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super v Affiliate Disclosure If you buy through our links, we may get a commission. Read our ethics policy . iOS 18.2 is nearing its public release and it's packed with AI features Marko Zivkovic | Dec 05, 2024 Here's what's new in iOS 18.2. 0 Facebook x.com Reddit On Thursday, two weeks after the fourth developer beta , Apple deployed the release candidate build of iOS 18.2. While the update can be installed on devices as old as the iPhone XR and iPhone XS , the software includes a variety of features that only work on iPhone 15 Pro , iPhone 15 Pro Max, and the iPhone 16 range. Apple Intelligence makes it possible to use generative AI software for things such as text editing, proofreading, summarization , as well as tone adjustment, among other things. These features are available system-wide through a dedicated Writing Tools framework on iOS, iPadOS , and macOS , with iOS 18.2 bringing even more AI-powered functionality to the table. The software expands upon the existing capabilities of Writing Tools, originally introduced with iOS 18.1 . The iOS 18.2 update offers many new Apple Intelligence features related to image generation , as well as a variety of other improvements. iOS 18.2 brings ChatGPT to Writing Tools and Siri Starting with iOS 18.2, Siri can forward questions and requests to ChatGPT. OpenAI's software also powers a new text composition feature in Writing Tools. This means that users can ask ChatGPT to generate text or answer questions directly from iOS , rather than using a third-party app or website. iOS 18.2 introduces ChatGPT integration. ChatGPT integration was introduced with user privacy in mind, as all requests are sent anonymously. A ChatGPT account is not required for the use of basic features, which are freely available to users at any time. Advanced ChatGPT capabilities, however, are available only in a limited capacity. As part of the iOS 18.2 update, users will be able to see whether or not they've exceeded the daily limit for ChatGPT's advanced capabilities. Once the advanced capability limit has been passed, additional requests are sent to the basic version of ChatGPT for up to 24 hours. Those who want even more now have the option to upgrade to ChatGPT Plus for $19.99 a month straight from the Settings app. Siri has gained the ability to fetch real-time information with ChatGPT Plus, and the virtual assistant can share screenshots with ChatGPT as well. It's worth pointing out that ChatGPT integration is only available for devices that already support Apple Intelligence, such as the iPhone 16 range. With the iOS 18.2 update, Apple has also included new settings specific to these devices. iOS 18.2 enables Visual Intelligence on the iPhone 16 range iOS 18.2 introduces various settings for the Camera Control , which made its debut with the iPhone 16 range. The Camera Control is an entirely new hardware component, a button with a capacitive surface and a force sensor. The button can be used in conjunction with Apple Intelligence through an entirely new feature known as Visual Intelligence. Visual Intelligence is available on iPhone 16 models running iOS 18.2. With Visual Intelligence, users can click and hold the Camera Control button while aiming their iPhone 16 at an object or location of interest. This will, in turn, provide users with useful information via Apple's generative AI software. For instance, users can point their devices towards a restaurant and receive details about the location's ratings or working hours. In the same way, it's also possible to add a calendar event from a flyer or identify a dog by breed. Additional Camera Control settings for iPhone 16 users There are also new settings related to the Camera Control and its functions in iOS 18.2. Users can now adjust the double-click speed for Camera Control. Apart from the Default option, the double-click speed can be set to Slow or Slower . iOS 18.2 introduces additional settings for the Camera Control on iPhone 16. The software update adds a new AE/AF Lock option as well, which locks the exposure and focus when taking a photo. The Camera Control can be configured to toggle AE/AF Lock with a light press. This means that the exposure stays consistent and that the image won't darken, even when the iPhone is moved around. Apple has added a new customization option that lets you open the Camera app even if your screen is off. Located in Settings > Display and Brightness , there's now an option titled Require Screen On , which is enabled by default. Disabling this option lets you activate the Camera app via Camera Control even if the device's display is currently off. Apple's Image Playground is a new system-wide AI-powered image generation tool iOS 18.2 introduces Image Playground , which is an entirely new system application that lets users create images through artificial intelligence. Image Playground uses AI to generate images at the user's request. In the Image Playground app, users can write a description of the image they want to see and have generative AI create it. This can be an image of a person they know, a landscape, an object, or anything in between. The software does have guardrails in place, though, so it's not able to create images of copyrighted characters or inappropriate content. Images can be created in one of two styles: animation and illustration. The content created within Image Playground is not hyper-realistic by any means. Apple has also made sure that all images generated with the app are labeled as such so that they could never be mistaken for real-world photographs. Image Playground can generate images of people the user knows. Image Playground allows you to generate images with a resolution of 1024 by 1024. They are saved locally and can be shared like any other photo on your iPhone, iPad , or Mac . A similar feature, known as Image Wand, lets users create images based on text found within the Notes app. Typed or handwritten text can be turned into an image through artificial intelligence. Image Playground features integration with system applications such as Freeform, Keynote, Messages, and Pages, as well as with third-party apps. With it, users can create so-called Genmojis along with other types of images. Create custom 'Genmoji' with Apple Intelligence on iOS 18.2 With iOS 18.2, users can create unique emojis straight from the iOS keyboard. These custom emoticons are known as Genmoji and can be synced via iCloud , appearing in the user's sticker drawer across all compatible devices. With iOS 18.2, it's possible to create so-called Genmoji. Users can simply describe the emoji they want to create, such as one based on an object or a person they know, and Apple Intelligence will make it a reality. Genmoji can be created with source images from the Photos app, or a generic emoji person can be used instead. Genmoji don't necessarily need to be people, though, as they can consist of various objects, both real and imaginary — it's all up to the end user's creativity. On-device email categorization is available within the Mail application The Mail app has received a significant update with iOS 18.2, as Apple's built-in email application can now sort emails into pre-defined categories. Email categorization was one of the key improvements previewed at WWDC 2024, and it's now finally here. Apple's Mail app can sort emails into pre-defined categories on iOS 18.2. Through machine learning, the built-in Mail app can classify emails into categories such as: Primary - which displays time-sensitive messages, emails from people the user might know, and other important information Transactions - an email category for receipts and order confirmations Updates - which contains newsletters and social media notices Promotions - for marketing and sales-related emails The Mail app now features an entirely new Digest view, which can display all emails from a specific company, making interactions with these messages significantly easier. With the Digest view, users will be able to get information about flights from a particular company, for instance. Users will also be able to adjust the email category in which senders appear. There's also a new option for app badges, letting users choose whether they appear only for primary unread messages or all unread messages. While Apple Intelligence and its associated features are undoubtedly a major component of the iOS 18.2 update, the software also contains a variety of improvements that have nothing to do with AI. Specifically, iOS 18.2 contains new features for FindMy, Photos, and much more. FindMy now lets you share the location of lost AirTags FindMy has received a significant update with iOS 18.2, as the software now lets users share the location of lost items with people they trust. FindMy has received a significant improvement with iOS 18.2. When an AirTag or