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Jimmy Carter , who followed a principled yet tumultuous single term in the White House with a post-presidency dedicated to human rights and peace advocacy, has died. At 100, Carter — who was born on Oct. 1, 1924 — lived longer than any other U.S. president and had the longest post-presidency. His grandson, Jason Carter, spoke at the Democratic National Convention and said that the former president was looking forward to voting for Kamala Harris. In 1974, not even five months after Richard Nixon resigned the presidency, Carter entered the race for the Democratic nomination as a virtual unknown. At the time, Gallup polled a list of 31 possible Democratic contenders, and Carter’s name didn’t even make the list, according to The New York Times. Then in his first and only term as governor of Georgia, Carter had even appeared on the game show What’s My Line?, to a maskless panel that had trouble identifying who he was. Carter used his political anonymity to his advantage, running as an outsider who could bring to Washington just the type of integrity and personal morality needed in the aftermath of the Watergate era. His decision to campaign heavily in the first-in-the-nation Iowa caucuses proved fortuitous, as he used the media attention from his unexpected showing as springboard for the rest of the nomination contests. In Hollywood, the relatively young Carter became a celebrity in his own right, forging ties with Lew Wasserman that gave him an entree into fundraising and celebrity circuit. That proved to be a lifeline at key moments in the campaign: At one point, according to The Washington Post , Carter’s campaign was so broke that Wasserman quickly organized a fundraiser that got the campaign a badly needed $200,000. After securing the nomination, Carter was initially way ahead of his rival, President Gerald R. Ford, who was hurt by his decision to pardon Nixon as well as an intra party battle with its conservative wing. The gap narrowed in the final weeks of the campaign, though, after Carter, a born-again Baptist, gave an interview to Playboy in which he said, “I’ve looked on a lot of women with lust. I’ve committed adultery in my heart many times.” Carter still won the election, but by a rather narrow 297-240 electoral votes. His victory was greeted as a new era of good government in Washington — the Carter smile a contrast to the scowl of Nixon. The fact that he was from Georgia was touted as a sign of a new South, built on the rather superficial idea that the racial divisions of the 1960s were in the past. Pop culture seized on the moment with light-hearted movies like Smokey and the Bandit and TV series like The Dukes of Hazzard that generally presented the region as one of rednecks and good ole’ boys. ABC even scheduled a rural sitcom, Carter Country, that ran for two seasons. In the first line of his inauguration speech, Carter thanked Ford “for all he has done to heal our land,” but the new president signaled a shift to a center-left approach to government. In the White House, Carter shunned the pomp in favor of a more populist image: He did away with the playing of Hail to the Chief at ceremonies, and resurrected Franklin Roosevelt’s fireside chats, as he instructed Americans on conservation during the ongoing energy crisis. Even with large majorities of Democrats in the House and Senate, however, Carter’s early days in D.C. drew friction. A scandal forced a close aide, Bert Lance, from office, while the administration’s clashes with Democrats in Congress, on such things as pork barrel spending, hurt his agenda. His leadership style drew criticism for a lack of delegation. One widely shared story was that he even oversaw the schedule for play on the White House tennis court, although Stuart Eizenstat, said that Carter only wanted to ensure that he or First Lady Rosalynn Carter weren’t using it at the same time. “The notion that he micromanaged the schedule is just incorrect, but it fit in with this notion of excessive attention to detail. It was actually an act of huge generosity to his staff,” Eizenstat said at the National Book Festival in 2018. Carter’s energy policy was later seen as prescient, decades before climate change became a national priority with a solution to conserve and wean the public off of fossil fuels. The energy crisis of 1979 saw Americans again facing long lines at gas stations. Carter gave a nationally televised speech that summer, when he said that the problem was a “crisis of confidence.” “The erosion of our confidence in the future is threatening to destroy the social and the political fabric of America.” Although he never used the word, it became to be known as the “malaise” speech, contributing to the impression that Carter’s administration was flailing. The pinnacle of his presidency came on Sept. 17, 1978, when, following 12 days at Camp David, he announced a peace deal between Israel and Egypt, with a treaty signed the following year. Broadcasters interrupted their regular primetime programming — which that night included the Emmy Awards — to cover the deal. His foreign policy successes, though, were overshadowed by the Iranian hostage crisis. In November, 1979, following