bb777 Germany has pledged to tighten its law to make it easier to prosecute people-smugglers enabling small-boat crossings to Britain, as the two countries signed a new deal aimed at tackling immigration crime. Berlin confirmed plans to reform its legal framework make it a clear criminal offence to “facilitate the smuggling of migrants to the UK” as part of the agreement, the Home Office said. The Home Office said the move would give German prosecutors more tools to tackle the supply and storage of dangerous small boats. Both countries will also commit to exchange information that may help to remove migrant-smuggling content from social media platforms and tackle end-to-end routes of criminal smuggling networks as part of the deal. It comes ahead of the UK and Germany hosting the so-called Calais Group in London , which sees ministers and police from the two countries, alongside France, Belgium and the Netherlands, gather to discuss migration in Europe. Delegates are expected to agree a detailed plan to tackle people-smuggling gangs in 2025 at the meeting on Tuesday. Home Secretary Yvette Cooper said: “For too long organised criminal gangs have been exploiting vulnerable people, undermining border security in the UK and across Europe while putting thousands of lives at risk. “We are clear that this cannot go on. “Germany is already a key partner in our efforts to crack down on migrant smuggling, but there is always more we can do together. “Our new joint action plan with deliver a strengthened partnership with Germany, boosting our respective border security as we work to fix the foundations, and ultimately saving lives.” Nancy Faeser, German federal minister of the interior said: “We are now stepping up our joint action to fight the brutal activities of international smugglers. “This is at the core of our joint action plan that we have agreed in London. “I am very grateful to my British counterpart Yvette Cooper that we were able to reach this important agreement. “It will help us end the inhumane activities of criminal migrant smuggling organisations. “By cramming people into inflatable boats under threats of violence and sending them across the Channel, these organisations put human lives at risk. “Many of these crimes are planned in Germany. “Together, we are now countering this unscrupulous business with even more resolve. “This includes maintaining a high investigative pressure, exchanging information between our security authorities as best as possible, and persistently investigating financial flows to identify the criminals operating behind the scenes.”

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Furthermore, the campaign will place a strong emphasis on the importance of training and education for railway personnel. Safety drills, training sessions, and workshops will be organized to enhance the awareness of safety protocols and procedures among railway staff. By equipping employees with the necessary knowledge and skills, the authorities aim to create a culture of safety that permeates throughout the railway system.The mysteriously named Disease X has the potential to become the next big pandemic, a doctor has warned, while also claiming the world isn't prepared for a sudden boom in cases. Disease X - which is essentially the name given to an as-yet-unknown infection - was among 11 other dangerous diseases that doctors were most concerned about for the year ahead. Measles, cholera, scabies, bird flu , and even another Covid outbreak were also included in the list of scientists' most feared infections for 2025. The World Health Organization (WHO) had previously dubbed unknown pathogens as Disease X, and it was included in its own priority list of diseases that needed urgent research. It's most recently killed at least 31 people - mainly children - in the Panzi region of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). The WHO said there were more than 400 recorded cases of an undiagnosed disease in the DRC between October 24 and December 5. The most common symptoms included fever, headache, body aches, and a bad cough. But, the most severe cases were often linked to severe malnutrition, it said. Disease X is one of the infections that's most likely to lead to severe outbreaks, and possibly even a pandemic, according to Dr Michael Head; Senior Research Fellow in Global Health at the University of Southampton. If an outbreak were to appear immediately, the world would likely be incredibly unprepared, in a similar vein to the international shock of coronavirus. Disease X Disease X isn't an actual infection - it's more the name given to any disease that hasn't been identified, so far. But, the idea of an unknown virus or bacterial infection is very real, and scientists have urged governments to be prepared for anything Mother Nature might throw at us. "Disease X is the name given to an as-yet-unknown bug, that has the potential to cause large outbreaks or even a pandemic," Dr Head told the Mirror . "This bug would have the potential to spread quickly and have a high mortality rate; for example like COVID-19. "The world was poorly prepared for the most recent pandemic, and though we have significant advances in technology , such as the use of mRNA platforms for vaccines and other medicines, we would likely fall short again should Disease X emerge tomorrow." Symptoms: Who knows? It could include anything dependent on its biological make-up. If it were a respiratory virus, it could cause coughs or difficulty breathing. But if it were a bacterial infection, it might cause more stomach bug-like symptoms. Dengue Dengue fever is the world's most commonly transmitted virus by mosquitoes. Tens of millions of cases are reported every year, and up to 25,000 people die annually. It's most commonly found in South America and Southeast Asia, but more and more cases are cropping up in southern Europe - mainly driven by climate change. France, Italy and Spain are most likely to see outbreaks of dengue - which is commonly referred to as the 'bone breaker' disease. The mosquito that carries the virus is eventually expected to gain a foothold