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pleco fish Jimmy 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 more than a year 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. The Latest: Former President Jimmy Carter is dead at age 100 Former President Jimmy Carter has died at the age of 100. The 39th president of the United States was a Georgia peanut farmer who sought to restore trust in government when he assumed the presidency in 1977 and then built a reputation for tireless work as a humanitarian. He earned a Nobel Peace Prize in 2002. He died Sunday, more than a year after entering hospice care, at his home in Plains, Georgia. Carter was sworn in as president on Jan. 20, 1977, after defeating President Gerald R. Ford in the 1976 general election. He left office on Jan. 20, 1981, following his 1980 general election loss to Ronald Reagan. Jimmy Carter: A brief bio Former U.S. President Jimmy Carter has died at his home in Plains, Georgia. His death comes more than a year after the former president entered hospice care. He was 100 years old. Jetliner skids off runway and bursts into flames while landing in South Korea, killing 179 SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — A jetliner skidded off a runway, slammed into a concrete fence and burst into flames in South Korea after its landing gear apparently failed to deploy. Officials said all but two of the 181 people on board were killed Sunday in one of the country’s worst aviation disasters. The 737-800 operated by Jeju Air plane arrived from Bangkok and crashed while attempting to land in the town of Muan, about 290 kilometers (180 miles) south of Seoul. Footage of the crash aired by South Korean television channels showed the plane skidding across the airstrip at high speed, evidently with its landing gear still closed. 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. Israeli hospital says Netanyahu has undergone successful prostate surgery TEL AVIV, Israel (AP) — An Israeli hospital says Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has undergone successful prostate surgery. Jerusalem’s Hadassah Medical Center said his prostate was removed late Sunday and that he was recovering. Netanyahu’s office had said Justice Minister Yariv Levin, a close ally, would serve as acting prime minister during the procedure. Doctors ordered the operation after detecting an infection last week. Netanyahu is expected to remain hospitalized for several days. With so much at stake, Netanyahu’s health in wartime is a concern for both Israelis and the wider world. 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. 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. Musk causes uproar for backing Germany's far-right party ahead of key elections BERLIN (AP) — Tech entrepreneur Elon Musk has caused uproar after backing Germany’s far-right party in a major newspaper ahead of key parliamentary elections in the Western European country, leading to the resignation of the paper’s opinion editor in protest. Germany is to vote in an early election on Feb. 23 after Chancellor Olaf Scholz’s three-party governing coalition collapsed last month in a dispute over how to revitalize the country’s stagnant economy. Musk’s guest opinion piece for Welt am Sonntag, published in German over the weekend, was the second time this month he supported the Alternative for Germany, or AfD.Percentages: FG .491, FT .286. 3-Point Goals: 7-19, .368 (Johnston 2-2, Anderson 2-4, Bronson 1-2, Molnar 1-3, P.Smith 1-5, Hien 0-1, House 0-2). Team Rebounds: 3. Team Turnovers: None. Blocked Shots: 4 (Bowser 3, Molnar). Turnovers: 9 (Bowser 2, P.Smith 2, Bronson, Hien, Humphries, Johnston, VanderWal). Steals: 6 (Bowser 2, Bronson, Hien, Molnar, P.Smith). Technical Fouls: None. Percentages: FG .315, FT .571. 3-Point Goals: 4-23, .174 (Camara 1-3, Oden 1-4, Johnson 1-5, Berry 1-8, Harris 0-1, Wilkins 0-2). Team Rebounds: 3. Team Turnovers: None. Blocked Shots: 5 (Gibson 3, Berry, Jones). Turnovers: 14 (Johnson 5, Berry 4, Kelly 2, Camara, Harris, Wilkins). Steals: 3 (Berry, Kelly, Oden). Technical Fouls: None. A_784 (881).