other item is lost, users can opt to share the location of the item with a trusted individual or even an airline, all so that the lost item can be more easily recovered. This could be particularly useful for lost luggage, though FindMy-equipped devices have also helped authorities locate stolen vehicles in some instances. The lost item's location is shared in the form of a link. The link recipient will be able to see the AirTag's location, serial number, and the user's Apple Account email or phone number for a limited amount of time. Location sharing is automatically stopped once the item is found, or when the link to the item's location expires. Hearing Health features for AirPods Pro 2 now available in more countries iOS 18.2 also expands the availability of Hearing Health features for the AirPods Pro 2 wireless earbuds. Specifically, the Hearing Test feature is now available in Cyprus, Czechia, France, Italy, Luxembourg, Romania, Spain, the United Arab Emirates, and the United Kingdom. The clinical-grade Hearing Aid feature, meanwhile, was made available in the United Arab Emirates. Hearing Health features for AirPods Pro 2 are now available in additional countries. Hearing Health features were originally introduced with the iOS 18.1 update in the United States, following FDA approval in September 2024. On AirPods Pro 2, these features let users test their hearing or use the device as a hearing aid in cases of mild to moderate hearing loss. It's worth noting, though, that the AirPods Pro 2 need to be running firmware 7B19 or newer for any of these features to function. The features are not meant to work in countries or regions where they have not yet been approved. Other changes in the iOS 18.2 update The operating system also introduces a minor change to video playback in the Photos application. Videos are no longer automatically zoomed in as soon as playback begins. Users also have the option to scrub through a video frame-by-frame and can disable the auto-looping of video playback. iPadOS 18.2 features a revamped tab bar in the Apple TV app. On the iPad side of things, iPadOS 18.2 introduces a noteworthy change to the Apple TV application. The in-app tab bar has been made customizable, and now items from the sidebar can be added to it. Certain system applications and features have also received minor updates: Apple Music and Apple TV — a new Natural Search feature makes it easier to search for content by actor, decade, genre, mood, etc. Face ID — When trusting a computer from an iPhone, Face ID can now be used for authentication instead of the user's passcode. iPhone Mirroring — allows users to mirror their iPhone screen even when a Mac is using it as a personal hotspot. Podcasts — new options for Favorite categories, and a personalized Search page. Notes — an additional "Create Image" button that appears when text is selected. Safari — new background images for the Safari Start Page, along with a Live Activity for file downloads. Shortcuts — three new shortcuts related to the Fitness application. Stocks — pre-market price quotes let users track track NASDAQ and NYSE tickers prior to market open Voice Memos — support for layered recording, which can be used to add vocals to a song idea, for instance. Misc. — Web content filters are now automatically enabled for minors in Utah. While there are some improvements of note in this list, the great majority of them build upon existing applications and their features. The software also contains a few minor bug fixes, as detailed in Apple's release notes. visionOS 2.2 brings Wide and Ultrawide views to Mac Virtual Display, watchOS 11.2 adds a new pause button visionOS 2.2, on the other hand, includes a major improvement to the Mac Virtual Display feature. While the Apple Vision Pro was always usable as an external display for Mac, there are now two new display modes: Ultrawide and Wide. According to Apple, the new Ultrawide setting is the equivalent of connecting two 4K monitors to a Mac and using them side-by-side. visionOS 2.2 introduces improvements to the Mac Virtual Display feature. Apple also made it possible to view multiple sports games at once on the Apple Vision Pro. With visionOS 2.2, users can now view up to 5 MLB or MLS games simultaneously through their Apple TV+ subscription. While it's not currently possible to view other sports, Apple has added SharePlay integration with visionOS 2.2, letting users of the headset watch games together. On the Apple Watch , watchOS 11.2 introduces a new pause button for the Camera Remote application. This means that it's now possible to pause videos being recorded on an iPhone via the Camera Remote app on an Apple Watch, through a new button located on the left side of the screen. The Apple Vision Pro and Apple Watch platforms still lack Apple Intelligence, though, meaning that their users won't be able to take advantage of the various AI features available on other Apple platforms. Although some Apple Intelligence features are already here, such as email summarization and the Clean Up tool in Photos, a good chunk of them are still only available in the release candidate build. iOS 18.2 is expected to receive its final public release in early December 2024, which is when features like Image Playground and Visual Intelligence will become available to all users.Franklin Income Fund Q3 2024 Commentary

NoneReal Life Don't miss out on the headlines from Real Life. Followed categories will be added to My News. A $99 item from one of Australia’s biggest supermarkets is being compared to a luxury item that costs more than eight times the price. Coles recently released the $99 Urbanworx 5-in-1 High Speed Hair Dryer as part of its regular Best Buys sales. It comes with two drying barrels, two curling barrels and a styling brush, a similarity some shoppers claim make it a “dupe” of the $849 Dyson Airwrap. Laila Cooke said she spotted it in the special aisle while popping into the supermarket on her lunch break, adding it was a great option for people who “couldn’t justify” splurging on the luxury version. After taking it hope, Ms Cooke dried her hair using the hairdryer attachment, and documented her experience on TikTok . She said she was “pretty impressed” as it didn’t feel too hot - a feature which can be damaging to hair - but said it dried her locks within three minutes. Then she tested out the curling barrels. After putting the attachment through its paces, she said it was “a bit harder to grab” than the Dyson. However, she did say that was expected for its price point. “Considering I got this from my local supermarket, I am pretty impressed and would recommend,” Ms Cooke said. Many asked whether the curls held. Ms Cooke shared a clip of her fully curled hair at midday. Then, at 4.30pm, the hair had clearly started to drop. By 6.15pm all that was left was a wave in her hair. Coles is selling a $99 hair styling device. Picture: TikTok/@laila.cooke Laila Cooke tested it out. Picture: TikTok@laila.cooke Meanwell, Tessa Wells said people needed to “run” to the supermarket immediately in order to get their hands on the product. The item has been available since November 15. There is only limited stock available. “Coles Best Buys is all about offering our customers great value on products you normally wouldn’t see sold in supermarkets – from furniture and homewares to electronics and beauty goods, while always offering competitive prices on comparable products,” a Coles spokesperson told news.com.au. “Each week, our product range evolves with different themes, ensuring that there is always something new and exciting for our customers to discover. Available at 681 Coles supermarkets across Australia, the Coles Best Buys range is designed to offer convenience and affordability. “We reveal upcoming deals every Monday in our catalogue, so check our website for the latest updates.” It's being compared to the $849 Dyson Airwrap. Picture: TikTok/@laila.cooke Coles launched its Best Buys range in 2021 and is only available in-store, but not everywhere. At the time, a spokesperson for the supermarket said it would provide a platform for emerging brands to showcase their limited edition products to a large national customer base. “Free delivery is included across the entire range which is something we’re really proud to offer our customers, by working closely with our brand partners to get products directly into their homes sooner, at the best price possible,” the spokesperson said. “While we want to keep the collection small to ensure we’re offering a good mix of sought-after products, we’re looking forward to expanding our existing brand partners’ range as well as working with new suppliers to continue evolving the Best Buys offer and exciting our customers with a variety of interesting products they cannot get in store.” More Coverage ‘Change the rule’: Calls to overturn school ban Claudia Poposki ‘Ambitious’: Wild way women calling out men Claudia Poposki Originally published as Coles Best Buys item is being compared to luxury product More related stories Real Life ‘Hot’: Star spotted in bikini after shock split A Bali princess has been spotted cooling off in a bikini at Bondi Beach just days after announcing her second marriage was over. Read more Real Life ‘Accidental influencer’ we can’t get enough of A young Aussie who won millions of followers with her relatable approach to life has just won a huge award at a star-studded Sydney event. Read more

