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By A Correspondent The ruling Zanu PF party’s festive season message has been met with widespread criticism and outrage from Zimbabweans who feel insulted by the party’s attempt to wish them a “joyous and peaceful festive season” amidst the country’s economic crisis. In a statement, Zanu PF Secretary Obert Mpofu said, “The Zanu PF... join our party supporters in wishing the people of our great nation, Zimbabwe a joyous and peaceful festive season as well as a prosperous 2025.” Mpofu’s message continued, “May the Festive Season be filled with laughter, love and warmth and may the new year bring with it a renewed sense of patriotism and pride in our beloved nation.” However, many Zimbabweans feel that the message is tone-deaf and insensitive to the struggles they face daily. The country has been plagued by economic instability, high inflation, and shortages of basic goods, leaving many citizens struggling to make ends meet. Zimbabwe has a long history of political and economic turmoil, dating back to the colonial era 1. The country gained independence in 1980, but has since been ruled by the Zanu PF party, which has been accused of authoritarianism and human rights abuses. As the country heads into the new year, many Zimbabweans are skeptical about the prospects for improvement. The Zanu PF’s festive season message has only added to their frustration and sense of disillusionment with the ruling party. In a year that promises to bring more challenges and uncertainties, Zimbabweans are calling for genuine action and solutions from their leaders, rather than empty words and festive greetings.The Biden administration said on Friday it expects another record year of health insurance enrollment through the Affordable Care Act, aka Obamacare. But that could be the last good enrollment news for a while, depending on what happens next year once Donald Trump and the Republicans have full control of the federal government. Open enrollment for the Affordable Care Act’s private insurance options began on Nov. 1, which means that people who don’t have access to an employer policy can buy insurance directly through one of the law’s online marketplaces ― that is, either HealthCare.gov or a state-run marketplace like Covered California. Those policies meet the law’s guidelines for comprehensive benefits and are available to anybody, at uniform prices, regardless of preexisting conditions. People buying these policies can also qualify for financial assistance, worth hundreds and frequently thousands of dollars a year, depending on their income. Roughly 21.5 million people signed up for insurance that way last year, a record high. The Department of Health and Human Services now thinks even more people will get insurance through the marketplaces this year, thanks primarily to the number of people who have coverage already and will decide simply to re-enroll in their current plans. “We feel quite confident to project that we will again hit a historic high for open enrollment,” Ellen Montz , deputy administrator and director for the HHS Center for Consumer Information and Insurance Oversight, told HuffPost on Friday. The recent surge in marketplace enrollment comes as the number of Americans without health insurance has plummeted to record lows , although many millions remain uninsured and even many with coverage still struggle with the high cost of medical care. Fewer New Enrollments So Far This Year HHS predicts the higher enrollment figure for this coming year even though the number of new customers so far, in the first two weeks of enrollment, is a little less than 500,000. That’s down from about 900,000 at this point in last year’s open enrollment cycle. Montz said their analysts attribute that decrease to a few factors. Among them is a decision to roll out advertising for HealthCare.gov at a different pace this fall, because the first days of open enrollment overlapped with the last days of the presidential campaign, when television airtime was both more expensive and less available because of political ads. In addition, Montz said, an unusually large pool of people were looking for coverage last year because they had recently lost their government-provided Medicaid , after states resumed stricter eligibility procedures they had suspended during the pandemic. Looking forward, Montz said, another factor that could hold back enrollment at the margins ― though not enough to prevent another record high ― are new procedural requirements for agents and brokers who sell policies on the marketplaces for commissions. These requirements were a response to reports that some agents and brokers were signing people up for coverage or switching their plans without authorization, and HHS has suspended a few altogether. “I do think that our actions are kind of deliberate actions on new requirements that we placed on agents and brokers, that we are seeing the impact of that, particularly in the renewal population,” Montz said. Trump, Republicans And Their Plans For The ACA The efforts to cut down on inappropriate agent and broker behavior is noteworthy in light of the coming change of power in Washington, and what that could mean for the Affordable Care Act. Trump and many Republicans have a long history of hostility toward Obamacare, including their attempts to repeal the law in 2017, the first time Trump became president. In his campaign this year, Trump said on social media he remained interested in finding an “alternative” and, during a televised debate, said he had “ concepts of a plan ” in mind. Trump never outlined those plans, nor did he make the law’s repeal