ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — Dak Prescott is the quarterback of the near future for the Dallas Cowboys. Owner and general manager Jerry Jones will have to decide soon whether he feels the same about coach Mike McCarthy. Cooper Rush is making a good case to stay as Prescott’s backup. If Rush can help pull an upset in either of the final two games at Philadelphia on Sunday or home against Washington, he’ll have a winning record in three different seasons filling in for Dallas’ injured star QB. It was 1-0 in 2021 when Prescott had a calf strain, 4-1 a year later after Prescott broke a thumb in a season-opening loss and now 4-3 following a season-ending hamstring tear for the three-time Pro Bowler. Rush, who is a free agent after the season, helped keep a playoff season on track in 2022. He couldn’t do that again this season, losing the first two starts to cap a five-game losing streak that was too much for Dallas to overcome in pursuit of a fourth consecutive postseason trip for the defending NFC East champions. The Cowboys (7-8) were eliminated a few hours before kickoff against Tampa Bay on Sunday night. They won anyway, the 26-24 victory costing the Buccaneers control of their playoff fate. Rush had a career high for passing yards in a half with 226 before the break, and the defense made the big plays late when the offense couldn’t run out the clock. A week earlier, Rush threw a career-best three touchdown passes in a 30-14 victory over Carolina. “I think you’ve just seen a man take full advantage of his opportunities,” McCarthy said. “And what I love about Cooper is, you look at his performance, it’s improved every week because he’s always prepared properly. He’s an ace in the quarterback room, as far as getting ready each and every week even when he wasn’t the starter.” Last year, Dallas traded for Trey Lance, the No. 3 overall pick by San Francisco in 2021, to play behind Prescott and Rush and give the Cowboys another consideration for the future. There’s been plenty of talk about the Cowboys seeing what they have in a young QB who flamed out quickly with the 49ers. Lance’s contract is up after the season as well. Dallas has been steadfast in believing Rush was the best option to win now, and made winning a priority even as the playoff hopes faded. Now, it appears whatever future Lance has will be elsewhere. Like any QB, Rush would love a chance to start full time. He’s also 31 and knows a good situation when he sees one, even if the Cowboys did at one point give up on him by going with Andy Dalton as the backup in 2020. Rush returned later in that pandemic-altered season, and is about to finish an uninterrupted four-season run behind Prescott. “This is ball,” Rush said. “This is what you do. You get paid to do it. I don’t think people need much more motivation.” What’s working WR CeeDee Lamb simply won’t let an injured right shoulder sideline him this season. He has at least 100 yards receiving in the first half of the past two games and has surpassed 100 catches for the third time in his five seasons. Only two other receivers have done the latter. What needs help The Dallas run game was finally stuffed after a lengthy stretch of helping control games. McCarthy half-expected it against the usually stout rushing defense of the Bucs. The Cowboys had 31 yards rushing, their fewest in a win in almost four decades. Stock up K Brandon Aubrey had two 58-yard field goals and another from 53 against Tampa. He and Houston’s Ka’imi Fairbairn are in an intriguing duel for an NFL record. Aubrey has 14 field goals of at least 50 yards to 13 for Fairbairn this season. Whichever kicker finishes with more will have the record, unless they end up sharing it. Stock down Rookie LT Tyler Guyton might be better off watching the final two games as long as veteran Chuma Edoga stays healthy. They rotated early, but Guyton ended up getting just seven snaps. Guyton has been battling a variety of injuries this season. Injuries LB Eric Kendricks couldn’t go because of a calf injury, opening the door for Nick Vigil to play a season-high 69 snaps and lead the Cowboys with 10 tackles. It had been six weeks since Vigil played any defensive snaps. Key number 10 — Star edge rusher Micah Parsons needs half a sack to reach double digits in each of his first four seasons. He would be the fifth player to do it. The other four are in the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Next steps Rush is 9-2 as a starter against teams other than Philadelphia. He’s 0-2 against the Eagles, including a 34-6 loss in his first start after Prescott’s injury this season. ___ AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl2024 is the year Democrats lost their populist edge11 AI Stocks Next in Line As Magnificent 7 Growth Slows: Goldman Sachs - Business Insider
French President Emmanuel Macron named a new government Monday evening, putting together a team under Francois Bayrou, his fourth prime minister of the year, to drag the second-largest EU economy out of political crisis. Macron named former prime minister Elisabeth Borne, 63, education minister in a new cabinet under centrist Bayrou, announced Elysee secretary-general Alexis Kohler. Another former premier, Manuel Valls, 62, returned as overseas territories minister, while former interior minister Gerald Darmanin became justice minister. Both Defence Minister Sebastien Lecornu and Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot kept their jobs, the presidency said. Lecornu, a 38-year-old loyalist with a keen political nose, has served in every government since Macron's first election as president in 2017. Conservative Interior Minister Bruno Retailleau, who has vowed to crack down on illegal immigration, and right-wing Culture Minister Rachida Dati, also stayed in their posts. The difficult job of delivering a budget plan for next year falls to Eric Lombard, head of public-sector lender Caisse des Depots (CDC), who was named economy minister. "I'm very proud of the team we're presenting this evening," Bayrou said on