panalo 999 Jake Paul’s Most Valuable Promotions said he’s “embracing the doubt” amid rumours that his and Mike Tyson’s showdown was rigged. In a lengthy statement released Monday, Paul, 27, vehemently denied that his unanimous decision win over 58-year-old Tyson on Nov. 15 was manipulated through their contractual agreements after both fighters faced backlash for putting on a lacklustre event. BOXING: INOUE VS GOODMAN | TUE 24 DEC 7PM AEDT | Australia’s Sam Goodman is set for a blockbuster Christmas Eve fight against undefeated Naoya ‘The Monster’ Inoue in Tokyo | Order Now with Main Event on Kayo Sports. “Rigging a professional boxing match is a federal crime in the United States of America. Paul vs. Tyson was a professional match sanctioned by the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulations (TDLR),” MVP said. “Both fighters in good faith performed to the best of their abilities with the goal of winning the fight. “There were absolutely no restrictions – contractual or otherwise – around either fighter. Each boxer was able to use his full arsenal to win the fight. Any agreement to the contrary would violate TDLR boxing rules.” MVP went on to say that it’s insulting to Paul and Tyson to suggest they didn’t go all out in the ring at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, where Cowboys owner Jerry Jones sat ringside. The company added that it wouldn’t have jeopardized what they are hoping to become a long-term partnership with Netflix. “Trash talk and speculation are common in sports, and athletes and promoters need to tolerate nonsensical commentary, jokes and opinions,” MVP said. “But suggesting anything other than full effort from these fighters is not only naïve but an insult to the work they put into their craft and to the sport itself. “It is further illogical and inane that MVP, in the debut of a hopeful long-term partnership with the world’s biggest streamer — an organization that made its first-ever foray into live professional sports with Paul vs. Tyson — would even so much as consider such a perverse violation of the rules of competition.” MVP co-founder Nakisa Bidarian added suggestions that the fight was rigged “is just the latest backhanded compliment to come [Paul’s] way” and that Paul has proved himself as a serious fighter.“ This event, which broke attendance and viewership milestones for a professional sporting event, is yet another example of his ability to deliver on the biggest stage,” Bidarian said. “As long as Jake continues to exceed expectations, there will always be those who try to discredit his achievements. We embrace the doubt—it only fuels Jake to work harder and achieve greater success.” Many believed Paul and Tyson’s highly anticipated showdown was a snoozefest because both fighters didn’t appear to give it their all in the ring. The former heavyweight champ seemed off balance and gassed in the final rounds. After the bout, Paul explained that he didn’t want to hurt the former heavyweight champ further. “I wanted to give the fans a show, but I didn’t want hurt someone who didn’t need to be hurt,” Paul said. “I didn’t wanna hurt someone that didn’t need to be hurt.” NFL Hall of Famer Michael Irvin, who was sitting in the second row behind Jones, claimed he heard people talking about a contract containing a clause that Tyson couldn’t utilize his famous uppercut — and that both fighters couldn’t go all out in the ring. DJ Whoo Kid, who said he spoke with Paul at an afterparty following the fight, claimed there were rules for the fight. Tyson landed 18 punches out of 97 and Paul connected on 78 out of 278 punches, according to the final results. Tyson reportedly earned $20 million for the fight, while Paul received $40 million. This story appeared on New York Post.JACKSONVILLE, Fla., Dec. 10, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Landstar System, Inc. (NASDAQ-LSTR), a technology-enabled, asset-light provider of integrated transportation management solutions delivering safe, specialized transportation logistics services, announced that on December 9, 2024, its Board of Directors has declared a special one-time cash dividend in the amount of $2.00 per share, payable on January 21, 2025, to stockholders of record as of the close of business on January 7, 2025. “Landstar’s strong balance sheet and free cash flow generation enable us to continue to return value to our stockholders,” said Landstar President and Chief Executive Officer Frank Lonegro. The Company purchased a total of 452,019 shares of its common stock at an aggregate cost of approximately $82.1 million during the first 11 months of its 2024 fiscal year. The Company also returned $120.5 million to stockholders in the form of cash dividends paid on shares of its common stock during the 2024 fiscal year. As previously reported, as of September 28, 2024, the Company had $531 million in cash and short-term investments. The Company intends to continue to use its available free cash flow to opportunistically purchase its stock under its stock purchase program. About Landstar: Landstar System, Inc., is a technology-enabled, asset-light provider of integrated transportation management solutions delivering safe, specialized transportation services to a broad range of customers utilizing a network of agents, third-party capacity providers and employees. Landstar transportation services companies are certified to ISO 9001:2015 quality management system standards and RC14001:2015 environmental, health, safety and security management system standards. Landstar System, Inc. is headquartered in Jacksonville, Florida. Its common stock trades on The NASDAQ Stock Market® under the symbol LSTR. Forward Looking Statements Disclaimer: The following is a “safe harbor” statement under the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Statements contained in this press release that are not based on historical facts are “forward-looking statements.” This press release contains forward-looking statements, such as statements which relate to Landstar’s business objectives, plans, strategies and expectations. Terms such as “anticipates,” “believes,” “estimates,” “intention,” “expects,” “plans,” “predicts,” “may,” “should,” “could,” “will,” the negative thereof and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements. Such statements are by nature subject to uncertainties and risks, including but not limited to: an increase in the frequency or severity of accidents or other claims; unfavorable development of existing accident claims; dependence on third party insurance companies; dependence on independent commission sales agents; dependence on third party capacity providers; the impact of the Russian conflict with Ukraine on the operations of certain independent commission sales agents, including the Company’s largest such agent by revenue in the 2023 fiscal year; decreased demand for transportation services; U.S. trade relationships; substantial industry competition; disruptions or failures in the Company’s computer systems; cyber and other information security incidents; dependence on key vendors; potential changes in taxes; status of independent contractors; regulatory and legislative changes; regulations focused on diesel emissions and other air quality matters; regulations requiring the purchase and use of zero-emission vehicles; intellectual property; and other operational, financial or legal risks or uncertainties detailed in Landstar’s Form 10-K for the 2023 fiscal year, described in Item 1A Risk Factors, and in other SEC filings from time to time. These risks and uncertainties could cause actual results or events to differ materially from historical results or those anticipated. Investors should not place undue reliance on such forward-looking statements, and the Company undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements.

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Acres commercial realty sees $51,650 in stock sales by Eagle PointUnisys Appoints Michael M. Thomson as Chief Executive OfficerAmid some Republican Party infighting, one GOP congressman is seeking to unite his caucus behind House Speaker Mike Johnson ahead of a pivotal vote that will decide whether he retains the gavel in 2025. Appearing Sunday on ABC's "This Week," Rep. Mike Lawler of New York said Republicans are "playing with fire" if they are considering replacing Johnson as speaker of the House, pointing to the chaotic removal of former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy last year. RELATED STORY | Trump endorses Speaker Johnson to retain House gavel in 2025 "The fact is that these folks are playing with fire," Lawler said. "And if they think they're somehow going to get a more conservative Speaker, they're kidding themselves." "We can't get anything done unless we have a Speaker — including certifying President Trump's election on January 6th," Lawler added. "So, to waste time over a nonsensical, intramural food fight is a joke." RELATED STORY | Upcoming Congressional committees take shape on Capitol Hill Johnson won a unanimous voice vote during nominations for House GOP Conference leadership in November, but now faces a formal vote in the House when the next Congress begins in January. He will need to secure 218 votes, which means he can't afford many defections from Republicans, who are currently projected to hold a slim majority with 220 seats.

INGLEWOOD — Clippers reserve guard Jordan Miller took his place at the key for shooting drills before Tuesday’s practice. During the drill, players pass the ball back and forth to each other. Just a routine drill or so he thought. Miller was about to toss the ball to the next player when he looked up and saw Kawhi Leonard ready to catch his pass. “I’m passing it to Kawhi. Oh, snap,” Miller said of his initial reaction to seeing the six-time All-Star on the court. Leonard took part in limited practice on Tuesday, his first appearance in team drills since last season when his right knee flared up during the playoffs. The two-time NBA Finals MVP has missed the first 25 games this season as he works his way back into playing shape after having an offseason knee procedure that left him dealing with inflammation . “He just kind of snuck his way onto the court, you know, very Kawhi-like,” Miller said. “It’s great to have another leader on the court. He’s been leading off the court, obviously, but for him to be in the drill, participating with us, it’s just a different feeling.” Clippers coach Tyronn Lue said Leonard looked “good” in practice, taking part in offensive and defensive work, but without contact. Lue added that while Leonard has gotten better, he will not play against the Denver Nuggets on Friday. Asked what boxes the 33-year-old forward still needs to check before he can suit up for a game, Lue said he needs to “do a lot more things to really get back on the floor. We just want to make sure he’s 100%; we don’t want to get him out there at 70%, 75%. “So, let’s just take our time, make sure we get it right. Like I said, our medical staff – with Maggie Bryant, Todd Wright, Jasen Powell – those guys have done a great job just making sure that he’s checking every box, not speeding through it, not skipping steps. We’re not going to let him skip steps.” Leonard’s surprise appearance, even in a limited capacity, was a morale boost for the rest of the team. “It gave us energy and like at this point, where we are, we can take all the energy we can get,” Miller said. “So, it’s good to have him back on the court. “At the end of the day, we all want the best for him. Whenever that is, whenever he can play with us, that’s great. But, at the end of the day, we just want what’s best for him.” Leonard, who sat out the entire 2021-22 season because of a torn ACL in his right knee and has missed 204 of a possible 460 games since joining the Clippers in 2019, did not speak to reporters. Like the rest of the team, Lue could sense a change at the Clippers’ training facility. “It raised our energy just for our guys to see him on the floor,” Lue said. “It brought a juice to our team, so we needed that jolt, especially going through the schedule we’ve been through, so it was really good to see him out there.” The Clippers have been able to stay competitive in the stacked Western Conference without their star player. Although they have dropped their past two games, including a 28-point blowout to the Minnesota Timberwolves, the Clippers (14-11) are sixth in the conference and limiting opponents to a fifth-best 107.4 points per game. That will enable Leonard to take a slower approach to getting back into the flow. He will not have to carry the team right away and return to averaging 23.7 points, 6.1 rebounds and 3.6 assists like he did last season before suffering knee problems. “But at some point, you need him to be Kawhi Leonard,” Lue said. “I think he can do that. And just seeing the year he had last year – playing 68 games – and how he played at a really high level. So, we just got to get him back to that. It’s going to take some time, and he can’t get frustrated with the process.” The Clippers got more good news as All-Star point guard James Harden (groin), guard Amir Coffey (shoulder), guard Kris Dunn (illness) and backup center Mo Bamba (injury management) all took part in Tuesday’s practice. Harden, Coffey and Bamba all sat out Sunday night’s loss to the Houston Rockets. Dunn played 22 minutes but came down with an unspecified illness. Forward Derrick Jones Jr. was diagnosed with a right hamstring strain and will be re-evaluated in two weeks.Parkit Enterprise Inc. ( CVE:PKT – Get Free Report ) dropped 3.5% on Friday . The stock traded as low as C$0.55 and last traded at C$0.55. Approximately 26,037 shares traded hands during trading, a decline of 48% from the average daily volume of 50,216 shares. The stock had previously closed at C$0.57. Parkit Enterprise Stock Performance The firm’s 50 day simple moving average is C$0.63 and its 200-day simple moving average is C$0.60. The company has a market capitalization of C$122.88 million, a price-to-earnings ratio of -27.50 and a beta of 1.97. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 116.60, a quick ratio of 5.35 and a current ratio of 2.95. Insider Activity In other Parkit Enterprise news, Director Robert Blair Tamblyn sold 60,000 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, October 11th. The shares were sold at an average price of C$0.67, for a total value of C$40,200.00. Also, Director Bradley Roy Dunkley bought 1,000,000 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction on Tuesday, October 1st. The shares were bought at an average cost of C$0.70 per share, with a total value of C$699,800.00. 39.47% of the stock is currently owned by corporate insiders. About Parkit Enterprise Parkit Enterprise is an industrial real estate platform focused on the acquisition, growth and management of strategically located industrial properties across key urban markets in Canada. The firm has parking assets across various markets in the United States of America. The firm seeks to invest in the United States. Read More Receive News & Ratings for Parkit Enterprise Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Parkit Enterprise and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter .

Department of Justice (DOJ) Inspector General Michael Horowitz on Tuesday found that the Justice Department in 2017 secretly surveilled lawmakers, congressional staffers, and reporters. CNN reported that the Justice Department, in 2017, during Trump’s first term in office, secretly obtained records of Reps. Adam Schiff (D-CA) and Eric Swalwell (D-CA), Patel – who was at the time a Republican staffer for the House Intelligence Committee – as well as 21 Democrat congressional staffers, 20 Republican staffers (including Patel,) two nonpartisan congressional staffers, and eight reporters. President-elect Donald Trump has nominated Patel to serve as the FBI Director. Career prosecutors at the Justice Department sought records, including emails from journalists at CNN, the Washington Post , and the New York Times . Horowitz wrote that seeking these communications based on “the close proximity in time between access to classified information and subsequent publication of the information... risks chilling Congress’s ability to conduct oversight of the executive branch.” He added, saying that such a move: ...exposes congressional officials to having their records reviewed by the Department solely for conducting Congress’ constitutional authorized oversight duties and creating, at a minimum, the appearance of inappropriate interference by the executive branch in legitimate oversight activity by the legislative branch. Horowitz did not find retaliatory motivation by the career prosecutors who issued the compulsory process of the lawmakers, staffers, and reporters, nor was the motivation based on party affiliation. He did not recommend charges again anyone in their review. The IG report found that the Justice Department did not disclose that the NDOs focused on lawmakers and congressional staffers, although Justice Department policy at the time did not require that. The Inspector General’s report recommended the Justice Department: Evaluate when advance notification to a senior Department, such as the Deputy Attorney General or Attorney General, should be required before compulsory process is issued to consider raising constitutional separation of issues Consider the circumstances in which NDOs should identify for the reviewing judge that the records covered by a proposed NDO are records of lawmakers or congressional staffers Consider whether there are circumstances in which an exhaustion requirement should be a requisite for issuing compulsory process to obtain records of members of Congress and congressional staffers The Justice Department also reportedly failed to comply with the Department’s News Media Policy, which includes: Specifically, DOJ failed to convene the News Media Review Committee to consider the compulsory process authorization requests; DOJ did not obtain the required Director of National Intelligence (DNI) certification in one investigation, and we were unable to confirm whether the DNI certification it obtained in another investigation was provided to the Attorney General before he authorized the request; and DOJ did not obtain the Attorney General’s express authorization for the NDOs that were sought for the compulsory process issued in the investigations. Patel has complained about the situation before, writing in a newsletter, “The DOJ illegally spied on me during the Russia Gate investigation!” He has since sued the Justice Department for secretly seeking access to his personal email account. Sean Moran is a policy reporter for Breitbart News. Follow him on X @SeanMoran3 .Jimmy Carter, 39th US president, Nobel winner, dies at 100WASHINGTON (AP) — Federal prosecutors moved Monday to dismiss the criminal charges against President-elect Donald Trump that accused him of plotting to overturn the 2020 election and to abandon the classified documents case against him, citing longstanding Justice Department policy that says sitting presidents cannot face criminal prosecution. The decision by special counsel Jack Smith, who had fiercely sought to hold Trump criminally accountable for his efforts to subvert the 2020 election, represented the end of the federal effort against the former president following his election victory this month despite the election-related cases and multiple other unrelated criminal charges against him and is headed back to the White House. The decision, revealed in court filings, also amounts to a predictable but nonetheless stunning conclusion to criminal cases that had been seen as the most perilous of the multiple legal threats Trump has faced. It reflects the practical consequences of Trump’s victory, ensuring he enters office free from scrutiny over his hoarding of top secret documents and his efforts to overturn the 2020 presidential election he lost to Democrat Joe Biden. Smith’s team emphasized that the move to abandon the prosecutions, in federal courts in Washington and Florida, was not a reflection of their view on the merits of the cases but rather a reflection of their commitment to longstanding department policy. “That prohibition is categorical and does not turn on the gravity of the crimes charged, the strength of the Government’s proof, or the merits of the prosecution, which the Government stands fully behind,” the prosecutors wrote in Monday’s court filing in the election interference case. The decision was expected after Smith's team began assessing how to wind down both the 2020 election interference case and the separate classified documents case in the wake of Trump's victory over Vice President Kamala Harris. The Justice Department believes Trump can no longer be tried in accordance with longstanding policy that says sitting presidents cannot be prosecuted. Trump has cast both cases as politically motivated, and had vowed to fire Smith as soon as he takes office in January. The 2020 election case brought last year was once seen as one of the most serious legal threats facing the Republican as he vied to reclaim the White House. But it quickly stalled amid legal fighting over Trump’s sweeping claims of immunity from prosecution for acts he took while in the White House. The U.S. Supreme Court in July ruled for the first time that former presidents have broad immunity from prosecution, and sent the case back to U.S. District Judge Tanya Chutkan to determine which allegations in the indictment, if any, could proceed to trial. The case was just beginning to pick up steam again in the trial court in the weeks leading up to this year’s election. Smith’s team in October filed a lengthy brief laying out new evidence they planned to use against him at trial, accusing him of using “resorting to crimes” in an increasingly desperate effort to overturn the will of voters after he lost to Biden. Associated Press writer Colleen Long contributed to this story.

President Jimmy Carter recognized there was political value for a young congressman to be seen in proximity to the president. President Jimmy Carter, with U.S. Rep. John Cavanaugh right behind him as Carter suggested, is greeted on the tarmac by Gen. Richard H. Ellis after exiting Air Force One at SAC on Oct 22, 1977. So as Air Force One landed at Offutt Air Force Base in 1977 during Carter’s first presidential visit to the state, he offered Omaha congressman John Cavanaugh a little advice just before they exited the plane. “Stay close, John,” he said. Sure enough, the hundreds who had gathered on the tarmac to greet the president also saw Cavanaugh right in Carter’s shadow, which got Cavanaugh featured in news photos from the day. President Jimmy Carter never enjoyed much electoral success in Nebraska. The Democrat lost to Omaha native Gerald Ford in 1976 and conservative icon Ronald Reagan in 1980. But both during his four years as president and his many years after as an international champion of peace, the modest peanut farmer from Georgia gained a lot of admirers. Cavanaugh and other Nebraskans who met Carter described the former president — who died Sunday, according to his son and multiple news reports — as a kind and genuine man with a personality that sparkled as much as his signature wide-toothed grin. “What a wonderful person,” recalled Cavanaugh, a Democrat whose two terms in the House of Representatives coincided with Carter’s 1977-1981 term as president. Preston Love Jr. of Omaha also mourned Carter’s death at age 100. The North Omaha civic leader and recent Democratic candidate for U.S. Senate had the chance to meet the former president at Carter's home in 1983 as a then-staffer for Rev. Jesse Jackson. “I mourn the fact that he, to this date, has not received his due — as president, and for his post presidential exploits, which have been enormous,” Love said in 2023. Amanda Brewer, Habitat for Humanity of Omaha CEO, met Carter while volunteering to help build a Habitat home in Georgia in 1998 — an encounter that helped to inspire her to a career with the charity. "I think his legacy, and inspiration to me, is that everyone has the ability to make a difference," she said. Carter first came to Nebraska during campaign trips in 1975 and 1976. He had been doing a lot of campaigning across the Missouri River for the Iowa caucuses, the first test of the presidential election cycle. In fact, Carter ultimately wrote the book on how to use early success in Iowa and New Hampshire to propel a bid for a presidential party nomination. Carter was elected in November 1976, though in Nebraska incumbent Ford pulled in 59% of the vote and prevailed in 89 of the state’s 93 counties. Carter that spring also narrowly finished second to Frank Church of Idaho in the Nebraska Democratic primary. Carter’s first visit to the state as president came on Oct. 22, 1977, when he flew into Omaha to tour the Strategic Air Command headquarters at Offutt. At the time, tensions with the Soviet Union were high. The chance that a nuclear war could be waged one day from SAC’s bunker south of Omaha was very real. Carter received a tour of both the underground command post and the doomsday plane that could launch the nation’s nuclear arsenal in a time of emergency. He also picked up the “red phone” and spoke a message of thanks to SAC servicemen around the globe for their work to prevent “the possible destruction of our nation.” At the time, there was a little internal tension within SAC, too. Carter had recently canceled the B-1 bomber program, which was strongly supported by Gen. Richard H. Ellis, the SAC Commander. Carter didn’t back off the decision. He was focused on reducing the deficit at a time of high inflation. He felt the B-1 had been made obsolete by the development of accurate cruise missiles that could fly the same speed and distance and a new generation of B-2 stealth bombers that was on the drawing table. A display at SAC headquarters had included a model of the B-1. Before the president’s visit, it was replaced with a model of a B-52. Carter also toured a B-52 on the Offutt runway. (Reagan as president revived the B-1.) Cavanaugh was given the opportunity to fly into Omaha with Carter. The two talked about depressed farm prices, a chief concern in Nebraska, and the president’s energy bill during the flight. Carter stopped in Nebraska again during a cross-country flight on June 10, 1980, to tour tornado-ravaged Grand Island. A week earlier, a freakish storm sent at least seven tornadoes descending on the city, killing five, injuring 200 and destroying or damaging nearly a third of the city. Touring the devastation with then-Gov. Charles Thone, Carter’s motorcade stopped in front of what had once been the home of Del Kosmicki. The Grand Island man told the president everyone was working together in the recovery. Carter then crossed the street and stood atop the foundation of another former home to speak. Against a backdrop of shattered houses and stripped-bare trees, he told those gathered that God had blessed them by minimizing the damage. He encouraged them to keep their selfless attitudes during the rebuilding to come. "He was very genuine and sincere," Kosmicki told the Grand Island Independent. "I thought he did a really good job." Reagan’s Nebraska campaign chair called Carter’s visit