in the UK, although it's still unclear exactly when that might be. Medicine professor at the University of East Anglia, Paul Hunter, expected to see more cases of dengue fever in 2025 - particularly in southern Europe. Symptoms: The virus usually causes flu-like symptoms, including a fever, headaches, joint pain, and a characteristic rash mad eup of slightly raised spots. In the most severe cases, it could lead to bleeding gums, repeated vomiting, and severe stomach pain. Chikungunya There was only one confirmed case of chikungunya in Europe in 2024, but it could be on the rise in the coming year, warned Professor Hunter. It's another mosquito-driven viral infection, and is similar to the mayaro virus and the ross river virus. Almost all cases of the virus are found in South America; particularly in Brazil, which had more than 400,000 between August and October in 2024. But, European climates are becoming more favourable for mosquitoes, and scientists fear chikungunya could be on the rise. Professor Hunter said: "I think we will likely see more mosquito-borne diseases in southern Europe; mainly dengue but also probably chikungunya. I also worry about West Nile fever." Symptoms: Most people with chikungunya develop joint pain and a fever about five days after the initial infection. Patients tend to feel better after a week, but it could lead to severe and debilitating joint pain that lasts for months. West Nile fever The West Nile virus goes completely unnoticed for about 80% of human patients. But for those remaining 20%, it can lead to deadly West Nile fever. The virus is transmitted by mosquito bite, although it could also be spread by blood transfusions and organ transplants. It's yet to be reported by local transmission in the UK, but there have been cases of travellers returning with the infection. Human infections have, however, been reported in Spain, France, Italy, Greece , and Germany since the start of November 2024. At its worst, West Nile fever can develop into West Nile neuroinvasive disease (WNND). WNND describes when the nervous system is directly affected by the virus, and it can include developing meningitis , encephalitis, and acute flaccid myelitis. Symptoms: Headaches, fevers, fatigue, and swollen glands are the most common signs of West Nile fever. Some patients might also develop an itchy skin rash that appears on the back, arms, or trunk of the body. Measles Measles is a very serious airborne infection that mainly affects young children. More than 107,000 people died from measles globally in 2023, a majority of whom were under fives years old. It's spread simply by coughing or sneezing, moving in air droplets, and can live in the air or on surfaces for up to two hours. That makes it highly infectious, and infects about 90% of all unvaccinated people within close contact. Measles has been on the rise in the western world over the past few years, largely driven by a fall in vaccination rates. The proportion of kids receiving their first dose of the measles vaccine in 2019 was 86%. But that fell to 83% in 2023. Dr Head said: "Measles is vaccine-preventable. With two doses of the MMR vaccine, that stops measles in its tracks. With a high uptake, we could literally eradicate it from the planet, like smallpox. A lower uptake, partly due to too much covid interrupting health service delivery in the pandemic, means children in the UK and globally are being affected. It is a nasty infection in unvaccinated children, and it can and does kill." Symptoms: The infection usually starts with flu-like symptoms, before the patient develops the characteristic 'measles rash'. It includes raised spots that join together to make large blotchy patches of skin, and spreads from the face to the rest of the body. Covid Coronavirus never went away, and it's still been bubbling away in the background. Even worse, it's still mutating and changing, with new strains harbouring the potential to become more infectious and - dare we say it - vaccine-resistant. In October this year, the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) confirmed a new variant appeared to be more infectious than previous strains. The XEC variant, which combined strains of KS.1.1 and KP.3.3 suddenly sparked a big rise in Covid cases across the country. Admission rates for people testing positive for Covid rose from 3.7 per 100,000 to 4.5 per 100,000 in just one week. Dr Head said: "The vaccines, along with use of medicines and diagnostics etc., have massively blunted the public health impact of COVID-19. But, it’s still here, very much hasn’t gone away, and will continue to pose a problem to health services and populations everywhere around the world. Do get vaccinated if another dose if offered to you!" Symptoms: The three key signs of Covid have remained the same for a number of years now, and there's no early signs of any variants causing unique symptoms. A continuous cough, high fever, or change to your sense of smell or taste could all be signs of coronavirus. Some people might also develop fatigue, a sore throat, headaches, diarrhoea, nausea, and general cold-like symptoms. Cholera Cholera is a global public health threat, the WHO warned. It's a severe diarrhoeal disease that's caused by consuming food or water contaminated with Vibrio cholerae bacteria. In the most extreme cases, the infection can develop very, very fast, leading to death within a few hours if not treated. Up to 143,000 people die from cholera each year worldwide. There have been seven cholera pandemics since in the 19th century, with the most recent in 1961 largely affecting south Asia. But forced migration, sparked by climate change, could mean that 2025 sees another big surge in cholera cases, warned Professor Hunter. Still, cholera cases are incredibly rare in Europe, and most confirmed cases are found in Africa and Asia. In 2022, for example, 29 cases were reported by nine EU countries; all of which included a history of travel to a cholera hotspot. Symptoms: The most common sign of cholera is having lots of watery diarrhoea. It might be accompanied by severe vomiting and stomach pain, and