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

When you think of the greatest offensive center of all time, who comes to mind? If the name Shaquille O'Neal or Hakeem Olajuwon immediately popped up in your head, you might be on the right track. However, Fat Joe took a completely different approach, as his GOAT for an offensive center just so happens to be New York Knicks' Karl-Anthony Towns. Rapper Fat Joe was a recent guest on future Hall-of-Famer Carmelo Anthony's podcast, 7pm in Brooklyn , where the conversation centered around New York fashion, his once-in-a-lifetime World Series experience, and of course, New York basketball. As the conversation continued, the hip-hop legend then began expressing his admiration for Towns. He immediately states "I don't think I've seen a better offensive big man than KAT". Joe then went on to list his reasons as to why he believed in this statement so strongly. Fat Joe ultimately summed up KAT's game as "he's too hard to guard". The New York rapper says Towns' has more offensive moves in his arsenal than anyone he's ever seen at the position. He mentioned KAT's ability to shift his body in different positions to get to the rim, give his defender a number of different moves to the basket, and score from all areas of the floor. He also went on to reconfirm KAT is better than every NBA legend to date, including NBA superstars like Shaquille O'Neal and Hakeem Olajuwon. He says Shaq is the "most dominant big man ever", but offensively, Fat Joe stood ten toes down on his take. "I've sat in the game and watched KAT do ten moves. You cannot know what he's gonna give you. Hit em' with the left. Hit em' with the right. Spin on you this way, that way, that way. That's impossible to guard...best offensively ever. I'm talking about Olajuwon, Shaq is the most dominant big man but he ain't doing this...my take is he's too hard to guard." Is KAT the best offensive big man EVER? 🧐 Fat Joe did not hold back with this take. pic.twitter.com/yh0Esj1I27 Fans have been in an uproar since the clip of this conversation began circling the internet, with many saying he's disrespecting our NBA legends. Many are also in shock Fat Joe would give this title to KAT and not Denver Nuggets Center and three-time NBA MVP Nikola Jokcić. Although lots of fans would disagree with KAT being the greatest offensive center of all time, he is off to a great start offensively in his new home with the New York Knicks. He plays a significant role in the Knicks offense averaging 24.9 points, 13.6 rebounds, and 3.2 assists per game. That said, it's easy to disagree with the statement while also taking nothing away from the incredible career Towns has been able to put together. He is also clearly in good standings with the fans in New York, and we can expect to see lots of great things coming from the big man in the future. For more NBA news, head on over to Newsweek Sports .By HILLEL ITALIE NEW YORK (AP) — Even through a year of nonstop news about elections, climate change, protests and the price of eggs, there was still time to read books. Related Articles Books | Nikki Giovanni, poet and literary celebrity, has died at 81 Books | Percival Everett, 2024 National Book Award winner, rereads one book often Books | Gift books for 2024: What to give, and what to receive, for all kinds of readers Books | Our critic’s picks: Best mystery fiction books of 2024 Books | 10 best books of 2024: The surprising reads that stuck U.S. sales held steady according to Circana, which tracks around 85% of the print market, with many choosing the relief of romance, fantasy and romantasy. Some picked up Taylor Swift’s tie-in book to her blockbuster tour, while others sought out literary fiction, celebrity memoirs, political exposes and a close and painful look at a generation hooked on smartphones. Here are 10 notable books published in 2024, in no particular order. “House of Flame and Shadow,” by Sarah J. Maas Asking about the year’s hottest reads would basically yield a list of the biggest hits in romantasy, the blend of fantasy and romance that has proved so irresistible fans were snapping up expensive “special editions” with decorative covers and sprayed edges. Of the 25 top sellers of 2024, as compiled by Circana, six were by romantasy favorite Sarah J. Maas, including “House of Flame and Shadow,” the third of her “Crescent City” series. Millions read her latest installment about Bryce Quinlan and Hunter Athalar and traced the ever-growing ties of “Maasverse,” the overlapping worlds of “Crescent City” and her other series, “Throne of Glass” and “A Court of Thorns