90 jili download app

90 jili download app ALL it took was three words: “Howay the lads!” for Britain to fall in love with President Jimmy Carter. He was in Newcastle when he won over a crowd of 20,000 with the Toon Army’s most famous chant. But it took the rest of the world many more years to appreciate the greatness of the longest-living US leader ever, who has died aged 100 . In the wake of the Watergate scandal which saw Republican President Richard Nixon resign from office in disgrace, Carter the Democrat candidate was expected to narrowly win against Tricky Dicky’s replacement former Vice President Gerald Ford . But in an attempt to portray himself as a Washington outsider and man of the people Carter gave an interview to soft-porn magazine, Playboy , where he admitted that he had “committed adultery in his heart many times.” Carter’s reference to sex became all anyone could talk about. READ MORE WORLD NEWS The interview shifted the entire dynamic of the election — and helped get the Republicans back on track. Many evangelical Christians in Carter’s southern heartland turned against him. Despite the setback, Carter won the 1976 election to become 39 th United States President at the age of 52. In his inaugural address the following January he told the American people: “Your strength can compensate for my weakness, and your wisdom can help to minimize my mistakes. Most read in The Sun But his one term in the White House was notorious for fiascos ranging from a self-inflicted 444-day hostage crisis to an incident when he managed to get attacked in a pond by a swimming rabbit. It was seen as not only humiliating for the former peanut farmer, but for the entire United States. However, after losing office, he redefined what it meant to be an ex-President, becoming one of history’s great peacemakers. In fact the Nobel Peace Prize winner became one of the finest presidents in American history — after he left the White House. James Earl Carter Jr was born on October 1, 1924, in the one-street town of Plains, Georgia , in America’s Deep South. He grew up on his father’s peanut farm and worked on it from the time he was able to carry buckets of water. Jimmy set his sights on a career with the US Navy , in order to receive free college education to study engineering. And it was while at the Naval Academy that he fell in love with a former neighbour, Rosalynn, his sister’s best friend. They married on July 7, 1946, when he was 21 and she was 18, and they were together for the next 77 years until Rosalynn’s death last November, age 96. Marking their 75th wedding anniversary in 2021, Carter said: “I love her more now than I did to begin with — which is saying a lot, because I loved her a lot.” He vowed to stay alive so that Rosalynn would never have to live alone. Carter was relishing being part of the Navy’s brand-new nuclear submarine program in New York when his father died in 1953 changing the whole course of his life The 28-year-old felt duty-bound to quit the Navy and return to Plains with Rosalynn and their three sons to take over the family business . As a leading member of the evangelical Baptist Church, he quickly became a pillar of the community — until a ruling by the Supreme Court changed everything. Most spectacularly, he began trying to revive the Middle East peace process — and succeeded In 1954, judges declared racial segregation of schools unconstitutional and the South went into uproar. In Plains a White Citizens’ Council was set up and Carter was the only white man in town who refused to join. There was a boycott of the peanut business, and banishment from the country club. The attendant at the petrol station even refused to fill his car. But Jimmy Carter had not gone into politics — politics had come to him. The following year he joined the county’s school board and gradually became more outspoken on race . Then in 1962 he ran for Georgia’s state senate as a Democrat. After his senate stint, in 1970 he became Governor, declaring in his inaugural speech: “The time of racial discrimination is over.” By late 1974 he had become known for compassion and competency, in a United States despairing over crooked ex-President Richard Nixon and the Vietnam War. Still, he did not seem the White House type. Years later Carter recalled: “When I told my mother I was running for president, she said, ‘President of what?’” And when he announced his candidacy for the 1976 election, the reaction was: “Jimmy who?” With the reputation of Washington insiders at an all-time low, the outsider captured the public imagination It turned out to be a gift. With the reputation of Washington insiders at an all-time low, the outsider captured the public imagination. He was sworn as President on January 20, 1977, and things started well. One of his first acts was to declare an amnesty for Vietnam War draft evaders. He also installed solar panels on the White House and established the United States’ first federal Department of Education. Most spectacularly, he began trying to revive the Middle East peace process — and succeeded. Patient negotiations led to a secret summit in September 1978 between the leaders of warring Israel and Egypt at Camp David, the presidential retreat. It was meant to last three days and ended up taking 12. Egyptian President Anwar Sadat and Israeli PM Menachem Begin started out refusing to even be in the same room. By the end, they were watching movies together and had the framework for a treaty that ended the war. It remains the only meaningful peace in the Middle East. But Carter’s standing tended to be higher abroad than at home. Especially in Newcastle. The President had come to London for a summit in May 1977, and Labour PM Jim Callaghan asked if there was any where he would like to visit. Carter said he would love to see Laugharne