A new report, identifying the security features that can help consumers to recognise five of the most counterfeited banknotes in the world , has been issued. Despite the rise in cyber-fraud, mirroring the world’s slow but steady move to digital payments, banknote counterfeiting is prevalent. Millions of bills across various currencies continue to be intercepted by authorities around the world every year, with the U.S. dollar still holding the top position as the most counterfeited currency. Analysts at BestBrokers analysed the security features of the 39 most commonly used and traded currencies globally and identified those that are vulnerable to counterfeiting and those that are best protected against replication. This identified the five most counterfeited banknotes in the world. 1. US$100 Believed to be the most counterfeited bill in the world, the 100-denominated U.S. dollar is not easy to forge. Yet, thousands of fake $100 bills were seized in 2023, with the total face value of all counterfeits intercepted by the Secret Service last year amounting to more than $21.8 million. Despite the lack of official statistics, multiple news reports have described large fake bill operations caught by authorities this year. Among those, is a case where Santa Paula, CA, police seized more than $10,000 in fake $100 bills in June. In another case, two men were arrested in Michigan for creating and passing thousands of counterfeit $100. In April, German police said it had seized a massive amount of fake U.S. dollar bills. A total of 75 boxes filled with counterfeit $100 notes were discovered, with their total face value exceeding $103 million. These bills were not very convincing copies, though since they were the so-called “movie props”. The genuine $100 bills can be identified by several key safety features, one of which is the colour-shifting Bell in the Inkwell image on the front of the banknote. When the bill is tilted, a bell seems to appear and disappear in the copper inkwell. Another element to check is the blue 3-D security ribbon; when the note is tilted back and forth, the bells within the ribbon change into “100”s. The bells and “100”s also move up and down, and side to side. Also, the numeral “100” in the lower right corner of the front of the banknote shifts from copper to green when the note is tilted. 2. €50 The 50-denominated Euro is among the most commonly used and counterfeited Euro banknotes. Last year, the number of fake €50 notes seized across Europe was 179,328, more than a third of all counterfeit Euro currency. There has been an increase in the counterfeits detected this year, however. During the first half of the year alone, the German Bundesbank removed 38,600 counterfeit euro banknotes from circulation (nominal value of €2.4 million). This is up nearly 30% from the previous period. And 14,269 of these were €50 bills. Several large counterfeiting criminal operations have also been stopped by authorities across Europe this year. Earlier this year, a joint police investigation in several European countries seized more than €14 million in counterfeit currency. In October, Bulgarian authorities dismantled a massive currency-counterfeiting operation, seizing 37.5 Bulgarian leva, along with half a million euros in fake €500 bills. According to the Bulgarian police, these €500 counterfeits were of extremely high quality, also known as “superbills”. These fake notes are impossible to detect with the naked eye; typically, only trained professionals using specialised equipment such as UV lamps can spot the fake. When held against the light, a dark line can be seen running through it. On this security thread in the middle of the note, the writing “50 Euro” appears. There is a hologram near the bottom right corner of the front of the note, which shows the value and the Euro symbol. When tilted, the hologram shows the value and an image of a window. There is also a colour-changing numeral (50) in the bottom right corner of the bank of the note, which changes from purple to olive green. 3. MX$500 The Mexican peso has long been among the most counterfeit currencies around the world. In 2023, more than half of all 284,614 counterfeit Mexican pesos found across the country were fake 500-denominated peso bills. In 2024, authorities across Mexico have detected more counterfeits, with some of the latest cases being from Baja California. In November, police arrested two individuals in the city of Mexicali and seized counterfeit 885,000 pesos, along with US$286,000 worth of fake dollars. In October, another criminal network dealing with the printing and distribution of counterfeit currency was caught in Mexico City. Thousands of fake peso bills were produced as part of the criminal organization in Guanajuato, Veracruz and Hidalgo. Several security features can help spot a counterfeit peso bill. The MX$500 note is printed on cotton paper and has a colour-changing numeral on the front of the note. The denomination (500) changes from green to blue when the bill is tilted. There are also two watermarks; one corresponding to the portrait and another showing the denomination of the banknote. Also, there are multiple images on both sides of the note that are formed by very small lines that can be observed with a magnifying glass. These tiny shapes of several different colours form the larger objects on the note; they cannot be copied using a regular copier machine. 