gcash casino games

Gianna Kneepkens had 16 points to help Utah pull off a 78-67 upset of No. 3 Notre Dame in the Cayman Islands Classic on Saturday in George Town, Cayman Islands. The Utes (6-2) got 15 points from Kennady McQueen and 14 apiece from Jenna Johnson and Matyson Wilke. McQueen and Wilke each made three 3-pointers. Notre Dame (5-2), which lost on Friday to TCU, shot 40.3 percent from the field and turned the ball over 22 times. Sonia Citron's 22 points led the Irish, while Liatu King and Hannah Hidalgo each scored 16. Kneepkens has led the Utes in scoring in five consecutive games. No. 1 UCLA 97, Fresno State 41 Lauren Betts scored 20 points and grabbed 12 rebounds and the Bruins weren't threatened in the Rainbow Wahine Showdown in Honolulu. UCLA (7-0) rolled up a 57-23 halftime lead and ended the game at 56.2 percent from the field. Kiki Rice and Gabriela Jaquez each scored 15 points and Janiah Barker added 13 points. Fresno State (5-3), which committed 24 turnovers, received 11 points from Mia Jacobs. No. 4 South Carolina 99, Purdue 51 MiLaysia Fulwiley's 14 points led five Gamecocks reserves in double figures in an easy win over the Boilermakers at the Fort Myers Tip-Off in Fort Myers, Fla. Ashlyn Watkins and Tessa Johnson each had 13 points off the bench for South Carolina, while starters Chloe Kitts and Bree Hall both posted 12 points. Joyce Edwards (11) and Maddy McDaniel (10) also reached double figures. South Carolina (7-1), which led 53-18 at halftime, had a 56-26 rebounding advantage. Destini Lombard racked up 24 points, aided by four 3-pointers, for Purdue (4-3), which shot 39.6 percent from the field. No. 5 Texas 94, Butler 59 Justice Carlton scored 30 points on 12-for-15 shooting from the field and 6-for-7 on free throws as the Longhorns rolled in the Gulf Coast Showcase in Estero, Fla. Rori Harmon scored 13 points, while Aaliyah Moore, Kyla Oldacre and Bryanna Preston each had 10 points for Texas (6-0), which will face No. 12 West Virginia in Sunday night's tournament final. Caroline Strande had 14 points for Butler (6-2), which shot 50 percent from the floor but committed 29 turnovers and was outrebounded 41-22. No. 10 Maryland 66, George Mason 56 Kaylene Smikle's 16 points and Shyanne Sellers' 15 points helped Terrapins defeat the Patriots in a tight game in the Navy Classic at Annapolis, Md. Saylor Poffenbarger added 10 points off the bench for Maryland (7-0). George Mason (6-1), on the strength of an 18-7 scoring edge in the third quarter, pulled ahead 45-44 going to the fourth. Sellers scored with five minutes left to break a 51-51 tie and the Terrapins led the rest of the way. No. 12 West Virginia 82, Boise State 47 Sydney Shaw's 20 points led the Mountaineers in the Gulf Coast Showcase in Estero, Fla. JJ Quinerly provided 14 points for West Virginia (8-0). Boise State (7-1), which managed only six points in the first and third quarters, was led by Elodie Lalotte's 11 points off the bench. The Broncos committed 23 turnovers and took 26 of their 51 field-goal attempts from beyond the arc. No. 15 Iowa State 75, Middle Tennessee 59 Audi Crooks posted 21 points on 9-for-14 shooting as the Cyclones routed the Blue Raiders and left the Fort Myers Tip-Off in Fort Myers, Fla., on a high. Addy Brown had 12 points for Iowa State (6-2), which shot 54.7 percent from the floor following a 40-point loss to No. 4 South Carolina. The Cyclones held a fifth opponent under the 60-point mark. Ta'Mia Scott scored 24 points, including 8-for-8 on free throws, for Middle Tennessee (6-2). Anastasiia Boldyreva and Jalynn Gregory each added 14 points for the Blue Raiders, who were 19-of-20 at the foul line. No. 17 TCU 87, South Florida 46 Hailey Van Lith's 23 points led a high-charged offense as the Horned Frogs won in the Cayman Islands Classic in George Town, Cayman Islands. Sedona Prince added 17 points and 13 rebounds and Madison Conner, who hit four 3s, posted 14 points for TCU (8-0), which shot 52.5 percent from the field while sinking 12 shots from 3-point range. The Horned Frogs led 40-22 at halftime. South Florida (4-5), which has lost three games in a row, received 14 points from Vittoria Blasigh. No. 18 Mississippi 89, Alabama State 24 Reserve Sira Thienou's 16 points contributed to the romp for the host Rebels over the Lady Hornets at Oxford, Miss. Christeen Iwuala and Starr Jacobs each had 12 points and Kennedy Todd-Williams had 11 points for Ole Miss, which benefited from 33 turnovers by Alabama State. The Rebels (5-2) led 57-10 at halftime. Kaitlyn Bryant's seven points off the bench were tops for Alabama State (2-5), which shot 19 percent from the field. No. 24 Louisville 79, Colorado 71 Tajianna Roberts' go-ahead 3-point basket with less than 7 1/2 minutes remaining ignited a 16-0 run as the Cardinals picked up a road victory over the Buffaloes at Boulder, Colo. Jayda Curry and Nyla Harris each tallied 14 points, Roberts finished with 13 and Izela Arenas had 11 for Louisville (5-2). Frida Formann led Colorado (6-2) with 25 points. Jade Masogayo had 12 points and Nyamer Diew added 10 points. Kindyll Wetta had 10 assists. --Field Level Media