X, adding his "experienced" cabinet would aim to "rebuild trust". The inclusion of two former prime ministers indicates Macron's desire for a heavyweight government that will enjoy stability and not share the fate of Bayrou's predecessor, Michel Barnier, ousted in a no-confidence vote. Bayrou had hoped to bring in figures from the left, right and centre to protect his government from possible censure, but his 35-member team does not include any members of the left-wing coalition New Popular Front. Macron will assemble Bayrou's team on January 3 for a first Council of Ministers meeting, the presidency said. Barnier was brought down over his failure to win support for an austerity budget to shore up France's shaky finances with spending cuts and tax rises. The priority for 73-year-old Bayrou is to make sure his government can survive a no-confidence vote and that it passes a cost-cutting budget for 2025. The unexpected comeback of Valls, premier from 2014 to 2016, as the head of the overseas territories ministry indicates the importance of the post after authorities were strongly criticised for their response to the deadly cyclone on the Indian Ocean territory of Mayotte, which killed at least 35 people. Darmanin had long been known to covet the post of foreign minister, but after days of intense discussions will have to content himself with the justice ministry. - Far-right 'backing' - Just before the official announcement, heavyweight right-wing politician Xavier Bertrand, who had been tipped for the health ministry, announced he would not be part of the government. He alleged that it had been formed with the implicit "backing" of far-right leader Marine Le Pen, who will play a key role in ensuring its survival. "The prime minister informed me this morning, contrary to what he had proposed yesterday, that he was no longer in a position to entrust me with responsibility for the justice ministry due to opposition from (Le Pen's) National Rally," Bertrand said in a statement. "Despite his new proposals, I refuse to take part in a government of France formed with the backing of Marine Le Pen." Bertrand is a major irritant for the far right, which he has long opposed. Le Pen on March 31, 2025 faces the verdict in an embezzlement trial on charges she denies. If convicted, she could lose the chance of standing in the 2027 elections and with it her best chance yet of winning the presidency. The announcement came as France observed a day of mourning for victims in cyclone-hit Mayotte, France's poorest overseas territory. Bayrou, the head of the centrist MoDem group, which is allied to Macron's party, was appointed on December 13. He is the sixth prime minister of Macron's mandate. Many already predict Bayrou will struggle to survive. France has been mired in deadlock since Macron gambled on snap elections this summer in the hopes of bolstering his authority. The move backfired, with voters electing a parliament fractured between three rival blocs. Le Pen suggested Macron has been weakened by months of political crisis and would eventually have to resign. "I am preparing for an early presidential election," she told French newspaper Le Parisien last week. bur-as/jhbVANCOUVER, BC , Dec. 2, 2024 /PRNewswire/ - Lumina Gold Corp. (TSXV: LUM) (OTCQB: LMGDF ) (the "Company" or "Lumina") is pleased to announce that under the previously announced US$300 million precious metals purchase agreement (the "PMPA") with Wheaton Precious Metals International Ltd., a wholly owned subsidiary of Wheaton Precious Metals Corp., the Company has drawn an additional installment of US$6.0 million . The Company has now drawn US$44.9 million and can draw up to an additional US$3.1 million for specific pre-construction capital items. Investor Relations The Company is also pleased to announce that it has retained Oak Hill Financial Inc. ("Oak Hill") to provide investor relations services at a rate of C$10,000 per month for an initial three-month term beginning in January 2025 , then continuing month to month at the Company's election. Oak Hill will help Lumina to effectively communicate its latest corporate milestones with potential new investors, and further engage with the investment community on behalf of the Company. Oak Hill is an arms-length party to the Company and does not currently hold any interest in the securities of the Company (either directly or indirectly) nor does it hold any rights or options to acquire such an interest. Oak Hill is a leading Canadian investor marketing and distribution and corporate advisory firm, based in Ontario , focused on IIROC retail brokerage networks, servicing both asset managers and public companies. Oak Hill's experienced team of former asset management wholesalers, research analysts and capital market professionals specialize in building credibility for their clients to a network of over 10,000 Canadian IIROC retail brokers and over 300 North American funds. About Lumina Gold Lumina Gold Corp. (TSXV: LUM) is a Vancouver, Canada based precious and base metals development company focused on the Cangrejos Gold-Copper Project located in El Oro Province, southwest Ecuador . In 2023, the Company completed a Pre-Feasibility Study for Cangrejos, which is the largest primary gold deposit in Ecuador . Lumina has an experienced management team with a successful track record of advancing and monetizing exploration projects. Follow us on: Twitter , Linkedin or Facebook . Further details are available on the Company's website at https://luminagold.com/ . To receive future news releases please sign up at https://luminagold.com/contact . LUMINA GOLD CORP. Signed: "Marshall Koval" Marshall Koval , President & CEO, Director Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this news release. Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Information Certain statements and information herein, including all statements that are not historical facts, contain forward-looking statements and forward-looking information within the meaning of applicable securities laws. Such forward-looking statements or information include but are not limited to statements or information with respect to: the Company's ability to draw up to an additional US$3.1 million for specific pre-construction capital items, the Company's engagement of Oak Hill and the services to be provided . Often, but not always, forward-looking statements or information can be identified by the use of words such as "will" or "projected" or variations of those words or statements that certain actions, events or results "will", "could", "are proposed to", "are planned to", "are expected to" or "are anticipated to" be taken, occur or be achieved. With respect to forward-looking statements and information contained herein, the Company has made numerous assumptions including among other things, assumptions about: the Company's ability to meet its obligations under the PMPA; general business and economic conditions; the prices of gold and copper; and anticipated costs and expenditures. The foregoing list of assumptions is not exhaustive. Although management of the Company believes that the assumptions made and the expectations represented by such statements or information are reasonable, there can be no assurance that a forward-looking statement or information herein will prove to be accurate. Forward-looking statements and information by their nature are based on assumptions and involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause the Company's actual results, performance or achievements, or industry results, to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements or information. These factors include, but are not limited to: risks associated with the business of the Company; business and economic conditions in the mining industry generally; the supply and demand for labour and other project inputs; changes in commodity prices; changes in interest and currency exchange rates; risks relating to inaccurate geological and engineering assumptions (including with respect to the tonnage, grade and recoverability of reserves and resources); risks relating to unanticipated operational difficulties (including failure of equipment or processes to operate in accordance with specifications or expectations, cost escalation, unavailability of materials and equipment, government action or delays in the receipt of government approvals, industrial disturbances or other job action, and unanticipated events related to health, safety and environmental matters); risks relating to adverse weather conditions; political risk and social unrest; changes in general economic conditions or conditions in the financial markets; and other risk factors as detailed from time to time in the Company's continuous disclosure documents filed with Canadian securities administrators. The Company does not undertake to update any forward-looking information, except in accordance with applicable securities laws. SOURCE Lumina Gold Corp.Sir Keir Starmer has led a host of tributes to former US president Jimmy Carter, saying he “redefined the post-presidency with a remarkable commitment to social justice and human rights at home and abroad”. The Prime Minister said Mr Carter, who died aged 100, will be remembered for the Camp David Accords between Israel and Egypt, as well as his “decades of selfless public service”. He added that it was the Democrat’s “lifelong dedication to peace” that led to him receiving the Nobel Peace prize in 2002. Very sorry to hear of President Carter’s passing. I pay tribute to his decades of selfless public service. My thoughts are with his family and friends at this time. — Keir Starmer (@Keir_Starmer) Sir Keir was joined in paying tribute to the 39th president by other leaders including the King, current President Joe Biden, Lib Dem leader Sir Ed Davey and former PM Tony Blair. The King remembered former US president Jimmy Carter’s 1977 visit to the UK with “great fondness” and praised his “dedication and humility”. In a message to Mr Biden and the American people, Charles said: “It was with great sadness that I learned of the death of President Carter. “He was a committed public servant, and devoted his life to promoting peace and human rights. “His dedication and humility served as an inspiration to many, and I remember with great fondness his visit to the United Kingdom in 1977. “My thoughts and prayers are with President Carter’s family and the American people at this time.” Mr Biden said that Mr Carter was an “extraordinary leader, statesman and humanitarian”. He said his fellow Democrat was a “dear friend”, as he announced that he will order a state funeral to be held for him in Washington DC. “Today, America and the world lost an extraordinary leader, statesman and humanitarian,” he said. “Over six decades, we had the honour of calling Jimmy Carter a dear friend. But, what’s extraordinary about Jimmy Carter though is that millions of people throughout America and the world who never met him thought of him as a dear friend as well. “With his compassion and moral clarity, he worked to eradicate disease, forge peace, advance civil rights and human rights, promote free and fair elections, house the homeless, and always advocate for the least among us. He saved, lifted and changed the lives of people all across the globe. “He was a man of great character and courage, hope and optimism.” Lib Dem leader Sir Ed Davey said Mr Carter “will be remembered for generations”. “Jimmy Carter was an inspiration,” Mr Davey wrote on X. “He led a truly remarkable life dedicated to public service with a genuine care for people. “My thoughts are with his family, friends and all those who loved him. He will be remembered for generations.” Mr Blair said: “Jimmy Carter’s life was a testament to public service; from his time in office, and the Camp David Accords, to his remarkable commitment to the cause of people and peace round the world over the past 40 years,” he said. “I always had the greatest respect for him, his spirit and his dedication. He fundamentally cared and consistently toiled to help those in need.”
