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50jili com login register online Nearly 13 months after his beloved wife Rosalynn died in November 2023, former President Jimmy Carter passed away at the age of 100, the Carter Center confirmed on Sunday. The former president made a rare public appearance at her memorial service. He sat in a wheelchair with a blanket that had a picture of him and Rosalynn together. He would also make a rare public appearance on October 1 as his hometown celebrated his 100th birthday. “Rosalynn was my equal partner in everything I ever accomplished,” President Carter said after his wife passed away. “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.” The couple was married for 77 years. They met as children, both growing up in Plains, Georgia. Their storied romance started when Jimmy was 17 years old. After their first date, he reportedly told his mom, “She’s the girl I want to marry.” The pair would marry not long after — in 1946. The couple moved to Norfolk, Virginia, where Jimmy was stationed after graduating from the U.S. Naval Academy. Like many military families, the Carters moved from city to city. Their three sons were born in three different states: Virginia, Hawaii and Connecticut. Their only daughter was born in their home state of Georgia. Jimmy left the military in 1953 and began a career in politics about 10 years later. RELATED STORY | Former President Jimmy Carter dies at age 100 Rosalynn was reportedly an important member of Jimmy’s campaign team when he ran for governor of Georgia, a race he won in 1970. After serving four years as governor, Jimmy decided to run for president. During the campaign, Rosalynn traveled the country independently, proving to be a strong advocate for her husband’s vision for the country. Jimmy Carter would go on to defeat President Gerald Ford and become the 39th president of the United States. Rosalynn was an active first lady. She attended cabinet meetings and frequently represented her husband at ceremonial events. Rosalynn shared in her husband’s efforts to work to make the U.S. government more “competent and compassionate,” the White House said. After leaving the White House in 1981, the couple returned to Georgia. They would go on to become some of the most notable philanthropists in the world. They founded The Carter Center, which is committed to protecting human rights around the world.WORTHINGTON — In a battle of winless teams Tuesday night, Worthington High School came out on top over Albert Lea in a 66-53 battle. The Trojans won despite foul trouble throughout the game that saw two starters foul out in the second half. They still managed to build a double-digit lead over the Tigers through most of the game. Head coach CJ Nelson knew it was a needed win for his Trojans early in the year. ADVERTISEMENT “It was much needed,” said the second-year coach. “We've played some tough teams to start the year, so coming out here and having a chance to compete against someone that's at our level and to come out ahead is really exciting for our girls.” The first six minutes of the first half were back and forth with WHS opening up a small lead. The Trojan defense got three steals during that stretch that led to fast-break layups. Off six quick points from senior point guard Grace Barber, they led 11-7 before Albert Lea grabbed its first lead with an 8-1 run. An and-one layup from senior Jayden Spartz tied the game at 15 and then a trey from Madison Sieve later gave WHS a 19-18 lead with under 10:30 left. The Trojans wouldn’t give up the lead for the rest of the game. Spartz then began to take over. Speed and toughness helped her keep driving to the basket and drawing fouls to get to the line. She also hit two 3-pointers in the first half and scored 19 points, including a stretch of 13 in a row to push the Trojans’ lead past double digits with under 3:30 left. By halftime the Trojans held a 15-point lead with the score 38-23. “At the beginning of the game, I thought we ran our offense a little bit, and then all of a sudden, we kind of started to get away with it and really just kind of started forcing shots right away,” Nelson said. “So we just have to continue on working, to be patient and trust that if we move the ball, we're going to get a better look and trust that we need to get it back.” The Trojans kept stretching their lead into the second half, eventually reaching 20 points on an Alaina Feit putback and two Saige Scheepstra mid-range shots. But with under 10 minutes to go, both Fiet and Spartz had fouled out of the game and Albert Lea was starting to inch its way back. ADVERTISEMENT The Trojans needed to step up without two starters and the Tigers gaining momentum. After Albert Lea cut it to 13, Barber answered with a deep 3-pointer. While the Tigers did get within 11 with under five to play, they didn’t get any closer, as Worthington ran out the clock and hit free throws to ice the game in the end. “We have some big-time players that step up for us that are younger,” Nelson said. “Grace Bates played a long time with four fouls and guarding their best player, she did a nice job, I thought, overall. Even Emma Hietbrink stepping in as a freshman, who doesn't have a whole lot of varsity experience, she played a lot of minutes in the second half, and Paula (Dykstra) in the first half stepped in and took care of us when we got into a little bit of foul trouble. So it's, you know, again, it's going to be a group effort for a lot of different things.” Spartz finished with a game-high 23 points and hit nine free throws. Barber and Scheepstra each also scored in double figures for Worthington with Barber scoring 15 points and Scheepstra adding 11. Feit chipped in eight points, Sieve had six and Bates had three. Albert Lea’s leading scorer was Aliyah Heideman