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TAT to repair APUs on the Carrier's Boeing 757 and 767 aircraft NETANYA, Israel , Dec. 11, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- TAT Technologies Ltd. TAT TATT , a leading supplier of products and services for the commercial and military aviation industries and the ground defense industries, today announced that it has signed a five-year agreement with a major North American cargo carrier. Under the terms of the agreement, TAT will provide repair and overhaul services under an MRO agreement for auxiliary power units (APUs) on the Carriers' Boeing 757 and 767 aircraft. The total contract value over the duration of the agreement is estimated at approximately $17 million . Igal Zamir , President and Chief Executive Officer of TAT, commented, "This new contract marks another milestone for TAT's leadership in the APU cargo carrier market, representing a significant addition to the MRO agreements that are already in place with all of the major cargo carriers in North America . The customer will benefit from our best-in-class APU repair capabilities, our unique cost structure, and our unwavering level of customer service." About TAT Technologies LTD TAT Technologies Ltd. is a leading provider of services and products to the commercial and military aerospace and ground defense industries. TAT operates under four segments: (i) Original equipment manufacturing ("OEM") of heat transfer solutions and aviation accessories through its Gedera facility; (ii) MRO services for heat transfer components and OEM of heat transfer solutions through its Limco subsidiary; (iii) MRO services for aviation components through its Piedmont subsidiary; and (iv) Overhaul and coating of jet engine components through its Turbochrome subsidiary. TAT controlling shareholders is the FIMI Private Equity Fund. TAT's activities in the area of OEM of heat transfer solutions and aviation accessories primarily include the design, development and manufacture of (i) broad range of heat transfer solutions, such as pre-coolers heat exchangers and oil/fuel hydraulic heat exchangers, used in mechanical and electronic systems on board commercial, military and business aircraft; (ii) environmental control and power electronics cooling systems installed on board aircraft in and ground applications; and (iii) a variety of other mechanical aircraft accessories and systems such as pumps, valves, and turbine power units. TAT's activities in the area of MRO Services for heat transfer components and OEM of heat transfer solutions primarily include the MRO of heat transfer components and to a lesser extent, the manufacturing of certain heat transfer solutions. TAT's Limco subsidiary operates an FAA-certified repair station, which provides heat transfer MRO services for airlines, air cargo carriers, maintenance service centers and the military. TAT's activities in the area of MRO services for aviation components include the MRO of APUs, landing gears and other aircraft components. TAT's Piedmont subsidiary operates an FAA-certified repair station, which provides aircraft component MRO services for airlines, air cargo carriers, maintenance service centers and the military. TAT's activities in the area of overhaul and coating of jet engine components includes the overhaul and coating of jet engine components, including turbine vanes and blades, fan blades, variable inlet guide vanes and afterburner flaps. For more information of TAT Technologies Ltd., please visit our website: www.tat-technologies.com . Safe Harbor for Forward-Looking Statements This press release contains forward-looking statements which include, without limitation, statements regarding possible or assumed future operation results. These statements are hereby identified as "forward-looking statements" for purposes of the safe harbor provided by the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties that could cause our results to differ materially from management's current expectations. Actual results and performance can also be influenced by other risks that we face in running our operations including, but are not limited to, general business conditions in the airline industry, changes in demand for our services and products, the timing and amount or cancellation of orders, the price and continuity of supply of component parts used in our operations, the change of control that will occur on the sale by the receiver of the Company's shares held by our previously controlling stockholders, and other risks detailed from time to time in the Company's filings with the Securities Exchange Commission, including, its annual report on form 20-F and its periodic reports on form 6-K. These documents contain and identify other important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in our projections or forward-looking statements. Stockholders and other readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date on which they are made. We undertake no obligation to update publicly or revise any forward-looking statement. Contact: Mr. Eran Yunger Director of IR erany@tat-technologies.com View original content: https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/tat-technologies-signs-a-5-year-17-million-mro-agreement-with-major-north-american-cargo-carrier-302329563.html SOURCE TAT Technologies Ltd. © 2024 Benzinga.com. Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved.ATLANTA — Jimmy Carter, the peanut farmer who won the presidency in the wake of the Watergate scandal and Vietnam War, endured humbling defeat after one tumultuous term and then redefined life after the White House as a global humanitarian, has died. He was 100 years old. The longest-lived American president died on Sunday, more than a year after entering hospice care, at his home in the small town of Plains, Georgia, where he and his wife, Rosalynn, who died at 96 in November 2023, spent most of their lives, The Carter Center said. 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 President From Plains 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. And Then, the World 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.” ‘An Epic American Life’ 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. A Small-Town Start 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. ‘Jimmy Who?’ 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. Accomplishments, and ‘Malaise’ 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. ‘A Wonderful Life’ 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.”UCLA 2025 football schedule: Bruins will see Big Ten talent, former Pac-12 foes

Saints QB situation remains cloudy as matchup with Washington nearsFormer officials urge closed-door Senate hearings on Tulsi Gabbard, Trump's pick for intel chiefShoppers have been left bemused after spotting Easter eggs on supermarket shelves before New Year’s Eve. With Easter Sunday falling on April 20 next year, customers shared their confusion on social media after finding chocolate eggs and hot cross buns already for sale in shops including Morrisons, Tesco and Asda. One user, @Jingle1991, shared an image of Malteser Bunnies in Sainsbury’s on Christmas Eve and pointed out: “Jesus hasn’t even been born yet.” Meanwhile, Gary Evans from Margate shared a shot of Creme Eggs on display in Morrisons in Margate on Boxing Day. “I just think its crazy that everything is so superficial and meaninglessly commercial... (there’s) something quite frantic about it,” the 66-year-old told the PA news agency. Joseph Robinson found Easter confectionary including Cadbury Mini Eggs, and themed Kit-Kat and Kinder Surprise products at his local Morrisons in Stoke-on-Trent on Friday evening. “It’s funny, as they’ve not even managed to shift the Christmas chocolates off the shelves yet and they’re already stocking for Easter,” the 35-year-old admin support worker told PA. “I wish that Supermarkets weren’t so blatantly consumerist-driven and would actually allow customers and staff a time to decompress during the Christmas period.” Asked if he was tempted to make a purchase, Mr Robinson added: “As a vegan it holds no appeal to me!” Mike Chalmers, a devout Christian from Chippenham, Wiltshire, was slightly less critical after spotting a display entitled: “Celebrate this Easter with Cadbury.” “Christmas and Easter are the two centrepoints of the Christian good news story so it’s no bad thing to see the connections,” the 44-year-old said. “It’s about more than shapes of chocolate though!” Marketing consultant Andrew Wallis admitted he was surprised to see Easter eggs in the Co-op in Kilgetty, Pembrokeshire, but added it also illustrates “forward-thinking” from big businesses. “It made me reflect on how big brands are always thinking ahead and planning early,” the 54-year-old from the Isle of Man, who provides marketing advice to the fitness industry, told PA. “My message to retailers would be: while planning ahead is important, it’s also essential to be mindful of consumer sentiment. “Some might feel it’s too early for seasonal products like this but others might see it as a sign of forward-thinking. “Striking the right balance is key to keeping customers happy.”