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. 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. 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.” Former Associated Press journalist Alex Sanz contributed to this report.The inauguration of the New Gwadar International Airport (NGIA) has been delayed for the third time due to ongoing security concerns in the region. ET Year-end Special Reads What kept India's stock market investors on toes in 2024? India's car race: How far EVs went in 2024 Investing in 2025: Six wealth management trends to watch out for Originally scheduled to begin operations on January 1, 2025, the airport, which is a key part of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), will now remain closed indefinitely, the Balochistan Post reported. Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) has also cancelled its first commercial flight, which was set to coincide with the opening, according to reports from The Balochistan Times. The NGIA, a major infrastructure project funded by China at a cost of USD 250 million, is designed to accommodate large aircraft such as the Airbus A380. The airport's original opening date of August 14, 2024, was planned to coincide with Pakistan's Independence Day celebrations but was postponed due to protests organised by the Baloch Yakjehti Committee (BYC). 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View Program Data Science SQL for Data Science along with Data Analytics and Data Visualization By - Metla Sudha Sekhar, IT Specialist and Developer View Program Artificial Intelligence(AI) AI and Analytics based Business Strategy By - Tanusree De, Managing Director- Accenture Technology Lead, Trustworthy AI Center of Excellence: ATCI View Program Web Development A Comprehensive ASP.NET Core MVC 6 Project Guide for 2024 By - Metla Sudha Sekhar, IT Specialist and Developer View Program Marketing Digital Marketing Masterclass by Pam Moore By - Pam Moore, Digital Transformation and Social Media Expert View Program Artificial Intelligence(AI) AI-Powered Python Mastery with Tabnine: Boost Your Coding Skills By - Metla Sudha Sekhar, IT Specialist and Developer View Program Office Productivity Mastering Microsoft Office: Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and 365 By - Metla Sudha Sekhar, IT Specialist and Developer View Program Marketing Digital marketing - Wordpress Website Development By - Shraddha Somani, Digital Marketing Trainer, Consultant, Strategiest and Subject Matter expert View Program Office Productivity Mastering Google Sheets: Unleash the Power of Excel and Advance Analysis By - Metla Sudha Sekhar, IT Specialist and Developer View Program Web Development Mastering Full Stack Development: From Frontend to Backend Excellence By - Metla Sudha Sekhar, IT Specialist and Developer View Program Finance Financial Literacy i.e Lets Crack the Billionaire Code By - CA Rahul Gupta, CA with 10+ years of experience and Accounting Educator View Program Data Science SQL Server Bootcamp 2024: Transform from Beginner to Pro By - Metla Sudha Sekhar, IT Specialist and Developer View Program MORE STORIES FOR YOU ✕ « Back to recommendation stories I don't want to see these stories because They are not relevant to me They disrupt the reading flow Others SUBMIT The second delay followed a series of deadly attacks by the Baloch Liberation Army (BLA), which targeted key CPEC-related infrastructure, including highways, railway bridges, and mineral transport vehicles, as reported by The Balochistan Post. This latest delay highlights the growing security risks posed by Baloch separatist groups that oppose Chinese investments in the region. The BLA, a major armed group advocating for Baloch independence, has repeatedly targeted Chinese projects and nationals in Pakistan. Notable attacks include a 2018 suicide bombing on a bus carrying Chinese engineers, assaults on the Chinese Consulate in Karachi, and a 2023 attack in Gwadar that killed 13 people, including four Chinese nationals. The BLA has also warned foreign nationals to avoid Balochistan, calling it a "war zone," according to The Balochistan Post. In response to these threats, the Civil Aviation Authority and the Balochistan government have decided to review security arrangements before proceeding with the airport's opening. The BLA's Majeed Brigade has vowed to continue its campaign against Chinese interests, further complicating Pakistan's efforts to maintain stability and attract foreign investment to the region. 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GARDEN RIDGE, Texas, Dec. 03, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Toll Brothers, Inc. TOL , the nation's leading builder of luxury homes, is pleased to announce that its newest community, Toll Brothers at Enchanted Bluff , is now open for sale in the San Antonio, Texas area. This exceptional new Texas Hill Country community offers expansive one-acre home sites and elegant single- and two-story home designs. The Toll Brothers Sales Center and professionally decorated model home is now open at 8279 Blue Oak Way in Garden Ridge. Toll Brothers at Enchanted Bluff features homes ranging from 3,198 to 5,184+ square feet, each thoughtfully crafted with bright and airy living spaces, stunning covered patios, first-floor primary bedroom suites, 3- to 4-car garages, and versatile loft, flex room, and office options. Homes in the community offer 4 to 5 bedrooms and are priced from the low $900,000s to over $1.14 million. Home buyers will enjoy personalizing their homes with a selection of high-end fixtures and finishes, with expert guidance provided through the Toll Brothers Design Studio experience. "We are thrilled to introduce Toll Brothers at Enchanted Bluff to the Garden Ridge community," said Matt Foran, Division President of Toll Brothers in San Antonio. "This stunning neighborhood offers an unmatched lifestyle with spacious home sites, exceptional home designs, and access to top-rated schools and amenities." Residents will appreciate the community's walking trails and proximity to a variety of outdoor recreation, high-end dining, shopping, and entertainment options in Garden Ridge, Schertz, San Antonio, and New Braunfels. Natural Bridge Caverns, Natural Bridge Wildlife Ranch, and Bracken Cave Preserve are all located nearby the community, showcasing a drive-through safari and some of the largest caverns available to tour in Texas. Students living in this community will have the opportunity to attend the prestigious Comal Independent School District, including Garden Ridge Elementary, Danville Middle School, and Davenport High School. For more information, prospective home buyers are invited to call (877) 500-0508 or visit TollBrothers.com/Texas. About Toll Brothers Toll Brothers, Inc., a Fortune 500 Company, is the nation's leading builder of luxury homes. The Company was founded 57 years ago in 1967 and became a public company in 1986. Its common stock is listed on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol "TOL." The Company serves first-time, move-up, empty-nester, active-adult, and second-home buyers, as well as urban and suburban renters. Toll Brothers builds in over 60 markets in 24 states: Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Indiana, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Nevada, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Oregon, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Virginia, and Washington, as well as in the District of Columbia. The Company operates its own architectural, engineering, mortgage, title, land development, smart home technology, and landscape subsidiaries. The Company also develops master-planned and golf course communities as well as operates its own lumber distribution, house component assembly, and manufacturing operations. In 2024, Toll Brothers marked 10 years in a row being named to the Fortune World's Most Admired CompaniesTM list and the Company's Chairman and CEO Douglas C. Yearley, Jr. was named one of 25 Top CEOs by Barron's magazine. Toll Brothers has also been named Builder of the Year by Builder magazine and is the first two-time recipient of Builder of the Year from Professional Builder magazine. For more information visit TollBrothers.com . From Fortune, ©2024 Fortune Media IP Limited. All rights reserved. Used under license. Contact: Andrea Meck | Toll Brothers, Director, Public Relations & Social Media | 215-938-8169 | ameck@tollbrothers.com A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/59f05638-9c95-4af0-aeb8-d4cdbe6fb840 Sent by Toll Brothers via Regional Globe Newswire (TOLL-REG) © 2024 Benzinga.com. Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved.Our community members are treated to special offers, promotions and adverts from us and our partners. You can check out at any time. More info Actress Michelle Keegan has expressed her annoyance at the constant questioning about when she'll start a family, before finally announcing her pregnancy on Sunday night. Michelle and her husband Mark Wright, both 37, took to Instagram to share their joyous news with their followers. "2025 is going to be a special one for us... [baby emoji. love heart emoji]," read the caption of a post that featured a picture of Michelle tenderly cradling her baby bump on a beach, with Mark looking on. The couple, who got hitched in 2015, have been under pressure to start a family for nearly a decade now, with the pressure coming from both fans and their loved ones. Last year, Michelle highlighted that she's the one who gets asked, attributing it to gender bias. The pair, who frequently post pictures with their nieces and nephews on social media, had inadvertently sparked speculation among fans eager for them to have their own children prior to Sunday's announcement. Michelle was reportedly livid over the intrusive questions at the time. Speaking previously to the Mirror, Michelle confessed the scrutiny got to her. "It's horrible. People don't know if we're trying. They don't know the background of what's happening. In this day and age, you shouldn't be asking questions like that," she stated. "I'm asked purely because I'm a woman. I'm immune to it now – it's like a reaction, and as soon as I hear it I brush it off as it's no one else's business," reports the Mirror . Michelle and Mark received an overwhelming number of unsolicited comments about when they will start a family after posting a touching photo in April 2023, holding their prematurely born nephew, Dustin Wright. Fans couldn’t help but ask the couple when they would have kids of their own, with one particularly brazen follower urging on Instagram: "Come on you two, pull your fingers out. It's time now." They were reportedly quite upset by these remarks; Michelle felt "furious" and "incredibly angry". She had previously expressed her desire to have a big family in a 2018 Women's Health interview, saying: "I've always been broody. I love kids, and I want four, so hopefully in the near future." Meanwhile, Mark had shared with The Sun his own take on becoming a parent, stating: "We say we're going to try [for a baby] every year but something comes up with work. So it'll be Michelle filming in South Africa and then I got the job in Los Angeles – so we think, right, we'll try next year. With kids, I used to want three or four. But now, I'm 31, we're not having kids any time before 32. I think we could have two or three. Twins would be great because you're getting two out of the way at once." Mark and Michelle, the love-struck pair, initially met while on individual holidays in Dubai at the close of 2012. They went public with their romance a month later at the 2013 National Television Awards, instantly becoming a celebrity power couple. A mere nine months after confirming their relationship, the duo revisited Dubai, where an enamoured Mark popped the question and Michelle happily accepted.Reindeer roundup: 3 VERIFIED facts about the animals that inspired Santa's sleigh team

Jimmy Carter, a peanut farmer and little-known Georgia governor who became the 39th president of the United States, promising “honest and decent” government to Watergate-weary Americans, and later returned to the world stage as an influential human rights advocate and Nobel Peace Prize winner, has died. He was 100. When his turbulent presidency ended after a stinging reelection loss in 1980, Carter retreated to Plains, his political career over. Over the four decades that followed, though, he forged a legacy of public service, building homes for the needy, monitoring elections around the globe and emerging as a fearless and sometimes controversial critic of governments that mistreated their citizens. He lived longer than any U.S. president in history and was still regularly teaching Bible classes at his hometown Maranatha Baptist Church well into his 90s. During his post-presidency, he also wrote more than 30 books, including fiction, poetry, deeply personal reflections on his faith, and commentaries on Middle East strife. Though slowed by battles with brain and liver cancer and a series of falls and hip replacement in recent years, he returned again and again to his charity work and continued to offer occasional political commentary, including in support of mail-in voting ahead of the 2020 presidential election. Carter was in his first term as Georgia governor when he launched his campaign to unseat President Ford in the 1976 election. At the time, the nation was still shaken by President Nixon’s resignation in the Watergate scandal and by the messy end of the Vietnam War. As a moderate Southern Democrat, a standard-bearer of what was then regarded as a more racially tolerant “new South,” Carter promised a government “as good and honest and decent and competent and compassionate and as filled with love as are the American people.” But some of the traits that had helped get Carter elected — his willingness to take on the Washington establishment and his preference for practicality over ideology — didn’t serve him as well in the White House. He showed a deep understanding of policy, and a refreshing modesty and disregard for the ceremonial trappings of the office, but he was unable to make the legislative deals expected of a president. Even though his Democratic Party had a majority in Congress throughout his presidency, he was impatient with the legislative give-and-take and struggled to mobilize party leaders behind his policy initiatives. His presidency also was buffeted by domestic crises — rampant inflation and high unemployment, as well as interminable lines at gas stations triggered by a decline in the global oil supply exacerbated by Iran’s Islamic Revolution. “Looking back, I am struck by how many unpopular objectives we pursued,” Carter acknowledged in his 2010 book, “White House Diary.” “I was sometimes accused of ‘micromanaging’ the affairs of government and being excessively autocratic,” he continued, “and I must admit that my critics probably had a valid point.” Carter’s signature achievements as president were primarily on the international front, and included personally brokering the Camp David peace accords between Egypt and Israel, which have endured for more than 40 years. But it was another international crisis — the storming of the U.S. Embassy in Tehran by Iranian revolutionaries and the government’s inability to win the release of 52 Americans taken hostage — that would cast a long shadow on his presidency and his bid for reelection. Carter authorized a secret military mission to rescue the hostages in April 1980, but it was aborted at the desert staging area; during the withdrawal, eight servicemen were killed when a helicopter crashed into a transport aircraft. The hostages were held for 444 days, a period that spanned Carter’s final 15 months in the White House. They were finally freed the day his successor, Ronald Reagan, took the oath of office. Near the end of Carter’s presidency, one poll put his job approval rating at 21% — lower than Nixon’s when he resigned in disgrace and among the lowest of any White House occupant since World War II. In a rarity for an incumbent president, Carter faced a formidable primary challenge in 1980 from Sen. Edward M. Kennedy, a favorite of the Democratic Party’s liberal wing. Although Carter prevailed, his nomination was in doubt until the party’s August convention. The enmity between Carter and Kennedy, two of the most important Democratic political figures of their generation, continued throughout their lives. In Kennedy’s memoir, published shortly after his death in 2009, he called Carter petty and guilty of “a failure to listen.” While promoting the publication of “White House Diary,” Carter said Kennedy had “deliberately” blocked Carter’s comprehensive healthcare proposals in the late 1970s in hopes of defeating the president in the primary. In the 1980 general election, Carter faced Reagan, then 69, who campaigned on a promise to increase military spending and rescue the economy by cutting taxes and decreasing regulation. Carter lost in a 51% to 41% thumping — he won just six states and the District of Columbia — that devastated the man known for his