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2025-01-12 2025 European Cup jevot wowowin
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{ "@context": "https://schema.org", "@type": "NewsArticle", "dateCreated": "2024-12-04T22:50:53+02:00", "datePublished": "2024-12-04T22:50:53+02:00", "dateModified": "2024-12-04T22:50:52+02:00", "url": "https://www.newtimes.co.rw/article/22355/news/featured/featured-equity-group-deg-launch-german-desk-to-boost-east-african-trade", "headline": "FEATURED: Equity Group, DEG launch German Desk to boost East African trade", "description": "Equity Group Holdings Plc and DEG – Deutsche Investitions- und Entwicklungsgesellschaft mbH, the German Development Finance Institution, have unveiled...", "keywords": "", "inLanguage": "en", "mainEntityOfPage":{ "@type": "WebPage", "@id": "https://www.newtimes.co.rw/article/22355/news/featured/featured-equity-group-deg-launch-german-desk-to-boost-east-african-trade" }, "thumbnailUrl": "https://www.newtimes.co.rw/thenewtimes/uploads/images/2024/12/04/65611.png", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://www.newtimes.co.rw/thenewtimes/uploads/images/2024/12/04/65611.png" }, "articleBody": "Equity Group Holdings Plc and DEG – Deutsche Investitions- und Entwicklungsgesellschaft mbH, the German Development Finance Institution, have unveiled the German Desk, an initiative aimed at fostering Africa-German business relations and accelerating East African trade. The German Desk will serve as a comprehensive platform for European small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and their local partners in East Africa. Offering a suite of services, including trade facilitation, transaction banking, credit lines, and investment advisory, the desk seeks to streamline cross-border business operations. Additionally, it will assist local firms in acquiring German equipment and technology platforms, thereby driving growth and innovation. This partnership with DEG marks a significant milestone for Equity Group Holdings as we strengthen our international footprint and enable cross-border trade, said Dr. James Mwangi, Managing Director and CEO of Equity Group Holdings. The German Desk provides a vital platform for German and European private sector players to access the vibrant East African market while supporting local businesses in their growth and development. The initiative aligns with Equity Group’s Global Partners Program and Africa Recovery and Resilience Plan, aiming to leverage private sector partnerships to build robust people-to-people and business-to-business relationships. Supporting German businesses in Africa is a long-term strategic focus for DEG. We are delighted to partner with Equity Bank Kenya for the German Desk Kenya, said Petra Kotte, Senior Director for Infrastructure, Energy, and German Business at DEG. This collaboration strengthens economic ties between Germany and East Africa, empowering businesses with tailored financial solutions and cross-border partnerships. Germany is a key European trading partner for Kenya, with significant exchanges in automotive, machinery, and chemicals sectors. The German Desk aims to enhance these trade volumes by providing localized financial services and business matchmaking. The German Desk’s launch underscores the growing economic partnership between Germany and Kenya, remarked Sebastian Groth, German Ambassador to Kenya. It will not only benefit German enterprises but also contribute to socio-economic development in Kenya and the broader East African region. The desk, based in Nairobi, will support businesses across Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, Rwanda, South Sudan, and Ethiopia. Staffed by bilingual professionals with deep cultural knowledge, it will cater to the unique needs of German firms and their local partners, fostering seamless collaboration. The initiative is part of the Africa Business Network (“Wirtschaftsnetzwerk Afrika”), supported by Germany's Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action (BMWK). EU Ambassador to Kenya, Henriette Geiger, emphasized the role of SMEs in driving economic success. This partnership demonstrates the immense potential of Kenyan and East African SMEs to propel prosperity, she said, citing the broader impact of the EU-Kenya Economic Partnership Agreement. The launch event, held at the German Ambassador’s residence in Nairobi, brought together business leaders, diplomats, and development partners. Attendees underscored the importance of the German Desk in promoting trade and fostering sustainable economic growth across the region. Equity Group and DEG’s German Desk initiative represents a pivotal step toward creating a more interconnected, prosperous East African economy while strengthening Africa-German trade and investment ties.", "author": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Times Reporter" }, "publisher": { "@type": "Organization", "name": "The New Times", "url": "https://www.newtimes.co.rw/", "sameAs": ["https://www.facebook.com/TheNewTimesRwanda/","https://twitter.com/NewTimesRwanda","https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCuZbZj6DF9zWXpdZVceDZkg"], "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "/theme_newtimes/images/logo.png", "width": 270, "height": 57 } }, "copyrightHolder": { "@type": "Organization", "name": "The New Times", "url": "https://www.newtimes.co.rw/" } }1. A Disney: Twisted Tales Advent calendar for anyone looking to be more hands-on with their holiday countdown experience — you'll get to color, write, and read your way through brand new takes on classic Disney tales. This Advent calendar comes with 10 short stories, 10 adult coloring pages, two journals, a quote book, and an art book! Get it from Amazon for $49.99 . 2. A fan favorite Simple Modern tumbler with a magical twist you can count on to convince yourself to drink more H2O on the go — reviewers love it for the way it fits in their cup holders and keeps their water super cold for long periods of time ✨. Promising review: "I freaking love this cup. I bought one for me and two people. We adore these cups. They keep your ice cold for 24 hours, plus they're easy to hold and clean. We got the Disney black Mickey ear design, and it's quality stuff. It fits in my car's cup holder easily too, 40 ounces." — Andres Avalos Get it from Amazon for $44.99 (available in eight styles). 3. A 3D foam dispenser you can attach to a foaming soap dispenser to create Mickey-shaped soap whenever you wash your hands. Instead of singing "Happy Birthday," you can happily hum, "Who's the leader of the club that's made for you and me? M-I-C-K-E-Y M-O-U-S-E." The attachments are designed to work with Bath & Body Works soaps , Dial foaming soaps , or Method foaming soaps . Additionally, MouseDelights3D is a small business that sells an array of fun 3D-printed, Disney-inspired items! Promising review: "I love this item! It is really easy and fun!" — Ella Charlson Get it from MouseDelights3D on Etsy for $9.99 (available for three bottle types and in 20 colors). 4. A too-cute PopSocket phone grip featuring an expanding kickstand and a touch of Disney — a must-have for anyone who would enjoy adding a lil' extra magic to their phone without compromising on practicality. Promising review: "I freaking love this PopSocket! It’s cute, made well, and adhered nicely to my case. It’s exactly what I was looking for. The glitter looks nicely done as well." — abigail evans Get it from Amazon for $20+ (available in 23 styles). 5. A set of Minnie Mouse ear scrunchies for a Disney Adult whose head has personally suffered at the hands of an ear headband — these will get the job done, sans headache. Promising review: "I bought these at the last minute prior to a school trip to Disney. They came in a two-pack. I wore them EVERY DAY of the trip. They are so dang cute and durable. Standing in lines for the ride, almost EVERYONE asked me about them. They thought I bought them there, but surprisingly, NOT ONE shop at any of the Disney properties sold this. I sold one to someone in the line!" — Melissa Rae Get a two-pack from Amazon for $8.89 (available in 13 styles). 6. A graphic tee fit for a diva — you'll absolutely want to have it on hand for your next Girls' Night In. And is there a more fabulous duo than Minnie Mouse and Daisy Duck? Certainly not. Promising review: "Bought this shirt to wear at Magic Kingdom. Loved the style and feel of it. I got an XL to have the oversized look. Definitely buy the shirt!!" — Courtney Get it from Amazon for $16.99 (available in men's sizes S–6XL and women's sizes XS–3XL and five colors). 7. A Tim Burton's The Nightmare Before Christmas cross stitch kit so you can *~live like Jack and Sally if you want~* or at the very least add them into your home decor. This beginner's kit comes with thread, printed fabric, needle, step-by-step instructions, and a 3-inch plastic hoop, Get it from Amazon for $6.99 . 8. A dazzling red top featuring an all-sequin version of Mickey Mouse, if you weren't already a member of the club (that's made for you and me) you will be after feasting your eyes on this style. Get it from Forever 21 for $24.99 (available in plus sizes 0X–3X) or a crop top version for $24.99 (available in women's sizes XS–L). Check out the entire Disney collection here. 9. A Funko Pop! figure of Walt Disney riding on a train — meant to replicate the one he had on his own property that partially inspired him to build Disneyland! The more you know, friends. If you're a diehard Disney fan you certainly know the story behind Walt Disney and his own little backyard train — I can't think of a better way to commemorate that moment in history than this cute Funko Pop! Get it from Amazon for $21.99 . 10. A Monsters University cap inspired by the one young Mike Wazowski wears in the movie — apologies to your actual alma mater because this is likely the only one you'll be claiming as your own from here on out. I have owned this hat for years! I originally bought it in Walt Disney World, but it's become one of my favorite Disney items over the years. I typically wear it to the beach or when running errands. It has an adjustable back, so it'll fit anyone and everyone, but not a Velcro one, so it's not as noticeable. Big fan! Promising review: "My sister spent a pretty penny on her exact hat at Disneyland. I purchased mine here and it’s identical! She actually wishes she would have known to purchase this item here instead of the 30 extra dollars there. Comfortable, sturdy, I always get compliments." — Destiny Get it from Amazon for $19.99. 11. Mickey Mouse knobs you can use to Disney-fy any (and every?) drawer or cabinet in your home — bring on The Magic! Note: make sure you measure your current furniture to ensure you're buying the right size knobs! Cabinet pull sizes vary! MagicalCreationsHM is a small business that sells cute 3D-printed items. Promising review: "Fantastic high quality product!" — Sarah Clempson Get a single knob from MagicalCreationsHM on Etsy for $4 (available in eight colors and up to 10 knobs). 12. The Magical World of Disney Trivia game — a must-have for any Disney family who thinks they know all there is to know about every film. Promising review: "This is a really nice game for Disney fans. The box comes well-packed with dedicated spots for all of the pieces. (Hint: take a picture of the full box to save yourself a minute or two for the first few games!) From the box itself to the board to all of the 3D elements and cards, everything is beautifully designed, and the insert holds everything perfectly. The game can be played over and over, with 2,000 total trivia questions. I love the fact that there are two decks of cards, one visual for the kids. My kid excelled at picking out who was who from the cards (the questions are specifics about those characters), whereas the adults mostly did better with written questions. You can switch it up, too, if the written trivia questions are too hard. This makes for a fun game night for Disney fans of all ages." — M. Fisher Get it from Amazon for $19.99+ (available in three styles). 