subsequently leads to dehydration. Bird flu Avian flu, or bird flu as it's more commonly known, is widely accepted as the most likely known cause of the next pandemic. It's a type of flu virus that commonly spreads among birds, but has been known to jump across to humans. The virus isn't easily passed to humans, however, although it can mutate rapidly, leaving scientists fearing a mass outbreak. As it stands, almost all cases of H5N1 - the most common bird flu strain in humans - have been reported in those that work closely with animals. "A permanent member of any ‘possible infectious disease threat’ list, avian influenza evolves its shape and style a little like the Covid variants, and has the potential to cause a pandemic," said Dr Head. "We haven’t yet seen widespread human-to-human transmission - but we could do." Bird flu is spread to humans by touching infected animals, their droppings or bedding, or by preparing infected poultry for cooking. There isn't a seasonal bird flu vaccine, but a universal jab to protect against all types of flu, including avian flu, would be the "holy grail", added Dr Head. Symptoms: A very high fever is the earliest sign of a bird flu infection, combined with fatigue and a painful headche. Some patients have also previously reported severe conjunctivitis or bleeding from the nose or gums. Antimicrobial-resistant bacteria UKHSA has warned that antibiotic-resistant infections continue to rise in the UK, while the WHO said antimicrobial resistance is a top global health threat. Antimicrobials are medicines commonly used to treat infectious diseases, including antibiotics, antivirals and antifungals. But scientists have warned that these infections are taking increasingly longer to react to the medications, as they're evolving and developing to protect against them. Anyone that gets a bacterial infection that's resistant to antibiotics are more likely to die within 30 days, according to the UKHSA. Professor Hunter added that antimicrobial-resistant bacteria posed a "significant concern" going into 2025. E.coli is by far the most common type of antibiotic-resistant bacteria in the UK, which commonly causes diarrhoea, vomiting, and urinary tract infections. By the middle of 2024, the UK reported more than 600 cases of the bacteria, which was markedly more than seen in previous years. UKHSA Chief Executive, Professor Dame Jenny Harries, said in November: "Increasingly the first antibiotics that patients receive aren’t effective at tackling their infections. That’s not just an inconvenience – it means they are at greater risk of developing a severe infection and sepsis . Our declining ability to treat and prevent infections is having an increasing impact, particularly on our poorest communities. "Only take antibiotics if you have been told to do so by a healthcare professional. Do not save some for later or share them with friends and family. This isn’t just for your own health - it’s about protecting everyone in our communities and future generations." Symptoms: The signs of infection vary dependent on the bacterial or viral infection. E.coli infection, however, can cause bloody diarrhoea, vomiting, stomach cramps, and cystitis. Whooping cough Pertussis, or whooping cough , is a bacterial infection that affects the lungs, and can be deadly if left untreated. It mainly affects young children and babies, but any can develop symptoms if they become infected. The infection is named after the characteristic 'whoop' sound made by infected young babies between deep breaths. But, not all babies make the noise, which means it can go untreated for some time. The UK is in the midst of a major whooping cough outbreak, and annual confirmed cases topped 10,000 in August. The second quarter of the year saw more confirmed cases than any of the quarters in 2012, which was the last major outbreak year. Professor Hunter said it remained unclear whether there would be more cases of whooping cough in 2025 than 2024, but it remained a "big concern". At least 10 infants have died in the UK since the start of the current outbreak, which dates back to November 2023. UKHSA's Director of Immunisation, Dr Mary Ramsay, said earlier this year: "Vaccination is the best defence against whooping cough and it is vital that pregnant women and young infants receive their vaccines at the right time. Pregnant women are offered a whooping cough vaccine in every pregnancy , ideally between 20 and 32 weeks. "This passes protection to their baby in the womb so that they are protected from birth in the first months of their life when they are most vulnerable and before they can receive their own vaccines." Symptoms: The very first symptoms of whooping cough are similar to a normal cold, including a runny nose and sore throat. After about a week, it could develop into coughing bouts, difficulty breathing, and bringing up thick mucus. Scabies Doctors have recently urged the British public to avoid ignoring the signs of scabies infestation, after a spike in cases. The condition is casued by tiny mites burrowing into the skin to lay their eggs, sparking a really unpleasant itchy rash. Scabies doesn't killy many people, but it can really affect your quality of life, according to Dr Head. It's particularly common in the UK, and is mainly seen in institutional settings, including schools, care homes, and prisons. The number of confirmed scabies cases in England increased by 58% in the first half of 2024, compared with 2023. GP diagnoses were also well above the five-year average, with the north of England seeing the largest proportion of cases. "The mites burrow under the skin, causing an immune response that triggers inflammation and itching," said Dr Head. "You can catch it by prolonged skin-to-skin contact, or via clothes, furniture or bedding that an infected person may have used previously." Symptoms: Intense itching is the most obvious sign of scabies - particularly at nighttime. You might also develop a rash with lined-up red spots, showing where the mite has left its eggs. The rash is common between the fingers, and may eventually turn into dark spots.