Virtual Reality in Tourism Market to Witness Stunning Growth with Airbnb, Google, Sony PlayStation VR 12-12-2024 12:06 AM CET | Tourism, Cars, Traffic Press release from: HTF Market Intelligence Consulting Private Limited Virtual Reality in Tourism Market HTF MI recently introduced Global Virtual Reality in Tourism Market study with 143+ pages in-depth overview, describing about the Product / Industry Scope and elaborates market outlook and status (2024-2032). The market Study is segmented by key regions which is accelerating the marketization. At present, the market is developing its presence. Some key players from the complete study are Oculus (Meta), HTC Vive, Sony PlayStation VR, Google, Samsung Gear VR, Expedia, Amadeus, VRBO, Airbnb, YouVisit, Immersion VR, Zeality, Matterport, Virtually Visiting, Holoride, Peek, TraveloVR, Inception VR, Realities.io, Ascape. Download Sample Report PDF (Including Full TOC, Table & Figures) 👉 https://www.htfmarketreport.com/sample-report/4285747-2023-2031-report-on-global-virtual-reality-in-tourism-market?utm_source=Akash_OpenPR&utm_id=Akash According to HTF Market Intelligence, the Global Virtual Reality in Tourism market is expected to grow from $3.5 Billion USD in 2024 to $15 Billion USD by 2032, with a CAGR of 15% from 2024 to 2032. The Virtual Reality in Tourism market is segmented by Types (VR Content Creation, Head-Mounted Displays, 360° Video, VR Booking Systems), Application (Travel Agencies, Hotels, Museums, Tourist Destinations) and by Geography (North America, LATAM, West Europe, Central & Eastern Europe, Northern Europe, Southern Europe, East Asia, Southeast Asia, South Asia, Central Asia, Oceania, MEA). Definition: The use of virtual reality (VR) technology to offer immersive experiences of travel destinations. It enables users to explore landmarks, hotels, and attractions virtually, helping them make informed travel decisions and enjoy novel experiences. Dominating Region: • Europe Fastest-Growing Region: • Asia-Pacific Market Trends: •Gamified Travel Experiences, Digital Twin Destinations, AR/VR Convergence Market Drivers: •Rise in Immersive Tech, Post-COVID Recovery, Experience Demand Market Challenges: •High Equipment Costs, Content Limitations, Lack of VR Awareness Have a query? Market an enquiry before purchase 👉 https://www.htfmarketreport.com/enquiry-before-buy/4285747-2023-2031-report-on-global-virtual-reality-in-tourism-market?utm_source=Akash_OpenPR&utm_id=Akash The titled segments and sub-section of the market are illuminated below: In-depth analysis of Virtual Reality in Tourism market segments by Types: VR Content Creation, Head-Mounted Displays, 360° Video, VR Booking Systems Detailed analysis of Tank Container Shipping market segments by Applications: Travel Agencies, Hotels, Museums, Tourist Destinations Geographically, the detailed analysis of consumption, revenue, market share, and growth rate of the following regions: • The Middle East and Africa (South Africa, Saudi Arabia, UAE, Israel, Egypt, etc.) • North America (United States, Mexico & Canada) • South America (Brazil, Venezuela, Argentina, Ecuador, Peru, Colombia, etc.) • Europe (Turkey, Spain, Turkey, Netherlands Denmark, Belgium, Switzerland, Germany, Russia UK, Italy, France, etc.) • Asia-Pacific (Taiwan, Hong Kong, Singapore, Vietnam, China, Malaysia, Japan, Philippines, Korea, Thailand, India, Indonesia, and Australia). Buy Now Latest Edition of Virtual Reality in Tourism Market Report 👉 https://www.htfmarketreport.com/buy-now?format=1&report=4285747?utm_source=Akash_OpenPR&utm_id=Akash Virtual Reality in Tourism Market Research Objectives: - Focuses on the key manufacturers, to define, pronounce and examine the value, sales volume, market share, market competition landscape, SWOT analysis, and development plans in the next few years. - To share comprehensive information about the key factors influencing the growth of the market (opportunities, drivers, growth potential, industry-specific challenges and risks). - To analyze the with respect to individual future prospects, growth trends and their involvement to the total market. - To analyze reasonable developments such as agreements, expansions new product launches, and acquisitions in the market. - To deliberately profile the key players and systematically examine their growth strategies. FIVE FORCES & PESTLE ANALYSIS: In order to better understand market conditions five forces analysis is conducted that includes the Bargaining power of buyers, Bargaining power of suppliers, Threat of new entrants, Threat of substitutes, and Threat of rivalry. • Political (Political policy and stability as well as trade, fiscal, and taxation policies) • Economical (Interest rates, employment or unemployment rates, raw material costs, and foreign exchange rates) • Social (Changing family demographics, education levels, cultural trends, attitude changes, and changes in lifestyles) • Technological (Changes in digital or mobile technology, automation, research, and development) • Legal (Employment legislation, consumer law, health, and safety, international as well as trade regulation and restrictions) • Environmental (Climate, recycling procedures, carbon footprint, waste disposal, and sustainability) Get 10-25% Discount on Immediate purchase 👉 https://www.htfmarketreport.com/request-discount/4285747-2023-2031-report-on-global-virtual-reality-in-tourism-market?utm_source=Akash_OpenPR&utm_id=Akash Points Covered in Table of Content of Global Virtual Reality in Tourism Market: Chapter 01 - Virtual Reality in Tourism Executive Summary Chapter 02 - Market Overview Chapter 03 - Key Success Factors Chapter 04 - Global Virtual Reality in Tourism Market - Pricing Analysis Chapter 05 - Global Virtual Reality in Tourism Market Background or History Chapter 06 - Global Virtual Reality in Tourism Market Segmentation (e.g. Type, Application) Chapter 07 - Key and Emerging Countries Analysis Worldwide Virtual Reality in Tourism Market Chapter 08 - Global Virtual Reality in Tourism Market Structure & worth Analysis Chapter 09 - Global Virtual Reality in Tourism Market Competitive Analysis & Challenges Chapter 10 - Assumptions and Acronyms Chapter 11 - Virtual Reality in Tourism Market Research Methodology Key questions answered • How Global Virtual Reality in Tourism Market growth & size is changing in next few years? • Who are the Leading players and what are their futuristic plans in the Global Virtual Reality in Tourism market? • What are the key concerns of the 5-forces analysis of the Global Virtual Reality in Tourism market? • What are the strengths and weaknesses of the key vendors? • What are the different prospects and threats faced by the dealers in the Global Virtual Reality in Tourism market? Thanks for reading this article; you can also get individual chapter-wise sections or region-wise report versions like North America, LATAM, Europe, Japan, Australia or Southeast Asia. Nidhi Bhawsar (PR & Marketing Manager) HTF Market Intelligence Consulting Private Limited Phone: +15075562445 sales@htfmarketintelligence.com About Author: HTF Market Intelligence Consulting is uniquely positioned to empower and inspire with research and consulting services to empower businesses with growth strategies. We offer services with extraordinary depth and breadth of thought leadership, research, tools, events, and experience that assist in decision-making. This release was published on openPR.Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah from Namibia’s ruling political party, SWAPO, won the country’s presidential election on December 3 to become the first female president and the first in Southern Africa. “The Namibian nation has voted for peace and stability,” Nandi-Ndaitwah said after she was declared president-elect. Read also: Nandi-Ndaitwah wins election to become Namibias first female president Born in 1952, the ninth child to a clergyman, Petrus Nandi at Onamutai in northern Namibia. Nandi-Ndaitwah had always been keen on politics having witnessed SWAPO political activities while growing up “Growing up, political activities were also not very far from me,” she told the Swapo Today newsletter last year. “I could see Swapo activities being organised by the likes of Kaxumba Kandola. They would come near our house to hold meetings because there were big trees for shade,” she said. She attended a course at the Lenin Higher Komsomol School in the Soviet Union from 1975 until 1976. She graduated in management from the Glasgow College of Technology, in the United Kingdom, and in 1988 a further post-graduate diploma, in international relations, from Keele University, also in the UK. In 1989 Nandi-Ndaitwah obtained a master’s degree in diplomatic studies, also from Keele University. Nandi-Ndaitwah went into exile in 1974 and joined SWAPO members in Zambia. She worked at the SWAPO headquarters in Lusaka from 1974 to 1975, and served in numerous senior roles. She became the SWAPO deputy representative in Zambia from 1976 until 1978 and the chief representative in Zambia from 1978 to 1980. From 1980 until 1986, she was the SWAPO chief representative in East Africa, based at Dar es Salaam. She was a member of the SWAPO central committee from 1976 to 1986 and the Namibian National Women’s Organisation (NANAWO) president from 1991 to 1994. She was a member of the Namibian National Assembly from 1990. And has held several ministerial position including foreign affairs and women and children affairs. Under President Hage Geingob, Nandi-Ndaitwah was appointed as Deputy- prime Minster of Namibia in March 2015, while serving in parallel as Minister of International Relations and Cooperation. she was the party’s secretary for information and mobilisation and as such, is one of SWAPO’s main spokespeople. In March 2023, President Geingob named Nandi-Ndaitwah as SWAPO’s presidential candidate in the 2024 Namibian general election. Following Geingob’s death in February 2024, Nandi-Ndaitwah was appointed vice president. She is the first woman serving in that role She was elected president in the general election held in November, making her the first woman to hold the position. On December 3 2024, she was officially declared the President-elect of the Republic of Namibia Nandi-Ndaitwah received 683,560 votes (58.7%), making her the first woman to win a Namibian Presidential election. She will be inaugurated on 21 March 2025 and will become the first female President in Namibian history. Nandi-Ndaitwah is married to Epaphras Denga Ndaitwah, former Chief of the Namibian Defence Force.

Facebook Twitter Pinterest WhatsApp Telegram The volatile situation in Manipur was overed in these columns earlier; Chief Minister N Biren Singh using Arambai Tenggol (AT), UNLF and police for ethnic cleansing, his cross-border links; the Manipur Tapes saga, no dialogue with Kuki-Zo MLA’s; rape, torture and killing of Zosangkim Hmar, followed by 10 suspected Kuki insurgents killed by the CRPF unleashing fresh wave of ethnic violence; gunfights, arson and shutdowns rocking Manipur despite additional central forces pumped in; AT caught on camera giving orders to the CRPF, NSCN (IM) general secretary threatening to resume armed resistance , and the like. Post-mortem reports of 10 Kuki-Zo youths allegedly killed in an encounter with the CRPF on November 11 shows they received multiple fatal bullet injuries – most of them fired from behind. The bodies were brought to a hospital in Assam only on November 14 were in early stages of decomposition; four bodies each had one eye missing – indicating torture. The Indigenous Tribal Leaders’ Forum (ITLF) maintains they were village volunteers. After the burial ceremony, with a Mizoram delegation in attendance, in Manipur’s Churachandpur District on December 5, 2024, the ITLF reiterated its demand for a separate administration in Manipur. If the encounter involved the Army, there would have been hell to pay, a string of court martials and the mainstream media rubbing the Army’s face in mud. But central and state administrations remain soft and silent on police forces for reasons well known. Not surprising that the Telangana High Court has ordered a second post mortem of suspected Naxalites killed by the CRPF in an encounter amid allegations that the victims were poisoned and/or sedated and shot dead in cold blood. Extortion and anarchy in Imphal Valley by the AT became the order of the day amid the ongoing violence with shopkeepers and businesses hurt the most. There were numerous extortion threats by the AT, especially in urban areas such as Imphal city and the district headquarters in Churachandpur and Kangpokpi during October 2024, as reported by locals to the media. The Centre has pumped in 288 additional companies of central forces in Manipur but violence and extortion continues. On November 25, 2024, Lashiram Kamal, a Meitei went missing from the Army Camp at Leimakhong and is still missing. The takeover of Imphal by AT armed cadres roaming freely in vehicles is on record, with no security forces in sight under obvious instruction of Biren Singh. Same was the case when the AT forced the MLA’s and a junior union minister to congregate and take an oath of allegiance, Biren Singh can hardly absolve himself of this default with a large number of security forces at his disposal. Now the AT chief Korounganba Khuman Is reportedly on the radar of the National Investigation Agency for the above with the Supreme Court transferring the case from the NIA Court in Imphal to the NIA Special Court in Guwahati. Khuman and eight others are also involved in two other cases (shifted from Imphal to Guwahati) of attacks on police, looting arms and accusations by Kuki-Zo groups of orchestrating attacks on their community since the start of ethnic violence in May 2023. With the strong bond between Biren Singh and the Korounganba Khuman-led AT, all these cases are expected to be shoved under the carpet. The so-called “looting” of arms from police/IRB armouries happened in mid-2023 with full knowledge of the state administration and according to ground sources these 4,000 plus weapons and 50,000 rounds of ammunition were “distributed” to Meitei militants (read AT) – looting was misnomer. Concurrently there is news of action being taken against three AT cadres for extortion and possessing firearms. Is this to show a semblance of justice? AT maintains it began as a youth group of valley-dominant Meitei and took up arms when violence broke out in May 2023. But how did the organization expand to an incredible armed strength of 10,000 plus? Biren Singh will not dump AT although a lawyer indicates he has raised another group (EYOOM); his personal elite 200-250 strong militia of well trained, heavily radicalized fighters drawn from police commandos and foreign trained outfits . The veracity of this would be known to Biren Singh and the Centre but EYOOM was raised in January 2024 as a socio-cultural group. Will it be expanded and armed like the AT? #ManipurCrisis After phenomenal Arambai Tengol-UNLF-Meitei Leepun onslaught, @NBirenSingh proudly presents Eyom, his personal elite militia. A unit of 200-250 well trained, heavily radicalised fighters drawn from Commando units and foreign trained outfits. No accountability. — Vishwajeet Singh (@VishuAdv) November 23, 2024 A dicky bird in the core of the national hierarchy says our aim is that every Hindu must be armed. Fair enough, but why in Manipur alone, why not pan-India and why by looting police/IRB armories? Why not systemize it and tap the illegal weapons business in the country, imports included like narcotics under political patronage? Is Gaffar Market in New Delhi still selling Soviet-origin AK-47 and AK-74 assault rifles and cheaper ones of Bulgaria, Pakistan or China origin? In a recent article, GK Pillaii, former union home secretary with a reputation of being an upright officer, has called for criminal charges to be filed against CM N Biren Singh. But this is not possible by any stretch of imagination because Biren Singh is the blue-eyed boy of the Centre, especially of the union home minister. Despite the burning state, Manipur doesn’t even have a full-time Governor, giving a free hand to the chief minister. Not only this, nothing will come of the Manipur Tapes which purportedly show Biren Singh giving instructions for ethnic cleansing and related actions. The story earlier circulated was that Islamists under the interim Bangladesh regime are helping the Kuki-Zo; indicating the spin doctor’s brain was dislocated – radical Islamists assisting Christians instead of killing them? Having fallen flat, Biren Singh posed like a movie star, accusing