and Roses.” “The Anxious Generation,” by Jonathan Haidt If romantasy is for escape, other books demand we confront. In the bestselling “The Anxious Generation,” social psychologist Jonathan Haidt looks into studies finding that the mental health of young people began to deteriorate in the 2010s, after decades of progress. According to Haidt, the main culprit is right before us: digital screens that have drawn kids away from “play-based” to “phone-based” childhoods. Although some critics challenged his findings, “The Anxious Generation” became a talking point and a catchphrase. Admirers ranged from Oprah Winfrey to Arkansas Gov. Sarah Huckabee, who in a letter to state legislators advocated such “commonsense recommendations” from the book as banning phones in schools and keeping kids off social media until age 16. “War,” by Bob Woodward Bob Woodward books have been an election tradition for decades. “War,” the latest of his highly sourced Washington insider accounts, made news with its allegations that Donald Trump had been in frequent contact with Russian leader Vladimir Putin even while out of office and, while president, had sent Putin sophisticated COVID-19 test machines. Among Woodward’s other scoops: Putin seriously considered using nuclear weapons against Ukraine, and President Joe Biden blamed former President Barack Obama, under whom he served as vice president, for some of the problems with Russia. “Barack never took Putin seriously,” Woodward quoted Biden as saying. “Melania,” by Melania Trump Former (and future) first lady Melania Trump, who gives few interviews and rarely discusses her private life, unexpectedly announced she was publishing a memoir: “Melania.” The publisher was unlikely for a former first lady — not one of the major New York houses, but Skyhorse, where authors include such controversial public figures as Woody Allen and Trump cabinet nominee Robert F. Kennedy Jr. And its success was at least a minor surprise. Melania Trump did little publicity for the book, and offered few revelations beyond posting a video expressing support for abortion rights — a break from one of the cornerstones of GOP policy. But “Melania” still sold hundreds of thousands of copies, many in the days following her husband’s election. “The Eras Tour Book,” by Taylor Swift Taylor Swift was more than a music story in 2024. Like “Melania,” the news about Taylor Swift’s self-published tie-in to her global tour isn’t so much the book itself, but that it exists. And how well it sold. As she did with the “Eras” concert film, Swift bypassed the established industry and worked directly with a distributor: Target offered “The Eras Tour Book” exclusively. According to Circana, the “Eras” book sold more than 800,000 copies just in its opening week, an astonishing number for a publication unavailable through Amazon.com and other traditional retailers. No new book in 2024 had a better debut. “Intermezzo,” by Sally Rooney Midnight book parties are supposed to be for “Harry Potter” and other fantasy series, but this fall, more than 100 stores stayed open late to welcome one of the year’s literary events: Sally Rooney’s “Intermezzo.” The Irish author’s fourth novel centers on two brothers, their grief over the death of their father, their very different career paths and their very unsettled love lives. “Intermezzo” was also a book about chess: “You have to read a lot of opening theory — that’s the beginning of a game, the first moves,” one of the brothers explains. “And you’re learning all this for what? Just to get an okay position in the middle game and try to play some decent chess. Which most of the time I can’t do anyway.” “From Here to the Great Unknown,” by Lisa Marie Presley and Riley Keough Lisa Marie Presley had been working on a memoir at the time of her death , in 2023, and daughter Riley Keough had agreed to help her complete it. “From Here to the Great Unknown” is Lisa Marie’s account of her father, Elvis Presley, and the sagas of of her adult life, notably her marriage to Michael Jackson and the death of son Benjamin Keough. To the end, she was haunted by the loss of Elvis, just 42 when he collapsed and died at his Graceland home while young Lisa Marie was asleep. “She would listen to his music alone, if she was drunk, and cry,” Keough, during an interview with Winfrey, said of her mother. “Cher: The Memoir, Part One,” by Cher Meanwhile, Cher released the first of two planned memoirs titled “Cher” — no further introduction required. Covering her life from birth to the end of the 1970s, she focuses on her ill-fated marriage to Sonny