KRA issues amnesty to Kenyans burdened by interest, penalties

CEO Shooting Suspect Says His Arrest Is an Insult to Americans' 'Lived Experience'

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

NEW YORK — There's a Christmas Day basketball game at Walt Disney World, featuring Mickey, Minnie, Goofy and Wemby. An animated game, anyway. The real game takes place at Madison Square Garden, where Victor Wembanyama and the San Antonio Spurs face the New York Knicks in a game televised on ABC and ESPN and streamed on Disney+ and ESPN+. The special alt-cast, the first animated presentation of an NBA game, will be shown on ESPN2 and also stream on Disney+ and ESPN+. Madison Square Garden is a staple of the NBA's Christmas schedule. Now it merges with a bigger home of the holidays, because the "Dunk the Halls" game will be staged at Disney, on a court set up right smack in the middle of where countless families have posed for vacation photos. Why that location? Because it was Mickey Mouse's Christmas wish. "Basketball courts often have the ability to make a normal environment look special, but in Disney it can only turn out incredible," Wembanyama said in an ESPN video promoting his Christmas debut. The story — this is Disney, after all — begins with Mickey penning a letter to Santa Claus, asking if he and his pals can host a basketball game. They'll not only get to watch one with NBA players, but some of them will even get to play. Goofy and Donald Duck will sub in for a couple Knicks players, while Mickey and Minnie Mouse will come on to play for the Spurs. "It looks to me like Goofy and Jalen Brunson have a really good pick-and-roll at the elite level," said Phil Orlins, an ESPN vice president of production. Walt Disney World hosted real NBA games in 2020, when the league set up there to complete its season that had been suspended by the COVID-19 pandemic. Those games were played at the ESPN Wide World of Sports. The setting for the Christmas game will be Main Street USA, at the entrance of the Magic Kingdom. Viewers will recognize Cinderella's castle behind one baseline and the train station at the other end, and perhaps some shops they have visited in between. Previous alternate animated broadcasts included an NFL game taking place in Andy's room from "Toy Story;" the "NHL Big City Greens Classic" during a game between the Washington Capitals and New York Rangers; and earlier this month, another NFL matchup between the Cincinnati Bengals and Dallas Cowboys also taking place at Springfield's Atoms Stadium as part of "The Simpsons Funday Football." Unlike basketball, the players are helmeted in those sports. So, this telecast required an extra level of detail and cooperation with players and teams to create accurate appearances of their faces and hairstyles. "So, this is a level of detail that we've never gone, that we've never done on any other broadcast," said David Sparrgrove, the senior director of creative animation for ESPN. Wembanyama, the 7-foot-3 phenom from France who was last season's NBA Rookie of the Year, looks huge even among most NBA players. The creators of the alternate telecast had to design how he'd look not only among his teammates and rivals, but among mice, ducks and chipmunks. "Like, Victor Wembanyama, seeing him in person is insane. It's like seeing an alien descend on a basketball court, and I think we kind of captured that in his animated character," said Drew Carter, who will again handle play-by-play duties, as he had in the previous animated telecasts, and will get an assist from sideline reporter Daisy Duck. Wembanyama's presence is one reason the Spurs-Knicks matchup, the leadoff to the NBA's five-game Christmas slate, was the obvious choice to do the animated telecast. The noon EST start means it will begin in the early evening in France and should draw well there. Also, it comes after ABC televises the "Disney Parks Magical Christmas Day