P Chidambaram the root cause of the crisis in Manipur and the entire northeast. The question is what has Biren Singh done as chief minister in the last seven years (since 2017) other than branding indigenous tribals as infiltrates and indulging in ethnic cleansing? Does he realize killings of tribals in Manipur affected outcome of the recent elections in Jharkhand? Biren Sigh began his chief ministership as Santa Claus of the Meitei but never realized that the Kuki-Zo, being tribal fighters, will not take it lying down; the backlash was inevitable. So, now the Meitei are also suffering and call him the “Bad Santa of Manipur”. Multiple questions are being raised by them, like – we don’t understand what is the policy of the Centre – why the intransigence to burning Manipur – why the prime minister is scared to visit Manipur when he picks out small countries to visit in Africa – is it because we cannot honour him with the highest Manipur Award which Biren Singh perceives as tribal-free Manipur? Finally, Manipur’s future is difficult to predict with the Centre and Biren Singh giving no indication of changing their stance, other than political chest thumping about developing the northeast. Continuing the game of ethnic cleansing of tribals, placing more restrictions on them and abrogation of the SoO agreement will only exacerbate the situation. The author is an Indian Army veteran. Views expressed are personal. ~ News4masses is now also on Google news ~ If you want to contribute an article / story, please get in touch at: news4masses[at]gmail[dot]com Facebook Twitter Pinterest WhatsApp Telegram Previous article Mahindra launches BE 6e starting at ₹ 18.90 Lakh and XEV 9e starting at ₹ 21.90 Lakh Lt Gen Prakash Katoch A well known special forces officer of Indian Army, Lieutenant General Prakash Katoch (R) is equally adept at writing expert and opinionated pieces on Defence Policies and Security. His Articles and Reviews are regularly carried by leading publications and magazines. 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After three months of rigorous work, a white paper panel on the state of the economy revealed all the fault lines that had formed across Bangladesh during the 15 years of rule under the Awami League government, which held power from 2009 until it was ousted by a mass uprising on August 5 this year. Upon taking office, the interim government issued a gazette notification on August 29, deciding to plumb the depth of corruption and mismanagement of state wealth during Sheikh Hasina's regime. The report, prepared by a 12-member panel of independent experts, was submitted to Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus on December 1. The white paper laid bare the fragile state of the economy, addressing issues such as the rise of an oligarchy, heightened inequality, data manipulation to present a false narrative of economic growth and rampant money laundering. The committee met 618 times to plan and discuss the task at hand, held 60 consultations with stakeholders, conducted 22 policy-specific consultations, 17 technical consultations, key informant interviews, and three public hearings outside Dhaka to form a clear picture. The leader of the panel, Debapriya Bhattacharya, a distinguished fellow of the Centre for Policy Dialogue (CPD), spoke to The Daily Star last week, shedding light on the process of preparing such a massive document. He said the formation of the panel was an obvious decision as the country and the interim government needed a formal document to bring to light all the issues that had been swept under the rug for years. "The whole system was politicised, and there was a narrative of a high-performing economy. But in reality, it was not that. This is why the concept of a white paper was considered," Bhattacharya said. "The idea behind preparing the white paper was to provide insight into the nature of the economy that the interim government had inherited. It had to identify the challenges that the interim government would face as it tried to take the economy forward." In order to understand the situation, a transparency exercise was necessary. "For that transparency exercise, one needs to look at all existing data, including the data that is not publicly available, and also talk to specific stakeholder groups who are knowledgeable in these areas," he said. Bhattacharya also elaborated on the origins of the white paper, saying: "The white paper comes more from British traditions, the British Parliament. When a situation arises which has no immediate or obvious solution, a group of experts is mobilised to analyse the problem and give an opinion. It may be one opinion, it may be more than one opinion, depending on the group, and how they think about or look at the problem." The advantage of a white paper is that it is commissioned by the authority, which may be the parliament or the government, but the authors write it as independent experts. "So, it is commissioned by the government, but it is not the government's report. Although the chief adviser commissioned us to write the white paper, it does not belong to him. It belongs to the authors. The authors are responsible for whatever is said, not the government," Bhattacharya said. Another advantage he pointed out is that the government is not obliged to adopt the solutions given in the paper. "The government has the flexibility to implement whatever it wants, however it wants." However, he highlighted a significant issue: many readers, including journalists, lack sufficient knowledge of economics, leading to confusion when interpreting the data. For example, the white paper said Bangladesh had illicit outflows amounting to $16 billion per year. But some people say it is such a big number, how can it be true? They say the government's annual budget is smaller than that. According to Bhattacharya, the problem is that people who say such things lack understanding. Economists never deal with absolute numbers; they deal with relative numbers. "The amount that we have pointed out is only 2.4 percent of the GDP, which may be a big number to some. But the global average is 3 percent to 4 percent. People have no idea about that. This is an interpretation problem." He also painted a picture that everyone can understand, saying: "We could have had 22 Padma Bridges and 16 metro rails and doubled the current allocation for education. These have all been forgone (due to illicit outflows)." Bhattacharya added that the white paper was a heuristic exercise in the sense that it depended on the critical analysis of existing data. In that sense, the white paper looks at what has happened in the past. At the same time, it also looks at why these things happened. But it focuses less on what needs to be done. "We looked at some of the unpublished documents which were available with the government. We also debriefed some of the critical interlocutors of policies to hear internal stories in order to interpret the issues at hand." However, it was when looking into this data that a pattern of manipulation began to emerge. "The data was the villain of the piece," Bhattacharya said. "For example, you have high growth but very low private investment, high growth but no tax collection, and high growth but very little money going to social protection, health, and education. It was our job to unearth the malice." The development narrative only reflects a deficit in democratic accountability, he added, saying that the past government tried to secure local and global legitimacy through such stories. "We had three elections which were very bad. This eroded the accountability process." Bhattacharya also explained how the lack of democratic pluralism – which meant that nearly all positions of formal political authority could be controlled by one group – had led to a culture of crony capitalism. "Without democratic pluralism, you begin to create a group of preferred businessmen. Those businessmen, after some time, turn into politicians and bureaucrats. These people develop a culture of crony capitalism. Initially, they create a group that will serve the regime. But after some time, they become so powerful that they themselves start running the country. Then they create a kleptocracy, where thieves are the rulers." These "thieves" did not stay confined to just