Anantnag, Nov 23: Inspector General of Police (IGP), Kashmir Zone, Vidhi Kumar Birdi Wednesday said that the Jammu and Kashmir Police was committed to combat drug abuse and its adverse impact on society. Speaking to media persons during the inaugural ceremony of a ‘Police Martyrs T20 Cricket Tournament’ in Anantnag, the IGP vowed to take stringent action against those involved in drug trafficking. “Those who push drugs into our society and target our youth will face the full force of the law,” the IGP said. Expressing concern over the rising drug addiction among youth, he stressed the need for collective and timely interventions to address this social challenge. “Drug abuse is a grave threat to the fabric of our society, especially to our youth, who represent the future of this region,” the IGP said. He highlighted the police’s dual approach in tackling the issue: addressing the root causes of substance abuse while taking strict legal action against those propagating it. The IGP stressed that initiatives like sports tournaments play a crucial role in providing youth with a constructive outlet. “Through such activities, we aim to offer healthy alternatives, helping young people stay away from harmful distractions while channelising their energy into positive pursuits,” he said. The IGP described sports as a transformative tool, promoting physical health, discipline, teamwork, perseverance, and leadership among youth. “These events also help foster personal development and strengthen the relationship between the police and the community,” he said. “The Police Department is dedicated to building trust and mutual respect with the youth. By organising such initiatives, we aim to break barriers and ensure better communication and cooperation.” Calling for collective action, the IGP urged families, communities, and local organisations to support such initiatives, which he described as crucial for nurturing a drug-free and progressive environment. “By working together, we can ensure our youth have the opportunities they need to grow, succeed, and contribute positively to society. This is just the beginning of many efforts aimed at empowering our young generation,” he said. The IGP said that the Police plan to increase the frequency of sports and other constructive activities across districts to ensure every young person has access to these opportunities. “We are committed to making these initiatives not just about entertainment or competition but essential tools for building a healthy, active, and empowered community,” he said. The T20 cricket tournament, inaugurated by the IGP, witnessed enthusiastic participation from local youth. Many expressed gratitude for the opportunity to engage in a well-organised and spirited event. “We are determined to continue supporting our youth through similar platforms, fostering an environment where they can thrive and stay away from negative influences,” the IGP said. DIG South Kashmir, Javid Iqbal Matoo; SSP Anantnag, G V Sundeep, other Police officials besides Deputy Commissioner (DC) Anantnag, Syed Fakhrudin Hamid were also present on the occasion.MAI Capital Management cut its stake in Occidental Petroleum Co. ( NYSE:OXY – Free Report ) by 19.5% during the third quarter, according to the company in its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The fund owned 13,068 shares of the oil and gas producer’s stock after selling 3,158 shares during the period. MAI Capital Management’s holdings in Occidental Petroleum were worth $674,000 at the end of the most recent quarter. A number of other hedge funds have also recently made changes to their positions in OXY. Himalaya Capital Management LLC bought a new position in Occidental Petroleum during the 2nd quarter worth about $92,433,000. Sarasin & Partners LLP bought a new position in Occidental Petroleum during the 2nd quarter worth about $63,880,000. Scharf Investments LLC bought a new position in Occidental Petroleum during the 2nd quarter worth about $42,744,000. American Century Companies Inc. grew its holdings in Occidental Petroleum by 16.8% during the 2nd quarter. American Century Companies Inc. now owns 3,707,555 shares of the oil and gas producer’s stock worth $233,687,000 after acquiring an additional 532,318 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Cooke & Bieler LP grew its holdings in Occidental Petroleum by 53.1% during the 2nd quarter. Cooke & Bieler LP now owns 1,450,064 shares of the oil and gas producer’s stock worth $91,398,000 after acquiring an additional 503,173 shares in the last quarter. 