jili slot logo png NASSAU, Bahamas (AP) — Javon Small scored five of his 31 points in overtime and Tucker DeVries added key free throws late in regulation and finished with 16 points as West Virginia beat No. 3 Gonzaga 86-78 in the Battle 4 Atlantis on Wednesday. Small's layup with under 2 minutes left in OT gave West Virginia a 79-75 lead. After a Gonzaga miss, Sencire Harris hit two free throws to make it a six-point lead. With 27.1 seconds left, Harris made a steal and scored on a dunk for an eight-point lead, putting the game out of reach. Amani Hansberry scored a career-high 19 points and Toby Okani added 10 for West Virginia (3-2). Braden Huff scored 19 points and Khalif Battle 16 for Gonzaga (5-1). Gonzaga showed its depth, outscoring the West Virginia bench 30-2. West Virginia’s only loss was by 24 points at Pitt, but the rebuild under Darian DeVries is showing promise. Gonzaga turned it over at midcourt late in regulation when Tucker DeVries poked it away from Nolan Hickman and raced the other way before getting fouled. DeVries made two free throws with 5.9 seconds left to tie it at 71-all. Battle inbounded the ball and got it back, but lost control on a drive as time expired. The shorter Mountaineers outrebounded Gonzaga 42-36 and shot 50% in the second half, battling the Zags to a draw in the paint. Nembhard had 12 assists and just one turnover in 43 minutes, but was 1 of 10 from the field. West Virginia will play Louisville on Thursday in the winner's bracket. Gonzaga faces No. 14 Indiana on the consolation side. ___ Get poll alerts and updates on the AP Top 25 throughout the season. Sign up here . AP college basketball: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-basketball-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/college-basketball

When Ukrainian fighters began reporting back to family and friends that they could use more and better-quality drones to combat Russian forces, average Ukrainians swung into action. Today a civilian drone assembly operation – including in people’s homes – is helping many military units to stave off an encroaching enemy. In October, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy told foreign arms manufacturers that Ukraine is now capable of producing 4 million drones annually, with private companies, the military, and civilians all playing a role. Hennadii Mischevskyi, director of testing at Social Drone, a volunteer drone assembly group based in Kyiv, assembles drones at his dining room table, sometimes drawing on the help of his 7-year-old daughter. Social Drone started out a little over a year ago with three friends assembling five to 10 camera-carrying drones a week for one front-line army unit. Today Social Drones’ stable of 1,200 volunteers assembles about 700 drones a week. “If I want to live in an independent Ukraine, if I want my children to grow up in a free country, I feel I have to do something to help those who are fighting on the front lines,” Mr. Mischevskyi says. “I think the growth of our group indicates just how much Ukrainians feel the same.” Sometimes when Hennadii Mischevskyi is assembling military drones on his dining room table, his 7-year-old daughter leans on him and asks a very 7-year-old-child’s question: Why can’t you come play with me? “I tell her Daddy is busy helping our country; I’m helping the army do its job better so they can help us,” he says. “Sometimes she asks if she can help, so I let her sort the little screws that are part of the assembly,” he adds. “I can tell she is happy to join in.” Mr. Mischevskyi and his home drone assembly operation are a small piece of a nationwide civilian effort in Ukraine to supply the military with many of the thousands of drones it uses every month in the war with Russia. Reminiscent of American and British civilian involvement during World War II – which ranged from the collecting of used foil to women working in factories – Ukraine’s civilian drone assembly operation is a critical factor in many army units’ ability to stave off an encroaching enemy. Including the fundraising drives that finance the drone production, the nationwide operation offers insight into how much average Ukrainians remain involved in their country’s defense 1,000 days into the war. “If I want to live in an independent Ukraine, if I want my children to grow up in a free country, I feel I have to do something to help those who are fighting on the front lines,” says Mr. Mischevskyi, director of testing at Social Drone, a volunteer drone assembly group based in Kyiv. “I think the growth of our group indicates just how much Ukrainians feel the same and want to do something to help.” Indeed, Social Drone started out a little over a year ago with three friends assembling five to 10 camera-carrying drones a week for one front-line army unit. Today Social Drones’ stable of 1,200 volunteers assembles about 700 drones a week. In October, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy told foreign arms manufacturers that Ukraine is now capable of producing 4 million drones annually, with private companies, the military, and civilians all playing a role. The drone assembly campaign grew out of the surge in volunteering and civic involvement following Russia’s invasion in February 2022. Groups sprung up to help families displaced by the war and to furnish soldiers with everything from medical supplies to warm socks. When family members and friends in combat units began reporting back that they could use more and better-quality drones, average Ukrainians swung into action. One example is Klyn Drones in Kyiv. It started out as a volunteer group replacing homes’ war-damaged roofs, and then shifted to drone assembly this past spring when group members decided they wanted to do something to contribute to Ukraine’s defense. “We decided [drone assembly] would be a more effective means of being involved,” says Andrii Yukhno, an engineer who runs Klyn Drones out of a basement along with two friends and two adopted dogs. “To be honest,” he adds, “we thought it would allow us to be directly involved in the elimination of the enemy.” Six months later, Klyn – whose name means “wedge” or describes the V formation of migrating geese – delivers drones in batches of 150 to army units they have established a relationship with. In return, the soldiers send back drone footage that demonstrates their effectiveness. “We’ve received videos of our drones striking Russian armed vehicles and targeting Russian tanks,” Mr. Yukhno says. “That gives us the sense of direct involvement in defending our country that we were looking for.” Those videos are also an important piece of Klyn’s fundraising – the success of which determines the pace of the group’s drone production. “We’re finding that the initial high involvement of regular people has started to drop off as more people live their lives almost as if the war doesn’t exist,” Mr. Yukhno says. “So the videos with our drones in action remind people of the part we all have to play in defeating the enemy.” Donors who give enough are allowed to name a drone or inscribe one with a message. “People choose the name of the village they are from that Russia has destroyed, or the name of a loved one who was killed in the fighting,” he says. Such videos are also crucial for the fundraising organized by Oleksandra, a conference interpreter and mother in Odesa who, like some others interviewed, asked that her last name be withheld. The video that “really works” with donors, she says, has a kamikaze drone striking new units of Russian soldiers. “When the [operator] doing the voiceover shouts ‘Woo-hoo!’ that’s when [donors] really respond.” Oleksandra says she considered assembling drones but realized fundraising fit better with her skills and schedule. Recently, wanting to do more, she has started combing the internet to find quality drone parts at the best price. Most parts still come from China, but a growing share of drone kits and parts are produced in Ukraine. “I just feel that if we can’t be on the front line, we should all be involved somehow to win this war and preserve our independence,” Oleksandra says. Back at Klyn Drones, in a space the size of a small classroom, Mr. Yukhno and fellow assemblers Sasha and Stanislav do the painstaking work of drone-building. They wield small screw drivers, tweezers, and solder guns, with dogs Lilou and Leonia – both strays picked up in abandoned villages – at their feet. Ukraine’s defense ministry contracts with big companies to provide large orders of drones. But civilian assemblers say the military units they supply often express their preference for the models produced by the volunteer cottage industry. “We pay attention to the quality of our work and pride ourselves on delivering a product that will serve our soldiers well,” says Mr. Yukhno. To illustrate, Sasha points out the difference in soldering quality between a Klyn drone and a commercial model. At Social Drone, Mr. Mischevskyi says the army units they work with know by now they can trust the product to work right out of the box because every drone gets a test flight – not the case, he says, with more mass-produced drones. Units can alter specifications with small producers and expect faster turnaround if they suddenly need drones with, say, night vision or heavier weapons-delivery capacity. At Tricky Drones in Odesa, co-founder and drone engineer Andrii Iavorskyi shows off a stack of boxed drones ready for shipment. As he shows a visitor around Tricky’s two-room operation just off a leafy residential street, Hryhorii Rybalka, the outfit’s sole paid employee, works on a receiver chip that will help operate the drone at longer distances. Mr. Iavorskyi, a video producer by profession, was considering a job with a large drone manufacturer last year when he decided to start a drone assembly operation. A year later, Tricky Drones is building about 1,000 drones a month and is on a Defense Ministry list of drone suppliers military units can contact. Operating with about a dozen volunteers, Tricky produces a variety of drones of varying sizes and functions. Mr. Iavorskyi recalls getting a succinct request from an army volunteer unit seeking a large drone that could operate off of a car battery. “Just make it work” was the only instruction the unit sent. But of all the drones Tricky produces, he says, he’s proudest of the reconnaissance drones that fly up to 40 miles to monitor enemy positions and movement. “That’s a mission a soldier used to have to risk his life to accomplish,” Mr. Iavorskyi says. “To me it’s well worth the $600 that drone might cost to save a precious life.” Oleksandr Naselenko assisted in reporting this story.