Bono, remembering him as a gifted entertainer and businessman who helped her believe in herself while turning out to be unfaithful, erratic, controlling and so greedy that he kept all the couple’s earnings for himself. Unsure of whether to leave or stay, she consulted a very famous divorcee, Lucille Ball, who reportedly encouraged her: “F— him, you’re the one with the talent.” “James,” by Percival Everett A trend in recent years is to take famous novels from the past, and remove words or passages that might offend modern readers; an edition of “The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn” cuts the racist language from Mark Twain’s original text. In the most celebrated literary work of 2024, Percival Everett found a different way to take on Twain’s classic — write it from the perspective of the enslaved Jim. “James,” winner of the National Book Award, is a recasting in many ways. Everett suggests to us that the real Jim was nothing like the deferential figure known to millions of readers, but a savvy and learned man who concealed his intelligence from the whites around him, and even from Twain himself. “Knife,” by Salman Rushdie Salman Rushdie’s first National Book Award nomination was for a memoir he wished he had no reason to write. In “Knife,” he recounts in full detail the horrifying attempt on his life in 2022, when an attendee rushed the stage during a literary event in western New York and stabbed him repeatedly, leaving with him a blinded eye and lasting nerve damage, but with a spirit surprisingly intact. “If you had told me that this was going to happen and how would I deal with it, I would not have been very optimistic about my chances,” he told The Associated Press last spring. “I’m still myself, you know, and I don’t feel other than myself. But there’s a little iron in the soul, I think.”

OTTAWA — The RCMP will create a new aerial intelligence task force to provide round-the-clock surveillance of Canada's border using helicopters, drones and surveillance towers. The move is part of the federal government's $1.3-billion upgrade to border security and monitoring to appease concerns of U.S. president-elect Donald Trump about the flow of migrants and illegal drugs. Trump has threatened to impose a 25 per cent tariff on all Canadian and Mexican exports to the U.S. as soon as he is inaugurated next month unless both countries move to improve border security. Public Safety Minister Dominic LeBlanc says he has discussed parts of the plan with American officials and that he is optimistic about its reception. Canada will also propose to the United States to create a North American "joint strike force" to target organized crime groups that work across borders. The government also intends to provide new technology, tools and resources to the Canada Border Services Agency to seek out fentanyl using chemical detection, artificial intelligence and canine teams. This report by The Canadian Press was first published Dec. 17, 2024. Jim Bronskill, The Canadian PressEx-Colorado footballer Bloom dedicates time to fulfilling wishes for older adults

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ORLANDO, Fla. — Jaylin Noel wanted to go out lifting a trophy. In the Camping World Stadium media room after Iowa State’s 42-41 win in the Pop-Tarts Bowl, ISU's senior receiver stepped down from the podium and walked straight to the trophy. 5 takeaways from Iowa State vs Miami: Carson Hansen positions himself to be lead back in 2025 Noel bear-hugged his arms around the gleaming metal. He said it was heavy (that probably had something to do with the functioning toaster inside ). When an ISU staffer protested his attempt to leave with the trophy, Noel ignored it and left carrying the trophy after his final college game. Iowa State defensive lineman J.R. Singleton (58) and wide receiver Jaylin Noel hold up the championship trophy after winning the Pop Tarts Bowl on Saturday against Miami in Orlando. That fact his college career is over hadn’t registered with him in the moment. “It has not hit me yet,” Noel said. “I love this team so much. I love coach (Matt Campbell) for everything he's done for me. This team means the world to me, and there's no better way to go out than a champion.” Noel finished a remarkable four-year career with the Cyclones. Saturday, he caught his 245th career pass at ISU, moving into second in program history past Alan Lazard (2014-17). He is fourth all-time in school history with 4,226 all-purpose yards. On ISU’s game-winning drive, Noel caught three passes for 51 yards and rushed once for four yards. Doing a little bit of