milyon88 app video games

Advancements in DNA technology and a surge of public interest are rekindling hope for breakthroughs in the long-unsolved murder of 6-year-old JonBenét Ramsey, a case that has remained a haunting mystery for nearly 28 years. As new techniques emerge and fresh attention is drawn to the evidence, many are eager for answers that could finally bring closure to this tragic story. JonBenét, who was found dead in the basement of her Boulder, Colorado, home in 1996, remains frozen in time. Her father, John Ramsey, has endured nearly three decades without justice, answers or his daughter. "JonBenét's still my 6-year-old blond-headed daughter who I love dearly," Ramsey told ABC News. "I did run into one of her little friends on the street who is now, you know, 30 and an adult. And it was, it was a little bit of a shock. This little girl played with JonBenét at our house all the time. And that was a little bit of a jolt to think, wow, that could have been JonBenét." Watch the full story on the "20/20" episode, "Forever Young: Who Killed JonBenét Ramsey?" featuring a new interview with John Ramsey and never-before-seen footage from the iconic Barbara Walters interview with parents John and Patsy Ramsey. Ramsey, now 81 years old, has renewed hope that his daughter's killer can finally be found. He is confident that advances in DNA technology, including genetic genealogy that has helped to solve several high-profile cold case, are the key to solving this mystery. "Let's do a reverse family tree and see if he had a relative living in Boulder in 1996. The interesting thing about these cold cases," Ramsey said. "The ultimate first arrest came out of nowhere. They were on no one's radar. They've done this horrible crime and nobody said that that guy's a suspect. That's what we're asking the police to do." Over the years, Ramsey expressed frustration with the police for not solving his daughter's case. He was unhappy with being a prime suspect for 12 years and that the department rejected offers of help to find viable evidence.He recently took part in a new Netflix docuseries, "Cold Case: Who Killed JonBenét Ramsey?" The series dives into lingering mysteries surrounding the tragic case, exploring evidence, interviews and theories that have emerged over the years. Ramsey collaborated with director Joe Berlinger, who aimed to illuminate what he described as one of the most victimized families in American history. "Obviously, he wasn't legally wrongfully convicted, but he was wrongfully convicted," Berlinger said. "And his wife Patsy -- the family were wrongfully convicted in the court of public opinion." The popular docuseries ignited a new wave of interest among viewers. Ramsey is hopeful that recent changes in the Boulder Police Department's leadership and better communication with his family may lead to a resolution in the case. The Boulder police department has addressed the recent scrutiny. Last month, the current police chief released a video statement. "So much of how law enforcement works has changed in the last 30 years," Stephen Redfearn said. "There are a number of things that people have pointed to throughout the years that could have been done better and we acknowledge that as true. However, it is important to emphasize that while we cannot go back to that horrible day in 1996, our goal is to find JonBenét Ramsey's killer." That tragic day in 1996 began in the picturesque Boulder neighborhood where the Ramsey family lived. On Dec. 26, John and Patsy Ramsey woke up to find that JonBenét, a child beauty queen, was missing. A handwritten ransom note demanding $118,000 -- the exact sum of John's bonus that year -- was discovered on the kitchen stairs. Seven hours later, John found his daughter's lifeless body in a small basement room. An autopsy determined JonBenét was sexually assaulted and strangled, and her skull was fractured. Unknown DNA was found under her fingernails and in her underwear. The Ramseys quickly became suspects, even though no evidence connected them to the crime. The family has always denied any involvement in JonBenét's murder. However, the Boulder District Attorney's Office took 12 years to fully exonerate the Ramseys and their son Burke, who was 9 years old when his sister died. As weeks went by without any arrests in the case, a media frenzy began to build, fueled by relentless tabloid images of JonBenét participating in beauty pageants. A number of leads emerged, including a man named John Mark Karr, who confessed to the killing in 2006. However, his DNA did not match the evidence and he was not in Boulder at the time of the murder, so he was eliminated as a suspect. The case remained unsolved. John Ramsey believes that a cloud still hangs over his family, as he thinks there are people in the country who think he and his late wife, Patsy, who died in 2006, are responsible for JonBenét's murder. Investigator Lou Smit, who was initially brought into the case by Boulder County District Attorney Alex Hunter, came to believe early in his investigation that the Ramseys were innocent. He thought that the police should be looking at the possibility of an intruder. "I'm not saying parents don't kill their kids ... parents do kill their children," Smit said in his tapes. "But [ the police ] are trying to say Patsy did it. ... Their actions before, during and after [ JonBenét's death ] are all consistent with innocent people. ... They didn't do it." As the investigation progressed Smit became increasingly concerned that authorities had completely ruled out the chance of an intruder being responsible for JonBenét's death. As a result, they weren't searching for evidence that might support this possibility. Smit continued to maintain that an unidentified intruder was responsible for JonBenét's murder. However, he was running out of time due to his colon cancer diagnosis in 2010. Before Smit died on Aug. 11 of that year, he diligently compiled a detailed list of persons of interest, hoping that his years of investigative work would eventually pay off. Smit passed his files to his surviving children, including a spreadsheet with 887 names of potential suspects to be investigated.That list is extensive, but Smit's family is determined to continue their search. Since his death, the team has cleared several individuals from that list, according to Smit's granddaughter Jessa Van Der Woerd. However, the process is slow due to the time and costs involved in locating each person, obtaining their DNA and testing it. "We've let the killer walk for more than 28 years," John Ramsey said. "I think it's imperative that we investigate every credible suspect that's been provided."

Astonishing highs and lows of Australia's insane property market as the eye-popping sums paid for the most expensive AND cheapest homes are revealed

Investornewsbreaks Sportlync, Inc.'S Golf App Helps Enthusiasts 'Stay In The Game' All YearAccenture PLC Cl A stock outperforms competitors on strong trading daySaquon Barkley tops 2,000 yards rushing and moves within 100 of Dickerson's record PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Saquon Barkley became the ninth running back in NFL history to top 2,000 yards rushing in a season, reaching the milestone with a 23-yard run in the fourth quarter against the Dallas Cowboys. That rush gave Barkley 2,005 yards with one game left and left him exactly 100 yards from Eric Dickerson’s record of 2,105, set in 1984 for the Los Angeles Rams. Barkley could potentially top the record in next week’s finale against the New York Giants. However, that game will be mostly meaningless for the Eagles, who could opt to rest Barkley to protect him from injury ahead of the playoffs. Bills clinch the AFC's No. 2 seed with a 40-14 rout of the undisciplined Jets ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. (AP) — Josh Allen threw two touchdown passes and ran for another score and the Buffalo Bills clinched the AFC’s No. 2 seed with a 40-14 rout of the New York Jets. The Bills put the game away by capitalizing on two Jets turnovers and scoring three touchdowns over a 5:01 span in the closing minutes of the third quarter. Buffalo’s defense forced three takeaways overall and sacked Aaron Rodgers four times, including a 2-yard loss for a safety in the second quarter. The five-time defending AFC East champion Bills improved to 13-3 to match a franchise single-season record. Saquon Barkley tops 2,000 yards rushing as Eagles beat Cowboys 41-7 to clinch NFC East PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Saquon Barkley rushed for 167 yards to top 2,000 on the season, backup quarterback Kenny Pickett ran and threw for scores before departing with injured ribs, and the Philadelphia Eagles clinched the NFC East title by routing the Dallas Cowboys 41-7. Barkley has 2,005 yards and needs 101 in next week’s mostly meaningless regular-season finale to top Eric Dickerson and his 2,105 yards for the Los Angeles Rams in 1984. The Eagles led 24-7 in the third quarter when Pickett was drilled by defensive end Micah Parsons, ending his first start in place of the concussed Jalen Hurts. Penn State coach James Franklin says Nick Saban should be college football's commissioner SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. (AP) — Penn State coach James Franklin believes college football needs a commissioner and he even has a candidate in mind: former Alabama coach Nick Saban. Franklin made the suggestion Sunday at Penn State’s College Football Playoff quarterfinals media day ahead of the Fiesta Bowl. The sixth-seeded Nittany Lions are preparing for their game against No. 3 seed Boise State on Tuesday. The veteran coach was responding to a question about Penn State’s backup quarterback situation after Beau Pribula transferred to Missouri before the playoff. Pribula’s decision highlighted some of the frustrating aspects of a new college football world in the Name, Image and Likeness era and the transfer portal, forcing players to make tough decisions at inopportune times. Mayfield throws 5 TD passes and Bucs keep playoff, NFC South hopes alive with 48-14 rout of Panthers TAMPA, Fla. (AP) — Baker Mayfield threw for 359 yards and five touchdowns to help the Tampa Bay Buccaneers keep their division and playoff hopes alive with a 48-14 rout of the Carolina Panthers. The team’s fifth win in the past six weeks nudged the first-place Bucs a half-game ahead of Atlanta for the best record in the NFC South at 9-7. The Falcons played on the road later Sunday night at Washington. Atlanta holds the tiebreaker in the division race and can end Tampa Bay’s three-year reign as NFC South champions by beating the Commanders and winning again next week at home against the last-place Panthers. Lakers send D'Angelo Russell to Nets in trade for Dorian Finney-Smith, Shake Milton LOS ANGELES (AP) — The Los Angeles Lakers have traded guard D’Angelo Russell to the Brooklyn Nets for forward Dorian Finney-Smith and guard Shake Milton. The Lakers also sent forward Maxwell Lewis and three second-round draft picks to Brooklyn. Russell averaged a career-low 12.4 points per game for the Lakers this season in a diminished role under new coach JJ Redick. Finney-Smith is a steady 3-and-D wing who fills an obvious need for the Lakers. Russell is being traded by the Lakers to the Nets for the second time in his career. He also made the move in 2017. LeBron James at 40: A milestone birthday arrives Monday for the NBA's all-time scoring leader When LeBron James broke another NBA record earlier this month, the one for most regular-season minutes played in a career, his Los Angeles Lakers teammates handled the moment in typical locker room fashion. They made fun of him. Dubbed The Kid from Akron, with a limitless future, James is now the 40-year-old from Los Angeles with wisps of gray in his beard, his milestone birthday coming Monday, one that will make him the first player in NBA history to play in his teens, 20s, 30s and 40s. He has stood and excelled in the spotlight his entire career. Rising Sun Devils: Arizona State looks to pull off another big surprise at the Peach Bowl ATLANTA (AP) — As they prepare for Arizona State’s biggest game in nearly three decades, the guys who made it happen aren’t the least bit surprised to be rated a nearly two-touchdown underdog in the College Football Playoff. That’s a familiar position for the Sun Devils. They've been an underdog most of the season. Of the eight teams still vying for a national championship, there’s no bigger surprise than 11-2 Arizona State. The Sun Devils went 3-9 a year ago and were picked to finish dead last in their first season in the Big 12 Conference. Now, they're getting ready to face Texas in the Peach Bowl quarterfinal game on New Year’s Day. Penn State's polarizing QB Drew Allar puts critics on mute and keeps winning games SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. (AP) — Even when Penn State quarterback Drew Allar gets some praise, it’s usually a backhanded compliment. They say he’s a good game manager and stays within himself, or that he doesn’t try to do too much. They mention he might not be flashy, but he gives the team a chance to win. And here’s the thing about Penn State since Allar stepped under center: The Nittany Lions have won games. A lot of them. Sometimes that’s hard to remember considering the lukewarm reception he often gets from fans. The polarizing Allar has another chance to quiet his critics on Tuesday, when Penn State plays Boise State in the College Football Playoff quarterfinals at the Fiesta Bowl. Feels like 1979: Nottingham Forest moves into 2nd place behind rampant Liverpool in Premier League The Premier League table is starting to have a 1979 kind of feel to it with Liverpool at the top of the standings and Nottingham Forest in second place as the closest challenger. Liverpool padded its lead with a 5-0 rout of West Ham on Sunday while upstart Nottingham Forest climbed into second place by beating Everton 2-0 to continue its surprising push for a Champions League place. Manchester City marked Pep Guardiola's 500th game in charge by beating Leicester 2-0 but is still 14 points behind Liverpool having played a game more.