the revolution that ousted the U.S. supported Shah, a group of students seized the U.S. Embassy in Tehran, taking 52 diplomats and citizens hostage. The resulting attempts to free the hostages consumed Carter’s presidency. A rescue attempt on April 24, 1980 failed after helicopter crashes forced the mission to be aborted. Each night, Americans were reminded of the crisis on TV, as ABC created nightly reports called America Held Hostage with Ted Koppel, the forerunner to Nightline. Despite the ongoing crisis Carter was still viewed as having an incumbency advantage going into the 1980 presidential race, but his political fortunes turned as he faced a serious primary challenge from Edward Kennedy. Although he beat him for the presidential nomination, the intra-party battle left Democrats divided. More bruising to Carter’s political fortunes, though, was stagflation, or rising inflation combined with slowing economic growth and high unemployment. A recession in early 1980 coincided with the start of Carter’s reelection campaign. On the right, Ronald Reagan secured the Republican nomination with a mix of personal charisma and an ability to connect with working class voters, who came to be known as Reagan Democrats, disaffected with the state of the economy. Although Carter and his team tried to characterize Reagan as too extreme and untrustworthy, the former actor turned in a superior debate performance, in part with just one line in response to the incumbent president’s criticisms: “There you go again.” Reagan’s landslide was a bruising defeat for Carter, who was relatively young, 56, when he left office. He sold off his peanut business, then in deep debt , to Archer Daniels Midland, and earned a generous advance for his memoirs, Keeping Faith , the first of dozens of more books. But far from retiring, Carter pursued some of the human rights policy focus of his White House tenure. He built houses for Habitat for Humanity. He tried to solve the problem of Guinea worm disease in African countries and other regions, and, with his initiative, it has been nearly eradicated. He supervised elections. At times he acted as a peace broker, as he did during the Camp David accords. More than 20 years after leaving office, in 2002, Carter was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize. “War may sometimes be a necessary evil,” Carter said in his acceptance speech. “But no matter how necessary, it is always an evil, never a good. We will not learn to live together in peace by killing each other’s children.” After his presidency, he and Rosalynn returned to Plains, GA, where they continued to be active members of the community. The former president’s regular Sunday school lessons at Maranatha Baptist Church became a stopping point for politicians and tourists until he was well into his 90s. In a profile in 2018, The Washington Post reported that Carter was “the only president of the modern era to return full-time to the house he lived in before he entered politics.” The Carters’ two-bedroom ranch home was assessed at $167,000, less than the cost of the Secret Service vehicles parked outside, the Post noted. James Earl Carter Jr. was born on October 1, 1924. He was raised in Plains and graduated from the U.S. Naval Academy. He left his naval career in the 1950s to focus on the family business, peanut farming. At the time, Georgia was defiant in its resistance to segregation, but Carter spoke out in favor of school integration. He entered state politics in 1962 and was elected to the state senate, in an unlikely campaign that foreshadowed his work as an international election observer. He lost the Democratic primary, but proved widespread vote fraud orchestrated by a local political boss. Among other things, 117 voters had allegedly lined up in alphabetical order to cast their ballots, a fact that Carter recounted in his 2015 book, A Full Life: Reflections at Ninety. He eventually got on the general election ballot and won. Carter ran for governor of Georgia in 1966, but lost the primary to segregationist Lester Maddox. Carter ran against in 1970 and won. Carter is survived by three sons, John William (Jack), James Earl III (Chip) and Donnel Jeffrey (Jeff) and a daughter, Amy Lynn. His wife, Rosalynn, died in November 2023. They had been married for 77 years, longer than any presidential couple.John Fesko Sells 669 Shares of Natera, Inc. (NASDAQ:NTRA) Stock

The remarkable teamwork and coordination displayed by the highway patrol officers in this life-or-death rescue operation exemplify the selflessness and bravery that are inherent in their profession. Their willingness to go above and beyond the call of duty to ensure the well-being of a complete stranger is a testament to their unwavering commitment to serving and protecting the community.However, their path to success is not without its obstacles, as they face fierce competition from three other formidable contenders. Liverpool, Chelsea, and Manchester United have all shown their mettle this season, consistently delivering impressive performances and pushing Manchester City to their limits. The battle for the Premier League crown has evolved into a four-way tussle, with each team fighting tooth and nail for every point.