with 20 points and Nevaeh Wacholz added another 19. The Trojans (1-3) will be back on the court Saturday against an always-tough Southwest Minnesota Christian squad. But facing top competition is nothing new for WHS, with its first three opponents currently combining for a 7-2 record so far. SWC won its first game by 31 points Tuesday. “We have some really tough teams that we play being a AAA school,” Nelson said. “We're going to have some tough competition all year where we're going to struggle against some teams. But we're going to have games like (Tuesday) and these are the important ones, you know, these are the ones that we get to compete and we get to showcase our skills. So it's important when we have days like this that we come ready to play and again, we continue to be a team and ultimately we stick together throughout this whole year together.” Tigers 23 30 — 53 ADVERTISEMENT Trojans 38 28 — 66

Andrew N. Ferguson is President-elect Donald Trump’s choice to head the Federal Trade Commission (FTC). If approved by the Republican-controlled Senate, his selection could indicate an inclination by the incoming Trump administration to deprioritize FTC rulemaking and enforcement activities related to data privacy and AI. This also could indicate a broader regulatory philosophy that emphasizes legislative action over administrative rulemaking. Ferguson’s stated regulatory philosophy and strategic priorities, if implemented as FTC chair, would have profound implications for industry and consumers. Critics argue that this shift would mean that critical privacy issues will be given short shrift as technologies like AI and data analytics rapidly evolve and outpace regulatory schema. Meanwhile, Trump announced that he intends to nominate Mark Meador to be an FTC commissioner. Meador is a partner at Washington, D.C.-based Kressin Meador Powers. He also was an antitrust counsel to Republican U.S. Senator Mike Lee. While specific details about Meador’s positions on privacy and AI regulation are scant, given his antitrust expertise it is plausible that he would advocate for a more balanced approach to regulation, aiming to foster innovation while ensuring consumer protection, a perspective that aligns with the broader Republican emphasis on limited government intervention and market-driven solutions. Ferguson is the former solicitor general of Virginia, a former counsel to Republican Senator and Senate Minority leader Mitch McConnell, and he a clerked for U.S. Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas. If confirmed, he will inherit a slew of regulatory actions against Big Tech and a half-dozen lawsuits by companies arguing that the FTC overstepped its authority. There’s also the FTC’s investigation – launched in July 2023 – of OpenAI for possible privacy issues. Ferguson has voted in favor of every privacy-related FTC enforcement action as an FTC commissioner, but he also has consistently emphasized the importance of congressional authority in crafting comprehensive data privacy laws. In a leaked memo he wrote to Trump reportedly advocating for the top FTC post, he said the FTC under his direction will “stop abusing FTC enforcement authorities as a substitute for comprehensive privacy legislation,” and that there will be “no more novel and legally dubious consumer protection cases.” One matter in particular that Ferguson will have to contend with, and which will have to be addressed, is the that the agency has taken against two Virginia-based data brokers. The complaint alleges that they unlawfully tracked and sold sensitive consumer location data. Ferguson supported two of the counts that the commission brought against the firms, but dissented from the commission’s counts that accuses them of unfairly categorizing consumers based on sensitive characteristics and of selling those categorizations to third parties. In his dissent, Ferguson argued that the FTC Act explicitly prohibits the collection and subsequent sale of precise location data without the consumer’s consent. He emphasized that data brokers are required to take reasonable measures to verify that consumers initially consented to the collection of the data being utilized and sold. Ferguson agreed that if a company aggregates and categorizes data that were collected without proper consent and then sells those categorizations, it violates Section 5 of the FTC Act. But he also argued that the violation arises from the lack of consent for the original data collection, not from the specific categories into which the data are organized. Ferguson said the FTC Act imposes consent requirements in defined circumstances, but it does not restrict how legally acquired data may be analyzed, or the conclusions that may be drawn from such analysis. That line of thinking begins to walk a very fine line. Yes, data is acquired legally. But highly granularized analysis of an individual’s aggregated data, and the sorts of personal conclusions that can be inferred from it, begins to edge very close to raising legitimate privacy concerns. It also raises the incentive for bad actors to steal the information – in bulk. Ferguson said the FTC commissioners have an erroneous view of the FTC Act as being “a comprehensive privacy law,” adding that “comprehensive privacy regulation involves difficult choices and expensive tradeoffs. Congress alone can make those choices and tradeoffs. We must not stray from the bounds of the law.” Indeed. Ferguson believes broad regulatory initiatives on privacy should emerge from Congress, not an administrative federal agency, an approach that underscores his critique of what he views as regulatory overreach by administrative bodies. The FTC’s role, Ferguson has said, should focus on enforcing existing laws rather than expanding its mandate through rulemaking. Ferguson