Costco Wholesale Corp. stock outperforms competitors on strong trading dayStem cell therapy to correct heart failure in children could ‘transform lives’In its commitment towards ensuring public safety, the Crime Branch has arrested a total of 114 offenders this year involved in various criminal activities in the national capital. As per the data shared by the police, the arrested include 40 parole Jumpers, 18 interim bail jumpers, 9 proclaimed offenders among others. Moreover, this includes six offenders who were absconding for more than ten years, 26 absconding persons for three to five years and 60 individuals who were on the run for a year. Advertisement Special Commissioner of Police (Crime) ,Devesh Chandra Srivastva, said, “A year of tireless effort and precision, the Crime Branch adopted a multifaceted approach, combining advanced technological tools and traditional intelligence methods. With the use of technical surveillance, CDR and IPDR analysis, and informant networks, various dedicated teams traced and captured offenders who had evaded arrest for years”. Advertisement The operations were not confined to Delhi but extended across India, highlighting the Crime Branch’s tenacity and capability to operate on pan India level. Each arrest was the result of meticulous groundwork, including analysis of technical data, deployment of informants, and field operations in diverse locations, he added. In addition to this, Delhi Police has urged the citizens to remain vigilant and assist law enforcement by promptly reporting any suspicious activity. Advertisement

Tech Giants’ Stocks Soar with Eye-Popping Gains The tech world is abuzz with SoundHound AI and Palantir Technologies, two companies that have caught investors’ attention with their extraordinary stock gains in 2024. SoundHound AI stole the spotlight, with its share price skyrocketing a mind-blowing 875%. This surge is attributed to impressive revenue records and increased collaborations with prominent brands eager to integrate its cutting-edge conversational AI services. Analysts from Wedbush have taken note, sharply raising the target price for the company’s shares, a testament to growing confidence in its future prospects. Meanwhile, Palantir Technologies isn’t lagging far behind, achieving a formidable 385% increase in its stocks. This success stems from mounting demand for its comprehensive AI platform, fruitful strategic partnerships, and a prestigious spot in the S&P 500 index. Despite SoundHound’s higher percentage rise, the debate continues over which company offers a better investment, prioritizing both growth potential and risk. Challenge of the Titans: SoundHound vs. Palantir SoundHound AI’s Key Strengths: – Remarkable 875% rise in stock value. – Broader customer base than before, reducing dependency on a single major client to 12%. – Strategic moves in the electric vehicle market. – Continual enhancement of AI capabilities through its innovative Polaris model. Palantir Technologies’ Competitive Edge: – Strong profitability record. – Extensive market mastery with strategic alliances boosting its reach. – Inclusion in the S&P 500 draws more institutional attention. Future Outlook and Strategic Implications While SoundHound must focus on achieving profitability to maintain investor trust, Palantir needs to navigate potential volatility associated with government reliance. Both companies, however, are poised for further growth as the demand for AI-powered solutions across different sectors continues to accelerate. Investors should weigh these considerations carefully to decide which company aligns better with their risk appetite and investment objectives. As AI technology evolves, tracking these industry leaders will be pivotal for those interested in the fast-paced world of tech stocks. The Untold Prospects: Investing in AI Giants SoundHound and Palantir The rapid ascent of SoundHound AI and Palantir Technologies in 2024 has shaken the investment landscape, with both companies showing astronomic growth in their stock market performance. Beyond their impressive gains, these firms present unique prospects and challenges that could entice or deter investors. Below, we delve into their innovations, market strategies, and future trajectories to offer deeper insights into their investment potential. SoundHound AI: Innovating in Conversational AI and Beyond SoundHound AI has made waves with its 875% rise in stock value, driven by substantial revenue increases and partnerships with top-tier brands. However, several factors come into play that enhances its profile further: – Pros and Cons : A major advantage for SoundHound is its diversification in revenue streams, notably by reducing client dependency to just 12%. However, the challenge remains in achieving consistent profitability to sustain investor interest. – Strategic Initiatives : The company’s foray into the electric vehicle sector signifies a forward-thinking strategy, aligning with trends toward integrated AI systems in next-gen automobiles. – Cutting-Edge Innovations : The introduction of its “Polaris” AI model marks a step-up in technological advancement, likely bolstering its standing in the competitive AI market. Palantir Technologies: Strategic Growth and Institutional Appeal With a 385% increase in stocks, Palantir Technologies strengthens its position as a cornerstone in the comprehensive AI solutions arena: – Comparative Insights : While Palantir’s growth percentage is lower than SoundHound’s, its longstanding profitability and strategic alliances provide stability and market reach that few can match. – Market Factors : Inclusion in the S&P 500 enhances its visibility with institutional investors, potentially driving a steadier investment flow. – Growth Opportunities and Limitations : Although their inclusion in government projects presents lucrative opportunities, it also brings exposure to regulatory challenges and potential market fluctuations. Future Growth Trajectories and Market Dynamics As AI technology continues to shape various industries, both SoundHound and Palantir are poised for expansion. Investors must consider critical factors while assessing these tech titans: – Trends and Innovations : The ongoing demand for AI-driven solutions across sectors underscores a promising market forecast. Both companies’ commitment to innovation will likely drive further gains. – Risk and Reward Analysis : Investors should evaluate the balance between growth prospects and potential risks, such as market volatility and operational profitability. SoundHound’s focus on reducing revenue dependency, coupled with Palantir’s strong institutional backing, highlights distinct paths to potential success. Conclusion: Navigating the AI Investment Landscape For investors keen on aligning with future tech trends, SoundHound and Palantir represent significant—but varied—opportunities. Monitoring their progress and strategic pivots will be critical in mounting an informed investment strategy in the fast-paced AI sector. For more information, visit the official websites of SoundHound and Palantir for the latest updates and developments.B.C. Premier David Eby said B.C. will slay its record-setting deficit of $9 billion through growth and sound fiscal planning, not "harsh austerity cuts" or "under-funding services" as he reached out to business leaders to make a case for investment in physical and social infrastructure. Eby made these comments while speaking in Vancouver Tuesday, (Dec. 10), at an event hosted by the B.C. Chamber of Commerce, which has previously raised concerns about B.C.'s fiscal direction. That tension surfaced during the opening of the informal question-and-answer session between Eby and Fiona Famulak, chamber president and chief executive officer. "We don't always agree, but we can always have — and we always do have — candid and frank conversations, and I know you are always up for tough questions, because you always answer them," Famulak said. "What you have just said minutes ago, a lot of good things have been said." Eby acknowledged relations could be better. "So my commitment is that you will find a government that is hoping, with your support, to hit reset on this relationship, to move forward with the tariff threat that we are facing in a unified way, with the massive opportunity in this province to deliver it for British Columbians and that four years from now...we can look back and go, 'man, we did a lot of good work together.'" Eby's prepared remarks touched on a range of subjects, including tomorrow's meeting with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau as well as provincial and territorial leaders to discuss threatened tariffs of 25 per cent on all Canadian goods by incoming-president U.S. Donald Trump. But if a singular theme ran through Eby's speech, it was his promise to reform permitting for natural resource projects. He pointed to yesterday's announcement that his government would free nine new wind energy projects from the required environmental assessments. He then added that those projects would go through a singular rather multiple permitting windows. Eby said these changes will help get these projects off the ground three to five years faster than otherwise in framing them as the first of many changes to speed up permitting in various areas. One of the central sectors concerned about permitting is the mining sector. More to come...AI-driven approach reveals hidden hazards of chemical mixtures in rivers

The military’s tradition of tracking Santa Claus on his gravity-defying sweep across the globe will carry on this Christmas Eve, even if the U.S. government shuts down , officials said Friday. Each year, at least 100,000 kids call into the North American Aerospace Defense Command to inquire about Santa’s location. Millions more follow online . “We fully expect for Santa to take flight on Dec. 24 and NORAD will track him,” the U.S.-Canadian agency said in a statement. On any other night, NORAD is scanning the heavens for potential threats , such as last year’s Chinese spy balloon . But on Christmas Eve, volunteers in Colorado Springs, Colorado, are fielding questions like, “When is Santa coming to my house?” and, “Am I on the naughty or nice list?” The endeavor is supported by local and corporate sponsors, who also help shield the tradition from Washington dysfunction. Bob Sommers, 63, a civilian contractor and NORAD volunteer, told The Associated Press that there are “screams and giggles and laughter” when families call in, usually on speakerphone. Sommers often says on the call that everyone must be asleep before Santa arrives, prompting parents to say, “Do you hear what he said? We got to go to bed early.” NORAD’s annual tracking of Santa has endured since the Cold War , predating ugly sweater parties and Mariah Carey classics . Here’s how it began and why the phones keep ringing. It started with a child’s accidental phone call in 1955. The Colorado Springs newspaper printed a Sears advertisement that encouraged children to call Santa, listing a phone number. A boy called. But he reached the Continental Air Defense Command, now NORAD, a joint U.S. and Canadian effort to spot potential enemy attacks. Tensions were growing with the Soviet Union, along with anxieties about nuclear war. Air Force Col. Harry W. Shoup picked up an emergency-only “red phone” and was greeted by a tiny voice that began to recite a Christmas wish list. “He went on a little bit, and he takes a breath, then says, ‘Hey, you’re not Santa,’” Shoup told The Associated Press in 1999. Realizing an explanation would be lost on the youngster, Shoup summoned a deep, jolly voice and replied, “Ho, ho, ho! Yes, I am Santa Claus. Have you been a good boy?” Shoup said he learned from the boy’s mother that Sears mistakenly printed the top-secret number. He hung up, but the phone soon rang again with a young girl reciting her Christmas list. Fifty calls a day followed, he