one sector; they were active in the energy, Information and Communications Technology (ICT), and banking sectors as well as offshore drilling, private universities, and television channels. "They were like octopuses. They influenced not only the judiciary but also legislation. This system enabled the banking law to be passed in parliament in a split second. It was like an oligarchy." They also took control of the judiciary, so it was hamstrung, he added. Furthermore, civil society did not have any space to raise their voice. "Such an antagonistic contradiction cannot be resolved without revolution." If politics is unsustainable, society will also be unsustainable, he said, adding: "Ten percent of the population is controlling 85 percent of the assets. How is that possible in a modern society? This unequal growth cannot continue." The white paper committee used data from a Global Financial Integrity (GFI) report and Bangladesh Bank data, according to Bhattacharya. "We also looked at the inflation figures as they had been underestimated in different cases. We also looked at energy pricing and a wide range of other issues, including health, education, and poverty. We also looked into the debt burden, both local and foreign." He also took the time to again point out the purpose of the paper. "A white paper is not an investigative report. There is a difference between investigative reporting and penning a white paper. It is a research document based on a multidisciplinary multi-methodical approach. These are estimates, not empirical evidence. But you cannot call it a guesstimate. We followed particular methodologies." He also made some suggestions to the interim government, urging it to create a midterm plan to ensure accountability. "The interim government is not here for five years, but the economy and investment cannot run based on day-to-day projections. The projections should be for a two-year term." Bhattacharya also said the country's graduation from the status of a least developed country (LDC) to a developing country must not be delayed. "Reducing export incentives was a good decision. It shows that we started preparing for graduation." He further asked the interim government to negotiate with other countries as graduation would result in the erosion of preferential trade benefits. Additionally, the interim government should hold dialogues with various groups, including traditional development partners like the World Bank and the Asian Development Bank, special markets such as the EU, Canada, India, and China, and foreign investors, he said. "Debt management is unsustainable; every year it is around one billion. We need to renegotiate loans," he added. Bhattacharya noted that they had received extremely positive responses to the white paper from local and foreign quarters, adding that even the global media had taken note. "Around $2.5 million in consultancy fees would have been required to make this white paper. But not a single taka was taken from the government. It was done free of cost," he said. Why leave such a large sum on the table? "Because this is a unique time to work for the country." After three months of rigorous work, a white paper panel on the state of the economy revealed all the fault lines that had formed across Bangladesh during the 15 years of rule under the Awami League government, which held power from 2009 until it was ousted by a mass uprising on August 5 this year. Upon taking office, the interim government issued a gazette notification on August 29, deciding to plumb the depth of corruption and mismanagement of state wealth during Sheikh Hasina's regime. The report, prepared by a 12-member panel of independent experts, was submitted to Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus on December 1. The white paper laid bare the fragile state of the economy, addressing issues such as the rise of an oligarchy, heightened inequality, data manipulation to present a false narrative of economic growth and rampant money laundering. The committee met 618 times to plan and discuss the task at hand, held 60 consultations with stakeholders, conducted 22 policy-specific consultations, 17 technical consultations, key informant interviews, and three public hearings outside Dhaka to form a clear picture. The leader of the panel, Debapriya Bhattacharya, a distinguished fellow of the Centre for Policy Dialogue (CPD), spoke to The Daily Star last week, shedding light on the process of preparing such a massive document. He said the formation of the panel was an obvious decision as the country and the interim government needed a formal document to bring to light all the issues that had been swept under the rug for years. "The whole system was politicised, and there was a narrative of a high-performing economy. But in reality, it was not that. This is why the concept of a white paper was considered," Bhattacharya said. "The idea behind preparing the white paper was to provide insight into the nature of the economy that the interim government had inherited. It had to identify the challenges that the interim government would face as it tried to take the economy forward." In order to understand the situation, a transparency exercise was necessary. "For that transparency exercise, one needs to look at all existing data, including the data that is not publicly available, and also talk to specific stakeholder groups who are knowledgeable in these areas," he said. Bhattacharya also elaborated on the origins of the white paper, saying: "The white paper comes more from British traditions, the British Parliament. When a situation arises which has no immediate or obvious solution, a group of experts is mobilised to analyse the problem and give an opinion. It may be one opinion, it may be more than one opinion, depending on the group, and how they think about or look at the problem." The advantage of a white paper is that it is commissioned by the authority, which may be the parliament or the government, but the authors write it as independent experts. "So, it is commissioned by the government, but it is not the government's report. Although the chief adviser commissioned us to write the white paper, it does not belong to him. It belongs to the authors. The authors are responsible for whatever is said, not the government," Bhattacharya said. Another advantage he pointed out is that the government is not obliged to adopt the solutions given in the paper. "The government has the flexibility to implement whatever it wants, however it wants." However, he highlighted a significant issue: many readers, including journalists, lack sufficient knowledge of economics, leading to confusion when interpreting the data. For example, the white paper said Bangladesh had illicit outflows amounting to $16 billion per year. But some people say it is such a big number, how can it be true? They say the government's annual budget is smaller than that. According to Bhattacharya, the problem is that people who say such things lack understanding. Economists never deal with absolute numbers; they deal with relative numbers. "The amount that we have pointed out is only 2.4 percent of the GDP, which may be a big number to some. But the global average is 3 percent to 4 percent. People have no idea about that. This is an interpretation problem." He also painted a picture that everyone can understand, saying: "We could have had 22 Padma Bridges and 16 metro rails and doubled the current allocation for education. These have all been forgone (due to illicit outflows)." Bhattacharya added that the white paper was a heuristic exercise in the sense that it depended on the critical analysis of existing data. In that sense, the white paper looks at what has happened in the past. At the same time, it also looks at why these things happened. But it focuses less on what needs to be done. "We looked at some of the unpublished documents which were available with the government. We also debriefed some of the critical interlocutors of policies to hear internal stories in order to interpret the issues at hand." However, it was when looking into this data that a pattern of manipulation began to emerge. "The data was the villain of the piece," Bhattacharya said. "For example, you have high growth but very low private investment, high growth but no tax