PLAINS, Ga. (AP) — Newly married and sworn as a Naval officer, Jimmy Carter left his tiny hometown in 1946 hoping to climb the ranks and see the world. Less than a decade later, the death of his father and namesake, a merchant farmer and local politician who went by “Mr. Earl,” prompted the submariner and his wife, Rosalynn, to return to the rural life of Plains, Georgia, they thought they’d escaped. The lieutenant never would be an admiral. Instead, he became commander in chief. Years after his presidency ended in humbling defeat, he would add a Nobel Peace Prize, awarded not for his White House accomplishments but “for his decades of untiring effort to find peaceful solutions to international conflicts, to advance democracy and human rights, and to promote economic and social development.” The life of James Earl Carter Jr., the 39th and longest-lived U.S. president, ended Sunday at the age of 100 where it began: Plains, the town of 600 that fueled his political rise, welcomed him after his fall and sustained him during 40 years of service that redefined what it means to be a former president. With the stubborn confidence of an engineer and an optimism rooted in his Baptist faith, Carter described his motivations in politics and beyond in the same way: an almost missionary zeal to solve problems and improve lives. Carter was raised amid racism, abject poverty and hard rural living — realities that shaped both his deliberate politics and emphasis on human rights. “He always felt a responsibility to help people,” said Jill Stuckey, a longtime friend of Carter's in Plains. “And when he couldn’t make change wherever he was, he decided he had to go higher.” Carter's path, a mix of happenstance and calculation , pitted moral imperatives against political pragmatism; and it defied typical labels of American politics, especially caricatures of one-term presidents as failures. “We shouldn’t judge presidents by how popular they are in their day. That's a very narrow way of assessing them," Carter biographer Jonathan Alter told the Associated Press. “We should judge them by how they changed the country and the world for the better. On that score, Jimmy Carter is not in the first rank of American presidents, but he stands up quite well.” Later in life, Carter conceded that many Americans, even those too young to remember his tenure, judged him ineffective for failing to contain inflation or interest rates, end the energy crisis or quickly bring home American hostages in Iran. He gained admirers instead for his work at The Carter Center — advocating globally for public health, human rights and democracy since 1982 — and the decades he and Rosalynn wore hardhats and swung hammers with Habitat for Humanity. Yet the common view that he was better after the Oval Office than in it annoyed Carter, and his allies relished him living long enough to see historians reassess his presidency. “He doesn’t quite fit in today’s terms” of a left-right, red-blue scoreboard, said U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg, who visited the former president multiple times during his own White House bid. At various points in his political career, Carter labeled himself “progressive” or “conservative” — sometimes both at once. His most ambitious health care bill failed — perhaps one of his biggest legislative disappointments — because it didn’t go far enough to suit liberals. Republicans, especially after his 1980 defeat, cast him as a left-wing cartoon. It would be easiest to classify Carter as a centrist, Buttigieg said, “but there’s also something radical about the depth of his commitment to looking after those who are left out of society and out of the economy.” Indeed, Carter’s legacy is stitched with complexities, contradictions and evolutions — personal and political. The self-styled peacemaker was a war-trained Naval Academy graduate who promised Democratic challenger Ted Kennedy that he’d “kick his ass.” But he campaigned with a call to treat everyone with “respect and compassion and with love.” Carter vowed to restore America’s virtue after the shame of Vietnam and Watergate, and his technocratic, good-government approach didn't suit Republicans who tagged government itself as the problem. It also sometimes put Carter at odds with fellow Democrats. The result still was a notable legislative record, with wins on the environment, education, and mental health care. He dramatically expanded federally protected lands, began deregulating air travel, railroads and trucking, and he put human rights at the center of U.S. foreign policy. As a fiscal hawk, Carter added a relative pittance to the national debt, unlike successors from both parties. Carter nonetheless struggled to make his achievements resonate with the electorate he charmed in 1976. Quoting Bob Dylan and grinning enthusiastically, he had promised voters he would “never tell a lie.” Once in Washington, though, he led like a joyless engineer, insisting his ideas would become reality and he'd be rewarded politically if only he could convince enough people with facts and logic. This served him well at Camp David, where he brokered peace between Israel’s Menachem Begin and Epypt’s Anwar Sadat, an experience that later sparked the idea of The Carter Center in Atlanta. Carter's tenacity helped the center grow to a global force that monitored elections across five continents, enabled his freelance diplomacy and sent public health experts across the developing world. The center’s wins were personal for Carter, who hoped to outlive the last Guinea worm parasite, and nearly did. As president, though, the approach fell short when he urged consumers beleaguered by energy costs to turn down their thermostats. Or when he tried to be the nation’s cheerleader, beseeching Americans to overcome a collective “crisis of confidence.” Republican Ronald Reagan exploited Carter's lecturing tone with a belittling quip in their lone 1980 debate. “There you go again,” the former Hollywood actor said in response to a wonky answer from the sitting president. “The Great Communicator” outpaced Carter in all but six states. Carter later suggested he “tried to do too much, too soon” and mused that he was incompatible with Washington culture: media figures, lobbyists and