13. A Jack Skellington 3D model you can build, paint, and display prominently in your home so whenever someone walks past it they can quizzically ask "What's this? What's this?" When built, Jack stands 10-inches tall. The kit also comes with a fun Nightmare storybook! Get it from Amazon for $14.99 . 14. An adventure book just like the one Carl and Ellie created together in Up before Pixar went ahead and crushed all of our souls into a million pieces. Promising review: "Super awesome gift to make. I made it for my one-year anniversary with my boyfriend because he loved the movie Up . (Who doesn't? It's so cute.) We're going to continue adding to the scrapbook and hopefully pass it on to our children. The book is real sturdy and easy to remove and add pages. Pages are easy to write on and paste on pictures. Really great for the price." — Esther G. Get it from Amazon for $19.99 . 15. A boxed set of The Unofficial Disney Parks Cookbooks , perfect for anyone who would basically give their kidney away if it meant being able to chow down on a Mickey-shaped pretzel right about now. This set comes with The Unofficial Disney Parks Cookbook , The Unofficial Disney Parks EPCOT Cookbook and The Unofficial Disney Parks Restaurants Cookbook . Promising review: "We like going to the Disney parks, and one of the things we try to do is figure out the different dishes we get at the sit-down restaurants. While most of them are pretty easy to figure out, some of them are not. These books help us go a long way to recreating some of our favorites. It's a fun read." — RocketTom Get it from Amazon for $34 . For more recipes, check out The Unofficial Disney Parks Drink Recipe Book and the latest addition The Unofficial Disney Parks Holidays Cookbook . 16. And/or Disney: Cooking With Magic: A Century of Recipes , a cookbook inspired by 100 years of Disney movies. The recipes will take you and your tastebuds on a magical journey from 1928 ( Steamboat Willie !) all the way to 2023 ( Wish !) and everything in between. BRB, need to go get all the ingredients for Tiana's "Big Daddy Beignets." Promising review: "A perfect gift for the Disney fan in your life! Very high quality pages showing recipes from Disney movies through the ages all the way up to 2023's Wish !" — J. R. Coutu Get it from Amazon for $25.99. 17. A Cinderella-inspired coffee blend for when you were out waaaaaay past the midnight curfew and need a pick-me-up to transform yourself from a pumpkin to a princess. Promising review: "I am blown away by the quality of this coffee! From the moment I received the package, the aroma was enticing — rich and full-bodied. As soon as I brewed my first cup, I could taste the difference. The flavors are robust and intense, just as described. It's like a flavor explosion in every sip! If you're a coffee lover looking for something that will wake up your taste buds in the best way possible, I highly recommend giving this coffee a try. It's definitely become my new favorite morning ritual!" — Yara Haddad Get it from Amazon for $18.90 . 18. An adult coloring book starring Disney animals filled with intricate designs, so you can relax and listen to your favorite Disney songs while coloring in pages inspired by Disney's 100-year history. Promising review: "I really love all the information included with each page and the inspiration from Walt Disney’s own words." — panda Get it from Amazon for $11.16 . 19. Or a villains version for anyone who likes to embrace their dark side once in a while — it's filled with the baddest of the bad Disney characters just waiting for you to color 'em in. I'm just itching to find the perfect blue for Hades' flaming hair. 🔥 Promising review: "I love the Disney Villains!! This coloring book is so worth the price. The pages are thick and the characters are drawn very well. I can’t wait to get coloring!!" — Amazon Customer Get it from Amazon for $9.99 . 20. A peppermint Mickey-shaped serving tray that's clearly *mint* to be in your home — it's fun, festive, and the perfect vessel for piling break-and-bake cookies a mile high. Promising review: "Got these for myself and family. Giving them at Thanksgiving so we have them for our whole holiday season. They are beautiful and make a beautiful decoration just sitting on the countertop . We can’t wait to use them when we bake our cookies. This tray will be a treasure for us to pass to the next generation of Disney fans. Magic for sure!" — Happy Disney baker3 Get it from Disney Store for $26.25 . 21. The Story of Disney 100 Years of Wonder coffee table book — jam-packed with magical facts you won't be able but help to rattle off to anyone who crosses your path. I personally own *quite* a few Disney-themed decorative (although interesting!) books so if you're looking to stock up here's a few other suggestions: - Inspiring Walt Disney: The Animation of French Decorative Arts by Wolf Burchard - The Art and Flair of Mary Blair by John Canemaker - The Illusion of Life: Disney Animation by Ollie Johnston and Frank Thomas - Poster Art of the Disney Parks by Daniel Hadnke and Vanessa Hunt - The Art of Pixar: The Complete Colorscripts from 25 Years of Feature Films by Pixar Get it from Amazon for $33.49 or from Bookshop (to support small businesses!) for $55.80 . 22. A set of Ellie Badge replicas to share with the love of your life 🥹. You might not be able to help but shed a tear when pinning it to their denim jacket. I truly can't think of anything more romantic, can you? Promising review: "I got these for me and my boyfriend! At first I was nervous cause it didn’t seem to pin on anything easily. Then another review on here said to put the safety pin through one hole of the bottle cap, poke it through the thing you want to pin it on, then poke it through the second hole of the bottle cap! Super secure! I definitely recommend these!!! They’re super cute and high quality and I don’t regret this purchase one bit!!! The safety pin is an average safety pin but that can easily be fixed by getting a thicker one! Definitely don’t see this wearing down anytime soon! There’s a nice glass epoxy bead over the top of the label so I’ll never have to worry about it scratching off! If you’re hesitating about getting these I say get them!!!" — Ash Get a set of two from Amazon for $8.99 . 23. A Mickey Mouse waffle maker you can count on to transport you back to the first time you piled your plate high as the sky with these babies at your favorite Walt Disney World or Disneyland Resort. I have this exact waffle maker, and it really is an activity the entire household can enjoy! It's the closest I've ever gotten to recreating the delicious waffles from the Parks. You can read my personal review here. Promising review: "This waffle maker is the centerpiece of our whole kitchen, as we decided to do a Mickey theme! My kids love the waffles and it brings fun to breakfast every time we use it. I love that you can adjust the temperature and that it alerts you when the waffles are ready . Super easy to use and a must-have for any Disney fan!!! Do yourself a favor and add to your kitchen!!!" — MamaOfTwo1122 Get it from Amazon for $87.85 or shopDisney for $99 . 24. A chaotic Stitch tree topper that'll give the illusion he's wildin' out on your Christmas star — you're an adult, you can get whatever weird topper you want without having to answer to anyone! Promising review: "He is heavy but as long as you have a fairly decent strength tree you shouldn't have any problem. He's SO adorable." — TripletFamAZ Get it from BoxLunch for $58.90 . 25. A stunning 1,000-piece Hercules puzzle that'll leave you singing "I Can Go The Distance" as you work your way through piecing together scenes from Mount Olympus, the Underworld, and everything in between. If Hercules isn't your thing, check out some of these other stunning options inspired by Sleeping Beauty , Beauty and the Beast, and Moana (just to name a few). Get it from Amazon for $14.99 . 26. A modern day retelling of Tangled you won't be able to put down — a perfect treat for fans of the 2010 film who would happily dive into anything themed around it. Promising review: "Pure Christina Lauren, a gifted collaboration by two gifted authors. Thank you. What did you do right? Everything. This book is a treasure, inspiring those of us who dare to doubt to know that life will always give us little openings if only we open our eyes and our senses and become willing to take great leaps of faith." — Ann George Get it from Amazon for $24.29 . This book is one out of four "Meant to Be" novels that provide a fun, modern-day spin on the classic tales we know and love. Here is a quick synopsis of some of the other fun stories: - If The Shoe Fits by Julie Murphy (the first of the series!), which is a retelling of Cinderella if she were a plus-sized contestant on a show similar to The Bachelor. - By the Book by Jasmine Guillory (my personal fave!), a version of Beauty and the Beast in which "Isabelle" is struggling to thrive in the publishing industry when she is sent to convince a "beastly" high-profile author to deliver his long-await manuscript. - Kiss the Girl by Zoraida Córdova (which I just finished reading!) is the story of The Little Mermaid but also *totally* not — Ariel del Mar is a famous pop singer in a girl group formed by her sisters. She wants to live "in the real world," so when she meets Eric Reyes, an aspiring artist, she hides her identity and heads out on tour with his band. 27. A splurge-worthy nameplate necklace with a Disney twist to it that'll garner you all kinds of compliments the next time you're at The Parks. Check out their entire Disney collection while you're at it! I recently snagged their pearl accented Minnie Mouse ears and am obsessed. Get it from BaubleBar for $162+ (available in two sizes, styles and fonts). 28. A deck of Disney playing cards with intricate gold foil designs on 'em that'll make even your card shark pals who can't stand The House of Mouse will agree these are quite chic. Promising review: "So in love with these cards! Perfect gift for any Disney lover. The box they come in is nicely made and embossed, and the playing cards are very elegant looking. Bought two packs originally and loved them so much I ordered two more for gifts." — Kim Muchmore Get them from Amazon for $11.97 (available in four additional Disney styles). 29. Villainous , a must-have for all Disney fans who typically prefer the likes of Maleficent, Ursula, and Jafar. Hope you've got your evil laugh prepared. Promising review: "I love board games, particularly more adventurous and more adult ones, but getting my wife to play them with me is like pulling teeth. This one is very easy to learn but a challenge to master, which makes it accessible for those who are casual board gamers but enjoyable for the more hardcore enthusiast. Each play-through is different depending on what characters each player chooses, the strategy they apply, and the random draw of the cards. Can't wait until they release expansions with new villains." — Phil Get it from Amazon for $29.99 . 30. Disney Princess–inspired nail stickers you can apply over your favorite polish for a more magical mani, but without the hassle of requesting fancy nail art from your manicurist. Magic Gloss is a woman-owned small business that sells Disney and pop culture–inspired nail stickers and accessories. I've tried out a bunch of different sets and can confirm they are super easy to apply and are high quality — they stay on as long as your mani! Orders typically ship in 5–7 business days, however you can upgrade to 2-day shipping for an additional fee. Get them from Magic Gloss for $15 . 