88.70% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors. Wall Street Analyst Weigh In A number of research firms have recently weighed in on OXY. Susquehanna lowered their price target on shares of Occidental Petroleum from $77.00 to $65.00 and set a “positive” rating on the stock in a report on Thursday, November 14th. TD Cowen lowered their price target on shares of Occidental Petroleum from $80.00 to $68.00 and set a “buy” rating on the stock in a report on Tuesday, November 12th. StockNews.com upgraded shares of Occidental Petroleum from a “sell” rating to a “hold” rating in a report on Tuesday. Stephens raised their price target on shares of Occidental Petroleum from $70.00 to $71.00 and gave the company an “overweight” rating in a report on Wednesday, November 13th. Finally, Wolfe Research raised their price target on shares of Occidental Petroleum from $73.00 to $75.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a report on Tuesday, November 12th. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, thirteen have given a hold rating, six have issued a buy rating and one has assigned a strong buy rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the stock has an average rating of “Hold” and a consensus price target of $63.70. Occidental Petroleum Stock Performance OXY opened at $51.91 on Friday. Occidental Petroleum Co. has a 12-month low of $48.42 and a 12-month high of $71.18. The company has a current ratio of 1.00, a quick ratio of 0.76 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.96. The firm has a market capitalization of $48.71 billion, a PE ratio of 13.52 and a beta of 1.58. The firm has a 50 day moving average of $51.79 and a two-hundred day moving average of $57.02. Occidental Petroleum Dividend Announcement The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Wednesday, January 15th. Stockholders of record on Tuesday, December 10th will be paid a dividend of $0.22 per share. The ex-dividend date is Tuesday, December 10th. This represents a $0.88 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 1.70%. Occidental Petroleum’s payout ratio is 22.92%. Occidental Petroleum Profile ( Free Report ) Occidental Petroleum Corporation, together with its subsidiaries, engages in the acquisition, exploration, and development of oil and gas properties in the United States, the Middle East, and North Africa. It operates through three segments: Oil and Gas, Chemical, and Midstream and Marketing. The company's Oil and Gas segment explores for, develops, and produces oil and condensate, natural gas liquids (NGLs), and natural gas. Featured Articles Receive News & Ratings for Occidental Petroleum Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Occidental Petroleum and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter .

ISRO to demonstrate docking of satellites in space in January, launch on MondayCHAMPAIGN, Ill. (AP) — Kylan Boswell had 18 points, 10 rebounds and 10 assists and Tomislav Ivisic scored 23 points to lead No. 24 Illinois to a 117-64 victory over winless Chicago State on Sunday. Boswell was one assist shy of his first triple-double and got it with a pass that set up Keaton Kutcher’s 3-pointer with 1:47 left. It was the seventh triple-double in program history. Dre Gibbs-Lawhorn scored 16 points, Kasparas Jakucionis had 14, Will Riley had 13 and Morez Johnson Jr. had 11 points and eight rebounds for the Illini (9-3). Gabe Spinelli, son of first-year Chicago State coach Scott Spinelli, led the Cougars (0-15) with 20 points and Noble Crawford scored 15. Illinois led 60-24 at halftime and built its lead to as many as 58 points in the second half. Illinois: This wasn’t much of a test for the Illini, who were facing a winless team that doesn’t have a player averaging in double figures and gives up 83 points per game. But it gave them a chance to shake off the rust from having a week off following their Braggin’ Rights win over Missouri on Dec. 21. Chicago State: It was another bad day for the Cougars, who were outrebounded 47-23, committed 15 turnovers and shot 37%. On a positive note, they were 4 for 4 at the free-throw line. A 14-point run over a 2 1/2-minute stretch early in the first half extended an 8-7 Illinois lead to 22-7 and propelled the Illini to the lopsided win. The Illini shoot a lot of 3s. They came into the day averaging 32 per game, No. 6 in the nation, and went 15 for 33. Illinois plays Thursday at No. 9 Oregon. Chicago State plays Friday at Wagner. 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-basketballAll the signs Michelle Keegan was pregnant as actress announces she is expecting first child with husband Mark Wright