Washington — President-elect Donald Trump's choice to lead the Pentagon, Pete Hegseth , is showing defiance amid misconduct allegations as support for his confirmation appeared to be in doubt. There are now several candidates under consideration to replace him as Trump's intended nominee, sources familiar with the transition tell CBS News, among them, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis and Iowa Sen. Joni Ernst. But the embattled former Fox News host on Wednesday pushed back on reports that Trump is considering other candidates for defense secretary . On Capitol Hill on Wednesday morning, as he continued to visit Republican members of Congress, Hegseth told CBS News that he does not intend to withdraw his name from consideration. He also said he spoke with Trump Wednesday morning, and the president-elect encouraged him to keep fighting. "I spoke to the president-elect this morning. He said, 'Keep going, keep fighting. I'm behind you all the way,'" Hegseth said. "Why would I back down? I've always been a fighter. I'm here for the fighters. This is personal and passionate for me." In an interview with SiriusXM's "The Megyn Kelly Show" Wednesday, Hegseth said he had spoken with Trump earlier in the day and that the incoming president had told him, "I've got your back." On reports of the possibility that DeSantis could replace him as defense chief nominee, he told Kelly, "It's all the president's choice. I spoke to the president this morning. He said, I'm his guy." Despite the acrimony between DeSantis and Trump during the primary campaign, the Florida governor is interested in the job, according to two sources familiar with DeSantis' thinking. His second and final term as governor ends in January 2027. Trump has already announced a series of Cabinet nominees who hail from Florida, including Sen. Marco Rubio, for secretary of state. Although serving as defense secretary would pose some political risk, DeSantis believes it would position him well for a presidential run in 2028, the source said. Hegseth, a former "Fox & Friends" weekend co-host and Army veteran, has been meeting with Senate Republicans in recent weeks to build support for his confirmation. But reports in recent days that detailed alleged sexual misconduct, financial mismanagement at veterans' charities, repeated intoxication and infidelity appeared to be softening his support. Some Senate Republicans have called the allegations "disturbing" and said they came as a surprise. Still, Hegseth on Wednesday told reporters at the Capitol his meetings with Senate Republicans have been "a wonderful process." In his interview with Kelly, Hegseth said, "No one has looked me in the eye and said, 'I have concerns and I can't vote for you.' In fact, most have said, 'Let's take a picture, and I'm behind you all the way.'" Hegseth also defended himself in an opinion piece in the Wall Street Journal Wednesday. Amid reports about his removal as the head of a veterans' charity over allegations of financial mismanagement, intoxication, sexual misconduct and fostering a toxic work climate, Hegseth wrote of his work for that organization, Concerned Veterans for America. "We fought entrenched interests and mobilized veterans and patriotic Americans across the country," he said, denying reports of any misconduct and accusing the media of publishing falsehoods. "We had hundreds of employees and thousands of volunteers—yet based on the anonymous accusations of a few disgruntled employees, the legacy media has made it sound as if we ran a college frat house," he wrote. "That's just untrue." Hegseth also said that he left CVA over "an internal difference of opinion about its future. I wanted to engage in foreign policy; our donors didn't." And he added that the group's leadership "wrote me a glowing letter when I left." In his interview with Kelly, Hegseth addressed the sexual assault allegation that emerged in late November. He responded "absolutely not" when asked if he had raped a woman in a Monterey, California, hotel in 2017. He admitted that it would have once been a fair characterization to call him a "serial cheater" but says he has changed. "I may have been drinking, but I was cognizant enough to remember every single detail. And I'm not here to say that my conduct was good," he said. "Being in a hotel room with someone that's not the person you're with is not OK. I own up to that, and I've had to own up to that, and that's been difficult." He said he paid his accuser "because I had to — or at least I thought I did at the time." He explained that he was newly married, was under consideration for a role in the first Trump administration and wanted to protect his family and his Fox News job. He also responded to reporting by NBC News that cited current and former Fox News employees who said that "on more than a dozen occasions" while Hegseth was a "Fox & Friends Weekend" co-host, "they smelled alcohol on him before he went to air," and appeared on TV "after they'd heard him talk about being hungover as he was getting ready or on set." The report said "[t]hree current employees said his drinking remained a concern up until Trump announced him as his choice to run the Pentagon, at which point Hegseth left Fox." But in the op-ed, Hegseth did not directly address allegations about his alcohol consumption. "I've been at Fox News—where I saw my work as a continuation of my mission to fight for America. Again, the legacy press has used anonymous sources to try to discredit even that," and he referred readers to his X feed for statements of support from professional colleagues. He did tell Kelly, "I've never had a drinking problem." North Dakota GOP Sen. Kevin Cramer is scheduled to meet with Hegseth Wednesday afternoon and told reporters earlier in the day, "The allegations are very, very serious. They can't be trivialized. And I just want to know that, that he's redeemed, and going forward, he's going to be better." Cramer also added, "I think the mood of the conference is one of the pretty serious, really, really serious about it, and serious about how these things affect his ability to do the job, the ability of the troops to look up to him." He suggested the Republican conference was watching for signals from the Trump transition team about Hegseth. "There's the mood of the conference, and then there's the mood of the Trump transition team itself," he said. "So we'll see what kind of messages and signals we hear throughout the course of the day. As you can tell, these things have been breaking pretty fast and furious." Cramer said of Ernst that she would be "easy to confirm, and I think she'd be great," and in fact, "if she wanted it, she'd be my first pick." "I have never backed down from a fight and won't back down from this one," Hegseth wrote, adding, "I look forward to an honest confirmation hearing with our distinguished senators—not a show trial in the press." Hegseth has continued to meet with the Republican senators who will weigh in on his nomination. But one prominent Republican, Sen. Josh Hawley, told reporters Wednesday afternoon that Hegseth canceled their upcoming meeting. "I was supposed to sit down with him tomorrow, but they canceled that meeting," Hawley said. "I don't know where things stand at the moment," he said of Hegseth's expected nomination and added, "It's not 100% clear to me who [Trump] wants as secretary of defense right now." Hegseth told Kelly he planned to keep meeting with senators to earn their support, but he acknowledged that there's a possibility he may not be confirmed. "That's the president's call," he said when asked whether he would withdraw from the process. Jim Defede, Cristina Corujo contributed to this report. Jim DeFede , Nikole Killion and Cristina Corujo contributed to this report. Donald Trump Pete Hegseth Caitlin Yilek is a politics reporter at CBSNews.com, based in Washington, D.C. She previously worked for the Washington Examiner and The Hill, and was a member of the 2022 Paul Miller Washington Reporting Fellowship with the National Press Foundation.New Jersey’s gas tax will rise by 2.6 cents per gallon in January, with the money going to fund the state’s transportation projects, state officials announced Monday. There will be an increase from 31.8 cents to 34.4 cents a gallon for gasoline, and