Parade" for the previous two hours, providing more time to hype the broadcast. Recognizing that some viewers who then switch over to the animated game may be Disney experts but NBA novices, there will be 10 educational explainers to help with basketball lingo and rules. Beyond Sports' visualization technology and Sony's Hawk-Eye tracking allow the animated players to make the same movements and plays made moments earlier by the real ones at MSG. Carter and analyst Monica McNutt will be animated in the style of the telecast, donning VR headsets to experience the game from Main Street, USA. Other animated faces recognizable to some viewers include NBA Commissioner Adam Silver, who will judge a halftime dunk contest among Mickey and his friends, and Santa himself, who will operate ESPN's "SkyCam" during the game. The players are curious how the production — and themselves — will look. "It's going to be so crazy to see the game animated," Spurs veteran Chris Paul said. "I think what's dope about it is it will give kids another opportunity to watch a game and to see us, basically, as characters." Get local news delivered to your inbox!CLEVELAND (AP) — Two days before recording another milestone, resume-building sack on Sunday at Cincinnati, Myles Garrett delivered a jarring hit — on the Browns. In this case, any roughness could be deemed necessary. Garrett piled on to what has been a painful and puzzling season in Cleveland by saying he doesn't have any interest in going through another rebuild and wants to know exactly what the organization's offseason plans are to fix things. If that wasn't enough, Garrett indicated for the first time that he would consider leaving the Browns if his vision doesn't mesh with the team's ambitions. “It’s a possibility,” he said of playing elsewhere. "But I want to be a Cleveland Brown. I want to play my career here.” It's unclear how Garrett's comments were received by owners Dee and Jimmy Haslam, who have plenty to consider as the Browns (3-12) head into the final two weeks of a season that began with playoff expectations and could be followed by upheaval. The Browns haven't been this bad since going 0-16 in 2017. Garrett, who reached 100 career sacks by taking down Cincinnati's Joe Burrow late in the first half of Sunday's 24-6 loss , may have either added to the Haslams' long list of concerns — the Deshaun Watson contract situation is a priority — or brought them clarity. There's no denying that Garrett's remarks carry substantial weight, which is partly why he spoke up. He's the Browns' best player, a franchise cornerstone, a future Hall of Famer and arguably the most disruptive defensive force in the game today. He's also leading with actions. Garrett showed extraordinary effort in chasing down and tackling Burrow before tumbling out of bounds and crashing into Cleveland's bench and some portable heaters. He might be frustrated, but he's not giving up. “A testament of who he is as a player and who he is as a person,” linebacker Jordan Hicks said. What the reigning Defensive Player of the Year says matters. It will be interesting to see if the Haslams listen. At this point, there are indications the Browns intend to stick with coach Kevin Stefanski and general manager Andrew Berry, whose major misses in recent drafts have become more magnified with each loss. There will be changes; it's just a matter of how drastic and if they'll be enough to satisfy Garrett's wishes. He turns 29 on Dec. 29 and has two years left on a $125 million contract extension. The All-Pro is in his prime and doesn't want to waste another season in a pointless pursuit of a Super Bowl title. His goal is to win a championship with Cleveland — or someone. Garrett's serious. He's asking the Browns to show him they are, too. What's working Cleveland's defense is doing its part. For the second week in a row, the Browns contained one of the NFL's most talented offenses, holding the Bengals and their top-ranked passing game below most of their season averages. Burrow did throw three TD passes — for the seventh game in a row — but Cincinnati scored fewer than 27 points for the first time in seven games. What needs help The Browns continue to beat themselves with costly turnovers, some more costly than others. They drove to the Cincinnati 1-yard line in the opening minutes only to have D'Onta Foreman fumble as he neared the goal line. The Bengals capitalized by driving 99 yards to take a 7-0 lead that could have been Cleveland's. Stock up Running back Jerome Ford is making the most