an election-year political stunt. But Thone, a Republican, defended it as a sincere effort by the president to buoy spirits in the city. Later that year, Reagan swept Nebraska with 65% of the vote. Reagan’s landslide victory nationally sent Carter back to his farm in Plains, Georgia. But the loss certainly didn't send Carter into retirement. Carter worked for decades as an international ambassador for peace and human rights, creating an all-new model for post-presidential life. Love had the chance to meet Carter in Plains in 1983. At the time, Love was the lone staffer to Rev. Jesse Jackson as he registered voters in the South and laid the groundwork for Jackson's bid for president in 1988. Carter and his wife Rosalynn were gracious hosts, Love said, providing insight into the presidency and its history and even giving the visitors a tour of the peanut operation. “While President Carter encouraged Rev. Jackson to pursue a run for president, he was very clear and forthright about the pitfalls and the realities of doing such,” Love said. “I felt after meeting him in that situation, a tremendous like and respect for the man.” Amanda Brewer, left, with Rosalynn and Jimmy Carter and Brewer's mother, Kathy Jedlicka. Brewer recalled Carter as a down-to-earth and compassionate man when she met him in 1998 while she and her mom volunteered at a Habitat home in Americus, Georgia, near Plains. Carter and his wife, who died in November 2023, had fully embraced the charity. They became among its biggest advocates and fundraisers, and even picked up hammers and saws themselves. That day, the Carters were going around thanking all the volunteers. "He used his influence, rolled up his sleeves and was willing to do the work," Brewer said. "His values aligned with Habitat's values of putting your faith in action and doing something to make the world a better place." As president, Carter will likely be best known for brokering the peace deal between Egypt and Israel. It was a prelude to his work once out of office. Cavanaugh was present on the White House lawn when the parties signed the Camp David Accords. Carter won the 2002 Nobel Peace Prize "for his decades of untiring effort to find peaceful solutions to international conflicts, to advance democracy and human rights, and to promote economic and social development." But Cavanaugh said Carter actually accomplished a lot domestically, much of it overshadowed by the Iran hostage crisis and continued economic problems that largely doomed his re-election bid. With his high ethics, Carter was also the right man to lead the nation into the post-Watergate era, Cavanaugh said. “He was always kind, hard-working and thoughtful,” Cavanaugh said. “He was just a sweetheart.” President Jimmy Carter shakes hands during a visit at Offutt Air Force base on Oct. 22, 1977. Capt. David L. Young gives a tour of a B-52 to President Jimmy Carter at Offutt Air Force Base on Oct. 22, 1977. President Jimmy Carter visits Strategic Air Command on Oct 22, 1977. 1977: SAC Commander-in-Chief Gen. Richard H. Ellis leads President Jimmy Carter past experts who man the command post console at Offutt Air Force Base. President Jimmy Carter speaks at the Grand Island airport on June 10, 1980. From left are Nebraska Gov. Charles Thone, Maj. Gen. Edward Binder of the Nebraska National Guard and Grand Island Mayor Bob Kriz. Carter's visit came after seven tornadoes touched down in or near the city, killing five people and injuring 200 on the night of June 3. President Jimmy Carter gives a speech near the destroyed home of Dennis Williams home at 707 Joehnck Road in Grand Island on June 10, 1980. Seven tornadoes touched down in or near the city that, killing five people and injuring 200. President Jimmy Carter gives a speech near the destroyed home of Dennis Williams home at 707 Joehnck Road in Grand Island on June 10, 1980. Seven tornadoes touched down in or near the city that, killing five people and injuring 200. Grand Island Mayor Bob Kriz, Nebraska Gov. Charles Thone and Jimmy Carter at the Grand Generation Center on June 10, 1980. Seven tornadoes touched down in or near the city that, killing five people and injuring 200. Former President Jimmy Carter receives an honorary degree from Creighton University in September 1987. Jimmy Carter speaks in Omaha on June 6th, 1975 during his run for president. President Jimmy Carter, with U.S. Rep. John Cavanaugh right behind him as Carter suggested, is greeted on the tarmac after exiting Air Force One at SAC on Oct 22, 1977. President Jimmy Carter at the Grand Generation Center on On June 10, 1980, a week after seven tornadoes touched down in or near the city that night, killing five people and injuring 200. Jimmy Carter holds a cigar tube full of dimes given to him by teen-aged supporters in Omaha on May 8th, 1976 during his run for president. Jimmy Carter in Grand Island May 9, 1976 during his run for president. Jimmy Carter speaks in Omaha on May 31, 1974, a prelude to his run for president. cordes@owh.com , ​402-444-1130, twitter.com/henrycordes Get local news delivered to your inbox!LeBron James at 40: A milestone birthday arrives Monday for the NBA's all-time scoring leader When LeBron James broke another NBA record earlier this month, the one for most regular-season minutes played in a career, his Los Angeles Lakers teammates handled the moment in typical locker room fashion. They made fun of him. Dubbed The Kid from Akron, with a limitless future, James is now the 40-year-old from Los Angeles with wisps of gray in his beard, his milestone birthday coming Monday, one that will make him the first player in NBA history to play in his teens, 20s, 30s and 40s. He has stood and excelled in the spotlight his entire career. 'Sonic 3' and 'Mufasa' battle for No. 1 at the holiday box office Two family films are dominating the holiday box office, with “Sonic the Hedgehog 3” winning the three-day weekend over “Mufasa” by a blue hair. According to studio estimates Sunday, the Sonic movie earned $38 million, while “Mufasa” brought in $37.1 million from theaters in the U.S. and Canada. The R-rated horror “Nosferatu” placed third with an unexpectedly strong $21.2 million. Thanksgiving release holdovers “Wicked” and “Moana 2” rounded out the top five. Christmas Day had several big film openings, including the Bob Dylan biopic “A Complete Unknown,” the Nicole Kidman erotic drama “Babygirl” and the boxing drama “The Fire Inside.” Belgium will ban sales of disposable e-cigarettes in a first for the EU BRUSSELS (AP) — Belgium will ban the sale of disposable electronic cigarettes as of Jan. 1 on health and environmental grounds in a groundbreaking move for European Union nations. Health minister Frank Vandenbroucke tells The Associated Press that the inexpensive e-cigarettes have turned into a health threat since they are an easy way for teenagers to be drawn into smoking and get hooked on nicotine. Australia outlawed the sale of “vapes” outside pharmacies earlier this year in some of the world’s toughest restrictions on electronic cigarettes. Now Belgium is leading the EU drive. Belgium's minister wants tougher tobacco measures in the 27-nation bloc. Charles Dolan, HBO and Cablevision founder, dies at 98 Charles F. Dolan, who founded some of the most prominent U.S. media companies including Home Box Office Inc. and Cablevision Systems Corp., has died at age 98. Newsday reports that a statement issued Saturday by his family says Dolan died of natural causes. Dolan’s legacy in cable broadcasting includes founding HBO in 1972, Cablevision in 1973 and the American Movie Classics television station in 1984. He also launched News 12 in New York City, the first U.S. 24-hour cable channel for local news. Dolan also held controlling stakes in companies that owned Madison Square Garden, Radio City Music Hall, the New York Knicks and the New York Rangers. Snoop's game: Snoop Dogg thrills the crowd in the bowl that bears his name TUCSON, Ariz. (AP) — Miami of Ohio beat Colorado State in the Arizona Bowl, but Snoop Dogg was the main attraction. The Snoop Dogg Arizona Bowl presented by Gin & Juice by Dre and Snoop was much a spectacle as a football game. Snoop Dogg seemed to be everywhere all at once, from a pregame tailgate to the postgame trophy presentation. Snoop Dog donned a headset on Colorado State's sideline, spent some time in the broadcast and even led both marching bands as conductor during their halftime performance. Snoop Dogg saved the best for last, rolling out in a light green, lowrider Chevy Impala with gold rims and accents, the shiny Arizona Bowl trophy in his hand as fans screamed his name. Mavs star Luka Doncic is latest pro athlete whose home was burglarized, business manager says DALLAS (AP) — Luka Doncic of the Dallas Mavericks is the latest professional athlete whose home has been burglarized. The star guard’s business manager tells multiple media outlets there was a break-in at Doncic’s home Friday night. Lara Beth Seager says nobody was home, and Doncic filed a police report. The Dallas Morning News reports that jewelry valued at about $30,000 was stolen. Doncic is the sixth known pro athlete in the U.S. whose home was burglarized since October. Star NFL quarterbacks Patrick Mahomes of Kansas City and Joe Burrow of Cincinnati are among them. The NFL and NBA have issued security alerts to players over the break-ins. Victor Wembanyama plays 1-on-1 chess with fans in New York Victor Wembanyama went to a park in New York City and played 1-on-1 with fans on Saturday. He even lost a couple of games. Not in basketball, though. Wemby was playing chess. Before the San Antonio Spurs left New York for a flight to Minnesota, Wembanyama put out the call on social media: “Who wants to meet me at the SW corner of Washington Square park to play chess? Im there,” Wembanyama wrote. It was 9:36 a.m. And people began showing up almost immediately. Norwegian chess grandmaster Magnus Carlsen quits a tournament in a dispute over jeans NEW YORK (AP) — The International Chess Federation says top ranked player Magnus Carlsen has left the World Rapid and Blitz Chess Championships after refusing to change out of the jeans he wore to the competition. The federation said Friday that its regulations include a dress code that bars participants from wearing jeans at the event. The Norwegian chess grandmaster says he accepted a $200 fine but refused to change his pants out of principle before leaving the competition in New York. The federation said the dress code is designed to ensure professionalism and fairness for all participants. Trailblazing model Dayle Haddon dies from suspected carbon monoxide poisoning NEW HOPE, Pa. (AP) — A trailblazing former “Sports Illustrated” model who pushed back against age discrimination has died in a Pennsylvania home from what authorities believe was carbon monoxide poisoning. Authorities in Bucks County found 76-year-old Dayle Haddon, dead in a second-floor bedroom Friday morning after emergency dispatchers were notified about a person unconscious at the Solebury Township home. A 76-year-old man who was also in the home was hospitalized in critical condition. As a model, Haddon appeared on dozens of magazine coverage in the 1970s and 1980s. She then reentered the industry in the 1990s after landing contracts with cosmetic companies to promote their anti-aging products. 2 Oregon men die from exposure in a forest after they went out to look for Sasquatch STEVENSON, Wash. (AP) — Officials say two Oregon men have died in a Washington state forest after they failed to return from a trip to look for Sasquatch. The Skamania County Sheriff’s Office says the 59-year-old and 37-year-old appear to have died from exposure. The sheriff's office says it based that conclusion on the weather and their lack of preparedness. Both men were from Portland. They were found in a heavily wooded area of the Gifford Pinchot National Forest northeast of that city. Family reported them missing after they failed to return from a Christmas Eve outing. Sasquatch is a folkloric beast thought by some to roam the forests, particularly in the Pacific Northwest.