4. ₹500 The Indian rupee is among the most counterfeited currencies in the world, with more than 79.8 million rupees worth of fakes detected between April 2023 and March 2024. In total, 225,769 counterfeit rupee banknotes were seized. The authentication of these notes is not always straightforward; the 500-denominated bill is printed on cotton paper and the latest designs, in circulation since 2016, feature a portrait of Mahatma Gandhi on the obverse and the Red Fort monument on the reverse. It features a see-through register with the numeral “500” in the bottom left corner; the “500” is formed only when the note is held up against the light and the two pieces of the puzzle come together. Next to it, there is a hidden numeral that appears when the note is tilted. The green numeral in the bottom right corner of the bill also changes to blue when the note is tilted. 5. £20 The 20-denominated British pound sterling is the most common pound note in circulation and last year, over 106,000 of all 116,000 counterfeit notes destroyed by the Bank of England were 20s. In 2024, there might be a rise in counterfeit banknotes seized by the police since criminals tend to take advantage of the fact that many people might not be familiar with recently introduced designs. The release of the King Charles III banknotes this summer has led to an increase in attempts to forge the new notes. In a single operation, a Europol-coordinated effort seized 9,186 British pounds, along with fake Euro and U.S. dollar bills this October. Thousands of counterfeit notes have also been intercepted within the UK; fake £20 have been seen in Cheltenham and Gloucester; there have also been reports of counterfeits in Bangor, Cowbridge and across Wales. Several key security features can be used to authenticate a £20 note, one of which is the see-through window, where the portrait of either King Charles III or the late Her Majesty can be seen. Along with the portrait, there is also the denomination (“£20”) and “Bank of England”, printed twice around the edge. There is an image of a tower or lighthouse in the window that should be in gold foil and have “radiating rings” appear when the note is tilted. The building behind it is in blue foil and is made of rows of £20s. On the back of the note, a purple foil patch with the letter “T” is visible, while on the front, a silver foil patch shows a 3D image of the coronation crown. Another important element is the hologram image in the lower silver patch section of the note where the word “Twenty” changes to “Pounds” when the note is tilted from side to side. There are several security elements on banknotes that can help consumers spot a counterfeit bill: The survey’s full report provides detailed calculations, sources, and the complete methodology behind these findings. Detailed data can additionally be accessed from Google Docs via this link . Dr. Tim Sandle is Digital Journal's Editor-at-Large for science news.Tim specializes in science, technology, environmental, business, and health journalism. He is additionally a practising microbiologist; and an author. He is also interested in history, politics and current affairs.

A surprise Yuletide visitor has brought us a wonderful Christmas present Last week Bunny and I received a surprise visit from a bearer of gifts who, in our minds, had long become a myth. No, it wasn’t Santa Claus. It was someone even more legendary: a postman. We couldn’t remember the last time we’d been visited by, or even seen, a real postman, a species distinct from the ubiquitous couriers. Along with gramophones, black-and-white TVs, and other relics, postmen have disappeared from our lives as though they’d never existed, having been vanished by a wave of the magical wand of digital technology, of laptops, and emails, and smartphones. The postman brought us a Christmas card from friends in London, Roopa and Dan. Like postmen, greetings cards, Christmas or any other, have been dematerialised, banished by the same digitised wizardry as postmen, being replaced by computer-generated graphics and emojis. When Bunny and I lived in Calcutta, every Yuletide season we’d hang up the Christmas and New Year cards we’d get from distant friends and relations, who in turn would get the cards we’d send out in an unbreakable tradition. We’d decide which charitable cause card we’d get – CRY, or HelpAge, or the World Wildlife Fund – and draw up a list of all those we’d send them to. Then there were the postage stamps to be got, from the Park Street post office. We knew the postal rates for the cards to be delivered within the country, but the postage for the ones meant for foreign shores had to be ascertained from the post office. The envelopes for the cards being sent abroad would carefully have to be marked CARD ONLY and BY AIR MAIL, to which PAR AVION would be added if we wanted to sound French, to obviate the possibility of their being shipped off by sea to arrive at their destination in the middle of next summer. The postman’s visit vividly brought all this back to us. The card wasn’t the only thing the postman gave us. He also gave us the gift of memory of times long past. Maybe, after all, he was Santa Claus in disguise.