in Carmarthenshire, where his favourite poet Dylan Thomas had lived. But wily Callaghan confided that choosing Tyneside instead would be helpful in shoring up Labour support. Air Force One headed north. On the drive to the city centre, Carter noticed a newspaper poster reading “Howay Jimmy”, and another one referring to “the lads”. He asked what all this meant and got a history of Newcastle United’s call to arms. By the time he took to the stage outside the Civic Centre, he had decided on his opening words. The Sun reported that the President’s “Howay the lads!” was greeted with “the sort of roar you get for a five-goal win at Newcastle’s St James’ Park”. Carter would later say: “The expected friendly and polite welcome became a love fest. “This was one of the high points of my first year as president.” That UK visit also had an unlikely impact at Westminster Abbey. Because he could not get to Laugharne, Carter visited the Abbey to see Dylan Thomas’s memorial in Poets’ Corner. But when the President asked an archdeacon to point out the stone, he was told: “We couldn’t have Dylan Thomas commemorated here — you know he was a drunkard.” Carter replied: “Well look, there’s Lord Byron who was gay. There’s Edgar Allan Poe, who was a drug addict.” Still fuming, back home he wrote a letter outlining the poet’s case. In 1982 a memorial was finally unveiled. But in the US, inflation and a petrol shortage were uppermost in voters’ minds. Carter appeared weak, summed up in September 1979, when he collapsed gasping for air into the arms of minders half-way through a six-mile jog. But worse was to come in October that year when in a misguided humanitarian gesture, Carter invited the embattled Shah of Iran to have cancer treatment in the US. Iranians who had been trying to overthrow the royal’s rule and establish a republic were enraged. On November 4, 1979 students stormed the US Embassy in Tehran, taking those inside hostage. Fifty-two Americans would be held for the next 444 days. Carter’s inability to win their release scuppered his reputation for negotiation. A rescue mission also failed, and Carter refused popular calls to simply bomb Tehran. He was awarded 2002’s Nobel Peace Prize – the only US President to ever get the honour after leaving office All this unfolded in the run-up to the November 1980 election, with macho Republican challenger Ronald Reagan branding Carter a “wimp”. The President lost to Reagan in a landslide. Minutes after the new President was sworn in, the hostages in Iran were released. Meanwhile Carter and Rosalynn, along with 13-year-old daughter Amy, moved back to the bungalow in Plains that the family had built in 1961. The political outcast announced that he would not take jobs on corporate boards or pile up money on the lecture circuit. Instead, he went back to teaching Sunday school, and quietly set about changing the world. In 1986 he announced his life goal was to help eradicate Guinea worm disease, which was striking 3.5million people in Africa each year. In 2021, that was down to 14 cases. It is on track to being only the second human disease in history to be eradicated after smallpox. Then in 1994, when it seemed war was about to erupt between North and South Korea , President Bill Clinton remembered Carter’s magical touch with the Middle East. Carter flew in to meet with leader Kim Il Sung, and got on so well they ended up hugging. The intervention helped to seal a nuclear disarmament agreement that lasted nearly a decade. He was awarded 2002’s Nobel Peace Prize – the only US President to ever get the honour after leaving office. Despite his age he carried on building homes for the poor – often working on them himself but the Secret Service banned him from going on the roof because he was at risk of assassination by snipers. And at home in their two-bedroom bungalow, he and Rosalynn read a chapter of the Bible to each other each night, as they had done for more than 40 years. During the day the couple rode around on three-wheeled scooter the former president said "gives you a workout all the way from your ankles up to your shoulders" — for up to 2.5 miles a day. READ MORE SUN STORIES In accordance with his wishes, President Carter will be buried in front of his smallholding worth £150,000 – less than the value of the Secret Service car that always parked outside for his protection. He explained: “Plains is where our hearts have always been.” JIMMY CARTER did not always have the best luck — but it was never worse than one day in April 1979 when he went out fishing on a boat and got attacked by a swimming rabbit. News reports quoted a witness as saying the animal was “hissing menacingly, its teeth flashing and nostrils flared, and making straight for the President.” The Washington Post’s front-page headline was “Rabbit attacks President”. The Associated Press went with “Carter Fights ‘Killer Rabbit’ with Paddle on Fishing Trip”. Carter later insisted that what actually happened that day on a pond in his hometown of Plains, Georgia, was that “a rabbit was being chased by hounds and he jumped in the water and swam towards my boat. When he got almost there, I splashed some water with a paddle and the rabbit turned.” But his press secretary Jody Powell always swore that the animal was “enraged” and “perhaps beserk” and “intent upon climbing into the presidential boat”. He ((OK, he)) said it was also far larger than normal rabbits so the President was frightened, with good reason. Cartoons and novelty songs followed, and political enemies who wanted to paint Carter as ridiculous and hapless had a field day. For the rest of his time in office, Carter avoided being photographed with the Easter Bunny.7.0 earthquake off Northern California prompts brief tsunami warning