a top, explicit promise like he did the last time he campaigned. Republicans serving in or running for Congress mostly avoided the topic, except when asked about it. But Trump and Republicans might still try to change, scale back or weaken the law. And one way they could do that would be to allow a temporary boost in the law’s financial assistance to expire . That boost, which President Joe Biden and Democrats enacted as a pandemic relief measure in 2021 and then extended with legislation in 2022, will lapse after 2025. Neither Trump nor Republicans have said much about their willingness to extend the assistance again, as Democrats have proposed. But extending the assistance would require tens of billions of dollars in extra federal spending every year, and that is going to be a tough sell with many in the GOP. Don't let this be the end of the free press. The free press is under attack — and America's future hangs in the balance. As other newsrooms bow to political pressure, HuffPost is not backing down. Would you help us keep our news free for all? We can't do it without you. Can't afford to contribute? Support HuffPost by creating a free account and log in while you read. You've supported HuffPost before, and we'll be honest — we could use your help again . We view our mission to provide free, fair news as critically important in this crucial moment, and we can't do it without you. Whether you give once or many more times, we appreciate your contribution to keeping our journalism free for all. You've supported HuffPost before, and we'll be honest — we could use your help again . We view our mission to provide free, fair news as critically important in this crucial moment, and we can't do it without you. Whether you give just one more time or sign up again to contribute regularly, we appreciate you playing a part in keeping our journalism free for all. Already contributed? Log in to hide these messages. Prominent conservative analysts like Brian Blase , a former Trump administration official who is now president of the Paragon Health Institute, have already been making the case against extension by citing the agent and broker behavior HHS is now trying to combat. These conservatives say that behavior is an example of broader problems with making so much financial assistance available. It remains to be seen how effective those HHS measures to crack down on unauthorized enrollments will be ― or whether those effects alter Republican sentiments about the future of the temporary financial assistance. But there’s a lot less mystery about what would happen if the money goes away. People buying coverage through the Affordable Care Act would have to pay more for it. Estimates from the Urban Institute suggest roughly 4 million people might drop coverage altogether. “I don’t have a model, but I do have knowledge of just how important [the extra financial assistance] has been to folks,” Montz said. “Sad to say, I think that those numbers could be conservative.” Related From Our Partner

USC women move to No. 4 in AP poll as top three unchanged

A pivotal bantamweight bout headlines as former 135-pound champion Petr Yan takes on former flyweight champ Deiveson Figueiredo. This bout scheduled for five rounds is taking place Saturday, Nov. 23 at Galaxy Arena in Macau. No. 3 and No. 5, respectively, in the official UFC bantamweight rankings, Yan (17-5 MMA, 9-4 UFC) and Figueiredo (24-3-1 MMA, 13-3-1 UFC) are fighting for the attention of champion Merab Dvalishvili, about his first title defense being against Umar Nurmagomedov. Yan got back on track in his most recent appearance this past March at UFC 299 where he won a to snap a three-fight skid. Prior to that, Yan had dropped three in a row to Aljamain Sterling (to lose his title), Sean O'Malley and Dvalishvili. Since moving up to bantamweight last December, Figueiredo has been active, with this his fourth fight in the past 11 months. He's also been on a roll and become an immediate top contender at 135 pounds after consecutive wins over Rob Font, former champ Cody Garbrandt and . Here are the walkout times for the UFC Fight Night 248 main event between Yan and Figueiredo. The UFC Fight Night 248 lineup consists of 13 fights. With the event happening in primetime locally, prelims start at 3 a.m ET and the main card at 6 a.m. ET. As the main event, Yan and Figueiedo are expected to walk out to the cage at approximately 8:30 a.m. ET (12:30 a.m. locally in Macau). The fight will stream on pay-per-view.The basketball arena at East Webster High School will host 17 high school basketball games over the next two days. Friday marks the beginning of the East Webster Christmas Classic and head coach Jon Ginn of the Wolverines has made his list and checked it twice. “I think it's going to be a good tournament,” Ginn said. “I think folks that show up will be well entertained. We've got some good matchups.” The boys action tips off at 10 a.m. Friday with Oak Hill Academy against Sebastopol and will be followed up by an all-area matchup at 1 p.m. between Starkville Academy and Choctaw County. The other boys games on the first day are Lafayette against Grenada at 2:30 p.m., Lamar School against Louisville at 5:30 p.m. and East Webster against Pillow Academy at 8:30 p.m. In boys outings on Saturday, Senatobia plays Choctaw County at 10:45 a.m., Oak Hill Academy sees Lafayette at noon, Lamar School takes on Pillow Academy at 2:30 p.m., East Union squares off against Starkville Academy at 5:30 p.m. and East Webster hosts DeSoto Central at 8:30 p.m. For more on this story, read our news edition from Friday, December 27 or click here to subscribe to our e-edition.