toothy smile and sent him back to his hometown, an ex-president at 56. A year later, he and Rosalynn founded the Carter Center, which pressed for peaceful solutions to world conflicts, promoted human rights and worked to eradicate disease in the poorest nations. The center, based in Atlanta, launched a new phase of Carter’s public life, one that would move the same historians who called Carter a weak president to label him one of America’s greatest former leaders. His post-presidential years were both “historic and polarizing,” as Princeton University historian Julian E. Zelizer put it in a 2010 biography of Carter. Zelizer said Carter “refused to be constrained politically when pursuing his international agenda” as an ex-president, and became “an enormously powerful figure on the international stage.” When Carter appeared on “The Colbert Report” in 2014, host Stephen Colbert asked him, “You invented the idea of the post-presidency. What inspired you to do that?” “I didn’t have anything else to do,” Carter replied. He traveled widely to mediate conflicts and monitor elections around the world, joined Habitat for Humanity to promote “sweat equity” for low-income homeownership, and became a blunt critic of human rights abuses. He angered conservatives and some liberals by advocating negotiations with autocrats — and his criticism of Israeli leaders and support for Palestinian self-determination angered many Jews. A prolific author, Carter covered a range of topics, including the Middle East crisis and the virtues of aging and religion. He penned a memoir on growing up in the rural South as well as a book of poems, and he was the first president to write a novel — “The Hornet’s Nest,” about the South during the Revolutionary War. He won three Grammy Awards as well for best spoken-word album, most recently in 2019 for “Faith: A Journey For All.” As with many former presidents, Carter’s popularity rose in the years after he left office. He was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2002 for “decades of untiring effort to find peaceful solutions to international conflicts” and to advance democracy and human rights. By then, two-thirds of Americans said they approved of his presidency. “Jimmy Carter may never be rated a great president,” wrote Charles O. Jones, a University of Wisconsin political scientist, in his chronicle of the Carter presidency. “Yet it will be difficult in the long run to sustain censure of a president motivated to do what is right.” The journey for James Earl Carter Jr. began on Oct. 1, 1924, in the tiny Sumter County, Ga., town of Plains, home to fewer than 600 people in 2020. He was the first president born in a hospital, but he lived in a house without electricity or indoor plumbing until he was a teenager. His ancestors had been in Georgia for more than two centuries, and he was the fifth generation to own and farm the same land. His father, James Earl Carter Sr., known as Mr. Earl, was a strict disciplinarian and a conservative businessman of some means. His mother, known as Miss Lillian, had more liberal views — she was known for her charity work and for taking in transients and treating Black residents with kindness. (At the age of 70, she joined the Peace Corps, working in India.) Inspired by an uncle who was in the Navy, Carter decided as a first-grader that he wanted to go to the Naval Academy in Annapolis, Md. He became the first member of his family to finish high school, then attended Georgia Tech before heading for the academy, where he studied engineering and graduated in 1946, 59th in a class of 820. Before his last year in Annapolis, while home for the summer, he met Eleanor Rosalynn Smith, a friend of his sister Ruth’s. He and a friend invited the two young women to the movies, and when he returned home that night, he told his mother he had met “the girl I want to marry.” He proposed that Christmas, but Rosalynn declined because she felt she was too young (she was 18 and a sophomore in college). Several weeks later, while she was visiting Carter at the academy, he asked again. This time she said yes. Carter applied to America’s new nuclear-powered submarine program under the command of the icy and demanding Capt. (later Adm.) Hyman Rickover. During Carter’s interview, Rickover asked whether he had done his best at Annapolis. “I started to say, ‘Yes, sir,’ but ... I recalled several of the many times at the Academy when I could have learned more about our allies, our enemies, weapons, strategy and so forth,” Carter wrote in his autobiography. “... I finally gulped and said, ‘No, sir, I didn’t always do my best.’” To which Rickover replied: “Why not?” Carter got the job, and would later make “Why not the best?” his campaign slogan. The Carters had three sons, who all go by nicknames — John William “Jack,” James Earl “Chip” and Donnel Jeffrey “Jeff.” Carter and Rosalynn had wanted to have more children, but an obstetrician said that surgery Rosalynn had to remove a tumor on her uterus would make that impossible. Fifteen years after Jeffrey was born, the Carters had a daughter, Amy, who “made us young again,” Carter would later write. While in the Navy, Carter took graduate courses in nuclear physics and served as a submariner on the USS Pomfret. But his military career was cut short when his father died, and he moved back to Georgia in 1953 to help run the family business, which was in disarray. In his first year back on the farm, Carter turned a profit of less than $200, the equivalent of about $2,200 today. But with Rosalynn’s help, he expanded the business. In addition to farming 3,100 acres, the family soon operated a seed and fertilizer business, warehouses, a peanut-shelling plant and a cotton gin. By the time he began his campaign for the White House 20 years later, Carter had a net worth of about $800,000, and the revenue from his enterprises was more than $2 million a year. Carter entered electoral politics in 1962, and asked voters to call him “Jimmy.” He ran for a seat in the Georgia Senate against an incumbent backed by a local political boss who stuffed the ballot box. Trailing by 139 votes after the primary, Carter waged a furious legal battle, which he described years later in his book “Turning Point.” Carter got a recount, the primary result was reversed, and he went on to win the general election. The victory was a defining moment for Carter, the outsider committed to fairness and honesty who had successfully battled establishment politicians corrupted by their ties to special interests. In two terms in the Georgia Senate, Carter established a legislative record that was socially progressive and fiscally conservative. He first ran for governor in 1966, but finished third in the primary. Over the next four years, he made 1,800 speeches and shook hands with an estimated 600,000 people — a style of campaigning that paid off in the 1970 gubernatorial election and later in his bid for the White House. In his inaugural address as governor in 1971, Carter made national news by declaring that “the time for racial discrimination is over.” He had a portrait of the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. hung in a hall at the Capitol in Atlanta. But when Carter launched his official campaign for the White House in December 1974, he was still so little-known outside Georgia that a celebrity panel on the TV show “What’s My Line?” couldn’t identify him. In the beginning, many scoffed at the temerity of a peanut farmer and one-term governor running for the highest office in the land. After Carter met with House Speaker Thomas P. “Tip” O’Neill Jr., the speaker was asked whom he had been talking to. “Some fellow named Jimmy Carter from Georgia. Says he’s running for president,” O’Neill replied. In a meeting with editors of the Los Angeles Times in 1975, Carter said he planned to gain the presidency by building a network of supporters and by giving his candidacy an early boost by winning the Iowa caucuses. Until then, Iowa had been a bit player in the nominating process, mostly ignored by strategists. But Carter’s victory there vaulted him to front-runner status — and Iowa into a major role in presidential nominations. His emergence from the pack of Democratic hopefuls was helped by the release of his well-reviewed autobiography “Why Not the Best?” in which he described his upbringing on the farm and his traditional moral values. On the campaign trail, Carter came across as refreshingly candid and even innocent — an antidote to the atmosphere of scandal that had eroded confidence in public officials since the events leading to Nixon’s resignation on Aug. 9, 1974. A Baptist Sunday school teacher, Carter was among the first presidential candidates to embrace the label of born-again Christian. That was underscored when, in an interview with Playboy magazine, he made headlines by admitting, “I’ve looked on many