from 35.8 cents to 38.4 cents for diesel fuel. Combined with the motor fuels tax, that’s going to give consumers an overall tax of 44.9 cents and 51.9 cents a gallon for gas and diesel, respectively. “Based on our review of the consumption data, combined with the requirement to meet the new statutory target, we have determined that the new formula dictates a 2.6 cent increase this coming January,” said state Treasurer Elizabeth Maher Muoio. “We are pleased that this dedicated funding stream continues to provide billions of dollars across the state to support our critical transportation infrastructure needs.” The gas tax is earmarked for the Transportation Trust Fund, which helps finance the state’s highway and rail projects. For a long time, New Jersey posted some of the lowest gas taxes in the nation as few governors were enthusiastic about raising it in a state so reliant on cars. That came to an end in 2017, the last year of former Gov. Chris Christie ’s term, when he and lawmakers agreed to raise the tax and assess it each year. New Jersey’s gas tax ranked 8th highest in the nation last January, according to a study by the Tax Foundation. RECOMMENDED • nj .com Miss Manners: Should I have asked permission to plug in my electric car at party hosts’ charging port? Nov. 28, 2024, 8:00 a.m. Amazon has this Blackstone tabletop griddle on sale for only $90 in a massive Black Friday deal — but it won’ Nov. 29, 2024, 10:15 a.m. The newest increase set for 2025 came as the result of a law Gov. Phil Murphy this year that gradually raises the fuel cap until 2029. The state said Monday it has projected a nearly 1% increase in gas and diesel fuel consumption for next year. Jelani Gibson may be reached at jgibson@njadvancemedia.com . Follow him on X at @jelanigibson1 and on LinkedIn .Hunter Biden's Pardon Was Predicted Back In June - By Norstaramaswamy

Kopitar scores twice in third, Kings fight back for 5-4 win over Flyers

Gary O’Neil accepts criticism from Wolves fans after heavy defeat at EvertonBANGKOK — Japanese automakers Honda and Nissan will attempt to merge and create the world's third-largest automaker by sales as the industry undergoes dramatic changes in its transition away from fossil fuels. The two companies said they had signed a memorandum of understanding on Monday and that smaller Nissan alliance member Mitsubishi Motors also had agreed to join the talks on integrating their businesses. Honda will initially lead the new management, retaining the principles and brands of each company. Following is a quick look at what a combined Honda and Nissan would mean for the companies, and for the auto industry. Nissan Chief Executive Makoto Uchida, left, and Honda Chief Executive Toshihiro Mibe, center, and Takao Kato CEO of Mitsubishi Motors, right, arrive to attend a joint news conference Monday, Dec. 23, 2024, in Tokyo, Japan. (AP Photo/Eugene Hoshiko) The ascent of Chinese automakers is rattling the industry at a time when manufacturers are struggling to shift from fossil fuel-driven vehicles to electrics. Relatively inexpensive EVs from China's BYD, Great Wall and Nio are eating into the market shares of U.S. and Japanese car companies in China and elsewhere. Japanese automakers have lagged behind big rivals in EVs and are now trying to cut costs and make up for lost time. Nissan, Honda and Mitsubishi announced in August that they will share components for electric vehicles like batteries and jointly research software for autonomous driving to adapt better to dramatic changes in the auto industry centered around electrification. A preliminary agreement between Honda, Japan's second-largest automaker, and Nissan, third largest, was announced in March. A merger could result in a behemoth worth about $55 billion based on the market capitalization of all three automakers. Joining forces would help the smaller Japanese automakers add scale to compete with Japan's market leader Toyota Motor Corp. and with Germany's Volkswagen AG. Toyota itself has technology partnerships with Japan's Mazda Motor Corp. and Subaru Corp. Nissan Chief Executive Makoto Uchida, left, Honda Chief Executive Toshihiro Mibe, center, and Takao Kato, CEO of Mitsubishi Motors, right, pose for photographers during a joint news conference in Tokyo, Japan, Monday, Dec. 23, 2024. (AP Photo/Eugene Hoshiko) Nissan has truck-based body-on-frame large SUVs such as the Armada and Infiniti QX80 that Honda doesn't have, with large towing capacities and good off-road performance, said Sam Fiorani, vice president of AutoForecast Solutions. Nissan also has years of experience building batteries and electric vehicles, and gas-electric hybird powertrains that could help Honda in developing its own EVs and next generation of hybrids, he said. "Nissan does have some product segments where Honda doesn't currently play," that a merger or partnership could help, said Sam Abuelsamid, a Detroit-area automotive industry analsyt. While Nissan's electric Leaf and Ariya haven't sold well in the U.S., they're solid vehicles, Fiorani said. "They haven't been resting on their laurels, and they have been developing this technology," he said. "They have new products coming that could provide a good platform for Honda for its next generation." Nissan said last month that it was slashing 9,000 jobs, or about 6% of its global work force, and reducing global production capacity by 20% after reporting a quarterly loss of 9.3 billion yen ($61 million). Earlier this month it reshuffled its management and its chief executive, Makoto Uchida, took a 50% pay cut to take responsibility for the financial woes, saying Nissan needed to become more efficient and respond better to market tastes, rising costs and other global changes. Fitch Ratings recently downgraded Nissan's credit outlook to "negative," citing worsening profitability, partly due to price cuts in the North American market. But it noted that it has a strong financial structure and solid cash reserves that amounted to 1.44 trillion yen ($9.4 billion). Nissan's share price has fallen to the point where it is considered something of a bargain. A report in the Japanese financial magazine Diamond said talks with Honda gained urgency after the Taiwan maker of iPhones Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., better known as Foxconn, began exploring a possible acquisition of Nissan as part of its push into the EV sector. The company has struggled for years following a scandal that began with the arrest of its former chairman Carlos Ghosn in late 2018 on charges of fraud and misuse of company assets, allegations that he denies. He eventually was released on bail and fled to Lebanon. Honda reported its profits slipped nearly 20% in the first half of the April-March fiscal year from a year earlier, as sales suffered in China. Toyota made 11.5 million vehicles in 2023, while Honda rolled out 4 million and Nissan produced 3.4 million. Mitsubishi Motors made just over 1 million. Even after a merger Toyota would remain the leading Japanese automaker. All the global automakers are facing potential shocks if President-elect Donald Trump follows through on threats to raise or impose tariffs on imports of foreign products, even from allies like Japan and neighboring countries like Canada and Mexico. Nissan is among the major car companies that have adjusted their supply chains to include vehicles assembled in Mexico. Meanwhile, analysts say there is an "affordability shift" taking place across the industry, led by people who feel they cannot afford to pay nearly $50,000 for a new vehicle. In American, a vital market for companies like Nissan, Honda and Toyota, that's forcing automakers to consider lower pricing, which will eat further into industry profits. ____ AP Auto Writer Tom Krisher contributed to this report from Detroit. The stylish Mazda 3 has a lot to offer compact-car shoppers, including great looks, a composed driving experience, and reasonable fuel economy from its base 2.0-liter engine. It's also one of the safest cars in its class, earning a perfect five stars in NHTSA crash testing and sterling crashworthiness and collision avoidance scores from the IIHS. Its standard features are forward collision warning, automatic emergency braking, and lane departure prevention. With mature styling, a premium