PLAINS, Ga. (AP) — Newly married and sworn as a Naval officer, Jimmy Carter left his tiny hometown in 1946 hoping to climb the ranks and see the world. Less than a decade later, the death of his father and namesake, a merchant farmer and local politician who went by “Mr. Earl,” prompted the submariner and his wife, Rosalynn, to return to the rural life of Plains, Georgia, they thought they’d escaped. The lieutenant never would be an admiral. Instead, he became commander in chief. Years after his presidency ended in humbling defeat, he would add a Nobel Peace Prize, awarded not for his White House accomplishments but “for his decades of untiring effort to find peaceful solutions to international conflicts, to advance democracy and human rights, and to promote economic and social development.” The life of James Earl Carter Jr., the 39th and longest-lived U.S. president, ended Sunday at the age of 100 where it began: Plains, the town of 600 that fueled his political rise, welcomed him after his fall and sustained him during 40 years of service that redefined what it means to be a former president. With the stubborn confidence of an engineer and an optimism rooted in his Baptist faith, Carter described his motivations in politics and beyond in the same way: an almost missionary zeal to solve problems and improve lives. Carter was raised amid racism, abject poverty and hard rural living — realities that shaped both his deliberate politics and emphasis on human rights. “He always felt a responsibility to help people,” said Jill Stuckey, a longtime friend of Carter's in Plains. “And when he couldn’t make change wherever he was, he decided he had to go higher.” Defying expectations Carter's path, a mix of happenstance and calculation , pitted moral imperatives against political pragmatism; and it defied typical labels of American politics, especially caricatures of one-term presidents as failures. “We shouldn’t judge presidents by how popular they are in their day. That's a very narrow way of assessing them," Carter biographer Jonathan Alter told the Associated Press. “We should judge them by how they changed the country and the world for the better. On that score, Jimmy Carter is not in the first rank of American presidents, but he stands up quite well.” Later in life, Carter conceded that many Americans, even those too young to remember his tenure, judged him ineffective for failing to contain inflation or interest rates, end the energy crisis or quickly bring home American hostages in Iran. He gained admirers instead for his work at The Carter Center — advocating globally for public health, human rights and democracy since 1982 — and the decades he and Rosalynn wore hardhats and swung hammers with Habitat for Humanity. Yet the common view that he was better after the Oval Office than in it annoyed Carter, and his allies relished him living long enough to see historians reassess his presidency. “He doesn’t quite fit in today’s terms” of a left-right, red-blue scoreboard, said U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg, who visited the former president multiple times during his own White House bid. At various points in his political career, Carter labeled himself “progressive” or “conservative” — sometimes both at once. His most ambitious health care bill failed — perhaps one of his biggest legislative disappointments — because it didn’t go far enough to suit liberals. Republicans, especially after his 1980 defeat, cast him as a left-wing cartoon. It would be easiest to classify Carter as a centrist, Buttigieg said, “but there’s also something radical about the depth of his commitment to looking after those who are left out of society and out of the economy.” ‘Country come to town’ Indeed, Carter’s legacy is stitched with complexities, contradictions and evolutions — personal and political. The self-styled peacemaker was a war-trained Naval Academy graduate who promised Democratic challenger Ted Kennedy that he’d “kick his ass.” But he campaigned with a call to treat everyone with “respect and compassion and with love.” Carter vowed to restore America’s virtue after the shame of Vietnam and Watergate, and his technocratic, good-government approach didn't suit Republicans who tagged government itself as the problem. It also sometimes put Carter at odds with fellow Democrats. The result still was a notable legislative record, with wins on the environment, education, and mental health care. He dramatically expanded federally protected lands, began deregulating air travel, railroads and trucking, and he put human rights at the center of U.S. foreign policy. As a fiscal hawk, Carter added a relative pittance to the national debt, unlike successors from both parties. Carter nonetheless struggled to make his achievements resonate with the electorate he charmed in 1976. Quoting Bob Dylan and grinning enthusiastically, he had promised voters he would “never tell a lie.” Once in Washington, though, he led like a joyless engineer, insisting his ideas would become reality and he'd be rewarded politically if only he could convince enough people with facts and logic. This served him well at Camp David, where he brokered peace between Israel’s Menachem Begin and Epypt’s Anwar Sadat, an experience that later sparked the idea of The Carter Center in Atlanta. Carter's tenacity helped the center grow to a global force that monitored elections across five continents, enabled his freelance diplomacy and sent public health experts across the developing world. The center’s wins were personal for Carter, who hoped to outlive the last Guinea worm parasite, and nearly did. As president, though, the approach fell short when he urged consumers beleaguered by energy costs to turn down their thermostats. Or when he tried to be the nation’s cheerleader, beseeching Americans to overcome a collective “crisis of confidence.” Republican