31. A copy of Disney Illusion Island for Nintendo Switch for gamers who want more level-based gameplay — this is a fantastic option and will surely impress fans of the original cartoons. Promising review: "This game has brought me back to video games. It has the nostalgic feel of so many of the late '80s and early '90s games I grew up with, while being challenging enough to keep me engaged (but not frustrated). I'm now on the hunt for more like this!" — Jerry Schiffer Get it from Amazon for $38.99 (available as a physical copy or digital download). 32. A hilarious Beauty and the Beast –inspired sticker for anyone who is a proud reader of raunchy romance novels and/or fan fiction of their favorite couples and isn't afraid to let the world know. Freeze Frame Creative is a small business based in Greenville, South Carolina that sells pop culture–inspired stickers and greeting cards. Promising review: "Love this sticker! Beauty and the Beast was my jam, I was always super jealous of that library! This take on Gaston and books is hilarious, and the sticker is a great size and quality!" — Kelly Dorman Get it from Freeze Frame Creative on Etsy for $3.75 or get it as a bookmark for $7.50 . 33. A set of LED lightsaber chopsticks to share with the Chewbacca to your Han Solo (and also happens to be who you get sushi with every Friday night). Promising review: "I purchased these for a friend's birthday present (he is a sushi waiter), and these are flippin' AMAZING. I ordered two sets by mistake, but I am totally keeping the second pair for another gift (or for myself!). These are sure to be great conversation pieces and attention-getters. Way to go!" — T. Redwood Get two pairs from Amazon for $9.97 . 34. Tarot cards that'll infuse your next reading with a little *~Disney magic~* thanks to their Disney Villains theme — keep your eyes peeled for cards featuring Cruella de Vil, Ursula, Maleficent, and more classic anti-heroes. Promising review: "I preordered these cards in January, and I admit that I actually cried tears of joy when they finally arrived. The cards are gorgeous, amazing quality, and the character choices are wonderfully clever. As a life-long Villains fan, this is everything I could have ever wanted and more in a Villains tarot set. Items like these are the kinds of merch that I'd wished existed when I was a kid, and am just so overjoyed to be able to have as an adult. Absolutely incredible!" — Briar Gray Get them from Amazon for $21.81 . 35. A Pizza Planet tee to add some Disney magic to your Friday routine of ordering an extra large pie from your favorite local pizzeria. Promising review: "Bought this shirt for my teenage son and he loves it. He’s a huge Toy Story fan so this was the perfect gift for him. Good quality and held up great after washing and drying in low in the dryer and still looks great several washes later. The print hasn’t bubbled or peeled." — Miss Coco Get it from Amazon for $16.95+ (available in men's sizes S–3XL and five colors). 36. A Mickey-shaped ring you'll be able to stack alongside your other baubles and keep your love of Disney on display as often as you please without getting "Team Mickey Mouse" tattooed on your forehead. Promising review: "I absolutely LOVE this ring! I’ve been wearing it every day since I received it in May, NO TARNISH! It is beautiful and sparkles! Fits true to size, and the price is incredible for the quality of this ring! If you’re a huge Disney fan like myself, this is the perfect ring for you!" — Meri Get it from Amazon for $13.99 (available in sizes 6–10). 37. A hilariously accurate sticker that says "I like Disney and maybe three people," because the truth is the truth, alright? This sticker speaks to me. It's also available as a car decal ! Wish Upon Magic is a woman-owned small business based in Arcadia, California. They make some of the most magical and adorable stickers and keychains I've ever seen. I have tooooons of their stickers all over my belongings. Obsessed. Get it from Wish Upon Magic's site or their Etsy shop for $3.79 . 38. A Madame Leota embroidered hat , guaranteed to make you smile while thinking of your favorite Disney ride and to help keep the sun out of your eyes while on your daily stroll. Every hat is made to order and is so well-crafted you'll likely start making excuses to wear one. Bad hair day every day? Yep, sounds good. You can also have custom embroidery added onto the back! I have and have gifted Claire's items many times now — they never disappoint to impress. 999 Spyglass is a woman-owned small business based in Baltimore, Maryland that sells, obviously, embroidered hats! Get it from 999 Spyglass on Etsy for $26.99+ available with or without extra embroidery and 14 colors). 39. A fabulous belt with a buckle in the shape of the signature Disney "D" you'll likely start planning all of your outfits around. Promising review: "I loved this belt!!! I wore it to Disney last week and got loads of compliments. It added a little Disney magic to each of my outfits, and was a great little detail. This belt can be dressed up or dressed down depending on what it is paired with." — Brianna Regan Lewis Get it from Amazon for $27.15 (available in sizes XS–XL). Psst: This item is included in Amazon's Try Before You Buy service , so you can give it a trial run if you're a member! 40. And a 2193-piece Lego scene from Tim Burton's The Nightmare Before Christmas that may seem like a ridiculous purchase but because you're an adult with grown-up money and a job IT DOESN'T MATTER! Live out your Disney dreams! I, a Disney adult, admittedly own this fantastic Lego set. My husband (a Lego fiend) and my toddler (junior Lego fiend and Jack Skellington enthusiast) recently built it together! By that, I mean my son mostly watched but was very excited to do so. Anyways, now that their masterpiece is finished it's proudly on display in my husband's office. It's a really cool set that comes with mini-figures of Jack, Sally, The Mayor, Sandy Claws, Lock, Shock, and Barrel, and Zero! Get it from Lego for $199.99 . Conjuring the mail truck to our door like: Some reviews have been edited for length and/or clarity.
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ATLANTA — Jimmy Carter, the peanut farmer who won the presidency in the wake of the Watergate scandal and Vietnam War, endured humbling defeat after one tumultuous term and then redefined life after the White House as a global humanitarian, has died. He was 100 years old. The longest-lived American president died on Sunday, more than a year after entering hospice care , at his home in the small town of Plains, Georgia, where he and his wife, Rosalynn, who died at 96 in November 2023 , spent most of their lives, The Carter Center said. “Our founder, former U.S. President Jimmy Carter, passed away this afternoon in Plains, Georgia,” the center said in posting about his death on the social media platform X. It added in a statement that he died peacefully, surrounded by his family. Businessman, Navy officer, evangelist, politician, negotiator, author, woodworker, citizen of the world — Carter forged a path that still challenges political assumptions and stands out among the 45 men who reached the nation’s highest office. The 39th president leveraged his ambition with a keen intellect, deep religious faith and prodigious work ethic, conducting diplomatic missions into his 80s and building houses for the poor well into his 90s. “My faith demands — this is not optional — my faith demands that I do whatever I can, wherever I am, whenever I can, for as long as I can, with whatever I have to try to make a difference,” Carter once said. In this Nov. 3, 2019, file photo, former President Jimmy Carter teaches Sunday school at Maranatha Baptist Church in Plains, Ga. A president from Plains A moderate Democrat, Carter entered the 1976 presidential race as a little-known Georgia governor with a broad smile, outspoken Baptist mores and technocratic plans reflecting his education as an engineer. His no-frills campaign depended on public financing, and his promise not to deceive the American people resonated after Richard Nixon’s disgrace and U.S. defeat in southeast Asia. “If I ever lie to you, if I ever make a misleading statement, don’t vote for me. I would not deserve to be your president,” Carter repeated before narrowly beating Republican incumbent Gerald Ford, who had lost popularity pardoning Nixon. Carter governed amid Cold War pressures, turbulent oil markets and social upheaval over racism, women’s rights and America’s global role. His most acclaimed achievement in office was a Mideast peace deal that he brokered by keeping Egyptian President Anwar Sadat and Israeli Prime Minister Menachem Begin at the bargaining table for 13 days in 1978. That Camp David experience inspired the post-presidential center where Carter would establish so much of his legacy. Yet Carter’s electoral coalition splintered under double-digit inflation, gasoline lines and the 444-day hostage crisis in Iran. His bleakest hour came when eight Americans died in a failed hostage rescue in April 1980, helping to ensure his landslide defeat to Republican Ronald Reagan. Carter acknowledged in his 2020 “White House Diary” that he could be “micromanaging” and “excessively autocratic,” complicating dealings with Congress and the federal bureaucracy. He also turned a cold shoulder to Washington’s news media and lobbyists, not fully appreciating their influence on his political fortunes. “It didn’t take us long to realize that the underestimation existed, but by that time we were not able to repair the mistake,” Carter told historians in 1982, suggesting that he had “an inherent incompatibility” with Washington insiders. Carter insisted his overall approach was sound and that he achieved his primary objectives — to “protect our nation’s security and interests peacefully” and “enhance human rights here and abroad” — even if he fell spectacularly short of a second term. FILE - From left, President Barack Obama, former President Jimmy Carter, first lady Michelle Obama and former President Bill Clinton wave from the Lincoln Memorial in Washington during a celebration of the 50th anniversary of the March on Washington where Martin Luther King Jr. spoke, Aug. 28, 2013. And then, the world Ignominious defeat, though, allowed for renewal. The Carters founded The Carter Center in 1982 as a first-of-its-kind base of operations, asserting themselves as international peacemakers and champions of democracy, public health and human rights. “I was not interested in just building a museum or storing my White House records and memorabilia,” Carter wrote in a memoir published after his 90th birthday. “I wanted a place where we could work.” That work included easing nuclear tensions in North and South Korea, helping to avert a U.S. invasion of Haiti and negotiating cease-fires in Bosnia and Sudan. By 2022, The Carter Center had declared at least 113 elections in Latin America, Asia and Africa to be free or fraudulent. Recently, the center began monitoring U.S. elections as well. Carter’s stubborn self-assuredness and even self-righteousness proved effective once he was unencumbered by the Washington order, sometimes to the point of frustrating his successors . He went “where others are not treading,” he said, to places like Ethiopia, Liberia and North Korea, where he secured the release of an American who had wandered across the border in 2010. “I can say what I like. I can meet whom I want. I can take on projects that please me and reject the ones that don’t,” Carter said. He announced an arms-reduction-for-aid deal with North Korea without clearing the details with Bill Clinton’s White House. He openly criticized President George W. Bush for the 2003 invasion of Iraq. He also criticized America’s approach to Israel with his 2006 book “Palestine: Peace Not Apartheid.” And he repeatedly countered U.S. administrations by insisting North Korea should be included in international affairs, a position that most aligned Carter with Republican President Donald Trump. Among the center’s many public health initiatives, Carter vowed