American actor John Stamos is thanking two Chilliwack drummers after he called on them to help him perfect a drum solo for a Beach Boys concert. Brandon Toews and Dylan Weightman of Chilliwack were down in Los Angeles collaborating with the famous actor and musician as he prepared for an upcoming performance. Stamos, lovingly known as Uncle Jesse from sitcom Full House, has been playing with the Beach Boys for 40 years. He said he wanted to rediscover his love of drumming and needed help with a new solo, so he contacted Drumeo, an Abbotsford-based music school where Toews is the content director and Weightman the vice president. But it wasn’t just a drum lesson, it was a video project as well. “Today we released one of the coolest videos we’ve ever worked on at Drumeo,” Toews wrote on social media on Nov. 29. “I’ve gotten to know John Stamos over the last year and after sending some videos back and forth, we decided it was time to work on a new video together.” Weightman and fellow Drumeo teammate Brandon Scott developed the video concept and brought it to life, Toews said. In Drumeo’s 25-minute YouTube video called ‘John Stamos learns a drum solo in 10 days,’ Toews is seen working with Stamos on the drums and breaking down what makes a great solo. Near the end of the video, Stamos pounds out a minute-long drum solo at the Beach Boys concert that Toews called a 10 out of 10. Stamos “crushed it,” Toews said. “This was an absolute dream project collaborating with John Stamos to tell the story of evolving his Beach Boys drum solo in tribute of (late Foo Fighters drummer) Taylor Hawkins," Weightman wrote on social media. Weightman called Stamos talented, generous and handsome. “It was cool just to work with John – the fact that he’s a wonderful human being was a total bonus,” Weightman said. Stamos returned the compliments “Back at ya, Dylan. Total pleasure. You’re extremely helpful and very talented good man. And I absolutely love the video.” At the end of the video, Stamos pulls Toews up on stage to play a few songs with the Beach Boys, which Toews was not expecting. "John's a beast, man. What an incredible solo and, as a teacher, how cool to see your student go up there and just destroy a drum solo like that," Toews said. "Well done, John. You're an animal."

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New Millennium Group LLC cut its stake in Meta Platforms, Inc. ( NASDAQ:META – Free Report ) by 46.0% in the 3rd quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The fund owned 3,754 shares of the social networking company’s stock after selling 3,192 shares during the quarter. Meta Platforms accounts for about 1.4% of New Millennium Group LLC’s portfolio, making the stock its 20th biggest position. New Millennium Group LLC’s holdings in Meta Platforms were worth $2,149,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. Several other institutional investors and hedge funds have also recently modified their holdings of the stock. West Family Investments Inc. increased its position in shares of Meta Platforms by 21.7% during the third quarter. West Family Investments Inc. now owns 6,844 shares of the social networking company’s stock valued at $3,918,000 after acquiring an additional 1,219 shares during the last quarter. Second Half Financial Partners LLC purchased a new stake in shares of Meta Platforms during the third quarter valued at approximately $702,000. PNC Financial Services Group Inc. increased its position in shares of Meta Platforms by 2.9% during the third quarter. PNC Financial Services Group Inc. now owns 1,250,348 shares of the social networking company’s stock valued at $715,749,000 after acquiring an additional 35,117 shares during the last quarter. B. Metzler seel. Sohn & Co. Holding AG purchased a new stake in shares of Meta Platforms during the third quarter valued at approximately $116,708,000. Finally, Vance Wealth Inc. increased its position in shares of Meta Platforms by 18.8% during the third quarter. Vance Wealth Inc. now owns 3,414 shares of the social networking company’s stock valued at $1,954,000 after acquiring an additional 541 shares during the last quarter. 79.91% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors. Meta Platforms Trading Down 0.7 % Shares of META stock opened at $559.14 on Friday. The business has a 50-day moving average of $572.74 and a 200 day moving average of $523.96. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.18, a current ratio of 2.73 and a quick ratio of 2.73. Meta Platforms, Inc. has a 1-year low of $313.66 and a 1-year high of $602.95. The stock has a market capitalization of $1.41 trillion, a PE ratio of 26.34, a P/E/G ratio of 1.24 and a beta of 1.22. Meta Platforms Dividend Announcement The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Thursday, September 26th. Shareholders of record on Monday, September 16th were given a $0.50 dividend. This represents a $2.00 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 0.36%. The ex-dividend date was Monday, September 16th. Meta Platforms’s payout ratio is 9.42%. Insider Activity In other Meta Platforms news, CEO Mark Zuckerberg sold 7,975 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction on Wednesday, August 28th. The shares were sold at an average price of $516.36, for a total value of $4,117,971.