said. In the pre-digital age, the agency used a 60-by-80-foot (18-by-24-meter) plexiglass map of North America to track unidentified objects. A staff member jokingly drew Santa and his sleigh over the North Pole. The tradition was born. “Note to the kiddies,” began an AP story from Colorado Springs on Dec. 23, 1955. “Santa Claus Friday was assured safe passage into the United States by the Continental Air Defense Command.” In a likely reference to the Soviets, the article noted that Santa was guarded against possible attack from “those who do not believe in Christmas.” Some grinchy journalists have nitpicked Shoup’s story, questioning whether a misprint or a misdial prompted the boy’s call. In 2014, tech news site Gizmodo cited an International News Service story from Dec. 1, 1955, about a child’s call to Shoup. Published in the Pasadena Independent, the article said the child reversed two digits in the Sears number. “When a childish voice asked COC commander Col. Harry Shoup, if there was a Santa Claus at the North Pole, he answered much more roughly than he should — considering the season: ‘There may be a guy called Santa Claus at the North Pole, but he’s not the one I worry about coming from that direction,’” Shoup said in the brief piece. In 2015, The Atlantic magazine doubted the flood of calls to the secret line, while noting that Shoup had a flair for public relations. Phone calls aside, Shoup was indeed media savvy. In 1986, he told the Scripps Howard News Service that he recognized an opportunity when a staff member drew Santa on the glass map in 1955. A lieutenant colonel promised to have it erased. But Shoup said, “You leave it right there,” and summoned public affairs. Shoup wanted to boost morale for the troops and public alike. “Why, it made the military look good — like we’re not all a bunch of snobs who don’t care about Santa Claus,” he said. Shoup died in 2009. His children told the StoryCorps podcast in 2014 that it was a misprinted Sears ad that prompted the phone calls. “And later in life he got letters from all over the world,” said Terri Van Keuren, a daughter. “People saying ‘Thank you, Colonel, for having, you know, this sense of humor.’” NORAD’s tradition is one of the few modern additions to the centuries-old Santa story that have endured, according to Gerry Bowler, a Canadian historian who spoke to the AP in 2010. Ad campaigns or movies try to “kidnap” Santa for commercial purposes, said Bowler, who wrote “Santa Claus: A Biography.” NORAD, by contrast, takes an essential element of Santa’s story and views it through a technological lens. In a recent interview with the AP, Air Force Lt. Gen. Case Cunningham explained that NORAD radars in Alaska and Canada — known as the northern warning system — are the first to detect Santa. He leaves the North Pole and typically heads for the international dateline in the Pacific Ocean. From there he moves west, following the night. “That’s when the satellite systems we use to track and identify targets of interest every single day start to kick in,” Cunningham said. “A probably little-known fact is that Rudolph’s nose that glows red emanates a lot of heat. And so those satellites track (Santa) through that heat source.” NORAD has an app and website, www.noradsanta.org , that will track Santa on Christmas Eve from 4 a.m. to midnight, mountain standard time. People can call 1-877-HI-NORAD to ask live operators about Santa’s location from 6 a.m. to midnight, mountain time.MT. STERLING, Ohio , Dec. 20, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- WillowWood, a global leader in prosthetic solutions, is proud to announce its receipt of the prestigious Gold Anthem Award Honor in the Product and Innovation category for its 2024 rebrand. The award recognizes the transformative collaboration with DD.NYC that has redefined WillowWood's visual identity, emphasizing its mission to improve mobility, push the forefront of the prosthetic industry, and enhance the quality of life for individuals worldwide. The Anthem Awards is the largest and most comprehensive social impact award, recognizing work across five areas of impact including Awareness, Fundraising, Community Engagement, Product, Innovation & Service, and Team & Internal Initiatives, for seven causes: Diversity Equity & Inclusion, Education Art & Culture, Health, Human & Civil Rights, Humanitarian Action & Services, Responsible Technology, and Sustainability Climate & Environment. By amplifying the voices that spark global change, the Anthem Awards are defining a new benchmark for impactful work that inspires others to take action in their own communities. With over 2,300 submissions from 44 countries around the world, 10,000+ reviews from jurors, and over 33,000 supporters in the Anthem Community Voice, the 4th Annual Anthem Award Winners were announced on November 19, 2024 . WillowWood's rebrand stood out among this global competition, showcasing an unwavering commitment to empowering prosthetic users through advanced technology and compassionate care. "This recognition is a testament to the heart and soul of WillowWood's mission and DD.NYC's commitment to reimagining brands in a way that stays true to that heart and soul," said Mahesh Mansukhani , CEO of WillowWood. "Our partnership with Digital Design NYC allowed us to craft a brand identity that not only honors our legacy but also propels us into the future. The rebrand reflects our promise to provide innovative prosthetic solutions that enhance mobility and transform lives." The creative process was a seamless collaboration between WillowWood and DD.NYC. Together, the teams developed a rebrand strategy that blends contemporary design elements with an innovation-centered focus. Key features include a revitalized logo, a cohesive color palette inspired by movement and vitality, and a redesigned website offering an intuitive user experience for clinicians and prosthetic users alike. "From the outset, we sought to encapsulate the essence of WillowWood's dedication to improving lives through innovation," said Anjelika Kour , Creative Director at DD.NYC. "The resulting rebrand is both striking and meaningful, capturing the spirit of mobility and resilience that defines WillowWood." The Gold Anthem Award underscores the significant impact of WillowWood's reimagined brand, resonating with both the prosthetics community and broader audiences. As a leader in the industry, WillowWood continues to champion inclusivity, innovation, and hope. To explore the award-winning rebrand and learn more about WillowWood's mission and products, visit willowwood.com . To learn more about the many industry-changing projects and services of DD.NYC, visit dd.nyc . About WillowWood: Based in Mount Sterling, Ohio , WillowWood Global is an industry leading designer, manufacturer, and distributor of prosthetic products, including liners, feet, vacuum systems and components. Recognized for its products' superior innovation, quality, and patient outcomes, WillowWood's portfolio includes the Alpha ® family of liners, including the first myoelectric Alpha ® Control Liner, the META ® family of feet, the LimbLogic ® vacuum system, and now the XtremityTT ® socket system. For over 117 years, WillowWood's prosthetic products have helped individuals with limb loss find comfort and functionality, remain active and live life to the fullest. About DD.NYC: DD.NYC® is an award-winning Manhattan -based creative agency specializing in branding, web design, packaging, and video storytelling. Since its founding in 2015, the agency has been recognized for its innovative approach and adaptability across industries, with a strong focus on the medical and healthcare sectors. About The Anthem Awards: Launched in 2021 by The Webby Awards, The Anthem Awards honors the purpose & mission-driven work of people, companies and organizations worldwide. By amplifying the voices that spark global change, we're defining a new benchmark for impactful work that inspires others to take action in their own communities. The Anthem Awards honors work across seven core causes: Diversity; Equity & Inclusion; Education; Art & Culture; Health; Human & Civil Rights; Humanitarian Action & Services; Responsible Technology; and Sustainability, Environment & Climate. This season's partners include Ms. Magazine, The Female Quotient, Sustainable Brands, NationSwell, and TheFutureParty. The Awards were founded in partnership with the Ad Council, Born This Way Foundation, Feeding America, Glaad, Mozilla, NAACP, NRDC, WWF, and XQ. About The Webby Awards: Hailed as the "Internet's highest honor" by The New York Times , The Webby Awards is the leading international awards organization honoring excellence on the Internet, including Websites and Mobile Sites; Video; Advertising; Media & PR; Apps & Software; Social; Podcasts; Games and AI, Metaverse & Virtual. Established in 1996, The Webby Awards received nearly 13,000 entries from all 50 states and over 70 countries worldwide this year. The Webby Awards are presented by the International Academy of Digital Arts and Sciences (IADAS). Sponsors and Partners of The Webby Awards include WP Engine, LinkedIn, Meltwater, NAACP, KPMG, Wall Street Journal, Vox Media, Deadline, AdAge, TechCrunch, The Hollywood Reporter, The Hustle, Morning Brew, Passionfruit, Embedded, Link in Bio, Creator Economy NYC, Creator Spotlight, AIGA, Vote Save America, and The Publish Press. Media contact: Marketing@willowwood.com View original content to download multimedia: https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/willowwood-rebrand-by-ddnyc-wins-gold-anthem-award-for-product-and-innovation-in-2024-rebrand-302337766.html SOURCE WillowWood Global

Nearly half of US teens are online ‘constantly,’ Pew report findsMT. STERLING, Ohio , Dec. 20, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- WillowWood, a global leader in prosthetic solutions, is proud to announce its receipt of the prestigious Gold Anthem Award Honor in the Product and Innovation category for its 2024 rebrand. The award recognizes the transformative collaboration with DD.NYC that has redefined WillowWood's visual identity, emphasizing its mission to improve mobility, push the forefront of the prosthetic industry, and enhance the quality of life for individuals worldwide. The Anthem Awards is the largest and most comprehensive social impact award, recognizing work across five areas of impact including Awareness, Fundraising, Community Engagement, Product, Innovation & Service, and Team & Internal Initiatives, for seven causes: Diversity Equity & Inclusion, Education Art & Culture, Health, Human & Civil Rights, Humanitarian Action & Services, Responsible Technology, and Sustainability Climate & Environment. By amplifying the voices that spark global change, the Anthem Awards are defining a new benchmark for impactful work that inspires others to take action in their own communities. With over 2,300 submissions from 44 countries around the world, 10,000+ reviews from jurors, and over 33,000 supporters in the Anthem Community Voice, the 4th Annual Anthem Award Winners were announced on November 19, 2024 . WillowWood's rebrand stood out among this global competition, showcasing an unwavering commitment to empowering prosthetic users through advanced technology and compassionate care. "This recognition is a testament to the heart and soul of WillowWood's mission and DD.NYC's commitment to reimagining brands in a way that stays true to that heart and soul," said Mahesh Mansukhani , CEO of WillowWood. "Our partnership with Digital Design NYC allowed us to craft a brand identity that not only honors our legacy but also propels us into the future. The rebrand reflects our promise to provide innovative prosthetic solutions that enhance mobility and transform lives." The creative process was a seamless collaboration between WillowWood and DD.NYC. Together, the teams developed a rebrand strategy that blends