Ronald Reagan exploited Carter's lecturing tone with a belittling quip in their lone 1980 debate. “There you go again,” the former Hollywood actor said in response to a wonky answer from the sitting president. “The Great Communicator” outpaced Carter in all but six states. Carter later suggested he “tried to do too much, too soon” and mused that he was incompatible with Washington culture: media figures, lobbyists and Georgetown social elites who looked down on the Georgians and their inner circle as “country come to town.” A ‘leader of conscience’ on race and class Carter carefully navigated divides on race and class on his way to the Oval Office. Born Oct. 1, 1924 , Carter was raised in the mostly Black community of Archery, just outside Plains, by a progressive mother and white supremacist father. Their home had no running water or electricity but the future president still grew up with the relative advantages of a locally prominent, land-owning family in a system of Jim Crow segregation. He wrote of President Franklin Roosevelt’s towering presence and his family’s Democratic Party roots, but his father soured on FDR, and Jimmy Carter never campaigned or governed as a New Deal liberal. He offered himself as a small-town peanut farmer with an understated style, carrying his own luggage, bunking with supporters during his first presidential campaign and always using his nickname. And he began his political career in a whites-only Democratic Party. As private citizens, he and Rosalynn supported integration as early as the 1950s and believed it inevitable. Carter refused to join the White Citizens Council in Plains and spoke out in his Baptist church against denying Black people access to worship services. “This is not my house; this is not your house,” he said in a churchwide meeting, reminding fellow parishioners their sanctuary belonged to God. Yet as the appointed chairman of Sumter County schools he never pushed to desegregate, thinking it impractical after the Supreme Court’s 1954 Brown v. Board decision. And while presidential candidate Carter would hail the 1965 Voting Rights Act, signed by fellow Democrat Lyndon Johnson when Carter was a state senator, there is no record of Carter publicly supporting it at the time. Carter overcame a ballot-stuffing opponent to win his legislative seat, then lost the 1966 governor's race to an arch-segregationist. He won four years later by avoiding explicit mentions of race and campaigning to the right of his rival, who he mocked as “Cufflinks Carl” — the insult of an ascendant politician who never saw himself as part the establishment. Carter’s rural and small-town coalition in 1970 would match any victorious Republican electoral map in 2024. Once elected, though, Carter shocked his white conservative supporters — and landed on the cover of Time magazine — by declaring that “the time for racial discrimination is over.” Before making the jump to Washington, Carter befriended the family of slain civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr., whom he’d never sought out as he eyed the governor’s office. Carter lamented his foot-dragging on school integration as a “mistake.” But he also met, conspicuously, with Alabama's segregationist Gov. George Wallace to accept his primary rival's endorsement ahead of the 1976 Democratic convention. “He very shrewdly took advantage of his own Southerness,” said Amber Roessner, a University of Tennessee professor and expert on Carter’s campaigns. A coalition of Black voters and white moderate Democrats ultimately made Carter the last Democratic presidential nominee to sweep the Deep South. Then, just as he did in Georgia, he used his power in office to appoint more non-whites than all his predecessors had, combined. He once acknowledged “the secret shame” of white Americans who didn’t fight segregation. But he also told Alter that doing more would have sacrificed his political viability – and thus everything he accomplished in office and after. King's daughter, Bernice King, described Carter as wisely “strategic” in winning higher offices to enact change. “He was a leader of conscience,” she said in an interview. Rosalynn was Carter's closest advisor Rosalynn Carter, who died on Nov. 19 at the age of 96, was identified by both husband and wife as the “more political” of the pair; she sat in on Cabinet meetings and urged him to postpone certain priorities, like pressing the Senate to relinquish control of the Panama Canal. “Let that go until the second term,” she would sometimes say. The president, recalled her former aide Kathy Cade, retorted that he was “going to do what’s right” even if “it might cut short the time I have.” Rosalynn held firm, Cade said: “She’d remind him you have to win to govern.” Carter also was the first president to appoint multiple women as Cabinet officers. Yet by his own telling, his career sprouted from chauvinism in the Carters' early marriage: He did not consult Rosalynn when deciding to move back to Plains in 1953 or before launching his state Senate bid a decade later. Many years later, he called it “inconceivable” that he didn’t confer with the woman he described as his “full partner,” at home, in government and at The Carter Center. “We developed a partnership when we were working in the farm supply business, and it continued when Jimmy got involved in politics,” Rosalynn Carter told AP in 2021. So deep was their trust that when Carter remained tethered to the White House in 1980 as 52 Americans were held hostage in Tehran, it was Rosalynn who campaigned on her husband’s behalf. “I just loved it,” she said, despite the bitterness of defeat. Reevaluating his legacy Fair or not, the label of a disastrous presidency had leading Democrats keep their distance, at least publicly, for many years, but Carter managed