The repercussions of this extravagant insurance spending have become increasingly evident as the family grapples with mounting financial pressure. The exorbitant premiums paid for multiple policies have significantly eroded the family's savings and retirement funds, leaving them struggling to meet basic expenses and facing the possibility of debt accumulation. Moreover, the lack of sufficient liquid assets has restricted the family's ability to respond to unforeseen financial emergencies, further exacerbating their precarious financial situation.

The repercussions of this extravagant insurance spending have become increasingly evident as the family grapples with mounting financial pressure. The exorbitant premiums paid for multiple policies have significantly eroded the family's savings and retirement funds, leaving them struggling to meet basic expenses and facing the possibility of debt accumulation. Moreover, the lack of sufficient liquid assets has restricted the family's ability to respond to unforeseen financial emergencies, further exacerbating their precarious financial situation.In a shocking turn of events, a female master's student who had been reported missing was finally found, leading to the arrest of a suspect by the authorities. The incident has sparked widespread concern and speculation, prompting the police to launch a thorough investigation into the case.BOSTON (AP) — A Massachusetts judge dismissed criminal charges Monday against a backer of Karen Read who admitted placing dozens of yellow rubber ducks and fake $100 bills around town in support of Read. Richard Schiffer Jr. had argued in Stoughton District Court that he had a First Amendment right to support the defense theory that Read — accused of ramming into her boyfriend John O’Keefe with her SUV and leaving the Boston police officer to die in a snowstorm — has been framed in the polarizing murder case. Schiffer's attorney Timothy Bradl said Monday that the judge made the right call by quickly tossing the felony witness intimidation and criminal harassment charges against Schiffer. The ruling comes as another judge decided Monday to push back Read's retrial to April after a mistrial was declared in July when jurors couldn’t reach an agreement. Read was facing second-degree murder charges and two other charges. Her attorneys have argued that other law enforcement officers were responsible for O’Keefe’s death. Regarding Schiffer's charges, Bradl said, “There wasn't a leg to stand on.” “Hats off to the judge. He didn’t make everyone wait and ruled from the bench. Everything was completely protected by the First Amendment. This was political speech," Bradl said. The Norfolk District Attorney’s office declined to comment. Schiffer has said he got the ducks idea after thinking about a defense lawyer’s closing argument that Read was framed . Alan Jackson told jurors that “if it walks like a duck and talks like a duck, it’s a duck.” Schiffer's actions did not rise to the level of witness intimidation and criminal harassment "nor does his speech, or in this case his written word on fake currency and use of rubber toys, which are afforded the protections of the First Amendment," Judge Brian Walsh wrote. “It is the view of this Court that the defendant's conduct and speech, though a rather sophomoric expression of his opinion, is nonetheless protected speech,” he wrote. Walsh concluded the two-page ruling with quotes from Indiana poet James Whitcomb Riley, believed to have coined the “walks like a duck” phrase, and Robert McCloskey, author of the children's book “Make Way For Ducklings.” The defense alleged that O’Keefe was actually killed inside the home of his fellow Boston officer Brian Albert and then dragged outside. They argued that investigators focused on Read because she was a “convenient outsider” who saved them from having to consider law enforcement officers as suspects. Schiffer has been among the dozens of Read supporters who accuse state and local law enforcement of a widespread cover-up. Their demonstrations have led to confrontations, especially in the town of Canton where the murder happened, between those who support Read and others who believe she is guilty. Schiffer, who owns Canton Fence and has said that he knows practically everyone in town through his contracting work, was accused of placing some of the ducks outside a pizza shop run by Brian Albert’s brother, Canton Selectman Chris Albert. Other ducks appeared in O’Keefe’s neighborhood.

