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World leaders pay tribute to former US President Jimmy CarterThe North Carolina Teaching Fellows Commission has selected 210 individuals, including several from the local area, to receive North Carolina Teaching Fellows awards for the Class of 2025 during its early-decision window. The following are local early-decision recipients: The Teaching Fellows program is a competitive, merit-based forgivable loan program providing tuition assistance of up to $10,000 a year for qualified students committed to teaching elementary education, special education, science, technology, engineering, or math in a North Carolina public school. The purpose of the program is to recruit, prepare and support future teachers who attend institutions of higher education in North Carolina. The award winners may attend any of the program’s 10 partner institutions pending admission: Appalachian State University; East Carolina University; Elon University; Fayetteville State University; North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University; NC State University; Meredith College; University of North Carolina at Charlotte; University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill; and University of North Carolina at Pembroke. The comprehensive list of the Class of 2025 Teaching Fellows awardees will be finalized in March.Guam joins the rest of the world in mourning the death of former U.S. President Jimmy Carter at age 100, with local officials and the Democratic Party of Guam pointing to Carter's brokering of peace between Israel and Egypt, his Nobel Peace Prize for his humanitarian work, and his 1978 transmission of Guam’s proposed constitution to Congress that showed his support for the island’s political development. "On behalf of the people of Guam, we mourn the passing of former President Jimmy Carter and extend our heartfelt condolences to his family and loved ones, as well as to the American people who grieve the loss of an extraordinary leader,” Gov. Lou Leon Guerrero said in a statement on the passing of the 39th president, who was a Democrat. The governor ordered flags to be flown at half-staff for Carter. "As the 39th president of the United States, Jimmy Carter served with a deep moral conviction and a commitment to peace, democracy, and human rights. His leadership during a time of great challenges reflected his belief in the power of diplomacy, compassion, and service to bridge divides and bring about meaningful change," the governor said. Lt. Gov. Josh Tenorio said Carter's lifelong dedication to finding peaceful solutions to conflict and uplifting underserved communities earned him the 2002 Nobel Peace Prize, "a recognition of a legacy that resonates strongly in today’s world, where the values he championed are needed more than ever." "Guam joins the nation and the world in honoring his remarkable contributions. May we continue to draw inspiration from his vision for a better, fairer, and more peaceful world," Tenorio said. Carter died peacefully at his home in Plains, Georgia, on Sunday, Dec. 29. That's Monday, Guam time. The Democratic Party of Guam, in a statement, said Carter’s tenure from 1977 to 1981 was marked by significant achievements, including the Camp David Accords and a steadfast commitment to human rights. "His post-presidential years further exemplified his dedication to humanitarian efforts, notably through the establishment of the Carter Center, which has made substantial contributions to global health and democracy," the Democratic Party of Guam said. In 1978, Carter transmitted Guam’s proposed constitution to Congress, underscoring his support for the island’s political development, the Democratic Party of Guam said. Additionally, in the 1980 U.S. presidential straw poll on Guam, Carter received significant support, securing over 55% of the vote, reflecting the island’s favorable view of his leadership, the party said. "President Carter’s legacy is one of integrity, compassion, and unwavering service to humanity. His contributions have left an indelible mark on the world, and he will be deeply missed," the Democratic Party of Guam added. Guam Del. James Moylan, a Republican, extended his condolences to Carter's family in a statement. "President Carter will forever be known as one of the greatest advocates for human rights in the modern era," he said. "He was a fighter for global democracy and a champion of economic and social development in many foreign countries." Carter’s most significant achievement as commander in chief was brokering peace between Israel and Egypt during the Camp David Accords, Moylan added. He said Carter's post-presidency efforts in undertaking peace negotiations, campaigning for human rights, and working for social welfare earned him the Nobel Peace Prize in 2002. Carter's wife, the late First Lady Rosalyn Carter, founded the Carter Center, a nonprofit institution. Together, the Carters advocated for mental health, caregiving, early childhood immunization, human rights, and conflict resolution through the Carter Center, Moylan added. "Their work will live on," Moylan added. Carter is survived by his four children, 11 grandchildren, and 14 great-grandchildren.