has been highly critical of what he perceives to have been regulatory overreach under previous FTC leadership. He’s argued that the FTC should focus on its core competencies – namely, enforcing existing laws – rather than creating new rules that could extend its mandate without clear legislative backing. “Commissioner Ferguson has made no secret of his preference for Congress, rather than the FTC, to set clear privacy guardrails,” said Cobun Zweifel-Keegan, managing director at the International Association of Privacy Professionals. “This means rulemaking activities at the commission are likely to be deprioritized.” Privacy advocates fear this deprioritization could kill a proposed rule on commercial surveillance and data security that the FTC in August 2022 that it is considering. The commission at that time published an advance notice of proposed rulemaking to request public comment – for the purpose of the rulemaking – on the prevalence of commercial surveillance and data security practices that harm consumers. The FTC said at the time that the new rule will focus on data security, data minimization, and algorithmic accountability. Under Ferguson’s leadership, the FTC would likely redirect resources toward enforcement of existing laws such as the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA) and provisions under Section 5 of the FTC Act which targets unfair or deceptive practices. This strategy would suggest a preference for addressing specific harms through targeted actions rather than introducing broad, preemptive regulations. Indeed, rather than pursuing expansive, preemptive rulemaking initiatives, the focus is more likely to lean towards addressing specific, well-defined harms like deceptive practices by data brokers. And as for data brokers – which have come under withering in the wake of an unprecedented this summer – they could face less systemic scrutiny under a Ferguson FTC. Enforcement actions may become more sporadic and narrowly defined. Rather than proposing rules to regulate the industry, the FTC might instead rely on case-by-case enforcement, potentially creating an inconsistent and less predictable regulatory environment. Ferguson’s stance aligns with Republicans’ broader emphasis on ensuring regulatory clarity and avoiding undue burdens on businesses. This approach diverges sharply from the path that was set by Ferguson’s predecessor, Lina Khan, who championed a more proactive regulatory approach. It was under Khan’s leadership that the FTC issued the impending rulemaking on commercial surveillance and data security practices, which seeks to address systemic issues in privacy and consumer protection. Ferguson’s position, on the other hand, represents a stark departure, potentially one that could pause or roll back such initiatives. Critics have argued that this could delay progress in protecting consumer data in an era of rapid technological change. Ferguson’s departure from this activism could signal a rollback of momentum in establishing comprehensive privacy standards. Ferguson’s strategy, while appealing to those who advocate for limited government intervention, poses certain risks. The absence of federal rulemaking could perpetuate a fragmented regulatory landscape where states enact their own privacy laws. This patchwork will only further complicate compliance for businesses, especially those operating across multiple jurisdictions. And consumers could see delayed protections against data misuse and breaches. And enforcement actions alone likely would not adequately address systemic vulnerabilities in data security. For the business community, especially Big Tech, Ferguson’s position offers a reprieve from the immediate pressures of adapting to new federal regulations. Established companies, especially in the tech and data brokering industries, would undoubtedly find this environment more favorable for their operations. Smaller firms and startups though would encounter challenges navigating the inconsistencies of state laws without clear federal guidelines. Such regulatory uncertainty could stifle innovation in some sectors while empowering larger entities to consolidate their influence. Ferguson’s overall approach to privacy regulation reflects a broader effort to balance enforcement with fostering innovation. He has expressed concerns that excessive regulatory measures could stifle technological advancement and impede competition, a position that’s been by the incoming Republican dominated Congress. Republican lawmakers have favored a more market-driven and hands-off approach when it comes to regulating consumer data privacy than their Democratic counterparts. By focusing on enforcement of existing rules rather than expansive rulemaking, Ferguson would seek to maintain this balance, even if it means delaying the establishment of universal protections. Ferguson’s position on deprioritizing privacy rulemaking could also signal a shift in the FTC’s focus toward narrower enforcement and a reliance on Congress for broader legislative solutions. While this approach aligns with his regulatory philosophy, it raises concerns about the FTC’s ability to address emerging privacy challenges effectively in an increasingly complex digital environment. With the rise of AI technologies, Ferguson’s reluctance to engage in privacy-related rulemaking could hinder the FTC’s ability to establish clear guidelines on the use of consumer data in AI training and applications. Ferguson has said that he would “end the FTC’s attempt to become an AI regulator.” His unabashed approach to AI reflects a desire to foster innovation and competition while avoiding premature or overly burdensome regulations that could stifle technological advancement. Wedbush analyst Dan Ives said in a client note that: “We expect Ferguson to continue to