Director-General, the Nigerian Institute of International Affairs, Prof Eghosa Osaghae, speaks with BIODUN BUSARI about President Bola Tinubu’s foreign trips, among other diplomatic matters concerning Nigeria and other countries What is the significance of foreign trips embarked on by President Bola Tinubu and Vice President Kashim Shettima considering the resources these travels gulp as Nigerians face hardships? Have you thought of the benefits, the dividends, and the profits of these trips that from all that we know outweigh and outstrip all the resources that went into those travels? In other words, as we say, every investor knows that you invest money, and you expect returns. So, if these trips have yielded the kind of returns regarding our foreign direct investments and the various things that have been attracted to the country, I think that’s the way to go. It’s not to say in terms of the opportunity cost. If they were home, the money could go around, but the money they were able to attract would multiply. There’s a multiplier effect. So, first, the dividends of those trips are obvious. Then, of course, the dividends for the entire country; the welfare of the citizens, and our overall development and economic growth far outweigh what you consider to be the costs. In any case, why should the president and his vice president, and in fact, even any Nigerian official travel at this time? Economic diplomacy and the attraction of foreign direct investment are fundamental to the government’s articulation of our national interest. Don’t forget also that Nigeria is a big player in the world. Nigeria is a clear African leader. Nigeria is a host African leader. For a long time, Nigeria was missing in action. So, the time has come to regain lost balance and reassert Nigeria’s giant status in Africa. But all of those ones are only additional. The primary reason for going out to seek direct investment and attract external resources to the country is for the profits that have come from these. With security issues in Nigeria, do you think foreign investors will come? You can be in a village and have all of your local resources ploughed back into the things that you are doing. But think of that village going outside to other villages and seeing what can happen when they all work together. In today’s world, shared prosperity is the name of the game. There is no way our local resources in circulation locally can meet the kinds of needs that we have as a country. To fight insecurity, you need the kinetic angle, you need weapons; you need technology, and you need AI. You need those kinds of investments which we don’t have in abundance. So, there is no way we will not go out to look for support, even to fight insecurity. We will not go out to seek support, even for infrastructural renewal and development. Don’t think it’s only when the president and the vice president travel that Nigeria is pursuing its interests in terms of economic diplomacy. Security diplomacy is a complement to economic diplomacy. So, you can have all your money here, but we don’t produce weapons, not enough to fight the level of insecurity that we have. We don’t have the technological base or the kinds of weapons that we require. All of those things need external collaboration and support. Don’t forget that terrorism, banditry, and others are cross-national problems. They are transnational in character. Therefore, if you’re going to address them, you must address them globally. You must address them within the ambits of the national space. That’s the global space. These are not things we can tackle, acting alone or in isolation. So, those people can only be one-tenth right. We need all the support that we can get. Speaking about insecurity, recently, rebel groups overthrew the Syrian government of Bashar al-Assad. The same thing happened in Afghanistan in 2021 when the Taliban overthrew the Afghan government. Is this not a concern as Nigeria has battled security challenges for over a decade? Both our internal mechanism and external support can collaborate. When I talk about external support, there’s no country today in the world, including the United States of America, Russia, and China, that can fight on its own. Everyone needs global collaboration in one way or the other. It could be regional support, sub-regional support, or bilateral support. But the way conflicts have come to the world today shows that collaboration is required. You talk about Afghanistan; you talk about Syria; look at the externalities of the crises in these countries and how external forces have played into that. Our military is adequate but needs collaboration. I may just tell you that one of the distinctions of the Nigerian military is its prowess in the area of not only unconventional war but also asymmetrical war. Even countries like America and others are glad to learn from Nigeria how we have excelled in these forms of war. The reason Nigeria is such a popular destination for peacekeeping operations is that it has been recognised that Nigeria has always succeeded where so-called sophisticated weapons have failed to happen. So, in the area of capabilities, the world is aware of Nigeria’s strength in these forms of war. But terrorism, banditry, and violent extremism are not Nigerian