interior, and an efficient hybrid powertrain option, the 2025 Honda Civic is a great option if safety is a concern since it aces almost all of the IIHS' crash tests and earns a five-star safety rating from the federal government. It also comes standard with adaptive cruise control, lane departure prevention, and forward collision warning with automatic emergency braking. The Civic falls short slightly in the IIHS' updated moderate overlap front test, which now accounts for rear passenger safety, but even so, it's one of the safest cars in its class. Reflective of parent company BMW, today's Mini Cooper is well constructed and features premium safety features that belie its small size, including automatic emergency braking and forward collision warning. Although the Mini hasn't been tested by NHTSA, the IIHS gives the Cooper its highest score of Good in the original driver-side small overlap front, moderate overlap front, and side-impact tests. That said, the IIHS doesn't place the Cooper on its Top Safety Pick or Top Safety Pick+ lists since it hasn't been evaluated on the updated battery of passenger-side small overlap front, moderate overlap front, or side-impact tests. Expect the new-for-2025 Mini Cooper to earn decent crash ratings in those scenarios, especially since it shares its strong platform with the outgoing model. With its recent redesign, the Toyota Prius transformed from a frumpy little caterpillar to a stylish and efficient butterfly. It also became a very safe hybrid hatchback. Perfect scores in all of its government and IIHS crash tests, as well as a sophisticated system of collision avoidance technology, earn it top marks. It's also one of our favorite cars on the market, period, as evidenced by its status as a 2024 Edmunds Top Rated vehicle. The Honda Accord is among the safest midsize sedans on the market today thanks to excellent crashworthiness scores and a competent standard collision prevention system. It's a Top Safety Pick+, beating out rivals like the Hyundai Sonata, Kia K5, and Subaru Legacy, and the Accord also earns a perfect five-star rating from NHTSA. Honda's hybrid-intensive product planning is on full display here—all but the two lowest Accord trims have a hybrid powertrain—and it's also among the most spacious cars in its class. Like its Honda Accord rival, the Toyota Camry is also an IIHS Top Safety Pick+ with a five-star NHTSA rating. It also has a very impressive suite of driver assistance and safety technology, including lane departure prevention with active centering, full-speed adaptive cruise control, and automatic emergency braking. The Camry edges out the Accord in IIHS testing thanks to a more effective collision avoidance system, but both cars are remarkably well matched otherwise. The fully electric Hyundai Ioniq 6 offers excellent safety and collision prevention, with excellent scores across the entire line of IIHS tests. The Ioniq 6 hasn't been tested for rollover resistance by NHTSA, but it earned a four-star front safety rating and a five-star side-impact rating in government tests. Like most EVs, the Hyundai Ioniq 6 comes standard with forward collision warning, automatic emergency braking, and lane departure prevention. It also offers up to 342 miles of all-electric driving in its longest-range trim level. The Acura Integra is a close mechanical cousin to the Honda Civic, so it's no surprise it does well in both the IIHS' and NHTSA's crash tests. The luxury hatchback is a Top Safety Pick+ and earns a perfect five stars in government testing. The AcuraWatch safety suite is standard on the Integra, bringing automatic emergency braking, lane centering, lane departure prevention, and adaptive cruise control. The Mercedes-Benz C-Class is a safe option in the popular small luxury sedan segment thanks to its good scores in IIHS crash testing. Mercedes' best-selling sedan also comes standard with automatic emergency braking and forward collision warning, which helps it earn a Top Safety Pick award. However, it hasn't been tested by the NHTSA. Both the Genesis G80 and the fully electric Genesis Electrified G80 earn a Top Safety Pick+ score from the IIHS thanks to their good scores on the agency's crash tests, as well as a comprehensive suite of active safety features that avoided collisions with simulated pedestrians. The internal-combustion-engine G80 earned a perfect five-star safety rating from NHTSA, and although the Electrified G80 hasn't been tested by the feds just yet, it should likely excel in those tests too. The flagship Genesis G90 sedan competes with the Mercedes-Benz S-Class and BMW 7 Series, and the South Korean automaker clearly hasn't skimped on safety in its fight against the establishment. Although it hasn't been subjected to the NHTSA array of tests, it aced almost all of its IIHS tests, and a long list of standard active safety and driver assistance features sets it apart from the stingy German makes that charge extra for them. With handsome styling and a well-finished interior, the Volvo V60 is a very appealing station wagon for those looking for such a thing. It's also quite safe, with good crashworthiness scores in the IIHS' original moderate overlap front and side-impact scores. Unfortunately, since it hasn't been tested with the updated versions of those tests, it didn't earn this year's Top Safety Pick award, but it was called a Top Safety Pick+ in 2022. NHTSA also gives the V60 a five-star safety rating. Although the Mercedes-Benz E 450 All-Terrain isn't a traditional wagon — it follows the lifted almost-crossover formula shared with the Audi A6 Allroad and Volvo V90 Cross Country — we'll take what we can get in this dwindling category. The All-Terrain hasn't been tested by the IIHS or NHTSA, but a previous-generation E-Class earned a 2023 Top Safety Pick+ award, and Mercedes isn't the kind of company that goes backward when it comes to safety. The E 450 All-Terrain comes standard with automatic emergency braking and forward collision warning, though, at this price, Benz should just make other active safety features standard. With a five-star NHTSA safety rating, standard forward collision warning and emergency braking, and excellent IIHS crashworthiness scores on its original tests, the Audi A6 Allroad does a good job protecting people (both passengers and pedestrians) from crashes. However, since the IIHS hasn't subjected the Allroad to its updated side and moderate front crash criteria, it lost its Top Safety Pick+ status in 2022. Still, it should be a fine option for luxury longroof shoppers. Both the Ford Mustang coupe and convertible perform well in crash testing. The coupe received a five-star safety rating from NHTSA, and both variants scored decently on all the IIHS tests they've undergone. They also come standard with forward collision warning, lane departure prevention, and automatic emergency braking. However, the IIHS needs to test both models on its updated criteria before it will rate them. Although the government hasn't tested it, the Toyota GR86 aced all of its IIHS crashworthiness tests when it was new for the 2022 model year. Unfortunately, since it hasn't been subjected to the IIHS' updated testing since then, it lost its Top Safety Pick+ status. Still, this is a fun-to-drive, sporty coupe that comes standard with a long list of active safety features, and it's reasonably priced to boot. Mechanically identical to the Toyota GR86, the 2025 Subaru BRZ achieves the same safety ratings—who would have thought? It likewise received a Top Safety Pick+ score in 2022 that lapsed when the IIHS updated its criteria for 2023, but like the Toyota, it has a long list of active safety features to go along with its lightweight, rip-roaring sports car attitude. The Audi A5 lost its traditional two-door coupe body style after 2024, but the five-door Sportback body style remains before it's replaced later in 2025. Although it hasn't seen the IIHS' more stringent test regimen, its original crashworthiness scores were good enough to earn it a Top Safety Pick award as recently as 2022. The Sportback is the only variant to be tested by the government, where it earned a five-star safety rating. This story was produced by Edmunds and reviewed and distributed by Stacker. Get the latest local business news delivered FREE to your inbox weekly.