collection, and high growth but very little money going to social protection, health, and education. It was our job to unearth the malice." The development narrative only reflects a deficit in democratic accountability, he added, saying that the past government tried to secure local and global legitimacy through such stories. "We had three elections which were very bad. This eroded the accountability process." Bhattacharya also explained how the lack of democratic pluralism – which meant that nearly all positions of formal political authority could be controlled by one group – had led to a culture of crony capitalism. "Without democratic pluralism, you begin to create a group of preferred businessmen. Those businessmen, after some time, turn into politicians and bureaucrats. These people develop a culture of crony capitalism. Initially, they create a group that will serve the regime. But after some time, they become so powerful that they themselves start running the country. Then they create a kleptocracy, where thieves are the rulers." These "thieves" did not stay confined to just one sector; they were active in the energy, Information and Communications Technology (ICT), and banking sectors as well as offshore drilling, private universities, and television channels. "They were like octopuses. They influenced not only the judiciary but also legislation. This system enabled the banking law to be passed in parliament in a split second. It was like an oligarchy." They also took control of the judiciary, so it was hamstrung, he added. Furthermore, civil society did not have any space to raise their voice. "Such an antagonistic contradiction cannot be resolved without revolution." If politics is unsustainable, society will also be unsustainable, he said, adding: "Ten percent of the population is controlling 85 percent of the assets. How is that possible in a modern society? This unequal growth cannot continue." The white paper committee used data from a Global Financial Integrity (GFI) report and Bangladesh Bank data, according to Bhattacharya. "We also looked at the inflation figures as they had been underestimated in different cases. We also looked at energy pricing and a wide range of other issues, including health, education, and poverty. We also looked into the debt burden, both local and foreign." He also took the time to again point out the purpose of the paper. "A white paper is not an investigative report. There is a difference between investigative reporting and penning a white paper. It is a research document based on a multidisciplinary multi-methodical approach. These are estimates, not empirical evidence. But you cannot call it a guesstimate. We followed particular methodologies." He also made some suggestions to the interim government, urging it to create a midterm plan to ensure accountability. "The interim government is not here for five years, but the economy and investment cannot run based on day-to-day projections. The projections should be for a two-year term." Bhattacharya also said the country's graduation from the status of a least developed country (LDC) to a developing country must not be delayed. "Reducing export incentives was a good decision. It shows that we started preparing for graduation." He further asked the interim government to negotiate with other countries as graduation would result in the erosion of preferential trade benefits. Additionally, the interim government should hold dialogues with various groups, including traditional development partners like the World Bank and the Asian Development Bank, special markets such as the EU, Canada, India, and China, and foreign investors, he said. "Debt management is unsustainable; every year it is around one billion. We need to renegotiate loans," he added. Bhattacharya noted that they had received extremely positive responses to the white paper from local and foreign quarters, adding that even the global media had taken note. "Around $2.5 million in consultancy fees would have been required to make this white paper. But not a single taka was taken from the government. It was done free of cost," he said. Why leave such a large sum on the table? "Because this is a unique time to work for the country."Jimmy Carter, the nation's 39th president who served one volatile term from 1977-81, died at his home in Plains, Georgia, Sunday at 100 after a yearslong battle with cancer during which he demonstrated the same personal strength that he displayed as president. “My father was a hero, not only to me but to everyone who believes in peace, human rights, and unselfish love,” said Chip Carter, the former president’s son, in a statement released by The Carter Center. “My brothers, sister, and I shared him with the rest of the world through these common beliefs. The world is our family because of the way he brought people together, and we thank you for honoring his memory by continuing to live these shared beliefs.” Carter, who lived longer than any U.S. president, had been receiving hospice care, without medical intervention, since February 2023 so he could be with his family after what the Carter Center described as a series of short hospital stays for undisclosed ailments. He is survived by his four children, 11 grandchildren and 14 great-grandchildren. His wife, Rosalynn, had been diagnosed with dementia in May 2023 and died Nov. 19 at age 96. "Today, America and the world lost an extraordinary leader, statesman and humanitarian," President Joe Biden said in a statement. "Over six decades, we had the honor of calling Jimmy Carter a dear friend. But, what’s extraordinary about Jimmy Carter, though, is that millions of people throughout America and the world who never met him thought of him as a dear friend as well." Biden was the first sitting senator to endorse Carter for president in 1976, insisting the moderate Southern Democrat was best positioned to defeat incumbent Gerald Ford. Carter would live to see Biden himself elected to the presidency, although he was too ill to attend Biden’s 2021 inauguration. He would famously go on to fulfill his pledge to vote for Biden’s Democratic vice president, Kamala Harris, in October. "To all of the young people in this nation and for anyone in search of what it means to live a life of purpose and meaning – the good life – study Jimmy Carter, a man of principle, faith, and humility," Biden added in his statement. "He showed that we are great nation because we are a good people – decent and honorable, courageous and compassionate, humble and strong." Carter's 43-year post-presidency was the longest in American history. And while his four years in the White House were defined by national and international problems that he was unable to solve, he used his time out of office to work on many charitable projects, fight disease, monitor elections abroad and undertake peace missions that earned him the Nobel Peace Prize in 2002. While Carter had what many considered a disappointing presidency, he earned back the respect and affection of people the world over for his work as a humanitarian, human rights advocate and hands-on builder of homes for the needy. The man voters eagerly discarded after one term went on to be considered America’s best former president. Carter once told reporters that, while the presidency was his most important political experience, his work with the Carter Center in Atlanta, an organization named after him and devoted to research and humanitarian activism, was more "personally gratifying." Through the center, Carter said, he could directly help poor people around the world. His post-presidency was impressive in other ways, as Carter demonstrated a deeply felt commitment to his Christian faith and his community. Even though other former presidents cashed in on their time in office with paid speeches and stints on corporate boards – and many never returned to their pre-presidential communities – Carter was different. He made money from his many books, but he wasn't overly materialistic. He brought attention to a now-well-known project called Habitat for Humanity, which builds houses for poor people. The former president and his wife famously participated personally in many building projects. Born James Earl Carter Jr. – and known all his life as Jimmy – the former president came from modest