By Leslie Patton | Bloomberg Costco Wholesale Corp. is switching manufacturers for its popular Kirkland Signature brand of diapers as its supplier moves away from store brands to increase profitability. First Quality is replacing Kimberly-Clark Corp. as the maker of Costco’s diapers, with the official change set to happen in January, according to people familiar with the decision who weren’t authorized to speak publicly about the matter. More on Costco: Not a Costco member? Shoppers have tips to skip new entry scanners Consumer goods makers have been focused on restoring profit margins to pre-pandemic levels and scrutinizing their business models after years of higher costs. For Kimberly-Clark, which makes the Huggies brand of diapers, that means a shift away from low-margin private label contracts and a stronger focus on selling more higher-priced premium items under their own brand names. First Quality didn’t respond to requests for comment. Representatives for Costco and Kimberly-Clark declined to comment. Earlier this month, Kimberly-Clark Chief Financial Officer Nelson Urdaneta said that the company’s exit of private label businesses, “allows us to dedicate our capacity and our investments to our own technologies and brands to differentiate them.” In October, Chief Executive Officer Mike Hsu said that the company’s percentage of sales from private label will go from about 4% in 2023 to about 2% next year, and that it would decline further “over time.” Also read: Discount retailer Panda Mart leases former Sears in Orange First Quality, which also makes Cuties diapers along with paper towels and toilet paper, hasn’t disclosed the arrangement with Costco. In May, the New York-based company said it was increasing capacity for diapers and training pants by 50% at its Macon, Georgia, manufacturing factory. Costco’s Kirkland Signature diapers have become popular with parents, especially as years of inflation for basic goods crimps spending. The company has said in past years that private label items are a good value versus brand names, thanks to their price point. Costco says it expects to increase sales of Kirkland-branded items, which generally earn higher margins for the retailer versus national labels. Kirkland diapers made by Kimberly-Clark have a curved fit that many shoppers perceive to be more ergonomic for their babies, said Natalia Richer, director of business development at consultant Diaper Testing International. “It will be noticeable to the consumer if they change it,” she said. Kimberly-Clark also makes Kotex tampons and pads, along with Kleenex tissues and Scott toilet paper. Huggies recently introduced a new type of diaper and wipes, dubbed Skin Essentials, designed to protect against rashes. Related Articles Retail | Cyber Monday shoppers expected to set a record on the year’s biggest day for online shopping Retail | SunFed cucumbers and Costco eggs recalled due to potential salmonella contamination Retail | Gifting on a budget: 5 secrets to being generous without going broke Retail | After flood of pre-Black Friday deals, stores open early Friday across Southern California Retail | Is Black Friday still a holiday shopping juggernaut in 2024?Ruben Amorim's Manchester United press conference: FIVE THINGS WE LEARNED as Portuguese coach fronted the media for the first time as Old Trafford boss Ruben Amorim dazzled in his latest round of press commitments at Man United While he is charismatic, he proved that he is going to be far from a soft touch Will Ruben Amorim be Man United's saviour? LISTEN NOW: It's All Kicking Off! Available wherever you get your podcasts. Episodes every Monday and Thursday By NATHAN SALT Published: 23:00, 22 November 2024 | Updated: 23:00, 22 November 2024 e-mail 2 View comments Ruben Amorim sat down to face the media for the first time since becoming Manchester United head coach. It was a fascinating 45 minutes in his company in which, speaking both English and Portuguese, he addressed topics on his style, why he believes in these players, and whether he has spoken to his idol, and former Manchester United manager, Jose Mourinho . Amorim smiled a lot but also showed there is a steeliness to his character, too. He is preparing to take charge of his first game in his new role on Sunday away to Ipswich Town where fans will watch with interest to see what he has managed to implement on these players in such a short space of time. As well as his briefing with reporters, he also sat down with former Manchester United defender Gary Neville for an extended chat for Sky Sports. Mail Sport picks out five things we learned from those two media appearances from the charismatic new man in charge... Ruben Amorim addressed the British media for the first time as Manchester United boss He was charismatic and insightful but also showed a steely side to him as a born winner DON'T BE FOOLED BY THE SMILE Amorim has a signature smile, that's the first thing to note. It is infectious to those who come into contact with him - but you would be wrong to assume his happy-go-lucky appearance at times paints him as a soft touch. Amorim is fiercely competitive and also incredibly clear in his demands. He said that having been a top-level player previously, he knows 'all of the tricks' and won't be giving players too much leeway to play with him or his coaches when it comes to putting in the hard yards. 