women with lust. I’ve committed adultery in my heart many times. God knows I will do this and forgives me.” Carter had emerged from the Democratic National Convention in July with a wide lead over Ford, Nixon’s vice president and successor, but by the time of the Playboy interview in September, his numbers were tumbling. By election day, the contest was a dead heat. Carter, running on a ticket with Walter F. Mondale for his vice president, eked out a victory with one of the narrower margins in U.S. presidential history, winning 50.1% to 48% of the popular vote and 297 electoral votes, 27 more than needed. Many of Carter’s supporters hoped he would usher in a new era of liberal policies. But he saw his role as more of a problem-solver than a politician, and as an outsider who promised to shake things up in Washington, he often acted unilaterally. A few weeks into his term, Carter announced that he was cutting off federal funding to 18 water projects around the country to save money and protect the environment. Lawmakers, surprised by the assault on their pet projects, were livid. He ultimately backed down on some of the cuts. But his relationship with Congress never fully healed. Members often complained that they couldn’t get in to see him, and that when they did he was in a rush to show them the door. His relationship with the media, as he acknowledged later in life, was similarly fraught. Carter’s image as a reformer also took a hit early in his presidency after he appointed Bert Lance, a longtime confidant, to head the Office of Management and Budget. Within months of the appointment, questions were raised about Lance’s personal financial affairs as a Georgia banker. Adamant that Lance had done nothing wrong, Carter dug in his heels and publicly told his friend, “Bert, I’m proud of you.” Still, Lance resigned under pressure, and although he was later acquitted of criminal charges, the damage to Carter had been done. As Mondale later put it: “It made people realize that we were no different than anybody else.” When Carter did score legislative victories, the cost was high. In 1978, he pushed the Senate to ratify the Panama Canal treaties to eventually hand control of the canal over to Panama. But conservatives criticized the move as a diminution of U.S. strength, and even the Democratic National Committee declined to endorse it. Carter’s most significant foreign policy accomplishment was the 1978 Camp David agreement, a peace pact between Israel and Egypt. But he followed that with several unpopular moves, including his decree that the United States would not participate in the 1980 Summer Olympics in Moscow, as a protest against the Soviet Union’s invasion of Afghanistan. It was the only time in Olympic history that the United States had boycotted an Olympics; the Soviets responded by boycotting the 1984 Summer Games in Los Angeles. Carter had taken a series of largely symbolic steps to dispel the imperial image of the presidency. After he took the oath of office on a wintry day, he and the new first lady emerged from their motorcade and walked part of the way from the Capitol to the White House. He ended chauffeur-driven cars for top staff members, sold the presidential yacht, went to the White House mess hall for lunch with the staff and conducted town meetings around the country. He suspended the playing of “Hail to the Chief” whenever he arrived at an event, though he later allowed the practice to resume. On the domestic front, he was saddled with a country in crisis. Inflation galloped at rates up to 14%, and global gasoline shortages closed service stations and created high prices and long lines. Interest rates for home mortgages soared above 14%. In his first televised fireside chat, he wore a cardigan sweater and encouraged Americans to conserve energy during the winter by keeping their thermostats at 65 degrees in the daytime and 55 degrees at night. He also proposed a string of legislative initiatives to deal with the crisis, but many were blocked by Congress. In what would become a seminal moment in his presidency, Carter addressed the nation — and a television audience of more than 60 million — on a Sunday evening in 1979, saying the country had been seized by a “crisis of confidence ... that strikes at the very heart and soul and spirit of our national will.” He outlined a series of proposals to develop new sources of energy. The address, widely known as the “malaise speech” even though Carter never used that word, was generally well-received at the time, though some bristled at the implication that Americans were to blame for the country’s problems. Any positive glow disappeared two days later, when Carter fired five of his top officials, including the Energy, Treasury and Transportation secretaries and his attorney general. The value of the dollar sank and the stock market tumbled. Sensing that Carter was politically vulnerable, Kennedy moved to present himself as an alternative for the 1980 Democratic nomination, publicly criticizing the president’s agenda. But Kennedy damaged his own candidacy in a prime-time interview with CBS’ Roger Mudd: Asked why he was running for president, Kennedy fumbled his answer, and critics cited it as evidence that the senator didn’t want the job so much as he felt obligated to seek it. A few months after the malaise speech, in late 1979, revolutionaries loyal to Iran’s spiritual leader, the Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, seized the U.S. Embassy in Tehran, taking 52 Americans hostage. Weeks stretched into months, with Iran refusing all efforts to negotiate a hostage release. In April 1980, Carter approved Operation Eagle Claw, a secret Delta Force rescue mission. But it ended in disaster — mechanical trouble sidelined three helicopters and, after the mission was aborted, one of the remaining helicopters collided with a transport plane on the ground, killing eight soldiers. Secretary of State Cyrus R. Vance resigned before the mission, believing the plan too risky. Negotiations to free the hostages resumed, and Carter desperately tried to win their release before the November election. But the Iranians prolonged the talks and the hostages weren’t released until Jan. 20, 1981, moments after Carter watched Reagan being sworn in. The journey home for Carter was painful. Of those who voted for Reagan in 1980, nearly 1 in 4 said they were primarily motivated by their dissatisfaction with Carter. Carter faced “an altogether new, unwanted and potentially empty life,” as he later put it. He sold the family farm-supply business, which had been placed in a blind trust during his presidency and was by then deeply in debt. Then, as Rosalynn later recalled, Carter awoke one night with an idea to build not just a presidential library but a place to resolve global conflicts. Together, they founded the nonprofit, nonpartisan Carter Center. His skill as a mediator made Carter a ready choice for future presidents seeking envoys to navigate crises. Republican President George H.W. Bush sent him on peace missions to Ethiopia and Sudan, and President Clinton, a fellow Democrat, dispatched him to North Korea, Haiti and what then was Yugoslavia. Carter described his relationship with President Obama as chilly, however, in part because he had openly criticized the administration’s policies toward Israel. He felt Obama did not strongly enough support a separate Palestinian state. “Every president has been a very powerful factor here in advocating this two-state solution,” Carter told the New York Times in 2012. “That is now not apparent.” As an election observer, he called them as he saw them. After monitoring presidential voting in Panama in 1989, he declared that Manuel Noriega had rigged the election. He also began building houses worldwide for Habitat for Humanity, and he wrote prodigiously. The Nobel committee awarded Carter the Peace Prize in 2002, more than two decades after he left the White House, praising him for standing by “the principles that conflicts must as far as possible be resolved through mediation and international cooperation.” During his 70s, 80s and even into his 90s, the former president showed an energy that never failed to impress those around him. In his 1998 book “The Virtues of Aging,” he urged retirees to remain active and engaged, and he followed his own advice, continuing to jog, play tennis and go fly-fishing well into his 80s. When his “White House Diary” was published in 2010, he embarked on a nationwide book tour at 85, as he did in 2015 with the publication of “A Full Life: Reflections at 90.” When he told America he had cancer that had spread to his liver and brain, it was vintage Carter. Wearing a coat and tie and a pair of blue jeans, he stared into the television cameras and was unflinchingly blunt about his prognosis. “Hope for the best; accept what comes,” he said. “I