to remain relevant, writing books and weighing in on societal challenges. He lamented widening wealth gaps and the influence of money in politics. He voted for democratic socialist Bernie Sanders over Hillary Clinton in 2016, and later declared that America had devolved from fully functioning democracy to “oligarchy.” Yet looking ahead to 2020, with Sanders running again, Carter warned Democrats not to “move to a very liberal program,” lest they help re-elect President Donald Trump. Carter scolded the Republican for his serial lies and threats to democracy, and chided the U.S. establishment for misunderstanding Trump’s populist appeal. He delighted in yearly convocations with Emory University freshmen, often asking them to guess how much he’d raised in his two general election campaigns. “Zero,” he’d gesture with a smile, explaining the public financing system candidates now avoid so they can raise billions. Carter still remained quite practical in partnering with wealthy corporations and foundations to advance Carter Center programs. Carter recognized that economic woes and the Iran crisis doomed his presidency, but offered no apologies for appointing Paul Volcker as the Federal Reserve chairman whose interest rate hikes would not curb inflation until Reagan's presidency. He was proud of getting all the hostages home without starting a shooting war, even though Tehran would not free them until Reagan's Inauguration Day. “Carter didn’t look at it” as a failure, Alter emphasized. “He said, ‘They came home safely.’ And that’s what he wanted.” Well into their 90s, the Carters greeted visitors at Plains’ Maranatha Baptist Church, where he taught Sunday School and where he will have his last funeral before being buried on family property alongside Rosalynn . Carter, who made the congregation’s collection plates in his woodworking shop, still garnered headlines there, calling for women’s rights within religious institutions, many of which, he said, “subjugate” women in church and society. Carter was not one to dwell on regrets. “I am at peace with the accomplishments, regret the unrealized goals and utilize my former political position to enhance everything we do,” he wrote around his 90th birthday. Pilgrimages to Plains The politician who had supposedly hated Washington politics also enjoyed hosting Democratic presidential contenders as public pilgrimages to Plains became advantageous again. Carter sat with Buttigieg for the final time March 1, 2020, hours before the Indiana mayor ended his campaign and endorsed eventual winner Joe Biden. “He asked me how I thought the campaign was going,” Buttigieg said, recalling that Carter flashed his signature grin and nodded along as the young candidate, born a year after Carter left office, “put the best face” on the walloping he endured the day before in South Carolina. Never breaking his smile, the 95-year-old host fired back, “I think you ought to drop out.” “So matter of fact,” Buttigieg said with a laugh. “It was somehow encouraging.” Carter had lived enough, won plenty and lost enough to take the long view. “He talked a lot about coming from nowhere,” Buttigieg said, not just to attain the presidency but to leverage “all of the instruments you have in life” and “make the world more peaceful.” In his farewell address as president, Carter said as much to the country that had embraced and rejected him. “The struggle for human rights overrides all differences of color, nation or language,” he declared. “Those who hunger for freedom, who thirst for human dignity and who suffer for the sake of justice — they are the patriots of this cause.” Carter pledged to remain engaged with and for them as he returned “home to the South where I was born and raised,” home to Plains, where that young lieutenant had indeed become “a fellow citizen of the world.” —- Bill Barrow, based in Atlanta, has covered national politics including multiple presidential campaigns for the AP since 2012.In the fast-evolving landscape of gaming, technological advancements and investment opportunities often go hand in hand. SQ Stock, a digital trend gaining traction, is stepping squarely into this intersection and reshaping how the gaming industry operates. This innovative model represents a shift towards integrating stock market concepts with virtual in-game assets, providing gamers and investors a brand new way to engage. With the growing popularity of games where players can buy, sell, and trade virtual items, such as skins or weapons, the notion of SQ Stock envisions these transactions taking on a more structured, market-like approach. This allows players to invest in or divest from certain items or characters just like stocks, based on in-game performance or updates – similar to how investors react to quarterly financials of a company. The potential of SQ Stock lies not just within enhancing user engagement, but also in creating a paradigm shift in how game developers approach asset management and monetization. By introducing an official stock-like trading system within a game, developers can harvest sustained interest and encourage financially anchored investments in game ecosystems. This model looks towards a future where in-game economies mirror real-world economic systems, setting a precedent for a new model of virtual asset management that could redefine gaming finance. While still largely theoretical, SQ Stock represents a fascinating convergence of gaming and financial markets, offering insights into the future of digital economies in the gaming sphere. The Game-Changing Potential of SQ Stock in Virtual Economies In the dynamic gaming industry, innovation is a constant driver of growth, and SQ Stock emerges as a revolutionary concept that blurs the lines between gaming and financial markets. This innovative approach could transform how gamers and investors interact with in-game assets, ushering in a new era of virtual economies. Key Features of SQ Stock 1. Integration with In-Game Economies: SQ Stock leverages the existing in-game trading systems by offering a structured, market-like platform where virtual assets can be bought, sold, and traded. Players can engage with these assets much like stocks, responding to in-game developments and updates. 