'First thing, I think we have to be better athletes. That is something that you can acknowledge when we are here and we see the data,' he told Neville in the Sky Sports chat. 'When I say fitter, it's not being thinner or anything about that. It's the data. You have to understand the data to press high, what is the average metres that you have to run, the sprints. 'You have all this data and you have to cope with that. So you already know your goal is to reach that. You can run a lot but if you don't understand the game, it doesn't matter. But the first point to press high, you have to be very fit and you have to cope with the demands of pressing high.' So his non-negotiables, we learned what those are, too. 'You can say the pretty things like hard work, be professional. You should be,' he said. 'This is Manchester United. In every club [you should be] but here, of course, you cannot run from that. While he has a signature smile, there is also a ruthless drive that will rub off on his players More than 50 reporters were packed into the room at Carrington to hear Amorim speak 'The aim is to think first in the team. So I know that some guys will sometimes play in a different position, but they have to understand the position and they have to fight for the team. As a former player, I know every trick.' It should be noted, though, that at 39 years old and not too far removed from the dressing room as a player himself, Amorim can connect with many of United's stars like those who have come before him often couldn't. He knows how they think, knows how they operate on good and bad days and there is also that unwavering loyalty to his players. 'I can lose my job before throwing a player under the bus,' he said. 'But if he doesn't put the team in first place, I will be the first one to talk with the player.' To any of the players who were dialled in, consider the lines drawn in the sand. Now it's over to you. FULL-BACKS, NOT WINGERS, FOR WING-BACK ROLES Ever since Amorim got the job and it became clear he was going to go with 3-4-3 from the off, the identity of who will play in the wing-back roles has been the source of fierce debate. Wingers are synonymous with Manchester United but many of their attackers who play out wide have shown limited capabilities going the other way when asked to defend. He will favour full-backs such as Noussair Mazraoui (left) to play in his wing-back positions He is totally confident in his approach and philosophy but knows some players cannot do it It made Amorim's response to Neville when asked about it particularly interesting as an insight into his thinking after just a few days of training. He said he will 'likely start with full backs in wing-back roles, because to teach a winger to defend is harder.' It should be noted that in training footage released by United we saw Antony deployed as a right wing-back. Read More Man United boss Ruben Amorim reveals message from Jose Mourinho as he insists job ISN'T impossible But if we take Amorim at his word now, it means that Bruno Fernandes, Marcus Rashford, Alejandro Garnacho, Amad Diallo, Mason Mount, Joshua Zirkzee and Rasmus Hojlund are all competing for just three places in the 3-4-3 line up, with Diogo Dalot and Noussair Mazraoui set to get the nods out wide. It was also particularly interesting in his press conference that Amorim has total belief in his system and any players who don't feel the same will soon be cut loose. 'As a coach you have to choose one way or another, I choose always 100 per cent our way,' he said. 'I choose to risk a bit. I believe so much in our way of playing; they will believe too. There is no second way. 'We will adapt some players because we don't have a different profile. Maybe on Sunday you will see the starting 11 and not feel a lot of change but you will see it in the game and the positioning or where they receive the ball.' Garnacho the left wing-back? Think again. It raises questions about where Alejandro Garnacho fits in with a system not suited to wingers HE CAN HANDLE THE PRESSURE - AND MANAGEMENT 'Call me naive,' he said with a grin on his face, 'but I truly believe that I'm the right guy in the right moment. 