of a heavier workload and finishing strong. He ripped off a 66-yard run on the game's first play and finished with 131 all-purpose yards, including 92 on 11 carries and scored Cleveland's only TD. Ford's emergence as a potential No. 1 back — Nick Chubb's injuries have clouded his future — gives the team one less thing to worry about as it retools the roster. Stock down Kicker Dustin Hopkins hasn't shaken a startling slump. After being benched for a week to work through his struggles, Hopkins missed his only kick, pushing an extra point to the right. Hopkins felt confident going in, but he's back to trying to identify issues that could be equally mechanical and mental. He's just 16 of 25 on field goals, 16 of 19 on PATs and the Browns' decision to sign him to a three-year, $15.9 million extension this summer looks worse every week. Injuries QB Dorian Thompson-Robinson injured his calf early in Sunday's game, leaving his status in doubt for a second straight start this week. If Thompson-Robinson can't go, the Browns could go back to Jameis Winston, but he's dealing with a sore right shoulder. ... Tight end David Njoku is dealing with yet another injury after hurting his knee. The team is awaiting results on an MRI, perhaps a sign of the severity. Njoku has missed time with injuries all season. He finished with eight catches for 66 yards. Key number 20 — Interceptions for the Browns this season. Thompson-Robinson's two picks on Sunday gave the team 10 in the last four games. What's next Probably a half-empty stadium for a final home game on Sunday against the Miami Dolphins, who are still in the hunt for a wild-card spot. ___ AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl Tom Withers, The Associated Press

NEW YORK (AP) — No ex-president had a more prolific and diverse publishing career than Jimmy Carter. Read this article for free: Already have an account? To continue reading, please subscribe: * NEW YORK (AP) — No ex-president had a more prolific and diverse publishing career than Jimmy Carter. Read unlimited articles for free today: Already have an account? NEW YORK (AP) — No ex-president had a more prolific and diverse publishing career than Jimmy Carter. His more than two dozen books included nonfiction, poetry, fiction, religious meditations and a children’s story. His memoir “An Hour Before Daylight” was a Pulitzer Prize finalist in 2002, while his 2006 best-seller “Palestine: Peace Not Apartheid” stirred a fierce debate by likening Israel’s policies in the West Bank to the brutal South African system of racial segregation. And just before his 100th birthday, the Dayton Literary Peace Prize Foundation honored him with a lifetime achievement award for how he wielded “the power of the written word to foster peace, social justice, and global understanding.” In one recent work, “A Full Life,” Carter observed that he “enjoyed writing” and that his books “provided a much-needed source of income.” But some projects were easier than others. “Everything to Gain,” a 1987 collaboration with his wife, Rosalynn, turned into the “worst threat we ever experienced in our marriage,” an intractable standoff for the facilitator of the Camp David accords and winner of the Nobel Peace Prize. According to Carter, Rosalynn was a meticulous author who considered “the resulting sentences as though they have come down from Mount Sinai, carved into stone.” Their memories differed on various events and they fell into “constant arguments.” They were ready to abandon the book and return the advance, until their editor persuaded them to simply divide any disputed passages between them. “In the book, each of these paragraphs is identified by a ‘J’ or an ‘R,’ and our marriage survived,” he wrote. Here is a partial list of books by Carter: “Keeping Faith: Memoirs of a President” “The Blood of Abraham: Insights into the Middle East” (With Rosalynn Carter) “Everything to Gain: Making the Most of the Rest of Your Life” “An Outdoor Journal: Adventures and Reflections” “Turning Point: A Candidate, a State, and a Nation Come of Age” “Always a Reckoning, and Other Poems” (With daughter Amy Carter) “The Little Baby Snoogle-Fleejer” “Living Faith” “The Virtues of Aging” “An Hour Before Daylight: Memories of a Rural Boyhood” “Christmas in Plains: Memories” “The Hornet’s Nest: A Novel of the Revolutionary War” “Our Endangered Values: America’s Moral Crisis” “Faith & Freedom: The Christian Challenge for the World” “Palestine: Peace Not Apartheid” “A Remarkable Mother” “Beyond the White House” Winnipeg