contemporary design elements with an innovation-centered focus. Key features include a revitalized logo, a cohesive color palette inspired by movement and vitality, and a redesigned website offering an intuitive user experience for clinicians and prosthetic users alike. "From the outset, we sought to encapsulate the essence of WillowWood's dedication to improving lives through innovation," said Anjelika Kour , Creative Director at DD.NYC. "The resulting rebrand is both striking and meaningful, capturing the spirit of mobility and resilience that defines WillowWood." The Gold Anthem Award underscores the significant impact of WillowWood's reimagined brand, resonating with both the prosthetics community and broader audiences. As a leader in the industry, WillowWood continues to champion inclusivity, innovation, and hope. To explore the award-winning rebrand and learn more about WillowWood's mission and products, visit willowwood.com . To learn more about the many industry-changing projects and services of DD.NYC, visit dd.nyc . About WillowWood: Based in Mount Sterling, Ohio , WillowWood Global is an industry leading designer, manufacturer, and distributor of prosthetic products, including liners, feet, vacuum systems and components. Recognized for its products' superior innovation, quality, and patient outcomes, WillowWood's portfolio includes the Alpha ® family of liners, including the first myoelectric Alpha ® Control Liner, the META ® family of feet, the LimbLogic ® vacuum system, and now the XtremityTT ® socket system. For over 117 years, WillowWood's prosthetic products have helped individuals with limb loss find comfort and functionality, remain active and live life to the fullest. About DD.NYC: DD.NYC® is an award-winning Manhattan -based creative agency specializing in branding, web design, packaging, and video storytelling. Since its founding in 2015, the agency has been recognized for its innovative approach and adaptability across industries, with a strong focus on the medical and healthcare sectors. About The Anthem Awards: Launched in 2021 by The Webby Awards, The Anthem Awards honors the purpose & mission-driven work of people, companies and organizations worldwide. By amplifying the voices that spark global change, we're defining a new benchmark for impactful work that inspires others to take action in their own communities. The Anthem Awards honors work across seven core causes: Diversity; Equity & Inclusion; Education; Art & Culture; Health; Human & Civil Rights; Humanitarian Action & Services; Responsible Technology; and Sustainability, Environment & Climate. This season's partners include Ms. Magazine, The Female Quotient, Sustainable Brands, NationSwell, and TheFutureParty. The Awards were founded in partnership with the Ad Council, Born This Way Foundation, Feeding America, Glaad, Mozilla, NAACP, NRDC, WWF, and XQ. About The Webby Awards: Hailed as the "Internet's highest honor" by The New York Times , The Webby Awards is the leading international awards organization honoring excellence on the Internet, including Websites and Mobile Sites; Video; Advertising; Media & PR; Apps & Software; Social; Podcasts; Games and AI, Metaverse & Virtual. Established in 1996, The Webby Awards received nearly 13,000 entries from all 50 states and over 70 countries worldwide this year. The Webby Awards are presented by the International Academy of Digital Arts and Sciences (IADAS). Sponsors and Partners of The Webby Awards include WP Engine, LinkedIn, Meltwater, NAACP, KPMG, Wall Street Journal, Vox Media, Deadline, AdAge, TechCrunch, The Hollywood Reporter, The Hustle, Morning Brew, Passionfruit, Embedded, Link in Bio, Creator Economy NYC, Creator Spotlight, AIGA, Vote Save America, and The Publish Press. Media contact: Marketing@willowwood.com View original content to download multimedia: https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/willowwood-rebrand-by-ddnyc-wins-gold-anthem-award-for-product-and-innovation-in-2024-rebrand-302337766.html SOURCE WillowWood Global

Jimmy Carter, the peanut farmer who won the presidency in the wake of the Watergate scandal and Vietnam War, endured humbling defeat after one tumultuous term and then redefined life after the White House as a global humanitarian, has died. He was 100 years old. The longest-lived American president died on Sunday, more than a year after entering hospice care , at his home in the small town of Plains, Georgia, where he and his wife, Rosalynn, who died at 96 in November 2023 , spent most of their lives, The Carter Center said. “Our founder, former U.S. President Jimmy Carter, passed away this afternoon in Plains, Georgia,” the center said in posting about his death on the social media platform X. It added in a statement that he died peacefully, surrounded by his family. x Our founder, former U.S. President Jimmy Carter, passed away this afternoon in Plains, Georgia. pic.twitter.com/aqYmcE9tXi — The Carter Center (@CarterCenter) December 29, 2024 Businessman, Navy officer, evangelist, politician, negotiator, author, woodworker, citizen of the world — Carter forged a path that still challenges political assumptions and stands out among the 45 men who reached the nation’s highest office. The 39th president leveraged his ambition with a keen intellect, deep religious faith and prodigious work ethic, conducting diplomatic missions into his 80s and building houses for the poor well into his 90s. “My faith demands — this is not optional — my faith demands that I do whatever I can, wherever I am, whenever I can, for as long as I can, with whatever I have to try to make a difference,” Carter once said. A moderate Democrat, Carter entered the 1976 presidential race as a little-known Georgia governor with a broad smile, outspoken Baptist mores and technocratic plans reflecting his education as an engineer. His no-frills campaign depended on public financing, and his promise not to deceive the American people resonated after Richard Nixon’s disgrace and U.S. defeat in southeast Asia. “If I ever lie to you, if I ever make a misleading statement, don’t vote for me. I would not deserve to be your president,” Carter repeated before narrowly beating Republican incumbent Gerald Ford, who had lost popularity pardoning Nixon. Carter governed amid Cold War pressures, turbulent oil markets and social upheaval over racism, women’s rights and America’s global role. His most acclaimed achievement in office was a Mideast peace deal that he brokered by keeping Egyptian President Anwar Sadat and Israeli Prime Minister Menachem Begin at the bargaining table for 13 days in 1978. That Camp David experience inspired the post-presidential center where Carter would establish so much of his legacy. Yet Carter’s electoral coalition splintered under double-digit inflation, gasoline lines and the 444-day hostage crisis in Iran. His bleakest hour came when eight Americans died in a failed hostage rescue in April 1980, helping to ensure his landslide defeat to Republican Ronald Reagan. Carter acknowledged in his 2020 “White House Diary” that he could be “micromanaging” and “excessively autocratic,” complicating dealings with Congress and the federal bureaucracy. He also turned a cold shoulder to Washington’s news media and lobbyists, not fully appreciating their influence on his political fortunes. “It didn’t take us long to realize that the underestimation existed, but by that time we were not able to repair the mistake,” Carter told historians in 1982, suggesting that he had “an inherent incompatibility” with Washington insiders. Carter insisted his overall approach was sound and that he achieved his primary objectives — to “protect our nation’s security and interests peacefully” and “enhance human rights here and abroad” — even if he fell spectacularly short of a second term. Ignominious defeat, though, allowed for renewal. The Carters founded The Carter Center in 1982 as a first-of-its-kind base of operations, asserting themselves as international peacemakers and champions of democracy, public health and human rights. “I was not interested in just building a museum or storing my White House records and memorabilia,” Carter wrote in a memoir published after his 90th birthday. “I wanted a place where we could work.” That work included easing nuclear tensions in North and South Korea, helping to avert a U.S. invasion of Haiti and negotiating cease-fires in Bosnia and Sudan. By 2022, The Carter Center had declared at least 113 elections in Latin America, Asia and Africa to be free or fraudulent. Recently, the center began monitoring U.S. elections as well. Carter’s stubborn self-assuredness and even self-righteousness proved effective once he was unencumbered by the Washington order, sometimes to the point of frustrating his successors . He went “where others are not treading,” he said, to places like Ethiopia, Liberia and North Korea, where he secured the release of an American who had wandered across the border in 2010. “I can say what I like. I can meet whom I want. I can take on projects that please me and reject the ones that don’t,” Carter said. He announced an arms-reduction-for-aid deal with North Korea without clearing the details with Bill Clinton’s White House. He openly criticized President George W. Bush for the 2003 invasion of Iraq. He also criticized America’s approach to Israel with his 2006 book “Palestine: Peace Not Apartheid.” And he repeatedly countered U.S. administrations by insisting North Korea should be included in international affairs, a position that most aligned Carter with Republican President Donald Trump. Among the center’s many public health initiatives, Carter vowed to eradicate the guinea worm parasite during his lifetime, and nearly achieved it: Cases dropped from millions in the 1980s to nearly a handful. With hardhats and hammers, the Carters also built homes with Habitat for Humanity. The Nobel committee’s 2002 Peace Prize cites his “untiring effort to find peaceful solutions to international conflicts, to advance democracy and human rights, and to promote economic and social development.” Carter should have won it alongside Sadat and Begin in 1978, the chairman added. Carter accepted the recognition saying there was more work to be done. “The world is now, in many ways, a more dangerous place,” he said. “The greater ease of travel and communication has not been matched by equal understanding and mutual respect.” Carter’s globetrotting took him to remote villages where he met little “Jimmy Carters,” so named by admiring parents. But he spent most of his days in the same one-story Plains house — expanded and guarded by Secret Service agents — where they lived before he became governor. He regularly taught Sunday School lessons at Maranatha Baptist Church until his mobility declined and the coronavirus pandemic raged. Those sessions drew visitors from around the world to the small sanctuary where Carter will receive his final send-off after a state funeral at Washington’s National Cathedral. The common assessment that he was a better ex-president than president rankled Carter and his allies. His prolific post-presidency gave him a brand above politics, particularly for Americans too young to witness him in office. But Carter also lived long enough to see biographers and historians reassess his White House years more generously. His record includes the deregulation of key industries, reduction of U.S. dependence on foreign oil, cautious management of the national debt and notable legislation on the environment, education and mental health. He focused on human rights in foreign policy, pressuring dictators to release thousands of political prisoners . He acknowledged America’s historical imperialism, pardoned Vietnam War draft evaders and relinquished control of the Panama Canal. He normalized relations with China. “I am not nominating Jimmy Carter for a place on Mount Rushmore,” Stuart Eizenstat, Carter’s domestic