'I could be wrong, but the earth still will turn, the sun will rise again. It doesn't matter. I truly believe that I'm the right guy for this job.' This wasn't bluster. A man bluffing his way to a headline. Ruben Amorim has total belief that he is the man to finally take Manchester United back to the top. Now, they all say this during the honeymoon stage, you expect nothing less. And perhaps this is recency bias but observing Amorim it is hard not to be impressed - and ultimately believe him. It is important to note too that he is not scared to tread where perhaps other new managers dare not, particularly when it comes to calling out his superiors. 'Us as a club have to set the standards and have to manage that,' he told Neville when asked about Marcus Rashford and Casemiro jetting off to the United States during the international break. 'It's my decision if they can have five days, or three days, or three days to rest and you cannot fly. This is something that us as a club have to decide. 'Would I set a different structure? Yes, for sure.' Amorim transformed Sporting into the dominant force in Portuguese football and he didn't take them there by worrying about who he may upset along the way. His career to date has built him up for the biggest challenge of them all, now it's on him to show he can handle it and thrive, rather than shrink, in the spotlight. Amorim thinks he can be first United boss to win the Premier League since Sir Alex Ferguson Amorim appears intent on learning about the history of the club He must now figure out how to get the best out of the current United squad RUBEN'S CRUCIAL VETO Erik ten Hag used to talk about being 'in the same boat' with Ineos and the football board, particularly when it came to recruitment. We reported recently that funds will be significantly reduced for Amorim as a result of Ten Hag's lavish spend of more than £600million - but we learned that any suggestion he won't be consulted, or allowed a veto, on signings is flat out wrong. 'I think it has to be all together because if you are a coach coming here and already chose the players, you could be wrong because the club will be here for a long time and you as a coach, you don't know that,' he said. 'We have to improve the process of recruitment, the data. I think it is all together, but the final word should be the manager, not because it is your right but because it is your responsibility. 'I have to understand the league and then when everything is aligned, everyone is on the same page, we can buy and sell players.' Sporting director Dan Ashworth and technical director Jason Wilcox have been key drivers in recruitment since arriving but consider this another line drawn in the sand by Amorim. It is he who will have the final say, that much is for sure. Amorim (pictured far right) will have to work with Man United's INEOS board on recruitment GET YOUR RUNNING SHOES, LADS! Footage from his early training sessions showed him getting his players rushing up and down the pitch to recover possession in the exercise of giving it away. They do that a lot in games, he conceded, and continuing to do that will see results falter as they have been. So, along with needing to be ‘better athletes’ you can bet your bottom dollar that Amorim and his coaching staff will be relentless when it comes to the fitness levels of this group between now and the end of the season. I hope the players packed their running shoes... Marcus Rashford Ruben Amorim Gary Neville Share or comment on this article: Ruben Amorim's Manchester United press conference: FIVE THINGS WE LEARNED as Portuguese coach fronted the media for the first time as Old Trafford boss e-mail Add comment

Ninety percent of cancer deaths are due to the spread of cancer, not complications from the original tumor. Thus, for over 50 years now, scientists have been on a quest to identify which malignant mutations within the tumor allow rogue cells to break away from the primary tumor and travel through the bloodstream and lymphatic system to metastasize throughout the body. But new research suggests an alternative mechanism has been overlooked—elusive mutations driving metastasis may not be developing within the twisted DNA of tumors themselves, but within the patient's regular, inherited DNA. The findings, published in Cell , provide the first evidence of genetic predisposition to breast cancer metastasis, with far-reaching clinical implications—including a potential therapy that could prevent it. "Metastasis we believe is, at least in part, a hereditary disorder," says Sohail Tavazoie, the Leon Hess Professor at Rockefeller. "We have been so focused on the cancer cells , the 'seeds," that we've ignored the germline—'the soil." It's now clear that focusing on the soil is critical." Root of the problem Although scientists have rigorously investigated metastasis for decades, extensive genomic sequencing of metastatic tumors have come up empty. Patient tumors are full of mutated genes, but none have been shown to specifically drive metastasis. "So, we hypothesized instead that maybe the host's own genetics, not the tumor, is providing