everything is a fitting way for Noel to finish his career. Noel will find a place with an NFL team next year and could have opted out of the bowl game, but said he had to play because that’s what leaders do. Beau Freyler's Iowa State teammates made sure he celebrated last game from the Pop-Tarts Bowl stage “It's meant the world to me,” Noel said. “For me, to be able to be a leader on this team ... I had to play for them. Those guys come in every day and look up to me, and if I wasn't going to play, then that's just not what leaders do, I feel like. To be able to play in this game and be able to go out there one last time with this team, it means everything to me.” Iowa State wide receiver Jaylin Noel (13) runs after a reception before he is tackled by Miami defensive back Zaquan Patterson (20) during the the Pop Tarts Bowl Saturday in Orlando. Campbell pointed out Noel could have opted out, but instead chose to play and finished his career with eight catches for 117 yards and a touchdown. That’s the kind of leadership Noel has provided ISU since his freshman year. “When you have a great locker room and your players demand it every day, it's pretty easy for everybody else to fall in line,” Campbell said. “We are really fortunate, because in our locker r oom, our players demand greatness every day." 3 burning questions facing Iowa State football as offseason begins Ben Hutchens is an Iowa State University beat writer for the Lee Enterprises network. Follow him on X or send him an email at Ben.Hutchens@lee.net . Get local news delivered to your inbox!

The iPhone 17 is again rumored to be finally getting a high refresh rate displayAccomplished Leader Brings Expertise in Finance and Tribal Governance SAN DIEGO , Dec. 17, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Indigenized Energy, a Native-led organization building sustainable solar energy systems with Tribes nationwide, has announced the appointment of Lorilee J. Morsette , MS, THRP as Chief Operating Officer (COO). Morsette previously served as President of National Accounts for Tribal Markets at Mutual of America Financial Group and led HR operations for nearly 600 employees at the Nisqually Indian Tribe in Olympia, Washington . As COO, Morsette will oversee program delivery, finance, human resources, technology, and will ensure operational excellence. The newly created COO role is integral to scaling the organization's impact in 2025 and beyond. In April, Indigenized Energy, along with its partners the MHA Nation-Three Affiliated Tribes and the Tribal Renewal Energy Coalition, were awarded $135.5M in Solar for All funding by the EPA. A Suquamish and Chippewa-Cree from Rocky Boy, Montana , Morsette brings a visionary approach informed by the historical challenges faced by Indian Country. Morsette said, "Joining Indigenized Energy allows me to combine my expertise in financial services with my deep commitment to advancing opportunities for Native Americans. Our community's strength lies in our autonomy, and Indigenized Energy stands as a beacon of hope towards that goal. Together, we are Native-led, driven by our shared values, and contributing to a future where all voices and spirits thrive." Morsette's leadership adds depth to Indigenized Energy's executive team, which already excels in solar technology and tribal relations. Her presence is a milestone for Native women in leadership: women hold only 15% of C-suite roles in the finance sector and 18% in the solar industry, with Native American women representing a fraction of these figures. Cody Two Bears, Founder and CEO of Indigenized Energy said, "If we wrote a COO job description that called for expertise in corporate finance, management, Tribal governance, and values that align seamlessly with our own, and then looked for a Native American woman, we never would have found that. We cast a wider net and fortunately, connected with Lorilee at a time when she was open to a bold new leadership opportunity. Her appointment is a testament to the right timing and shared vision. I have no doubt." About Indigenized Energy With a mission focused on developing innovative and practical energy solutions, Indigenized Energy endeavors to support tribal autonomy, economic development, and environmental stewardship through clean energy initiatives. Indigenized Energy is registered as a charitable corporation in North Dakota and is a fiscally sponsored project of Mission Edge San Diego, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit headquartered in San Diego. Our Federal Tax ID # 27-2938491. https://www.4indigenized.energy/ View original content to download multimedia: https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/indigenized-energy-names-lorilee-j-morsette-as-chief-operating-officer-302334331.html SOURCE Indigenized Energy