Georgetown social elites who looked down on the Georgians and their inner circle as “country come to town.” Carter carefully navigated divides on race and class on his way to the Oval Office. Born Oct. 1, 1924 , Carter was raised in the mostly Black community of Archery, just outside Plains, by a progressive mother and white supremacist father. Their home had no running water or electricity but the future president still grew up with the relative advantages of a locally prominent, land-owning family in a system of Jim Crow segregation. He wrote of President Franklin Roosevelt’s towering presence and his family’s Democratic Party roots, but his father soured on FDR, and Jimmy Carter never campaigned or governed as a New Deal liberal. He offered himself as a small-town peanut farmer with an understated style, carrying his own luggage, bunking with supporters during his first presidential campaign and always using his nickname. And he began his political career in a whites-only Democratic Party. As private citizens, he and Rosalynn supported integration as early as the 1950s and believed it inevitable. Carter refused to join the White Citizens Council in Plains and spoke out in his Baptist church against denying Black people access to worship services. “This is not my house; this is not your house,” he said in a churchwide meeting, reminding fellow parishioners their sanctuary belonged to God. Yet as the appointed chairman of Sumter County schools he never pushed to desegregate, thinking it impractical after the Supreme Court’s 1954 Brown v. Board decision. And while presidential candidate Carter would hail the 1965 Voting Rights Act, signed by fellow Democrat Lyndon Johnson when Carter was a state senator, there is no record of Carter publicly supporting it at the time. Carter overcame a ballot-stuffing opponent to win his legislative seat, then lost the 1966 governor's race to an arch-segregationist. He won four years later by avoiding explicit mentions of race and campaigning to the right of his rival, who he mocked as “Cufflinks Carl” — the insult of an ascendant politician who never saw himself as part the establishment. Carter’s rural and small-town coalition in 1970 would match any victorious Republican electoral map in 2024. Once elected, though, Carter shocked his white conservative supporters — and landed on the cover of Time magazine — by declaring that “the time for racial discrimination is over.” Before making the jump to Washington, Carter befriended the family of slain civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr., whom he’d never sought out as he eyed the governor’s office. Carter lamented his foot-dragging on school integration as a “mistake.” But he also met, conspicuously, with Alabama's segregationist Gov. George Wallace to accept his primary rival's endorsement ahead of the 1976 Democratic convention. “He very shrewdly took advantage of his own Southerness,” said Amber Roessner, a University of Tennessee professor and expert on Carter’s campaigns. A coalition of Black voters and white moderate Democrats ultimately made Carter the last Democratic presidential nominee to sweep the Deep South. Then, just as he did in Georgia, he used his power in office to appoint more non-whites than all his predecessors had, combined. He once acknowledged “the secret shame” of white Americans who didn’t fight segregation. But he also told Alter that doing more would have sacrificed his political viability – and thus everything he accomplished in office and after. King's daughter, Bernice King, described Carter as wisely “strategic” in winning higher offices to enact change. “He was a leader of conscience,” she said in an interview. Rosalynn Carter, who died on Nov. 19 at the age of 96, was identified by both husband and wife as the “more political” of the pair; she sat in on Cabinet meetings and urged him to postpone certain priorities, like pressing the Senate to relinquish control of the Panama Canal. “Let that go until the second term,” she would sometimes say. The president, recalled her former aide Kathy Cade, retorted that he was “going to do what’s right” even if “it might cut short the time I have.” Rosalynn held firm, Cade said: “She’d remind him you have to win to govern.” Carter also was the first president to appoint multiple women as Cabinet officers. Yet by his own telling, his career sprouted from chauvinism in the Carters' early marriage: He did not consult Rosalynn when deciding to move back to Plains in 1953 or before launching his state Senate bid a decade later. Many years later, he called it “inconceivable” that he didn’t confer with the woman he described as his “full partner,” at home, in government and at The Carter Center. “We developed a partnership when we were working in the farm supply business, and it continued when Jimmy got involved in politics,” Rosalynn Carter told AP in 2021. So deep was their trust that when Carter remained tethered to the White House in 1980 as 52 Americans were held hostage in Tehran, it was Rosalynn who campaigned on her husband’s behalf. “I just loved it,” she said, despite the bitterness of defeat. Fair or not, the label of a disastrous presidency had leading Democrats keep their distance, at least publicly, for many years, but Carter managed to remain relevant, writing books and weighing in on societal challenges. He lamented widening wealth gaps and the influence of money in politics. He voted for democratic socialist Bernie Sanders over Hillary Clinton in 2016, and later declared that America had devolved from fully functioning democracy to “oligarchy.” Yet looking ahead to 2020, with Sanders running again, Carter warned Democrats not to “move to a very liberal program,” lest they help re-elect President Donald Trump. Carter scolded the Republican for his serial lies and threats to democracy, and chided the U.S. establishment for misunderstanding Trump’s populist appeal. He delighted in yearly convocations with Emory University freshmen, often asking them to guess how much he’d raised in his two general election campaigns. “Zero,” he’d gesture with a smile, explaining the public financing system candidates now avoid so they can raise billions. Carter still remained quite practical in partnering with wealthy corporations and foundations to advance Carter Center programs. Carter recognized that economic woes and the Iran crisis doomed his presidency, but offered no apologies for appointing Paul Volcker as the Federal Reserve chairman whose interest rate hikes would not curb inflation until Reagan's presidency. He was proud of getting all the hostages home without starting a shooting war, even though Tehran would not free them until Reagan's Inauguration Day. “Carter didn’t look at it” as a failure, Alter emphasized. “He said, ‘They came home safely.’ And that’s what he wanted.” Well into their 90s, the Carters greeted visitors at Plains’ Maranatha Baptist Church, where he taught Sunday School and where he will have his last funeral before being buried on family property alongside Rosalynn . Carter, who made the congregation’s collection plates in his woodworking shop, still garnered headlines there, calling for women’s rights within religious institutions, many of which, he said, “subjugate” women in church and society. Carter was not one to dwell on regrets. “I am at peace with the accomplishments, regret the unrealized goals and utilize my former political position to enhance everything we do,” he wrote around his 90th birthday. The politician who had supposedly hated Washington politics also enjoyed hosting Democratic presidential contenders as public pilgrimages to Plains became advantageous again. Carter sat with Buttigieg for the final time March 1, 2020, hours before the Indiana mayor ended his campaign and endorsed eventual winner Joe Biden. “He asked me how I thought the campaign was going,” Buttigieg said, recalling that Carter flashed his signature grin and nodded along as the young candidate, born a year after Carter left office, “put the best face” on the walloping he endured the day before in South Carolina. Never breaking his smile, the 95-year-old host fired back, “I think you ought to drop out.” “So matter of fact,” Buttigieg said with a laugh. “It was somehow encouraging.” Carter had lived enough, won plenty and lost enough to take the long view. “He talked a lot about coming from nowhere,” Buttigieg said, not just to attain the presidency but to leverage “all of the instruments you have in life” and “make the world more peaceful.” In his farewell address as president, Carter said as much to the country that had embraced and rejected him. “The struggle for human rights overrides all differences of color, nation or language,” he declared. “Those who hunger for freedom, who thirst for human dignity and who suffer for the sake of justice — they are the patriots of this cause.” Carter pledged to remain engaged with and for them as he returned “home to the South where I was born and raised,” home to Plains, where that young lieutenant had indeed become “a fellow citizen of the world.” —- Bill Barrow, based in Atlanta, has covered national politics including multiple presidential campaigns for the AP since 2012.Kurram situation: Governor blasts Centre, provincial govt’s apathy PESHAWAR: Criticizing the Centre and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government’s apathy, Governor Faisal Karim Kundi on Thursday asked the provincial government to step down if it cannot fulfill its responsibilities of restoring peace and providing basic necessities to the people in Kurram district. He was talking to reporters after addressing the 8th convocation of Shaheed Benazir Bhutto Women University as the chief guest.“Kurram is burning. What are the provincial and federal governments doing?” the governor said. He expressed grave concern over the recent deaths of 30 children due to the unavailability of essential medicines. “Who should be held accountable for this? Should the FIR be lodged against the federal government or the provincial government?” he questioned, lamenting the loss of young lives. Governor Kundi criticised the treatment of the Pashtun community, stating, “Are Pashtuns only meant to die? What is the federal government doing? What is the provincial government doing,” he went on to add. Earlier, at the convocation some 471 female students received degrees in various disciplines. The governor awarded gold medals to 66 top-performing graduates, acknowledging their outstanding academic achievements. He congratulated the graduates on reaching a significant milestone in their educational journeys. “It is an honor for me to address the educated women of this province. Seeing such a large number of educated women from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa fills my heart with joy,” he said. He emphasized the importance of education, particularly for women, as a means to empower the country. “Our mission is to provide young leadership to the nation through quality education and skills,” he remarked, urging for educational policies that prioritize women’s education and ensure their participation in all fields. Governor Kundi reiterated that education is the best investment for the future, emphasizing the integration of science, technology, and modern skills into the educational system. “The participation of women in decision-making processes and the protection of their dignity and respect are the need of the hour,” he stated. The convocation was attended by Vice-Chancellor Professor Dr. Safia Ahmad, faculty members, students, and their families. Dr. Safia presented a detailed report on the university’s performance and achievements to the Governor, who congratulated the students, parents, and faculty for their collective efforts in promoting higher education.The governor reiterated Pakistan People’s Party’s commitment to higher education and encouraged everyone to prepare the youth for future challenges through quality education.There are also financial considerations to take into account. Messi commands a hefty salary and joining him would undoubtedly put a strain on Barcelona's already stretched budget. The club has been grappling with significant financial challenges in recent years, exacerbated by the economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. Bringing back Messi would require a significant financial commitment that could potentially limit the club's ability to invest in other areas, such as strengthening the defense or midfield.