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Authoritative Release Of The 2024 Top 10 Rankings In The Construction Machinery Industry: Unveiling The Most Influential Products And CompaniesMike Mitchell Jr. scored 22 points, all in the first half, and Minnesota pulled away for a 90-68 win over Morgan State on Sunday afternoon in Minneapolis. Dawson Garcia added 18 points and eight rebounds for Minnesota (8-5), which won its second game in a row. Parker Fox finished with 11 points. Kameron Hobbs scored 25 points to lead Morgan State (6-10), which fell to 0-8 on the road. Will Thomas scored 13 points, Rob Lawson had 11 and Daniel Akitoby registered a double-double with 10 points and 11 rebounds. Minnesota shot 51.7 percent (31 of 60) overall and 44.8 percent (13 of 29) from 3-point range. Morgan State shot 40 percent (24 of 60) from the field and 36.4 percent (4 of 11) from beyond the arc. The Golden Gophers finished with a 31-4 advantage in bench points. Minnesota surged to a 55-37 lead at the half. Mitchell scored 22 points in 15 minutes before the break by going 8-for-8 from the field. He drained his sixth 3-pointer to give the Golden Gophers a 53-32 advantage -- tied for their largest lead of the first half -- with 1:59 to go. Minnesota increased its lead to as many as 27 points in the second half. Caleb Williams came off the bench to bury a 3-pointer and put the Golden Gophers on top 86-59 with four minutes to play. Frank Mitchell helped Minnesota reach the 90-point mark with a layup with 1:27 to go. He finished with 10 points on 4-for-4 shooting. Hobbs finished the scoring with a layup in the final minute for Morgan State. Morgan State kept it close during the first five minutes. Hobbs made a layup to pull the Bears within 12-11 with 15:32 remaining in the opening half. Thomas made a pair of free throws less than four minutes later to cut Morgan State's deficit to 23-17. That proved to be as close as the Bears would come for the rest of the way. Minnesota went on a 9-0 run to pull ahead 32-17 with 9:23 to go in the half. Frank Mitchell capped the run with an offensive rebound and putback. --Field Level MediaCanadians face a fresh wave of scams as fraudsters seize on the Canada Post strike to try to trick victims out of their cash. The last few weeks have seen an “exponential” rise in attempted fraud, ranging from phishing emails to deepfake phone calls, says Octavia Howell, chief information security officer at Equifax Canada. “Any time there is a major political event, a major strike or anything like that, we’ll see an uptick,” she said in a phone interview. “Not only is there a Canada post strike ... it’s the holidays.” Scams related to parcels and deliveries typically tick up in step with online shopping orders this time of year, but the work stoppage at Canada Post has led to even more fraud attempts amid the confusion around shipments, Howell said. Comprehensive figures on the latest batch of scams are not yet available from Equifax Canada, but the credit bureau’s daily updates have marked the rise nonetheless. Rather than the roughly half-dozen daily consumer fraud reports of previous increases, Equifax Canada’s investigations team is filing up to “87 in one report in one day coming from the same IP addresses,” said Howell. She called the trend “insidious.” “We’re seeing exponential growth in the amount of scams that are actually happening ... because, one, holidays, and then two, people aren’t able to get their shipments out.” Mail carriers walked off the job on Nov. 15, halting deliveries of letters and packages at the start of the holiday shipping season. Canada Post cautions users that it never reaches out about a delivery via text or email unless it has been requested to. The Crown corporation has asked Canadians to be on guard for telltale signs of a phishing scam or fraud attempt, including poor grammar, imagery inconsistent with Canada Post logos and a tracking number at odds with its standard format. The Better Business Bureau similarly cautioned users when the strike kicked off. “Watch out for fake package delivery offers during Canada’s postal strike,” the non-profit said in a release last month. It advised potential victims to verify delivery services, avoid unsolicited shipment offers from little-known companies and check for accreditation by the bureau before selecting a service. It also noted that scammers may send false messages claiming to be from Canada Post or another carrier asking for payment for undelivered items or offering “priority service.” “Do not click on links in unsolicited emails or texts. Instead, visit the official website of the courier service for updates,” the bureau said. Canada Post recommends customers contact the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre if they receive a suspicious email, text or call related to the postal service.