BARCELONA, Spain (AP) — Tens of thousands of Spaniards marched in downtown Barcelona on Saturday to protest the skyrocketing cost of renting an apartment in the popular tourist destination. Protesters cut off traffic on main avenues in the city center, holding up homemade signs in Spanish reading “Fewer apartments for investing and more homes for living" and “The people without homes uphold their rights.” The lack of affordable housing has become one of the leading concerns for the southern European Union country, mirroring the housing crunch across many parts of the world, including the United States . Organizers said that over 170,000 had turned out, while Barcelona’s police said they estimated some 22,000 marched. Either way, the throngs of people clogging the streets recalled the massive separatist rallies at the height of the previous decade’s Catalan independence movement. Now, social concerns led by housing have displaced political crusades. That is because the average rent for Spain has doubled in last 10 years. The price per square meter has risen from 7.2 euros ($7.5) in 2014 to 13 euros this year, according to the popular online real estate website Idealista. The growth is even more acute in cities like Barcelona and Madrid. Incomes meanwhile have failed to keep up, especially for younger people in a country with chronically high unemployment. Protester Samuel Saintot said he is “frustrated and scared” after being told by the owners of the apartment he has rented for the past 15 years in Barcelona’s city center that he must vacate the premises. He suspects that the owners want him out so they can renovate it and boost the price. “Even looking in a 20- or 30-kilometer radius outside town, I can’t even find anything within the price range I can afford,” he told The Associated Press. “And I consider myself a very fortunate person, because I earn a decent salary. And even in my case, I may be forced to leave town.” A report by the Bank of Spain indicates that nearly 40% of Spaniards who rent dedicate an average of 40% of their income to paying rents and utilities, compared to the European Union average of 27% of renters who do so. “We are talking about a housing emergency. It means people having many difficulties both in accessing and staying in their homes,” said Ignasi Martí, professor for Esade business school and head of its Dignified Housing Observatory. The rise in rents is causing significant pain in Spain, where traditionally people seek to own their homes. Rental prices have also been driven up by short-term renters including tourists. Many migrants to Spain are also disproportionately hit by the high rents because they often do not have enough savings. Spain is near the bottom end of OECD countries with under 2% of all housing available being public housing for rent. The OECD average is 7%. Spain is far behind France, with 14%, Britain with 16%, and the Netherlands with 34%. “I think it’s impossible to make prices fall to what they were a few years back. It makes me cry,” said protester Laia Pizjuán. “It's so upsetting. I know so many people who are in a bad situation. I have relatives living together in crowded apartments because they can’t afford to live on their own.” Carme Arcarazo, spokesperson for Barcelona’s Tenants Union which helped organize the protest, said that renters should consider a “rent strike” and cease paying their monthly rents in a mass protest movement. “I think we the tenants have understood that this depends on us. That we can’t keep asking and making demands to the authorities and waiting for an answer. We must take the reins of the situation,” Arcarazo told the AP. “So, if they (the owners) won’t lower the rent, then we will force them to do it." The Barcelona protest came a month after tens of thousands rallied against high rents in Madrid. The rising discontent over housing is putting pressure on Spain’s governing Socialist party, which leads a coalition on the national level and is in charge of Catalonia’s regional government and Barcelona’s city hall. Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez presided over what the government termed a “housing summit” including government officials and real estate developers last month. But the Barcelona’s Tenants Union boycotted the event, saying it was like calling a summit for curing cancer and inviting tobacco companies to participate. The leading government measure has been a rent cap mechanism that the central government has offered to regional authorities based on a price index established by the housing ministry. Rent controls can be applied to areas deemed to be “highly stressed” by high rental prices. Catalonia was the first region to apply those caps, which are in place in downtown Barcelona. Many locals blame the million of tourists who visit Barcelona, and the rest of Spain, each year for the high prices. Barcelona’s town hall has pledged to completely eliminate the city’s 10,000 so called “tourist apartments,” or dwellings with permits for short-term rents, by 2028.Brits tell Starmer to stand by Ukraine even if Trump waters down supportQuick Links The Future Vertical Lift (FVL) program Various sizes and configurations within the FVL plan Joint Multi-Role (JMR) Light JMR Medium-Light JMR Medium JMR Heavy JMR Ultra The Future Attack Reconnaissance aircraft The Future Long-Range Assault Aircraft The Future Tactical Unmanned Aircraft System (FTUAS) The United States Army is exploring various new designs to replace its aging, older-generation helicopters. While Boeing has made several improvements to the Chinook platform in recent years, the Army is eyeing futuristic designs that can prove to be a workforce for the US military for multiple decades. Whether it is an attack helicopter or a highly advanced reconnaissance one, the development will take place under the newly established Future Vertical Lift (FVL) program. The US Army helicopter fleet includes, AH-6 Little Bird: Attack helicopter from the 1980s AH-64 Apache: Attack helicopter from the mid-1980s, utilized in two variants: AH-64D and AH-64E CH-47 Chinook: Cargo helicopter from the 1960s, utilized in two variants: CH-47F Block I and CH-47F Block II EH-60 Black Hawk: Electronic warfare helicopter from the late 1970s MH-47 Chinook: Multi-mission helicopter from the 1960s UH-60 Black Hawk: Utility helicopter from the late 1970s, utilized in two variants, UH-60V and UH-60M UH-72 Lakota: Utility helicopter from the mid-2000s The Future Vertical Lift (FVL) program The FVL program is a US military initiative to develop a family of advanced military helicopters that can share common hardware, including sensors, systems, avionics, engines, and countermeasures. With different sizes and capabilities, the family of military helicopters will serve various existing roles, replacing several aging helicopter types. The FVL primarily aims to develop advanced alternatives for the Army's UH-60 Black Hawk, AH-64 Apache, CH-47 Chinook, and OH-58 Kiowa helicopters. As a result of multiple operations in the last decade, the United States Department of Defence (DoD) established that the US Army fleet of helicopters is wearing out and multiple military agencies are in need of new-generation rotorcraft. Notably, continuous combat operations allow the use of helicopters significantly more than during peace times, thereby increasing the wearability of the platforms. The FVL program was established in 2009 to offer a more modern futuristic helicopter platform. The FVL platform will have a range of helicopters with different sizes, capabilities, and roles, and will utilize modern designs, materials, and technologies. The family of systems will work in coordination to allow smooth transfer of communication and data. Various phases and configurations of the program will ensure all “bases” are covered, particularly from the Army’s mission-readiness standpoint. The Army has begun studies on replacing the venerable Chinook, but its replacement is still many years away. Various sizes and configurations within the FVL plan Various configurations and sizes of the Joint Multi-Role (JMR) program are expected to offer advanced-technology aircraft that will replace several existing rotorcraft within various divisions of the US military. The US Army plans to acquire as many as 4,000 aircraft from the FVL program, making it one of the most extensive programs for the agency. Multiple sizes were planned between 2009 and 2012, envisioned to offer a range of capabilities. Joint Multi-Role (JMR) Light This is the scout helicopter to replace the OH-58 Kiowa Implemented the Future Attack Reconnaissance Aircraft (FARA) program in 2018. Termination of the FARA program was announced In February 2024 due to the advanced developments in modern warfare. JMR Medium-Light A medium-sized helicopter with advanced capabilities and a communications platform. It can be configured for various applications, including transport, utility, or special operations. JMR Medium A utility