to eradicate the guinea worm parasite during his lifetime, and nearly achieved it: Cases dropped from millions in the 1980s to nearly a handful. With hardhats and hammers, the Carters also built homes with Habitat for Humanity. The Nobel committee’s 2002 Peace Prize cites his “untiring effort to find peaceful solutions to international conflicts, to advance democracy and human rights, and to promote economic and social development.” Carter should have won it alongside Sadat and Begin in 1978, the chairman added. Carter accepted the recognition saying there was more work to be done. “The world is now, in many ways, a more dangerous place,” he said. “The greater ease of travel and communication has not been matched by equal understanding and mutual respect.” FILE - Jimmy Carter gives his acceptance speech after accepting the Democratic nomination for president on the convention floor, July 15, 1976, at New York's Madison Square Garden. ‘An epic American life’ Carter’s globetrotting took him to remote villages where he met little “Jimmy Carters,” so named by admiring parents. But he spent most of his days in the same one-story Plains house — expanded and guarded by Secret Service agents — where they lived before he became governor. He regularly taught Sunday School lessons at Maranatha Baptist Church until his mobility declined and the coronavirus pandemic raged. Those sessions drew visitors from around the world to the small sanctuary where Carter will receive his final send-off after a state funeral at Washington’s National Cathedral. The common assessment that he was a better ex-president than president rankled Carter and his allies. His prolific post-presidency gave him a brand above politics, particularly for Americans too young to witness him in office. But Carter also lived long enough to see biographers and historians reassess his White House years more generously. His record includes the deregulation of key industries, reduction of U.S. dependence on foreign oil, cautious management of the national debt and notable legislation on the environment, education and mental health. He focused on human rights in foreign policy, pressuring dictators to release thousands of political prisoners . He acknowledged America’s historical imperialism, pardoned Vietnam War draft evaders and relinquished control of the Panama Canal. He normalized relations with China. “I am not nominating Jimmy Carter for a place on Mount Rushmore,” Stuart Eizenstat, Carter’s domestic policy director, wrote in a 2018 book. “He was not a great president” but also not the “hapless and weak” caricature voters rejected in 1980, Eizenstat said. Rather, Carter was “good and productive” and “delivered results, many of which were realized only after he left office.” Madeleine Albright, a national security staffer for Carter and Clinton’s secretary of state, wrote in Eizenstat’s forward that Carter was “consequential and successful” and expressed hope that “perceptions will continue to evolve” about his presidency. “Our country was lucky to have him as our leader,” said Albright, who died in 2022. Jonathan Alter, who penned a comprehensive Carter biography published in 2020, said in an interview that Carter should be remembered for “an epic American life” spanning from a humble start in a home with no electricity or indoor plumbing through decades on the world stage across two centuries. “He will likely go down as one of the most misunderstood and underestimated figures in American history,” Alter told The Associated Press. FILE - President Jimmy Carter and first lady Rosalynn Carter are pictured with their daughter Amy at the first of seven inaugural balls in Washington, Jan. 20, 1977, at the Pension Building. A small-town start James Earl Carter Jr. was born Oct. 1, 1924, in Plains and spent his early years in nearby Archery. His family was a minority in the mostly Black community, decades before the civil rights movement played out at the dawn of Carter’s political career. Carter, who campaigned as a moderate on race relations but governed more progressively, talked often of the influence of his Black caregivers and playmates but also noted his advantages: His land-owning father sat atop Archery’s tenant-farming system and owned a main street grocery. His mother, Lillian , would become a staple of his political campaigns. Seeking to broaden his world beyond Plains and its population of fewer than 1,000 — then and now — Carter won an appointment to the U.S. Naval Academy, graduating in 1946. That same year he married Rosalynn Smith, another Plains native, a decision he considered more important than any he made as head of state. She shared his desire to see the world, sacrificing college to support his Navy career. Carter climbed in rank to lieutenant, but then his father was diagnosed with cancer, so the submarine officer set aside his ambitions of admiralty and moved the family back to Plains. His decision angered Rosalynn, even as she dived into the peanut business alongside her husband. Carter again failed to talk with his wife before his first run for office — he later called it “inconceivable” not to have consulted her on such major life decisions — but this time, she was on board. “My wife is much more political,” Carter told the AP in 2021. He won a state Senate seat in 1962 but wasn’t long for the General Assembly and its back-slapping, deal-cutting ways. He ran for governor in 1966 — losing to arch-segregationist Lester Maddox — and then immediately focused on the next campaign. Carter had spoken out against church segregation as a Baptist deacon and opposed racist “Dixiecrats” as a state senator. Yet as a local school board leader in the 1950s he had not pushed to end school segregation even after the Supreme Court's Brown v. Board of Education decision, despite his private support for integration. And in 1970, Carter ran for governor again as the more conservative Democrat against Carl Sanders, a wealthy businessman Carter mocked as “Cufflinks Carl.” Sanders never forgave him for anonymous, race-baiting flyers, which Carter disavowed. Ultimately, Carter won his races by attracting both Black voters and culturally conservative whites. Once in office, he was more direct. “I say to you quite frankly that the time for racial discrimination is over,” he declared in his 1971 inaugural address, setting a new standard for Southern governors that landed him on the cover of Time magazine. FILE - President Jimmy Carter leans across the roof of his car to shake hands along the parade route through Bardstown, Ky., July 31, 1979. The president climbed on top of the car as the parade moved toward the high school gym, where a town meeting was held. 'Jimmy Who?' His statehouse initiatives included environmental protection, boosting rural education and overhauling antiquated executive branch structures. He proclaimed Martin Luther King Jr. Day in the slain civil rights leader’s home state. And he decided, as he received presidential candidates in 1972, that they were no more talented than he was. In 1974, he ran Democrats’ national campaign arm. Then he declared his own candidacy for 1976. An Atlanta newspaper responded with the headline: “Jimmy Who?” The Carters and a “Peanut Brigade” of family members and Georgia supporters camped out in Iowa and New Hampshire, establishing both states as presidential proving grounds. His first Senate endorsement: a young first-termer from Delaware named Joe Biden. Yet it was Carter’s ability to navigate America’s complex racial and rural politics that cemented the nomination. He swept the Deep South that November, the last Democrat to do so, as many white Southerners shifted to Republicans in response to civil rights initiatives. A self-declared “born-again Christian,” Carter drew snickers by referring to Scripture in a Playboy magazine interview, saying he “had looked on many women with lust. I’ve committed adultery in my heart many times.” The remarks gave Ford a new foothold and television comedians pounced — including NBC’s new “Saturday Night Live” show. But voters weary of cynicism in politics found it endearing. Carter chose Minnesota Sen. Walter “Fritz” Mondale as his running mate on a “Grits and Fritz” ticket. In office, he elevated the vice presidency and the first lady’s office. Mondale’s governing partnership was a model for influential successors Al Gore, Dick Cheney and Biden. Rosalynn Carter was one of the most involved presidential spouses in history, welcomed into Cabinet meetings and huddles with lawmakers and top aides. The Carters presided with uncommon informality: He used his nickname “Jimmy” even when taking the oath of office, carried his own luggage and tried to silence the Marine Band’s “Hail to the Chief.” They bought their clothes off the rack. Carter wore a cardigan for a White House address, urging Americans to conserve energy by turning down their thermostats. Amy, the youngest of four children, attended District of Columbia public school. Washington’s social and media elite scorned their style. But the larger concern was that “he hated politics,” according to Eizenstat, leaving him nowhere to turn politically once economic turmoil and foreign policy challenges took their toll. FILE - Former President Jimmy Carter uses a hand saw to even an edge as he works on a Habitat for Humanity home in Pikeville, Ky., June 16, 1997. Accomplishments, and ‘malaise’ Carter partially deregulated the airline, railroad and trucking industries and established the departments of Education and Energy, and the Federal Emergency Management Agency. He designated millions of acres of Alaska as national parks or wildlife refuges. He appointed a then-record number of women and nonwhite people to federal posts. He never had a Supreme Court nomination, but he elevated civil rights attorney Ruth Bader Ginsburg to the nation’s second highest court, positioning her for a promotion in 1993. He appointed Paul Volker, the Federal Reserve chairman whose policies would help the economy boom in the 1980s — after Carter left office. He built on Nixon’s opening with China, and though he tolerated autocrats in Asia, pushed Latin America from dictatorships to democracy. But he couldn’t immediately tame inflation or the related energy crisis. And then came Iran. After he admitted the exiled Shah of Iran to the U.S. for medical treatment, the American Embassy in Tehran was overrun in 1979 by followers of the Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini. Negotiations to free the hostages broke down repeatedly ahead of the failed rescue attempt. The same year, Carter signed SALT II, the new strategic arms treaty with Leonid Brezhnev of the Soviet Union, only to pull it back, impose trade sanctions and order a U.S. boycott of the Moscow Olympics after the Soviets invaded Afghanistan. Hoping to instill optimism, he delivered what the media dubbed his “malaise” speech, although he didn’t use that word. He declared the nation was suffering “a crisis of confidence.” By then, many Americans had lost confidence in the president, not themselves. Carter campaigned sparingly for reelection because of the hostage crisis, instead sending Rosalynn as Sen. Edward M. Kennedy challenged him for the Democratic nomination. Carter famously said he’d “kick his ass,” but was hobbled by Kennedy as Reagan rallied a broad coalition with “make America great again” appeals and asking voters whether they were “better off than you were four years ago.” Reagan further capitalized on Carter’s lecturing tone, eviscerating him in their lone fall debate with the quip: “There you go again.” Carter lost all but six states and Republicans rolled to a new Senate majority. Carter successfully negotiated the hostages’ freedom after the election, but in one final, bitter turn of events, Tehran waited until hours after Carter left office to let them walk free. FILE - President-elect Jimmy Carter waves to the crowd as he and his wife Rosalynn arrive at the Plains Baptist Church to attend services in Plains, Ga., Nov. 22, 1976. 