have a keen eye on the tech world ... he will clearly roll back Khan’s head-scratching anti-tech agenda, including ending efforts to regulate AI.” Such a restrained position though raises questions about the adequacy of existing legal frameworks to address the unique challenges and risks that increasingly are posed by AI technologies. Ferguson has expressed skepticism about the FTC’s attempts to position itself as a primary regulator of AI. He critiqued initiatives under Khan that sought to expand the FTC’s role in governing AI systems, arguing that such actions could exceed the agency’s statutory authority. He’s said that he favors a measured approach that focuses on enforcing existing laws against deceptive or unfair practices in the use of AI. This approach could possibly translate into investigating AI systems that mislead consumers, perpetuate fraud, or violate privacy laws. The impact of Ferguson’s stance on AI regulation is multifaceted. On the one hand, it could create a more innovation-friendly environment by giving developers and businesses greater latitude to experiment with AI technologies without immediate regulatory constraints, but it could also accelerate technological progress, particularly in areas where regulatory uncertainty has previously slowed investment and development. Businesses operating in AI would benefit from clearer, more predictable enforcement under existing laws rather than having to navigate a potentially ambiguous or stringent new regulatory landscape. On the other hand, though, this approach could leave critical gaps in oversight. AI technologies introduce unique risks, such as algorithmic bias, lack of transparency, and the potential for misuse in areas like surveillance or misinformation. Existing laws, which were not designed with AI’s complexities in mind, could prove insufficient to address these risks comprehensively. By refraining from proactive rulemaking, the FTC could miss opportunities to establish clear guidelines for responsible AI development and deployment, which could lead to inconsistent standards across industries. Another significant implication of Ferguson’s position is the likelihood of increased reliance on state or sector-specific regulations to fill the gap left by federal inaction. For example, states like California and New York may continue to advance their own AI-specific laws, creating a fragmented regulatory landscape. While larger companies may have the resources to navigate this complexity, smaller firms could struggle to comply, potentially disadvantaging startups and innovators. | | | |Pakistan Launches Air Strikes On Militant Hideouts In Afghanistan

UConn's Geno Auriemma becomes all-time winningest D-I coachINDIANAPOLIS , Dec. 29, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- American Legion National Commander James A. LaCoursiere, Jr. , issued the following statement today concerning the passing of former President Jimmy Carter : "President Carter was a Legionnaire, a distinguished Navy veteran and a devout Christian. His commitment to human rights and community service was respected worldwide. He lived longer than any president in American history and made the most of his post-presidential years by strongly advocating for world peace and improving the lives of the disadvantaged. His energy, integrity and humility were admired by people across the political spectrum. President Carter's wife, Rosalynn, was a leader in mental health awareness. They will both be missed. Our condolences to the entire Carter family and the many lives that they have touched, especially in their home state of Georgia ." During an address to The American Legion's 1980 national convention, President Carter described his vision for America on the world stage. "We do not maintain our power in order to seize power from others. Our goal is to strengthen our own freedom and the freedom of others, to advance the dignity of the individual and the right of all people to justice, to a good life, and to a future secure from tyranny. In choosing our course in the world, America's strength serves American values," he said. About The American Legion The American Legion , the nation's largest veterans organization, is dedicated to the motto of "Veterans Strengthening America." Chartered by Congress in 1919, The American Legion is committed to mentoring youth and sponsoring wholesome community programs, advocating patriotism and honor, promoting a strong national security and continued devotion to service members and veterans. It has made suicide prevention its top priority through its Be the One mission . Nearly 1.6 million members in more than 12,000 posts across the nation and regions overseas serve their communities with a devotion to mutual helpfulness. Media contact: John Raughter , [email protected] , 317.630.1350 SOURCE The American Legion

Childs: Teaching resilience in a world where distractions are everywhereJimmy Carter, former US president, dies at 100