think I have been as blessed as any human being in the world.” Former Times staff writers Jack Nelson, Robert Shogan and Johanna Neuman contributed to this report.Mr Choi Sang-mok discounted the idea that investors will look to avoid South Korea going forward due to the political instability. SEOUL - South Korea’s finance minister says fears the nation will slide into a recession in 2025 are “excessive”, as he played down the view that this week’s bungled martial law decree will have a lasting impact on the economy or markets. “Recent emergency measures were quickly lifted in accordance with the constitution and the law, so I think the impact on the market was very limited,” Mr Choi Sang-mok said in an exclusive interview with Bloomberg on Dec 5. Mr Choi also discounted the idea that investors will look to avoid South Korea going forward due to the political instability, while insisting the government will continue to push ahead with efforts to revise legislation to make sure companies give shareholders more consideration. The finance minister’s comments build on repeated reassurances from government and central bank officials that President Yoon Suk Yeol’s shock attempt to take direct political control will not damage the economy or investors’ confidence in South Korea. Still, doubts remain about the ability of Mr Yoon’s administration to restore faith in the political process and to move forward with any major policy initiatives when he faces an impeachment vote, gridlock in Parliament and opposition from within his own party. The domestic political crisis comes at a sensitive time for South Korea with authorities bracing for US President-elect Donald Trump’s second term and his vow to slap tariffs on trading partners. That has made export-reliant countries such as South Korea vulnerable to protectionism. A Bloomberg survey conducted after Mr Yoon’s move showed economists see a 33 per cent chance of recession in South Korea in the next 12 months. Mr Choi disagrees. He cited International Monetary Fund and Bank of Korea forecasts for 2025 showing growth at or near the economy’s potential level. The central bank sees growth of 1.9 per cent in 2025, a figure it lowered out of concern over the potential impact of protectionist policies on global trade. Only 18 per cent of those surveyed said they would revise their growth forecasts due to the current political turmoil. “Foreign investors’ investment in Korea is affected by fundamentals of the nation’s economy,” Mr Choi said. “Because the country’s system is working well, the impact of the non-economic-related situation on the Korean economy has been very limited and well managed.” Mr Choi reiterated that the government will act swiftly if volatility in financial market rises. He avoided mentioning specific levels for the currency. The finance minister already promised on Dec 4 to use all available measures to stabilize financial and foreign-exchange markets if needed, with “unlimited liquidity” on the table. The political upheaval has also raised concerns about the government’s ability to push through its so-called corporate value-up plan to tackle the nation’s low stock valuations. “Recently there have been some cases where shareholder protection has become an issue,” Mr Choi said. “Therefore the most important thing is to revise the capital market act to make effective improvements to these areas.” Proposed changes to the act would beef up M&A rules to better protect shareholders while limiting the requirements to listed firms to avoid burdening smaller businesses. The opposition Democratic Party, including party leader Lee Jae-myung, argues that the commercial code should be revised instead. The party wants directors to have a legal duty to act in the interests of shareholders. “It is difficult to agree with the claim that revising the capital market act is insufficient to protect shareholders, and that amending the commercial code will strengthen shareholder protection,” Mr Choi said. BLOOMBERG Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you. Read 3 articles and stand to win rewards Spin the wheel nowWheel of Fortune contestants whiffing their bonus puzzles is nothing new, but on December 4’s episode, a player came up short on a $40,000 puzzle that left fans joking that she may never want to visit a Disney theme park again. The game show’s latest big miss involved Vandana Patel, an Indian fusion food expert from Chicago. She won the episode and proceeded to the coveted bonus round with $20,600, a trip to Florida, and the selection of “What Are You Wearing?” as her category. Joined by host Ryan Seacrest and the off-side support of her waving mom, daughter, and husband, she faced the two-word puzzle. Choosing a “DMH” and “A,” Vanna White added a mere “H” to the first word. “We want more!” Seacrest chanted. With that tough break, the 10-second timer began. The puzzle read as, “‘_ H _ T E’ ‘_ L _ _ E S.'” A stern Patel did her very best to concentrate on cracking it, successfully saying “White” was the first word. But she couldn’t figure out the second word, and the timer ran out. The full puzzle was unveiled, “WHITE GLOVES.” Seacrest revealed the gold envelope contained the $40,000 amount and put a consoling arm around Patel’s shoulder. “This was on your bucket list!” he told her. “It was,” she replied. The game show shared the big miss on Youtube, where fans reacted to the loss with the top comment being about how the contestant will likely never want to see Mickey Mouse, or Mario of the Nintendo games, again given their white gloves. “Now she never wants to see mickey or mario again,” the fan wrote scoring 20 likes. “Or the keeper of the Stanley Cup,” replied another. A third fan wrote, “I knew it said WHITE GLOVES and I even solved it before the timer was displayed.” More from this section A fourth penned, “Don’t worry, Vandana, I was stumped too. I got the first word, but not the second. That’s alright, you’re a winner regardless. $20K is nothing to sneeze at. Great job! A fifth said, “I knew gloves from the initial and her h got me white. Tough puzzle “Wow. At least it wasn’t the hundred thousand dollar wedge,” wrote one more. Meanwhile , Seacrest, of course, had huge shoes to fill replacing the legendary Pat Sajak after four decades for Season 42. His debut month was the strongest ratings month for WoF in the past three years, and viewers were already treated to a viral moment (via a round of sausage) . That said, there have been some questionable hosting moments. Ryan Seacrest's Real Height Revealed as 'Wheel of Fortune' Host Gets 'Short Shamed' In September, Seacrest suffered what fans dubbed his “first blooper” , involving a prolonged reaction to rewarding a bonus round. Fans also called out the host for ruling against another player before the timer was up. Most controversially, last month, fans called out the host for not reminding a player to pick a letter , leading to him losing the game in a misunderstanding and by a mere $147. This past two weeks, a more puzzling issue has come to light, which is that there has been a mere one bonus puzzle win out of the last eight episodes , many fans blaming the players and not the host. Wheel of Fortune , Weeknights, Check your local listings More Headlines: ‘Wheel of Fortune’ Player Misses $40,000 Win After Disney Disaster ‘Harry Potter’ TV Show Sets Filming Start: All the Details Danny Trejo on How ‘Mysteries Unearthed’ Brings His Career ‘Full Circle’ ‘Scrubs’ Revival in the Works at ABC ‘Jeopardy!’ Fans Say Colin Jost Is ‘Funnier’ Than Ken Jennings & Suggest He Hosts Big Special