Former US President Jimmy Carter dies at 100, Atlanta Journal-Constitution reportsJim Dodge’s challenge to Orland Park Mayor Keith Pekau heads to Cook County courtAlthough the Uttar Pradesh Assembly polls are due only in 2027, political experts suggest that the increasing number of temple-mosque disputes in the state and the resultant polarisation have started to set the political narrative. 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 Analysts point to the recent bypolls in the state where slogans like "Batenge to Katenge" (divided we perish) played a key role in ensuring Hindu unity . And it is in this backdrop that the experts feel that the intensifying temple-mosque polarisation pitch has its own implications. "During the bypolls, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath's 'Batenge to Katenge' slogan was seen as a response to the Samajwadi Party 's (SP) attempt to create caste-based mobilisation using the PDA (Backwards, Dalits, Minorities) move. The outcome (of the bypolls) was clearly in favour of the BJP ," political analyst Rajeev Ranjan told PTI. Of the nine Assembly seats that went to bypolls in Uttar Pradesh, the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) won seven, while the main opposition SP secured the two remaining seats. "Recent developments indicate that the process of polarisation may intensify further as 2027 approaches," Ranjan added. 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In the latest case, a petition was filed in Badaun earlier this month, claiming that a Neelkanth Mahadev temple existed where the Jama Masjid now stands. A local court will hear the maintainability of the plea in January. Meanwhile, violence erupted in November during a court-ordered survey of Sambhal's Shahi Jama Masjid, leaving four people dead. Hindu groups have claimed that a Hariharanath temple previously existed where the Mughal-era mosque stands. Political observers feel that such claims may gain currency in the run-up to 2027 polls, impacting the political climate in Uttar Pradesh. Former vice-chancellor of the Lucknow University and social activist Professor Roop Rekha Verma accused the Bharatiya Janata Party-led state government of promoting communal polarisation. "Such incidents are happening across the country, but these cannot be dismissed as a mere coincidence given the political groundwork for the 2027 Assembly election," she told PTI. Verma argued that after the opposition's relatively strong performance in the Lok Sabha polls held earlier in the year, the ruling party has intensified its efforts to regain political space. In the general election, the BJP secured 33 of the 80 seats in Uttar Pradesh, while its allies Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD) and Apna Dal (S) won two seats and one seat respectively. The SP captured 37 seats, while the Congress won six and one seat went to the Azad Samaj Party. Responding to recent surveys and excavations in Sambhal's mosques, SP chief Akhilesh Yadav said, "These people will keep searching and digging until one day, they dig their own government out. They believe in systems, not democracy." State BJP spokesperson Harish Chandra Srivastava hit back at Yadav. "The SP and the Congress want to climb the ladder of power by ignoring justice and indulging in appeasement politics. But the people are now aware of the truth," he told PTI. Citing past communal incidents, Srivastava said, "Who will answer for the massacres and violence in Sambhal during the 1978 and 1982 riots, where countless Hindus were killed and their houses burnt? Why did those victims not get justice?" SP spokesperson Rajendra Chaudhary feels that the "BJP's ploy" would backfire. "Their motives are anti-people and their strategy will turn against them. In 2027, Akhilesh Yadav's PDA strategy will prevail," he said. Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) chief Mohan Bhagwat recently called for restraint in raising new temple-related disputes. Speaking in Pune on December 19, he said, "The Ram mandir (in Ayodhya) holds a special place for Hindus, but raising such issues to become leaders of Hindus in new places is not acceptable." Professor Sushil Kumar Pandey from the Babasaheb Bhimrao Ambedkar University said communal polarisation is likely to grow in the coming days. "Many Hindu worship sites were destroyed during the Islamic rule. With favourable political conditions and the Ram mandir's construction, revisiting historical grievances will undoubtedly escalate communal tensions and have political ramifications," he added. (You can now subscribe to our Economic Times WhatsApp channel )

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SAIC Board of Directors Declares Cash DividendWith 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/bbkJimmy Carter’s legacy lives on in Indiana, impacting Hoosiers in multiple ways

The team that President-elect Donald Trump has selected to lead federal health agencies in his second administration includes a retired congressman, a surgeon and a former talk-show host. All could play pivotal roles in fulfilling a political agenda that could change how the government goes about safeguarding Americans' health — from health care and medicines to food safety and science research. In line to lead the Department of Health and Human Services secretary is environmental lawyer and anti-vaccine organizer Robert F. Kennedy Jr. Trump's choices don't have experience running large bureaucratic agencies, but they know how to talk about health on TV . Centers for Medicare and Medicaid pick Dr. Mehmet Oz hosted a talk show for 13 years and is a well-known wellness and lifestyle influencer. The pick for the Food and Drug Administration, Dr. Marty Makary, and for surgeon general, Dr. Janette Nesheiwat, are frequent Fox News contributors. Many on the list were critical of COVID-19 measures like masking and booster vaccinations for young people. Some of them have ties to Florida like many of Trump's other Cabinet nominees: Dave Weldon , the pick for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, represented the state in Congress for 14 years and is affiliated with a medical group on the state's Atlantic coast. Nesheiwat's brother-in-law is Rep. Mike Waltz , R-Fla., tapped by Trump as national security adviser. Here's a look at the nominees' potential role in carrying out what Kennedy says is the task to “reorganize” agencies, which have an overall $1.7 trillion budget, employ 80,000 scientists, researchers, doctors and other officials, and effect Americans' daily lives: The Atlanta-based CDC, with a $9.2 billion core budget, is charged with protecting Americans from disease outbreaks and other public health threats. Kennedy has long attacked vaccines and criticized the CDC, repeatedly alleging corruption at the agency. He said on a 2023 podcast that there is "no vaccine that is safe and effective,” and urged people to resist the CDC's guidelines about if and when kids should get vaccinated . The World Health Organization estimates that vaccines have saved more than 150 million lives over the past 50 years, and that 100 million of them were infants. Decades ago, Kennedy found common ground with Weldon , 71, who served in the Army and worked as an internal medicine doctor before he represented a central Florida congressional district from 1995 to 2009. Starting in the early 2000s, Weldon had a prominent part in a debate about whether there was a relationship between a vaccine preservative called thimerosal and autism. He was a founding member of the Congressional Autism Caucus and tried to ban thimerosal from all vaccines. Kennedy, then a senior attorney for the Natural Resources Defense Council, believed there was a tie between thimerosal and autism and also charged that the government hid documents showing the danger. Since 2001, all vaccines manufactured for the U.S. market and routinely recommended for children 6 years or younger have contained no thimerosal or only trace amounts, with the exception of inactivated influenza vaccine. Meanwhile, study after study after study found no evidence that thimerosal caused autism. Weldon's congressional voting record suggests he may go along with Republican efforts to downsize the CDC, including to eliminate the National Center for Injury Prevention and Control, which works on topics like drownings, drug overdoses and shooting deaths. Weldon also voted to ban federal funding for needle-exchange programs as an approach to reduce overdoses, and the National Rifle Association gave him an “A” rating for his pro-gun rights voting record. Kennedy is extremely critical of the FDA, which has 18,000 employees and is responsible for the safety and effectiveness of prescription drugs, vaccines and other medical products, as well as overseeing cosmetics, electronic cigarettes and most foods. Makary, Trump’s pick to run the FDA, is closely aligned with Kennedy on several topics . The professor at Johns Hopkins University who is a trained surgeon and cancer specialist has decried the overprescribing of drugs, the use of pesticides on foods and the undue influence of pharmaceutical and insurance companies over doctors and government regulators. Kennedy has suggested he'll clear out “entire” FDA departments and also recently threatened to fire FDA employees for “aggressive suppression” of a host of unsubstantiated products and therapies, including stem cells, raw milk , psychedelics and discredited COVID-era treatments like ivermectin and hydroxychloroquine. Makary's contrarian views during the COVID-19 pandemic included questioning the need for masking and giving young kids COVID-19 vaccine boosters. But anything Makary and Kennedy might want to do when it comes to unwinding FDA regulations or revoking long-standing vaccine and drug approvals would be challenging. The agency has lengthy requirements for removing medicines from the market, which are based on federal laws passed by Congress. The agency provides health care coverage for more than 160 million people through Medicaid, Medicare and the Affordable Care Act, and also sets Medicare payment rates for hospitals, doctors and other providers. With a $1.1 trillion budget and more than 6,000 employees, Oz has a massive agency to run if confirmed — and an agency that Kennedy hasn't talked about much when it comes to his plans. While Trump tried to scrap the Affordable Care Act in his first term, Kennedy