NoneIllinois assistant coach Dana Dimel, who was an All-American offensive tackle for Kansas State and later became the head coach at Wyoming, Houston and UTEP, died Tuesday. He was 62. Dimel’s wife, Julie, and children Winston and Josey announced his death in a statement. No cause was given. “Today is a difficult day for college football and our Illini family,” said Illinois coach Bret Bielema, who had hired Dimel as a senior offensive assistant this past season. “Dana was an exceptional person, husband, father, friend and football coach. He affected the lives of countless coaches, players and staff members for more than three decades in college football.” Dimel’s longtime agent, Pete Roussel, said the coach “passed in his sleep this morning.” “His passing is gut-wrenching,” Roussel said. “Dana was my first client over a decade ago and the single most enjoyable client to be with after a win. Some of the games he called at K-State were remarkable and never cared about receiving individual credit. “Dana loved his wife. He absolutely adored his children. He was one of the most positive people I knew, and he was unafraid of any challenge. He had an incredible zest for life, one that would make those around him smile time and time again.” Oregon’s Dillon Gabriel was named Big Ten offensive player of the year after leading the top-ranked Ducks to their first perfect regular season since 2010, the conference announced Tuesday. Penn State’s Abdul Carter was named defensive player of the year and Indiana’s Curt Cignetti coach of the year in voting by coaches and media. Gabriel has completed 73.5% of his passes for 3,275 yards and 24 touchdowns with six interceptions in his only season with the Ducks. Carter moved from linebacker to defensive end this season and has made 19.5 tackles for loss, including 10 sacks. Cignetti has led ninth-ranked Indiana to its most wins in program history in his first season. The Hoosiers are 11-1 and were as high as No. 5 in The Associated Press college football poll, their highest ranking since they were No. 4 at the end of their 1967 Rose Bowl season. Ohio State had seven players named to the coaches’ first team, including freshman and receiver of the year Jeremiah Smith. Iowa led the media’s first team with five selections. BRIEFLY MICHIGAN: Coach Sherrone Moore fired offensive coordinator Kirk Campbell. The defending national champions struggled on offense this year and it cost Campbell his job. Moore promoted Campbell to the position, which he had under former coach Jim Harbaugh before he left to lead the Los Angeles Chargers. HAWAII BOWL: San Jose State is headed back to the Hawaii Bowl for a second straight season to face South Florida. The game will be played on Dec. 24 on the campus of the University of Hawaii. Get local news delivered to your inbox!Sabres knock off Blues for third straight win

Major stock indexes on Wall Street drifted to a mixed finish Friday, capping a rare bumpy week for the market. The S&P 500 ended essentially flat, down less than 0.1%, after wavering between tiny gains and losses most of the day. The benchmark index posted a loss for the week, its first after three straight weekly gains. The Dow Jones Industrial Average slipped 0.2%, while the Nasdaq composite rose 0.1%, ending just below the record high it set on Wednesday. There were more than twice as many decliners than gainers on the New York Stock Exchange. Gains in technology stocks helped temper losses in communication services, financials and other sectors of the market. Broadcom surged 24.4% for the biggest gain in the S&P 500 after the semiconductor company beat Wall Street’s profit targets and gave a glowing forecast, highlighting its artificial intelligence products. The company also raised its dividend. The company’s big gain helped cushion the market’s broader fall. Pricey stock values for technology companies like Broadcom give the sector more weight in pushing the market higher or lower. Artificial intelligence technology has been a focal point for the technology sector and the overall stock market over the last year. Tech companies, and Wall Street, expect demand for AI to continue driving growth for semiconductor and other technology companies. Some tech stocks were a drag on the market. Nvidia fell 2.2%, Meta Platforms dropped 1.7% and Google parent Alphabet slid 1.1%. Among the market’s other decliners were Airbnb, which fell 4.7% for the biggest loss in the S&P 500, and Charles Schwab, which closed 4% lower. Furniture and housewares company RH, formerly known as Restoration Hardware, surged 17% after raising its forecast for revenue growth for the year. All told, the S&P 500 lost 0.16 points to close at 6,051.09. The Dow dropped 86.06 points to 43,828.06. The Nasdaq rose 23.88 points to 19,926.72. Wall Street’s rally stalled this week amid mixed economic reports and ahead of the Federal Reserve’s last meeting of the year. The central bank will meet next week and is widely expected to cut interest rates for a third time since September. Expectations of a series of rate cuts has driven the S&P 500 to 57 all-time highs so far this year . The Fed has been lowering its benchmark interest rate following an aggressive rate hiking policy that was meant to tame inflation. It raised rates from near-zero in early 2022 to a two-decade high by the middle of 2023. Inflation eased under pressure from higher interest rates, nearly to the central bank’s 2% target. The economy, including consumer spending and employment, held strong despite the squeeze from inflation and high borrowing costs. A slowing job market, though, has helped push a long-awaited reversal of the Fed’s policy. Inflation rates have been warming up slightly over the last few months. A report on consumer prices this week showed an increase to 2.7% in November from 2.6% in October. The Fed’s preferred measure of inflation, the personal consumption expenditures index, will be released next week. Wall Street expects it to show a 2.5% rise in November, up from 2.3% in October. The economy, though, remains solid heading into 2025 as consumers continue spending and employment remains healthy, said Gregory Daco, chief economist at EY. “Still, the outlook is clouded by unusually high uncertainty surrounding regulatory, immigration, trade and tax policy,” he said. Treasury yields edged higher. The yield on the 10-year Treasury rose to 4.40% from 4.34% late Thursday. European markets slipped. Britain’s FTSE 100 fell 0.1%. Britain’s economy unexpectedly shrank by 0.1% month-on-month in October, following a 0.1% decline in September, according to data from the Office for National Statistics. Asian markets