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Detroit (AP) — China will soon see a massive expansion of electric vehicle battery swapping, as global battery maker CATL said Wednesday it is investing heavily in stations there next year. Read this article for free: Already have an account? To continue reading, please subscribe: * Detroit (AP) — China will soon see a massive expansion of electric vehicle battery swapping, as global battery maker CATL said Wednesday it is investing heavily in stations there next year. Read unlimited articles for free today: Already have an account? Detroit (AP) — China will soon see a massive expansion of electric vehicle battery swapping, as global battery maker CATL said Wednesday it is investing heavily in stations there next year. Battery swapping is not new — but it’s had a challenging journey. Adoption of electric vehicles has varied in regions across the globe over the past several years, and that doesn’t always bode well for building new infrastructure. While the technology could do well in China, it’s uncertain whether it could work in other countries. What is battery swapping? Battery swapping allows EV drivers to pull into a station on a low battery and receive a swapped, fully-charged battery within minutes. An EV has to be equipped with the right technology to receive a swap — and not many models around the world currently have it. Automakers have to buy into the idea, and EV adoption among consumers also has to grow, so that investing in new infrastructure seems worthwhile. Consumers also have to be comfortable not owning their battery. Why could it work in China? China is much further along in adopting EVs than other countries. Not only is it the world’s largest auto market, but in July, the country hit a milestone with 50% of new sales electric — and it accounts for most of this year’s global EV sales. China supports EV growth through government subsidies and mandates. So it makes more sense for companies to invest in unique EV infrastructure there because that’s more likely to be needed. What other attempts at battery swapping have occurred? The most notable example might be Israeli startup Better Place, which tried its hand at swapping in 2007. But the company shut down a few years later after investing a lot of money and coming up against roadblocks with logistics. EV adoption was especially low at the time. Could it work in the United States? Europe? Startup Ample, for example, has a modular battery swapping station that it says can complete a swap in 5 minutes. That’s important as charging time remains a point of concern for prospective EV buyers. Even the fastest fast chargers could take at least 15 minutes for a decent charge. But in the U.S., pure EVs only accounted for 8% of new vehicle sales as of November. Meanwhile Nio, a rival Chinese EV brand, has about 60 swap stations in northern Europe, and the EV adoption is higher there than the U.S., but the same challenges remain. Different automakers put different batteries in their various EV models, so a station would need all of those available if the industry didn’t agree to a standardized battery, and not all of those models are out yet in volume. This is something that really needs scale. Swapping could help with EV cost — currently a barrier to adoption for many — because a driver wouldn’t necessarily own the most expensive part of an EV: the battery. Greg Less, director of the University of Michigan Battery Lab, said with proper framing and education, people might like the idea of battery swapping. To him, it’s not unlike buying a propane-fueled grill and purchasing a refilled tank every so often. But it would require a rethinking of car ownership. “Where I could see it working is if we went entirely away from vehicle ownership and we went to a use-on-demand model,” Less added. “I don’t think we’re there yet.” What vehicle uses might be b est for swapping? Battery swapping might make most sense for ride-sharing or other fleet vehicles. Drivers of buses, taxis, Uber or Lyft vehicles want to spend as much time on the road as possible, transporting customers and making money. If battery swapping can shorten the time needed to charge EVs, that makes driving one less disruptive to their business. ___ Winnipeg Jets Game Days On Winnipeg Jets game days, hockey writers Mike McIntyre and Ken Wiebe send news, notes and quotes from the morning skate, as well as injury updates and lineup decisions. Arrives a few hours prior to puck drop. Alexa St. John is an Associated Press climate solutions reporter. Follow her on X: @alexa_stjohn. Reach her at ast.john@ap.org. ___ Read more of AP’s climate coverage at http://www.apnews.com/climate-and-environment ___ The Associated Press’ climate and environmental coverage receives financial support from multiple private foundations. AP is solely responsible for all content. Find AP’s standards for working with philanthropies, a list of supporters and funded coverage areas at AP.org. Advertisement AdvertisementU.S.-based has launched its biometric scanner specially designed for infant and neo-natal identification in the Brazilian market. The Neo fingerprint scanner is currently being tested in four proof-of-concept initiatives in multiple Brazilian states, with more pending. Children’s biometrics are enrolled in hospital maternity wards shortly after birth, in part to . The strategic expansion is a key development for Synolo because the country is currently working towards regulations for infant and child identification, Co-founder CEO Greg Scott tells in an interview. There are no certifications or standards for infant biometrics yet, and FBI fingerprint technology certifications are for matching adults, but Brazil’s government has “established a committee that’s been working on the regulations associated with this,” Scott explains. “Brazil is the one place in the world that really has more than aspirations, its actually implementing infant IDs.” Originally, Brazil wanted rules for infant biometrics to be part of the certification framework for the new National Identity Card, the , Synolo Business Development Manager Rafael Lucchesi says during the same call. Lucchesi also points out that Brazil’s LGPD imposes a data protection standard “kind of like GDPR.” “We feel that if we’re successful in Brazil, that’s going to be the launching pad for the rest of the world,” Scott says. Distribution will be through the Synolo Solutions Provider Program, which is run by the company’s São Paulo-based team, which includes Lucchesi. The company was founded in 2021, spinning out of a from the University of California San Diego with Gates Foundation backing. Though there is not certification for fingerprint biometrics technology designed for children and newborns, Synolo’s technology has been evaluated in papers published by the and Nature, Gates OpenResearch and most recently in collaboration with CITeR. Synolo is also in the midst of collaborations with NIST, and the National Science Foundation to help with the development of standards for children’s fingerprint biometrics. | | | | | | |