Movie enthusiasts and casual viewers alike can look forward to a whole new level of movie-watching experience at Empire Cinema. Whether it's the latest blockbuster, an indie gem, or a timeless classic, every film screened at Empire Cinema will now be accompanied by the breathtaking visual and auditory immersion of Dolby Vision and Dolby Atmos.In the end, the Big Lotto draw was not just about the money or the prizes, but about the thrill of possibility and the joy of unexpected blessings. It was a celebration of the human spirit, of hope and resilience in the face of uncertainty, and a reminder that sometimes, against all odds, dreams do come true.

Fiorentina midfielder Edoardo Bove is to have a removable heart-starter device implanted following his recent collapse in a Serie A game, Italian media reports say. Bove collapsed on the pitch during Fiorentina's home game with Inter Milan on December 1, leading to the abandonment of the match. He will have the operation on Tuesday (Wednesday AEDT), which is part of the medical protocol before he can be discharged from hospital. The Implantable Cardioverter Defibrillator (ICD), a type of pacemaker that can prevent fatal cardiac arrests by discharging a jolt to restore a regular heart rhythm, is not permitted in Serie A. Once all the results of the medical examinations carried out in recent days on the 22-year-old Italian have been collected, Bove can then decide whether to have the device removed, which would allow him return to play in the Italian league. Denmark's Christian Eriksen was unable to continue playing for Inter Milan after having an ICD fitted following a cardiac arrest in 2021 during a European Championship match. Eriksen later joined English club Brentford after the Serie A club terminated his contract.

Another crucial aspect discussed during the meeting was the importance of addressing income inequality and poverty alleviation. Participants underscored the need to create more opportunities for marginalized groups, improve social welfare systems, and narrow the gap between urban and rural areas. They also called for targeted measures to support small and medium-sized enterprises, promote inclusive growth, and ensure a fair distribution of resources.In conclusion, the emergence of Dunhuang and Sanxingdui cultural heritage skins on Alipay represents a harmonious blend of tradition and modernity, symbolizing a deep respect for the past while embracing the possibilities of the future. By incorporating these iconic images into their digital lives, young people in China are not only celebrating their cultural heritage but also embracing the belief that ancient artifacts can bring luck and blessings into their lives. As technology continues to evolve and shape our world, the symbolic power of cultural heritage remains a timeless source of inspiration and connection for generations to come.