has not taken aim at it yet. But he has been critical of Medicaid and Medicare for covering expensive weight-loss drugs — though they're not widely covered by either . Trump said during his campaign that he would protect Medicare, which provides insurance for older Americans. Oz has endorsed expanding Medicare Advantage — a privately run version of Medicare that is popular but also a source of widespread fraud — in an AARP questionnaire during his failed 2022 bid for a U.S. Senate seat in Pennsylvania and in a 2020 Forbes op-ed with a former Kaiser Permanente CEO. Oz also said in a Washington Examiner op-ed with three co-writers that aging healthier and living longer could help fix the U.S. budget deficit because people would work longer and add more to the gross domestic product. Neither Trump nor Kennedy have said much about Medicaid, the insurance program for low-income Americans. Trump's first administration reshaped the program by allowing states to introduce work requirements for recipients. Kennedy doesn't appear to have said much publicly about what he'd like to see from surgeon general position, which is the nation's top doctor and oversees 6,000 U.S. Public Health Service Corps members. The surgeon general has little administrative power, but can be an influential government spokesperson on what counts as a public health danger and what to do about it — suggesting things like warning labels for products and issuing advisories. The current surgeon general, Vivek Murthy, declared gun violence as a public health crisis in June. Trump's pick, Nesheiwat, is employed as a New York City medical director with CityMD, a group of urgent care facilities in the New York and New Jersey area, and has been at City MD for 12 years. She also has appeared on Fox News and other TV shows, authored a book on the “transformative power of prayer” in her medical career and endorses a brand of vitamin supplements. She encouraged COVID-19 vaccines during the pandemic, calling them “a gift from God” in a February 2021 Fox News op-ed, as well as anti-viral pills like Paxlovid. In a 2019 Q&A with the Women in Medicine Legacy Foundation , Nesheiwat said she is a “firm believer in preventive medicine” and “can give a dissertation on hand-washing alone.” As of Saturday, Trump had not yet named his choice to lead the National Institutes of Health, which funds medical research through grants to researchers across the nation and conducts its own research. It has a $48 billion budget. Kennedy has said he'd pause drug development and infectious disease research to shift the focus to chronic diseases. He'd like to keep NIH funding from researchers with conflicts of interest, and criticized the agency in 2017 for what he said was not doing enough research into the role of vaccines in autism — an idea that has long been debunked . Associated Press writers Amanda Seitz and Matt Perrone and AP editor Erica Hunzinger contributed to this report. The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Science and Educational Media Group and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. The AP is solely responsible for all content. This story has been corrected to reflect that the health agencies have an overall budget of about $1.7 trillion, not $1.7 billion. Copyright 2024 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. Sign up here to get the latest health & fitness updates in your inbox every week!Jimmy Carter, the 39th US president and the third American leader to visit India during which a village in Haryana was named Carterpuri in his honour — has died peacefully at his home in Plains, Georgia surrounded by his family, the Carter Centre said. Carter died on Sunday aged 100. He was the longest-lived president in US history. “Today, America and the world lost an extraordinary leader, statesman and humanitarian,” President Joe Biden said in a statement mourning his loss. Carter is survived by his children — Jack, Chip, Jeff, and Amy; 11 grandchildren; and 14 great-grandchildren. He was predeceased by his wife Rosalynn and one grandchild. “My father was a hero, not only to me but to everyone who believes in peace, human rights, and unselfish love. 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 honouring his memory by continuing to live these shared beliefs,” Chip Carter said. In his statement, Biden said over six decades, with his compassion and moral clarity, Carter worked to eradicate disease, forge peace, advance civil rights and human rights, promote free and fair elections, house the homeless, and always advocate for the least among the people. He saved, lifted, and changed the lives of people all across the globe. “He was a man of great character and courage, hope and optimism. We will always cherish seeing him and Rosalynn together. The love shared between Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter is the definition of partnership and their humble leadership is the definition of patriotism. We will miss them both dearly, but take solace knowing they are reunited once again and will remain forever in our hearts,” said Biden and First Lady Dr Jill Biden. President-elect Donald Trump said while he "strongly disagreed" with Carter "philosophically and politically", he also realised that he truly loved and respected "our country, and all it stands for". "He worked hard to make America a better place, and for that I give him my highest respect. He was a truly good man and, of course, will be greatly missed. He was also very consequential, far more than most Presidents, after he left the Oval Office,” Trump said. Carter was considered a friend of India. He was the first American president to visit India after the removal of emergency and victory of the Janata Party in 1977. In his address to the Indian parliament, Carter spoke against authoritarian rule. “India's difficulties, which we often experience ourselves and which are typical of the problems faced in the developing world, remind us of the tasks that lie ahead. Not the Authoritarian Way,” Carter said on January 2, 1978. “But India's successes are just as important because they decisively refute the theory that in order to achieve economic and social progress, a developing country must accept an authoritarian or totalitarian government and all the damage to the health of the human spirit which that kind of rule brings with it,” he told members of parliament. “Is democracy important? Is human freedom valued by all people?... India has given her affirmative answer in a thunderous voice, a voice heard around the world. Something momentous happened here last March, not because any particular party won or lost but rather, I think, because the largest electorate on earth freely and wisely choose its leaders at the polls. In this sense, democracy itself was the victor,” Carter said. A day later at the signing of the Delhi declaration along with then Prime Minister Morarji Desai, Carter said at the heart of the friendship between India and the US is their determination that the moral values of the people must also guide the actions of the states, the governments. “The United States gave the world an illustration of a new form of government, with a new relation between the citizen and the state — a relation in which the state exists to serve the citizen, and not the citizen to serve the state,” he said. “India experimented with creating political unity from overwhelming human diversity, enabling people of different cultures and languages and religions to work together, both in independence and also in freedom. Yours is an experiment whose success the world is celebrating anew,” Carter said in the Ashoka Hall of the Rashtrapati Bhawan. According to the Carter Centre, on January 3, 1978, Carter and then First Lady Rosalynn Carter travelled to the village of Daulatpur Nasirabad, an hour southwest of New Delhi. He was the third American president to visit India and the only one with a personal connection to the country – his mother, Lillian, had worked there as a health volunteer with the Peace Corps during the late 1960s. “The visit was so successful that shortly after, village residents renamed the area 'Carterpuri' and remained in contact with the White House for the rest of President Carter’s tenure. The trip made a lasting impression: Festivities abounded in the village when President Carter won the Nobel Peace Prize in 2002, and January 3 remains a holiday in Carterpuri,” the Carter Centre said, adding that the visit laid the groundwork for an enduring partnership that has greatly benefited both countries. President Carter understood that shared democratic principles formed a strong foundation for a long, fruitful relationship between the US and India. It is, therefore, no surprise that the two nations grew steadily closer in the decades after he left office, it said. “In fact, since the Carter administration, the US and India have worked closely on energy, humanitarian aid, technology, space cooperation, maritime security, disaster relief, counterterrorism, and more. In the mid-2000s, the United States and India struck a landmark agreement to work toward full civil nuclear cooperation, and bilateral trade has since skyrocketed,” the centre said. "In 2010, the first US-India Strategic Dialogue took place in Washington DC, launching what President Barack Obama called 'an unprecedented partnership'. The arc of US-India ties from the Carter administration to the Biden administration is one of increasing cooperation in both depth and breadth. There are many areas of mutual interest — particularly trade and defense — where successful collaboration has fostered interdependency between the two countries,” it said. Ronak D Desai, Partner and India Practice Leader at Paul Hastings law firm, said Carter's presidency marked a pivotal moment in US-India relations. After the strain caused by the Nixon administration's infamous “tilt” toward Pakistan during the Indo-Pakistan War of 1971, Carter understood the critical importance of re-engaging with India as a democratic partner in a rapidly evolving global order. His visit to India in 1978 was not merely symbolic but a substantive effort to rebuild trust and establish a framework for dialogue rooted in mutual respect and shared values, he said. “While Carter’s presidency was often viewed through the lens of domestic challenges, his contributions to US-India relations were transformative," Desai said.