characters. They are not only about Nigeria. They have cells, proliferation, and networks that are global. That’s why we talk about information sharing, intelligence sharing, and so on. You’ll be surprised that many of the things that happened in Syria or are happening in Afghanistan or Yemen are better known outside of these countries than they are known within. What are your views about how ECOWAS under President Bola Tinubu treated the three military-ruled Sahelian countries of Malli, Burkina Faso, and Niger Republic as regards Nigeria’s insecurity? It’s unfortunate that we had this kind of development in these three countries that you have mentioned. There is very little that is Nigerian in the kind of responses and interventions that we have had. Be it the military or intervention, or its so-called alliance of the Sahelian states, the three of them have now come together to pull out from ECOWAS. I mean, it’s unfortunate. Related News Nigeria, others lose investments to inefficiencies – W’Bank Nigeria has no military pact with France, says Ribadu FG expresses concern about Mozambique election crisis But there is nothing pretentious in Nigeria about what is going on, and what has happened. Nigeria’s involvement in these matters has been at two levels. One is at the national level or the bilateral, the other is at the ECOWAS level, the regional level, and by extension, the global level. At this time, Nigeria is the chair of the ECOWAS Authority of Heads of State. Therefore, our president is the chair of ECOWAS. The ECOWAS has an existing framework in terms of its protocols, treaty, and the articles of both the protocol and the treaty that are directly related to the developments in Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger. One of them is the protocol on good governance and constitutional rule. That protocol says that ECOWAS will not tolerate unconstitutional intervention. ECOWAS is committed to democracy and democratic rule. ECOWAS recognises the power of the people, popular sovereignty, and so on. When these things happened, they were not happening only in these three countries. ECOWAS has been in the driving seat of not just the advocacy, but also the defence of democracy and democratisation, and human rights. This has been a redefining factor. Nigeria’s involvement is a different layer. Remember that Niger is Nigeria’s next-door neighbour. Niger has been very closely tied to Nigeria. The ties are historical, they are ethnic, and there are families across the boundary that are closely related. The religious ties are very strong. Remember that even the governors from Niger pay homage to our governors and vice versa. Nigeria and Niger have serious strategic linkages. Nigeria has been supplying Nigeriens electricity for all that time. Don’t forget that Niger is a landlocked country. Niger and Burkina Faso need good neighbourliness to be able to have access to the sea. For a long time, that was not happening. Nigeria is of strategic importance to Niger. Nigeria and Niger were involved in the multinational task force against Boko Haram because these terrorist movements are transnational. So, in terms of direct security, Nigeria needs Niger just as much as Niger needs Nigeria. So, Nigeria has had backdoor diplomatic engagements with Niger despite the ECOWAS position. Are you saying the pulling out of the Niger Republic from the ECOWAS will not affect its diplomatic ties with Nigeria? Well, if what you mean is our security challenges in terms of banditry, Boko Haram, the new Lakurawa, and so on, yes, of course, because these groups don’t have national boundaries. They crisscross national boundaries. So, once they’re in Nigeria, they’re also in Niger. They’re in Chad. They’re in Cameroon. They’re everywhere. They can spread to Burkina Faso and Mali. That’s the experience; that’s the history. That’s what we have seen. So, there’s no way Nigeria and Niger will not have to work together. There’s no way Nigeria and Niger and Burkina Faso and Mali and Chad will not have to work together. These differences but steps have been set in motion and things have been done to address them. Everything cannot be on the pages of newspapers. Even at the last ECOWAS summit, the president of the ECOWAS council said there was a moratorium. For six months, they will continue to use the good offices of the President of Togo and the President of Senegal to see how much we can get from these forms of diplomacy. So, all hope is not lost at all. Even these three countries have not said that pulling out of ECOWAS means they will no longer respect the protocol of free movement of persons and goods. That is still very active. Those informal movements continue to go on. The volume of trade between Nigeria and Ghana and Nigeria and Benin and Nigeria and Niger and Ivory Coast and others in West Africa cannot be stopped. They are challenges to ECOWAS, but the forces that brought ECOWAS together in 1975 are not lost at all. The final thing I want to say is that people think that this alliance of Sahelian states is a contradiction or is parallel to ECOWAS. It is not. The Francophone countries have parallel associations and alliances and organisations that exist side-by-side with ECOWAS. They haven’t threatened ECOWAS. So, all we are hoping for is that