Phillips 66 stock rises Monday, outperforms market
Canada 'Freedom Convoy' leader found guilty over trucker protest roleOTTAWA—Brampton Mayor and former Conservative leadership aspirant Patrick Brown said Monday he has no reason to believe foreign interference altered the outcome of the federal party’s 2022 leadership race. Brown issued a statement Monday , quoting multiple sources, that said Indian government agents attempted to hurt his campaign. According to the report, campaign volunteers were pressured not to help the campaign and Brown had invites to community events rescinded. In a statement, Brown said he takes the issue of foreign meddling seriously, but the outcome of the Conservative race was not affected by foreign interference. “Like all Canadians, I take the issue of foreign interference in our democracy very seriously. It is a critical matter that warrants thorough investigation,” he said. “I have no reason to believe that such interference altered the final outcome of the 2022 Conservative Party of Canada leadership race.” Brown was disqualified from the leadership race over allegations he broke the party’s financing rules during the campaign. The Radio-Canada story also said Calgary MP Michelle Rempel Garner was pressured to drop her support for Brown. Sean Schnell, Rempel Garner’s chief of staff, said that was not true. “MP Rempel Garner was not, and never has been, coerced by any official of any foreign government in any matter,” he said in an email. “Any claims suggesting that any of her actions during her time with Mr. Brown’s campaign, or her departure from it, are attributable in any way to coercion from foreign officials are false and defamatory.” Brown has been summoned to testify at the parliamentary committee on public safety, which is studying the activities of Indian government agents in Canada, including acts of political interference and violence that the federal government has alleged. Brown was called to testify as part of that inquiry and initially declined the invitation, before Liberal MPs on the committee pushed for him to be formally summoned. Brown said in his statement that he will attend the committee as asked, but has little to say. “I have no new evidence to contribute to the committee’s proceedings and am concerned that my appearance has been sought for political reasons rather than matters of substantive policy,” he said. “I have no desire to be drawn into partisan disputes unfolding in Ottawa. While I maintain my objection to the committee’s summons, I understand and will comply with my legal obligation to appear.” The National Security and Intelligence Committee of Parliamentarians (NSICOP), in a report earlier this year, alleged that both India and China interfered in the Conservative leadership race. Brown said he believes the ongoing foreign interference inquiry, led by Marie-Josée Hogue, is the appropriate venue to discuss these issues, but he has not been invited to testify there.... The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has said part of its measures to strengthen the electoral system is to phase out the Permanent Voter’s Cards (PVCs), as means of voter identification on election day. INEC Chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, at a meeting with Resident Electoral Commissioners (REC) in Abuja on Thursday, disclosed that 142 areas of amendments were identified from the recommendations contained in the 524-page report on the conduct of the 2023 general elections. The recommendations, according to him, include the general state of preparedness, voter management, voter education and public communication, political parties and candidate management. Others include electoral operations and logistics management, election officials and personnel, partnership and collaboration, monitoring and supervision, election technology, voting and result management, election security, electoral offences and the electoral legal framework. “There are eight recommendations that require legislative action by the National Assembly,” he said. Prof. Yakubu stated that out of this number, 86 of the recommendations require administrative action by the commission, stating that “very soon, the commission will make a presentation to the joint committee of the Senate and House of Representatives on Electoral Matters as they continue to deliberate on electoral reform.” According to him, with the introduction of the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS), the use of the permanent voters’ cards (PVC) as the sole means of identification for voter accreditation on election day should be reviewed. Though he assured that those who already have the PVCs could still use them to vote, “but going forward, computer-generated slips issued to the voter or even downloaded from the Commission’s website will suffice for voter accreditation.” The INEC Chairman said this will not only save cost, it will also eliminate the issues around the collection of PVCs and the practice of buying up the cards from voters in order to disenfranchise them. He disclosed that the commission intends to review the mechanisms for a more effective implementation of agreements on logistics with the transport unions and other service providers, and said INEC will consolidate on its recent experience in Ondo State governorship election. “Similarly, the commission will step up action on voter access and distribution to polling units. “As a matter of urgency, the commission also intends to develop protocols for the cleaning up of the voters’ register in collaboration with other agencies such as the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) and the National Population Commission (NPC). “Other areas of reform include advocacy for affirmative action for greater participation of under-represented groups, a more robust voter education and public communication to combat fake news and misinformation,” he stated. Prof. Yakubu noted that there were also recommendations in support of diaspora voting, the unbundling of INEC with the establishment of electoral offences tribunal and a separate agency to handle the registration and regulation of political parties. He further noted that the recommendations noted that INEC officials, security personnel, ad hoc staff, observers and journalists who are deployed outside the places where they registered to vote, do not vote in elections. Prof. Yakubu stated that the meeting with the RECs was because of their frontline role in the implementation of the recommendations. The INEC Chairman said that 48 recommendations of the report require action by a variety of stakeholders, including security agencies, mobile network operators, statutory bodies, political parties, transport unions, civil society organisations and the media. He stated that the meeting with the REC would focus on issues of planning and reform learning from the experience of the 2023 general election. “Having released our 524-page main report on the election, a copy of which is available on our website, we have consulted widely internally with our own officials and externally with all major stakeholders. “With the conclusion of five major off-cycle Governorship elections and nine out of 21 bye-elections since the 2023 general election, this is the most appropriate time for us to commence the implementation of the recommendations arising from our review of the general election,” he added.