Fifty million reasons for people in one state to check their lotto ticketsA winless run through the Maui Invitational led to predictions of UConn’s demise after two straight national championships. Not so fast. Re-energized by a return trip home, the Huskies showed they’re still a formidable team with an impressive win over Baylor. UConn carried the momentum from that to Austin, where the Huskies beat Texas by 11. The pair of victories held a lot of sway with AP Top 25 voters, who moved the Huskies up seven spots to No. 18 in this week’s poll. “Maybe the people with the shovels and the dirt, maybe they were too quick to grab the shovel and throw the dirt on us,” UConn coach Dan Hurley said. The Huskies have another big game on Saturday, facing No. 8 Gonzaga at Madison Square Garden. The Zags have some impressive wins this season, including a blowout of Baylor and two victories at The Battle 4 Atlantis. Gonzaga is coming off one of college basketball’s best games of the early season, a 90-89 loss to No. 5 Kentucky in Seattle. Both teams will have at least six days to prepare for the game in the Garden, so it will likely be must-watch TV. Surging Cyclones Iowa State had its highest preseason ranking at No. 5 and, after a two-point loss to No. 2 Auburn, have climbed to their highest ranking in decades. The Cyclones beat No. 6 Marquette by 11 and blew out Jackson State, earning them a No. 3 ranking in this week’s poll — highest since 1956-57. Keshon Gilbert was named the Big 12 player of the week after scoring 24 points and adding seven assists in the win over Marquette. Iowa State has what should be an emotional game on Thursday, playing at rival Iowa. The Hawkeyes are off to a solid start at 7-2, but are coming off a two-point loss No. 14 Michigan. Vols on top Tennessee lost four starters from last year’s SEC championship team, but it has done nothing to slow the Vols down. Led by dynamic senior guard Chaz Lanier, Tennessee (8-0) is off to its best start since opening the 2000-01 season 9-0 and is No. 1 in the NET rankings. The Vols moved to No. 1 for the first time since 2018-19 season, moving up two spots after Kansas lost twice and Auburn lost to No. 4 Duke. “It doesn’t mean a whole lot other than its a compliment to the start we’ve gotten off to and it’s a compliment to them,” Vols coach Rick Barnes said. “They’ve certainly worked hard and they want to be No. 1, but they want to be No. 1 at the end of the year.” Tennessee kicked off its first week at No. 1 against Miami at Madison Square Garden on Tuesday, then heads to Champaign to face a tough Illinois team on Saturday. Aggies and Boilermakers No. 11 Purdue has handled losing two-time AP player of the year Zach Edey quite well. The Boilermakers already have wins over two ranked teams — No. 7 Alabama and No. 19 Ole Miss — and big man Trey Kaufman-Renn has been superb, averaging 18.9 points and 6.7 rebounds per game. Purdue gets another ranked team at home on Saturday. No. 17 Texas A&M opened the season with a loss to UCF, but has wins over Ohio State and Creighton. The Aggies knocked off Texas Tech in their last game and have one of the Big 12’s best guards in Wade Taylor IV, who’s averaging 16.1 points, 4.5 assists and 3.5 rebounds per game. Ratings variations The NET rankings released by the NCAA on Monday matched AP voters with Tennessee and Auburn at 1-2. KenPom came to a different conclusion, rating the Tigers ahead of the Vols. Bart Torvik came to a different conclusion completely, rating Houston — No. 15 in the AP poll — at No. 1, followed by Duke. Auburn was No. 3 and Tennessee right behind. The NET was much higher on Gonzaga, ranking the Zags third while they’re No. 8 in the AP poll. KenPom has Gonzaga fourth, behind Duke, with Bart Torvik putting the Zags fifth. Be the first to know Get local news delivered to your inbox!

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Luigi Mangione, the man UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson in Manhattan onDec. 4, faces five charges in New York, including murder. The grandson of a real estate developer, Mangione, 26, comes from a wealthy family, is an Ivy League graduate and was the valedictorian of his ritzy Baltimore prep school, . Mangione has yet to be convicted. But in the spirit of his alleged crimes, we’re looking at other white people who famously turned to crime despite (and often because) being wealthy. 2 / 15 Menendez Brothers Menendez Brothers Erik and Lyle Menendez, who are of white and Hispanic lineage, are currently in a California prison serving life sentences without the possibility of parole for shooting their parents to death in 1989. They were living in a Beverly Hills mansion shortly before the murders. Prosecutors theorized the pair committed the act out of fear from being excluded from their inheritance. 3 / 15 Bling Ring Members Bling Ring Members The Bling Ring consisted of Alexis Haines, Rachel Lee, Nick Prugo, Courtney Ames, Diana Tamayo, Johnny Ajar and Roy Lopez. It was a California-based crime group who broke into and stole from celebrity homes between 2008 and 2009. They targeted homes in Hollywood and Calabasas, stealing more than $3 million in stolen cash and personal items. 4 / 15 Lori Loughlin and Felicity Huffman (College Admissions Scammers) Lori Loughlin and Felicity Huffman (College Admissions Scammers) In 2019, federal prosecutors said 50 people took part in a scheme that involved either cheating on standardized tests or bribing college coaches and school officials to accept students as college athletes—regardless if the student had ever played that sport. Actresses Lori Loughlin and Felicity Huffman were among the dozens of parents facing federal charges. 5 / 15 Sam Bankman-Fried Sam Bankman-Fried FTX founder Sam Bankman-Fried once ran one of the largest cryptocurrency exchanges in the world. In 2022, Bankman-Fried was criminally indicted for money laundering and fraud. He was sentenced to 25 years in prison. 6 / 15 Elizabeth Holmes Elizabeth Holmes Elizabeth Holmes, disgraced founder of failed blood-testing startup Theranos, went to prison in May 2023 after she was handed a 135-month prison sentence for defrauding investors out of hundreds of millions of dollars. 7 / 15 Michael Milken Michael Milken Michael Milken made a name in the finance world for his pioneering approach to high yield bond strategy for corporate mergers and acquisitions as an employee at the investment bank Drexel Burnham Lambert. In the late 1980s, Milken pleaded guilty to six counts of securities and tax violations during his time at Drexel. In addition to paying $600 million in fines, he served two years in prison. 8 / 15 Sherri Papini Sherri Papini Sherri Papini, the California mother of two, was reported missing in November 2016. She reappeared weeks later around 145 miles south of where she had vanished, with a chain around her waist and injuries officers claimed were self-inflicted. Papini kidnapped herself and was sentenced to 18 months in prison after pleading guilty to two counts of a 35-count indictment, admitting to mail fraud and lying to a law enforcement officer. 9 / 15 Martin Shkreli Martin Shkreli Martin Shkreli was convicted of lying to investors and scamming them out of millions of dollars in two unsuccessful hedge funds he operated. Shkreli was CEO of Turing Pharmaceuticals — later Vyera — when it increased the price of Daraprim from $13.50 to $750 per pill after obtaining exclusive rights to the drug in 2015. Shkreli was released from prison in 2022 after serving most of a seven-year sentence. 10 / 15 In May 2024, writer-producer Eric Weinberg was ordered to stand trial on 28 charges of rape and sexual assault. Weinberg, 63, wrote on shows like “Scrubs,” “Californication” and “Politically Incorrect” with Bill Maher. If convicted, he faces multiple life sentences. 11 / 15 Kyle Rittenhouse Kyle Rittenhouse Kyle Rittenhouse was 17 years old when he traveled to Wisconsin in 2020 as the city was dealing with protests stemming from a white police officer’s shooting of Jacob Blake, a Black man. Rittenhouse, armed with a Smith and Wesson AR-style semiautomatic rifle, shot and killed Joseph Rosenbaum, 36, and Anthony Huber, 26, and wounded Gaige Grosskreutz, 28. He was found not guilty on all charges. 12 / 15 Billy McFarland Billy McFarland Billy McFarland’s Fyre Fest in 2017 was an epic failure to hopeful attendees. It was also an event that that got McFarland sentenced to six years in prison on fraud charges. He was released in 2022 after having served four years, and continues to pay $26 million in restitution he owes for Fyre Fest. 13 / 15 Trevor Milton Trevor Milton Last year, Trevor Milton—founder of the electric vehicle start-up Nikola—was convicted by jurors in Manhattan on two counts of wire fraud and two counts of securities fraud. He was sentenced to four years in prison and was fined $1 million. 14 / 15 Donald Trump Donald Trump President-elect Donald Trump has been found liable of sexual assault, was convicted of 34 different felonies stemming from falsifying business records. In the past, he has been accused of refusing to renting apartments to Black people and was charged with election interference during the 2020 presidential election. 15 / 15The Contra Costa County Library system is piloting a new program designed to give patrons access to the Concord Library on Sundays, when the branch is normally closed. Related Articles Patrons who sign up for the Self-Service Sundays program in advance can enter the Concord Library from 12 to 4 p.m. Sundays starting Dec. 1. No staff will be on-site, but two security guards will be present to ensure that only patrons who have signed up for the service enter the library. Patrons can browse the collection and check out books, return items, pick up holds, connect to Wi-Fi and use the space for studying or reading. To sign up for the service, patrons must have a library card in good standing and a valid form of identification and must attend an in-person orientation and sign a user agreement. Approved patrons will scan their library cards at the door and use a unique PIN code to enter. More information is available online at . The Contra Costa library system’s early literacy outreach van, the Rolling Reader, will celebrate its first birthday in December. The van and outreach team had a very busy first year connecting with 12,950 people, handing out 7,068 books and driving 6,273 miles. The Rolling Reader visits underserved communities across the county where library staff present storytimes, hand out free books and crafts and provide activities focused on early literacy, small motor skills and STEM. This digital service gives users on-demand access to a vast collection of titles from O’Reilly (including eBooks in early release) and nearly 200 other publishers. Find videos, eBooks, resource centers, learning paths, case studies and playlists. Subject areas include information technology and software, business, digital media, professional and personal development and desktop and web applications. Enjoy this collection of music, dance and theater content spanning hundreds of genres and a wide range of subject types. It includes instructional videos, performances and more from leading providers such as the National Theatre, Royal Shakespeare Company, Qwest TV, Smithsonian, L.A. Theatre Works and Broadway On-Demand. Visit to sign up for a library card and get connected to books and resources. For questions about Contra Costa library services and programming or account information, contact the library system via email at , online chat at or text questions to 925-290-7627. 6 p.m. Dec. 3 in the Martinez Library. Join host Carolina Amor in creating a tarot and astrology community at the Martinez Library. Attendees will talk about tarot cards, cover different tarot spreads, do practice readings and discuss answers to questions. Registration is required. 12 p.m. Dec. 4 in the De Anza Gardens at 205 Pueblo Ave. in Bay Point. Join the county library system and Tandem, Partners in Early Learning, at a holiday book give-away celebration. The event will include free books for kids and teens, games, crafts and library card signups. No registration is required. All ages and abilities are welcome. The books are provided by the Book Rich Environment, a program of the National Book Foundation. 10 a.m. Dec. 10 at the Bay Point Regional Shoreline. Enjoy a nature walk with a naturalist followed by storytime with a librarian. This program is part of a special partnership between the library system and the East Bay Regional Park District. The meeting spot is Bay Point Regional Shoreline, at the end of McAvoy Road in Bay Point. 4:30 p.m. Dec. 11 in the Hercules Library. Paint scenes from a winter wonderland at an afternoon painting workshop for kids with local artist and educator Tatiana Ortiz. This program is for children and teens ages 6 to 18 years old. Registration is required.

While Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow was playing the "Monday Night Football" game against the Dallas Cowboys in Texas, his Anderson Township, Ohio, home was broken into, officials said Tuesday. The Hamilton County Sheriff's Office confirmed to ABC News that Burrow's house was burglarized shortly after 8 p.m. local time. One of Burrow's employees told deputies on the scene that when she arrived at his home she found a bedroom window broken and the room ransacked. Deputies cleared the house and the employee was able to give a general list of what was missing, according to officials. An investigation into the incident is ongoing and deputies have been in contact with Burrow's neighbors to see if any security footage was obtained of the burglary. The break-in at Burrow's Cincinnati residence follows a spate of incidents at fellow prominent NFL players' homes. However, a sheriff's department spokesperson said, at this time, there is no indication that this attempted robbery was part of the larger string of athlete robberies. Last month, the NFL issued a security alert to teams' security directors and the players' union warning of "organized and skilled criminals" that are increasingly targeting the homes of professional athletes. The NFL and other professional sports leagues received a briefing from the FBI, a source told ABC News at the time. The homes of Chiefs stars Patrick Mahomes and Travis Kelce were burglarized on consecutive days in October in the Kansas City area, according to the NFL memo. Additionally, the Minnesota home of former Vikings defensive tackle Linval Joseph, who now plays for the Dallas Cowboys, was targeted in a burglary in November, the NFL said. Law enforcement officials noted these groups target the homes on days the athletes have games. Players were told to take precautions and implement home security measures to reduce the risk of being targeted. Some of the burglary groups have conducted extensive surveillance on targets, including attempted home deliveries and posing as grounds maintenance or joggers in the neighborhood. Burglars have entered through side doors, via balconies or through second-floor windows. They've targeted homes in secluded areas and focused on master bedrooms and closet areas. Players were warned to avoid updating any social media with check-ins or daily activities until the end of the day and discouraged from posting expensive items on social media. ABC News' Jack Date and Darren Reynolds contributed to this report.Webuy Global Ltd ( NASDAQ:WBUY – Get Free Report ) saw a large decrease in short interest in December. As of December 15th, there was short interest totalling 1,400,000 shares, a decrease of 47.2% from the November 30th total of 2,650,000 shares. Currently, 5.3% of the shares of the company are short sold. Based on an average trading volume of 41,530,000 shares, the days-to-cover ratio is presently 0.0 days. Webuy Global Stock Performance NASDAQ WBUY opened at $0.18 on Friday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.03, a quick ratio of 1.14 and a current ratio of 1.16. Webuy Global has a 12 month low of $0.11 and a 12 month high of $0.82. The company’s 50 day moving average is $0.17 and its two-hundred day moving average is $0.15. Webuy Global Company Profile ( Get Free Report ) Recommended Stories Receive News & Ratings for Webuy Global Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Webuy Global and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter .

ATLANTA — On Jan. 20, 1981, after suffering a landslide defeat, former President Jimmy Carter returned home to rural Plains to what he called “an altogether new, unwanted, and potentially empty life.” By 1982, he had such a low profile that Time magazine called him “virtually a non-person, a president who never was.” But Carter would rewrite his legacy by turning to his implacable faith. It was, to him, an enduring source of comfort and inspiration, continuously helping guide him even through the most stunning setbacks — from losing elections to marital woes, an interminable hostage crisis in Iran and health crises in later life. His hometown of Plains wasn’t just Carter’s childhood home — it was his spiritual center. Upon his return after his presidential defeat, Carter, a third-generation Baptist, maintained his lifetime habit — teaching Sunday school at Maranatha Baptist Church. He made a cross that stood for years above the altar in his wood shop. As an active member, he took his turn cutting the church’s grass. And he applied his love-your-neighbor ethic to his work at the Carter Center. “He is not some pie-in-the-sky Christian. He is a down-to-earth Christian who sees the everyday challenges and applies his faith to practical problems,” said civil rights hero the Rev. Joseph Lowery in an October 2010 interview. “There is no question his commitment to peace is based on faith. His commitment to help the poor, his commitment to housing, you can attribute that to his faith. It was Christ’s challenge to serve the poor and he’s done that. I admire him for that.” In his 1996 book “Living Faith,” Carter wrote openly about problems in his marriage. Getting involved in the church in Plains helped him and his wife work though communication woes. “We found we could communicate through discussions of our religious faith better than we could without it,” he said. When they had problems in their marriage, they would kneel together, pray to God and both would tell their sides of the story. It was as if they used God as the ultimate marriage counselor, according to E. Stanly Godbold, a Carter historian and author of the book, “Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter: The Georgia Years, 1924 to 1974.” Faith played a role in 1978 when Carter held peace meetings between Egyptian President Anwar Sadat and Israeli Prime Minister Menachem Begin. Carter believed the common thread of religion helped bring the two sides together. “At Camp David, for instance, this is one of the main themes of Anwar Sadat, we had so much in common worshipping the same God that we could form a common foundation for peace,” Carter told the AJC in a 1996 interview. Break with Southern Baptists When Carter was running for president, he was an appealing candidate to Southern Baptists and other evangelicals — a small-town guy in the Bible belt, still married to the same woman and the first U.S. presidential candidate who self-identified as a born-again Christian. That terminology was new for swaths of America and resulted in news articles across the nation examining and explaining, often poorly, conservative Christian beliefs. It was also an early sign of the development of the political-religious organizations such as the Rev. Jerry Falwell’s Moral Majority that followed. The evangelical Christian vote helped elect Carter. But in just four years, the most famous face of the Baptist religion was at odds with the increasingly conservative-leaning Southern Baptist Convention. The nation’s largest Protestant denomination also was undergoing its own cultural changes. Through the 1980s, theologically and politically conservative leaders rallied voting members of the convention to sweep out moderates from leadership roles in churches, seminaries and colleges over their theological “liberalism.” Carter’s views on hot-button issues such as supporting women as leaders in the church made him increasingly unpopular among many Southern Baptists and other evangelicals. He later showed support for civil unions, and by 2018 for marriage of same sex couples. But in 1979, many of the conservatives who voted for him the first time deserted him for Ronald Reagan. In 2000, Carter severed ties to the Southern Baptist Convention, saying parts of its “increasingly rigid” doctrines violated the “basic premises of my Christian faith.” Carter went on to play a role in helping start an alternate association for progressive evangelical Black and white churches whose memberships and leaders were more moderate in their thinking and actions, such as installing women into pulpits and key church roles, and focusing on goals such as fighting poverty, and advocating for the environment and social causes. Carter used his weight to get the New Baptist Covenant and Cooperative Baptist Fellowship off the ground. In 2008, he helped bring together 20,000 Baptists representing more than 20 million church members for an Atlanta event designed to bury differences and work together. The tension was deep. The Southern Baptist Convention’s news service, Baptist Press, did not carry a news article about Carter winning the Nobel Peace Prize. “Carter didn’t change,” said Nancy T. Ammerman, a sociologist of religion at Boston University and author of “Baptist Battles.” “The definition of what it meant to be Southern and Baptist changed.” “One of the characteristics of being Baptist is this that you have to make decisions about how your life is going to go,” said Ammerman. “No priest can do it for you. There’s this deep-seated notion of individual freedom and individual accountability, and (that) gave him this fierce ability to be independent that has shaped his personality and career and has given him a strong commitment to democracy, various human rights issues and religious liberty.” An abiding faith Carter’s faith can be traced back to his childhood, a time when Sunday was devoted to church and biblical teachings. In his hometown of Plains, no stores were open on Sunday. Going to a movie theater or even playing cards on Sunday was out of the question. That devotion never faded. Well into his 90s, he was behind the pulpit teaching multiple Sundays every year to classes filled with people from around the nation and world who would drop in to hear the former president. One Sunday, Carter counted 28 nations represented in the pews. He would talk about God and loving your enemies, and then sprinkle stories of traveling around the globe, building houses and eradicating disease. He and Rosalynn would pose for pictures with visitors at the little church, a quintessential Jimmy Carter experience. Even as he contemplated his demise, he looked to his faith for guidance. In “Living Faith,” he wrote: “We can face death with fear, anguish, self-torment and unnecessary distress among those around us. Or, through faith and the promises of God, we can confront the inevitable with courage, equanimity, good humor and peace. Our last few days or months can be spent in a challenging and exhilarating way, seeking to repair relationships and to leave a good or even noble legacy, in an atmosphere of harmony and love.” ©2024 The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Visit at ajc.com . Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.G7 foreign ministers push for Israel-Hezbollah ceasefire in final G7 of Biden administration