NEW DELHI: ISRO is set to launch two satellites on Monday night from the Sriharikota spaceport to demonstrate docking and undocking of spacecraft in orbit, which will make India the fourth country in the world to achieve the feat. The Indian Space Research Organisation's (ISRO) warhorse rocket Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV) will place the two satellites -- SDX01 and SDX02 -- in a 476-km circular orbit and attempt the Space Docking Experiment (SpaDEx) in the first week of January, the space agency officials said. "This mission will mark India's entry into the exclusive league of nations capable of mastering space docking," Union Science and Technology Minister Jitendra Singh said. The SpaDEx mission is expected to be a stepping stone for India's future endeavours in space exploration which include getting rocks and soil from the moon on Earth, the proposed Bharatiya Antariksha Station and landing an astronaut on the lunar surface. Only the US, Russia and China have mastered space docking technologies. "The primary objective of the SpaDeX mission is to develop and demonstrate the technology needed for rendezvous, docking, and undocking of two small spacecraft (SDX01, which is the Chaser, and SDX02, the Target) in a low-Earth circular orbit," an ISRO official said. The secondary objective of the mission includes demonstration of the transfer of electric power between the docked spacecraft, which is essential for future applications such as in-space robotics; composite spacecraft control and payload operations after undocking. "This capability is vital for India's lunar and interplanetary missions. Docking technology enables multi-launch missions and supports future human spaceflight," Singh said. After the demonstration of docking and undocking experiments, the two satellites will continue to orbit the Earth for standalone missions for two years. The SDX01 satellite is equipped with a High Resolution Camera (HRC) and SDX02 has two payloads -- Miniature Multispectral (MMX) payload and Radiation Monitor (RadMon). These payloads will provide high-resolution images, natural resource monitoring, vegetation studies and on-orbit radiation environment measurements which have numerous applications, ISRO said. The PSLV-C60 mission also carries 24 payloads from various ISRO labs, private start-ups and educational institutions for carrying out experiments in space. These 24 payloads are mounted on the fourth stage of the PSLV rocket which remains in orbit for a few weeks before falling back on the Earth. PS4-Orbital Experiment Module (POEM) provides an opportunity for the scientific community to carry out certain in-orbit microgravity experiments for an extended duration of up to three months using the platform, which otherwise would end up as space debris immediately after the mission objective of injecting the primary payloads of the mission.The Philadelphia Eagles ruled wide receiver DeVonta Smith out for Sunday night's game at the Los Angeles Rams due to a hamstring injury. Smith did not practice all week and will miss his second game of the season and just the third of his four-year NFL career. He was inactive in a Week 4 loss at Tampa Bay due to a concussion. Smith, 26, leads the Eagles with 41 receptions and four touchdown catches ands ranks second with 516 receiving yards in nine starts this season. The former Heisman Trophy winner has 281 catches for 3,694 yards and 23 scores in 59 games (58 starts) since the Eagles drafted him with the 10th overall pick in 2021. NFC East-leading Philadelphia (8-2) takes a six-game winning streak to Los Angeles (5-5), which has won four of its last five games. --Field Level Media

Modern train likely to hit tracks in January next year Railways working on plan to launch new train like Green Line Express between Islamabad and Karachi via Lahore A high-speed express train like Green Line is expected to be launched between Islamabad and Karachi via Lahore by the Pakistan Railways in January next year. "The primary goal of this new train service is to provide passengers with advanced amenities and an enhanced travel experience," an official in the Ministry of Railways said. Currently, the official said the teams from relevant departments are working on preparations for the launch of this modern train, which is expected to begin by the end of January next year. The official emphasised that Pakistan Railways is focused on improving passenger services and using new technology to locally produce coaches, which will eliminate the need for imports. Additionally, he said the department is working to enhance food quality and cleanliness to ensure a comfortable and clean environment for passengers. The Green Line Express, which was inaugurated in 2015 by the then prime minister at Islamabad's Margalla Railway Station, currently takes about 20 hours to travel from Islamabad to Karachi Cantonment Station, with stops at key locations such as Rawalpindi, Lahore, Khanewal, Bahawalpur, Sukkar/Rohri, Hyderabad, and Drigh Road. The official said the train offers various classes, including AC, AC parlour, and Economy Class, along with a modern dining car that provides high-quality services. The Pakistan Railways had outsourced commercial management of 13 trains, as well as brake and luggage vans, for better efficiency and earning, Parliamentary Secretary for Railways Muhammad Usman Awaisi had told the National Assembly earlier this month. Awaisi claimed that the decisions were taken to optimise the utilisation of available resources which boosted the earning of Railways, adding that they achieved Rs946 million in the fiscal year 2023-24. Awaisi detailed that the earning was possible through implementation of financial restructuring plans aimed at reducing operational costs, optimising revenue generation, and improving financial discipline. Giving the strategies adopted and measures taken to achieve the earning, it was stated that load optimisation strategy was adopted that entailed in operating full train loads as per hauling capacity of the locomotives. Passenger trains were being operated on the average with 19 coaches which had resulted in revenue of Rs43.512 billion (Rs7.763 billion more than the target), The News reported. Freight trains with a load of 3,400 tonnes had enhanced revenue freight earnings to Rs25.025 billion (Rs2.699 billion over target). Passenger fare and freight tariffs have been indexed with fuel price. Pricing decision is based on market dynamics. E-ticketing App "Railway Automated Booking and Travel Assistance" (Rabta) had also been introduced for ease of customers and better service delivery. After the approval of Railway Land and Property Rules 2023, Rs3.246 billion had been generated from lease of land. The parliamentary secretary said that the Railways had developed long-term strategic plans to revitalise the sector, improve service quality, enhance safety standards, and ensure sustainability in revenue generation. He said up-gradation of ML-1, which is a rail link between Karachi and Peshawar, will increase the line's capacity from 34 to 100 and 20 trains per day. Awaisi informed the House that 80 new high-capacity freight wagons and 32 passenger AC standard coaches would also be inducted this year to increase the revenue. Pakistan becomes gateway for China-UAE trade under TIR system Finance czar stresses broader consensus for sustainable economic stability PM warns of strict action against inflated electricity bills 'Hard-earned' economic stability to continue on back of remittances, exports: finance ministry

DAVID MARCUS: MAGA’s H-1B ‘civil war’ is exactly how politics is supposed to workGuam joins the rest of the world in mourning the death of former U.S. President Jimmy Carter at age 100, with local officials and the Democratic Party of Guam pointing to Carter's brokering of peace between Israel and Egypt, his Nobel Peace Prize for his humanitarian work, and his 1978 transmission of Guam’s proposed constitution to Congress that showed his support for the island’s political development. "On behalf of the people of Guam, we mourn the passing of former President Jimmy Carter and extend our heartfelt condolences to his family and loved ones, as well as to the American people who grieve the loss of an extraordinary leader,” Gov. Lou Leon Guerrero said in a statement on the passing of the 39th president, who was a Democrat. The governor ordered flags to be flown at half-staff for Carter. "As the 39th president of the United States, Jimmy Carter served with a deep moral conviction and a commitment to peace, democracy, and human rights. His leadership during a time of great challenges reflected his belief in the power of diplomacy, compassion, and service to bridge divides and bring about meaningful change," the governor said. Lt. Gov. Josh Tenorio said Carter's lifelong dedication to finding peaceful solutions to conflict and uplifting underserved communities earned him the 2002 Nobel Peace Prize, "a recognition of a legacy that resonates strongly in today’s world, where the values he championed are needed more than ever." "Guam joins the nation and the world in honoring his remarkable contributions. May we continue to draw inspiration from his vision for a better, fairer, and more peaceful world," Tenorio said. Carter died peacefully at his home in Plains, Georgia, on Sunday, Dec. 29. That's Monday, Guam time. The Democratic Party of Guam, in a statement, said Carter’s tenure from 1977 to 1981 was marked by significant achievements, including the Camp David Accords and a steadfast commitment to human rights. "His post-presidential years further exemplified his dedication to humanitarian efforts, notably through the establishment of the Carter Center, which has made substantial contributions to global health and democracy," the Democratic Party of Guam said. In 1978, Carter transmitted Guam’s proposed constitution to Congress, underscoring his support for the island’s political development, the Democratic Party of Guam said. Additionally, in the 1980 U.S. presidential straw poll on Guam, Carter received significant support, securing over 55% of the vote, reflecting the island’s favorable view of his leadership, the party said. "President Carter’s legacy is one of integrity, compassion, and unwavering service to humanity. His contributions have left an indelible mark on the world, and he will be deeply missed," the Democratic Party of Guam added. Guam Del. James Moylan, a Republican, extended