2. Enhanced User Engagement: By adopting a stock market model, developers can increase player involvement, as users might invest more time into games to manage their virtual portfolios. This also boosts player retention and fosters community building around asset trading. Use Cases and Innovations Development of Sophisticated Asset Management: Game developers can implement SQ Stock to better manage virtual economies. By mirroring real-world financial concepts, these virtual markets can become more dynamic, creating opportunities for long-term monetization and investment. Educational Applications: SQ Stock can serve educational purposes, offering players insights into stock market operations and investment strategies within a risk-free environment. This introduces younger players to financial literacy through interactive gaming experiences. Pros and Cons Pros: – Encourages sustained player interaction – Provides a new source of revenue for game developers – Introduces real-world economic principles into gaming Cons: – Risk of gambling elements influencing younger players – Regulatory challenges concerning virtual asset trading – Requires robust systems to prevent fraud and ensure security Predictions and Market Trends 1. Increased Adoption in Multiplayer Games: As multiplayer online games continue to dominate, SQ Stock is likely to find a natural fit in these environments where player interactions and economies are already vibrant. 2. Growth of Virtual Reality and Metaverse Applications: With the rise of the metaverse, SQ Stock could further integrate with virtual worlds, enhancing the realism and complexity of these emerging platforms. Security and Sustainability Security Aspects: Ensuring transactional security is paramount, as virtual markets need protection against hacks and fraud. Implementing blockchain technologies could enhance transparency and trust in these virtual markets. Sustainability: As gaming economies grow, sustainability becomes crucial. SQ Stock has the potential to encourage responsible spending and investment within game ecosystems, promoting a balanced economic environment. Conclusion SQ Stock is more than just a trend; it represents a paradigm shift in gaming finance. By merging the thrill of gaming with investment opportunities, it offers a unique proposition that could redefine player experiences and pave the way for more sophisticated virtual economies. Embracing this model could propel games into a new frontier of digital finance, aligning with broader technological advancements and market demands.Aston Villa denied last-gasp winner in Juventus stalemate

Dec 30 (Reuters) - Goodman Group's (GMG.AX) , opens new tab stock has been on a hot streak this year, shining bright among its Australian real-estate peers as the artificial intelligence boom has driven a frenzied demand for data centres. Global "hyperscalers", or large-scale cloud service providers, such as Amazon (AMZN.O) , opens new tab , Microsoft (MSFT.O) , opens new tab and Meta (META.O) , opens new tab , have been spending billions on data centres to cater to growing demand for AI services. Australia's data-centre market, though nascent, saw outsized investment this year with Blackstone (BX.N) , opens new tab buying AirTrunk for A$24 billion ($14.91 billion) in September and developer NEXTDC (NXT.AX) , opens new tab raising nearly A$4.6 billion in equity and debt . Goodman, the country's biggest property developer, counts the world's largest hyperscalers as its customers, its website says, but the company did not confirm the identities of its customers in response to Reuters. Its inventory, however, reflects the heightened demand for these specialized facilities, with data centres under construction making up 42% of its A$12.8 billion ($7.96 billion) portfolio of projects under development at the end of September, up from 37% at the end of last year. This has sent its stock flying 45.8% higher this year, positioning Goodman for its best performance since 2006. It is also the Australian real estate index's (.AXRE) , opens new tab top performer. Higher exposure to data centres in development makes the market more comfortable paying a higher multiple for the business, said John Lockton, head of investment strategy at Sandstone Insights. "Investments into data centres continue to see momentum ... We expect this environment to continue to support Goodman – CAPEX outlook for hyperscalers implies ongoing growth for FY25." The consensus is split on whether Goodman's stock rise can continue. Some factions of the market highlighted that investor interest in data-centre-focused stocks has begun to cool as valuations get rich. They drew caution from landlord DigiCo Infrastructure REIT's (DGT.AX) , opens new tab initial public offering this month, where it raised A$2 billion , but the stock fell 9% on debut. "We think Goodman's securities are expensive at current prices ... we are more cautious about assuming maintainable excess returns from DC investment in the longer term," said Winky Yingqi Tan, a Morningstar analyst focused on REITs. Tan also flagged risks of data-centre obsolescence leading to capital-intensive upgrades, and rivals adding more supply, as factors that could erode Goodman's returns over time. Lockton, however, remains upbeat on Goodman's prospects. He lauds its existing pipeline, and access to land with power supply that can be