policy director, wrote in a 2018 book. “He was not a great president” but also not the “hapless and weak” caricature voters rejected in 1980, Eizenstat said. Rather, Carter was “good and productive” and “delivered results, many of which were realized only after he left office.” Madeleine Albright, a national security staffer for Carter and Clinton’s secretary of state, wrote in Eizenstat’s forward that Carter was “consequential and successful” and expressed hope that “perceptions will continue to evolve” about his presidency. “Our country was lucky to have him as our leader,” said Albright, who died in 2022. Jonathan Alter, who penned a comprehensive Carter biography published in 2020, said in an interview that Carter should be remembered for “an epic American life” spanning from a humble start in a home with no electricity or indoor plumbing through decades on the world stage across two centuries. “He will likely go down as one of the most misunderstood and underestimated figures in American history,” Alter told The Associated Press. James Earl Carter Jr. was born Oct. 1, 1924, in Plains and spent his early years in nearby Archery. His family was a minority in the mostly Black community, decades before the civil rights movement played out at the dawn of Carter’s political career. Carter, who campaigned as a moderate on race relations but governed more progressively, talked often of the influence of his Black caregivers and playmates but also noted his advantages: His land-owning father sat atop Archery’s tenant-farming system and owned a main street grocery. His mother, Lillian , would become a staple of his political campaigns. Seeking to broaden his world beyond Plains and its population of fewer than 1,000 — then and now — Carter won an appointment to the U.S. Naval Academy, graduating in 1946. That same year he married Rosalynn Smith, another Plains native, a decision he considered more important than any he made as head of state. She shared his desire to see the world, sacrificing college to support his Navy career. Carter climbed in rank to lieutenant, but then his father was diagnosed with cancer, so the submarine officer set aside his ambitions of admiralty and moved the family back to Plains. His decision angered Rosalynn, even as she dived into the peanut business alongside her husband. Carter again failed to talk with his wife before his first run for office — he later called it “inconceivable” not to have consulted her on such major life decisions — but this time, she was on board. “My wife is much more political,” Carter told the AP in 2021. He won a state Senate seat in 1962 but wasn’t long for the General Assembly and its back-slapping, deal-cutting ways. He ran for governor in 1966 — losing to arch-segregationist Lester Maddox — and then immediately focused on the next campaign. Carter had spoken out against church segregation as a Baptist deacon and opposed racist “Dixiecrats” as a state senator. Yet as a local school board leader in the 1950s he had not pushed to end school segregation even after the Supreme Court's Brown v. Board of Education decision, despite his private support for integration. And in 1970, Carter ran for governor again as the more conservative Democrat against Carl Sanders, a wealthy businessman Carter mocked as “Cufflinks Carl.” Sanders never forgave him for anonymous, race-baiting flyers, which Carter disavowed. Ultimately, Carter won his races by attracting both Black voters and culturally conservative whites. Once in office, he was more direct. “I say to you quite frankly that the time for racial discrimination is over,” he declared in his 1971 inaugural address, setting a new standard for Southern governors that landed him on the cover of Time magazine. His statehouse initiatives included environmental protection, boosting rural education and overhauling antiquated executive branch structures. He proclaimed Martin Luther King Jr. Day in the slain civil rights leader’s home state. And he decided, as he received presidential candidates in 1972, that they were no more talented than he was. In 1974, he ran Democrats’ national campaign arm. Then he declared his own candidacy for 1976. An Atlanta newspaper responded with the headline: “Jimmy Who?” The Carters and a “Peanut Brigade” of family members and Georgia supporters camped out in Iowa and New Hampshire, establishing both states as presidential proving grounds. His first Senate endorsement: a young first-termer from Delaware named Joe Biden. Yet it was Carter’s ability to navigate America’s complex racial and rural politics that cemented the nomination. He swept the Deep South that November, the last Democrat to do so, as many white Southerners shifted to Republicans in response to civil rights initiatives. A self-declared “born-again Christian,” Carter drew snickers by referring to Scripture in a Playboy magazine interview, saying he “had looked on many women with lust. I’ve committed adultery in my heart many times.” The remarks gave Ford a new foothold and television comedians pounced — including NBC’s new “Saturday Night Live” show. But voters weary of cynicism in politics found it endearing. Carter chose Minnesota Sen. Walter “Fritz” Mondale as his running mate on a “Grits and Fritz” ticket. In office, he elevated the vice presidency and the first lady’s office. Mondale’s governing partnership was a model for influential successors Al Gore, Dick Cheney and Biden. Rosalynn Carter was one of the most involved presidential spouses in history, welcomed into Cabinet meetings and huddles with lawmakers and top aides. The Carters presided with uncommon informality: He used his nickname “Jimmy” even when taking the oath of office, carried his own luggage and tried to silence the Marine Band’s “Hail to the Chief.” They bought their clothes off the rack. Carter wore a cardigan for a White House address, urging Americans to conserve energy by turning down their thermostats. Amy, the youngest of four children, attended District of Columbia public school. Washington’s social and media elite scorned their style. But the larger concern was that “he hated politics,” according to Eizenstat, leaving him nowhere to turn politically once economic turmoil and foreign policy challenges took their toll. Carter partially deregulated the airline, railroad and trucking industries and established the departments of Education and Energy, and the Federal Emergency Management Agency. He designated millions of acres of Alaska as national parks or wildlife refuges. He appointed a then-record number of women and nonwhite people to federal posts. He never had a Supreme Court nomination, but he elevated civil rights attorney Ruth Bader Ginsburg to the nation’s second highest court, positioning her for a promotion in 1993. He appointed Paul Volker, the Federal Reserve chairman whose policies would help the economy boom in the 1980s — after Carter left office. He built on Nixon’s opening with China, and though he tolerated autocrats in Asia, pushed Latin America from dictatorships to democracy. But he couldn’t immediately tame inflation or the related energy crisis. And then came Iran. After he admitted the exiled Shah of Iran to the U.S. for medical treatment, the American Embassy in Tehran was overrun in 1979 by followers of the Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini. Negotiations to free the hostages broke down repeatedly ahead of the failed rescue attempt. The same year, Carter signed SALT II, the new strategic arms treaty with Leonid Brezhnev of the Soviet Union, only to pull it back, impose trade sanctions and order a U.S. boycott of the Moscow Olympics after the Soviets invaded Afghanistan. Hoping to instill optimism, he delivered what the media dubbed his “malaise” speech, although he didn’t use that word. He declared the nation was suffering “a crisis of confidence.” By then, many Americans had lost confidence in the president, not themselves. Carter campaigned sparingly for reelection because of the hostage crisis, instead sending Rosalynn as Sen. Edward M. Kennedy challenged him for the Democratic nomination. Carter famously said he’d “kick his ass,” but was hobbled by Kennedy as Reagan rallied a broad coalition with “make America great again” appeals and asking voters whether they were “better off than you were four years ago.” Reagan further capitalized on Carter’s lecturing tone, eviscerating him in their lone fall debate with the quip: “There you go again.” Carter lost all but six states and Republicans rolled to a new Senate majority. Carter successfully negotiated the hostages’ freedom after the election, but in one final, bitter turn of events, Tehran waited until hours after Carter left office to let them walk free. Jimmy Carter speaks on Feb. 3, 2016, at the House of Lords in London. At 56, Carter returned to Georgia with “no idea what I would do with the rest of my life.” Four decades after launching The Carter Center, he still talked of unfinished business. “I thought when we got into politics we would have resolved everything,” Carter told the AP in 2021. “But it’s turned out to be much more long-lasting and insidious than I had thought it was. I think in general, the world itself is much more divided than in previous years.” Still, he affirmed what he said when he underwent treatment for a cancer diagnosis in his 10th decade of life. “I’m perfectly at ease with whatever comes,” he said in 2015 . “I’ve had a wonderful life. I’ve had thousands of friends, I’ve had an exciting, adventurous and gratifying existence.”WASHINGTON D.C., DC — As a former and potentially future president, Donald Trump hailed what would become Project 2025 as a road map for “exactly what our movement will do” with another crack at the White House. As the blueprint for a hard-right turn in America became a liability during the 2024 campaign, Trump pulled an about-face . He denied knowing anything about the “ridiculous and abysmal” plans written in part by his first-term aides and allies. Now, after being elected the 47th president on Nov. 5, Trump is stocking his second administration with key players in the detailed effort he temporarily shunned. Most notably, Trump has tapped Russell Vought for an encore as director of the Office of Management and Budget; Tom Homan, his former immigration chief, as “border czar;” and immigration hardliner Stephen Miller as deputy chief of policy . Those moves have accelerated criticisms from Democrats who warn that Trump's election hands government reins to movement conservatives who spent years envisioning how to concentrate power in the West Wing and impose a starkly rightward shift across the U.S. government and society. Trump and his aides maintain that he won a mandate to overhaul Washington. But they maintain the specifics are his alone. “President Trump never had anything to do with Project 2025,” said Trump spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt in a statement. “All of President Trumps' Cabinet nominees and appointments are whole-heartedly committed to President Trump's agenda, not the agenda of outside groups.” Here is a look at what some of Trump's choices portend for his second presidency. The Office of Management and Budget director, a role Vought held under Trump previously and requires Senate confirmation, prepares a president's proposed budget and is generally responsible for implementing the administration's agenda across agencies. The job is influential but Vought made clear as author of a Project 2025 chapter on presidential authority that he wants the post to wield more direct power. “The Director must view his job as the best, most comprehensive approximation of the President’s mind,” Vought wrote. The OMB, he wrote, “is a President’s air-traffic control system” and should be “involved in all aspects of the White House policy process,” becoming “powerful enough to override implementing agencies’ bureaucracies.” Trump did not go into such