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief executive officer now directly owns 531,884 shares in the company, valued at approximately $274,643,622.24. This represents a 1.48 % decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through the SEC website . Also, CAO Aaron Anderson sold 731 shares of Meta Platforms stock in a transaction dated Monday, November 18th. The shares were sold at an average price of $557.00, for a total transaction of $407,167.00. Following the sale, the chief accounting officer now directly owns 3,414 shares in the company, valued at $1,901,598. The trade was a 17.64 % decrease in their position. The disclosure for this sale can be found here . Over the last ninety days, insiders sold 168,843 shares of company stock valued at $92,083,554. Insiders own 13.71% of the company’s stock. Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth A number of brokerages recently commented on META. Jefferies Financial Group increased their price target on Meta Platforms from $600.00 to $675.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a research report on Tuesday, October 22nd. JPMorgan Chase & Co. increased their price objective on Meta Platforms from $640.00 to $660.00 and gave the company an “overweight” rating in a report on Thursday, October 31st. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft increased their price objective on Meta Platforms from $525.00 to $585.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a report on Thursday, August 1st. Morgan Stanley increased their price objective on Meta Platforms from $550.00 to $575.00 and gave the company an “overweight” rating in a report on Thursday, August 1st. Finally, Cantor Fitzgerald reissued an “overweight” rating and set a $670.00 price objective on shares of Meta Platforms in a report on Wednesday, October 16th. Two analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, four have assigned a hold rating, thirty-five have given a buy rating and two have issued a strong buy rating to the company’s stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, Meta Platforms presently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average target price of $634.10. View Our Latest Stock Report on Meta Platforms Meta Platforms Company Profile ( Free Report ) Meta Platforms, Inc engages in the development of products that enable people to connect and share with friends and family through mobile devices, personal computers, virtual reality headsets, and wearables worldwide. It operates in two segments, Family of Apps and Reality Labs. The Family of Apps segment offers Facebook, which enables people to share, discuss, discover, and connect with interests; Instagram, a community for sharing photos, videos, and private messages, as well as feed, stories, reels, video, live, and shops; Messenger, a messaging application for people to connect with friends, family, communities, and businesses across platforms and devices through text, audio, and video calls; and WhatsApp, a messaging application that is used by people and businesses to communicate and transact privately. Read More Want to see what other hedge funds are holding META? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Meta Platforms, Inc. ( NASDAQ:META – Free Report ). Receive News & Ratings for Meta Platforms Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Meta Platforms and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter .A U.S. Army soldier has been charged with murder in connection to the killing of another soldier last month at Fort Irwin National Training Center in Southern California. The soldier, Spc. George Cornejo, 26, stands accused in the Oct. 28 slaying of Spc. Andrew P. Smith, the U.S. Army told USA TODAY Monday. The U.S. Army Office of Special Trial Council charged Cornejo with murder on Nov. 20, the Army reported. Cornejo, who is from Fontana, a city in San Bernardino County, is assigned to the 11th Armored Calvary Regiment where he serves as a construction equipment repairer, according to the Army. Smith, 20, was found injured at his home at the National Training Center in San Bernardino County by Fort Irwin Military Police. He was transported to a local hospital where he died, officials reported. The Army did not specify how Smith died or whether both men knew one another. His official cause of death remained under investigation Monday, pending official autopsy results. The training center where Smith lived is in the Mojave Desert in Southern California, about 120 miles northeast of Los Angeles. College killing: 2 Dartmouth frat members, sorority charged in death of student found in Connecticut River George Cornejo ordered into custody day after Smith found injured On Oct, 29, the day after Smith was found injured, Cornejo was taken into custody and ordered into pretrial confinement. Officials said Cornejo was transferred to the Naval Consolidated Brig in Miramar, California where he awaits a preliminary hearing. As of Monday, that court date had not been announced and it was not immediately known if Cornejo had obtained an attorney. Victim Spc. Andrew P. Smith worked as a utilities equipment preparer Smith joined the Army in August 2021 and was a native of Rye, New York. He was assigned to Fort Irwin in March 2022 where he served as a utilities equipment preparer with the 11th Armored Calvary Regiment. 