Jets Game Days On Winnipeg Jets game days, hockey writers Mike McIntyre and Ken Wiebe send news, notes and quotes from the morning skate, as well as injury updates and lineup decisions. Arrives a few hours prior to puck drop. “We Can Have Peace in the Holy Land: A Plan That Will Work” “White House Diary” “NIV Lessons from Life Bible: Personal Reflections with Jimmy Carter” “A Call to Action: Women, Religion, Violence, and Power” “A Full Life: Reflections at Ninety” Advertisement AdvertisementIowa quarterback Cade McNamara released a statement Friday slamming the "100% false" media reports that suggested he had thrown his final pass for the Hawkeyes. McNamara has been sidelined since sustaining a concussion during the Oct. 26 win against Northwestern. Backup quarterback Brendan Sullivan has started the last two games for the Hawkeyes (6-4, 4-3 Big Ten) but is out with an ankle injury for Saturday's game at Maryland (4-6, 1-6). Iowa coach Kirk Ferentz said earlier this week that Jackson Stratton will be the likely starter against the Terrapins if McNamara is unavailable. McNamara's cloudy status prompted speculation on a podcast this week that he was "not mentally ready to play." The podcast hosts from the Des Moines Register and The Athletic also suggested that McNamara -- who played three years at Michigan (2020-22) before transferring to Iowa -- is not "fit to play quarterback in the Big Ten right now." "We don't want to bury his career yet, but it does seem like that interception against Northwestern was his last snap as a Hawkeye," Leistikow said. McNamara, who passed for 1,017 yards with six touchdowns and five interceptions in eight games this season, released a statement updating his current status. "My status is the same as it's always been -- a proud member of this football team," he said. McNamara said he has not yet been cleared to play. He said he was cleared to practice on Sunday but suffered an "adverse reaction" and was unable to practice this week and therefore unable to travel with the team to Maryland. "I have been working with the University of Iowa doctors and trainers, a concussion specialist focused on vision training, as well as engaging in hyperbaric treatments as frequently as possible," McNamara said. "I have every intention to play versus Nebraska next Friday night and I am confident that my teammates will return from Maryland with a win." Including his time with the Wolverines, McNamara has completed 60.9 percent of his passes for 4,703 yards with 31 touchdowns and 15 interceptions in 34 games. --Field Level Media

Honda and Nissan to launch merger talksDucks hope to snap 3-game skid in Ottawa or Toronto

Suspect in the killing of UnitedHealthcare’s CEO struggles, shouts while entering courthouseNotable quotes by Jimmy CarterLike most presidencies, Jimmy Carter 's will face history's judgment in determining whether its fiascos—rampant inflation, gas shortages, the failed U.S. military efforts to rescue Americans held in Iran by Islamic radicals—resulted from sheer misfortune or Carter's miscalculations. One fact about the 39th presidency, however, falls unquestionably into the unlucky category. Carter will go down in history as one of only four presidents (including William Henry Harrison, Zachary Taylor, Andrew Johnson) who did not have an opportunity to appoint a member of the U.S. Supreme Court . Yet, indirectly, he is responsible for one of the high tribunal's most consequential members: Ruth Bader Ginsburg . In addition, his approach to populating the lower federal courts with diverse judges reshaped the country's bench. Carter's upbringing in rural southern Georgia impressed upon him life-long lessons about race and gender. His mother's independence as a nurse who ignored many of the Jim Crow South's racial segregation customs, and his exposure to Black playmates, clerics and, neighboring sharecroppers, formed his eventual embrace of equal opportunity for all Americans. Carter's career in the nuclear Navy coincided with President Harry Truman's abolition of racial segregation in the American military. By the early 1970s, he had fully embraced the modern civil rights agenda. Standing for office in the Peach State, rife with traditional white segregationist politicians, Carter ultimately represented the more progressive New South. As his political career expanded, Carter's wife, Rosalynn, embraced an equal role with him in running their peanut farming business. Once in the governor's office, the future president quickly changed the