details when naming Vought but implicitly endorsed aggressive action. Vought, the president-elect said, “knows exactly how to dismantle the Deep State” — Trump’s catch-all for federal bureaucracy — and would help “restore fiscal sanity.” In June, speaking on former Trump aide Steve Bannon’s “War Room” podcast, Vought relished the potential tension: “We’re not going to save our country without a little confrontation.” The strategy of further concentrating federal authority in the presidency permeates Project 2025's and Trump's campaign proposals. Vought's vision is especially striking when paired with Trump's proposals to dramatically expand the president's control over federal workers and government purse strings — ideas intertwined with the president-elect tapping mega-billionaire Elon Musk and venture capitalist Vivek Ramaswamy to lead a “Department of Government Efficiency.” Trump in his first term sought to remake the federal civil service by reclassifying tens of thousands of federal civil service workers — who have job protection through changes in administration — as political appointees, making them easier to fire and replace with loyalists. Currently, only about 4,000 of the federal government's roughly 2 million workers are political appointees. President Joe Biden rescinded Trump's changes. Trump can now reinstate them. Meanwhile, Musk's and Ramaswamy's sweeping “efficiency” mandates from Trump could turn on an old, defunct constitutional theory that the president — not Congress — is the real gatekeeper of federal spending. In his “Agenda 47,” Trump endorsed so-called “impoundment,” which holds that when lawmakers pass appropriations bills, they simply set a spending ceiling, but not a floor. The president, the theory holds, can simply decide not to spend money on anything he deems unnecessary. Vought did not venture into impoundment in his Project 2025 chapter. But, he wrote, “The President should use every possible tool to propose and impose fiscal discipline on the federal government. Anything short of that would constitute abject failure.” Trump's choice immediately sparked backlash. “Russ Vought is a far-right ideologue who has tried to break the law to give President Trump unilateral authority he does not possess to override the spending decisions of Congress (and) who has and will again fight to give Trump the ability to summarily fire tens of thousands of civil servants,” said Sen. Patty Murray of Washington, a Democrat and outgoing Senate Appropriations chairwoman. Reps. Jamie Raskin of Maryland and Melanie Stansbury of New Mexico, leading Democrats on the House Committee on Oversight and Accountability, said Vought wants to “dismantle the expert federal workforce” to the detriment of Americans who depend on everything from veterans' health care to Social Security benefits. “Pain itself is the agenda,” they said. Trump’s protests about Project 2025 always glossed over overlaps in the two agendas . Both want to reimpose Trump-era immigration limits. Project 2025 includes a litany of detailed proposals for various U.S. immigration statutes, executive branch rules and agreements with other countries — reducing the number of refugees, work visa recipients and asylum seekers, for example. Miller is one of Trump's longest-serving advisers and architect of his immigration ideas, including his promise of the largest deportation force in U.S. history. As deputy policy chief, which is not subject to Senate confirmation, Miller would remain in Trump's West Wing inner circle. “America is for Americans and Americans only,” Miller said at Trump’s Madison Square Garden rally on Oct. 27. “America First Legal,” Miller’s organization founded as an ideological counter to the American Civil Liberties Union, was listed as an advisory group to Project 2025 until Miller asked that the name be removed because of negative attention. Homan, a Project 2025 named contributor, was an acting U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement director during Trump’s first presidency, playing a key role in what became known as Trump's “family separation policy.” Previewing Trump 2.0 earlier this year, Homan said: “No one’s off the table. If you’re here illegally, you better be looking over your shoulder.” John Ratcliffe, Trump's pick to lead the CIA , was previously one of Trump's directors of national intelligence. He is a Project 2025 contributor. The document's chapter on U.S. intelligence was written by Dustin Carmack, Ratcliffe's chief of staff in the first Trump administration. Reflecting Ratcliffe's and Trump's approach, Carmack declared the intelligence establishment too cautious. Ratcliffe, like the chapter attributed to Carmack, is hawkish toward China. Throughout the Project 2025 document, Beijing is framed as a U.S. adversary that cannot be trusted. Brendan Carr, the senior Republican on the Federal Communications Commission, wrote Project 2025's FCC chapter and is now Trump's pick to chair the panel. Carr wrote that the FCC chairman “is empowered with significant authority that is not shared” with other FCC members. He called for the FCC to address “threats to individual liberty posed by corporations that are abusing dominant positions in the market,” specifically “Big Tech and its attempts to drive diverse political viewpoints from the digital town square.” He called for more stringent transparency rules for social media platforms like Facebook and YouTube and “empower consumers to choose their own content filters and fact checkers, if any.” Carr and Ratcliffe would require Senate confirmation for their posts.NEW YORK (AP) — President-elect Donald Trump’s lawyers urged a judge again Friday to throw out his hush money conviction, balking at the prosecution’s suggestion of preserving the verdict by treating the case the way some courts do when a defendant dies. They called the idea “absurd.” The Manhattan district attorney’s office is asking Judge Juan M. Merchan to “pretend as if one of the assassination attempts against President Trump had been successful,” Trump’s lawyers wrote in a blistering 23-page response. In court papers made public Tuesday, District Attorney Alvin Bragg’s office proposed an array of options for keeping the historic conviction on the books after Trump’s lawyers filed paperwork earlier this month asking for the case to be dismissed. They include freezing the case until Trump leaves office in 2029, agreeing that any future sentence won’t include jail time, or closing the case by noting he was convicted but that he wasn’t sentenced and his appeal wasn’t resolved because of presidential immunity. Trump lawyers Todd Blanche and Emil Bove reiterated Friday their position that the only acceptable option is overturning his conviction and dismissing his indictment, writing that anything less will interfere with the transition process and his ability to lead the country. RELATED COVERAGE President-elect Donald Trump’s lawyers urge judge to toss his hush money conviction President-elect Donald Trump’s lawyers urge judge to toss his hush money conviction The Manhattan district attorney’s office declined comment. It’s unclear how soon Merchan will decide. He could grant Trump’s request for dismissal, go with one of the prosecution’s suggestions, wait until a federal appeals court rules on Trump’s parallel effort to get the case moved out of state court, or choose some other option. In their response Friday, Blanche and Bove ripped each of the prosecution’s suggestions. Halting the case until Trump leaves office would force the incoming president to govern while facing the “ongoing threat” that he’ll be sentenced to imprisonment, fines or other punishment as soon as his term ends, Blanche and Bove wrote. Trump, a Republican, takes office Jan. 20. “To be clear, President Trump will never deviate from the public interest in response to these thuggish tactics,” the defense lawyers wrote. “However, the threat itself is unconstitutional.” The prosecution’s suggestion that Merchan could mitigate those concerns by promising not to sentence Trump to jail time on presidential immunity grounds is also a non-starter, Blanche and Bove wrote. The immunity statute requires dropping the case, not merely limiting sentencing options, they argued. Blanche and Bove, both of whom Trump has tabbed for high-ranking Justice Department positions, expressed outrage at the prosecution’s novel suggestion that Merchan borrow from Alabama and other states and treat the case as if Trump had died. Blanche and Bove accused prosecutors of ignoring New York precedent and attempting to “fabricate” a solution “based on an extremely troubling and irresponsible analogy between President Trump” who survived assassination attempts in Pennsylvania in July and Florida in September “and a hypothetical dead defendant.” Such an option normally comes into play when a defendant dies after being convicted but before appeals are exhausted. It is unclear whether it is viable under New York law, but prosecutors suggested that Merchan could innovate in what’s already a unique case. “This remedy would prevent defendant from being burdened during his presidency by an ongoing criminal proceeding,” prosecutors wrote in their filing this week. But at the same time, it wouldn’t “precipitously discard” the “meaningful fact that defendant was indicted and found guilty by a jury of his peers.” Prosecutors acknowledged that “presidential immunity requires accommodation” during Trump’s impending return to the White House but argued that his election to a second term should not upend the jury’s verdict, which came when he was out of office. Longstanding Justice Department policy says sitting presidents cannot face criminal prosecution . Other world leaders don’t enjoy the same protection. For example, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is on trial on corruption charges even as he leads that nation’s wars in Lebanon and Gaza . Trump has been fighting for months to reverse his May 30 conviction on 34 counts of falsifying business records . Prosecutors said he fudged the documents to conceal a $130,000 payment to porn actor Stormy Daniels to suppress her claim that they had sex a decade earlier, which Trump denies. In their filing Friday, Trump’s lawyers citing a social media post in which Sen. John Fetterman used profane language to criticize Trump’s hush money prosecution. The Pennsylvania Democrat suggested that Trump deserved a pardon, comparing his case to that of President Joe Biden’s pardoned son Hunter Biden, who had been convicted of tax and gun charges . “Weaponizing the judiciary for blatant, partisan gain diminishes the collective faith in our institutions and sows further division,” Fetterman wrote Wednesday on Truth Social. Trump’s hush money conviction was in state court, meaning a presidential pardon — issued by Biden or himself when he takes office — would not apply to the case. Presidential pardons only apply to federal crimes. Since the election, special counsel Jack Smith has ended his two federal cases , which pertained to Trump’s efforts to overturn his 2020 election loss and allegations that he hoarded classified documents at his Mar-a-Lago estate. A separate state election interference case in Fulton County, Georgia, is largely on hold. Trump denies wrongdoing in all. Trump had been scheduled for sentencing in the hush money case in late November. But following Trump’s Nov. 5 election victory, Merchan halted proceedings and indefinitely postponed the former and future president’s sentencing so the defense and prosecution could weigh in on the future of the case. Merchan also delayed a decision on Trump’s prior bid to dismiss the case on immunity grounds. A dismissal would erase Trump’s conviction, sparing him the cloud of a criminal record and possible prison sentence. Trump is the first former president to be convicted of a crime and the first convicted criminal to be elected to the office.