beginnings. He hailed from Plains (population about 600) where his father, James Earl Carter, was a successful farmer and small businessman who for a while ran a grocery store. His mother, the former Bessie Lillian Gordy, was a nurse. Four years after Carter was born, the family moved for a while to nearby Archery, Georgia, even smaller than Plains. Jimmy had three siblings, Gloria, Ruth and Billy, and their father required hard work from all of them around the farm and in his other enterprises. Carter was studious as a boy, also very patriotic and family-oriented. He graduated from the U.S. Naval Academy in June 1946 and married Rosalynn, his sweetheart from home, the following month. He was assigned to the U.S. submarine fleet, serving aboard the USS Pomfret as an electronics officer among other assignments. It was during his Navy career that Carter, training for a role as engineer on a nuclear submarine, was involved with mitigating an incident at a nuclear reactor in Canada. The government of Canada describes the 1952 incident at Chalk River Laboratories in Ontario as “the world’s first nuclear reactor accident,” saying the facility experienced “mechanical problems and operator error that led to overheating fuel rods and significant damage.” Carter was widely credited with helping prevent an accident from spiraling into a disaster. After his father died in 1953, Carter gave up his promising career in the Navy and returned to Plains to help run the family businesses, especially the peanut farm. He won two terms in the state Senate and was elected governor of Georgia as a moderate Democrat in 1970. Serving one term, he audaciously decided to run for president in the 1976 election, casting himself as a maverick, a truth-teller and a Washington outsider. He surprised the political pros by winning the Democratic nomination and narrowly defeating Republican incumbent Ford in the popular vote 50.1% to 48% and 297-240 in the Electoral College. But Carter will always be known for his post-presidency. Mark Peterson | Corbis | Getty Images Former President Carter volunteers at a Habitat for Humanity construction site in 1992. After the White House, he went back to Plains. He wrote his books there, and for years he and Rosalynn made a habit of pedaling their bicycles around the town for recreation. He seemed to know all the local merchants and helped his community by volunteering on community projects and in other ways. He worshiped and taught Sunday school at Maranatha Baptist Church in Plains, sometimes mowed the lawn there and tidied up after services. There was much for him to forgive in the treatment he received from his critics while he was president, but he tried to move beyond all that. Once an outsider who never fit in with the Washington political arena he struggled to navigate as president, Carter later became the subject of admiration and affection by some of the most prominent figures in American politics. Words of tribute and support came from both sides of the political aisle when the Carter family announced Feb. 18, 2023, that the former president would enter home hospice care for his final challenge – facing a cancer that had spread from his liver to his brain and that he knew amounted to a death sentence. Georgia politicians, from Republican Gov. Brian Kemp to Democratic Sen. Rafael Warnock, issued statements of support. Former President Bill Clinton, a Democrat, tweeted on President’s Day 2023 that he was thinking of Carter – almost 50 years after he first declared his candidacy for the nation’s highest office in December 1974. In a statement after Carter's death, former President Barack Obama and first Lady Michelle Obama lauded him for "the longest, and most impactful, post-presidency in American history." "Elected in the shadow of Watergate, Jimmy Carter promised voters that he would always tell the truth. And he did – advocating for the public good, consequences be damned. He believed some things were more important than reelection – things like integrity, respect, and compassion. Because Jimmy Carter believed, as deeply as he believed anything, that we are all created in God’s image," they said in a statement. Carter elevated his national profile back then with a promise not to lie and a pledge to bring integrity and a common touch to the White House after the imperial reign of Richard Nixon, who resigned amid the Watergate scandal. Ford, as vice president, succeeded Nixon in office but didn't fully connect with the American people despite his personal decency and many years as a distinguished member of the House of Representatives from Michigan. Once in office, Carter did his best to limit the trappings of the imperial presidency. He ordered his staff not to have a band play the martial anthem "Hail to the Chief" when he entered a room. He wore cardigans to show his casual approach and to make the point that he had lowered the thermostats in the White House to save energy. For a while, he carried his own hand luggage aboard Air Force One when traveling. He held town meetings to stay in touch with everyday people. He advocated energy conservation and less reliance on foreign oil. And Americans liked their new president – initially. But as the nation's problems intensified, the public turned on him. The economy got worse. Inflation rose. So did unemployment. Gasoline shortages resulted in huge lines at filling stations across the country and unsettled millions. The Soviet Union invaded Afghanistan, a signal to many that Carter wasn't perceived as a strong leader internationally and could be defied by America's adversaries. In response, Carter announced a boycott of the Olympic Summer Games in Moscow in 1980, a protest that saw support from a significant number of American allies. READ: Carter concluded that Americans were suffering from an epic loss of confidence. At one point in 1979, he canceled a major energy speech and secluded himself at Camp David, the presidential retreat in Maryland's Catoctin Mountains. For eight days, he met privately with advisers there and contemplated what to do next. The result was what critics called "the malaise speech." He didn't actually use the word "malaise" but argued that the country was suffering from a profound "crisis of confidence" that damaged the nation's "heart and soul." His critics said Carter was really blaming the country for his own flawed leadership. When he fired half his Cabinet a few days later, he seemed hopelessly adrift. He never recovered politically. "Carter's eventual difficulties with a heavily Democratic Congress sprang as much from his personality and cultural divides within the Democratic Party, as from ideological differences between Carter and his fellow partisans," wrote political scientist Alvin Felzenberg in "The Leaders We Deserved." "Proud that he had won the presidency, without having had to court party power brokers or representatives of special interests, Carter took office believing he owed nothing to the political establishment that he had defeated on the way to the nomination." And his administration scored some successes, at least in retrospect. During 1978, his second year in office, he won Senate approval for transferring control of the Panama Canal to Panama. And he negotiated the Camp David Accords, a major peace agreement between Israel and Egypt. Carter argued in favor of energy conservation, a stance that was not very popular at the time but that resonates much better today. And he made human rights a cornerstone of American foreign policy – a goal that remains widely admired, even though his critics said he was naive and impractical at the time. In one of the worst setbacks to his presidency, Islamic extremists seized the U.S. Embassy in Tehran and held 53 Americans hostage for more than a year. Carter seemed powerless to get them released. When he ordered a rescue mission that failed miserably, his popularity declined even further. In 1980, he suffered a shattering defeat in his bid for reelection, losing to Republican challenger Ronald Reagan by an overwhelming margin and winning just six states and the District of Columbia. He was hurt and embarrassed by this repudiation, and it took him a long time to put the memory behind him. He was particularly proud of having avoided a war during his presidency. And he