FIBA 3x3 AmeriCup team includes 3 WNBA starters, 1 Ivy League standoutPublished 4:15 pm Friday, November 22, 2024 By Ernest Bowker Briarfield Academy's Ryder Jones (5), Jack Woodall and Calvin Barnes (56) celebrate with the MAIS Class 1A football championship trophy after beating Wilkinson County Christian Academy 32-18 for the state title on Friday. (Ernest Bowker/The Vicksburg Post) Wilkinson County Christian Academy's Deshun Smith tackles Briarfield Academy quarterback Brock Johnson (12) during the MAIS Class 1A championship game Friday in Jackson. (Ernest Bowker/The Vicksburg Post) Briarfield Academy offensive lineman Calvin Barnes (56) and his teammates run a play in the MAIS Class 1A championship game Friday against WCCA. (Ernest Bowker/The Vicksburg Post) Briarfield Academy cheerleaders root on their Rebels before the start of the MAIS Class 1A football championship game against Wilkinson County Christian Academy. (Ernest Bowker/The Vicksburg Post) Briarfield Academy's Hayden Smith (1) and WCCA's Deshun Smith (21) fight for a pass in the end zone during the MAIS Class 1A football championship game. (Ernest Bowker/The Vicksburg Post) Briarfield Academy football assistant coach Derrick Watson talks to Trecin Baker (9) on the sideline during the MAIS Class 1A football championship game against WCCA. (Ernest Bowker/The Vicksburg Post) Briarfield Academy cheerleaders stand at attention for the National Anthem before the start of the MAIS Class 1A football championship game against Wilkinson County Christian Academy. (Ernest Bowker/The Vicksburg Post) Wilkinson County Christian Academy defensive back Charles Grezaffi (12) tackles Briarfield Academy's Jack Woodall during the MAIS Class 1A championship game Friday in Jackson. (Ernest Bowker/The Vicksburg Post) Wilkinson County Christian Academy's Dax Doyle sacks Briarfield Academy quarterback Brock Johnson during the MAIS Class 1A championship game Friday in Jackson. (Ernest Bowker/The Vicksburg Post) Briarfield Academy football player Boone Sanderson (35) celebrates with a team manager after the Rebels beat Wilkinson County Christian Academy 32-18 to win the MAIS Class 1A championship on Friday. (Ernest Bowker/The Vicksburg Post) Briarfield Academy football head coach Beau Travis puts a gold state champion's medallion around the neck of Jack Martin after the Rebels beat Wilkinson County Christian Academy 32-18 on Friday to win the MAIS Class 1A title. (Ernest Bowker/The Vicksburg Post) Briarfield Academy football players and cheerleaders pose for a photo with the championship trophy and banner after beating Wilkinson County Christian Academy 32-18 on Friday to win the MAIS Class 1A title. (Ernest Bowker/The Vicksburg Post) JACKSON — Briarfield Academy has had to scratch, claw and grind for most of what it’s gotten this football season. The thing it wanted most was no exception. The Rebels got off to a slow start, then had a two-score lead evaporate in the second half before pulling away late to beat Wilkinson County Christian Academy 32-18 in the MAIS Class 1A championship game on Friday. It’s Briarfield’s (12-1) fourth MAIS eight-man football championship in eight years, and first since 2020. “It feels incredible. Incredible. I’ve never felt a feeling like this. I don’t think I’ve ever been so happy in my life,” said senior running back Ryder Jones, who had 125 total yards. “To get a two-score lead, and then they almost make a comeback, we get multiple penalties over and over, to go out and perform like that and put in some heart, it’s incredible. I wouldn’t trade it for anything.” After a scoreless first quarter, Briarfield found the end zone three times in the second to take a 20-6 halftime lead. Jack Woodall broke off a 77-yard touchdown run, and Trecin Baker and Brock Johnson also scored. WCCA (9-4) came out of the halftme break on fire, though. It recovered an onside kick to start the third quarter, as well as a fumble on Briarfield’s first play, and cashed in both opportunities. Jacob Sessions threw touchdown passes of 23 yards to Easton Buteaux and 25 yards to Charles Grezaffi to pull the Rams to within 20-18 with 4:04 left in the third quarter. WCCA’s two-point conversion attempts failed both times, as did another following its first touchdown in the second quarter. Briarfield coach Beau Travis said he knew that could be a factor after his Rebels beat WCCA 30-28 in the regular-season finale a month ago. “We kept them out and I think we got all but two. We knew the two-points were big because last time we won by two points. Hats off to our boys,” Travis said. As it turned out, Briarfield did the rest of the scoring. The Rebels answered WCCA’s comeback with a scoring drive of their own, capped by a 10-yard TD pass from Johnson to Hayden Smith that made it 26-18 with 1:09 left in the third quarter. In the fourth, after a WCCA drive inside the 10 ended on downs, the Rebels delivered the kill shot. On third-and-17 from their own 30, Smith got behind the secondary and Johnson hit him with a deep pass down the middle. Smith took it for a 70-yard touchdown and a 32-18 lead with 3:12 to go. “That play has worked almost every time we have run it this year,” Travis said. “You set them up by throwing screens, throwing screens, throwing screens, they look for the screen and you slip him out. You lull them to sleep and then hit them over the top.” Johnson finished 4-of-13 passing for the Rebels, for 149 yards and two touchdowns. He also had one rushing touchdown. Smith caught two passes for 80 yards and two TDs, and Woodall had 91 rushing yards and one TD. Briarfield’s defense was the real star, though. It had five sacks, forced two turnovers, and got key stops when it needed to. Although Sessions passed for 158 yards and three touchdowns, WCCA had two red zone drives end with no points. The last was midway through the fourth quarter, when an injury to Sessions was followed by a fumbled snap, two pre-snap penalties, and finally a sack. Jones had two of Briarfield’s sacks and 10 total tackles. Jack Martin led the Rebels with 12 tackles and one forced fumble. “That’s the way it’s been all year. We’ve always been a second half team. We always come back in the second half. It’s what we do, and what we do best,” Jones said. “When they started closing that gap it downed us a lot. A lot of guys started hanging their heads and I was trying to tell them to keep fighting and play with some heart, and eventually we did and we made some stuff happen.” Ernest Bowker is The Vicksburg Post's sports editor. He has been a member of The Vicksburg Post's sports staff since 1998, making him one of the longest-tenured reporters in the paper's 140-year history. The New Jersey native is a graduate of LSU. In his career, he has won more than 50 awards from the Mississippi Press Association and Associated Press for his coverage of local sports in Vicksburg.PARSIPPANY, NJ – November 25, 2024, Nov. 25, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Lincoln Educational Services Corporation (NASDAQ: LINC), a national leader in specialized technical training for more than 75 years, announces the graduation of eight new technicians from its specialized Johnson Controls International (JCI) Academy program at the Denver, CO campus. This is the first group to graduate from the Denver location; the JCI Academy has also operated at Lincoln’s Columbia, MD campus since the Fall of 2022. Since the inception of Lincoln Tech’s partnership with JCI in 2018, more than 500 students have graduated from Lincoln schools and gone straight to work at JCI locations across the country. “Our partnership with Johnson Controls enables us to broaden our innovative training programs, providing graduates with hands-on experience and direct pathways to careers that align with market needs,” says Scott Shaw, Lincoln Tech’s President and CEO. “We are proud to contribute to building a future-ready talent pool that ensures the efficient and sustainable operation of our building systems.” The graduating class celebrated its milestone on Friday, November 15 th at the Denver campus – when the ribbon was also officially cut on the Johnson Controls Academy classroom. The graduates – six of whom had previously attended Lincoln Tech, along with two current JCI employee who were advancing their skill sets – will move into positions at JCI branches in Alaska, Illinois, Kansas, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Texas and Utah. As entry-level technicians, they’ll begin careers installing, troubleshooting, repairing and maintaining fire and security alarm systems on JCI-operated buildings. Marcus Biart, a graduate of the Electrical and Electronic Systems Technology program at Lincoln Tech’s Mahwah campus, enrolled in the JCI Academy to further his training and will go on to a position at JCI’s Fort Worth, TX location. “I’ve never experienced anything like this before,” he told his fellow graduates when speaking at Friday’s ceremony. “JCI’s instructors were willing to teach me, and I was eager to learn. Thank you for giving a young man like me a chance.” Mike Schade, VP of Human Resources at Johnson Controls, was among the speakers to congratulate the graduates on their successes. “You all wanted to do something unique and exciting with your life,” Schade said. You had a vision. And vision is an important word here – at Johnson Controls not only do we want to have great technicians and help build their careers, we want to help build the trades for our economy and our country. The work we do saves lives and saves the planet.” The JCI Academy at Lincoln Tech provides six weeks of intensive hands-on training designed to close the skilled labor gap and prepare future technicians for security and fire installation and service roles. On-site housing for the duration of the program and relocation expenses upon completion are supported by Johnson Controls. To ensure smooth onboarding, graduates of the Johnson Controls Academy receive support from a retention coach for one year post-graduation. The collaboration between Johnson Controls and Lincoln Tech began in 2018, enhancing classroom experiences with cutting-edge equipment and technology. Johnson Controls is dedicated to workforce development from the K-12 level and throughout employees' careers. Through the partnership with Lincoln Tech and initiatives like the Community College Partnership Program, STEM 101, and HVAC learning labs, Johnson Controls equips schools with vital resources to develop smart, healthy, and sustainable buildings, benefiting students along the way. There are more than 800,000 positions projected to open nationwide for electricians and electronic systems technicians by 2033*, according to the U.S. Department of Labor’s Bureau of Labor Statistics. * Career growth projections can be found at onetonline.org for the years 2023-2033 and are current as of November 18, 2024. ### About Lincoln Educational Services Corporation Lincoln Educational Services Corporation is a leading provider of diversified career-oriented post-secondary education. Lincoln offers recent high school graduates and working adults career-oriented programs in five principal areas of study: automotive technology, health sciences, skilled trades, information technology, and hospitality services. Lincoln has provided the workforce with skilled technicians since its inception in 1946. Lincoln currently operates 22 campuses in 13 states under four brands: Lincoln Technical Institute, Lincoln College of Technology and Euphoria Institute of Beauty Arts and Sciences. Lincoln also operates Lincoln Culinary Institutes in both Maryland and Connecticut.For more information, go to lincolntech.edu. Contact Information Lincoln Educational Services Corporation Scott Watkins swatkins@lincolntech.edu About Johnson Controls At Johnson Controls (NYSE:JCI), we transform the environments where people live, work, learn and play. As the global leader in smart, healthy and sustainable buildings, our mission is to reimagine the performance of buildings to serve people, places and the planet. Building on a proud history of nearly 140 years of innovation, we deliver the blueprint of the future for industries such as healthcare, schools, data centers, airports, stadiums, manufacturing and beyond through OpenBlue, our comprehensive digital offering. Today, with a global team of 100,000 experts in more than 150 countries, Johnson Controls offers the world`s largest portfolio of building technology and software as well as service solutions from some of the most trusted names in the industry. Visit www.johnsoncontrols.com for more information and follow @Johnson Controls on social Platforms. Contact Information Johnson Controls International Kari Pfisterer (414) 217-1488 kari.b.pfisterer@jci.com Attachment JCI Academy Ribbon Cutting Ceremony at Lincoln Tech's Denver Campus