complexion of the state workforce, placing Blacks in 40 percent of influential positions, including boosting their number on Georgia boards from three to 53 and appointing the first Black state patrolman. African Americans rewarded him by casting their votes for Carter in 1976, catapulting him from "Jimmy Who?" to the Democratic presidential nomination and then on to the White House, with 83 percent of their ballots in the general election. Carter's commitment to egalitarianism on matters of race and gender manifested itself in his approach to federal court nominations. He developed an affirmative action plan for the trial courts and courts of appeals. Long a bastion of white males, the 94 district courts and 13 courts of appeals form the core of the federal judicial structure. Distributed among 12 geographic clusters of states and the District of Columbia, plus one national circuit, the courts of appeals hear the vast majority of cases from the federal trial courts. All litigants have the right to appeal a loss from the district courts, and, because the Supreme Court's docket is discretionary and contains fewer than 100 cases a term, the courts of appeals are the last stop for all but a few cases. Thus, Carter's 262 nominations to the federal benches, a record number at the time, guided by an effort to balance the representative characteristics of appointees, especially in terms of race, ethnicity, and gender, gave him an influential role in shaping the national judiciary. His first year in office (1977), Carter established his Circuit Court Nominating Commissions and met with them in the White House to gather names of qualified women and minorities for the federal benches. This unprecedented process resulted in his naming 57 minority judges and 41 female jurists, numbers that exceeded the total of all previous presidents' minority and women nominees. He appointed nine Black people to the circuit courts (including Amalya Kearse, the first female African-American federal appellate court judge) and 28 Black jurists to the district courts. The 1978 Omnibus Judgeship Act , which created 152 new federal judgeships, aided Carter's record performance in Black appointments. His most lasting impact resulted from his 1980 nomination of Ginsburg to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit, a proving ground for Supreme Court justices. Ginsburg had served as the director of the American Civil Liberties Union's Women's Rights Project, during which she argued a half-dozen gender-equity cases before the U.S. Supreme Court and won all but one. Her scholarship as a tenured Columbia Law School professor and her successful advocacy for equality between the sexes caught Carter's attention. Likewise, her compelling life story captured President Bill Clinton 's imagination in 1993 when Justice Byron White retired from the nation's highest tribunal. In announcing her nomination, Clinton declared that Ginsburg was "to the women's movement what Thurgood Marshall was to the movement for the rights of African Americans." If Carter had secured a second term in the 1980 election, it is likely that he would have had the distinction of placing the first woman on the high court. But that landmark belongs to President Ronald Reagan. Joining Sandra Day O'Connor as only the second woman to become a member of the court, Ginsburg played a historic role, especially in continuing her crusade for gender equity. She penned the court's opinion in the decision requiring Virginia Military Institute to admit women. Her dissent in the Lilly Ledbetter case successfully encouraged Congress to amend the 1964 Civil Rights Act's limits on when the victims of wage discrimination could challenge their employers in federal court. Until her 2020 death, Ginsburg continued to fulfill the egalitarian agenda of Carter's post-Watergate presidency. She provided votes and authored opinions upholding access to abortion, allowing universities to maintain affirmative action policies in college and law school admissions, advocating marriage equality, and bolstering sexual privacy. And RBG might never have made history on the nation's highest court without the 39th president's nomination of her to the second most powerful tribunal in the nation. Barbara A. Perry ( @BarbaraPerryUVA ) is the J. Wilson Newman Professor of Governance and co-chair of the Presidential Oral History Program at the University of Virginia's Miller Center . She was a 1994-95 Supreme Court Fellow. The views expressed in this article are the writer's own.

