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I woke up with my morning coffee to these thoughts: “Overprocessing images can sometimes compromise the integrity of the image and do more harm than necessary. Here are several reasons why one should refrain from over-editing their images.” I thought to myself, “I need to caffeinate further before finishing this article” and took a big gulp of my coffee. I asked my mega-talented colleague, , if he would mind me writing a rebuttal article, and of course, he graciously agreed to the writing banter. Now that I’m caffeinated, it’s game on: why I disagree with the criticism on “over editing.” My work is highly retouched. When I say “highly,” I mean Burj Khalifa level. I’m neurotic. My images are so polished that people hire me for this very reason. “We love how clean your images are” is in most booking requests that I receive. Here are three reasons I think “over editing” is not actually a valid criticism and why it may even be a good tool in your own toolbox. When was the last time you saw a Bud Light ad with a dented can or a luxury hotel ad with a weed peeking through the sidewalk? In Yang’s article, he writes, “As full-time professional commercial photographers, we are often guilty of the pursuit of perfection in images. We should realize that over-editing can often blur the line between artistry and reality, diluting the authenticity that originally made the photograph meaningful.” In my experience, commercial clients are not concerned with the authenticity or meaningfulness of an image. The expectation of the imagery is impeccability. From using glue for milk, glycerin for water, and frequency separation for the “glowing” effect of a skincare serum—flawlessness is generally the expectation for commercial photography, not authenticity. I recently finished a retouching job for Coors Light. I was hired to edit five images for their next campaign. The retouching directions were longer than my nephew’s Christmas list! The 13-page PowerPoint of retouching directions included filling thinning hair, swapping skies, brightening skin, compositing, and removing wrinkles and logos from clothing, among other directives. I can say from experience that most brands expect perfection, not authenticity, in commercial work. Sure, there are plenty of cases where photographers become sloppy with their compositions, knowing they can “fix it in post.” I don’t agree with this type of lazy photography. Having great editing skills should never be an excuse for poor photography. I’ve written an article about that topic . Setting that scenario aside, post-processing skills can be a good tool when you want to alter your photograph to make it more balanced. My friend Anne (who you might recognize from Patagonia’s documentary recently came back from a shoot and shared this: Typically, on a mountain bike shoot, I have the opportunity to ask for multiple takes, 5 to 10. On this one, Tim didn’t honestly know if he could make the distance, and therefore, we may have only one take. Because of that, I went in with the mentality to play things safe. I didn’t know exactly where he would be in the frame, so I shot vertically and relatively wide. Also, I shot with a narrower aperture than I would have normally so that I felt safe with my focal distance. With a busy background like that, I would want to shoot wide open to hide the distractions and allow the subject to stand out. The background looks busy and not as blurred out as I would have liked. It didn’t allow the subject to pop. In this case, the editing allowed her to get the scene she had wanted, without all the visual distractions she had to accommodate, having only one chance to capture the image. If we are talking photojournalism, of course, authenticity is the paramount priority. Steve McCurry’s venerated career is a good example of this. Outside of the documentary realm, though, who wrote the rule that artists should hold “authenticity” as the paramount, untouchable priority of imagery? In his acclaimed book , David Bayles penned: Art has no boundaries, let your imagination run wild. Why do so many artists feel the need to wag their finger at artists who make art differently than theirs? Do we need to walk through art history again? Each artist has their own values. For a documentary photographer, the primary value of their imagery may be to tell an unaltered story. For an AI artist, it may be to create the most fantastical image their mind can conjure. For a commercial photographer, it may be to deliver impeccable images that assist in sales. Wedding photographers may have emotion as a primary value, while landscape photographers’ may prioritize beauty. No one is wrong. Art is not wrong. I’m writing the conclusion of this article as I’m waiting to board a plane from Paris. I had on my agenda to indulge in a full day at the Louvre. Many paintings, which line the walls as the most revered artworks in history, were once considered rejected by their peers as “wrong.” The argument that this is leading to has been made so ad nauseam that I would consider it an insult to our readers’ education to go through its history. Having said that, why are so many articles written as variations of “This way is wrong; if you don’t do it my way, you should change”? Here's my perspective: edit, don’t edit. Over-edit, under-edit... hell, at this point, if you want to edit upside down and inside out... do that! If the image reflects what you want to create, make it. If someone doesn’t like it, tell them not to look at it. You’re an artist; you have the right to make whatever art you want, in whatever way you want. If someone makes their art in a different way, one or the other is not wrong. This is my perspective, and for the foreseeable future, I plan to continue “over-editing” so well, it may just prompt you to take the product off the shelf and put it in your basket! Michelle creates scroll-stopping images for amazing brands and amazing people. She works with businesses, public figures, sports & products. Titled “Top Sports Photographers in Miami” in 2019 (#5) and 2020 (#4), she was the only female on the list both years. Follow the fun on IG @michellevantinephotography @sportsphotographermiamifishing 8 。

Places to get petrol at cheapest price as report reveals new petrol pricesJimmy Carter, the 39th US president, has died at 100 ATLANTA (AP) — Former U.S. President Jimmy Carter has died. He was 100 years old and had spent roughly 22 months in hospice care. The Georgia peanut farmer served one turbulent term in the White House before building a reputation as a global humanitarian and champion of democracy. He defeated President Gerald Ford in 1976 promising to restore trust in government but lost to Ronald Reagan four years later amid soaring inflation, gas station lines and the Iran hostage crisis. He and his wife Rosalynn then formed The Carter Center, and he earned a Nobel Peace Prize while making himself the most internationally engaged of former presidents. The Carter Center said he died peacefully Sunday afternoon in Plains, Georgia, surrounded by his family. Jimmy Carter: Many evolutions for a centenarian ‘citizen of the world’ PLAINS, Ga. (AP) — The 39th and longest-lived U.S. president, James Earl Carter Jr., died Sunday at the age of 100. His life ended where it began, in Plains, Georgia. He left and returned to the tiny town many times as he climbed to the nation’s highest office and lost it after four tumultuous years. Carter spent the next 40 years setting new standards for what a former president can do. Carter wrote nearly a decade ago that he found all the phases of his life challenging but also successful and enjoyable. The Democrat's principled but pragmatic approach defied American political labels, especially the idea that one-term presidents are failures. What we know about the deadly passenger jet crash in South Korea SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — South Korean officials are investigating the crash landing of a passenger jet that's one of the deadliest disasters in that nation's aviation history. Transport Ministry officials said the airport control tower issued a bird strike warning to the plane shortly before it intended to land and gave its pilot permission to land in a different area on Sunday. The Boeing 737-800 skidded off the runway, crashed into a barrier and burst into flames. All but two of the 181 people on board died. The Jeju Air passenger plane was flying from Bangkok to the town of Muan, about 180 miles south of Seoul, when the crash happened. South Korean authorities seek warrant to detain impeached President Yoon in martial law probe SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — South Korean law enforcement officials have requested a court warrant to detain impeached President Yoon Suk Yeol as they investigate whether his short-lived martial law decree this month amounted to rebellion. The Corruption Investigation Office for High-Ranking Officials, which is leading a joint investigation with police and military authorities into the power grab that lasted only a few hours, confirmed it requested the warrant on Monday. Investigators plan to question Yoon on charges of abuse of authority and orchestrating a rebellion. Tornadoes in Texas and Mississippi kill 2 and injure 6 as severe weather system moves east HOUSTON (AP) — A strong storm system is threatening to whip up tornadoes in parts of the U.S. Southeast, a day after severe weather claimed at least two lives as twisters touched down in Texas and Mississippi. Strong storms moving eastward Sunday are expected to continue producing gusty, damaging winds, hail and tornadoes through Sunday. That is according to National Weather Service meteorologist Frank Pereira. So far, the line of severe weather has led to about 40 tornado reports from southeastern Texas to Alabama, Pereira said, but those reports remain unconfirmed until surveys of damage are completed. A fourth infant dies of the winter cold in Gaza as families share blankets in seaside tents DEIR AL-BALAH, Gaza Strip (AP) — A fourth infant has died of hypothermia in Gaza, where hundreds of thousands of Palestinians displaced by nearly 15 months of war are huddled in tents along the rainy, windswept coast as winter arrives. The baby's father says the 20-day-old child was found with his head as “cold as ice” Sunday morning in their tent. The baby’s twin brother was moved to the intensive care unit of Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital. Their father says the twins were born one month premature and spent just a day in hospital, which like other Gaza health centers has been overwhelmed and only partially functions. Syria's de facto leader says it could take up to 4 years to hold elections BEIRUT (AP) — Syria’s de facto leader has said it could take up to four years to hold elections in Syria, and that he plans on dissolving his Islamist group that led the country’s insurgency at an anticipated national dialogue summit for the country. Ahmad al-Sharaa, who leads Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, the group leading the new authority in Syria, made the remarks in an interview Sunday. That's according to the Saudi television network Al-Arabiyya. It comes almost a month after a lightning insurgency led by HTS overthrew President Bashar Assad’s decades-long rule, ending the country’s uprising-turned civil war that started back in 2011. Azerbaijan's president says crashed jetliner was shot down by Russia unintentionally Azerbaijan’s President Ilham Aliyev says the Azerbaijani airliner that crashed last week was shot down by Russia, albeit unintentionally. Aliyev told Azerbaijani state television on Sunday that the aircraft was hit by fire from the ground over Russia and rendered uncontrollable by electronic warfare. He accused Russia of trying to “hush up” the issue for several days. The crash on Wednesday killed 38 of 67 people on board. Russian President Vladimir Putin apologized to Aliyev on Saturday for what he called a “tragic incident” but stopped short of acknowledging Moscow’s responsibility. Croatia's incumbent president gains most votes for re-election, but not enough to avoid a runoff ZAGREB, Croatia (AP) — Croatia’s incumbent President Zoran Milanovic has swept most votes in the first round of a presidential election, but will have to face a runoff against a ruling party candidate to secure another five-year term. With 99% percent of the vote counted Sunday, Milanovic won 49% while his main challenger Dragan Primorac, a candidate of the ruling HDZ party, trailed far behind with 19%. Pre-election polls had predicted that the two would face off in the second round on Jan. 12, as none of the eight presidential election contenders were projected to get more than 50% of the vote.We live on one of the most isolated but beautiful islands in the US... and now life is going to change forever By BETHAN SEXTON FOR DAILYMAIL.COM Published: 13:17 GMT, 24 November 2024 | Updated: 13:45 GMT, 24 November 2024 e-mail 6 View comments For most people, the idea of living a 45 minute boat ride away from the US mainland would be a daunting concept. But for the 55 or so permanent residents of Maine 's unbridged Isle au Haut , this is their daily reality. And the remoteness of the tiny island is part of the appeal for those who now call the six-mile stretch home. With just a handful of businesses serving the tight-knit community, the island can feel a bit like stepping back in time. But recently, it has been given a major technological boost with the installation of subsea cables, which will eventually bring universal broadband to the island. While the upgrade is set to 'transform' the community, locals claim the community already has a lot to offer. 'I don't have many minutes to sit around,' Stevens, who was the island's Selectman for nine years, said. 'I have a huge garden, so I grow pretty much all my own vegetables and berries.' The Maine island of Isle au Haut has just 50 permanent residents and is hoping to attract more With just one small grocery store on the island, gardening is more than just a hobby for Stevens and other residents. 'We have a store, but it doesn't have a lot,' Stevens said, explaining locals have to send out for medicine, pet food, clothing and shoes among other things. She said things have improved since the dawn of Amazon delivery and islanders can even get 24 hour drop-offs if they are willing to pay the premium. Typically, Fedex and UPS both ship to the island six days a week. Recipients must go and collect their packages from the Isle au Haut dock. Sending parcels can be equally tricky to navigate. The island's only post office has a postmistress on duty from 7-11am and residents can access mailboxes Monday through Saturday between set hours. 'It's easier than it used to be because of Amazon,' Stevens explained. 'It used to be if you needed a few screws, you'd have to go off and get the exact things you needed, now you can order so much stuff online.' 'Some people do just live off the store,' she added. 'It takes a lot of coordination to live on an island and if you're not coordinated, services suffer.' Brenda Clark, who was the island's librarian for many years, agreed and explained permanent residents on Isle au Haut, 'have to wear many hats' to keep things running. With just a handful of businesses serving the tight-knit community, the island can feel a bit like stepping back in time Former island Selectman Peggi Stevens, with her dog Spudz, says she barely has time to sit down with all the jobs that need doing in the community Residents hope the rollout of subsea cables to provide universal broadband will prove to be a draw 'In small towns you get out of a community what you put in, and you often have to do a lot of little things, so the wheels are always turning,' Clark said. She explained that locals on the island often turn their hand to various jobs dependent on what needs doing at the time. As well as her librarian role, Clark worked on her husband Bill's lobster boat, helped balance the town's books and as a clerk in the island's gift shop. She described the librarian role as 'pretty laid back'. The Isle au Haut library is open three days a week in summer and two days in winter. But, 'almost every permanent resident on the island has a key to the library,' Clark explained to documentary maker Noah Anderson. Similarly, the island's mail boat is often called upon to double up as an ambulance since there is no hospital or year-round doctor on Isle au Haut. 'If it is an emergency, and during the day, Life Flight of Maine can be called, the mailboat will come for an emergency trip in the night to pick up patient and take them off, then an ambulance would be called to meet them in Stonington and take them to closest hospital,' Stevens explained. While the island's population expands to about 300 during the summer months, winter sees it dwindle to between 55-60 according to Stevens, who said previous census data which suggests 90 was off. She said it is during the colder months, where temperatures plummet down to 17F that the community really pulls together. 'Winter is harsh, it's cold, it's isolated, but for some, that's a plus - not everyone, but for some people,' Stevens said. 'It's probably more like I think of Sweden or Norway. You know, you get out, if there's a day you can skate, you all get out and go skating or, you know, we try to stay fit and there's communal dinners.' Librarian Brenda Clark said permanent residents must 'wear many hats' to enable the community to function Isle au Haut has just five independent businesses: A gift shop, a lobster roll shack, a general store, a chocolate shop and a weekly vacation rental But Stevens, who hails from New York City, insists that winters are no worse than in the Big Apple. 'Here, we're dressed for it,' she explained. 'But in Manhattan you're trying to look fashionable all the time so you're freezing your behind off, not to say we aren't fashionable, I'm sure we are.' Still, she concedes the island is not a place for those looking to dine at the trendiest restaurants or catch the latest movies. Isle au Haut has just five independent businesses: A gift shop, lobster roll shack, general store, chocolate shop and weekly vacation rental. However, many of the businesses shut up shop or reduce their hours drastically in winter. Ferry trips to the mainland dwindle down to just two per day in the colder months, with no service on Sundays. But the installation of the subsea cables is expected to bring a welcome boost to businesses. Currently, the island has broadband which uses existing phonelines, but the signal can be patchy. Dakota and Hannah Watters recently moved to Isle au Haut and describe life there as 'so wholesome' The Isle au Haut post office is open just a few hours per day from 7-11am Current speed near the town is 35Mbps download/7Mbps upload, with slower speeds on the east side and Head Harbor. 'The impact of this is direct, especially for those who do not live right in the center of town,' local Donna Hopkins of the broadband committee said. 'For example, a small business owner who lives at the far end of the Island attempted to make updates to her website and reported that it took ten minutes to upload one new picture. 'Regular digital updates in this situation become impossible. Similarly, while the school has service closer to the existing microwave tower, the students live on areas of the Island with less robust service, so online projects and research cannot always be completed at home.' The project has come to fruition thanks to the tireless effort's of the island's broadband committee, who hope better connection will attract more full time residents - especially families. Although, with a three bedroom home listed for $925,000, it may be out of reach for the typical family. Despite its tiny population, Isle au Haut boasts one K-8 school, which is one of about 400 one-room schoolhouses remaining in the US. But, 'hardly a museum piece, the scope of the curriculum belies the building's size,' according to the Isle au Haut Community Development Corporation. Isle au Haut is a 45 minute boat ride from the mainland and is not connected by a bridge Most goods have to be shipped in via Fedex and UPS, although basic groceries are available on the island Over the last year and a half, the school has managed to boost it's student numbers to seven. Among them is Flynn Watters, whose parents Dakota and Hannah Watters recently moved to Isle au Haut with him and his sister Amelia. The couple work multiple jobs and grow their own food, but say the lifestyle affords them quality family time. 'We have so much more bonding time with the kids,' Dakota told CBS . 'It's indescribably wholesome.' Beyond eighth grade, locals help contribute to tuition or transportation costs when a graduating student goes to a nearby public high school or boarding school. This community spirit translates into governance, where almost everyone has taken a turn helping out. 'People would say, 'when are you open?' thinking it was like a town hall and we have offices or something but it is a 24/7 job,' Stevens explained. The island has a year-round population of around 50 according to locals, with many people fleeing during the harsh Maine winter She said the island would love to see more families and young people to ensure Isle au Haut's survival, which is currently entrusted to its active senior residents. 'I walk my dog, I go for a swim, we all like to stay fit. Most seniors on the island have retired, but we are still very active,' Stevens explained. 'There's not many of us and you depend on each other. Even if you don't always like each other, you ride the mail boat with these people, you have to learn to be neighbors and in today's world, I think that's a good thing.' Maine Amazon Share or comment on this article: We live on one of the most isolated but beautiful islands in the US... and now life is going to change forever e-mail Add comment

Nadi Hospital launches counselling servicesTwo-time defending NCAA champion UConn basketball suffered its first season loss on Monday. Penny Hardaway and Memphis knocked off the No. 2 Huskies with a 99-97 overtime victory in the quarterfinal of The Maui Invitational at Lahaina Civic Center in Maui, Hawaii. The Tigers led by as many as 13 at 87-74 with four minutes remaining but allowed a 20-7 run to send it to overtime. REQUIRED READING: Purdue bursts into top 10, Kansas still leads USA TODAY Sports men's basketball coaches poll Solo Ball hit a 3-pointer to tie the game with 1.2 seconds left to send it to an extra period. However, Hassan Diarra missed a game-winning 3-pointer to give the Tigers the overtime to win. Memphis took the lead on four straight free throws by PJ Carter following a technical foul on UConn coach Dan Hurley and an over-the-back foul on Liam Neeley with 40 seconds remaining, which Hurley protested to pick up the technical. Here's how social media reacted to UConn basketball losing to Memphis in The Maui Invitational on Monday: Reactions to UConn men's basketball loss to MemphisAsian shares were mixed on Monday after stocks fell broadly on Friday as Wall Street closed out a holiday-shortened week on a down note. U.S. futures were lower while oil prices were little changed. In Asia, South Korea’s Kospi added 0.6% to 2,418.80. But shares of Jeju Air Co. lost 8.8% after one of the company’s jets skidded off a runway , slammed into a concrete fence and burst into flames Sunday in South Korea as its landing gear failed to deploy. 179 people died in the crash. Political turmoil continued as South Korean law enforcement officials requested a court warrant on Monday to detain impeached President Yoon Suk Yeol. They are investigating whether his martial law decree on Dec. 3 amounted to rebellion. Tokyo’s Nikkei 225 index lost 0.9% to 39,914.21 as the dollar gained against the Japanese yen, trading at 157.83 yen, up from 157.75 yen. The Tokyo market will wrap up trading for 2024 with a yearend ceremony as Japan begins its New Year holidays, the biggest festival of the year. The Hang Seng in Hong Kong shed 0.3% to 20,030.63 while the Shanghai Composite index was up 0.3% at 3,408.72. Australia’s S&P/ASX 200 dipped 0.9% to 8,191.50. On Friday, the S&P 500 fell 1.1% to 5,970.84. Roughly 90% of stocks in the benchmark index lost ground, but it managed to hold onto a modest gain of 0.7% for the week. The Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 0.8% to 42,992.21. The tech-heavy Nasdaq composite fell 1.5%, to 19,722.03. The losses were made worse by sharp declines for the Big Tech stocks known as the “Magnificent 7”, which can heavily influence the direction of the market because of their large size. A wide range of retailers also fell. Amazon fell 1.5% and Best Buy slipped 1.5%. The sector is being closely watched for clues on how it performed during the holiday shopping season. The S&P 500 gained nearly 3% over a 3-day stretch before breaking for the Christmas holiday. On Thursday, the index posted a small decline. Despite Friday's drop, the market is moving closer to another standout annual finish . The S&P 500 is on track for a gain of around 25% in 2024. That would mark a second consecutive yearly gain of more than 20%, the first time that has happened since 1997-1998. The gains have been driven partly by upbeat economic data showing that consumers continued spending and the labor market remained strong. Inflation, while still high, has also been steadily easing. A report on Friday showed that sales and inventory estimates for the wholesales trade industry fell 0.2% in November, following a slight gain in October. That weaker-than-expected report follows an update on the labor market Thursday that showed unemployment benefits held steady last week. The stream of upbeat economic data and easing inflation helped prompt a reversal in the Federal Reserve's interest rate policy this year. Expectations for interest rate cuts also helped drive market gains. The central bank recently delivered its third cut to interest rates in 2024. Even though inflation has come closer to the central bank's target of 2%, it remains stubbornly above that mark and worries about it heating up again have tempered the forecast for more interest rate cuts. Inflation concerns have added to uncertainties heading into 2025, which include the labor market’s path ahead and shifting economic policies under incoming President Donald Trump. Worries have risen that Trump’s preference for tariffs and other policies could lead to higher inflation , a bigger U.S. government debt and difficulties for global trade. In other dealings early Monday, U.S. benchmark crude oil picked up 1 cent to $70.61 per barrel. Brent crude, the international standard, lost 1 cent to $73.78 per barrel. The euro fell to $1.0427 from $1.0433.Caldwell-Pope not available for Magic at Lakers, Carter questionable

Food served at stations and other railway establishments is on its way towards becoming safer and healthier with Eastern Railway (ER) hosting a comprehensive Food Safety Training and Certification (FoSTaC) session on Saturday. This is part of the nationwide ‘Eat Right Campus and Station’ initiative led by the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI). “The medical department of ER has taken significant strides towards enhancing food safety and promoting healthier eating habits in its railway jurisdiction. In a move aimed at fostering safe, healthy, and sustainable food practices, the FoSTaC session was conducted at the office of the Joint Food Safety Commissioner at Old Koilaghat Building in Kolkata,” said Kausik Mitra, CPRO, ER. Advertisement The session was attended by senior officials from ER and IRCTC, including Dr Anupam Sett, additional chief medical director; Dr Sanghamitra Chatterjee, additional chief medical superintendent, ER; Manoj Kumar Singh, chief general manager, IRCTC, Eastern Zone and others. It was conducted by Prof Deborshi De, a leading food safety expert and representative of Parikshan, FSSAI’s training partner. Advertisement “The full-day workshop focused on equipping Food Business Operators (FBOs) and food handlers from various key stations and establishments under ER, including the General Manager’s Staff Canteen, B R Singh Hospital, and the Kolkata, Baharampore Court and Murshidabad stations, with essential knowledge and certification in food safety practices,” Mitra said. “The ‘Eat Right Campus’ and ‘Eat Right Station’ initiatives, launched by FSSAI, aim to improve the overall health of the public by promoting safe, nutritious, and environmentally sustainable food choices. These initiatives are designed to be implemented across campuses, workplaces, hospitals, and railway stations, targeting a wide range of stakeholders, including food handlers, business operators, and consumers. The overarching goal is to ensure the health and well-being of individuals while also fostering the social and economic development of the nation,” he added. The FoSTaC training session covered a wide array of topics, including food safety regulations, hygiene practices, waste management, and the importance of promoting healthy and sustainable food. The programme aims to empower food handlers with the skills and knowledge needed to meet FSSAI’s high standards of food safety and to support the vision of an “Eat Right” nation. FSSAI is a statutory body under the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Government of India, responsible for regulating and overseeing food safety and standards in the country. Through initiatives like ‘Eat Right Campus’ and ‘Eat Right Station’, FSSAI aims to create awareness about safe and healthy food choices and encourage responsible food consumption. ER, on the other hand, is one of the oldest and busiest railway zones in India, operating over a vast network of railway stations, hospitals, and other vital establishments. According to Mitra, as part of its ongoing commitment to passenger health and safety, ER is actively participating in initiatives to promote food safety and health-conscious practices across its network. Advertisement

A limited number of tickets will be available online for $9 apiece during their upcoming Black Friday sale. From Friday to Dec. 2, fans can buy 500-level seats (with a maximum of 11) for 21 games throughout the 2025 season — including seven — against the Boston Red Sox, Washington Nationals, Atlanta Braves, Arizona Diamondbacks and Philadelphia Phillies. A similar promotion ran last season. This is the Jays’ first single-game ticket offering of the off-season. Single tickets for all games will go on sale Dec. 5 at 10 a.m. The Jays open at home against the Baltimore Orioles on March 27.

TAMPA, Fla. (AP) — The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are determined to not get ahead of themselves. Sunday’s 30-7 rout of the New York Giants began a six-game, regular season-ending stretch in which the Bucs (5-6) will face five opponents that currently have losing records. Javascript is required for you to be able to read premium content. Please enable it in your browser settings. Get updates and player profiles ahead of Friday's high school games, plus a recap Saturday with stories, photos, video Frequency: Seasonal Twice a weekSpecial counsel moves to dismiss election interference and classified documents cases against Trump

Jayden Daniels dazzles again as Commanders clinch a playoff spot by beating Falcons 30-24 in OTSardella SelectionsUtah Hockey Club walks to arena after bus gets stuck in Toronto traffic

Utah Hockey Club walks to arena after bus gets stuck in Toronto traffic

Two weeks after she beat a transgender candidate to return to the Utah Legislature, the Republican state lawmaker behind the majority of the state’s anti-transgender laws is advocating for policies that strip additional rights from trans people. Rep. Kera Birkeland, of Morgan, posted to X on Thursday that transgender women, specifically, should not be able to amend their birth certificates or IDs to reflect their gender. “Men should not be allowed in women’s bathrooms,” Birkeland wrote. “However, achieving this goal requires more than just signing or passing a bill that articulates this stance. We need to address the underlying issue of allowing men to change their birth certificates and driver’s licenses to reflect a female identity.” Birkeland continued, “Until we achieve that, our primary action is to run message bills, that are almost unenforceable. If a man can obtain a driver’s license identifying him as a woman, secure a birth certificate identifying him as a woman, and undergo surgical procedures to alter his appearance to look similar to women, it becomes nearly impossible for the government to distinguish between him and Representative Mace. That presents a significant challenge in enforcement.” Birkeland’s post was written in support of U.S. Rep. Nancy Mace, R-North Carolina, who responded to the first transgender woman being elected to Congress by pushing for her and other transgender women not to be allowed in women’s restrooms at the U.S. Capitol. I completely agree with @RepNancyMace that men should not be allowed in women’s bathrooms. However, achieving this goal requires more than just signing or passing a bill that articulates this stance. We need to address the underlying issue of allowing men to change their birth... The post comes one day after Transgender Day of Remembrance — an annual occasion memorializing transgender people lost to violence or suicide due to attacks on their identity. The Utah Supreme Court ruled in 2021 that transgender Utahns have “a common-law right to change facets of their personal legal status, including their sex designation.” “My life was going forward day by day sometimes is not easy,” said Angie Rice, a transgender woman and one of the plaintiffs in the case, at the time. “But (this decision)... gives young people and everybody who has been suffering in silence, or victimized, it gives them a chance to believe in hope and have the courage to now live their truth.” Since she was first appointed to the House in 2020, Birkeland has led a push to bar transgender girls from high school sports. Since the Legislature passed a law she sponsored to do so in 2022, and overrode the governor’s veto , the ban has been partially blocked by a lawsuit. Meanwhile, a commission weighs the cases of young transgender athletes who want to participate in sports. This year, Birkeland successfully proposed a bill that creates legal definitions “female” and “male” to categorize Utahns by the reproductive organs of their birth, and prohibits transgender Utahns from using locker rooms or bathrooms that align with their gender in government-owned buildings. Republican lawmakers repeatedly employed misinformation about transgender Utahns while working to rally support for the bill, an investigation by The Salt Lake Tribune found . Utah, which has passed restrictions on transgender people for three consecutive years, also prohibits transgender minors from accessing gender-affirming health care . Birkeland did not respond to questions about whether she would introduce bills to enact such policy shifts in the 2025 legislative session, but told KUER earlier this month that she isn’t planning on proposing legislation impacting the transgender community. A spokesperson for the Utah House of Representatives did not respond to questions as to GOP leadership’s feelings on such policies, or whether other members of their caucus would draft bills including them. On Monday, legislative leadership and Gov. Spencer Cox urged Utah State University to join a lawsuit against the Mountain West Conference over its transgender participation policy — weeks after players on the school’s volleyball team opted to forfeit a game against another team that allegedly includes a transgender athlete. The school filed a motion to join soon after. “Female athletes deserve the right to a safe playing field, fair competition and equal opportunities,” the officials said in a statement. “By intervening, Utah will send a clear message that these rights are non-negotiable.” Utah House Democrats responded with a statement of their own, writing, “Transgender athletes have participated in sports for years without facing the intense scrutiny they endure today. Targeting them harms their mental health, further isolates an already vulnerable population, and goes against the inclusive values we should all uphold. This is not the Utah way.” Birkeland’s post also follows an anti-transgender political action committee that appears to be violating campaign finance laws and aimed to influence the outcome of a state legislative race in a district bordering hers. Despite establishing a website, deploying mailers and sending texts attacking Democrats throughout the state for opposing restrictions on transgender Utahns, including the only Democrat outside of Salt Lake County , the out-of-state Preserving Utah Values PAC reports that it has raised and spent $0 during the 2024 election cycle. The United Nations recognizes transgender people’s ability to change official documents, including birth certificates, as a human right. “Failing to provide access to legal gender recognition hinders access to rights and services (e.g. education, employment, bathrooms) and puts trans people at risk of violence (e.g. when presenting documents that don’t match their appearance),” reads the website for the supranational organization’s high commissioner for human rights. “Trans people are at particular risk of violence in detention settings when their gender identity is not respected.” According to the Utah Bureau of Criminal Identification , hate crimes against LGBTQ+ Utahns more than doubled from 2022 to 2023. This year, law enforcement agencies have reported 15 incidents.LAS VEGAS -- The Milwaukee Bucks are making a return trip to the NBA Cup semifinals after falling short in Sin City last season. This time around, they'll have the responsibility of stopping one of the game's great entertainers in Trae Young and the Atlanta Hawks. Young rolled a pair of imaginary dice over the New York Knicks' midcourt logo in the closing moments of the Hawks' 108-100 win in the quarterfinals on Tuesday, a nod to the Hawks' trip to Vegas. It was yet another example of Young's showmanship, something the Knicks have seen firsthand over the years. The Bucks also got to experience a bit of Young's big-game prowess in the 2021 Eastern Conference finals, but Young suffered an ankle injury in Game 3 of that series and wasn't the same the rest of the way. If "Ice Trae" has it his way, the Bucks will be the latest victim of his prime-time heroics on Saturday night. Even if he doesn't like to linger on the memories of that series. "I don't let past things make me mad (and I don't) hold a grudge on those things," the 26-year-old Young said. "Yeah, I'm young. I'm not super young anymore, where I like, let those things really affect me. "I remember it like it was yesterday. It definitely hurts, but I mean, this is a new team. I'm part of a new team. They're a different team. So I can't let my past affect my mental and my focus on right now, because it's a totally different team and totally different place." Young is averaging 21 points per game to go along with 12.2 assists, numbers that have only been equaled by Magic Johnson and Isiah Thomas over the course of an entire NBA season. He's gotten a fair bit of help too, most notably in the form of 19.8 points and a team-high 10.1 rebounds per game from fourth-year forward Jalen Johnson. The Hawks earned the No. 3 seed in NBA Cup knockout play after going 3-1 in the East Group C stage. Atlanta's among the hottest teams in the league at the moment, having won seven of its last eight games overall. The Bucks, on the other hand, are the only team of the four remaining that made it to the NBA Cup semifinals in Las Vegas last season. They had a short trip, falling 128-119 to the Pacers, but the hope is that last year's experience better prepared them for all of the outside hoopla that comes with this stage. At the very least, they have a much better understanding of what winning the NBA Cup would entail. "I think last year, most people didn't even understand what was going on until they got to the final stages," Bucks star Damian Lillard said. "When we got to the game against New York last year, where the winner got to go to Vegas, we started to have a better understanding of what was on the line. "Coming into this season, I think everybody understood better. Everybody cared more, not just because it's an opportunity to win money. Even though it's not the ultimate goal, I think it gives you an edge. We want to be the last team standing in it. We want to win the money. We want to continue going in the right direction as a team." The Bucks entered Tuesday's quarterfinal as the East's top seed in NBA Cup play, going 4-0 in East Group B play despite a turbulent 2-8 start to the season. They've won nine of their last 11 games and eclipsed .500 for the season by beating the Brooklyn Nets on Sunday and the Orlando Magic on Tuesday. Giannis Antetokounmpo sits atop the NBA scoring leaders as of Friday afternoon, averaging 32.7 points and a team-high 11.4 rebounds per game. Lillard has also played at an All-Star level, averaging 25.8 points per game in addition to 7.6 assists. Bobby Portis (13.2 ppg) and Brook Lopez (11 ppg) are the only other Bucks averaging double figures. --Will Despart, Field Level Media

Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta has revealed it is a “very real possibility” that games will become shorter to combat fixture congestion. The Champions League group stage has expanded from six matches to eight this season, and Manchester City’s Rodri – before he ruptured his anterior cruciate ligament, ruling him out for the campaign – warned players could be forced to strike if the calendar continues to expand. Gunners defender Jurrien Timber, who was sidelined for nine months last season with a knee injury, has also described the current schedule as “dangerous”. And Arteta, speaking ahead of his side’s Premier League clash against Everton at the Emirates on Saturday, raised the prospect of matches being reduced from 90 minutes. When asked how football might evolve in the future, the Spaniard said: “It is going to be very constrained and very related to new regulations and new rules. “Because with the amount of games we are going to have to play, the type of squad you are going to have is going to be vital.” It was then put to Arteta that games could become shorter to avoid injuries amid the increased number of matches. “That’s an option,” he replied. “We have changed the Champions League format, to play more games, home and away, so it is a very real possibility I think.” Arsenal host the Toffees – their third match of seven this month – bidding to bridge the gap to Liverpool at the summit of the Premier League. Arsenal trail the Reds by six points having played one game more. The Gunners will be fresh from a convincing 3-0 win against Monaco in the Champions League which saw Bukayo Saka score twice, taking his direct goal contributions for the season to 21. In the Premier League, only Liverpool’s Mohamed Salah (28) has managed more. Saka’s electric form has led some to suggest that the England international could follow in the footsteps of Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi, who both started out on the wing, and move into a more central role. And Arteta continued: “That will depend a lot on the qualities and the players who are around him. “For somebody to be an inside instead of an outside, somebody has to be outside and that player, that full-back, that attacking midfielder and nine has to allow the space to do that. But I’m certainly very open to keep evolving players.”The Ukrainian Defense Forces hit a radar station of the S-400 anti-aircraft missile system of Russian troops on the territory of the aggressor country. The strike took place on the night of November 24 in the Kursk region of the Russian Federation. This was officially announced by the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. Earlier, a video from near Kursk, where the "cotton" was seen at night, was posted online. According to the military, units of the missile forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, in cooperation with other components of the Defense Forces, launched a group strike on the positions of the enemy's anti-aircraft missile division in the Kursk region. It is subordinated to the 1490th Anti-Aircraft Missile Regiment of the 6th Army of the Russian Federation. A successful hit on a S-400 radar station was recorded there. It is emphasized that this unit of the Russian Armed Forces conducted combat operations in the "ground-to-ground" mode, that is, hit ground-based fixed targets. "Such attacks by Russian invaders mostly target civilian objects and civilians in the frontline regions of Ukraine," the General Staff explained. They added that the occupiers' military activities continue, so there will be more "cotton" to come. As a reminder, residents of the Kursk region of the Russian Federation began complaining about explosions on the evening of November 23, claiming an alleged attack by ATACMS missiles and UAVs. Russian authorities claimed that their air defense system "shot down 34" drones over a number of regions. The S-400 Triumph is a Russian long- and medium-range air defense missile system adopted by the Russian Armed Forces in 2007. The radar station is part of the SAM and operates in the X-band (8-12 GHz), with a maximum range of air targets detection of up to 300 km. The antenna array is made using AFAR technology, which provides high resolution and the ability for the enemy to quickly scan the airspace. The station is integrated into the overall control and monitoring system, so it can work together with other radar stations in the complex. Since the beginning of the full-scale war, the Defense Forces have already hit more than one radar for Russian S-300/400 air defense systems. As reported by OBOZ.UA, The Wall Street Journal published a map of Russian military facilities that could be potential targets for Ukrainian strikes with ATACMS missiles. Among them are airports, ammunition depots, and Russian army headquarters. Only verified information is available on our Telegram channel OBOZ.UA and Viber . Do not fall for fakes!

NOVATO, Calif. , Nov. 25, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Hennessy Advisors, Inc. HNNA today announced that, effective December 18, 2024, it will transfer the stock exchange listing for the Hennessy Stance ESG ETF (the "Stance ETF") from NYSE Arca, Inc. to The Nasdaq Stock Market LLC ("Nasdaq"). Hennessy Advisors, Inc. is the investment advisor for the Stance ETF, which is a series of Hennessy Funds Trust (the "Trust"). The Board of Trustees of the Trust approved the transfer at a meeting held on September 25, 2024. The Stance ETF expects to begin trading as a Nasdaq-listed company on December 18, 2024, and its shares will continue to trade under the symbol "STNC." "The transfer to Nasdaq is designed to facilitate the continued listing of the Stance ETF's shares on a national securities exchange at a lower annual expense," said Neil Hennessy , Chairman and CEO of Hennessy Advisors, Inc. About Hennessy Advisors, Inc . Hennessy Advisors, Inc. is a publicly traded investment manager offering a broad range of domestic equity, multi-asset, and sector and specialty funds. Hennessy Advisors, Inc. is committed to providing superior service to shareholders and employing a consistent and disciplined approach to investing based on a buy and hold philosophy that rejects the idea of market timing. Additional Information Nothing in this press release shall be considered a solicitation to buy or an offer to sell a security to any person in any jurisdiction where such offer, solicitation, purchase, or sale would be unlawful under the securities laws of such jurisdiction. Forward‐Looking Statements This press release contains forward-looking statements, which do not relate strictly to historical or current facts. Forward-looking statements are beyond the ability of Hennessy Advisors, Inc. to control and, in many cases, Hennessy Advisors, Inc. cannot predict what factors would cause actual results to differ materially from those indicated by forward-looking statements. As a result, no assurance can be given as to future results, levels of activity, performance, or achievements, and Hennessy Advisors, Inc. assumes no responsibility for the accuracy and completeness of any forward-looking statements. View original content: https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/hennessy-advisors-inc-announces-listing-transfer-for-the-hennessy-stance-esg-etf-stnc-to-the-nasdaq-stock-market-llc-302315845.html SOURCE Hennessy Advisors, Inc. © 2024 Benzinga.com. Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved.deepblue4you/E+ via Getty Images This article revisits Essential Utilities, Inc. ( NYSE: WTRG ) following its recent quarterly results that highlighted (1) progress on key regulatory approvals in Pennsylvania, and (2) sustained investment in infrastructure improvements across its water and natural gas segments. Since Analyst’s Disclosure: I/we have a beneficial long position in the shares of WTRG either through stock ownership, options, or other derivatives. I wrote this article myself, and it expresses my own opinions. I am not receiving compensation for it (other than from Seeking Alpha). I have no business relationship with any company whose stock is mentioned in this article. Seeking Alpha's Disclosure: Past performance is no guarantee of future results. No recommendation or advice is being given as to whether any investment is suitable for a particular investor. Any views or opinions expressed above may not reflect those of Seeking Alpha as a whole. Seeking Alpha is not a licensed securities dealer, broker or US investment adviser or investment bank. Our analysts are third party authors that include both professional investors and individual investors who may not be licensed or certified by any institute or regulatory body.