If you purchase an independently reviewed product or service through a link on our website, Rolling Stone may receive an affiliate commission. With the holidays around the corner, you’ve already got enough stress on your plate — braving the grocery stores for those last-minute ingredients you forgot, prepping bedrooms for relatives who overstay their welcome, figuring out just how much wrapping paper you need (and you know it’s never enough). So if you need some help checking off your gift-giving list, we’ve rounded up the most popular gifts of 2024 to suit any budget. Since you’re shopping in advance (good on you!), we’ve pulled together the hottest gifts of the year all in one place, from top-rated Amazon picks , to viral TikTok finds , and best-sellers from brands that we know and love. Seriously, there’s a reason why these really cool gifts have been topping everyone’s wishlists, and they run the gamut from highly-portable Bluetooth speakers , to a cat made out of LEGO bricks . There’s a little something for everyone here: your Gen Z gamer cousins, your audiophile in-laws, your style trend-savvy sister, and more. If the internet loved it this year, we found it — plus, most of these gifts can be found on Amazon , which is perfect for those last-minute shoppers whose best friend is next-day delivery. Read ahead for our 25+ popular Christmas gifts of 2024 that’ll be no-brainers for gifting. $478.00 $549 Apple-upgrading season has returned once again. While your giftee might be coveting new gadgets like the new iPhone 16 or the upgraded Apple Watch Series 10, there’s also never been a better time to upgrade their worse-for-wear cans. The AirPods Max wireless headphones are still a hot-ticket gift for a reason, featuring active noise cancellation and surround sound-like spatial audio tech that’ll let them listen to HiFi albums all day long — all packaged in a sleek, over-ear design that’s comfortable to wear. $58+ Thanks to style influencers and celebs like Hailey Bieber, bubble necklaces have been booming all across TikTok this year. So don’t bother heading to a stuffy jewelry boutique for something dainty — gift them a statement piece that’s as fun as it is elegant. One letter of Baublebar’s Bubble necklace is a solid pick, or stack two to create your giftee’s full initials. $195.00 $136.50 $195 30% off According to Google’s Holiday 100, searches for “overnight bag” take off every fall, and the jetsetters in your life will love this pick from Antler. Designed to fit neatly under the seat in front of you on a plane, the Chelsea Overnight Bag makes packing simple with plenty of slip pockets (including one for your laptop) and is designed with a suitcase pass-through sleeve to go hands-free. They can use it for their weekend getaways, or as extra luggage for the return leg of their holiday travels. $119.00 $149.00 20% off $119 $149 20% off Pint-sized Bluetooth speakers have been a popular gift for anyone who wants the ability to play their tunes on the go, but not all of them are equipped to keep the party going outdoors. That’s where the second generation of Bose’s SoundLink Flex comes in — it’s a powerhouse portable speaker line with not just stellar sound, but a water-resistant exterior and a 12-hour battery life. $48.00 $48 You might know Boy Smells as the Kacey Musgraves candle store, but influencers have been loving their heady, sensual scents and playful releases all year. Just shy of $50, pick up the brand’s Cowboy Kush Candle for anyone who’s looking to curate the rustic home vibes of “enjoying a joint at the rodeo.” With notes of soft suede, spiced saffron, and puffs of pot leaf, it’ll make them feel like their sparking one up on the Yellowstone Dutton Ranch. $24.00 It’s hard to talk about skincare these days without someone bringing up the Lip Sleeping Mask from K-beauty brand Laneige, and we’re not exaggerating when we say the hype is real. This mask will help your giftee’s lips bounce back fast from flakiness and cracking every time (it’s gotten us through several trips to Las Vegas) — packed with antioxidants, vitamin C, and minerals in its hydrating formula, a combination of hyaluronic acid and a humectant makes sure moisture says locked in and sealed with a kiss. $699.00 $699 Fitness and wellness trends come and go, but when it comes to recovery, portable saunas have gotten hotter than ever in 2024. HigherDose’s high-tech Infrared Sauna Blanket feels like a weighted blanket when you slip into it, taking all the benefits of sauna — helping to increase circulation and reducing stress — and puts it into a portable package fit for any home gym or workout space. It’s the ultimate home spa must-have, and gives the gift of TLC. $34.99 Believe it or not, some folks have traveled thousands of miles to get their hands this viral chocolate bar from Dubai that has millions of rave reviews on TikTok . Unless you want to front your giftee’s airfare cost, the easier option would just be getting them that same deliciously gooey and nutty treat to enjoy from home. Filled with a mixture of crispy kataifi, pistachio, and tahini paste and then drizzled in festive gold foil (because why not!), Lovetta’s bar belongs in any chocoholic’s stocking. $199.00 $199.99 The PS5’s answer to the Nintendo Switch popped off this year, and will let the gamer in your life mirror their console’s gameplay, just in a portable handheld via Wi-Fi. Performance-wise, the PlayStation Portal has got 60FPS at 1080p HD gaming resolution, thanks to its sharp 8-inch LCD touchscreen display. But the PS Portal will really come in handy for those times when they want to play a game, but someone else in their home is hogging the TV that’s connected to the PS5. $92.13 $165.00 44% off $165 Fragrances can be hard to gift, but Maison Margiela crafts nostalgic, evocative scents that appeal (and apply) to everybody. The “cool cat” in your life will especially appreciate the smooth cocktail of warm and spicy notes in Replica Jazz Club , a unisex fragrance that’ll give them the vibes of an elegant night on the town from the first time they spritz it on. It’s a heady mix inspired by the scent of premium cigars with a mix of smoky tobacco leaf and pink pepper, and the libations you would be enjoying at the bar — rum absolute and vanilla. $19+ Checked towels and other “retro” home aesthetics has been all over TikTok and Pinterest room decor boards this year, and these ultra-plush Wavy Block towels are as practical as they are stylish. To add a pop of color to anyone’s bathroom, you can gift these 100% cotton towels in five Seventies-esque colorways, and have your giftee feeling like they’re wrapped up in a comfy cloud after a shower. $249.00 $299.00 17% off $249 $349 29% off Apple Watch this is not — the ultra-sleek Oura Ring Gen3 Horizon has taken the idea of a fitness tracker to a stylish level. This smart ring has become a popular present this year for those looking for a device that can track everything from workouts to sleep without wearing a watch. At first, it looks like you’re wearing, say, a wedding ring or a standard band. But take it off, and you’ll see the sensors built into the ring itself. The Oura’s “research grade sensors monitor over 20 biometrics with precision,” according to the product’s description. Put simply, the sensors are designed to keep track of important health data — all in one place — without looking like it. $599.00 $499 $599 17% off Stop them from frizzing up their hair with terrible curling wands and give the gift of salon-worthy hair at home with Dyson’s cult-favorite Airwrap Multi Styler . Not only does it dry hair quickly, the attachments including barrels, brushes, and the Coanda smoothing dryer, which harnesses targeted airflow for styling. You won’t need a cosmetology degree, since this fool-proof styler measures air temperature over 40 times a second, thus preventing extreme heat damage. $200 $200 Whether you’ve spotted them on the trail or just the streets of Soho, it’s clear that while Sambas rained supreme last year, 2024 was the year of the Salomon XT-6 . Previously a favorite of hikers and generally adventurous folk, StockX has called Salomon the world’s fastest-growing sneaker brand. These sneakers provide an athletic level of cushioning, durability and control, while still being sleek enough for anyone who loves that “Dad shoe” silhouette. $99.95 $99.99 What can’t you build out of bricks nowadays? The internet has been rightfully enamored with LEGO’s adult-friendly Ideas and Icons collection (I personally own this watering-free succulent set ), but this viral Tuxedo Cat is the purr-fect gift idea for any animal lover or feline home décor aficionado. The 1,710-piece cat model stands over 12.5 in. tall, and they can rotate its head and adjust the ears, paws and tail for different playful poses. It’s lifelike, allergy-friendly, and won’t swipe the other LEGO sets off your shelf — what more could you ask for? $149.00 $199.00 25% off $159 $199 20% off Therabody’s Theragun mini is a great option for fitness fanatics looking to bring targeted relief to sore muscles. The Mini makes a great gift thanks to its travel-friendly size, so they can throw it in their gym bag or take it with them on a long ski trip — its compact size means it can be easily maneuvered around the body too. We also like that it’s Bluetooth-compatible, so they can use the Therabody app to monitor recovery progress and get tips and tricks on getting a better massage. $45.00 $45 Lovingly known as the internet’s “emotional support water bottle”, Stanley’s Quencher H2.0 Flowstate Tumbler promises to keep their hot drinks hot for seven hours and cold drinks cold for 11 hours (for iced bevvies, you’ll get up to a whopping two days). Give them the gift of hydrating in style, with a new rotating lid designed for three positions: a splash-resistant straw opening that holds the reusable straw in place, a drink opening, and a full-cover top. It’s still got the ergonomic handle and cupholder-compatibility everyone loves, now made from 90% recycled stainless steel. $395.00 $395 With a sleek Seventies silhouette, searches for “ Coach Tabby Bag ” hit an all-time high this year, according to Google. This modern take on the archival quilted design is made with ultra-soft nappa leather, and your gift recipient can wear it as a chic crossbody for running around, or as a handbag for a shorter, dressier look. $69.99 $59.99 $69.99 14% off No shave November is over — enter the Manscape Lawn Mower 3.0 Plus . Its sleek design makes it undeniably the Cadillac of body razors, and for a few good reasons. It’s got a SkinSafe ceramic blade to help reduce nicks and cuts, two adjustable comb attachments, and even a built-in LED light. The man in your life — father, brother, boyfriend, husband, or anyone else — will thank you. $149.00 TikTok seems to have “rediscovered” the joy of record players yet again , but any wannabe analog home DJ will love this budget-friendly Audio-Technica turntable . This record player is a great entry-level model that lets you build out your vinyl setup the way you want it. It comes with its own phono pre-amp inside, along with a set of RCA output cables to hook up to shelf speakers or your stereo setup. $49.99 Yes, Pickleball is still dominating every corner of the world — even if we didn’t just have a Challengers summer. Whether your giftee is just starting up or starting to get serious, Dinkly’s paddle sets feature stylish designs and come with everything you need to dominate on the court. They’re not just good-looking, though; Dinkly’s paddles are made with durable carbon fiber, a 16mm thick honeycomb core, and a sweat-proof faux leather grip. The set includes two indoor balls, two outdoor palls, a sleek sling bag. $472.50 $675 30% off What feels like the successor to the human-sized dog bed, the new PillowSac from LoveSac couldn’t stop selling out after it was released this year. This is the closest you’ll get to gifting someone a big fluffy cloud for their home, and it’s, dare we say, better than a bean bag. Made with repurposed foam (never beans or beads), they can either pair it with a wooden base and turn it into a genuinely supportive lounge chair, or just throw it on the ground and us it as giant floor pillow for binge-watching TV, napping, etc. $469.00 $469 This 236-bulb LED mask by CurrentBody may look a little terrifying, but it makes a stellar gift for anyone interested in testing out the power of red light therapy to help get a glowing complexion. It’s impressively FDA-cleared with three precise wavelength settings, so they can switch between them to aid in restoring collagen to the skin, or opt for helping reduce pigmentation. Plus the flexible silicone shape means they won’t miss a spot of full lip and upper nose coverage. $99.00 $99 With less mess than a French press, but just as much flavor, pour-over coffee sets have never been more popular. This Stagg set nails the art of pour-over thanks to a vacuum insulated body, sleek, hole-patterned dripper, and steep slope. It’s designed to extract the most flavor out of your grounds possible, so you get a bright, clean cup of filter coffee every time. Brewing a barista-worthy cup couldn’t be easier — and they won’t need to Google “nearby coffee shops” to get one, either. $345 Thanks to the likes of Beyoncé’s Cowboy Carter era, even certified city slickers are joining in on the cowboy boot trend . Timeless, hardworking, and just as stylish after 50 years, Tecovas makes some of our favorite pairs in the bizz — and they’re worth gifting anyone who wants to invest in a solid pair that won’t break down after concert season. The Cartwright’s staple round toe will keep their feet comfortable without feeling squished, and the one-and-a-half-inch heel adds just the right amount of lift so they can take it to the floor now. $31.96 $39.95 20% off $29.99 If you’ve ever cooked with Le Creuset , you’ll understand why TikTok (and serious chefs) have been obsessed with their pans and enameled Dutch ovens for ages. But alas — we don’t all have Le Creuset money, so if you’re looking for a budget-friendly alternative, may we recommend gifting the superior heat distribution and retention of Lodge’s cast iron skillet ? Especially if they’re gearing up for a holiday cooking marathon, they’re going to love that this workhouse of a pan comes already pre-seasoned a ready-to-use. $379.99 $379.99 Boox’s e-reader turned a big page this year, and it’s blown up as a worthy Kindle alternative thanks to one key feature — productivity-focused writing capabilities. Frequent note-talkers, daily schedule-makers, and ferocious readers will rejoice, because they’ll be able to do it all on one ultra-thin, ultralight tablet. Better yet, it’s got built-in speakers, so they can listen to music or audiobooks while they crush planning out their New Year’s resolutions.ATLANTA — On Jan. 20, 1981, after suffering a landslide defeat, former President Jimmy Carter returned home to rural Plains to what he called “an altogether new, unwanted, and potentially empty life.” By 1982, he had such a low profile that Time magazine called him “virtually a non-person, a president who never was.” But Carter would rewrite his legacy by turning to his implacable faith. It was, to him, an enduring source of comfort and inspiration, continuously helping guide him even through the most stunning setbacks — from losing elections to marital woes, an interminable hostage crisis in Iran and health crises in later life. His hometown of Plains wasn’t just Carter’s childhood home — it was his spiritual center. Upon his return after his presidential defeat, Carter, a third-generation Baptist, maintained his lifetime habit — teaching Sunday school at Maranatha Baptist Church. He made a cross that stood for years above the altar in his wood shop. As an active member, he took his turn cutting the church’s grass. And he applied his love-your-neighbor ethic to his work at the Carter Center. “He is not some pie-in-the-sky Christian. He is a down-to-earth Christian who sees the everyday challenges and applies his faith to practical problems,” said civil rights hero the Rev. Joseph Lowery in an October 2010 interview. “There is no question his commitment to peace is based on faith. His commitment to help the poor, his commitment to housing, you can attribute that to his faith. It was Christ’s challenge to serve the poor and he’s done that. I admire him for that.” In his 1996 book “Living Faith,” Carter wrote openly about problems in his marriage. Getting involved in the church in Plains helped him and his wife work though communication woes. “We found we could communicate through discussions of our religious faith better than we could without it,” he said. When they had problems in their marriage, they would kneel together, pray to God and both would tell their sides of the story. It was as if they used God as the ultimate marriage counselor, according to E. Stanly Godbold, a Carter historian and author of the book, “Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter: The Georgia Years, 1924 to 1974.” Faith played a role in 1978 when Carter held peace meetings between Egyptian President Anwar Sadat and Israeli Prime Minister Menachem Begin. Carter believed the common thread of religion helped bring the two sides together. “At Camp David, for instance, this is one of the main themes of Anwar Sadat, we had so much in common worshipping the same God that we could form a common foundation for peace,” Carter told the AJC in a 1996 interview. Break with Southern Baptists When Carter was running for president, he was an appealing candidate to Southern Baptists and other evangelicals — a small-town guy in the Bible belt, still married to the same woman and the first U.S. presidential candidate who self-identified as a born-again Christian. That terminology was new for swaths of America and resulted in news articles across the nation examining and explaining, often poorly, conservative Christian beliefs. It was also an early sign of the development of the political-religious organizations such as the Rev. Jerry Falwell’s Moral Majority that followed. The evangelical Christian vote helped elect Carter. But in just four years, the most famous face of the Baptist religion was at odds with the increasingly conservative-leaning Southern Baptist Convention. The nation’s largest Protestant denomination also was undergoing its own cultural changes. Through the 1980s, theologically and politically conservative leaders rallied voting members of the convention to sweep out moderates from leadership roles in churches, seminaries and colleges over their theological “liberalism.” Carter’s views on hot-button issues such as supporting women as leaders in the church made him increasingly unpopular among many Southern Baptists and other evangelicals. He later showed support for civil unions, and by 2018 for marriage of same sex couples. But in 1979, many of the conservatives who voted for him the first time deserted him for Ronald Reagan. In 2000, Carter severed ties to the Southern Baptist Convention, saying parts of its “increasingly rigid” doctrines violated the “basic premises of my Christian faith.” Carter went on to play a role in helping start an alternate association for progressive evangelical Black and white churches whose memberships and leaders were more moderate in their thinking and actions, such as installing women into pulpits and key church roles, and focusing on goals such as fighting poverty, and advocating for the environment and social causes. Carter used his weight to get the New Baptist Covenant and Cooperative Baptist Fellowship off the ground. In 2008, he helped bring together 20,000 Baptists representing more than 20 million church members for an Atlanta event designed to bury differences and work together. The tension was deep. The Southern Baptist Convention’s news service, Baptist Press, did not carry a news article about Carter winning the Nobel Peace Prize. “Carter didn’t change,” said Nancy T. Ammerman, a sociologist of religion at Boston University and author of “Baptist Battles.” “The definition of what it meant to be Southern and Baptist changed.” “One of the characteristics of being Baptist is this that you have to make decisions about how your life is going to go,” said Ammerman. “No priest can do it for you. There’s this deep-seated notion of individual freedom and individual accountability, and (that) gave him this fierce ability to be independent that has shaped his personality and career and has given him a strong commitment to democracy, various human rights issues and religious liberty.” An abiding faith Carter’s faith can be traced back to his childhood, a time when Sunday was devoted to church and biblical teachings. In his hometown of Plains, no stores were open on Sunday. Going to a movie theater or even playing cards on Sunday was out of the question. That devotion never faded. Well into his 90s, he was behind the pulpit teaching multiple Sundays every year to classes filled with people from around the nation and world who would drop in to hear the former president. One Sunday, Carter counted 28 nations represented in the pews. He would talk about God and loving your enemies, and then sprinkle stories of traveling around the globe, building houses and eradicating disease. He and Rosalynn would pose for pictures with visitors at the little church, a quintessential Jimmy Carter experience. Even as he contemplated his demise, he looked to his faith for guidance. In “Living Faith,” he wrote: “We can face death with fear, anguish, self-torment and unnecessary distress among those around us. Or, through faith and the promises of God, we can confront the inevitable with courage, equanimity, good humor and peace. Our last few days or months can be spent in a challenging and exhilarating way, seeking to repair relationships and to leave a good or even noble legacy, in an atmosphere of harmony and love.” ©2024 The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Visit at ajc.com . Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.Most people associate AI investing with semiconductors like Nvidia Corp . NVDA or cloud giants like Microsoft Corp. MSFT . But beneath the surface, there's a less obvious story: the immense power required to support this innovation. As U.S. power demand is projected to surge at an annual rate of 2.5%, a $7 trillion investment windfall is on the horizon fueled by the sweeping infrastructure overhaul required to sustain AI breakthroughs, digital asset mining, and next-generation mobility innovations. In an exclusive interview with Benzinga on Thursday, Maurits Pot , CEO and co-founder of Tema ETFs, introduced the newly launched Tema Electrification ETF VOLT , the world's first fund dedicated to the infrastructure powering modern technology. Why Power Demand Is Surging The U.S. power grid has been largely neglected for decades, but the electrification era is creating a surge in electricity consumption that hasn't been seen since the 1990s. Several megatrends are at play: AI is energy-hungry: AI data centers consume seven times more power than traditional facilities, according to Tema ETFs. With generative AI and machine learning applications proliferating, power requirements are expected to soar. Aging infrastructure: Approximately 70% of U.S. transmission and distribution (T&D) lines are over 25 years old—past their recommended lifespan. Without upgrades, the grid may be unable to meet demand. Supply deficits are coming: The U.S. could face a 40 gigawatt power shortfall by 2030, equivalent to 40 nuclear plants or 100 gas-fired turbines. “We think this electrification trend is massive,” Pot said, adding, “the opportunity lies on the expansion of power capacity needed to meet rising demand for AI, mobility and other things.” What Sets VOLT Apart? Pot explained that VOLT is the first ETF to span the full electrification value chain, offering exposure to companies across five categories: generation, transmission, grid equipment, electrification services, and applications. Here's a closer look at some of the key names in the portfolio: Category Portfolio Holding Investment Rationale Generation GE Vernova Inc. GEV The U.S.'s largest manufacturer of gas turbines is sold out until 2028. Transmission Nexans Supplies high-voltage cables to modernize aging T&D lines in the U.S. Grid Equipment Hubbell Inc. HUBB Builds critical electrical grid infrastructure expected to grow at 2x GDP. Electrification Services Quanta Services Inc. PWR Modernizes grid networks and connects new energy sources to the system. Applications Vertiv Holdings LLC VRT Produces data center cooling systems, with the market growing 13–15% annually. Bitcoin, Crypto And the Hidden Digital Asset Demand Story According to Pot, the growth of the digital asset industry is an underrated source of upside risks to U.S. power demand needs in the upcoming years. “ Bitcoin BTC/USD mining is very energy intensive,” Pot stated. Current VOLT Portfolio Positioning Here's a breakdown of the fund's current portfolio positioning as of Dec. 4, 2024: Regional Exposure: North America dominates the portfolio with 80.91% allocation, while Europe accounts for 16.57% of the exposure. Market Cap Breakdown: The portfolio focuses on large-cap companies, which comprise 64.80% of the holdings, followed by mid-cap companies at 24.54%. Small-cap stocks represent 8.14% of the fund. There are no mega-cap stocks, defined as those with a market capitalization of over $200 billion. Power Allocation: Power Generation accounts for 23.55%, split into conventional energy at 12.85% and renewables at 10.70%. Grid Management is the largest allocation at 44.39%, including 24.53% for “before the meter” infrastructure and 19.86% for “after the meter” services. End-Use Applications make up 29.54%, further divided into 13.15% for products and 16.39% for services. Top 10 Holdings Company % of NAV Bel Fuse, Inc. BELB 5.10% Nexans SA 5.08% GE Vernova, Inc. 5.03% Hubbell, Inc. 5.01% Quanta Services, Inc. 4.88% Powell Industries, Inc. POWL 4.15% Vertiv Holdings Co. VRT 4.09% ABB Ltd . ABB 4.05% Schneider Electric SE SU 4.04% Eaton Corp. PLC ETN 4.03% Read Next: Tesla’s Path To $400: Bank Of America Highlights EV, AI Growth Image created using artificial intelligence via Midjourney. © 2024 Benzinga.com. Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved.