nations, noting that discussions had touched upon political, economic, cultural, and tourism-related topics, alongside trade, investment, and air connectivity. According to Dr. Rana reported that both sides agreed to expedite the implementation of agreements and understandings reached during past high-level visits. She expressed confidence that her visit had played a vital role in building mutual trust and further deepening the historic ties between Nepal and China. The Foreign Minister returned to Nepal on Saturday from Chengdu, Sichuan Province, where she had held bilateral meeting with Chinese FM Wang on Friday.

By DEE-ANN DURBIN and MANUEL VALDES, Associated Press SEATAC, Washington (AP) — Background music is no longer an afterthought at many airports, which are hiring local musicians and carefully curating playlists to help lighten travelers’ moods . London’s Heathrow Airport built a stage to showcase emerging British performers for the first time this summer. The program was so successful the airport hopes to bring it back in 2025. Nashville International Airport has five stages that host more than 800 performances per year, from country musicians to jazz combos. In the Dominican Republic , Punta Cana International Airport greets passengers with live merengue music. Tiffany Idiart and her two nieces were delighted to hear musicians during a recent layover at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport . “I like it. There’s a lot of people here and they can all hear it,” said Grace Idiart, 9. “If their flight got delayed or something like that, they could have had a hard day. And so the music could have made them feel better.” Airports are also carefully curating their recorded playlists. Detroit Metro Airport plays Motown hits in a tunnel connecting its terminals. Austin-Bergstrom International Airport in Texas has a playlist of local artists compiled by an area radio station. Singapore’s Changi Airport commissioned a special piano accompaniment for its giant digital waterfall. Music isn’t a new phenomenon in airport terminals. Brian Eno’s “Music for Airports,” an album released in 1978, helped define the ambient music genre. It’s minimalist and designed to calm. But Barry McPhillips, the head of international creative for Mood Media, which provides music for airports and other public spaces, said technology is enabling background music to be less generic and more tailored to specific places or times of day. Mood Media – formerly known as Muzak – develops playlists to appeal to business travelers or families depending on who’s in the airport at any given time. It might program calmer music in the security line but something more energizing in the duty-free store. “We see it as a soundscape,” McPhillips said. “We design for all of these moments.” There’s a science to Mood Music’s decisions on volume, tempo, even whether to play a song in a major key versus a minor one, he added. “How do we want to affect their mood at that moment?” McPhillips said. “It’s not just like, ‘Here’s a load of songs.’ It’s a load of songs for that 10-minute segment, and then we move to the next 10 minutes.” At the same time, many airports are going low-tech, hiring local musicians to serenade travelers and give them a sense of the place they’re passing through. Chicago’s O’Hare and Midway airports have more than 100 live performances each year. Phoenix’s Sky Harbor International Airport began a live music program five years ago and now has two stages featuring local artists. Tami Kuiken, the manager of airport music in Seattle, said the Seattle-Tacoma airport launched its live music program about a decade ago after a city commissioner heard live music at the airport in Austin, Texas . “The idea was like, ’Man, why doesn’t Seattle have music? We’re a music city too,” Kuiken said. At first, the airport created a playlist featuring emerging artists along with famous ones like Pearl Jam . Then it decided to try live musicians for a 12-week trial. It was so successful that the airport now features live musicians daily and is building new performance spaces. “People’s anxiety levels are very high when they’re traveling,” Kuiken said. “The feedback that we started getting was that once they got through the checkpoint and they were greeted with music, all of a sudden their anxiety and stress levels dropped.” The programs also benefit musicians, who get paid to perform and gain wider exposure. When Colorado Springs Airport announced a live music program in March, more than 150 musicians applied. It now hosts two two-hour performances each week. David James, a singer and guitarist who plays at Seattle’s airport about once a week, said waking up in time for a daytime gig took some adjustment. But he’s gained new fans from all over the world. “I get really sweet responses from people all the time, saying, ‘That was so soothing to be able to just sit and listen to music in between flights,’” James said. “So it feels like it’s especially therapeutic for people.” Country stars like Blake Shelton and Keith Urban have come through Nashville’s airport and interacted with local musicians, said Stacey Nickens, the airport’s vice president of corporate communications and marketing. Shelton even gave one his guitar. Otto Stuparitz, a musicologist and lecturer at the University of Amsterdam who has studied airport music, said airports should think carefully about their selections. Music that’s meant to be actively listened to – like live music or catchy pop songs – can be very distracting in an already chaotic environment, he said. He has noticed some airports – especially in Europe — turning off piped melodies altogether. But McPhillips said big spaces like airports can feel cold and unwelcoming without background music. “A well-crafted audio strategy is one that people aren’t particularly cognizant of,” he said. “They just know they’re having a good time and that it’s appropriate.” Durbin reported from Detroit.

Jimmy Carter, the 39th US president, has died at 100