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free 200 slot casino CNN — World leaders have offered their condolences following the death of former U.S. President Jimmy Carter , who died Sunday at the age of 100. The 39th American president led consequential foreign policy initiatives that still endure today, including a Middle East peace deal between Israel and Egypt, the normalization of relations with China that the Richard Nixon administration initiated, and the signing of treaties that gave Panama eventual control of the Panama Canal from the U.S. Video above: President Biden speaks about the death of former President Jimmy Carter In 2002, Carter was awarded the 2002 Nobel Peace Prize "for his decades of untiring effort to find peaceful solutions to international conflicts, to advance democracy and human rights, and to promote economic and social development." But Carter was widely criticized for his handling of the 1979 Iran hostage crisis , in which dozens of American citizens were held captive for 444 days by Iranian revolutionaries who had stormed the U.S. embassy Tehran, angered by the United States' support of Iran's authoritarian ruler Shah Mohammed Reza Pahlavi. In their own words Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi: "In this moment of sorrow, I extend my sincerest condolences to the family of former American President Jimmy Carter, as well as to the president and the people of the United States of America. President Carter was a symbol of humanitarian and diplomatic efforts, his deep belief in peace and justice has inspired many individuals and institutions around the world to follow his path. His efforts in preserving the peace agreement between Egypt and Israel will remain etched in history, and his humanitarian work demonstrate a standard of love, peace, and brotherhood. His legacy ensures that he will be remembered as one of the world's most prominent leaders in service to humanity. May God have mercy on former President Jimmy Carter." Panamanian President José Raúl Mulino: "I offer my condolences to the family and to the people and government of the United States on the death of former President Jimmy Carter. His time in the White House marked complex times, which were crucial for Panama in order to negotiate and agree on the Torrijos-Carter Treaties in 1977, which achieved the transfer of the canal to Panamanian hands and the full sovereignty of our country. May his soul rest in peace." French President Emmanuel Macron: "Throughout his life, Jimmy Carter has been a steadfast advocate for the rights of the most vulnerable and has tirelessly fought for peace. France sends its heartfelt thoughts to his family and to the American people." British Prime Minister Keir Starmer: "I was very sorry to hear of President Carter's passing and I would like to pay tribute to his decades of selfless public service. His presidency will be remembered for the historic Camp David Accords between Israel and Egypt, and it was that lifelong dedication to peace that saw him receive the Nobel Peace prize. Motivated by his strong faith and values, President Carter redefined the post-presidency with a remarkable commitment to social justice and human rights at home and abroad. Whether supporting elections around the world and spreading healthcare solutions through the Carter Center or still building homes with Habitat for Humanity into his nineties, Jimmy Carter lived his values in the service of others to the very end. My thoughts are with his family and friends at this time." Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban: "The memory of President Jimmy Carter will always be cherished in Hungary. By returning the Holy Crown to the people of Hungary at the end of the 70's, he gave freedom loving Hungarians hope in a hopeless time. I would like to express my deepest condolences to the Carter family and the American people." Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau: "Jimmy Carter's legacy is one of compassion, kindness, empathy, and hard work. He served others both at home and around the world his entire life — and he loved doing it. He was always thoughtful and generous with his advice to me. My deepest condolences to the Carter family, his many loved ones, and the American people who are mourning a former president and a lifelong humanitarian. May his selfless service continue to inspire us all for years to come." Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva: "Jimmy Carter was a senator, governor of Georgia, and president of the United States. Above all, he was a lover of democracy and a defender of peace. In the late 1970s, he pressured the Brazilian dictatorship to release political prisoners. Later, as a former president, he continued to campaign for the promotion of human rights, peace, and the eradication of diseases in Africa and Latin America. Carter achieved the feat of having a job as a former president, over the decades, that was as important or even more important than his term in the White House. He criticized unilateral military actions by superpowers and the use of killer drones. He worked with Brazil to mediate conflicts in Venezuela and to help Haiti. He created The Carter Center, a world reference in democracy, human rights and dialogue. He will be remembered forever as a name that defended that peace is the most important condition for development. My condolences to his family, friends, co-religionists and compatriots at this time of farewell." Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel: "Condolences to the people and government of the United States, especially to the family and loved ones of President James Carter. Our people will remember with gratitude his efforts to improve relations, his visits to Cuba and his statement in favor of the freedom of the (Cuban) Five."