converted to data centres, which rivals have flagged as difficult to obtain. ($1 = 1.6093 Australian dollars) Sign up here. Reporting by Aaditya Govind Rao and Roushni Nair in Bengaluru; Editing by Rushil Dutta and Rod Nickel Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles. , opens new tabAt seminars and forums, one of the most frequent questions I encounter is: What traits set business leaders like Elon Musk, Steve Jobs, Jack Welch, Ratan Tata, and Richard Branson apart from the rest? While I haven’t had the privilege of working directly with these global icons, I’ve engaged with several global gurus who have collaborated with these entrepreneurs. Their valuable insights have provided clarity into this question. Additionally, I’ve had the opportunity to closely associate with some of Sri Lanka’s most successful entrepreneurs, including working with them at the board level. Through these experiences, I’ve observed shared traits among Sri Lanka’s top business leaders—visionaries such as Harry Jayawardena, Aban Pestonjee, Sumal Perera, the late Merril J. Fernando, Sohil Captain and Chandra Schaffter. A few of these legends candidly shared their experiences during the famous FT-ICCSL-CIMA Fireside Chat in 2018, offering profound lessons on business leadership and perseverance. These leaders exhibit qualities that not only set them apart from regular entrepreneurs but also empower them to leave a lasting legacy—transforming their enterprises while positively impacting the communities they serve. Just as political leaders rise and fall in Sri Lanka, businesses and their founders face similar challenges. The companies that endure owe their longevity to strong, visionary leadership. These business leaders combine foresight, motivation, and key abilities to achieve results. They not only secure their companies’ success but also reshape industries, set benchmarks, and make a meaningful societal impact. Here are my five key traits that I believe are common to Sri Lanka’s most successful entrepreneurs: Strong entrepreneurs possess the ability to foresee opportunities and craft a compelling vision. Many of them have transformed their enterprises into global brands/businesses by focusing on sustainable, long-term growth rather than short-term gains. Business leaders like Mrs. Aban Pestonjee and Merril J. Fernando have built their brands around the unwavering values they believed in, which they’ve seamlessly integrated into their business models. Their success demonstrates how a clear vision, aligned with strong principles, can redefine industries and set new standards. Resilience in the face of challenges is a defining trait of exceptional entrepreneurs. They adapt, pivot, and persevere through setbacks, turning obstacles into opportunities. For instance, Access Engineering, led by Sumal Perera, has repeatedly navigated significant hurdles in the construction and property sectors through innovative strategies and unyielding determination. Harry Jayawardena, known for his pragmatic outlook, often reminded me of the importance of action over complaint, famously saying, “It is better to light a candle than curse the darkness, so get on with it.” This mindset exemplifies the resilience and proactive approach that characterise successful leadership, inspiring teams to forge ahead regardless of adversity. Remaining relevant requires continuous evolution. Sri Lankan entrepreneurs like Mrs. Aban Pestonjee have embraced change, adopted new technologies, and introduced locally manufactured products tailored to the specific needs of local consumers. This adaptability has been instrumental in transforming industries such as retail, setting benchmarks for others to follow. Similarly, bold risk-taking is another defining characteristic of successful leaders. Visionaries like Harry Jayawardena have taken calculated risks, blending courage with informed decision-making to drive their ventures forward. Additionally, Chandra Schaffter played a pioneering role in establishing Janashakthi Insurance, Sri Lanka’s first major life insurance company. His efforts ensured not only the company’s survival through challenging times but also its enduring presence within his family’s stewardship, cementing a legacy in Sri Lanka’s insurance sector. Consistently delivering quality builds trust and fosters long-term brand loyalty. Merril J. Fernando transformed the global tea industry with his commitment to single-origin, high-quality tea and ethical sourcing practices, setting new benchmarks for authenticity and sustainability. Similarly, entrepreneurs like Sumal Perera have focused on customer-centric strategies, customising their offerings to address real market needs while fostering innovation. Beyond profitability, these leaders emphasise creating positive social impact. Initiatives like the MJF Foundation showcase a deep commitment to community development, while the socially responsible practices of MAS Holdings and Brandix highlight the role of sustainable and responsible business operations. Sohli Captain, in particular, embodied this spirit through his visionary leadership and dedication to philanthropy. His countless acts of service reflect an unwavering commitment to uplifting communities, contributing to national progress, and leaving a lasting legacy of compassion and generosity. Progressive entrepreneurs recognise the immense value of empowering and nurturing their teams. They create environments where talent is encouraged to thrive, fostering a culture of collaboration, excellence, and tangible results; organisations like MAS and Brandix exemplify this approach. They have built enterprises that not only excel in cultivating strong talent pools but also actively uplift the lives of their employees and the communities they serve. The defining feature of these individuals