President-elect John Dramani Mahama Pledges Reforms and Unity to Rebuild GhanaMade In Chelsea star Georgia Toffolo continues to pack on the PDA with new millionaire fiancé James Watt as she shares festive photos Have YOU got a story? Email tips@dailymail.com By RUTH FRANCIS FOR MAILONLINE Published: 22:20, 29 December 2024 | Updated: 22:20, 29 December 2024 e-mail View comments She recently got engaged during an idyllic Greek getaway after 18 months of dating. And on Sunday, Georgia Toffolo, 30, took to social media to share some adorable Christmas snaps of her and fiancé James Watt. The former Made In Chelsea star posed with her husband-to-be in the car wrapped up in wooly winter jumpers on their way to stay with family. In another photo, Georgia wowed in a black long sleeved dress that boasted a stylish white collar. Resting her head lovingly on her partner's shoulder, she smiled to the camera, whilst James - the BrewDog founder, 42 - beamed in a pair of sunglasses and a festive headband. Another image from the same day, saw the couple radiate happiness with their arms around each other, as they enjoyed a lavish dinner. Georgia Toffolo took to social media to share some adorable Christmas snaps of her and fiancé James Watt In one photo Georgia wowed in a black long sleeved dress that boasted a stylish white collar as she rested her head lovingly on her partner's shoulder, who beamed in a pair of sunglasses and a festive headband Georgia, who found fame on Made In Chelsea, also shared snaps of the family in matching pyjamas for the festive photos stood on top of a hill. The sweet post saw Georgia with her arm outstretched, wearing a pair of reindeer antlers, whilst James wrapped up in a hat and jumper, had a youngster sat on his shoulders. In another photo Georgia flashed her huge sparkler as she posed in a black fluffy hat. With the huge diamond on show, the reality star pouted for the camera and let her blonde locks fall loosely down her shoulders. Alongside the collection, Georgia penned how she was making the most of being her last Christmas before the pair wed next year. She wrote: 'Soaking up my first Christmas being engaged and my last before we get married. 'Happily my family were with us up in Scotland - true to form we have done far too much and are all zonked and exhausted. So worth it though. 'Anyone else battled feeling under the weather this year? Desperate to get in bed with my book and not move!' Another image from the same day, saw the couple radiate happiness with their arms around each other, as they enjoyed a lavish dinner The pair who got engaged during an idyllic Greek getaway in October after 18 months of dating looked happier than ever as they celebrated over the festive season Georgia, who found fame on Made In Chelsea, also shared snaps of the family in matching pyjamasas they stood on top of a hill Alongside the collection, Georgia penned how she was making the most of being her last Christmas before the pair wed next year In another photo Georgia flashed her huge sparkler as she posed in a black fluffy hat and let her blonde locks fall loosely down her shoulders For another image, the blonde bombshell wore a white fluffy coat over her dress and added a touch of glamour with a diamond necklace fans couldn't help but notice the huge engagement ring in one of her photos and congratulated the happy couple for their good news Fans flocked to her comment section to wish the happy couple their best writing: 'Have a great break. Your ring is fabulous xx' Read More Georgia Toffolo, 30, reunites with I'm A Celeb bestie Stanley Johnson, 84, at Christmas party 'You look like you had a fabulous Christmas, your ring is beautiful. All the best for 2025 to you and James x' ... 'Just mega ❤️' .... Gorgeous ❤️xx' It comes after Georgia and James celebrated their engagement in style as they enjoyed a festive-themed bash. The BrewDog founder, 42, popped the question to the former Made In Chelsea star , 30, in October during an idyllic Greek getaway for her birthday. And just days before Christmas , the happy couple gathered at one of James' BrewDog branches in Aberdeen with their friends and family to mark their upcoming nuptials. The pair pulled out all the stops for party, capturing special moments with a 360 photo booth while also posing up a storm on a sleigh. Dressed to impress for the occasion, Georgia looked sensational in a black lace mini dress which she teamed with semi-sheer black tights and black boots . The star added a pair of bauble-clad antlers as she posed beside her husband-to-be, who looked smart in a white shirt and jeans. It comes after the pair celebrated their engagement in style as they enjoyed a festive-themed bash just before Christmas The BrewDog founder, 42, popped the question to the former Made In Chelsea star , 30, in October during an idyllic Greek getaway for her birthday Georgia lovingly danced with James while their nearest and dearest watched on. Before the pair posed for a number of snaps alongside their friends and family, including an adorable photo with James' granny donning a sparkly glitter ball helmet. Captioning her post, Georgia penned: 'Last night we hosted our Christmas / engagement party. I danced for hours and it was so special for us to have our people in one place. 'This is the second year we hosted this together and now I’m worried about what to do next year to top it! Highlight was James’ Granny on the 360 camera wearing a glitter ball helmet'. James - who is reportedly worth an estimated £262 million - proposed at the end of October, on the week she celebrated her 30th birthday in the Greek islands. At the time, a source told MailOnline: 'He asked her to marry him yesterday in front of both of their families in Greece . 'After the proposal they went to a big party at the Peligoni club and ended up dancing on tables to ABBA , celebrating with all the other guests.' Georgia, who found fame as a regular cast-member on E4 show Made In Chelsea , has been dating the millionaire BrewDog co-founder since last summer and the pair now live together in London. James proposed at the end of October, on the week she celebrated her 30th birthday in the Greek islands And just days before Christmas , the happy couple gathered at one of James' BrewDog branches in Aberdeen with their friends and family to mark their upcoming nuptials The pair pulled out all the stops for party, capturing special moments with a 360 photo booth while also posing up a storm on a sleigh Dressed to impress for the occasion, Georgia looked sensational in a black lace mini dress which she teamed with semi-sheer black tights and black boots Georgia radiated happiness as she lovingly danced with James while their loved ones watched on Georgia and James' loved ones partied the night away at the festive engagement bash The former I'm A Celebrity star rocked a pair of bauble-clad antlers for the party The pair posed for a number of snaps alongside their friends and family, including an adorable photo with James' granny donning a sparkly glitter ball helmet Captioning her post, Georgia penned: 'Last night we hosted our Christmas / engagement party. I danced for hours and it was so special for us to have our people in one place Announcing the news while showing off her enormous diamond engagement ring, the blonde beauty told her Instagram followers: 'James just asked me to marry him. 'It really was the best moment of my life so far. I never knew I could feel happiness like this. The easiest, quickest yes to being your wife. 'Our love story is my favourite. How we managed to find each other out of billions of people out there will always be my greatest blessing. 'I love you forever and the magical life we’re building.' James proposed with and exquisite eight carat triple-diamond studded band estimated to be worth £200,000. Georgia Toffolo Made In Chelsea Share or comment on this article: Made In Chelsea star Georgia Toffolo continues to pack on the PDA with new millionaire fiancé James Watt as she shares festive photos e-mail Add commentAdani Group founder Gautam Adani responded for the first time to US bribery allegations in a live-streamed speech at an awards ceremony in Jaipur, India. NEW DELHI - Adani Group founder Gautam Adani responded for the first time on Nov 30 to allegations by US authorities that he was part of a US$265 million (S$355 million) bribery scheme, saying that his ports-to-power conglomerate was committed to world class regulatory compliance. The indictment is the second major crisis to hit Adani in just two years, sending shockwaves across India and beyond. One Indian state is reviewing a power deal with the group, France’s TotalEnergies decided to pause its investments, and political rows over Adani have disrupted India’s parliament. “Less than two weeks back, we faced a set of allegations from the US about compliance practices at Adani Green Energy. This is not the first time we have faced such challenges,” Adani said, in a speech at an awards ceremony. US authorities have accused Gautam Adani, his nephew and executive director Sagar Adani and managing director of Adani Green, Vneet S. Jaain, of being part of a scheme to pay bribes to secure Indian power supply contracts, and misleading US investors during fund-raisings in the country. Adani Group has denied the allegations, describing them as “baseless” and vowing to seek “all possible legal recourse”. “What I can tell you is that every attack makes us stronger and every obstacle becomes a stepping stone for a more resilient Adani Group,” Adani said, in the northern Indian city of Jaipur. “In today’s world, negativity spreads faster than facts, and as we work through the legal process, I want to re-confirm our absolute commitment to world class regulatory compliance,” he added, without giving further details. Adani Group’s finance chief on Nov 29 rejected the allegations, while the Indian government said it had not received any US request regarding the case. At one point, Adani Group’s listed companies saw as much as US$34 billion wiped off their combined market value, but the stocks have recovered ground as some partners and investors have rallied behind the conglomerate. REUTERS Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you. Read 3 articles and stand to win rewards Spin the wheel now