the countries see a good reason to come back to ECOWAS. But the point is that the fight in the Sahel is not only for and about these countries. We are directly involved in Nigeria because we are close to Niger. Whatever happens in Niger will spill over to Nigeria. Whatever happens in Nigeria, we will spill over to Cameroon. So, these are the organic connections that we all have. What do you think of the relationship between Nigeria and the United States if the former joins the BRICS, knowing Russia and China are members? BRICs have existed, and there’s nothing that says that BRICS is anti-America. BRICs is, as they define it, a global South coalition. The Global South coalition is an alliance that opens more options for countries of the Global South. BRICS is not a Nigerian creation, and BRICS was not anti-America, that was not the spirit of BRICS. The countries in BRICS are Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa. Now, all these countries are not just in BRICS because they are in problems or trouble with America. That tells me that BRICS has not been anti-America in any way. Therefore, it is not likely to change the contour or the trajectory of Nigerian relations with America and the West. The point is that BRICS is one of the imperatives of global relations that uphold a unipolarity or bipolarity. What BRICS represents is a global south platform that emanates from the kind of theoretical and practical imperatives that led Bolaji Akinyemi in the 1980s to propagate the idea of the concept of medium power. The global south requires some kind of platform that allows it to enjoy options. These options are not potentially Western or Eastern or ideologically potent. It is now BRICS plus because of other countries joining over the years. Now, what BRICS Plus represents is to offer options to less developed countries in terms of economic opportunities, in terms of credit, in terms of loans, and so on. It’s better to have these opportunities than not to have them at all. So, BRICS is the concept. So, BRICS comes with a lot of opportunities for Nigeria, just as it has been for countries that have joined it. It offers a good option. It’s an option, a multilateral option to all the other ones that we presently belong to. Nigeria has quite a range of choices and decision-making choices.Why Alphabet Inc. (GOOGL) Is Among the Best Autonomous Driving Stocks to Buy According to Hedge FundsThe news of Chris Evans returning as Captain America for "Avengers 5" has sent shockwaves through the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) fandom. Evans, who portrayed the iconic superhero in multiple films within the franchise, had seemingly bid farewell to the role after the events of "Avengers: Endgame." However, recent reports have confirmed that the beloved actor will be reprising his role as Steve Rogers in the highly anticipated fifth installment of the Avengers series.

Taiwan's military was on high alert Monday after detecting Chinese warships near the island, Taipei said, as it prepared for likely drills by Beijing in response to President Lai Ching-te's U.S. visits. The Taiwanese defense ministry said it also spotted Chinese coast guard vessels and that Beijing's People's Liberation Army (PLA) had restricted the airspace off the Chinese coast. There has been intense speculation about the possibility of China launching military exercises in response to Lai's trip to the Pacific last week which included stopovers in Hawaii and Guam. "In response to these actions by the PLA, the MND has initiated combat readiness drills, factoring in enemy threats, weather conditions, and tactical positioning," the Ministry of National Defense in Taipei said in a statement. It added that military units were on "high" alert and those on outlying islands had "heightened their vigilance". The ministry said its forces had "identified PLA Eastern, Northern, and Southern Theater Command naval formations, along with Coast Guard vessels, entering areas around the Taiwan Strait and the Western Pacific". There was no immediate public announcement by the PLA or Chinese state media about increased military activity around Taiwan. However, a Beijing foreign ministry spokeswoman said China would "firmly defend" its sovereignty, as Taiwan kicked off its drills. Taiwan regards itself as a sovereign nation with its own government, military, and currency. But Beijing insists the island is part of its territory and has not ruled out using force to bring it under its control. Lai spoke with Republican U.S. House Speaker Mike Johnson in Guam on Thursday -- the highest-level U.S. contact the Taiwanese leader had during a week-long trip -- which drew a barrage of criticism from Beijing. China's foreign ministry warned Taiwan on Friday that "seeking independence with the help of the United States will inevitably hit a wall", and called on Washington to "cease meddling in Taiwan-related affairs". In response to a question about possible Chinese military drills around Taiwan following his trip, Lai told reporters on Friday that "raising your fists is not as good as opening your hands". "No matter how many military exercises, warships and aircraft China sends to coerce neighboring countries, it cannot win the respect of any country," Lai said. Taiwan's