Unlucky day: This giant asteroid could hit the earth on Friday the 13thShare Tweet Share Share Email The concept of using recycled plastic is widespread now. With respect to the same, recycled plastic granules are quite popular now as they are a sustainable option across industry verticals, including the construction industry. As global efforts continue to adopt more sustainable options, the concept of recycled plastic has become more popular when it comes to the construction industry. Recycled plastic granules are obtained from plastic waste that has been post-industrialized or post-consumer. These materials have a wide range of benefits, including affordability, a lower environmental impact, adaptability in use, and durability. Let us understand the applications of plastic recycling granules in the construction industry. Recycled Polypropylene Granules for Sustainable Construction Parts As modern plastics have a vast variety, recycled plastic granules find various applications in the construction industry. As a matter of fact, you can find plastic for almost every use. Recycled plastic granules serve as a useful resource in the construction world for several reasons: 1. Minimizing Environmental Impact The use of recycled plastic granules for different construction materials delivers a functional solution that extends beyond the concept of waste reduction. When different construction projects use these granules or pellets, there is less demand for virgin plastics. In turn, this minimizes the extraction of fossil fuels and other energy-intensive production procedures. When plastic waste is recycled and repurposed, the construction industry is able to actively contribute to minimizing carbon footprint and even reducing environmental pollution. This is an eco-friendly way of ensuring a circular economy. In this concept, materials are reused to a maximum extent. 2. Benefits Related to Costs There are several cost benefits of using recycled plastic within the construction industry. In comparison to conventional construction materials, the overall production costs of these recycled granules or pellets are significantly lower, making them an attractive option for contractors and builders prioritizing cost-effectiveness. When these plastics are used in different types of construction applications, they deliver various uses. For instance, the use of these recycled materials might qualify for specific certifications or credits in green construction programs. In turn, this results in ample recognition and financial incentives for the adoption of sustainable practices. Further, this encourages the adoption of recycled granules or pellets made out of plastic to serve as a viable alternative in the construction industry. 3. Strength and Durability Upon careful processing and manufacturing of recycled plastic granules, these are known to depict amazing strength and durability traits. Recycled materials can bear harsh weather conditions and resist decay to last longer. To top it all, recycled plastic materials can be easily engineered to showcase improved mechanical properties, like higher load-bearing capacity and greater impact resistance. This unique approach to engineering makes sure that these granules are environmentally friendly and able to meet strict performance requirements of different types of construction projects. 4. Application Versatility The overall versatility of these granules for construction applications is amazing. These pellets and granules can be easily molded and shaped into several forms. This allows these materials to serve as the ideal substitute for conventional construction materials like metal, concrete, or wood. Whether you use these materials for structural elements or decorative purposes, these materials deliver a wide range of possibilities for builders, architects, and designers. Recycled plastic granules possess the ability to integrate effectively into different types of construction projects without compromising overall performance. This feature makes these materials highly flexible and a great choice for ensuring ample innovation and design within the construction industry. What are the Common Uses of Recycled Plastic Granules in the Construction Industry? 1. Insulation Materials These granules or pellets offer a diverse solution for the construction industry by being involved in the production of insulation materials. A wide range of insulation products are used in the construction industry to offer acoustic and thermal insulation properties. In turn, this improves energy efficiency and minimizes noise transmission within buildings. When these insulation materials are made from recycled plastic granules, they gain desirable traits like lightweight, making them seamless to handle and even install at the time of construction. 2. Plastic Lumber and Decking These materials are also useful in the manufacturing of plastic lumber and decking components. Therefore, recycled granules offer a sustainable solution to the use of conventional wood products. When recycled granules are used, the construction industry is effectively able to minimize deforestation and preserve natural resources. Plastic lumber and decking components from these materials are highly durable and resistant to decay, moisture, and insects. Therefore, they serve as ideal for various outdoor applications, including landscaping, fencing, and door projects. 3. Drainage Pipes Recycled granules can also be used in the construction of drainage pipes for buildings and homes. These pipes possess amazing durability and corrosion resistance, delivering a longer service life with minimal maintenance specifications. Moreover, the smooth interior surface of these pipes ensure efficient water flow, minimizing clogs and boosting drainage performance. Conclusion The construction industry’s adoption of recycled plastic granules is a significant step towards a more sustainable future. By repurposing plastic waste , we not only reduce environmental impact but also create durable and innovative building materials. As technology advances and awareness grows, the potential applications of recycled plastic granules are expanding. By embracing this sustainable solution, the construction industry can build a greener and more resilient future. Related Items: Share Tweet Share Share Email CommentsBiden Set To Block US Steel Sale To Nippon Steel: ReportOttawa police officers take children on Christmas shopping spree

James Earl “Jimmy” Carter Jr, a naval officer, Nobel Peace Prize winner and peanut farm operator who became governor of and later the 39th president of the , has died. Carter, who was the longest-living former American president, died on Sunday, December 29, his son announced. He served as president for one term from 1977 to 1981, but is just as well-known for his humanitarian service after leaving Washington, DC, working for Habitat for Humanity and negotiating peace deals. “Earlier in my life, I thought the things that mattered were the things that you could see, like your car, your house, your wealth, your property, your office. But as I’ve grown older I’ve become convinced that the things that matter most are the things that you can’t see—the love you share with others, your inner purpose, your comfort with who you are,” Carter said. He continued his volunteer work for decades after leaving office until he entered hospice care in February 2023. Carter, who throughout his political life went by Jimmy rather than James, was a towering figure in Democratic politics, both during and after his time in the . As president, he emphasized human rights in his foreign policy, championed environmentalism at a time when it was not yet popular and appointed record numbers of women and people of color during his administration. However, he was considered as “failure” by some as president, a view Carter attributed to him only serving one term. But, he continued to serve the public after leaving office - including building homes for the poor through Habitat for Humanity. “In all of our lives, there are usually a few precious moments when we feel exalted — that is, when we reach above our normal level of existence to a higher plane of excitement and achievement,” Carter said in . “I predict that every one of you who volunteers to help others in need will feel this same sense of exaltation. I believe that, in making what seems to be a sacrifice, you will find fulfillment in the memorable experience of helping others less fortunate than yourself.” Carter was born in 1924 in the small farm town of Plains, Georgia. His father, James Earl Carter Sr, was a farm supply businessman, and his mother, Lillian Gordy Carter, was a nurse. The young Carter attended public school in Plains, and as a teenager, he used an acre of his father’s land to grow and sell peanuts. Carter continued his studies at Georgia Southwestern College and the Georgia Institute of Technology. In 1946, he obtained a bachelor’s degree from the United States Naval Academy. Over the next several years, he devoted his life to the Navy, serving on submarines and earning the rank of lieutenant. While stationed in Schenectady, New York, he studied nuclear physics and became a senior officer on one of the United States’ first nuclear submarines. During his senior year of studying at the Naval Academy, he was reintroduced to a girl he knew in his childhood: Rosalynn Smith. “The moon was full in the sky, conversation came easy, and I was in love,” Rosalynn Carter described in her memoir . The two married in 1946, the year he graduated. The next year, their first child, Jack, was born, followed by James in 1950, Donnell in 1952 and Amy in 1967. After 77 years of marriage, Carter attributed much of his success to Rosalynn saying, “She gave me wise guidance and encouragement when I needed it. As long as Rosalynn was in the world, I always knew somebody loved and supported me.” In 1952, James Carter Sr died. Upon learning of his father’s death, Carter resigned from the Navy and returned home to Plains, where he took over his family’s farms and business. He soon took on more of a leadership role in the community, serving on several county boards. In 1962, he ran for and won a seat in Georgia’s State Senate. In 1970, Carter ran again for governor of Georgia and won. In his inaugural address, he shocked many of his supporters by demanding an end to racial discrimination. As governor, he dramatically increased the number of Black judges and state employees, consolidated the state’s labyrinthian bureaucracies and enforced stricter oversight of budgets. In a preview of his presidency, however, he frequently clashed with the state’s legislature, which found him arrogant and difficult to work with. Meanwhile, Carter maneuvered his way toward the Democratic nomination for president. In 1974, just before his term as governor ended, he announced his candidacy for the White House – two years before the next presidential election. “With the shame of Watergate still with us and our 200th birthday just ahead, it is time for us to reaffirm and to strengthen our ethical and spiritual and political beliefs,” Carter said in December 1974. “There must be no lowering of these standards, no acceptance of mediocrity in any aspect of our private or public lives. “In our homes or at worship we are ever reminded of what we ought to do and what we ought to be. Our government can and must represent the best and the highest ideals of those of us who voluntarily submit to its authority.” Though he had little national support at first, Carter spent his ample lead time vigorously campaigning and cleverly positioned himself as a Washington outsider with strong Christian principles. After years of government lies about Vietnam and Watergate, that was just what many Americans thought they needed. By the 1976 Democratic convention, Carter had grown enough momentum to win the nomination on the first ballot. In the general election, he attended three debates with president – the first presidential debates since the Kennedy-Nixon ones in 1960, and a template setter for the debates held since. In November, Carter narrowly won the presidential election, scoring 297 electoral votes against Ford’s 240. “I think it’s time to tap the tremendous strength and vitality and idealism and hope and patriotism and a sense of brotherhood and sisterhood in this country to unify