'Loved by many and highly regarded' Fort Irwin posted the news of his death on social media on Oct. 31. At the time, officials reported his death was under investigation. "Spc. Smith was loved by many and highly regarded amongst the team," said Kevin Black, Commander of the 11th Armored Cavalry Regiment. "As we mourn the loss of our teammate, our thoughts and prayers are with his family, friends and fellow troopers." The case remained open and active Monday with the Department of the Army Criminal Investigation Division. No further details were provided by officials. 'Fiercely loyal' soldier leaves behind wife, unborn son According to his obituary , Smith was fiercely loyal, and was always there to lend an ear and a helping hand to anyone in a time of need. An Avid sports fan, he loved the Giants and the Yankees and playing basketball with friends, the his family wrote in obituary. "He was proud to be a husband, and even more so excited to become a father," it continues. "He was eagerly awaiting the arrival of his son, Luca in January." Smith leaves behind his wife, Erika and their unborn son, his mother Christine Santillan, his father, William Smith, and his sister Lauren Smith. Natalie Neysa Alund is a senior reporter for USA TODAY. Reach her at nalund@usatoday.com and follow her on X @nataliealund.

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honored more widely for his humanitarian work around the globe after his presidency than for his White House tenure during a tumultuous time, has died. He was 100. "Our founder, former U.S. President Jimmy Carter, passed away this afternoon in Plains, Georgia," the Carter Center confirmed on Sunday. In November 2023, the Nobel Peace Prize-winner's wife of 77 years, Rosalynn, in the modest house they built together in 1961, when he had taken over his father's peanut warehouse business and was only beginning to consider a political career. In February 2023, he had announced he was ending medical intervention and Jason Carter had at the time of the announcement and said "They are at peace and – as always – their home is full of love," he posted on Twitter. At peace, perhaps, but still political: The former president vowed he for Vice President Kamala Harris in the 2024 presidential election. After serving a single term in the White House, Jimmy Carter became one of the most durable figures in modern American politics. Evicted from the White House at age 56, he would hold the status of former president longer than anyone in U.S. history, and in 2019 he surpassed George H. W. Bush as the nation's Carter remained remarkably active in charitable causes through a series of health challenges during his final years, including a in 2015. He was admitted to Emory University Hospital in Atlanta in November 2019 for a procedure to , a consequence of bleeding that followed a series of falls. A few months earlier, in May, he had undergone surgery after breaking his hip. In the White House from 1977 to 1981, Carter negotiated the landmark between Israel and Egypt, transferred the Panama Canal to Panamanian ownership, dramatically expanded public lands in Alaska and established formal diplomatic relations with the People’s Republic of China. But the 39th president governed at a time of and gasoline shortages, and his failure to secure the release of Americans held hostage by Iran helped cost him the second term he sought. “He’s never going to be ranked as a great president; he’s middling as a president,” said historian Douglas Brinkley, author of a 1998 book on Carter, "The Unfinished Presidency." “But as an American figure, he’s a giant.” After losing his reelection bid to Ronald Reagan, and until well into his 90s, Carter continued working as an observer of elections in developing countries, building houses through the nonprofit and at the tiny Maranatha Baptist Church in Plains, Georgia, his hometown. He was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2002, 22 years after he left the White House. "I can't deny that I was a better ex-president than I was a president," he said with a wry laugh at a breakfast with reporters in Washington in 2005. "My former boss was humiliated when he lost in 1980; he felt he let himself and the American people down," David Rubenstein, a young White House staffer for Carter who became founder of the Carlyle Group and a billionaire philanthropist, told USA TODAY in an interview in 2019. "For a long time, he was basically the symbol of a weak president and a terrible person. And today, 40-some years later, he's seen as a very incredible person who has had many good things he did, though he didn't get reelected," Rubenstein said. James Earl