Like a football off McBride's helmet, the Cardinals aren't getting many lucky bounces these daysNEW YORK (AP) — Technology stocks pulled Wall Street to another record amid a mixed Monday of trading. The S&P 500 rose 0.2% from its all-time high set on Friday to post a record for the 54th time this year. The Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 128 points, or 0.3%, while the Nasdaq composite gained 1%. Super Micro Computer, a stock that’s been on an AI-driven roller coaster, soared 28.7% to lead the market. Following allegations of misconduct and the resignation of its public auditor , the maker of servers used in artificial-intelligence technology said an investigation found no evidence of misconduct by its management or by the company’s board. It also said that it doesn’t expect to restate its past financials and that it will find a new chief financial officer, appoint a general counsel and make other moves to strengthen its governance. Big Tech stocks also helped prop up the market. Gains of 1.8% for Microsoft and 3.2% for Meta Platforms were the two strongest forces pushing upward on the S&P 500. Intel was another propellant during the morning, but it lost an early gain to fall 0.5% after the chip company said CEO Pat Gelsinger has retired and stepped down from the board. Intel is looking for Gelsinger’s replacement, and its chair said it’s “committed to restoring investor confidence.” Intel recently lost its spot in the Dow Jones Industrial Average to Nvidia, which has skyrocketed in Wall Street’s frenzy around AI. Stellantis, meanwhile, skidded following the announcement of its CEO’s departure . Carlos Tavares steps down after nearly four years in the top spot of the automaker, which owns car brands like Jeep, Citroën and Ram, amid an ongoing struggle with slumping sales and an inventory backlog at dealerships. The world’s fourth-largest automaker’s stock fell 6.3% in Milan. The majority of stocks in the S&P 500 likewise fell, including California utility PG&E. It dropped 5% after saying it would sell $2.4 billion of stock and preferred shares to raise cash. Retailers were mixed amid what’s expected to be the best Cyber Monday on record and coming off Black Friday . Target, which recently gave a forecast for the holiday season that left investors discouraged , fell 1.2%. Walmart , which gave a more optimistic forecast, rose 0.2%. Amazon, which looks to benefit from online sales from Cyber Monday, climbed 1.4%. All told, the S&P 500 added 14.77 points to 6,047.15. The Dow fell 128.65 to 44,782.00, and the Nasdaq composite climbed 185.78 to 19,403.95. The stock market largely took Donald Trump’s latest threat on tariffs in stride. The president-elect on Saturday threatened 100% tariffs against a group of developing economies if they act to undermine the U.S. dollar. Trump said he wants the group, headlined by Brazil, Russia, India and China, to promise it won’t create a new currency or otherwise try to undercut the U.S. dollar. The dollar has long been the currency of choice for global trade. Speculation has also been around a long time that other currencies could knock it off its mantle, but no contender has come close. The U.S. dollar’s value rose Monday against several other currencies, but one of its strongest moves likely had less to do with the tariff threats. The euro fell amid a political battle in Paris over the French government’s budget . The euro sank 0.7% against the U.S. dollar and broke below $1.05. In the bond market, Treasury yields gave up early gains to hold relatively steady. The yield on the 10-year Treasury climbed above 4.23% during the morning before falling back to 4.19%. That was just above its level of 4.18% late Friday. A report in the morning showed the U.S. manufacturing sector contracted again last month, but not by as much as economists expected. This upcoming week will bring several big updates on the job market, including the October job openings report, weekly unemployment benefits data and the all-important November jobs report. They could steer the next moves for Federal Reserve, which recently began pulling interest rates lower to give support to the economy. Economists expect Friday’s headliner report to show U.S. employers accelerated their hiring in November, coming off October’s lackluster growth that was hampered by damaging hurricanes and strikes. “We now find ourselves in the middle of this Goldilocks zone, where economic health supports earnings growth while remaining weak enough to justify potential Fed rate cuts,” according to Mark Hackett, chief of investment research at Nationwide. In financial markets abroad, Chinese stocks led gains worldwide as monthly surveys showed improving conditions for manufacturing, partly driven by a surge in orders ahead of Trump’s inauguration next month. Both official and private sector surveys of factory managers showed strong new orders and export orders, possibly partly linked to efforts by importers in the U.S. to beat potential tariff hikes by Trump once he takes office. Indexes rose 0.7% in Hong Kong and 1.1% in Shanghai. AP Business Writers Matt Ott and Elaine Kurtenbach contributed.