closed mostly lower.FERGUS FALLS, Minn. (AP) — A jury convicted two men on Friday of charges related to human smuggling for their roles in an international operation that led to the deaths of a family of Indian migrants who froze while trying to cross the Canada-U.S. border during a 2022 blizzard. Harshkumar Ramanlal Patel, 29, an Indian national who prosecutors say went by the alias “Dirty Harry,” and Steve Shand, 50, an American from Florida, were part of a sophisticated illegal operation that has brought increasing numbers of Indians into the U.S., prosecutors said. They were each convicted on four counts related to human smuggling, including conspiracy to bring migrants into the country illegally. “This trial exposed the unthinkable cruelty of human smuggling and of those criminal organizations that value profit and greed over humanity,” Minnesota U.S. Attorney Andy Luger said. AP AUDIO: 2 convicted in human smuggling case after Indian family froze to death on US-Canada border AP correspondent Ed Donahue reports on a court case involving the border with Canada. “To earn a few thousand dollars, these traffickers put men, women and children in extraordinary peril leading to the horrific and tragic deaths of an entire family. Because of this unimaginable greed, a father, a mother and two children froze to death in sub-zero temperatures on the Minnesota-Canadian border,” Luger added. RELATED COVERAGE Prominent figure from Canada’s trucker protests against COVID-19 restrictions found guilty Mexico acknowledges Canada’s concerns about a Chinese auto plant, but says none exists Human smuggling trial witness says he was separated from a family hours before they froze to death The most serious counts carry maximum sentences of up to 20 years in prison, the U.S. Attorney’s Office told The Associated Press before the trial. But federal sentencing guidelines rely on complicated formulas. Luger said Friday that various factors will be considered in determining what sentences prosecutors will recommend. Federal prosecutors said 39-year-old Jagdish Patel; his wife, Vaishaliben, who was in her mid-30s; their 11-year-old daughter, Vihangi; and 3-year-old son, Dharmik, froze to death Jan. 19, 2022, while trying to cross the border into Minnesota in a scheme Patel and Shand organized. Patel is a common Indian surname, and the victims were not related to Harshkumar Patel. The couple were schoolteachers, local news reports said. The family was fairly well off by local standards, living in a well-kept, two-story house with a front patio and a wide veranda. Experts say illegal immigration from India is driven by everything from political repression to a dysfunctional American immigration system that can take years, if not decades, to navigate legally. Much is rooted in economics and how even low-wage jobs in the West can ignite hopes for a better life. Before the jury’s conviction on Friday, the federal trial in Fergus Falls, Minnesota, saw testimony from an alleged participant in the smuggling ring, a survivor of the treacherous journey across the northern border, border patrol agents and forensic experts. Defense attorneys were pitted against each other, with Shand’s team arguing that he was unwittingly roped into the scheme by Patel. Patel’s lawyers, The Canadian Press reported , said their client had been misidentified. They said “Dirty Hary,” the alleged nickname for Patel found in Shand’s phone, is a different person. Bank records and witness testimony from those who encountered Shand near the border didn’t tie him to the crime, they added. Prosecutors said Patel coordinated the operation while Shand was a driver. Shand was to pick up 11 Indian migrants on the Minnesota side of the border, prosecutors said. Only seven survived the foot crossing. Canadian authorities found the Patel family later that morning, dead from the cold. The trial included an inside account of how the international smuggling ring allegedly works and who it targets. Rajinder Singh, 51, testified that he made over $400,000 smuggling over 500 people through the same network that included Patel and Shand. Singh said most of the people he smuggled came from Gujarat state. He said the migrants would often pay smugglers about $100,000 to get them from India to the U.S., where they would work to pay off their debts at low-wage jobs in cities around the country. Singh said the smugglers would run their finances through “hawala,” an informal money transfer system that relies on trust. The pipeline of illegal immigration from India has long existed but has increased sharply along the U.S.-Canada border. The U.S. Border Patrol arrested more than 14,000 Indians on the Canadian border in the year ending Sept. 30, which amounted to 60% of all arrests along that border and more than 10 times the number two years ago. By 2022, the Pew Research Center estimates more than 725,000 Indians were living illegally in the U.S., behind only Mexicans and El Salvadorans. Jamie Holt, a Special Agent with Homeland Security Investigations, said the case is a stark reminder of the realities victims of human smuggling face. “Human smuggling is a vile crime that preys on the most vulnerable, exploiting their desperation and dreams for a better life,” Holt said. “The suffering endured by this family is unimaginable and it is our duty to ensure that such atrocities are met with the full force of the law.” One juror Kevin Paul, of Clearwater, Minnesota, told reporters afterward that it was hard for the jurors to see the pictures of the family’s bodies. He said he grew up in North Dakota and is familiar with the kind of conditions that led to their deaths. “It’s pretty brutal,” Paul said. “I couldn’t imagine having to do what they had to do out there in the middle of nowhere.” ___ Goldberg reported from Minneapolis.