those mutations," Tavazoie says. In fact, Tavazoie and colleagues had previously demonstrated that various germline alleles of APOE can enhance or suppress melanoma metastasis. To find out whether breast cancer metastasis operates in a similar manner, the Tavazoie lab dove into human genetics with large patient cohorts from multiple countries. A common variant of the PCSK9 gene immediately caught their attention. Present in the germlines of 70 percent of white women, this gene variant was associated with reduced breast cancer survival. And when the team engineered mice with the relevant variant form of human PCSK9, the rate of metastasis increased. Colleagues at Lund University in Sweden further validated these results with an analysis of a large Scandinavian cohort of early-stage breast cancer patients. Their findings were stark: patients with the PCSK9 variant faced a 22 percent risk of metastasis within 15 years, compared to a 2 percent risk among those without it. "Our results emphasize the importance of international collaboration, which by definition involves researchers and patient cohorts from multiple countries," says Wenbin Mei, a graduate fellow in Tavazoie's lab and lead author on the paper. "Further, this demonstrates just how powerful human genetics has become. With new technologies that combine computational analysis with experimental models, we're in a great era to answer difficult questions." Digging deeper The study also sheds light on how the PCSK9 variant drives metastasis. By degrading the LRP1 receptor on cancer cells, the variant appears to unleash a cascade of gene activation ideal for metastatic initiation. Interestingly, the lab's prior work on melanoma found that the APOE alleles that promote or suppress metastasis also act on LRP1. "It's remarkable that, in two different cancers, the mechanism of metastasis converges on this one receptor," Tavazoie says. Future work from the lab will focus on LRP1's suspiciously consistent role in metastasis. Despite the evidence now linking the PCSK9 variant to metastatic disease, Tavazoie clarifies that patients with this variant should not be alarmed. The data suggests that patients with the variant have a 22 percent risk of metastasis, as compared to a 2 percent risk without the variant. "The majority of patients with early-stage breast cancers harboring either variant will still never develop metastasis," he says. But he now is optimistic about the possibility of reducing metastatic disease among the less fortunate 22 percent. The present study includes preliminary work suggesting that PCSK9 can be suppressed with an antibody that blocks the activity of PCSK9 that is already approved for high cholesterol. "This is a safe and well-tolerated drug," Tavazoie says, while cautioning that clinical trials will be necessary to demonstrate its efficacy in cancer. "Our hope is that high-risk patients with this variant could one day be treated proactively, reducing their chances of metastasis by targeting the specific signals that elicit this outcome." More information: Wenbin Mei et al, A commonly inherited human PCSK9 germline variant drives breast cancer metastasis via LRP1 receptor, Cell (2024). DOI: 10.1016/j.cell.2024.11.009NEW DELHI (AP) — India’s former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, widely regarded as the architect of India’s economic reform program and a landmark nuclear deal with the United States, has died. He was 92. Singh was admitted to New Delhi’s All India Institute of Medical Sciences late Thursday after his health deteriorated due to a “sudden loss of consciousness at home,” the hospital said in a statement. “Resuscitative measures were started immediately at home. He was brought to the Medical Emergency” at 8:06 p.m., the hospital said, but “despite all efforts, he could not be revived and was declared dead at 9:51 p.m.” Singh was being treated for “age-related medical conditions,” the statement said. A mild-mannered technocrat, Singh became one of India’s longest-serving prime ministers for 10 years and leader of the Congress Party in the Parliament's Upper House, earning a reputation as a man of great personal integrity. He was chosen to fill the role in 2004 by Sonia Gandhi, the widow of assassinated Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi . But his sterling image was tainted by allegations of corruption against his ministers. Singh was reelected in 2009, but his second term as prime minister was clouded by financial scandals and corruption charges over the organization of the 2010 Commonwealth Games. This led to the Congress Party’s crushing defeat in the 2014 national election by the Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party under the leadership of Narendra Modi . Singh adopted a low profile after relinquishing the post of prime minister. Prime Minister Modi, who succeeded Singh in 2014, called him