version to replace the UH-60 Black Hawk. The introduction of the Medium helicopter is planned for 2030. In December 2022, the Bell V-280 Valor was awarded a contract for the Future Long-Range Assault Aircraft (FLRAA) program. JMR Heavy A cargo version of the advanced helicopter to replace the CH-47 Chinook The introduction of the Heavy helicopter is planned for 2035. JMR Ultra The ultra-sized version of the vertical lift aircraft. The variant will perform similarly to advanced tactical transport aircraft, such as the C-130J Super Hercules and the Airbus A400M Atlas. The introduction of the Ultra JMR is planned for 2028. The US Army’s hunt for the successor to the UH-60 Black Hawk pits its proven legacy against next-gen tiltrotor technology, like the Bell V-280 Valor. The upcoming contender(s) of the older-generation C-47 Chinook have been in talks among Army authorities and colonels for some time now. The director of the FVL program, General Cain Baker, commented, “We’ve done some initial studies on what a Cape Set Four looks like. Those studies are still ongoing, very, very cognizant of the size of it, the type of lift capabilities we want from it, but also the affordability of that.” From the above timeline, it looks like the FLRAA program is becoming an urgent need for the Army, who is trying to utilize its cash flow on newer designs rather than investing in the block 2 upgrades (offered by Boeing) of the C-47 Chinook. The Army is keen to begin demonstration exercises in the coming months and years and eyes a low-rate production in 2028. General James McConville, former Army Vice Chief of Staff, states, “I think in two to three years, we will have a better idea about where we are, as far as developing the helicopters we talked about, and that will drive the decision.” The Future Attack Reconnaissance Aircraft (FARA) The FARA was intended to serve as a dedicated and armed aerial reconnaissance system operated from conventional and unconventional spaces. The type would have offered flexibility in missions with its payload and ordnance-carrying capabilities. Following the retirement of the OH-58 Kiowa Warrior helicopter in 2014, the US Army has relied on the more expensive AH-64E Apache attack helicopter. The AH-64E has performed the intended missions tremendously and is generally paired with an unmanned aircraft system. The US Army is exploring the replacement of the CH-47 Chinook helicopter. The Future Long-Range Assault Aircraft (FLRAA) The FLRAA is intended for long-range assault missions that serve as a multi-role aircraft. The FLRAA project will transport military personnel, equipment, and essential cargo. Major General Wally Rugen, then director of AFC’s Future Vertical Lift cross-functional team, stated that the efforts are “not a ‘want to have,’ it’s an imperative.” “Modernization is an imperative, so as long as that remains the Army priority, which I believe it will, then we’re going to continue to find ways to execute these programs. I don’t see it as a choice.” “We remain confident in X2 aircraft for U.S. and international mission needs now and in the future. We are disappointed in this decision and will await a U.S. Army debrief to better understand its choice.” While helicopters had flown since the 1920s, the US Army finally made them militarily useful in World War II. The Future Tactical Unmanned Aircraft System (FTUAS) The first phase of increment 2: Vendor-built prototypes were evaluated for performance, cost, schedule, risk, and modular open systems. The US Army requested $28.2 million in fiscal 2024 for research and development of the FTUAS program. The newly added funds for testing and evaluation are worth $14.6 million. The procurement of four systems is $46.2 million. The FTUAS is designed in an effort to acquire uncrewed vehicles in multiple phases. In the first phase, urgent battlefield needs for unmanned vehicles will be met in the next two years. The next phase is to develop a new unmanned vehicle for specialized reconnaissance missions. According to the US Army , “Specifically, for the Unmanned Aircraft System (UAS) ecosystem the Army is leveraging rapid technology growth and innovation across its formations for emerging capability development of the Future Tactical Unmanned Aircraft System (FTUAS) and Launched Effects (LE). Given the ever-changing strategic environment with the rapidly evolving, sensor-rich, contested battlefield, the Army must develop, acquire, and integrate continuously updated capability to warfighting formations to deliver lethal and survivable land power capabilities to the joint force.”