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Jimmy Carter, former US president and Nobel Peace Prize recipient, dead at 100, Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports

The home healthcare market is in a state of flux. The need for home healthcare workers is soaring as the population in the U.S. ages. In about ten years, 78 million people in the U.S. will be 65 or over. By 2060, The Institute on Aging expects the demographic will increase to 98 million and account for a quarter of the U.S. population. At the same time, the nation is aging, there is a dearth of home healthcare workers, and it looks like it's only going to get worse. Over the next decade, the institute expects the number of home health aide jobs to grow by 425,000, creating a shortage that will need to be filled. As it stands, about 95% of home and community-based care providers say they face moderate to severe staffing shortages, with 77% turning away new clients because of the lack of workers. What's more, 72% of providers say staffing shortages make it hard to meet quality standards. If nothing is done, that problem will only get worse. It's why some home healthcare providers are turning to technology, namely NurseMagicTM, for an assist. The brainchild of Amesite AMST , NurseMagic is a proprietary AI-powered app designed for nurses and home health care workers. The company reports it has closed on contracts with franchise owners representing nationally recognized brands that operate hundreds of locations across the country – resulting in recurring revenue in a total addressable market it estimates at $330 billion. Streamlining Work, Improving Care The AI-powered app, which Amesite reports has seen explosive growth since its launch this past summer, provides nurses and home healthcare professionals with a handy tool that writes comprehensive documentation instantly, can quickly translate medical terms into easy-to-understand language, create work emails, assist nurses in talking to patients with compassion, coach nurses on taking effective breaks during the day, convert images to text, provide key information about medications and collect instant feedback. Amesite says its AI app integrates seamlessly into the operational frameworks of home care agencies, enhancing workflow efficiency and supporting employee retention by lightening administrative burdens and reducing worker burnout. As a result, AI technology can enable agencies to make the most of existing resources and extend care to more clients who would otherwise be turned away due to staffing constraints, reports Amesite. Take the Senior Helpers franchise in Northern Orange County for one example. Since adopting NurseMagic, owner Steven Nickens said NurseMagic has been empowering his staff to get answers to questions quickly through the app, saving time and ensuring accurate results. "NurseMagic’s technology is transforming my organization with its intuitive and easy-to-use platform," said Nickens. "NurseMagic is both powerful and incredibly easy to use, making it accessible to everyone on my team.” Nickens isn't alone in his assessment. Joshua Porter, owner of the Spokane North BrightStar Care franchise, said he uses NurseMagic to support the company's rapid growth. “As a new franchise owner with extensive business and engineering experience, I'm thrilled to share how quickly we're growing. When I discovered NurseMagic, I immediately recognized it as a must-have to stay competitive in today's market," said Porter, noting there are no hidden fees or messy contracts when bringing NurseMagic into the fray. Growth Driven By NurseMagic In addition to improving the quality of care for patients, NurseMagic is also aiming to help healthcare franchises grow their businesses. That's certainly the case at the Fargo Senior Helpers franchise, with owner Tanya Ferber saying the app is enabling her to go after more medically complex clients in the new year. Plus, incorporating NurseMagic into her business attracts more tech-savvy healthcare workers. "It's a value-added tool for my business and takes our quality to the next level," says Ferber. It's not just home healthcare franchises that benefit. Amesite says that by selling NurseMagic to franchise owners from well-known brands in the home health and home care industries, its revenue should grow and cement NurseMagic's status as a must-have tool. "We made two tactical decisions: first, to build a best-in-class infrastructure that delivers top-tier compliance, security and low operating costs; and second, to price NurseMagic accessibly, at a sustainable margin, focusing on scaling sales rather than maximizing margins with a few customers," said Dr. Ann Marie Sastry, CEO of Amesite. "These choices position us to meet the strong demand in our industry and drive widespread adoption." Since launching NurseMagic a mere five months ago, the company says it has met several milestones, including launching a paid individual subscription , meeting HIPAA compliance requirements for paid enterprise customers and generating revenue in the home care market . The U.S. population is getting older at the same time that there is a shortage of nurses and home healthcare workers available to tend to the aging population. Those who are working are stressed and doing more with less. NurseMagic can fill that gap, presenting nurses, home health care workers and franchises with an AI-driven tool to improve the quality of life for workers and the care for patients, the company argues. It’s a win-win, which is why Amesite has been hitting so many milestones in 2024, and expects revenue to ramp up in the new year. Featured photo by Dominik Lange on Unsplash . This post contains sponsored content. This content is for informational purposes only and not intended to be investing advice. © 2024 Benzinga.com. Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved.Siemens Energy (LON:0SEA) Stock Price Down 1.6% – Time to Sell?As the adoption process continues, it is clear that these dogs have already captured the hearts of many. Their journey from search and rescue training to potential new homes is a reminder of the resilience and adaptability of animals, as well as our capacity for empathy and care. Let us hope that each of these dogs finds a forever home where they are cherished and valued for the unique individuals that they are.

Among the 40+ new enemies included in the DLC, players can expect to face off against menacing bosses, cunning minions, and mysterious creatures that roam the expansive world of "Destiny's Resonance." From hulking behemoths with devastating strength to nimble adversaries with deceptive speed, each enemy has been meticulously designed to provide a unique and memorable combat experience.In a recent escalation of the ongoing conflict between Russia and Ukraine, former US President Donald Trump claimed that Ukrainian forces had suffered an enormous loss of 400,000 soldiers in the conflict. However, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky swiftly responded by stating that the actual number of casualties stood at 43,000. This stark difference in reported casualty figures has sparked widespread debate and skepticism regarding the accuracy of the numbers provided by various parties involved in the conflict.

Syrian government services come to ‘complete halt’ as workers stay at home