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A Russian-made passenger aircraft operated by Azimuth Airlines caught fire upon landing at Antalya Airport in southern Turkey, leading to a temporary suspension of flights. The incident occurred on Sunday, as the Turkish transport ministry reported in an official statement. All 89 passengers and six crew members aboard the Sukhoi Superjet 100 were evacuated safely after the aircraft's engine ignited post-landing. The plane, arriving from Sochi, Russia, remained on the runway until authorities cleared it to be towed away. Flights at Antalya Airport were suspended until 0300 local time (0000 GMT). Social media footage, shared by Airport Haber and the transport ministry, showed emergency teams responding with foam and fire extinguishers. Azimuth Airlines attributed the rough landing to wind shear. Russian aviation authorities, Rosaviatsiya, have launched an investigation. The aircraft, seven years old, highlights Russia's current aircraft shortage due to Western sanctions. (With inputs from agencies.)
NEW YORK (AP) — Technology stocks pulled Wall Street to another record amid a mixed Monday of trading. The S&P 500 rose 0.2% from its all-time high set on Friday to post a record for the 54th time this year. The Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 128 points, or 0.3%, while the Nasdaq composite gained 1%. Javascript is required for you to be able to read premium content. Please enable it in your browser settings.Jim Lutzweiler had traveled to Plains, Ga., to find the grave of Jimmy Carter's colorful brother, Billy, whose shenanigans he had followed, and came across the epitaph for the former president's sister, Gloria. It read: "She rides in Harley Heaven." So, Lutzweiler, a 78-year-old singer, songwriter and former archivist for the Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary in Wake Forest, wrote the song "Harleys, Hondas and Heaven" in her honor and sent the former president a copy. Carter wrote back that he took the CD to her grave and played it. Lutzweiler still has that letter. Actually, the Jamestown resident has 73 letters and notes from Carter — always signed "Jimmy C" — that range from theology to their mutual love of poetry. People are also reading... Something to know about Lutzweiler is that he's a natural storyteller with a divinity degree and refers to himself tongue-in-cheek as a "magnificent concert pianist trapped helplessly in the broken body of a crusty, old librarian.'" Like Carter, he's also an old Sunday school teacher with a sharp wit and recall of theology and culture. While Lutzweiler couldn't help but follow the antics of the former first brother — "I liked Billy because of my own inner redneck" — he had a lot of respect for the country's 39th president, who seemed to not let it distract him. And before Carter announced he was entering hospice care in February of 2023, Lutzweiler, who has self-published numerous books, was working on one based on his correspondence with Carter, the former peanut farmer and expert in nuclear physics. Their first correspondences date back to Oct. 31, 2000. Carter was planning to leave the Southern Baptist Convention because the organization didn't recognize women as pastors of churches. Carter accused the group of reading the Bible out of context. Lutzweiler, who was not a part of the Southern Baptist Convention at the time but had voted for Carter in 1976, wrote an essay asking him to stay — a plea to deal with differences for the greater mission of the Gospel. He started with these four words:" I like Jimmy Carter." He would go on to give four reasons — none of them politically correct, but all of them good ones, he would write — starting with Carter's smile, being that a smile could lift someone else out of a bad day. He would go on to "hit him hard," according to Lutzweiler. It is with reluctance that I characterize his departure from the SBC as unjustifiable and juvenile. If, however, he really does believe in the moderate mush, the slippery slope, that some mystical, intangible, Disneyesque Jesus is more real than the Jesus of the Scriptures, then I guess he should go, or perhaps even stay and learn. Carter had no idea who Lutzweiler was at the time, although the two had shook hands before. When Lutzweiler saw a photo of Carter and wife Rosalynn in the audience during a Statesmen Quartet concert that was later used for the gospel group's album cover, he stopped at a nearby book signing the president was holding in Minneapolis. He got the former Georgia governor to sign his album, though with slight drama. "When I pulled out my record jacket for his signature, he fairly jumped in surprise as if I had pulled out a loaded gun his Secret Service had missed," Lutzweiler said. The essay would delve deeply into theology and he would use the analogy of football teams competing for four quarters, lifting each other up when they fall and then finding themselves the best of friends off the field. "Thus it is that I am loathe to watch Jimmy depart from the SBC without protest," Lutzweiler wrote. The article was published in "The Watchmen," which was edited by a friend of Lutzweiler's and by his account might have had 600 people on the mailing list. But somebody sent it to Carter. Actually, that somebody was Lutzweiler, who used his stationary at the Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary, which