his condolences to Carter's family in a statement. "President Carter will forever be known as one of the greatest advocates for human rights in the modern era," he said. "He was a fighter for global democracy and a champion of economic and social development in many foreign countries." Carter’s most significant achievement as commander in chief was brokering peace between Israel and Egypt during the Camp David Accords, Moylan added. He said Carter's post-presidency efforts in undertaking peace negotiations, campaigning for human rights, and working for social welfare earned him the Nobel Peace Prize in 2002. Carter's wife, the late First Lady Rosalyn Carter, founded the Carter Center, a nonprofit institution. Together, the Carters advocated for mental health, caregiving, early childhood immunization, human rights, and conflict resolution through the Carter Center, Moylan added. "Their work will live on," Moylan added. Carter is survived by his four children, 11 grandchildren, and 14 great-grandchildren.PHILADELPHIA — The Philadelphia Eagles were an unflappable force against a pitiful rival prone to such a pummeling. They were the pillar of dependency they’ve built themselves to be. They dismantled the Dallas Cowboys in a final score so demeaning, 41-7, that future researchers will be shocked to discover the backup quarterbacks played. They secured their second division title in three seasons, officially restoring their pursuit of the Super Bowl that’s eluded this regime of coaches and players, a team that’s weighing its records and trinkets against an ultimate trophy. Advertisement Saquon Barkley sat with his NFC East Champions hat backward and askew. He wasn’t wearing the T-shirt that came with it. “I didn’t even know that was a thing, to be honest,” the running back said of the swag. It certainly wasn’t a thing during the six years he spent with the New York Giants, a miserable team that may only avoid the indignity of experiencing Barkley breaking Eric Dickerson’s NFL single-season rushing record because next week’s regular season finale has been rendered meaningless. The Eagles are the NFC’s No. 2 seed in the playoffs. The Minnesota Vikings beating the Green Bay Packers eliminated any shot the Eagles had at a wild card-round bye and home-field advantage against any opponent. In a sense, that certainty supplies those inside the NovaCare Complex an opportunity at a quasi-bye. Nick Sirianni, who’s won his second division title in his fourth season as head coach, can rest a roster that’s somewhat battered. Jalen Hurts, who missed Sunday’s game in concussion protocol, doesn’t have to rush back. Barkley, whose 314 carries embody the bulk of a historic load, can take a well-deserved breather. A string of other starters can recover. Such a decision wouldn’t diminish this team’s resonance in history. Statistics verify greatness seen with gaping eyes. Barkley has accumulated 2,005 yards rushing by leaping over a defender backward , by rampaging the Rams with two 70-yard scores , by out-dueling Derrick Henry in a battle of contenders with a retro billing . Barkley already holds the Eagles’ single-season rushing record. He’d need 101 yards against the Giants to surpass Dickerson, a status that’s mostly important because our memories are futile and our arguments fickle. There will still be those, perhaps Dickerson himself, who’d point out Dickerson rushed for 2,105 yards in one fewer game. There will be Philly fans who’d never forgive Sirianni if anything unfortunate happened to the team’s MVP candidate in a completely avoidable setting. Barkley said, “it’s up to Nick.” Sirianni said, “I’ll think about it tonight at some point.” The intimation: if there’s not a No. 1 seed to play for, Barkley ain’t playing. “I came here to do something special,” said Barkley, who, with 167 yards, fielded his 11th 100-yard game of the season. “Obviously, breaking a record is special. But I want to be part of — I want a banner up there. I think we all do.” Saquon Barkley is just the 9th player in NFL history to reach 2,000+ rushing yards!!️ @saquon | #FlyEaglesFly pic.twitter.com/3o7SCoMWO0 — Philadelphia Eagles (@Eagles) December 29, 2024 No, as nearly everyone in the Eagles locker room on Sunday said, their goals are so much bigger. Send in the backups in Week 18. Send in the special team role players. Send in security chief Dom DiSandro if possible. It’s still probable that such a squad can still stifle the Giants, who, at 3-13, shouldn’t be assembling any further plans to diminish their draft stock. Let a young Eagles team once again demonstrate why its depth is so valuable. Let Kenny Pickett start a second time after seizing a 24-7 lead in relief of Hurts. Let Pickett, a New Jersey native who grew up an Eagles fan, gain more experience after getting knocked out of the game with a rib injury in the third quarter. Or let Tanner McKee build on an NFL debut in which the 2023 sixth-round pick completed 3-of-4 passes for 54 yards and two touchdowns. Advertisement Hell, let McKee take his shot at a second game ball for his living room. A.J. Brown nearly lost McKee’s first by chucking the quarterback’s first-ever touchdown ball deep into the stands after a 20-yard, back-shoulder strike. Brown grinned at the mistake. He hadn’t thought about the ball’s significance until Sirianni told him on the sideline. “I felt so bad,” Brown said. With the help of DiSandro, and the willingness of the good-spirited fan who caught the ball, Brown retrieved it for McKee by exchanging his game-worn (and autographed) jersey with the fan after the game. “We’ve got great fans here,” Brown said. Lincoln Financial Field echoed “M-V-P” chants in the third quarter, when Barkley, on a 23-yard run, became the ninth running back in NFL history to surpass 2,000 yards. Bruce Springsteen’s “Born to Run” blared from the stadium speakers. Each member of the offensive line embraced Barkley. So did Tyler Steen, a backup guard, like several backups on Sunday, fulfilled a key role in unbalanced formations that supplied another Barkley 23-yard run earlier in the third quarter Sirianni got emotional at the podium talking about the team’s depth players. Pickett. McKee. Steen. Oren Burks led the team with eight tackles after starting “Mike” linebacker Nakobe Dean was ruled inactive with an abdominal injury. Fifth-round rookie Jeremiah Trotter Jr. logged a half-sack. Third-round rookie Jalyx Hunt platooned significantly at edge rusher after Bryce Huff, returning from wrist surgery, exited the game with a shoulder injury. Veteran safety Avonte Maddox contributed to a second-half shutout while replacing both C.J. Gardner-Johnson and Reed Blankenship in different stages of the game — a backup role Maddox embraced after backup cornerback Isaiah Rodgers usurped his role in Dime packages that were again deployed on Sunday. “We deep,” said Milton Williams, who starts and rotates often along the defensive line. “We got guys that’s hungry, playing with a chip on their shoulder. We know what we can do.” Advertisement “I think we do have an unbelievable team,” McKee said. “Guys obviously know that it is a next-man-up mentality. Everybody has each other’s back. When I heard, ‘Hey, I’m going in,’ all those guys had a ton of confidence in me. I know we have a ton of confidence in all the other guys that are second-, third-string, whatever it is that when they get out there and when they get called on, they’re going to go out and make a play. And it’s just going to keep rolling.” GO DEEPER Eagles clinch NFC East, Barkley hits 2K yards in win vs. Cowboys: Takeaways The Eagles embody the confidence, identity and swagger they spent the offseason pursuing. They spent the last few months of last season wondering where it all went. It’s partly why general manager Howie Roseman signed Gardner-Johnson to a three-year, $27 million contract. Foremost, the 27-year-old forces the turnovers last year’s system failed to frequently produce. Gardner-Johnson intercepted Cowboys quarterback Cooper Rush twice on Sunday. On the first possession of the game, Gardner-Johnson snagged a deep pass up the left seam and house it for a 69-yard pick-six. Gardner-Johnson’s six interceptions in 2024 are now tied for the career-high he set in his last stint with the Eagles, a 2022 campaign that ended in Super Bowl LVII. Only five other teams have forced more turnovers than the Eagles (25). They scored 24 points off four Cowboys turnovers. Zack Baun and Nolan Smith both forced fumbles. Gardner-Johnson’s play redeemed his ejection after two unsportsmanlike penalties last week when the Eagles blew a two-score lead to the Washington Commanders. It’s a persona the defense must learn to contain. Backup safety Sydney Brown was ejected after throwing Cowboys cornerback Troy Pride to the ground near the tunnel. Pride and wide receiver Jalen Brooks were also tossed for their involvement in the scuffle that boiled over. “I think it was a learning lesson,” Gardner-Johnson said of his ejection. “I’ve got to grow the hell up.” Maturation is arriving when the Eagles need it most. They’ve distanced themselves from worse teams. DeVonta Smith logged six catches for 120 yards and two touchdowns, often roasting a mismatch with Andrew Booth, the eighth-string cornerback for the Cowboys who’d been signed from the practice squad last week. They’ll close out 2024 against an organization nearing rock bottom. They’re aware of the more consequential factors beyond their division title that’s on their T-shirts. “It’s cool,” Barkley said. “I’m not going to downplay it. But, at the end of the day, you know, you’re not going to be remembered for being the 2024 NFC East Division champs. ... I’m happy to be a part of it, and we did it as a team. But we all know what the goal is.” (Top photo of Saquon Barkley: Bill Streicher / Imagn Images)Keller: Jimmy Carter punctured myth of Kennedy family's political supremacy

HUMBOLDT, Tenn. (AP) — A Tennessee man was convicted Thursday of killing two men and wounding a third in a shooting at a high school basketball game three years ago. Jadon Hardiman, 21, was found guilty in Gibson County of charges including second-degree murder, attempted murder, aggravated assault and weapons offenses, district attorney Frederick Agee said in a statement. He faces up to 76 years in prison at sentencing in April.Liberal candidate in B.C. byelection seeks Métis membership after identity questionedLam Research Corporation Comments on Newly Announced Export Regulations