Carter Jr. was born on Oct. 1, 1924, in Plains to Earl Carter, a peanut warehouser who had served in the Georgia Legislature, and “Miss Lillian” Carter, a registered nurse and formidable figure who joined the Peace Corps when she was in her 60s. He grew up on a peanut farm in Plains, then graduated from the U.S. Naval Academy. In the years after World War II, he served in the Navy's submarine service in the Atlantic and Pacific fleets. After doing graduate work in nuclear physics, he became a pioneer in the introduction of nuclear power in submarines. When his father died in 1953, Carter resigned his naval commission and took over operation of the family peanut farms with After a rough early patch, the business flourished, and Carter became increasingly active in community affairs and politics. During two terms in the Georgia state Senate, he gained a reputation as an independent voice who attacked wasteful government practices and helped repeal laws designed to discourage Black Americans from voting. But in 1966, he lost a race for governor to segregationist Lester Maddox in an election that analysts said reflected a Southern backlash against national civil rights legislation enacted in 1964 and 1965. In a second bid for governor in 1970, Carter minimized his appearances before Black audiences and won endorsements from some segregationists. After he was elected, though, Carter declared that the era of segregation in Georgia was over, and he was hailed as a symbol of a new, more inclusive South. Still, he was an unlikely presidential contender. When he launched his bid for the 1976 Democratic nomination, the former one-term governor was so obscure outside the Peach State that “Jimmy who?” became a campaign trope. He perfected the meticulous cultivation of voters in Iowa, and his unexpected victory in the opening presidential caucuses there provided a launching pad that long-shot contenders tried to emulate for decades. The boosted Carter's prospects. In the aftermath of President Richard Nixon’s decision to resign in 1974 rather than be impeached, Carter pitched himself to voters as an outsider who would reject Washington’s unsavory ways. “I’ll never lie to you,” he told them. In 1976, he narrowly defeated President Gerald Ford, whose campaign was damaged by verbal missteps and by controversy over his decision to pardon Nixon. Four years later, Carter would be ousted himself. He faced a damaging challenge for the Democratic nomination from the left by Massachusetts Sen. Edward Kennedy and then a landslide defeat in the general election from the right by Reagan. The former California governor tapped into discontent with Carter’s leadership. “Are you better off than you were four years ago?” Reagan asked voters in the iconic closing of their only campaign debate. Carter’s defenders argue that he was a better president than generally recognized. "I think that he is the most underappreciated modern president that we've had," said Stuart Eizenstat, a veteran Washington official and ambassador who was Carter’s chief domestic policy adviser in the White House. "The reason for that is the lingering memories of his presidency are negative ones – gasoline lines, high interest rates and inflation, the Iran hostage crisis, the Desert One failed rescue effort – and those totally obscure a really remarkable set of accomplishments both at home and abroad, which in many ways didn't materialize until after he left office." Eizenstat, author of "President Carter: The White House Years," published in 2018, said Carter's policies and appointments laid the groundwork for a stronger economy, energy independence, environmental protection, business innovation in transportation and more. On foreign policy, Carter painstakingly negotiated the 1978 Camp David Accords, a historic agreement between Israel's Menachem Begin and Egypt's Anwar Sadat that led to a formal peace treaty between the two countries the next year. But he stumbled when he came to the politics of the job. Despite having the advantage of a solidly Democratic Congress, many of his legislative proposals, including a consumer protection bill, stalled. The no-backroom-deals approach that helped him win the White House contributed to his difficulties in actually governing once he got there. He was mocked for charging members of Congress for their breakfast when invited to meet with him at the White House and for eliminating alcohol from most evening events. He was seen by some, then and later, as prickly and sanctimonious. Meanwhile, unemployment rose, interest rates for home mortgages climbed into double digits and Americans found themselves waiting in lines to buy gas in an oil crisis created by OPEC, the powerful international energy cartel. In a speech to the nation in July 1979, Carter described a “crisis of confidence" among the American people. Although he never said the word, it became short-handed as his “malaise” speech. "He lacked the political and managerial skills needed to make best use of the office he held," said Robert McClure, a political scientist at Syracuse University's Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs. Most damaging of all was the Iranian hostage crisis. Carter had agreed to allow Iran's deposed shah, a former U.S. ally who was living in exile, to receive cancer treatment in the United States. In protest, Iranian Islamist radicals overran the U.S. Embassy in Tehran and took 52 Americans captive. The confrontation, which began on Nov. 4, 1979, would end only as Reagan was being inaugurated 444 days later. Carter chose diplomacy and economic sanctions over military action. He halted oil imports from Iran and froze Iranian assets in the U.S. He severed diplomatic relations with Iran and imposed a full economic embargo on the country. Finally, he approved a top-secret military mission to free the hostages, but it ended in catastrophe. Three helicopters developed engine trouble in a remote staging area in the Iranian desert, forcing the mission to be aborted. Eight U.S. troops were killed when a helicopter and a plane collided while forces were being withdrawn. It all added to the impression that Carter was out of his depth. "The hostage crisis left a bitter taste in voters' mouths, which Carter was never able to overcome," said Stephen Hess, a Brookings Institution scholar who worked on Carter's transition team when he was president-elect. On the day of Reagan's inauguration, Jan. 20, 1981, Iran agreed to accept $8 billion in frozen assets and a promise by the U.S. to lift trade sanctions in exchange for the release of the hostages. Minutes after Carter's successor took the oath of office, the hostages were freed. Carter left the White House, but he didn’t retire. Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter established the Carter Center in Atlanta, their home base for decades as they worked on global health and democracy. He helped negotiate an end to the long civil war in Nicaragua between the Contra rebels and the Sandinistas. He met with North Korean leaders to try to end its nuclear weapons program. He mediated conflicts in Ethiopia, Liberia, Haiti, Bosnia, Sudan, Uganda and Venezuela. He led dozens of delegations of international observers to various countries to help assure elections were free and fair. For decades, the Carter Center also led an international campaign to eradicate Guinea worm disease, a devastating tropical ailment that in 1986 afflicted an estimated 3.5 million people in Africa and Asia. In 2020, it was on the verge of eradication; just 27 cases were reported in six African countries. For a week each year, the Carters volunteered with Habitat for Humanity, a charitable group that renovates and builds homes for poor people around the world. He also wrote more than 30 books – controversial ones on the Palestinian territories and the Middle East and less controversial ones on Christmas memories and fly-fishing. He published a collection of his poems and a collection of his paintings. Again and again, he returned to writing about the lessons and demands of his Christian faith. Carter, who attended Donald Trump's inauguration in 2017, at times criticized the 45th president. In June 2019, at a Carter Center conference in suburban Virginia, he questioned the legitimacy of Trump's election, citing allegations of Russian interference that were later called into question. Trump responded at a news conference by calling Carter a "nice man, terrible president." But there were also times when Carter reached out to Trump. On the 40th anniversary of the normalization of U.S.-China relations, in 2019, he sent Trump a letter offering advice on managing that relationship. Carter said the phone conversation that followed was the first time the two men had spoken. In 2002, Carter was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize that supporters thought he had deserved years earlier, when it had been presented to Begin and Sadat. The Nobel committee honored Carter "for his decades of untiring effort to find peaceful solutions to international conflicts, to advance democracy and human rights and to promote economic and social development." "The bond of our common humanity is stronger than the divisiveness of our fears and prejudices," Carter said in accepting the prestigious award. "God gives us the capacity for choice. We can choose to alleviate suffering. We can choose to work together for peace. We can make these changes – and we must." When he left the White House, Carter moved back home to Plains. Unlike most other modern presidents, he didn't choose to make money by delivering high-priced speeches or serving on corporate boards. But he did regularly speak to hundreds of visitors who would gather for his Sunday school class at Maranatha Baptist Church. In November 2019, he told those gathered that