isn’t just financial success—it’s their ability to inspire, change, innovate, and create lasting value. Their journeys are a testament to the fact that entrepreneurship is about more than building businesses; it’s about shaping a better future for their enterprises, for their employees, communities, and society as a whole. In a country where mediocrity often seems like the safest choice, the key to standing out lies in taking the road less travelled. By venturing into uncharted territories, these entrepreneurs saw what others haven’t and achieved what others cannot. This is the defining difference between an average businessman and a visionary entrepreneur who has built globally recognised brands and transformed their industries. References: https://www.facebook.com/dailyft/videos/fireside-chat/288600545060947/ https://mobile.twitter.com/MohamedNasheed/status/1822926467673542893 https://www.dailymirror.lk/features/Business-should-not-be-limited-to-making-boatloads-of-money-Prof-Ulrich/185-149001

Mark Wahlberg's Luxury Vegas Gym To Open in 2026: The 32,000-Square-Foot Space Is The Latest Addition To His Business EmpireSolana Investor Realises 12343% ROI After HODLing for 4 Years, Reinvests in SOL Rival Set for Similar Gains in 4 Months

Taylor Swift doesn't know about you, but she's feeling #2. The singer has been named the second greatest pop star of the 21st century by Billboard magazine , which has been gradually unveiling its ranking in a series of articles. Billboard describes the list as consisting of "the artists who have most defined pop stardom for the last 25 years." Swift comes in immediately ahead of Rih a nna (#3), Drake (#4), Lady Gaga (#5), and Britney Spears (#6). She is also five spots higher than Ye, formerly Kanye West , with whom she has famously feuded for more than a decade. Other artists who Swift ranks ahead of include Justin Bieber , Ariana Grande , Ade l e and Usher . Swift was previously Billboard's top artist of 2023 . In a write-up explaining the choice, Billboard's Hannah Dailey said that Swift, "through honoring all the traits that made her different," was "able to forcefully, gravitationally bend culture to her will and become one of the world’s biggest undisputed pop stars, despite her eight-year late start in country music." Need a break? Play the USA TODAY Daily Crossword Puzzle. But Dailey predicted backlash over Swift not being given the #1 slot. "The fact that controversy will likely tear through the internet over her being just one small space below No. 1 is just another testament to her power, but regardless, her placement shouldn’t leave Swifties upset for too long — especially considering how much later in the millennium she got her start, both in the genre and music in general." Taylor Swift wipes away tears during Toronto concert: 'It's not even the last show!' The honor comes near the end of another massive year for Swift, who in February made history by becoming the first person to win the Grammy for album of the year four times. She was named Time magazine's person of the year for 2023 , and as of October, Forbes estimated that she is the richest female musician with a $1.6 billion net worth. Swift is also wrapping up her hugely successful Eras Tour, the highest-grossing concert tour of all time. Her latest album "The Tortured Poets Department" dropped in April and became the first album to receive more than 300 million streams on Spotify in a single day. Watch: Taylor Swift plays mashup of two of her most tragic songs in Toronto Billboard's choice for #1 greatest pop star of the 21st century hasn't been revealed, but fans widely believe it will be Beyoncé , who has yet to appear on the list. As Billboard predicted, some Swifties took issue with the ranking on social media. "What a joke, she's the biggest," one reply on X said . Others, who presumed Beyoncé would be #1, were fine with the placement. "Taylor has been bigger in recent years but Beyoncé has been huge since the very beginning of this century," one person, who said they are a fan of both singers, wrote on Reddit . Who are Billboard's greatest pop stars of the 21st century? Here's the full list of Billboard's picks so far for the greatest pop stars of the 21st century: Contributing: Jay Stahl

RAF Lossiemouth colleagues pay tribute to young Air Specialist David EnbomEVANSVILLE, Ind. (AP) — Cameron Haffner scored 13 points as Evansville beat Missouri State 57-40 on Sunday to snap a five-game losing streak. Read this article for free: Already have an account? To continue reading, please subscribe: * EVANSVILLE, Ind. (AP) — Cameron Haffner scored 13 points as Evansville beat Missouri State 57-40 on Sunday to snap a five-game losing streak. Read unlimited articles for free today: Already have an account? EVANSVILLE, Ind. (AP) — Cameron Haffner scored 13 points as Evansville beat Missouri State 57-40 on Sunday to snap a five-game losing streak. Haffner went 5 of 12 from the field (3 for 7 from 3-point range) for the Purple Aces (4-9, 1-1 Missouri Valley Conference). Joshua Hughes added 11 points, nine rebounds and four steals. Tayshawn Comer scored 11. Dez White finished with 12 points, four assists and six steals for the Bears (7-6, 0-2). Missouri State also got 10 points, 12 rebounds and two steals from Michael Osei-Bonsu. Zaxton King had eight points. Evansville carried a slim three-point lead into halftime, as Haffner led the way with seven points. Evansville took the lead for what would be the final time on Haffner’s 3-pointer with 18:44 remaining in the second half. His team would outscore Missouri State by 14 points in the second half. ___ The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar. AdvertisementTarget PT Cut to $160 from $180 at Morgan Stanley

Dynavax to Present at the 7th Annual Evercore HealthCONx Conference