'A wonderful life' At 56, Carter returned to Georgia with “no idea what I would do with the rest of my life.” Four decades after launching The Carter Center, he still talked of unfinished business. “I thought when we got into politics we would have resolved everything,” Carter told the AP in 2021. “But it’s turned out to be much more long-lasting and insidious than I had thought it was. I think in general, the world itself is much more divided than in previous years.” Still, he affirmed what he said when he underwent treatment for a cancer diagnosis in his 10th decade of life. “I’m perfectly at ease with whatever comes,” he said in 2015 . “I’ve had a wonderful life. I’ve had thousands of friends, I’ve had an exciting, adventurous and gratifying existence.” Former Associated Press journalist Alex Sanz contributed to this report. Jimmy Carter is shown at age 6, with his sister, Gloria, 4, in 1931 in Plains, Georgia. (AP Photo) This is a 1932 photo of Jimmy Carter at age 7 in Plains, Ga. (AP Photo) Lt. Jimmy Carter peers at instruments on submarine USS K-1 in a 1952 photo. Directly in front of Carter, smoking a cigar, is Don Dickson. He had forgotten he ever served with Carter until he came upon the photo during Christmas, 1977. A friend got it to the White House where Carter wrote: "To my friend Donald Dickson - Jimmy Carter, USS K-1 to White House." (AP Photo) FILE - In this Sept. 15, 1966 file photo, then Georgia State Sen. Jimmy Carter hugs his wife, Rosalynn, at his Atlanta campaign headquarters. Jimmy Carter, winner in Georgia's runoff primary in the Democratic Party to determine the party's candidate for the November election for governor, 1970. (AP Photo) Former State Sen. Jimmy Carter listens to applause at the Capitol in Atlanta on April 3, 1970, after announcing his candidacy or governor. In background, his wife Rosalyn holds two-year-old daughter Amy who joined in the applause. Carter, 45, of Plains, Ga., finished third in the 1966 Democratic Primary behind Gov. Lester Maddox and Ellis Arnall. (AP Photo/Charles Kelly) Democratic gubernatorial nominee Jimmy Carter and his wife Rosalynn clutch the microphones as he claims victory in a runoff election at campaign headquarters in Atlanta, Georgia, September 24, 1970. Carter beat former Georgia Governor Carl Sanders for the nomination and will face Republican candidate Hal Suit, veteran television newsman, in the general election Nov. 3, 1970. (AP Photo/Charles Kelly) Former state Sen. Jimmy Carter breaks into a broad smile after early returns gave him a lead of almost 2-1 in the Democratic runoff against former Gov. Carl Sanders, Sept. 23, 1970, in Atlanta, Ga. The winner will meet the Republic Hal Suit for the governorship of Georgia on the Nov. 3 general election. (AP Photo/Charles Kelly) Governor-elect Jimmy Carter and his daughter Amy, 3, walk about the grounds by the fountain at the Governor's Mansion in Atlanta, Ga., Jan. 10, 1971, as they get to know the place where they will live for the next four years. Carter will be sworn in as governor of Georgia Tuesday. (AP Photo) Judge Robert H. Jordan administers the oath of office to Gov. Jimmy Carter during ceremonies at the state capitol in Atlanta. Ga., Jan. 12, 1971. Next to the judge is former Gov. Lester Maddox, who will take over as lieutenant governer of Georgia. (AP Photo) Jimmy Carter of Georgia, seen here Feb. 6, 1971, already described as a symbol of a new breed of moderate southern politician, says that the race question has ceased to be a major issue "between or among candidates" running for office in the old confederacy. (AP Photo) Jimmy Carter, Governor of Georgia, is shown at his desk in Atlanta, on February 19, 1971. (AP Photo) Georgia's Gov. Jimmy Carter reaches for pen February 25, 1972 to sign a Georgia Senate House resolution opposing forced busing to achieve integration in the classrooms of the United States. Georgia Gov. Jimmy Carter joins a half-dozen Rockettes in a high kick, September 21, 1973, at Radio City Music Hall in New York, while visiting backstage before an afternoon performance. Carter is in New York to induce the film industry to make pictures in his state. (AP Photo/stf) Georgia Gov. Jimmy Carter, right, and Delaware Gov. Sherman Tribbitt say hello to Atlanta Braves Hank Aaron, left, following a rain canceled game with the Los Angeles Dodgers, Thursday, Sept. 27, 1973, Atlanta, Ga. The cancellation slowed Aaron’s opportunity to tie or break Babe Ruth’s home run record. (AP Photo) Georgia Gov. Jimmy Carter spoke to 18,000 messengers to the Southern Baptist Convention on Thursday, June 13, 1974 in Dallas, Texas. He urged Baptists to use their personal and political influence to return the nation to ideals of stronger commitment and higher ethics. He said "there is no natural division between a man's Christian life and his political life." (AP Photo/Greg Smith) Georgia Gov. Jimmy Carter tells a gathering, Saturday, Oct. 5, 1974 at the National Press Club in Washington about his ideas concerning energy conservation. (AP Photo) In this Thursday, Aug. 14, 1975 file photo, former Georgia Gov. Jimmy Carter announces in Washington that he qualified for federal matching funds to help finance his campaign for the 1976 Democratic presidential nomination. Former Georgia Gov. Jimmy Carter, right, drew about 5,000 people to Youngstown's Federal Plaza in Youngstown, Ohio, in his quest for support in Tuesday's Ohio Democratic primary, June 7, 1976. The presidential hopeful waded into the crowd, shaking hands and signing autographs. Carter, speaking to the largest crowd to assemble during his Ohio campaign, said 1976 would be a Democratic year because of the Watergate aftermath and other national ills. (AP Photo) In this Monday, Aug. 23, 1976 file photo, Democratic presidential candidate Jimmy Carter gives an informal press conference in Los Angeles during a campaign tour through the West and Midwest. On Wednesday, Aug. 12, 2015. (AP Photo) Democratic Presidential nominee Jimmy Carter, left, eats some freshly roasted barbecue chicken with his brother Billy Carter at Billy's gas station, Sept 11, 1976, Plains, Ga. The nominee had returned the night before from a week of campaigning, and planned to hold an impromptu press conference at the gas station. (AP Photo/Jeff Taylor) Democratic presidential nominee, Jimmy Carter, is all smiles as he talks with his brother Billy at the Carter Family Peanut warehouse, September 18, 1976. (AP Photo) Jimmy Carter stands in a large mound of peanuts at the Carter Peanut Warehouse in Plains, Ga., September 22, 1976. The Democratic party presidential nominee took an early morning walk through the warehouse to inspect some of the harvest. (AP Photo) FILE - In this Oct. 6, 1976 file photo with his wife Rosalynn Carter looking on at center, Democratic presidential candidate Jimmy Carter, center left, shakes hands with President Gerald Ford at the conclusion of their debate at the Palace of Fine Arts Theater in San Francisco, Calif. (AP Photo, File) Jimmy Carter, Democratic candidate for president, is joined by his daughter, Amy, as he waves from the rostrum at Fort Worth Convention Center, Texas, Sunday, Nov. 1, 1976. Carter and his family have been campaigning Texas, making a last minute bid for the state's 26 electoral votes. The others are not identified. (AP Photo) U.S. President-elect Jimmy Carter waves to supporters as he is surrounded by family members at a hotel in Atlanta, Ga., on Nov. 3, 1976. Carter won the presidential election by 297 electoral votes to 241 for Ford. Standing next to him is his wife, Rosalynn, and their daughter Amy Lynn, far right. The others are unidentified. (AP Photo) President-elect Jimmy Carter and his wife Rosalynn wipe tears from their eyes after returning to their home town in Plains, Ga., Nov. 3, 1976. The Carter family was greeted by local residents after returning from Atlanta. (AP Photo) President-elect Jimmy Carter leans over to shake hands with some of the people riding the "Peanut Special" to Washington D.C., Jan. 19, 1977. They will travel all night, arriving in Washington in time for Carter's inauguration as President tomorrow. (AP Photo) Jimmy Carter takes the oath of office as the nation's 39th president during inauguration ceremonies in Washington, D.C., on Jan. 20, 1977. Carter's wife, Rosalynn, holds the Bible used in the first inauguration by George Washington as U.S. Chief Justice Warren Burger administers the oath. Looking on at left are, Happy Rockefeller, Betty Ford, Joan Mondale, Amy Carter, and outgoing President Gerald Ford. Behind Carter is Vice President Walter Mondale. At far right is former Vice President Nelson Rockefeller. (AP Photo) Rosalynn Carter, left, looks up at her husband Jimmy Carter as he takes the oath of office as the 39th President of the United States at the Capitol, Thursday, Jan. 20, 1977, Washington, D.C. Mrs. Carter held a family Bible for her husband. (AP Photo) Jimmy Carter and first lady Rosalynn Carter walk down Pennsylvania Avenue after Carter was sworn in as the nations 39th President, Jan. 20, 1977, Washington, D.C. (AP Photo) FILE - In this Thursday, Jan. 20, 1977 file photo, President Jimmy Carter waves to the crowd while walking with his wife, Rosalynn, and their daughter, Amy, along Pennsylvania Avenue from the Capitol to the White House following his inauguration in Washington. (AP Photo/Suzanne Vlamis) In this Jan. 24, 1977 file photo, President Jimmy Carter is interviewed in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington. In this file photo dated May 1977, U.S. President Jimmy Carter, right, and Britain's Queen Elizabeth II with French President Valery Giscard d'Estaing, at Buckingham Palace in London. In this Feb. 20, 1978, file photo, President Jimmy Carter listens to Sen. Joseph R. Biden, D-Del., as they wait to speak at fund raising reception at Padua Academy in Wilmington, Del. (AP Photo/Barry Thumma, File) President Jimmy Carter tucks his thumbs into his jeans and laughs as he prepares to head down the Salmon River in Idaho August 1978 for a three day rubber raft float. (AP Photo) United States President Jimmy Carter, on a visit to West Germany in 1978, rides with Chancellor Helmut Schmidt during a review of United States Forces at a base near Frankfurt. (AP Photo) Egyptian President Anwar Sadat, left, U.S. President Jimmy Carter, center, and Israeli Prime Minister Menachem Begin clasp hands on the north lawn of the White House after signing the peace treaty between Egypt and Israel on March 26, 1979. (AP Photo/ Bob Daugherty) President Jimmy Carter, left, and Soviet President Leonid Brezhnev, right, sign the documents of the SALT II Treaty in the Vienna Imperial Hofburg Palace, Monday, June 18, 1979, Vienna, Austria. President Jimmy Carter leans across the roof of his car to shake hands along the parade route through Bardstown, Ky., Tuesday afternoon, July 31, 1979. The president climbed on top of the car as the parade moved toward the high school gym, where a town meeting was held. (AP Photo/Bob Daugherty) In this April 25, 1980 file photo, President Jimmy Carter prepares to make a national television address from the Oval Office at the White House in Washington, on the failed mission to rescue the Iran hostages. President Jimmy Carter applauds as Sen. Edward Kennedy waves to cheering crowds of the Democratic National Convention in New York's Madison Square Garden, Aug. 14, 1980. (AP Photo/Bob Daugherty) President Jimmy Carter raises a clenched fist during his address to the Democratic Convention, August 15, 1980, in New York's Madison Square Garden where he accepted his party's nomination to face Republican Ronald Reagan in the general election. (AP Photo/stf) Massachusetts Senator Edward M. Kennedy greets President Jimmy Carter after he landed at Boston's Logan Airport, Aug. 21, 1980. President Carter is in Boston to address the American Legion Convention