he didn't fear death. "It's incompatible for any Christian not to believe in life after death," Carter, then 95, told them, although he acknowledged he had wrestled with doubts throughout his life. In his prayers, he said, "I didn't ask God to let me live, but I just asked God to give me a proper attitude toward death. And I found that I was absolutely and completely at ease with death." In July 2021, he and his wife hosted a attended by about 300 friends, family members and fellow pols, among them Bill and Hillary Clinton. Carter, his fragility apparent, made a point of greeting the guests at each table for what many of them assumed would be the last time they saw him. "He was not a self-promoter in the White House or afterwards, and I think that hurt, because it leaves all the sour tastes from the failures and didn't allow the positives to shine through," Eizenstat said. When Eizenstat visited Carter in Plains in 2018, Carter told his former aide he was comfortable with letting history judge. As he approached his 90th birthday, Carter mused about his legacy in an interview with USA TODAY. "One is peace," he said. "I kept peace when I was president and I try to promote peace between other people and us, and between countries that were potentially at war, between Israel and Egypt for instance. And human rights. ... I think human rights and peace are the two things I'd like to be remembered for – as well as being a good grandfather." CCalling all Harry Potter fans! You may not be able to take your kids to the real Hogwarts – but you can get pretty close this . Coats in , Renfrewshire, is a stunning old church that resembles the iconic wizard school, and a local artist is staging three events at the venue this winter to bring "festive magic alive". Lisa Cunningham recently ran a wizarding brunch at Coats and is putting on three more due to demand and rave reviews. The events are over the weekend of December 13, 14 and 15 and will see the venue decorated with Potter-style goodies, as well as special themed food and drinks, photo opportunities and even a real live owl. Lisa said: “We ran an event a few weeks ago and we were blown away by the response. “Demand has been crazy for some more themed brunches so we are definitely looking at other ideas too. “But the big news is we are doing three more Hogwarts inspired events just before Christmas. “The venue is perfect, it’s just beautiful, and everyone really got into the spirit of it all, coming along in costumes and stuff “So we hope this is the perfect festive treat for families – let’s bring the magic of Christmas to life.” While the events are inspired by the world of Hogwarts, they are not official endorsed events – but the venue alone transports you right to the heart of that fantastical world. “It’s all a bit of fun really – we’re all fans and it’s about giving local families something fun to do together in these tough times. “We have some really exciting things planned for 2025 exploring different interests and passions. “It’s such a gift having this beautiful venue to play with.” And while Lisa and the team can’t quite guarantee a white Christmas, they can definitely bring some magic to the build-up. “Transforming a space like this really gets the creative juices flowing which makes for such a special atmosphere and capturing the real magic that we look to emulate in every event we do. “From the set design to the actors, magicians to the owls and even the food elements, everything’s thought through thoroughly to create a wow factor for the guests.” Organisers have posted additional information on what fans can expect on their social media. They said: “After our SOLD OUT Harry Potter themed, wizarding brunch on Saturday 9th November at Coats church in Paisley, we are delighted to announce that we will be back with very special festive editions on Friday 13th, Saturday 14th & Sunday 15th December 2024. “Inspired by The Great Hall in Hogwarts Castle, the main area where students and teachers congregated and received their daily meals and owl post, the church upstairs will be converted with enough space to hold every student and aspiring wizard! “You can expect a selection of festive inspired sand-witches, savoury dishes, jelly snakes and potion-mixed drinks, along with a few of Harry’s favourites, pigs in blankets, turkey and Christmas themed items! So dust off your robes, don your house colours and your best witch's hat and let the magic begin! “During the event there will be magicians and actors present, as well as other immersive entertainment including a visit from Hedwig and his Scottish cousin, Ghost! “IMPORTANT NOTICE: This is an independently created event and is not related to Warner Bros or any of their properties. It is not endorsed by or associated with J.K. Rowling or otherwise connected with Harry Potter or J.K. Rowling’s Wizarding World.” Tickets are £32.50 per person and can be bought .