Was Netanyahu Treated for Prostate Cancer?

Drones for commercial and recreational use have grown rapidly in popularity, despite restrictions on who can operate them and where they can be flown. No-fly zones are enforced around airports, military installations, nuclear plants, certain landmarks including the Statue of Liberty, and sports stadiums during games. Not everybody follows the rules. Sightings at airports have shut down flights in a few instances. Reported sightings of what appear to be drones flying over New Jersey at night in recent weeks have created anxiety among some residents, in part because it is not clear who is operating them or why. Some state and local officials have called for stricter rules to govern drones. After receiving reports of drone activity last month near Morris County, New Jersey, the Federal Aviation Administration issued temporary bans on drone flights over a golf course in Bedminster , New Jersey, that is owned by President-elect Donald Trump, and over Picatinny Arsenal Military Base . The FAA says the bans are in response to requests from “federal security partners.” The FAA is responsible for the regulations governing their use , and Congress has written some requirements into law. With a 2018 law, the Preventing Emerging Threats Act, Congress gave certain agencies in the Homeland Security and Justice departments authority to counter threats from unmanned aircraft to protect the safety of certain facilities. New drones must be outfitted with equipment allowing law enforcement to identify the operator, and Congress gave the agencies the power to detect and take down unmanned aircraft that they consider dangerous. The law spells out where the counter-drone measures can be used, including “national special security events” such as presidential inaugurations and other large gatherings of people. To get a “remote pilot certificate,” you must be at least 16 years old, be proficient in English, pass an aeronautics exam, and not suffer from a ”mental condition that would interfere with the safe operation of a small unmanned aircraft system.” Yes, but the FAA imposes restrictions on nighttime operations. Most drones are not allowed to fly at night unless they are equipped with anti-collision lights that are visible for at least 3 miles (4.8 kilometers). Over the past decade, pilots have reported hundreds of close calls between drones and airplanes including airline jets. In some cases, airplane pilots have had to take evasive action to avoid collisions. Drones buzzing over a runway caused flights to be stopped at London’s Gatwick Airport during the Christmas travel rush in 2018 and again in May 2023 . Police dismissed the idea of shooting down the drones, fearing that stray bullets could kill someone. Advances in drone technology have made it harder for law enforcement to find rogue drone operators — bigger drones in particular have more range and power. Some state and local officials in New Jersey are calling for stronger restrictions because of the recent sightings, and that has the drone industry worried. Scott Shtofman, director of government affairs at the Association for Uncrewed Vehicle Systems International, said putting more limits on drones could have a “chilling effect” on “a growing economic engine for the United States.” “We would definitely oppose anything that is blindly pushing for new regulation of what are right now legal drone operations,” he said. AirSight, a company that sells software against “drone threats,” says more than 20 states have enacted laws against privacy invasion by drones, including Peeping Toms. Will Austin, president of Warren County Community College in New Jersey, and founder of its drone program, says it's up to users to reduce public concern about the machines. He said operators must explain why they are flying when confronted by people worried about privacy or safety. “It's a brand new technology that's not really understood real well, so it will raise fear and anxiety in a lot of people,” Austin said. “We want to be good professional aviators and alleviate that.” Associated Press reporter Rebecca Santana in Washington, D.C., contributed.

Lument Finance Trust, Inc. Declares Quarterly Cash Dividends for its Common and Preferred Stock and Announces Special Cash Dividend DistributionDallas (5-8) at Carolina (3-10) Sunday, 1 p.m. EST, FOX. BetMGM Odds: Panthers by 3. Against the spread: Cowboys 4-9, Panthers 6-7. Series record: Cowboys lead 11-3. Last meeting: Cowboys beat Panthers 33-10 on Nov. 19, 2023 in Carolina. Last week: Cowboys lost to Bengals 27-20; Panthers lost to Eagles 22-16. Cowboys offense: overall (20), rush (28), pass (11), scoring (21) Cowboys defense: overall (25), rush (30), pass (22), scoring (31) Panthers offense: overall (30), rush (22), pass (27), scoring (28) Panthers defense: overall (31), rush (32), pass (12), scoring (32) Turnover differential: Cowboys minus-8; Panthers minus-5. Panthers edge rusher Micah Parsons vs. Panthers offensive line. Parsons seems to be getting better as the season progresses and will be a tough matchup for Carolina's offensive line regardless of where he lines up. Parsons has 3 1/2 sacks over his past three games. WR Adam Thielen. The veteran wide receiver was Bryce Young's favorite option last season and is finally developing into that again this season after battling back from a hamstring injury that left him on injured reserve. Thielen has 17 catches on 21 targets for 201 yards and a touchdown over the past two games. When the Panthers need a first down on fourth down, the pass is almost always going to Thielen. Cowboys RB Rico Dowdle vs. NFL's worst run defense. Dowdle has had the first two 100-yard outings of his career the past two weeks, resetting his career best both times. The undrafted fifth-year player on an expiring contract had 131 yards in the loss to the Bengals. Since taking over as the lead back at the start of November, Dowdle is averaging 16 carries and 81 yards with a touchdown rushing and another receiving. On Sunday, he will face the league’s 32nd-ranked run defense. Carolina allowed Philadelphia’s Saquon Barkley to run for 124 yards last week and Tampa Bay’s Bucky Irving to run for a career-high 152 yards the week before that. The Panthers are allowing more than 170 yards per game on the ground and 4.97 yards per carry. Cowboys LB DeMarvion Overshown was set for season-ending surgery on the right knee he injured in the fourth quarter of the loss to the Bengals. The second-year player from Texas missed all of his rookie season after tearing a ligament in his left knee in a preseason game. ... DE DeMarcus Lawrence, who hasn’t played since Week 4, is close to returning from a foot injury. With the playoff hopes all but gone, the question remains whether to press the 32-year-old into action. Lawrence is on an expiring contract. ... Rookie C Cooper Beebe sustained a concussion against Cincinnati.. ... The Panthers are hoping to get WR Jalen Coker back on the field this week after he has missed the past three games with a quad injury. ... Also, No. 1 CB Jaycee Horn has been playing with a groin injury, and that could be problematic against CeeDee Lamb. The Cowboys are 7-2 against the Panthers since losing a wild-card game at Carolina 29-10 during the 2003 season, the first of Pro Football Hall of Fame coach Bill Parcells’ four years leading Dallas. The Cowboys are 4-2 on the road this season, including victories over playoff contenders Pittsburgh and Washington. ... QB Cooper Rush is 2-3 filling in for Dak Prescott, who is out for the season after surgery for a torn hamstring. Assuming Rush starts, this will be his longest stint as Prescott’s replacement. He went 4-1 in 2022 after Prescott broke the thumb on his throwing hand in the opener. ... Dowdle’s 7.3-yard average per carry on 18 attempts against the Bengals was the highest for a Dallas back since Ezekiel Elliott averaged 7.9 per carry at Philadelphia in 2018. ... WR CeeDee Lamb has just one 100-yard receiving game this season after finishing with eight in his breakout 2023 All-Pro season. But Lamb has five other games with at least 89 yards. He has reached 1,000 scrimmage yards in each of his first five seasons, the fifth receiver to do that. ... S Malik Hooker’s interception of Joe Burrow was his second of the season. He has seven interceptions in his four Dallas seasons. He also had seven in four years with Indianapolis, where he spent four injury-filled years as a 2017 first-round draft pick. ... The Panthers have endured six straight seasons with at least 10 losses. ... Carolina’s past five games have come down to the last possession. ... Panthers 1,000-yard RB Chuba Hubbard needs one rushing touchdown to pass Stephen Davis for fifth in team history. He is also 9 rushing yards away from reaching 3,000 for his career. ... Rookie WR Xavier Legette had three drops last week vs. the Eagles, including one for a potential go-ahead score in the final minute. ... OLB Jadeveon Clowney is tied for 11th in sacks among active NFL players. ... The Panthers have 15 sacks in the past four games. Carolina’s improved pass rush has coincided with OLB D.J. Wonnum getting on the field after missing the first nine games of the season on injured reserve. Chuba Hubbard is expected to see the overwhelming majority of carries for the Panthers, who are now thin at the position. Miles Sanders and Jonathon Brooks are on injured reserve and Raheem Blackshear is working through a chest injury. That leaves Mike Boone as the Hubbard's backup. NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl

ATLANTA (AP) — Jimmy Carter, the peanut farmer who won the presidency in the wake of the Watergate scandal and Vietnam War, endured humbling defeat after one tumultuous term and then redefined life after the White House as a global humanitarian, has died. He was 100 years old. The longest-lived American president died on Sunday, roughly 22 months after entering hospice care , at his home in the small town of Plains, Georgia, where he and his wife, Rosalynn, who died at 96 in November 2023 , spent most of their lives, The Carter Center said. “Our founder, former U.S. President Jimmy Carter, passed away this afternoon in Plains, Georgia,” the center said on the social media platform X. It added in a statement that he died peacefully, surrounded by his family. As reaction poured in from around the world, President Joe Biden mourned Carter’s death, saying the world lost an “extraordinary leader, statesman and humanitarian” and he lost a dear friend. Biden cited Carter’s work to eradicate disease, forge peace, advance civil and human rights, promote free and fair elections and house the homeless as an example for others. “To all of the young people in this nation and for anyone in search of what it means to live a life of purpose and meaning – the good life – study Jimmy Carter, a man of principle, faith, and humility,” Biden said in a statement. Biden spoke later Sunday evening about Carter, calling it a “sad day” but one that “brings back an incredible amount of good memories.” “I’ve been hanging out with Jimmy Carter for over 50 years,” Biden said in his remarks. He recalled the former president being a comfort to him and his wife Jill when their son Beau died in 2015 of cancer. The president remarked how cancer was a common bond between their families, with Carter himself having cancer later in his life. “Jimmy knew the ravages of the disease too well,” said Biden, who scheduled a state funeral in Washington, D.C., for Carter on Jan. 9. Biden also declared Jan. 9 as a National Day of Mourning across the nation and ordered U.S. flags to fly at half-staff for 30 days from Sunday. Businessman, Navy officer, evangelist, politician, negotiator, author, woodworker, citizen of the world — Carter forged a path that still challenges political assumptions and stands out among the 45 men who reached the nation’s highest office. The 39th president leveraged his ambition with a keen intellect, deep religious faith and prodigious work ethic, conducting diplomatic missions into his 80s and building houses for the poor well into his 90s. “My faith demands — this is not optional — my faith demands that I do whatever I can, wherever I am, whenever I can, for as long as I can, with whatever I have to try to make a difference,” Carter once said. A moderate Democrat, Carter entered the 1976 presidential race as a little-known Georgia governor with a broad smile, outspoken Baptist mores and technocratic plans reflecting his education as an engineer. His no-frills campaign depended on public financing, and his promise not to deceive the American people resonated after Richard Nixon’s disgrace and U.S. defeat in southeast Asia. “If I ever lie to you, if I ever make a misleading statement, don’t vote for me. I would not deserve to be your president,” Carter repeated before narrowly beating Republican incumbent Gerald Ford, who had lost popularity pardoning Nixon. Carter governed amid Cold War pressures, turbulent oil markets and social upheaval over racism, women’s rights and America’s global role. His most acclaimed achievement in office was a Mideast peace deal that he brokered by keeping Egyptian President Anwar Sadat and Israeli Prime Minister Menachem Begin at the bargaining table for 13 days in 1978. That Camp David experience inspired the post-presidential center where Carter would establish so much of his legacy. Yet Carter’s electoral coalition splintered under double-digit inflation, gasoline lines and the 444-day hostage crisis in Iran. His bleakest hour came when eight Americans died in a failed hostage rescue in April 1980, helping to ensure his landslide defeat to Republican Ronald Reagan. Carter acknowledged in his 2020 “White House Diary” that he could be “micromanaging” and “excessively autocratic,” complicating dealings with Congress and the federal bureaucracy. He also turned a cold shoulder to Washington’s news media and lobbyists, not fully appreciating their influence on his political fortunes. “It didn’t take us long to realize that the underestimation existed, but by that time we were not able to repair the mistake,” Carter told historians in 1982, suggesting that he had “an inherent incompatibility” with Washington insiders. Carter insisted his overall approach was sound and that he achieved his primary objectives — to “protect our nation’s security and interests peacefully” and “enhance human rights here and abroad” — even if he fell spectacularly short of a second term. Ignominious defeat, though, allowed for renewal. The Carters founded The Carter Center in 1982 as a first-of-its-kind base of operations, asserting themselves as international peacemakers and champions of democracy, public health and human rights. “I was not interested in just building a museum or storing my White House records and memorabilia,” Carter wrote in a memoir published after his 90th birthday. “I wanted a place where we could work.” That work included easing nuclear tensions in North and South Korea, helping to avert a U.S. invasion of Haiti and negotiating cease-fires in Bosnia and Sudan. By 2022, The Carter Center had declared at least 113 elections in Latin America, Asia and Africa to be free or fraudulent. Recently, the center began monitoring U.S. elections as well. Carter’s stubborn self-assuredness and even self-righteousness proved effective once he was unencumbered by the Washington order, sometimes to the point of frustrating his successors . He went “where others are not treading,” he said, to places like Ethiopia, Liberia and North Korea, where he secured the release of an American who had wandered across the border in 2010. “I can say what I like. I can meet whom I want. I can take on projects that please me and reject the ones that don’t,” Carter said. He announced an arms-reduction-for-aid deal with North Korea without clearing the details with Bill Clinton’s White House. He openly criticized President George W. Bush for the 2003 invasion of Iraq. He also criticized America’s approach to Israel with his 2006 book “Palestine: Peace Not Apartheid.” And he repeatedly countered U.S. administrations by insisting North Korea should be included in international affairs, a position that most aligned Carter with Republican President Donald Trump. Among the center’s many public health initiatives, Carter vowed to eradicate the guinea worm parasite during his lifetime, and nearly achieved it: Cases dropped from millions in the 1980s to nearly a handful. With hardhats and hammers, the Carters also built homes with Habitat for Humanity. The Nobel committee’s 2002 Peace Prize cites his “untiring effort to find peaceful solutions to international conflicts, to advance democracy and human rights, and to promote economic and social development.” Carter should have won it alongside Sadat and Begin in 1978, the chairman added. Carter accepted the recognition saying there was more work to be done. “The world is now, in many ways, a more dangerous place,” he said. “The greater ease of travel and communication has not been matched by equal understanding and mutual respect.” Carter’s globetrotting took him to remote villages where he met little “Jimmy Carters,” so named by admiring parents. But he spent most of his days in the same one-story Plains house — expanded and guarded by Secret Service agents — where they lived before he became governor. He regularly taught Sunday School lessons at Maranatha Baptist Church until his mobility declined and the coronavirus pandemic raged. Those sessions drew visitors from around the world to the small sanctuary where Carter will receive his final send-off after a state funeral at Washington’s National Cathedral. The common assessment that he was a better ex-president than president rankled Carter and his allies. His prolific post-presidency gave him a brand above politics, particularly for Americans too young to witness him in office. But Carter also lived long enough to see biographers and historians reassess his White House years more generously. His record includes the deregulation of key industries, reduction of U.S. dependence on foreign oil, cautious management of the national debt and notable legislation on the environment, education and mental health. He focused on human rights in foreign policy, pressuring dictators to release thousands of political prisoners . He acknowledged America’s historical imperialism, pardoned Vietnam War draft evaders and relinquished control of the Panama Canal. He normalized relations with China. “I am not nominating Jimmy Carter for a place on Mount Rushmore,” Stuart Eizenstat, Carter’s domestic policy director, wrote in a 2018 book. “He was not a great president” but also not the “hapless and weak” caricature voters rejected in 1980, Eizenstat said. Rather, Carter was “good