being held in Boston. (AP Photo) President Jimmy Carter, left, and Gov. Bill Clinton of Arkansas enjoy a chuckle during a rally for Carter in Texarkana, Texas, Oct. 22, 1980. Texarkana was the last stop for Carter on a three-city one-day campaign swing through Texas. (AP Photo/John Duricka) In this Oct. 28, 1980 file photo, President Jimmy Carter shakes hands with Republican Presidential candidate Ronald Reagan after debating in the Cleveland Music Hall in Cleveland. (AP Photo/Madeline Drexler, File) Former US President Jimmy Carter, who had negotiated for the hostages release right up to the last hours of his Presidency, lifts his arm to the crowd, while putting his other hand around the shoulders of a former hostage in Iran, believed to be Bruce Laingen, at US AIR Force Hospital in Wiesbaden, Germany, Wednesday, January 21, 1981. Former Pres. Jimmy Carter, center, is joined by his wife Rosalynn and his brother Billy Carter during session of the Democratic National Convention, Tuesday, July 19, 1988, Atlanta, Ga. Billy had been recently diagnosed with cancer. (AP Photo/Bob Daugherty) Former U.S. President Jimmy Carter speaks to newsmen as PLO Chairman Yasser Arafat, right, looks on after the two men met in Paris Wednesday, April 4, 1990. Carter said he felt some leaders did not represent the region's yearning for peace. (AP Photo/Pierre Gieizes) Former U.S. President Jimmy Carter, center, introduces his wife Rosalynn, right, to Chinese Communist Party General Secretary Jiang Zemin, April 14, 1991 in Beijing. (AP Photo/Mark Avery) Former President Jimmy Carter gestures at a United Nations news conference in New York, April 23, 1993 about the world conference on Human Rights to be held by the United Nations in Vienna June 14-25. (AP Photo/Richard Drew) Former Presidents George Bush, left, and Jimmy Carter, right, stand with President Clinton and wave to volunteers during a kick-off rally for the President's Volunteer Summit at Marcus Foster Stadium in Philladelphia, PA., Sunday morning April 27, 1997. (AP Photo/Stephan Savoia) President Bill Clinton presents former President Jimmy Carter, right, with the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the nation's highest civilian honor, during a ceremony at the Carter Center in Atlanta Monday, Aug. 9, 1999. (AP Photo/John Bazemore) Former U.S. President Jimmy Carter adjusts his glasses during a press conference in Managua, Nicaragua, Thursday, July 6, 2006. The former president and 2002 Nobel Peace Prize winner is heading a delegation from the democracy-promoting Carter Center, based at Emory University in Atlanta, Georgia, to observe preparations for Nicaragua's Nov. 5 presidential election. (AP Photo/Esteban Felix) In this Friday, Dec. 8, 2006 file photo, former President Jimmy Carter signs copies of his book "Palestine: Peace Not Apartheid" at the Carter Center in Atlanta, Ga. (AP Photo/Ric Feld) Former President George H.W. Bush, left, watches as Jimmy Carter and Bill Clinton chat during a dedication ceremony for the Billy Graham Library in Charlotte, N.C., Thursday, May 31, 2007. (AP Photo/Gerry Broome) Former President Jimmy Carter poses for a portrait during the Toronto International Film Festival in Toronto, Monday, Sept. 10, 2007. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster) Former President Jimmy Carter poses on the red carpet for the documentary film, "Jimmy Carter: Man From Plains" during the Toronto International Film Festival in Toronto, Monday, Sept. 10, 2007. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster) Former President Jimmy Carter, right, and his wife Rosalynn wave to the audience at the Democratic National Convention in Denver, Monday, Aug. 25, 2008. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong) Former President Jimmy Carter, right, and former first lady Rosalynn Carter are seen on stage at the Democratic National Convention in Denver, Monday, Aug. 25, 2008. (AP Photo/Paul Sancya) Former President Jimmy Carter waves to the crowd as he goes on stage at the Democratic National Convention in Denver, Monday, Aug. 25, 2008.(AP Photo/Paul Sancya) Former President Jimmy Carter, right, is seen with Democratic vice presidential candidate Sen. Joe Biden, D-Del., at the Democratic National Convention in Denver, Tuesday, Aug. 26, 2008. (AP Photo/Paul Sancya) President-elect Barack Obama is welcomed by President George W. Bush for a meeting at the White House in Washington, Wednesday, Jan. 7, 2009, with former presidents, from left, George H.W. Bush, Bill Clinton and Jimmy Carter. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite) In this photo taken Saturday, May 29, 2010, former South Africa president Nelson Mandela, right, reacts with former US president Jimmy Carter, during a reunion with The Elders, three years after he launched the group, in Johannesburg, South Africa. (AP Photo/Jeff Moore, Pool) Former US President Jimmy Carter, center, one of the delegates of the Elders group of retired prominent world figures, holds a Palestinian child during a visit to the east Jerusalem neighborhood of Silwan, Thursday, Oct. 21, 2010. (AP Photo/Menahem Kahana, Pool) Former President Jimmy Carter, 86, leads Habitat for Humanity volunteers to help build and repair houses in Washington's Ivy City neighborhood, Monday, Oct. 4, 2010. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite) FILE - In this Friday, Oct. 22, 2010 file photo, former president of Ireland, Mary Robinson, background right, looks at former U.S. president, Jimmy Carter, center, while visiting a weekly protest in the east Jerusalem neighborhood of Sheikh Jarrah. The protest was organized by groups supporting Palestinians evicted from their homes in east Jerusalem by Israeli authorities. (AP Photo/Bernat Armangue) Former U.S. President Jimmy Carter, his wife, Rosalynn, and former UN Secretary General Kofi Annan conclude a visit to a polling center the southern capital of Juba Sunday, Jan. 9, 2011. (AP Photo/Pete Muller) Former President Jimmy Carter signs his name in the guest book at the Jewish Community center in Havana, Cuba, Monday March 28, 2011. Carter arrived in Cuba to discuss economic policies and ways to improve Washington-Havana relations, which are even more tense than usual over the imprisonment of Alan Gross, a U.S. contractor, on the island. C (AP Photo/Adalberto Roque, Pool) Former U.S. President Jimmy Carter pauses during an interview as he and his wife Rosalynn visit a Habitat for Humanity project in Leogane, Haiti, Monday Nov. 7, 2011. The Carters joined volunteers from around the world to build 100 homes in partnership with earthquake-affected families in Haiti during a week-long Habitat for Humanity housing project. (AP Photo/Ramon Espinosa) Former U.S. President Jimmy Carter, sits prior to a meeting with Israel's President Shimon Peres at the President's residence in Jerusalem, Sunday, Oct. 21, 2012. Peres met two of 'The Elders', a group composed of eminent global leaders brought together by Nelson Mandela. (AP Photo/Sebastian Scheiner) Former U.S. President Jimmy Carter watches baseball players work out before Game 2 of the National League Division Series between the Atlanta Braves and the Los Angeles Dodgers, Friday, Oct. 4, 2013, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/Dave Martin) Former President Jimmy Carter speaks during a forum at the John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum in Boston, Thursday, Nov. 20, 2014. Among other topics, Carter discussed his new book, "A Call to Action: Women, Religion, Violence, and Power." (AP Photo/Elise Amendola) President Jimmy Carter, left, and Rosalynn Carter arrive at the 2015 MusiCares Person of the Year event at the Los Angeles Convention Center on Friday, Feb. 6, 2015 in Los Angeles. (Photo by Richard Shotwell/Invision/AP) In this July 10, 2015, file photo, former President Jimmy Carter is seen in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke, File) In a Sunday, Aug. 23, 2015 file photo, former President Jimmy Carter teaches Sunday School class at Maranatha Baptist Church in his hometown, in Plains, Ga. (AP Photo/David Goldman, File) Former President Jimmy Carter answers questions during a news conference at a Habitat for Humanity building site Monday, Nov. 2, 2015, in Memphis, Tenn. Carter and his wife, Rosalynn, have volunteered a week of their time annually to Habitat for Humanity since 1984, events dubbed "Carter work projects" that draw thousands of volunteers and take months of planning. (AP Photo/Mark Humphrey) Former President Bill Clinton, left, and former president Jimmy Carter shake hands after speaking at a Clinton Global Initiative meeting Tuesday, June 14, 2016, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/John Bazemore) Former U.S. President Jimmy Carter holds a morning devotion in Memphis, Tenn., on Monday, Aug. 22, 2016, before he and his wife Rosalynn help build a home for Habitat for Humanity. (AP Photo/Alex Sanz) Former president Jimmy Carter and Rosalynn Carter arrive during the 58th Presidential Inauguration at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, Friday, Jan. 20, 2017. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik) In this Feb. 8, 2017, file photo, former President Jimmy Carter speaks during a ribbon cutting ceremony for a solar panel project on farmland he owns in his hometown of Plains, Ga. (AP Photo/David Goldman, File) Former President George W. Bush, center, speaks as fellow former Presidents from right, Barack Obama, Bill Clinton, George H.W. Bush and Jimmy Carter look on during a hurricanes relief concert in College Station, Texas, Saturday, Oct. 21, 2017. All five living former U.S. presidents joined to support a Texas concert raising money for relief efforts from Hurricane Harvey, Irma and Maria's devastation in Texas, Florida, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. (AP Photo/LM Otero) Former President Jimmy Carter, 93, sits for an interview about his new book "Faith: A Journey For All" which will debut at no. 7 on the New York Times best sellers list, pictured before a book signing Wednesday, April 11, 2018, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/John Amis) Former President Jimmy Carter speaks as Democratic gubernatorial candidate Stacey Abrams listens during a news conference to announce Abrams' rural health care plan Tuesday, Sept. 18, 2018, in Plains, Ga. (AP Photo/John Bazemore) Former President Jimmy Carter and Rosalynn Carter are seen ahead of an NFL football game between the Atlanta Falcons and the Cincinnati Bengals, Sunday, Sept. 30, 2018, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/John Bazemore) Former President Jimmy Carter takes questions submitted by students during an annual Carter Town Hall held at Emory University Wednesday, Sept. 18, 2019, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/John Amis) Democratic presidential candidate former South Bend, Ind., Mayor Pete Buttigieg, left, meets with former President Jimmy Carter, center, at Buffalo Cafe in Plains, Ga., Sunday, March 1, 2020. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke) Former President Jimmy Carter reacts as his wife Rosalynn Carter speaks during a reception to celebrate their 75th wedding anniversary on July 10, 2021, in Plains, Ga. In this Nov. 3, 2019, file photo, former President Jimmy Carter teaches Sunday school at Maranatha Baptist Church in Plains, Ga. Former President Jimmy Carter, arrives to attend a tribute service for his wife and former first lady Rosalynn Carter, at Glenn Memorial Church, Tuesday, Nov. 28, 2023, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik) A sign wishing former President Jimmy Carter a happy 100th birthday sits on the North Lawn of the White House in Washington, Tuesday, Oct. 1, 2024. (AP Photo/Susan Walsh) Get Government & Politics updates in your inbox! Stay up-to-date on the latest in local and national government and political topics with our newsletter.Schwazze Provides Update on Delayed FilingsClement confirms Rangers 'big discussions' over January transfer window