coast guard said on Monday it had detected "unusual movements" of seven Chinese coast guard ships since early Friday -- the day Lai returned to Taipei. The Beijing army's airspace restrictions east of Zhejiang and Fujian provinces were expected to be in place until Wednesday, Taiwan's defense ministry said. "Any unilateral, irrational acts of provocation could severely undermine peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific region and are unwelcome by the international community," the ministry said. It added that the PLA's "recent activities near Japan, South Korea, the Philippines, and Taiwan have introduced risks and uncertainties to regional security". Japan's defense ministry said Monday it had detected over the weekend a Chinese navy missile destroyer, frigate and "information-gathering ship" sailing southeast between Okinawa island and Miyako islands towards the Pacific Ocean. "From the limited information available, the seven restricted airspaces are likely being used for two main purposes: missile testing and simulating no-fly zones, which represent a blocked airspace state," Su Tzu-yun, a military expert at the Institute for National Defense and Security Research in Taipei, told AFP. Su said the drills "appear politically motivated" and would backfire on Beijing by reinforcing the "China threat theory". Taiwan faces the constant threat of a military attack by China and relies heavily on US arms sales to boost its defenses. On the eve of Lai's Pacific tour, the United States approved a proposed sale to Taiwan of spare parts for F-16s and radar systems, as well as communications equipment, in deals valued at $385 million in total. Lai said in the U.S. state of Hawaii during his trip there was a need to "fight together to prevent war", warning there were "no winners" from conflict. China has launched two large-scale military drills around Taiwan since Lai took office and regularly deploys fighter jets and navy ships to press its claims over the island. Lai has been more outspoken than his predecessor Tsai Ing-wen in defending Taiwan's sovereignty, angering Beijing which calls him a "separatist".Title: Foreign Ministry Responds to Inquiry on Chinese Contact with Assad, Expresses Hope for Stability in the Region

As Nigeria grapples with perennial security challenges amidst rising hunger, leadership experts and stakeholders from different backgrounds have called on government at all levels, as well as privileged individuals , to give urgent attention to economic empowerment of youths in order to build lasting peace and security across the country. The stakeholders made the call at the 14th edition of the annual Peace Achievers International Conference and Awards Night held on Saturday with the theme, “Building Bridges for Sustainable Peace and Security: Integrating Sectors for Harmonious Future”, at the Abuja Continental Hotel in the FCT. The 2024 conference brought together heads of organisations, seasoned entrepreneurs, members of the diplomatic community, traditional rulers and the academia from across Nigeria and beyond to deliberate and chart a common front towards building sustainable peace for a prosperous nation. According to the stakeholders, for the country to effectively curb the challenges of insecurity,sectional conflicts and youths restiveness, there is need to productively engage young Nigerians who constitute a chunk of its workforce. Amb. Kingsley Amafibe, Project Coordinator of Peace Ambassador Agency, organisers of the conference, said there was urgent need to create economic opportunities for Nigerian youth to get them productively occupied. “In fact, we are sitting on a time bomb and our leaders should take this very seriously, because our major problem is youth unemployment, as our youths are graduating from school every day without job, and even those who want to create the jobs as private individuals do not have access to finance. “I think everyone of our leaders knows what to do, because they all have a blueprint before they come into power, but very often when they get into power they forget these things. “They travel abroad and see how these things are done, but they come back to Nigeria and still subject people to poverty. “For the past 14 years, we have been able to impact and reach out to communities with our peace campaign and have over 1,000 children under our scholarship,” he said. Amafibe however urged Nigerian youths to take responsibility for themselves to build that future of their dreams through hard work and discipline, adding that the failure of successive governments to build a better society should not be an excuse for youths to remain unproductive. He said, “I take myself as an example and I like to share my story because I came to Abuja without nothing, but today I have been able to put things together. “The problem with many young people is that they tend to divert their attention to any trending opportunity without focusing their energy in one craft and say this is what I want to pursue,” he said. Mr Felix Achibiri, Executive Chairman, DFC Holdings Ltd,who spoke on Peace Building and through Sectoral Partnership, said youth economic empowerment was a catalyst for sustainable peace. He, however, noted that government alone cannot create jobs, adding that there