NEW YORK, Nov. 22, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Today, venture capital firm CoreNest Capital has announced a strategic investment in Texture Capital Holdings to fuel the development of a new platform for trading tokenized real-world assets. Pending regulatory approval, the platform, SoloTex, will be designed to provide institutions and individual investors with seamless access to tokenized securities — a process that will aim to enhance market efficiency, transparency, and global accessibility. SoloTex will layer technology and expertise in asset tokenization from CoreNest Capital’s partner companies Sologenic and Coreum underneath Texture Capital’s position as a FINRA Member and SEC-registered broker-dealer for digital asset securities. With Texture’s Alternative Trading System (ATS) infrastructure and Transfer Agent capabilities, it aims to provide a complete, end-to-end solution for tokenizing and trading securities, backed by the company’s expertise in navigating the evolving U.S. regulatory landscape. ” Sologenic ’s track record in product development and tokenization as well as CoreNest’s commitment to this space will help drive our mission to bridge the gap between traditional and nontraditional digital assets and transform capital markets through tokenization,” said Richard Johnson, CEO of Texture Capital. “Together we are excited to tokenize real-world assets leveraging blockchain and deliver the benefits of DeFi to traditional markets.” Through CoreNest Capital’s investment and technological contributions, Texture Capital is well-positioned to continue transforming capital markets through tokenization. Sologenic’s comprehensive ecosystem of blockchain-based applications are designed for the highest standards of user experience and security in handling these assets. “Innovation is the constant in an ever-fluctuating market,” said Bob Ras , GP & Co-Founder of CoreNest Capital. “This partnership with Texture Capital is not constrained to launching a platform; it’s about laying the groundwork for a new era of asset management applications and investment strategies driven by innovation, transparency and security.” SoloTex has created a waitlist for early access ahead of regulatory submission and official platform launch. Visit http://solotex.com to join the waitlist. About CoreNest Capital CoreNest Capital is a venture capital firm that focuses on tech investments in areas like AI, robotics, fintech, and medtech. CoreNest Capital is a catalyst for nurturing and funding startups in cutting-edge sectors. About Texture Capital Holdings Texture Capital Holdings is the parent of Texture Capital Inc, a FINRA member and broker-dealer specializing in digital securities, and Texture Transfer Services LLC, an SEC-registered Transfer Agent. We empower clients to compliantly issue tokens representing equity, debt, revenue share, royalties, or other investment contracts. Leveraging blockchain technology and smart contracts, we aim to transform the traditional capital markets' structure, offering tools for issuance, tokenization, and secondary market trading via our Alternative Trading System. About Sologenic Founded in 2020, Sologenic is a leader in tokenization, offering on-demand solutions for institutional and retail markets. Its advanced trading infrastructure supports blockchain-native assets, stablecoins, and soon, tokenized securities, bridging traditional finance with blockchain innovation. Contact: Pedro Crespo CoreNest Capital op@corenest.com A video accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/e190056d-36d0-43bb-b0b1-fd866a715251

Pakistan delays opening of New Gwadar International Airport for third time due to security threats

TG police launches parental guidebook amid rising cybercrime against childrenA newborn orca calf has been sighted in Puget Sound in Washington state, sparking cautious hope for the endangered southern resident killer whale population. The Centre for Whale Research (CWR) reported that the calf was spotted on Dec. 20, swimming alongside J35, a female orca known as Tahlequah, from J pod. However, researchers have yet to conduct their first official encounter to confirm the calf's parentage. "We don't know yet for sure that the calf is hers," said Michael Weiss, research director at CWR. "These whales do babysit ... so I really want to get on the water, have some prolonged observations, and some repeated observations to confirm who the calf belongs to." J35, or Tahlequah, gained global attention in 2018 when she carried the body of her deceased calf for 17 days, which has since been described as a "tour of grief." The mother has two other successful calves, J47 and J57. The calf was seen travelling alongside J35, also known as Tahlequah. In this 2018 photo, Tahlequah is balancing her dead baby on her nose, trying to keep it afloat. The mother orca carried her dead calf for 17 days as a show of grief, scientists say. (Kelley Balcomb-Bartok) A fragile milestone The southern resident killer whales, which inhabit the waters of the Pacific Northwest off the coast of B.C. and Washington state, are listed as endangered under Canada's Species at Risk Act. According to the Seattle-based Orca Conservancy, their numbers dropped to just 72 individuals as of November this year — the lowest count since 2020. The southern resident killer whales are composed of three distinct pods — J Pod, K Pod and L Pod — close-knit, matriarchal family groups. If you haven’t already seen the news, a brand new calf was spotted in J Pod! The calf was photographed by Brittany Philbin from a Washington State Ferry and was seen traveling in the echelon position of J35 Tahlequah.📷 Brittany Philbin pic.twitter.com/u0IgmYQHY0 — @OrcaConservancy J pod, which the calf was seen travelling with, consists of only 25 members, says Weiss, noting that every new birth is a significant milestone for this struggling population. "[It's] a big deal ...that's increasing the population size by more than a percent every time you get a new calf," he said. However, the celebration is tempered by sobering statistics: about half of newborn orca calves don't survive their first year, Weiss says, and many more perish before researchers can confirm their existence. The most recent calf born to J pod, J 60 , survived less than a month after its birth in December 2023. 3 killer whales lost from southern resident population: census "We're always kind of cautiously optimistic, especially with these very young individuals [because] the mortality rate in that first year of life is very, very high," said Weiss. Challenges to survival Researchers attribute these grim statistics to several factors, including high levels of contaminants passed from mothers to calves during gestation and lactation. "These whales are some of the most contaminated animals on the planet because they're so high up the food chain," Weiss said. WATCH | Orca mother, J35 with her son, J47: Orca mother, J35 and her son, J47 6 years ago Duration 1:09 Drone video from the Center for Whale Research and the University of Exeter taken off Pile Point, on the west side of San Juan Island. "So everything in the marine ecosystem is getting magnified every step up it goes until you get to a killer whale that is just loaded with contaminants," said the cetacean expert, adding that chemicals like polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) accumulate in orca milk and weaken the health of newborn calves. Another major challenge facing the killer whales is the decline in chinook salmon stocks—their primary food source. Many chinook salmon stocks in B.C. and Washington state have declined, according to Fisheries and Ocean Canada's (DFO) latest threat assessment. Experts say the lack of salmon has increased calf mortality rates, with mothers unable to produce enough nutritious milk for their young. Orca baby boom: 8 calves born to endangered orcas in 2015 Killer whale lets her dead newborn go after carrying body for 17 days DFO also cites vessel-related noise that affects the killer whales' ability to communicate and hunt, in addition to the dangers of vessel strikes. Despite the odds, conservation groups and researchers have expressed hope that this new calf might beat the statistics. "We hope this little one inspires people to keep fighting for this population," the Orca Conservancy said in a post on X, formerly Twitter. Weiss echoed the sentiment. "We're really hoping that this one can beat the odds."Monte Miron, who helped relaunch pro hockey in Tulsa in the early 1990s, died Saturday. He was 72. A funeral mass for Miron is scheduled at 2 p.m. Jan. 3 at Holy Family Cathedral. In 1992, Miron and his father Ray, as well as Bill Levins, founded the new Central Hockey League that brought back the CHL and Tulsa Oilers after an eight-year absence. Monte Miron was the new CHL's first commissioner and a part-owner from 1992-97. In the 2001-02 season, Monte Miron was a co-owner, president and general manager of the Tulsa Crude in the United States Hockey League. Monte Miron, a 1970 Edison graduate, was a seventh-round draft choice by the NHL's Toronto Maple Leafs in 1972. After three seasons as a defenseman with Clarkson University, he played pro hockey from 1974-78 with the Tulsa Oilers, Greensboro Generals, Amarillo Wranglers, Albuquerque Chaparrals, Baltimore Clippers and Phoenix Roadrunners. He also played professionally in South Africa and Sweden. He was the head coach of the Pacific Hockey League's Tucson Rustlers in 1978-79 and Western Hockey League's Seattle Breakers for two seasons from 1979-81. People are also reading... Muskogee board rejects Matt Hennesy's return as Roughers' head football coach The 12 best new restaurants of 2024 Berry Tramel: Barry Switzer's 1980s players salute their lion-in-winter coach. 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Kevin Stitt orders state agencies to end most remote work Sink your teeth into 20 of Tulsa's best sandwiches In lieu of flowers, the family requests memorial donations be made at hockey@tulsajroilers.com to the Tulsa Junior Oilers Youth Hockey Program.

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