AP Trending SummaryBrief at 1:21 p.m. ESTBy JOHN WAWROW ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. (AP) — Josh Allen threw two touchdown passes and ran for another score, and the Buffalo Bills clinched the AFC’s No. 2 seed with a 40-14 rout of the unraveling and undisciplined New York Jets on Sunday. The Bills put the game away by capitalizing on two Jets turnovers and scoring three touchdowns over a 5:01 span in the closing minutes of the third quarter. Buffalo’s defense forced three takeaways overall and sacked Aaron Rodgers four times, including a 2-yard loss for a safety in the second quarter. Allen had a short and efficient outing, finishing 16 of 27 for 182 yards with a and a 14-yarder to Keon Coleman before giving way to backup Mitchell Trubisky with Buffalo leading 33-0 through three quarters. And Trubisky piled on by completing a 69-yard touchdown pass to practice squad call-up Tyrell Shavers 2:23 into the fourth quarter. Allen’s two-TD passing outing was the 64th of his career to match Peyton Manning for the third most in a player’s first seven NFL seasons. Patrick Mahomes holds the record with 67 two-TD outings in that span, followed by Dan Marino’s 65. Allen also became the NFL’s first player with five consecutive 40-TD seasons, while his 1-yard score was the 65th rushing TD of his career, matching the team record held by Thurman Thomas. The five-time defending AFC East champion Bills improved to 13-3 to match a franchise single-season record, and will open the playoffs hosting the conference’s seventh-seeded team in two weeks. The outing was a meltdown for Rodgers and the Jets (4-12), who will finish with five or fewer wins for the seventh time over a 14-season playoff drought — the NFL’s longest active streak. Rodgers, who entered the game with 499 career TD passes and looking to become just the fifth player to reach 500, instead was shut out and replaced by Tyrod Taylor with 12:37 remaining. Discipline was an issue for a Jets team that fell to 2-9 since Jeff Ulbrich took over as interim coach. New York finished with 16 accepted penalties for 120 yards. Taylor accounted for New York’s only points with a 9-yard TD pass to Garrett Wilson and a 20-yarder to Tyler Conklin in a game played in blustery, unseasonably warm conditions, with temperatures in the mid-50s Farenheit (10 Celsius) and winds gusting up to 35 mph (56 kmph). Rodgers finished 12 of 18 for 112 yards with two interceptions after entering the game having thrown only one in his past eight outings. He was also sacked four times, pushing his career total to 568, moving ahead of Tom Brady (565) and into first place on the NFL list. The outing became a comedy of errors for the Jets. Trailing 7-0 after Allen’s 1-yard run, New York’s three possession of the first half ended with turning the ball over on downs Buffalo’s 24; Rodgers being intercepted at his own 17 by ; and being sacked for a safety by A.J. Epenesa. The bottom fell out to close the third quarter when Rodgers’ being intercepted by Christian Benford led to Cooper’s leaping TD grab put Buffalo up 19-0. James Cook scored on a 1-yard run on Buffalo’s next possession with 1:15 left, and Coleman’s touchdown with 12 seconds left in the third was set up after Wilson lost a fumble. The Bills finished their third season with a perfect record, and first since 1990, by going 8-0 at home. They’ve won 11 straight regular-season home games dating to last season since dropping a 24-22 decision to Denver on Nov. 13. Jets CB Sauce Gardner aggravated a hamstring injury in the first half and was ruled out in the third quarter. Jets: Close the season hosting the Miami Dolphins. Bills: Play their regular-season finale at the New England Patriots. ___ AP NFL:Football: Fairview’s title hopes fall short in the semis
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WASHINGTON — The Supreme Court seemed likely Wednesday to uphold Tennessee's ban on gender-affirming care for minors. The justices' decision, not expected for several months, could affect similar laws enacted by another 25 states and a range of other efforts to regulate the lives of transgender people, including which sports competitions they can join and which restrooms they can use. The case is being weighed by a conservative-dominated court after a presidential election in which Donald Trump and his allies promised to roll back protections for transgender people. The Biden administration's top Supreme Court lawyer warned a decision favorable to Tennessee also could be used to justify nationwide restrictions on transgender health care for minors. Supporters of transgender rights rally Wednesday outside the Supreme Court in Washington. In arguments that lasted more than two hours, five of the six conservative justices voiced varying degrees of skepticism over arguments made by the administration and Chase Strangio, the ACLU lawyer for Tennessee families challenging the ban. Chief Justice John Roberts, who voted in the majority in a 2020 case in favor of transgender rights, questioned whether judges, rather than lawmakers, should weigh in on a question of regulating medical procedures, an area usually left to the states. "The Constitution leaves that question to the people's representatives, rather than to nine people, none of whom is a doctor," Roberts said in an exchange with Strangio. Justice Neil Gorsuch, who wrote the majority opinion in 2020, said nothing during the arguments. The court's three liberal justices seemed firmly on the side of the challengers, but it's not clear that any conservatives will go along. People attend a rally March 31, 2023, as part of a Transgender Day of Visibility, near the Capitol in Washington. Justice Sonia Sotomayor pushed back against the assertion that the democratic process would be the best way to address objections to the law. She cited a history of laws discriminating against others, noting that transgender people make up less than 1% of the U.S. population, according to studies. There are an estimated 1.3 million adults and 300,000 adolescents ages 13 to 17 who identify as transgender, according the UCLA law school's Williams Institute. "Blacks were a much larger part of the population and it didn't protect them. It didn't protect women for whole centuries," Sotomayor said in an exchange with Tennessee Solicitor General Matt Rice. Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson said she saw some troubling parallels between arguments made by Tennessee and those advanced by Virginia and rejected by a unanimous court, in the 1967 Loving decision that legalized interracial marriage nationwide. Quoting from that decision, Jackson noted that Virginia argued then that "the scientific evidence is substantially in doubt and, consequently, the court should defer to the wisdom of the state legislature." ACLU lawyer Chase Strangio, left, and plaintiff Joaquin Carcano address reporters after a June 25, 2018, hearing in Winston-Salem, N.C., on their lawsuit challenging the law that replaced North Carolina's "bathroom bill." Justice Samuel Alito repeatedly pressed Strangio, the first openly transgender lawyer to argue at the nation's highest court, about whether transgender people should be legally designated as a group that's susceptible to discrimination. Strangio answered that being transgender does fit that legal definition, though he acknowledged under Alito's questioning there are a small number of people who de-transition. "So it's not an immutable characteristic, is it?" Alito said. Strangio did not retreat from his view, though he said the court did not have to decide the issue to resolve the case in his clients' favor. There were dueling rallies outside the court in the hours before the arguments. Speeches and music filled the air on the sidewalk below the court's marble steps. Advocates of the ban bore signs like "Champion God's Design" and "Kids Health Matters," while the other side proclaimed "Fight like a Mother for Trans Rights" and "Freedom to be Ourselves." Four years ago, the court ruled in favor of Aimee Stephens, who was fired by a Michigan funeral home after she informed its owner she was a transgender woman. The court held that transgender people, as well as gay and lesbian people, are protected by a landmark federal civil rights law that prohibits sex discrimination in the workplace. The Biden administration and the families and health care providers who challenged the Tennessee law urged the justices to apply the same sort of analysis that the majority, made up of liberal and conservative justices, embraced in the case four years ago when it found that "sex plays an unmistakable role" in employers' decisions to punish transgender people for traits and behavior they otherwise tolerate. Demonstrators against transgender rights protest Wednesday during a rally outside of the Supreme Court in Washington. The issue in the Tennessee case is whether the law violates the equal protection clause of the 14th Amendment, which requires the government to treat similarly situated people the same. Tennessee's law bans puberty blockers and hormone treatments for transgender minors, but allows the same drugs to be used for other purposes. Solicitor General Elizabeth Prelogar, the administration's top Supreme Court lawyer, called the law sex-based line drawing to ban the use of drugs that have been safely prescribed for decades and said the state "decided to completely override the views of the patients, the parents, the doctors." She contrasted the Tennessee law with one enacted by West Virginia, which set conditions for the health care for transgender minors, but stopped short of an outright ban. Gender-affirming care for youth is supported by every major medical organization, including the American Medical Association, the American Academy of Pediatrics and the American Psychiatric Association. Stay up-to-date on the latest in local and national government and political topics with our newsletter.Orica celebrates a decade of recycled water use at Kooragang plantEaster Sunday is four months away, falling on April 20 in 2025 but some supermarkets already have seasonal stock out on their shelves. Chocolate eggs and hot cross buns have already been spotted for sale in shops including Morrisons, Tesco and Asda. As reported by Sky News , Gary Evans, 66, from Margate, shared a picture of Creme Eggs on display at his local Morrisons on Boxing Day. "I just think it's crazy that everything is so superficial and meaninglessly commercial... [there's] something quite frantic about it," he said. Meanwhile, Joseph Robinson, saw themed Kit-Kat and Kinder Surprise products at his local Morrisons in Stoke-on-Trent on Friday evening (December 27). He said: "It's funny as they've not even managed to shift the Christmas chocolates off the shelves yet and they're already stocking for Easter. "I wish that supermarkets weren't so blatantly consumerist-driven and would actually allow customers and staff a time to decompress during the Christmas period." 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Jesus hasn’t even been born yet". Another added: "I’m a very liberal person but seeing Morrisons selling #Easter eggs right after #Christmas is where I draw the line". In an alternative view, marketing consultant Andrew Wallis, 54, admitted he was surprised to see Easter eggs in the Co-op in Kilgetty, Pembrokeshire. However, he added it also illustrates "forward-thinking" from big businesses. Recommended reading: He explained: "It made me reflect on how big brands are always thinking ahead and planning early. "My message to retailers would be: while planning ahead is important, it's also essential to be mindful of consumer sentiment. "Some might feel it's too early for seasonal products like this but others might see it as a sign of forward-thinking. Striking the right balance is key to keeping customers happy."