was need for private organisations to take youth empowerment as part of their Corporate Social Responsibility “There is a clear nexus between job security and building a harmonious and peaceful environment or society, and there is also a need for the corporate sector to invest in community social responsibility. According to him, the government on this part has a greater role to play by making sure that an enabling environment is created for the private sector to thrive. “There is urgent need to embrace technology to unlock value because today, African digital economy is projected to hit about 185 billion dollars,so what are we doing as a nation to take advantage of this? “There is need to develop the ICT sector and set up incubation and acceleration centers in our primary schools and secondary schools, to unlock value and prepare our youth for the great ahead,” he said. Mr Michael Bartlett-Vanderpuye, President and Group Chairman M&C Group Global, said there was need for African youths to challenge themselves and take their future in their hands. “We have a dependent culture and it is across Africa where somebody is a university graduate but he is waiting for his father’s uncle’s friend who is in government to connect him to work. “In Europe and in the U.S., most of the time, by 16 years they are already selling, working at Walmart, and they are teaching them to be independent, not to be dependent. “In Africa, some of 40-year old men are still living in their father’s houses, and the father inherited it from the grandfather,so we have to cut that dependent culture to create avenues for wealth creation,” he said. Dr Victor Enebeli, Director of Studies, Justice Mary Odili Judicial Institute, said Nigeria’s leadership challenges were local and therefore need workable solutions that are unique to them. According to him, What Nigeria needs is a peace summit that involves the grassroots by involving the 774 local governments. “They will tell us what their problems are and what the solutions are , and at this point, we are not importing solutions anymore as we have the solutions here in Nigeria with us.” Highpoint of the day was the presentation of the Peace Achievers Awards to charitable individuals and organisations who have used their resources to positively affect society and the presentation of the ‘100 Most Notable Business Executive & Leadership Magazine and ‘The Rise of African Fashion Designers & Lifestyle’ by Amb.Kingsley Amafibe.The highly anticipated arrival of Sora, the latest AI digital assistant, has finally come to fruition. With promises of revolutionary capabilities and advanced technology, Sora generated significant buzz in the tech industry and among consumers worldwide. However, before the celebrations could begin in earnest, OpenAI – a leading artificial intelligence research organization – unexpectedly poured cold water on the excitement surrounding Sora's launch.

Mumbai: Bollywood superstar Salman Khan has been a favorite in Indian cinema for over 30 years. Among his many hits, Bajrangi Bhaijaan is one of the most loved movies of his career. It is also his biggest hit, but did you know this film was first rejected by Pushpa star Allu Arjun? Released in 2015, Bajrangi Bhaijaan is a heartwarming story of Pawan, a kind devotee of Lord Hanuman. He finds Munni, a young girl who cannot speak and is lost in India. When Pawan discovers she is from Pakistan, he decides to take her back to her family, facing many challenges along the way. Before Salman took the role, the movie was offered to South Indian superstar Allu Arjun, who also rejected it due to his busy schedule. Aamir Khan was also offered this project and he wanted to make changes to the script. The director, Kabir Khan, disagreed, so Aamir turned it down. Salman eventually got the role, and the rest is history. The movie was made on a budget of Rs. 90 crore but earned Rs. 320 crore in India and Rs. 922 crore worldwide. It became one of the highest-grossing Indian movies and a turning point in Salman’s career. His emotional performance won the hearts of fans and critics alike. Salman is now preparing for his next big release, Sikandar, directed by AR Murugadoss. Set to release on Eid 2025, the movie is already creating buzz.

Charting a course for science during Trump’s second term

FDA cracks down on adulterated spices, condiment powdersIt is essential for the authorities to remain impartial, diligent, and thorough in their investigation of the Bu Mou case. The implications of this case go beyond the individuals directly involved, impacting the reputation of institutions and the trust of the public in the rule of law. The investigative process must be conducted with the utmost professionalism and transparency to uphold the principles of justice and fairness.

As the international community grapples with the implications of Assad's asylum in Russia, the situation on the ground in Syria remains volatile and uncertain. The conflict, which has already claimed hundreds of thousands of lives and displaced millions of people, shows no signs of abating, with various factions vying for control of territory and resources.Reactions to the Department of Justice’s investigation into Trenton Police

Kavita Patel Sells 1,500 Shares of Arcellx, Inc. (NASDAQ:ACLX) Stock