he suspects caught Carter's eye. The conservative seminary was led by Paige Patterson, then president of the Southern Baptist Convention. "It was probably not any brilliance in my essay, which I say with forced and false humility," Lutzweiler said, "but because of my seminary stationary that President Carter replied at all." He also thinks Carter responded because he referred to him as "Brother Carter," which was not political and spoke of fellowship. "I put myself in his shoes as a brother," Lutzweiler said. Carter responded with a letter saying he enjoyed the essay but ended with references to women's roles and the governing minds of the convention. I presume that you must let your (Southern Baptist Convention) president interpret the scriptures. I agree with Texas Baptists and others that it should be Jesus. That was November 2000. Carter had written his comments on the pages of the letter Lutzweiler had written, and then sent it back to him. "It was a short note but it opened the dialogue," Lutzweiler said. Lutzweiler responded with more thoughts and challenged some of the arguments Carter made about leaving. Lutzweiler, who has been described as "every Sunday school teacher's nightmare — witty, probing, opinionated, unpredictable, skeptical, questioning and, above all, challenging," by Jonathan Addleton, a former U.S. ambassador — was unrelenting. But Carter was yielding no ground. "I enjoyed your entertaining letter," he wrote back. He would go on to say: I've been concerned as an individual who wanted to heal differences between SBC factions and have given up on this effort. ... I don't recall picking on Paige Patterson, although he and I disagree on some things ... something not possible for you and others at Southeastern. — Best wishes, Jimmy C While always friendly exchanges, they were also frank. Lutzweiler's next letter to Carter, by then the longest-living former president, came about the time the statesman had written a book of poetry. Upon reading a poem from Lutzweiler called "A Toast to God," Carter told his pen pal it was “remarkable.” "A review I dearly savored," Lutzweiler said. "I asked if I could use his review on the dust jacket of a book of my poems. He replied, 'Yes — with guilt and trepidation!'” Their wide-ranging conversations continued about theology, current events and those critical of Carter's beliefs. When Carter was diagnosed with cancer in 2015, Lutzweiler thought the handwritten letters and messages would stop. But they didn't. Lutzweiler sent Carter a CD of Southern gospel songs he recorded on his back porch while wishing him the best with his fight and recovery. Carter invited Lutzweiler to sing at his church, Maranatha Baptist, in Plains, Georgia. Afterward, Lutzweiler and his wife, Shelly, were invited over for lunch, with Rosalynn Carter later serving them coffee and chocolates with the Secret Service outside. Lutzweiler would return to hear Carter teach Sunday school. And he continued writing to him. In 2019, Carter had tripped and fallen several times in the same year and his handwriting wasn't as clear. The last letter, written July 13 of that year, mentioned a story he had read about Bill Clinton's relationship with his pastor. He did not hear from Carter right away and wrote him again. "He said, 'I have been partially incapacitated by a broken hip,'" Lutzweiler said of the late response. Lutzweiler would later receive a letter from the former president's assistant at The Carter Center, a nonprofit think tank for national and international public policy issues, saying that he would no longer be able to correspond. "He was getting older and I understood that there were many people who wanted to talk to him and visit with him," Lutzweiler said. Lutzweiler has continued to send articles and thoughts that would interest him without the expectation that Carter would reply. Over 20 years, "we had a pretty good run," Lutzweiler said. In early 2023, Lutzweiler was calling Jimmy Carter his friend, and he believed Carter felt the same way. Lutzweiler recalls asking Carter for three signed copies of that poetry book in December 2000, which was one of more than 30 books on faith, politics and insights of the 39th president. He would pay for them, of course. It was Christmas and he wanted to send one of them to Patterson, a Texas judge and Randall Lolley, Patterson's predecesor at the Southern Baptist Convention and the former pastor of First Baptist Church in Greensboro. All had strong ties to the convention. "If you can't," Lutzweiler said he wrote, "I'm going to buy three copies of the book and forge your autograph and you won't believe how much you love these people." Instead, Lutzweiler received four autographed books with a note from Carter, who he suspects got a smile out of the retired archivist's merriment. He included one for Lutzweiler. "A note that said, 'Compliments of the poet, no charge," Lutzweiler recalled. Carter would go on to write: In fact, I've spent several hours with Paige and found him to be an interesting and delightful companion. In addition to the poems, I hope you will give him my best personal regards. I feel that he and I would get along fine as fellow deacons in a small church. Lutzweiler wrote to Carter in December asking for permission to produce the book of letters. He hadn't sent it when it became known that Carter, 98, was in hospice care. Lutzweizer sent what he thought might be their last correspondence on Feb. 22, 2023: Dear Brother/President and Rosalynn, While you live and breathe and can still hear, Shelly and I wish to add our voices to the millions now honoring your life well spent. Nancy.McLaughlin@greensboro.com 336-373-7049 @nmclaughlinNR Stay up-to-date on the latest in local and national government and political topics with our newsletter. {{description}} Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items.Cadence’s Anirudh Devgan to Present at Nasdaq Investor ConferenceMP CM Mohan Yadav's One Year In Office: The Progress Made & Obstacles Overcome