EU rules on common charger use come into forceNEW ORLEANS (AP) — The largest artificial intelligence data center ever built by Facebook’s parent company Meta is coming to northeast Louisiana, the company said Wednesday, bringing hopes that the $10 billion facility will transform an economically neglected corner of the state. Republican Gov. Jeff Landry called it “game-changing” for his state's expanding tech sector, yet some environmental groups have raised concerns over the center's reliance on fossil fuels — and whether the plans for new natural gas power to support it could lead to higher energy bills in the future for Louisiana residents.
Rajkumar Kanagasingam is author of German memories of Asia . He reflects robustly on the success stories of Malaysia and Singapore . We have heard so much about these stories, but we should never be tired of reading or listening to these stories – stories that are generally referred to as the success stories of Asian Tigers because these are stories we should leverage on. This is why I have decided to share these stories with you today. Kanagasingam recounts how Mahathir Mohammad and Lee Kuan Yew leaders of Malaysia and Singapore transformed their countries from sleepy colonial outposts into Asia ‘s richest nations. He argues Mahathir’s strategies are well reflected in his macro – economic strategies by adopting the open economic policies with the realization in mind that the world trend of globalization and liberalization is irreversible. For him, we are living in an era of globalization and liberalization, a deeply imbedded neo-classical economic thought and its applications everywhere in the globe. He recalls the former Prime Minister of Singapore Lee Hsien Loong once said far back in the late nineties, when he was the deputy Prime Minister, “It is better to embrace globalization and liberalization proactively, at our own pace, than face the prospect of one day being swept away by the floodwaters of competition.” He says his realization of embracing the globalization and liberalization might have been inherited into him by the strategies of former Prime Minister of Singapore Lee Kuan Yew who in his long tenure, changed Singapore from a sleepy colonial outpost to a prosperous high-tech enclave and applied better open economic policies to make use of the globalization and liberalization in Singapore’s favour. He notes now Singapore ’s per capita GNP is higher than that of its erstwhile colonizer, Great Britain , that it has the world’s busiest port and is the third-largest oil refiner and a major center for global manufacturing and service industries, that this move from poverty to plenty has taken place within one generation. He recounts: “In 1965 Singapore ranked economically with Chile , Argentina and Mexico but today its per capita GNP is four or five times of theirs. Lee Kuan Yew managed this miraculous transformation in Singapore ’s economy while maintaining tight political control over the country. Malaysia and Singapore better managed their economies in Southeast Asia than any other countries in facing the new trends of globalization and liberalization. Mahathir’s strategies have eventually made Malaysia into a Southeast Asian economic superpower with number of megastar Malaysian entrepreneurs. “Tan Sri Ananthakrishnan, who owns the Twin Towers of Malaysia and several other conglomerates, is a role model for many Malaysian entrepreneurs who have given real meaning to the present day Malaysia by transforming Malaysia into one of the Asia ’s wealthiest nations. Tan Sri Anantha Krishnan, a Jaffna origin Malaysian who had a humble beginning as a smalltime bookmaker in Australia and later as a polished dealmaker with a degree from Harvard Business School , became a sophisticated oil trader with connections to many of the Asia’s political and petroleum industry elite with interests in oil and gas fields in the United States . Tan Sri Anandakrishnan later went further into orbit, with the successful launching of MEASAT – 1, the Malaysia ‘s maiden telecommunication satellite. Tan Sri Ananda krishnan’s success provides a compelling testimony to Mahathir’s economic policies and their successful implementations.” Even with Mahathir out of power, Malaysia boasts a diversified and modern economy, which weathered the Asian financial crisis in1997-98 better than many of its peers. How did Malaysia and Singapore achieve this feat? Malaysia’s success has been by diversifying away from the export of palm oil and rubber to the assembly of electronics with the steady provision of political stability by the resolved ethnic divisions by Mahathir – a lesson for Nigeria , isn’t it? Kanagasingam says Mahathir’s keen stewardship of the economy has spawned in various projects and the latest was the Multimedia Super Corridor – a “knowledge-based economy master plan” to upgrade the Malaysia ‘s electronics industry into a hi-tech application industry. “The knowledge-based economy master plan which encourages the new trend of Business and Knowledge Process Outsourcing is a new dimension of Globalization,” he says. Southeast Asia first experienced a new and different wave of globalization from Japan by the transferring of their locations to more labour-intensive and resource-intensive Asian countries so that Japan could continue to form the international cooperation. By this Japanese initiative of global-localization most of the Asian countries are generally favourable towards the globalization trend. The trend of globalization and liberalization is indisputably irreversible. Therefore, it is really a great challenge to developing countries. Kanagasingam holds Singapore and Malaysia are successful in tackling the globalization and liberalization because they were well prepared. He explains:” These Southeast Asian tiger economies, all went through series of distinctive stages of economic transformation with certain common characteristics. Lee Kwan Yew and Mahathir Mohammad had clear long term visions and strong political leadership skills how to make use of the globalization in their countries’ favour. “In Malaysia and Singapore there are strong and efficient technocrats who have the ability to chart the vision into planning with the capability to get things done in a much effective way. The value system which they have reinvented over a short span of time after the independence produced many successful women entrepreneurs in Malaysia and Singapore .” He says of the two countries: “They successfully defined the paths for the emergence of indigenous entrepreneurs by encouraging small and medium size enterprises; they overcome the problems of relatively shallow and weak entrepreneurial group in Malaysia and Singapore compared with well equipped and well experienced thick and abundant entrepreneurial group in developed countries; they altered their countries’ entrepreneurial strength for an equal match of the game if confronted each other directly and instantly; they looked after the private sector until they can stand alone to compete against international challenges to become themselves multi-nationals; they realized well in advance the strength and competence of the private sector which is the main market player in determining a country’s eventual competitiveness.” Malaysia and Singapore , according to him, had constraints, but realized the importance of Government leadership in the very beginning itself, their governments identified and developed the countries’ long-term competitiveness. Put this against the unseriousness with which we handle WTO assignments and reflect on it. What is important to our officials is estacode not discussions at WTO meets. We have the men and women that can do it. We have the technocrats that can do it. But we need the leadership. Government leadership.
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QWP not to back undemocratic steps: Sherpao PESHAWAR: Qaumi Watan Party (QWP) chairman Aftab Ahmad Khan Sherpao on Saturday expressed concern over the political polarisation in the country and said that his party would not support any undemocratic or unconstitutional steps. “We believe that political issues should be resolved through talks. The PTI government should show seriousness to resolve the problems facing Khyber Pakhtunkhwa,” he told a meeting of the QWP leaders here. A press release issued from Watan Kor, QWP secretariat, said that he chaired a meeting of the QWP leaders to take stock of the political situation in the country. The meeting discussed the worsening law and order in KP particularly in the southern belt. He said that the country should be run democratically with political vision. Aftab Sherpao said his party would not support any decision that undermined the political and democratic system. The PTI government should play its role in improving the law and order in KP. He particularly mentioned the ongoing clashes in Kurram tribal district where over 100 people had so far lost lives in the violence. Expressing sorrow over the killings of innocent people in Kurram, he said the government should take immediate steps to stop the bloodshed. He also demanded a probe into the firing incident on the passenger vehicles in Kurram. The closed roads should be opened to ensure the transportation of food and medicines in the area, Aftab Sherpao added. The QWP leader said his party would participate in the all-parties conference slated for December 5 for the sake of peace and attaining provincial rights. Sherpao said the PTI government used the provincial resources for its recent Islamabad protest. He expressed sorrow over the deaths of people from the two sides in the federal capital and expressed sympathies with their families besides condemning the use of force.
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