our nation, to make it great once again. It’s not...it’s not going to be easy for any of us,’ Carter said in November 1976. “I don’t claim to know all the answers, but I have said many times in my campaign around all 50 states that I’m not afraid to take on the responsibilities of President of the United States, because my strength and my courage and my advice and my counsel and my criticism comes from you.” What followed was a presidency full of ambition but beset with problems from the start. Even so, many leaders and historians have praised Carter’s conscientious approach to the presidency. Carter’s presidency was weighed down by multiple crises. In the 1970s, the economy struggled with a rare combination of simultaneous inflation and recession, an oil shortage sent gas prices soaring and the Soviet Union invaded Afghanistan, derailing negotiations for an important arms treaty. Notably, in a struggle that lasted almost as long as his presidency, Carter fought over an energy programme that was structured to make fuel expensive enough that consumers would be encouraged to conserve it. The crisis required Carter to address the nation multiple times in 1979. “In order to control energy price, production, and distribution, the Federal bureaucracy and redtape have become so complicated, it is almost unbelievable. Energy prices are high, and they’re going higher, no matter what we do,” he said in an April 1979 speech. “There is no single answer. We must produce more. We must conserve more. And now we must join together in a great national effort to use American technology to give us energy security in the years ahead,” the president said. “The most effective action we can take to encourage both conservation and production here at home is to stop rewarding those who import foreign oil and to stop encouraging waste by holding the price of American oil down far below its replacement or its true value.” However, ultimately, what became cemented in Carter’s legacy were the failures of the Iran hostage crisis, when mobs ransacked the US embassy in Tehran capturing 52 people and holding them hostage for the duration of his presidency. Carter’s efforts to end the crisis were unsuccesful, including a failed rescue attempt. “We will not give up in our efforts,” Carter told the nation in 1980. “Throughout this extraordinarily difficult period, we have pursued and will continue to pursue every possible avenue to secure the release of the hostages. In these efforts, the support of the American people and of our friends throughout the world has been a most crucial element. That support of other nations is even more important now.” “We will seek to continue, along with other nations and with the officials of Iran, a prompt resolution of the crisis without any loss of life and through peaceful and diplomatic means.” The hostages were held for 444 days, a lengthy time that angered many Americans. It helped contribute to Carter’s loss to Republican Ronald Reagan in 1980. Carter would only win six states in the landslide election that saw him lose the popular vote by nearly 9 million votes. “I’ve not achieved all I set out to do; perhaps no one ever does. But we have faced the tough issues. We’ve stood for and we’ve fought for and we have achieved some very important goals for our country,’ Carter said after losing. “These efforts will not end with this administration. The effort must go on. Nor will the progress that we have made be lost when we leave office. The great principles that have guided this Nation since its very founding will continue to guide America through the challenges of the future.” In 1982, Carter and his wife founded the Carter Center, a nonprofit dedicated to advancing human rights, leading health initiatives and improving the quality of life for people around the world. Carter helped lead conflict resolutions, observe elections in nations with fraudulent voting processes and advised presidents on issues in more than 80 countries. Under Carter’s leadership, the Carter Center worked alongside the World Health Organisation to nearly eradicate Guinea worm disease, an infection that occurs due to contaminated drinking water. The from 3.5 million cases in 1986 to 13 in 2022, according to the Carter Center. Carter and his wife also spent one week a year volunteering with Habitat for Humanity, a nonprofit that helps build homes for low-income people. His humanitarian work earned him the Nobel Peace Prize in 2002. “I believe that anyone can be successful in life, regardless of natural talent or the environment within which we live. This is not based on measuring success by human competitiveness for wealth, possessions, influence, and fame, but adhering to God’s standards of truth, justice, humility, service, compassion, forgiveness, and love,” Carter once said. Though he was criticized as an ineffectual public speaker, Carter became a prolific writer, authoring more than a dozen books ranging from his memoirs to inspirational bestsellers. At the beginning of 2023, Carter entered hospice care following multiple hospital stays. His wife later entered hospice care and died on November 19, 2023. Carter, looking frail, attended her funeral but was seen smiling with others offering their condolences. Carter went on to celebrate his 100th birthday on 1 October 2024, making him the oldest president in American history. Surrounded by his loved ones, the frail, wheelchair-bound former president was seen in the backyard of his home watching a military flyover in his honor. His grandson Jason said he had been looking forward to voting for Kamala Harris in the November election. Carter is survived by his four children, 12 grandchildren and 14 great-grandchildren.Gallium price rises to highest since 2011 following China export curbs

Rachel Reeves is facing a showdown with union barons over a “deeply offensive” pay rise of 2.8 per cent for public sector workers. Teachers and nurses have warned of fresh strikes and disruption, with unions furious over the offer for more than a million public sector workers. Inflation is predicted to average 2.5% this year and 2.6% next year, according to forecasts from the Office for Budget Responsibility. Chancellor Ms Reeves has insisted that the offer of 2.8% - 0.2% above inflation - was all that could be afforded against a “challenging financial backdrop”. Any higher pay rises would require spending cuts, the Government has warned. But the Royal College of Nursing branded the offer “deeply offensive”, and the British Medical Association said the Government showed a "poor grasp" of previous disputes. The National Education Union's chief said teachers were "putting the Government on notice" that the proposed increase "won't do". The pay recommendations came after the Chancellor called for every Government department to cut costs by 5%, as she started work on a sweeping multi-year spending review to be published in 2025. Independent pay review bodies will consider the proposals for pay rises for teachers, NHS workers and senior civil servants. The Department of Health said it viewed 2.8% as a "reasonable amount" to set aside, in its recommendations to the NHS Pay Review Body and the Doctors' and Dentists' Remuneration Board remit groups. A 2.8% pay rise for teachers in 2025-26 would "maintain the competitiveness of teachers' pay despite the challenging financial backdrop the Government is facing", the Department for Education said. The Cabinet Office also suggested pay increases for senior civil servants should be kept to no more than 2.8%. Paul Johnson, director of the influential economics think tank the Institute for Fiscal Studies (IFS), said it was "not a bad ballpark figure" and feels "just about affordable" given the Government's public spending plans. The downside, he said, is that public sector workers have lost out since 2010 and unions will be upset that this is not making up the gap, he told Sky News' Politics Hub with Sophy Ridge. "But given the constraints facing the Chancellor I think it's pretty hard to argue for more for public sector pay when public sector services ... are under real strain," he said. Unions expressed their disappointment in the recommendations, with some hinting they could be willing to launch industrial action. The Royal College of Nursing general secretary and chief executive called for "open direct talks now" to avoid "further escalation to disputes and ballots". Professor Nicola Ranger said: "The Government has today told nursing staff they are worth as little as £2 extra a day, less than the price of a coffee. "Nursing is in crisis - there are fewer joining and too many experienced professionals leaving. “This is deeply offensive to nursing staff, detrimental to their patients and contradictory to hopes of rebuilding the NHS. "The public understands the value of nursing and they know that meaningful reform of the NHS requires addressing the crisis in nursing. "We pulled out of the Pay Review Body process, alongside other unions, because it is not the route to address the current crisis. "That has been demonstrated today. "Fair pay must be matched by structural reform. Let's open direct talks now and avoid further escalation to disputes and ballots - I have said that directly to government today." Professor Philip Banfield, chairman of the British Medical Association's council, urged the sector's pay review body to "show it is now truly independent". "For this Government to give evidence to the doctors' and dentists' pay review body (DDRB) believing a 2.8% pay rise is enough, indicates a poor grasp of the unresolved issues from two years of industrial action," he said. He said the proposal is far below the current rate of inflation and that the Government was "under no illusion" when doctors accepted pay offers in the summer that there was a "very real risk of further industrial action" if "pay erosion" was not addressed in future pay rounds. "This sub-inflationary suggestion from the current Government serves as a test to the DDRB. "The BMA expects it to take this opportunity to show it is now truly independent, to take an objective view of the evidence it receives from all parties, not just the Government, and to make an offer that reflects the value of doctors' skills and expertise in a global market, and that moves them visibly further along the path to full pay restoration." The NEU's general secretary, Daniel Kebede, said teachers' pay had been cut by more than one-fifth in real terms since 2010. "Along with sky-high workload, the pay cuts have resulted in a devastating recruitment and retention crisis. Teacher shortages across the school system hit pupils and parents too. "A 2.8% increase is likely to be below inflation and behind wage increases in the wider economy. This will only deepen the crisis in education." In a hint that there could be a return to industrial action he added: "NEU members fought to win the pay increases of 2023 and 2024. "We are putting the Government on notice. Our members care deeply about education and feel the depth of the crisis. This won't do." The offer for teachers is the "exact opposite of fixing the foundations" and will result in bigger class sizes and more cuts to the curriculum, Pepe Di'Iasio, general secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders, said: "The inadequacy of the proposed pay award is compounded by the Government's intention that schools should foot the bill out of their existing allocations. "Given that per-pupil funding will increase on average by less than 1% next year, and the Government's proposal is for an unfunded 2.8% pay award, it is obvious that this is in fact an announcement of further school cuts." Paul Whiteman, general secretary at school leaders' union NAHT, said: This recommendation falls far short of what is needed to restore the competitiveness of the teaching profession, to enable it to retain experienced professionals and attract new talent. Unison head of health Helga Pile said: "The Government has inherited a financial mess from its predecessors, but this is not what NHS workers wanted to hear. "Staff are crucial in turning around the fortunes of the NHS. Improving performance is a key Government pledge, but the pay rise proposed is barely above the cost of living ."Donald Trump is returning to the world stage. So is his trolling8 essentials that will complete your cookware collection