Let me cite The Rising Nepal’s masthead motto proclaimed so prominently: All be happy, all be well. When Pakistan’s ambassador to Nepal, Abrar H. Hashmi, called on him on Tuesday, Prime Minister KP Oli reiterated Nepal’s emphasis on the constructive role the eight member-states of the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) can contribute to reactivate the world’s most-populous but developing region. On the occasion, Ambassador Hashmi predictably conveyed that Pakistan was ready to host the regional summit, while also dwelling upon the prospects of increased bilateral cooperation with Nepal on various issues and areas. Although the broad areas in which mutual cooperation could benefit both the countries were dwelt upon during the meeting, the thrust on the long-impending SAARC summit was clearly a highlight. The statement issued by the PM’s Office seems to suggest so. Formally launched on December 8, 2024, SAARC completes 40 years next December. But the grouping, which represents a fifth of humanity, is conspicuous by its state of stalemate. The 19th summit, originally scheduled to be held in Islamabad in 2016, was abruptly cancelled when India decided to boycott it. Bangladesh, Bhutan and Afghanistan, sent notices to the hosts about their decisions not to attend the top-level regional gathering. A terrorist attack on an army camp at Uri in the disputed region of Kashmir triggered the drastic decision. Islamabad strongly denied New Delhi’s accusation of engineering the attack. In any case, the earlier collective commitment to holding summits at least every two years have not been complied with echoing the deep differences in member states. Loss for all Nepal thus has the inconvenient — rather not so easy task of chairing the grouping for a record-long period of 10 years without any immediate sight of the long-stalled Islamabad summit date. How long is the non-summit going to last? Nepal has regularly reiterated its keen interest in giving the required impetus to the SAARC process. Since its inception, SAARC, originally comprising seven countries before the addition of Afghanistan in 2005, has failed to make expected progress, largely due to the rivalry between India and Pakistan. Some non-South Asian powers might be keenly looking for openings to fish in the troubled SAARC waters at a time when the world witnesses the not-so-slow but sure process of a new order in the making. Any vacuum created by a less than active SAARC would give an added impetus to big power rivals to push their agendas, whatever the consequences for South Asians in general. It is no secret that the running Indo-Pakistani feud has created a cold war that has adversely affected the prospects of consensus on any meaningful achievement for a full decade. India’s initiative in creating the Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC), too, is having a rough ride. With India, Bangladesh, Bhutan Myanmar, Nepal, Sri Lanka and Thailand as its members. Thailand decided to postpone the hosting of the 6th BIMSTC summit that was scheduled for September. BIMSTEC’s creation was seen by some analysts as an attempt at sidelining Pakistan from South Asian mainstream. A review on this might be in order against the background of its scope, reach and potential matching neither SAARC’s nor China’s larger Belt and Road initiative. India, which nurses the hope of securing a permanent seat at UN Security Council, has also focused on Bangladesh, Bhutan, India and Nepal (BBIN), consisting of Bangladesh, Bhutan, India and Nepal, in an approach that excludes Pakistan. SAARC is all the more relevant today, given the aggressive manner in which nationalist stance and regional strategies are being coordinated and espoused directly or in semi-disguises. The protracted delay in summit meeting puts a brake on its prospects of accelerated pace. However, all is not lost. Despite running bilateral tensions over border dispute, India and Pakistan have attended SAARC’s Council of Ministers’ meetings, which have helped keep the organisation breathing. At the time of its launch in Bangladesh’s capital decades ago, development experts and economists had compared SAARC’s economic prospects with those of the Association of South-East Asian Nations (ASEAN) and the European Union (EU). In an emerging multipolar world, the need and significance of regional organisations should gear SAARC members to infuse a sense of urgency for the much-needed boost to South Asian desire for collective economic self-reliance. Its success would lead to greater bilateral understanding, expanding the range of cooperation and demonstrating South Asians do not engage in debilitating conflicts and but in mutually beneficial