took comfort in having led the diplomacy that resulted in the freeing of the Iranian hostages, although it happened by design on the very day that Reagan was sworn in as president in January 1981 – too late for Carter to get credit for it. Reagan supporters said the hostages were freed because the Iranian leaders were afraid of what Reagan would do if the crisis persisted. In the decades after his presidency, Carter made a point of tracking political prisoners and working behind the scenes to help secure their release. In 2010 at the age of 85, he traveled to North Korea to secure the release of Aijalon Gomes, who was imprisoned for entering into North Korea from China for what is believed to have been missionary purposes. In a sign of the enduring esteem in which Carter was held, North Korea said it would release Gomes if the former president traveled personally to retrieve him. The final truth about Jimmy Carter was that he concluded, as did so many others, that his real legacy was not being a good politician or a good president but being a good man. There will be public observances in honor of the former president in Atlanta and Washington, according to the Carter Center, followed by a private interment in Plains. The final arrangements for his state funeral are still pending. Former U.S. News political writers Susan Milligan and Kenneth T. Walsh contributed to this report.Democrats are facing backlash for their take on the recent murder of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson. As the head of the country’s largest insurance firm, Thompson's murder, by a suspect police believe bore animosity toward the healthcare industry, sparked some controversial reactions. Some on the Left said his murder brought them “joy” because he represented the “greedy” corporations they believe have oppressed millions of Americans. Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) condemned the violence but expressed that “you can only push people so far, and then they start to take matters into their own hands.” Warren indicated during an MSNBC interview that she agreed people are angry “with good reason” at the insurance industry. "The visceral response from people across this country who feel cheated, ripped off, and threatened by the vile practices of their insurance companies should be a warning to everyone in the healthcare system," Warren told the Huffington Post when pressed on social media posts celebrating Thompson’s murder. Warren faced criticism on X for her position, with one user saying the senator “believes that the disgusting act of a crazy communist reflects the hatred of the entire nation for insurance companies.” Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) also condemned the healthcare industry during a response to Thompson’s death. "I think what the outpouring of anger at the healthcare industry tells us is that millions of people understand that healthcare is a human right and that you cannot have people in the insurance industry rejecting needed healthcare for people while they make billions of dollars in profit," Sanders told the same outlet. Both senators have been rebuked by people who believe they are excusing Thompson’s murder. “We already knew this, but Warren and Sanders have no business being in elected office. They have essentially excused the murder of a healthcare executive, laying the groundwork for additional violence. Disqualifying,” one user said on X. Taylor Lorenz, a journalist who formerly worked for the Washington Post, was also reprimanded after she initially said on Monday that Thompson’s murder sparked “joy” for her. Lorenz’s comments came as she lamented during a Piers Morgan Uncensored interview the “tens of thousands of Americans that [Thompson] murdered” and those who “died because greedy health insurance executives like this one push a policy of denying care to the most vulnerable people.” Thompson’s death “feels like justice in this system when somebody responsible for the deaths of tens of thousands of Americans suffers the same fate as tens of thousands of Americans," Lorenz added. Host Piers Morgan asked Lorenz: “How can this make you joyful? This guy is a husband, he’s a father, and he’s been gunned down in the middle of Manhattan.” A report from Network Contagion Research Institute found that six of the top ten most-engaged posts on X about Thompson's murder on the day it occurred “either expressed explicit or implicit support for the killing or denigrated the victim.” “If we had universal healthcare like Bernie Sanders proposed, no one would be shooting insurance CEOs,” one user said . “This needs to be the new norm,” another user wrote, “EAT THE RICH.” Alex Goldenberg, a top adviser at the institute, said that the murder is “being framed as some opening blow in a broader class war, which is very concerning as it heightens the threat environment for similar actors to engage in similar acts of violence,” in comments to the New York Times. Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA), a conservative voice in Congress, also expressed concern on Tuesday that Thompson’s murder had turned his suspected killer, Luigi Mangione, into a “hero” and launched a left-wing “political movement.” "I've been watching this unfold, and I believe it's the beginning of a political movement," Greene said during an interview with Real America's Voice. "What I'm more concerned about is we've seen the Left push for socialized medicine for years, you know?" "Bernie Sanders had Medicare For All," she continued. "I hope this doesn't turn into where they take this guy they're praising ... and make him some sort of hero that they all worship and then pick up the mantra and go after other people." Other conservative commentators, including Ben Shapiro and Matt Walsh, have criticized the "radical left-wing" for its stance on Thompson's murder in warnings that political violence "may be coming back." Circumstantial evidence surrounding Thompson’s murder indicated that the gunman bore ill will toward the health insurance industry. CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER Bullet casings left behind by the shooter at the crime scene had the words “depose,” “deny,” and “delay” written on them. The words are likely a reference to the similar "three Ds of insurance,” “deny,” “delay,” and “defend,” which are tactics used by insurance companies to avoid paying claims. The words also mirror the title of a book that denounces healthcare insurers, which became an Amazon bestseller following the shooting. Mangione suffered from chronic back pain and is believed to have undergone spinal fusion surgery last July. At the time of his arrest at a Pennsylvania McDonald’s on Monday, Mangione was found with a handwritten document that criticized healthcare companies for putting profits above care, expressed ill will toward corporate America, and included a passage saying, "Frankly, these parasites had it coming.”

ATLANTA: Jimmy Carter, the peanut farmer who won the presidency in the wake of the Watergate scandal and Vietnam War, endured humbling defeat after one tumultuous term and then redefined life after the White House as a global humanitarian, has died. He was 100 years old. The longest-lived American president died on Sunday, more than a year after entering hospice care, at his home in the small town of Plains, Georgia, where he and his wife, Rosalynn, who died at 96 in November 2023, spent most of their lives, The Carter Center said. “Our founder, former US President Jimmy Carter, passed away this afternoon in Plains, Georgia,” the center simply said in posting about Carter’s death on the social media platform X. 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 US 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 US invasion of Haiti and negotiating ceasefires 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 US 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 US 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 US 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 US 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 US 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 US 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.”

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Jimmy Carter, the 39th US president, has died at 100