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The Washington Commanders were one of the worst teams in the NFL last season, finishing 31st overall, which ultimately paid dividends as they were able to land 2023 Heisman Trophy winner and LSU star Jayden Daniels. He’s been nothing short of exceptional in 2024, rejuvenating a city that’s now playing meaningful football deep into December. Daniels seems to be the favorite for Offensive Rookie of the Year, and rightfully so, given what he’s accomplished in just his first season. Not only has he led the Commanders to a 10-5 record entering Sunday night’s game against the Atlanta Falcons, but he has them on a path to the postseason. Javascript is required for you to be able to read premium content. Thanks for the feedback.Updated: Otremba helps Mavericks past No. 2 Ohio StateDermot Mulroney Is a Death Row Inmate in Like Father Like Son

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The Federation of Pakistan Chambers of Commerce and Industry’s Businessmen Panel (BMP) on Sunday urged the government to ensure smooth gas supply to the local as well as the export industry so that local production and the exports could not be suffered, which have just started to show a positive trend after a long time. Expressing serious concerns over the threats of gas supply termination and notices of additional security payment by the SNGPL the FPCCI former president and BMP Chairman Mian Anjum Nisar argued that at a time when the exports data have showed some growth the government agencies, instead of taking business-friendly measures, are creating hurdles for the industry. He quoted the latest exports data and said the exports of readymade garments rose 23.17pc by value in the first quarter and 16.16pc by quantity, while knitwear rose 14.13pc by value and 2.17pc by quantity while bedwear posted a growth of 13.31pc in value and a growth of 14.55pc in quantity, which is an encouraging sign. The government should extend its full support to continue this positive trend of exports growth through uninterrupted gas supply to the captive power plants at afforadable and competitive rates. Mian Anjum Nisar called for swift implementation of a system based on modern technology for the selection and transmission of low-cost electricity. He wanted to complete all measures for the reform of the power sector within the specified timeline. He warned that the continued escalation of energy prices could result in the closure of industries, amplifying unemployment rates and diminishing Pakistan’s export capabilities. He emphasized the need for the government to explore and provide affordable energy alternatives for the industry, stressed that such measures are crucial for ensuring the competitiveness of Pakistani products in the global market. As the industrial sector grapples with the ramifications of the gas price hike, the BMP leader’s stance advocates for the preservation of industrial stability and the prevention of potential economic setbacks for Pakistan. He said that the repeated increase in the gas and electricity prices to an unbearable level by the government has left the trade and industry uncompetitive, blaming it for trapping the country in the IMF plans. Strongly opposing gas price surge, he said that the gas tariff hike has threatened the industrial sector, besides increasing unemployment, saying that the every government had poor economic policies that unleashed the free fall of rupee against the dollar, ensuing in input cost escalation to pull down the manufacturing growth. He demanded the government to take back the decision of hike in gas tariff in the larger interest of national economy and to save the industries from collapse. He warned that if the decision is not withdrawn the industries will close down, resulting in decline in exports and mass unemployment.

ST. SIMONS ISLAND, Ga. (AP) — Maverick McNealy steadied himself after a rugged start Saturday with a 4-under 66 and caught up with Vince Whaley in a wild third round at the RSM Classic in which a half-dozen players had at least a share of the lead. McNealy looked as though he might have the lead when he hit wedge on the final hole that rolled just by the cup and settled 8 feet away. He missed the putt, still in great position to go after his first PGA Tour victory. Whaley, also winless on tour, birdied the 18th for a 63 and will be playing in the final group for the first time on the PGA Tour. McNealy, who joined him at 14-under 198, also shared the 54-hole lead in 2021 at the season opener in Napa, California. Whaley was playing with a sense of freedom not everyone has at the final PGA Tour event this year. He was playing on a medical extension and fulfilled the necessary points in July. The next step was finishing in the top 125 in the FedEx Cup. He secured that last week with a tie for fifth in the Bermuda Championship. Everything else feels like a bonus, and there could be no greater perk than a victory to get into the Masters and PGA Championship, along with a two-year exemption. “I've really got nothing to lose and everything to gain, so I'm just excited for the opportunity,” Whaley said. Opportunity abounds going into the final round. Daniel Berger shot a 63 and played his way into the final group, just two shots behind. He was tied with former Sea Island winner Mackenzie Hughes of Dundas, Ont., (65), Michael Thorbjornsen (67) and Patrick Fishburn (69). Adam Hadwin of Abbotsford, B.C., (71) dropped 23 spots to tie for 47th at 3 under. Adam Svensson of Surrey, B.C., (70) was 1 under. Berger and Thorbjornsen were among those who arrived at Sea Island outside the top 125, the number required to keep full status on tour on next year. Thorbjornsen already has that locked up as the No. 1 player in the PGA Tour University ranking. Berger needed a big week and he's delivering, even though he says he doesn't feel stress. Berger missed 19 months with a back injury that he feared might end his career. Now he's healthy enough to have played 27 times this year. “Regardless when I play well, I'm going to be fine,” said Berger, who played in the 2021 Ryder Cup at Whistling Straits. "When you miss that much amount of time it takes a little bit of a while to get back. It's just a matter of being patient and eventually good things come around.” Henrik Norlander and Hayden Springer, also on the wrong side of No. 125, each shot 63 and were among those tied for 12th, a position that currently would let them move into the top 125. Joel Dahmen, who had to make a 5-foot par putt on Friday to make the cut, shot 70 and was tied for 61st. He is at No. 124 and his future depends on a big round Sunday, along with how Thorbjornsen, Berger, Norlander and Springer fare. Closer to the top, eight players were separated by three shots. That includes Luke Clanton, the Florida State sophomore and No. 1 amateur in the world who already has three top-10 finishes on the PGA Tour and was going after another one. ___ AP golf: The Associated Press

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