Musk heads to US Congress to discuss slashing government costsMohd Khairuddin (second left) and Krishnan show the signed MoC, in the presence of Abang Abdullah (left) and Ahmad Zaiwin. KUCHING (Dec 4): The Institute of Management Sarawak (Masa) has signed a Memorandum of Collaboration (MoC) with MyREF Consultancy and Training PLT (MyREF CT) to facilitate activities and initiatives towards developing training programmes, seminars, summits, or similar initiatives focusing on leadership, management, science, technology, and engineering. Masa is a non-profit organisation established in Sarawak, while MyREF CT is a company wholly owned by the Malaysian Research & Education Foundation (MyREF). “Both parties will undertake a collaborative initiative to establish a leadership institute dedicated primarily to the fields of leadership and management as well as activities or initiatives related to, but not limited to, leadership, management, science, technology, engineering, and social sciences,” Masa said in a statement yesterday. The MoC, which aims to promote sustainable communities and nations, was signed by MyREF CT chief executive officer Mohd Khairuddin Rais and Masa general manager Dr Krishnan Murali. Witnessing the signing were MyREF chairman Datuk Abang Abdullah Abang Ali, and Masa board of director member Ahmad Zaiwin Mohd Kassim. The first collaborative initiative by MyREF and Masa will be the Contemporary Leadership International Summit here in mid-February next year.

By EMILY WAGSTER PETTUS JACKSON, Miss. (AP) — The U.S. Supreme Court should overturn Mississippi’s Jim Crow-era practice of removing voting rights from people convicted of certain felonies, including nonviolent crimes such as forgery and timber theft, attorneys say in new court papers. Most of the people affected are disenfranchised for life because the state provides few options for restoring ballot access. “Mississippi’s harsh and unforgiving felony disenfranchisement scheme is a national outlier,” attorneys representing some who lost voting rights said in an appeal filed Wednesday. They wrote that states “have consistently moved away from lifetime felony disenfranchisement over the past few decades.” This case is the second in recent years — and the third since the late 19th century — that asks the Supreme Court to overturn Mississippi’s disenfranchisement for some felonies. The cases use different legal arguments, and the court rejected the most recent attempt in 2023. The new appeal asks justices to reverse a July ruling from the conservative 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, which said Mississippi legislators, not the courts, must decide whether to change the laws. Stripping away voting rights for some crimes is unconstitutional because it is cruel and unusual punishment, the appeal argues. A majority of justices rejected arguments over cruel and unusual punishment in June when they cleared the way for cities to enforce bans on homeless people sleeping outside in public places. Attorneys who sued Mississippi over voting rights say the authors of the state’s 1890 constitution based disenfranchisement on a list of crimes they thought Black people were more likely to commit. A majority of the appeals judges wrote that the Supreme Court in 1974 reaffirmed constitutional law allowing states to disenfranchise felons. About 38% of Mississippi residents are Black. Nearly 50,000 people were disenfranchised under the state’s felony voting ban between 1994 and 2017. More than 29,000 of them have completed their sentences, and about 58% of that group are Black, according to an expert who analyzed data for plaintiffs challenging the voting ban. Related Articles National Politics | Trump convinced Republicans to overlook his misconduct. But can he do the same for his nominees? National Politics | Beyond evangelicals, Trump and his allies courted smaller faith groups, from the Amish to Chabad National Politics | Trump gave Interior nominee one directive for a half-billion acres of US land: ‘Drill.’ National Politics | Trump’s team is delaying transition agreements. What does it mean for security checks and governing? National Politics | Judge delays Trump hush money sentencing in order to decide where case should go now To regain voting rights in Mississippi, a person convicted of a disenfranchising crime must receive a governor’s pardon or win permission from two-thirds of the state House and Senate. In recent years, legislators have restored voting rights for only a few people. The other recent case that went to the Supreme Court argued that authors of Mississippi’s constitution showed racist intent when they chose which felonies would cause people to lose the right to vote. In that ruling, justices declined to reconsider a 2022 appeals court decision that said Mississippi remedied the discriminatory intent of the original provisions in the state constitution by later altering the list of disenfranchising crimes. In 1950, Mississippi dropped burglary from the list. Murder and rape were added in 1968. The Mississippi attorney general issued an opinion in 2009 that expanded the list to 22 crimes, including timber larceny, carjacking, felony-level shoplifting and felony-level writing bad checks. Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson wrote in a 2023 dissent that Mississippi’s list of disenfranchising crimes was “adopted for an illicit discriminatory purpose.”Major stock indexes on Wall Street drifted to a mixed finish Friday, capping a rare bumpy week for the market. The S&P 500 ended essentially flat, down less than 0.1%, after wavering between tiny gains and losses most of the day. The benchmark index posted a loss for the week, its first after three straight weekly gains. The Dow Jones Industrial Average slipped 0.2%, while the Nasdaq composite rose 0.1%, ending just below the record high it set on Wednesday. There were more than twice as many decliners than gainers on the New York Stock Exchange. Gains in technology stocks helped temper losses in communication services, financials and other sectors of the market. Broadcom surged 24.4% for the biggest gain in the S&P 500 after the semiconductor company beat Wall Street’s profit targets and gave a glowing forecast, highlighting its artificial intelligence products. The company also raised its dividend. The company's big gain helped cushion the market's broader fall. Pricey stock values for technology companies like Broadcom give the sector more weight in pushing the market higher or lower. Artificial intelligence technology has been a focal point for the technology sector and the overall stock market over the last year. Tech companies, and Wall Street, expect demand for AI to continue driving growth for semiconductor and other technology companies. Some tech stocks were a drag on the market. Nvidia fell 2.2%, Meta Platforms dropped 1.7% and Google parent Alphabet slid 1.1%. Among the market's other decliners were Airbnb, which fell 4.7% for the biggest loss in the S&P 500, and Charles Schwab, which closed 4% lower. Furniture and housewares company RH, formerly known as Restoration Hardware, surged 17% after raising its forecast for revenue growth for the year. All told, the S&P 500 lost 0.16 points to close at 6,051.09. The Dow dropped 86.06 points to 43,828.06. The Nasdaq rose 23.88 points to 19,926.72. Wall Street's rally stalled this week amid mixed economic reports and ahead of the Federal Reserve's last meeting of the year. The central bank will meet next week and is widely expected to cut interest rates for a third time since September. Expectations of a series of rate cuts has driven the S&P 500 to 57 all-time highs so far this year . The Fed has been lowering its benchmark interest rate following an aggressive rate hiking policy that was meant to tame inflation. It raised rates from near-zero in early 2022 to a two-decade high by the middle of 2023. Inflation eased under pressure from higher interest rates, nearly to the central bank's 2% target. The economy, including consumer spending and employment, held strong despite the squeeze from inflation and high borrowing costs. A slowing job market, though, has helped push a long-awaited reversal of the Fed's policy. Inflation rates have been warming up slightly over the last few months. A report on consumer prices this week showed an increase to 2.7% in November from 2.6% in October. The Fed's preferred measure of inflation, the personal consumption expenditures index, will be released next week. Wall Street expects it to show a 2.5% rise in November, up from 2.3% in October. The economy, though, remains solid heading into 2025 as consumers continue spending and employment remains healthy, said Gregory Daco, chief economist at EY. “Still, the outlook is clouded by unusually high uncertainty surrounding regulatory, immigration, trade and tax policy,” he said. Treasury yields edged higher. The yield on the 10-year Treasury rose to 4.40% from 4.34% late Thursday. European markets slipped. Britain's FTSE 100 fell 0.1%. Britain’s economy unexpectedly shrank by 0.1% month-on-month in October, following a 0.1% decline in September, according to data from the Office for National Statistics. Asian markets closed mostly lower.