endeavours that could be emulated by other developing regions, too. Public first No one denies that leaders and governments have to level with the public. Defined as independent, conscientious and bias-free view of consistently credible section of society, public opinion is the life blood of a successful democratic governance. South Asians without any exception have many strides to take for an average quality of life that advanced economies in democratic systems recorded several decades ago. Inequalities in different forms and at various levels of social units are persisting issues begging to be addressed. Coping with the long-festering challenges is an onerous but by no means an impossible task. Dwelling upon them with meticulous planning and unflinching dedication should steer a nation on an even keel. South Asia today has definitive potential for gaining fast strides in development that visibly reflect on the living standards of an average individual. Collective efforts, based on firm commitment and supported by equally appropriate and unwavering action can fetch the designed outcomes. SAARC, when reactivated in real earnest, will deliver the goods that have eluded the member states. As such, Prime Minister Oli’s renewed emphasis on setting the regional organisation on a befitting track and speed for the collective good of a region that hosts the single-largest concentration of poverty-stricken people should nudge all concerned at all levels to undertake the necessary without any more delay. This can be attained with the collective efforts of all without any hint of one upmanship among member states. Quiet, persistent and determined efforts should bring about enduring results. And New Delhi can play a major role in rolling back the SAARC into meaningful action. (Professor Kharel specialises in political communication.)TORONTO (AP) — Prime Minister Justin Trudeau told Donald Trump that Americans would also suffer if the president-elect follows through on a plan to impose sweeping tariffs on Canadian products , a Canadian minister who attended their recent dinner said Monday. Trump threatened to impose tariffs on products from Canada and Mexico if they don’t stop what he called the flow of drugs and migrants across their borders with the United States. He said on social media last week that he would impose a 25% tax on all products entering the U.S. from Canada and Mexico as one of his first executive orders. Canadian Public Safety Minister Dominic LeBlanc, whose responsibilities include border security, attended a dinner with Trump and Trudeau at Trump’s Mar-a-Lago club on Friday. Trudeau requested the meeting in a bid to avoid the tariffs by convincing Trump that the northern border is nothing like the U.S. southern border with Mexico . "The prime minister of course spoke about the importance of protecting the Canadian economy and Canadian workers from tariffs, but we also discussed with our American friends the negative impact that those tariffs could have on their economy, on affordability in the United States as well," LeBlanc said in Parliament. If Trump makes good on his threat to slap 25% tariffs on everything imported from Mexico and Canada, the price increases that could follow will collide with his campaign promise to give American families a break from inflation. Economists say companies would have little choice but to pass along the added costs, dramatically raising prices for food, clothing, automobiles, alcohol and other goods. The Produce Distributors Association, a Washington trade group, said last week that tariffs will raise prices for fresh fruit and vegetables and hurt U.S. farmers when the countries retaliate. Canada is already examining possible retaliatory tariffs on certain items from the U.S. should Trump follow through on the threat. After his dinner with Trump, Trudeau returned home without assurances the president-elect will back away from threatened tariffs on all products from the major American trading partner. Trump called the talks “productive” but signaled no retreat from a pledge that Canada says unfairly lumps it in with Mexico over the flow of drugs and migrants into the United States. “The idea that we came back empty handed is completely false,” LeBlanc said. “We had a very productive discussion with Mr. Trump and his future Cabinet secretaries. ... The commitment from Mr. Trump to continue to work with us was far from empty handed.” Joining Trump and Trudeau at dinner were Howard Lutnick, Trump’s nominee for commerce secretary, North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum, Trump’s pick to lead the Interior Department, and Mike Waltz, Trump’s choice to be his national security adviser. Canada’s