and productive” and “delivered results, many of which were realized only after he left office.” Madeleine Albright, a national security staffer for Carter and Clinton’s secretary of state, wrote in Eizenstat’s forward that Carter was “consequential and successful” and expressed hope that “perceptions will continue to evolve” about his presidency. “Our country was lucky to have him as our leader,” said Albright, who died in 2022. Story continues below video Jonathan Alter, who penned a comprehensive Carter biography published in 2020, said in an interview that Carter should be remembered for “an epic American life” spanning from a humble start in a home with no electricity or indoor plumbing through decades on the world stage across two centuries. “He will likely go down as one of the most misunderstood and underestimated figures in American history,” Alter told The Associated Press. James Earl Carter Jr. was born Oct. 1, 1924, in Plains and spent his early years in nearby Archery. His family was a minority in the mostly Black community, decades before the civil rights movement played out at the dawn of Carter’s political career. Carter, who campaigned as a moderate on race relations but governed more progressively, talked often of the influence of his Black caregivers and playmates but also noted his advantages: His land-owning father sat atop Archery’s tenant-farming system and owned a main street grocery. His mother, Lillian , would become a staple of his political campaigns. Seeking to broaden his world beyond Plains and its population of fewer than 1,000 — then and now — Carter won an appointment to the U.S. Naval Academy, graduating in 1946. That same year he married Rosalynn Smith, another Plains native, a decision he considered more important than any he made as head of state. She shared his desire to see the world, sacrificing college to support his Navy career. Carter climbed in rank to lieutenant, but then his father was diagnosed with cancer, so the submarine officer set aside his ambitions of admiralty and moved the family back to Plains. His decision angered Rosalynn, even as she dived into the peanut business alongside her husband. Carter again failed to talk with his wife before his first run for office — he later called it “inconceivable” not to have consulted her on such major life decisions — but this time, she was on board. “My wife is much more political,” Carter told the AP in 2021. He won a state Senate seat in 1962 but wasn’t long for the General Assembly and its back-slapping, deal-cutting ways. He ran for governor in 1966 — losing to arch-segregationist Lester Maddox — and then immediately focused on the next campaign. Carter had spoken out against church segregation as a Baptist deacon and opposed racist “Dixiecrats” as a state senator. Yet as a local school board leader in the 1950s he had not pushed to end school segregation even after the Supreme Court's Brown v. Board of Education decision, despite his private support for integration. And in 1970, Carter ran for governor again as the more conservative Democrat against Carl Sanders, a wealthy businessman Carter mocked as “Cufflinks Carl.” Sanders never forgave him for anonymous, race-baiting flyers, which Carter disavowed. Ultimately, Carter won his races by attracting both Black voters and culturally conservative whites. Once in office, he was more direct. “I say to you quite frankly that the time for racial discrimination is over,” he declared in his 1971 inaugural address, setting a new standard for Southern governors that landed him on the cover of Time magazine. His statehouse initiatives included environmental protection, boosting rural education and overhauling antiquated executive branch structures. He proclaimed Martin Luther King Jr. Day in the slain civil rights leader’s home state. And he decided, as he received presidential candidates in 1972, that they were no more talented than he was. In 1974, he ran Democrats’ national campaign arm. Then he declared his own candidacy for 1976. An Atlanta newspaper responded with the headline: “Jimmy Who?” The Carters and a “Peanut Brigade” of family members and Georgia supporters camped out in Iowa and New Hampshire, establishing both states as presidential proving grounds. His first Senate endorsement: a young first-termer from Delaware named Joe Biden. Yet it was Carter’s ability to navigate America’s complex racial and rural politics that cemented the nomination. He swept the Deep South that November, the last Democrat to do so, as many white Southerners shifted to Republicans in response to civil rights initiatives. A self-declared “born-again Christian,” Carter drew snickers by referring to Scripture in a Playboy magazine interview, saying he “had looked on many women with lust. I’ve committed adultery in my heart many times.” The remarks gave Ford a new foothold and television comedians pounced — including NBC’s new “Saturday Night Live” show. But voters weary of cynicism in politics found it endearing. Carter chose Minnesota Sen. Walter “Fritz” Mondale as his running mate on a “Grits and Fritz” ticket. In office, he elevated the vice presidency and the first lady’s office. Mondale’s governing partnership was a model for influential successors Al Gore, Dick Cheney and Biden. Rosalynn Carter was one of the most involved presidential spouses in history, welcomed into Cabinet meetings and huddles with lawmakers and top aides. The Carters presided with uncommon informality: He used his nickname “Jimmy” even when taking the oath of office, carried his own luggage and tried to silence the Marine Band’s “Hail to the Chief.” They bought their clothes off the rack. Carter wore a cardigan for a White House address, urging Americans to conserve energy by turning down their thermostats. Amy, the youngest of four children, attended District of Columbia public school. Washington’s social and media elite scorned their style. But the larger concern was that “he hated politics,” according to Eizenstat, leaving him nowhere to turn politically once economic turmoil and foreign policy challenges took their toll. Carter partially deregulated the airline, railroad and trucking industries and established the departments of Education and Energy, and the Federal Emergency Management Agency. He designated millions of acres of Alaska as national parks or wildlife refuges. He appointed a then-record number of women and nonwhite people to federal posts. He never had a Supreme Court nomination, but he elevated civil rights attorney Ruth Bader Ginsburg to the nation’s second highest court, positioning her for a promotion in 1993. He appointed Paul Volker, the Federal Reserve chairman whose policies would help the economy boom in the 1980s — after Carter left office. He built on Nixon’s opening with China, and though he tolerated autocrats in Asia, pushed Latin America from dictatorships to democracy. But he couldn’t immediately tame inflation or the related energy crisis. And then came Iran. After he admitted the exiled Shah of Iran to the U.S. for medical treatment, the American Embassy in Tehran was overrun in 1979 by followers of the Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini. Negotiations to free the hostages broke down repeatedly ahead of the failed rescue attempt. The same year, Carter signed SALT II, the new strategic arms treaty with Leonid Brezhnev of the Soviet Union, only to pull it back, impose trade sanctions and order a U.S. boycott of the Moscow Olympics after the Soviets invaded Afghanistan. Hoping to instill optimism, he delivered what the media dubbed his “malaise” speech, although he didn’t use that word. He declared the nation was suffering “a crisis of confidence.” By then, many Americans had lost confidence in the president, not themselves. Carter campaigned sparingly for reelection because of the hostage crisis, instead sending Rosalynn as Sen. Edward M. Kennedy challenged him for the Democratic nomination. Carter famously said he’d “kick his ass,” but was hobbled by Kennedy as Reagan rallied a broad coalition with “make America great again” appeals and asking voters whether they were “better off than you were four years ago.” Reagan further capitalized on Carter’s lecturing tone, eviscerating him in their lone fall debate with the quip: “There you go again.” Carter lost all but six states and Republicans rolled to a new Senate majority. Carter successfully negotiated the hostages’ freedom after the election, but in one final, bitter turn of events, Tehran waited until hours after Carter left office to let them walk free. At 56, Carter returned to Georgia with “no idea what I would do with the rest of my life.” Four decades after launching The Carter Center, he still talked of unfinished business. “I thought when we got into politics we would have resolved everything,” Carter told the AP in 2021. “But it’s turned out to be much more long-lasting and insidious than I had thought it was. I think in general, the world itself is much more divided than in previous years.” Still, he affirmed what he said when he underwent treatment for a cancer diagnosis in his 10th decade of life. “I’m perfectly at ease with whatever comes,” he said in 2015 . “I’ve had a wonderful life. I’ve had thousands of friends, I’ve had an exciting, adventurous and gratifying existence.” Sanz is a former Associated Press reporter.Democrats maintain trifecta, yet Republicans hopeful for 2025