one of India’s “most distinguished leaders” who rose from humble origins and left “a strong imprint on our economic policy over the years.” “As our Prime Minister, he made extensive efforts to improve people’s lives,” Modi said in a post on the social platform X. He called Singh’s interventions in Parliament as a lawmaker “insightful” and said “his wisdom and humility were always visible.” Rahul Gandhi, from the same party as Singh and the opposition leader in the lower house of the Indian Parliament, said Singh’s “deep understanding of economics inspired the nation” and that he “led India with immense wisdom and integrity.” “I have lost a mentor and guide. Millions of us who admired him will remember him with the utmost pride,” Gandhi wrote on X. Born on Sept. 26, 1932, in a village in the Punjab province of undivided India, Singh’s brilliant academic career took him to Cambridge University in Britain, where he earned a degree in economics in 1957. He then got his doctorate in economics from Nuffield College at Oxford University in 1962. Singh taught at Panjab University and the prestigious Delhi School of Economics before joining the Indian government in 1971 as economic advisor in the Commerce Ministry. In 1982, he became chief economic adviser to the Finance Ministry. He also served as deputy chair of the Planning Commission and governor of the Reserve Bank of India. As finance minister, Singh in 1991 instituted reforms that opened up the economy and moved India away from a socialist-patterned economy and toward a capitalist model in the face of a huge balance of payments deficit, skirting a potential economic crisis. His accolades include the 1987 Padma Vibhushan Award, India’s second-highest civilian honor; the Jawaharlal Nehru Birth Centenary Award of the Indian Science Congress in 1995; and the Asia Money Award for Finance Minister of the Year in 1993 and 1994. Singh was a member of India’s Upper House of Parliament and was leader of the opposition from 1998 to 2004 before he was named prime minister. He was the first Sikh to hold the country’s top post and made a public apology in Parliament for the 1984 Sikh Massacre in which some 3,000 Sikhs were killed after then-Prime Minister Indira Gandhi was assassinated by Sikh bodyguards. Under Singh, India adopted a Right to Information Act in 2005 to promote accountability and transparency from government officials and bureaucrats. He was also instrumental in implementing a welfare scheme that guaranteed at least 100 paid workdays for Indian rural citizens. The coalition government he headed for a decade brought together politicians and parties with differing ideologies that were rivals in the country’s various states. In a move hailed as one of his biggest achievements apart from economic reforms, Singh ended India’s nuclear isolation by signing a deal with the U.S. that gave India access to American nuclear technology. But the deal hit his government adversely, with Communist allies withdrawing support and criticism of the agreement growing within India in 2008 when it was finalized. Singh adopted a pragmatic foreign policy approach, pursuing a peace process with nuclear rival and neighbor Pakistan. But his efforts suffered a major setback after Pakistani militants carried out a massive gun and bomb attack in Mumbai in November 2008. He also tried to end the border dispute with China, brokering a deal to reopen the Nathu La pass into Tibet, which had been closed for more than 40 years. His 1965 book, “India’s Export Trends and Prospects for Self-Sustained Growth,” dealt with India’s inward-oriented trade policy. Singh is survived by his wife Gursharan Kaur and three daughters. Associated Press writer Sheikh Saaliq in New Delhi contributed to this report.

It's great to be a Mahomes this week -- even the ones barely old enough to walk -- 'cause just after Patrick Mahomes won his Christmas Day game ... he doled out some amazing presents to his kids!! The NFL superstar's wife, Brittany , just showed on social media that she and her hubby balled out for little Bronze and Sterling 's Dec. 25 ... gifting them lifelike toy cars! Bronze -- who just turned two years old -- scored a matte black Mercedes ... and he clearly loved it, as Mom called him the "happiest boy ever" in a snap of him in the driver's seat. Three-year-old Sterling, meanwhile, got a pink Range Rover ... and she, too, seemed thrilled to be behind the wheel. No word yet on Brittany's haul for the day (she actually got a car from Patrick back in 2021) ... but her husband sure received a sweet present from his team while out in Pittsburgh. The Chiefs rolled over the Steelers, 29-10 -- and the victory locked up a first-round playoff bye for K.C. ... which means Patrick will have a bit more free time than usual these next couple weeks to be with his kids -- and apparently make sure they know the rules of the road as well!