ambassador to the U.S., Kirsten Hillman, told The Associated Press on Sunday that “the message that our border is so vastly different than the Mexican border was really understood.” Hillman, who sat at an adjacent table to Trudeau and Trump, said Canada is not the problem when it comes to drugs and migrants. On Monday, Mexico’s president rejected those comments. “Mexico must be respected, especially by its trading partners,” President Claudia Sheinbaum said. She said Canada had its own problems with fentanyl consumption and “could only wish they had the cultural riches Mexico has.” Flows of migrants and seizures of drugs at the two countries’ border are vastly different. U.S. customs agents seized 43 pounds of fentanyl at the Canadian border during the last fiscal year, compared with 21,100 pounds at the Mexican border. Most of the fentanyl reaching the U.S. — where it causes about 70,000 overdose deaths annually — is made by Mexican drug cartels using precursor chemicals smuggled from Asia. On immigration, the U.S. Border Patrol reported 1.53 million encounters with migrants at the southwest border with Mexico between October 2023 and September 2024. That compares to 23,721 encounters at the Canadian border during that time. Canada is the top export destination for 36 U.S. states. Nearly $3.6 billion Canadian (US$2.7 billion) worth of goods and services cross the border each day. About 60% of U.S. crude oil imports are from Canada, and 85% of U.S. electricity imports as well. Canada is also the largest foreign supplier of steel, aluminum and uranium to the U.S. and has 34 critical minerals and metals that the Pentagon is eager for and investing for national security.Liverpool are the best in Europe right now — and two understudies are key

Police on Sunday used water cannons and mild force to disperse protesters demanding the cancellation of the Bihar Public Service Commission (BPSC) exam held here on December 13. The protesters, who were joined earlier in the day by Jan Suraaj founder Prashant Kishore at Gandhi Maidan, attempted to march towards the chief minister's residence in the evening, prompting police to take action, district magistrate Chandrashekhar Singh said. The protesters also tried to jump over barricades while marching from Gandhi Maidan towards JP Golumber, he added. "The protesters gathered at Gandhi Maidan despite the administration's warning that any demonstration there would be considered unauthorised. The district police has registered an FIR against 21 known persons, including Prashant Kishore, his party president Manoj Bharti, city-based tutor Ramanshu Mishra and 600-700 unknown persons for organising a gathering of students at Gandhi Maidan even after denial of permission by the authorities", the DM told PTI. Kishore, who arrived in the afternoon and left after about an hour, criticised Chief Minister Nitish Kumar for "going to Delhi on a private visit but having no time for the youth of his own state." He also suggested that students start a "relay fast" so that fewer people risk their health for the cause. "The CM does not have time to listen to the grievances of the protesting aspirants and has gone to Delhi. The protest will continue till their demand for the cancellation of the exam is not accepted. I am always with the protesting students", Kishore said while addressing the BPSC aspirants. Some protestors were detained by police near JP Golumber when they refused to vacate the roads. "Water cannons and mild force were used to disperse protestors as some of them blocked traffic by lying on the roads near JP Golumber", the DM said. The DM said, "The government has been sensitive towards the concerns of the youth. The chief secretary has agreed to meet a five-member delegation approved by BPSC aspirants who have been pressing for an audience with the CM or some highly placed official. But protestors seemed to be disorganised and unable to nominate five persons". Talking to reporters, a BPSC aspirant said, "We never expected that the government would treat us like this. We are fighting for our own rights...we have nothing to do with those who are coming here to support our stir for political gains". Police also arrested two Patna-based tutors - Ramanshu Mishra and Rohan Anand - on charges of instigating students, said a top police officer of Patna district. "Both are out on conditional bail and are undergoing treatment as they are not well", an official said. The candidates, who have been protesting for days, are seeking the cancellation of the 70th Integrated Combined Competitive Examination (CCE) due to allegations of a question paper leak in all centres, arguing that re-examination in just one centre would be unfair.