CBC resurrects live New Year's Eve broadcast special with coast-to-coast showJimmy Carter, former US president and Nobel Peace Prize recipient, dies at 100
US President-elect Donald Trump has appointed a prominent Indian-American technologist, Sriram Krishnan, as the senior policy advisor for artificial intelligence at the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy. In this capacity, Krishnan will work closely with Trump’s AI and crypto czar, David Sacks, and have a say in shaping the wider policy landscape around AI. While the Joe Biden administration made it a key priority to highlight the possible risks of AI and draw a policy framework that limited harm, the incoming Trump administration has viewed AI primarily through the lens of an opportunity, prioritised the ideas of growth and innovation and been publicly critical of regulatory attempts as an attempt by bigger tech firms to stymie the growth of smaller tech firms. Announcing the appointment, Trump said that his tech policy team “will unleash scientific breakthroughs, ensure America’s technological dominance, and usher in a Golden Age of American Innovation!” He posted on Truth Social, “Working closely with David Sacks, Sriram will focus on ensuring continued American leadership in A.I., and help shape and coordinate A.I. policy across Government, including working with the President’s Council of Advisors on Science and Technology.“ Krishnan said that he was honoured to be able to serve his country and “ensure continued American leadership in AI”. Krishnan, 40, was born in Chennai and did his bachelors in technology at SRM university. He worked in Microsoft between 2005 and 2011 where his focus was Windows Azure. From 2013 to 2016, he worked in what was then Facebook, where he led strategy and execution across businesses in mobile monetisation and created Facebook Audience Network. Krishnan then went on to work on product at Snap and Twitter before branching off to become an investor. In 2020, he became a general partner at the venture capital firm, Andreessen Horowitz, which invests both in seed and late stage tech companies. It is here that Krishnan has closely worked with AI, consumer and crypto firms, and worked with governments on AI policy. Krishnan, in his current role, worked closely with the founder of the VC, Marc Andreessen, who is a key Trump supporter. He also has a good relationship with top Trump advisor and supporter, Elon Musk, and is an investor in X and SpaceX. Along with his wife, Krishnan also hosts the Aarthi and Sriram show featuring conversations with Silicon Valley’s top technologists and entrepreneurs. Krishnan’s appointment may also leave an imprint on the debate on immigration. While the Trump ecosystem is fiercely opposed to illegal immigration, the tech constituency within Trump’s coalition is a strong advocate of continued legal immigration as a way to sustain American tech dominance, with Trump committing on a tech podcast with Sacks during the campaign that he was even in favour of giving green cards to those who studied in the US. In a post on X earlier this month, Krishnan offered a glimpse into his worldview and listed out specific suggestions to improve entrepreneurship. These included creating a startup founder or entrepreneur visa category, allowing H1B visa holders to start companies or transition to entrepreneur visa, and fast tracking green cards for technical fields. On crypto, he suggested clarity on the legal definition and departmental jurisdiction, a task that Trump has now assigned to a newly created crypto council. Krishnan also recommended creating a real time payment system for instant transfers, giving the example of UPI in India. With Usha Vance serving as the Second Lady, Vivek Ramaswamy co-heading the Department of Government Efficiency, Kash Patel running the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Harmeet Dhillon in charge of civil rights at the Department of Justice, and now Krishnan playing a key role in AI policy, from January 20, the Donald Trump administration is all set to have desis in key positions that will shape American state, security, science and the world. Commenting on Krishnan’s appointment, Sanjeev Joshipura of Indiaspora, a leading diaspora group, said, “For several years, Sriram has been an insightful thinker and influential commentator in the artificial intelligence realm. His previous work blending public policy, international affairs, investing and technology will stand him in good stead as he serves the nation in this important role. As Indiaspora continues our convening and thought leadership work on AI in the United States and abroad, we look forward to engaging closely with Sriram.”
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