Via press release from the White House: Today, America and the world lost an extraordinary leader, statesman, and humanitarian. Over six decades, we had the honor of calling Jimmy Carter a dear friend. But, what’s extraordinary about Jimmy Carter, though, is that millions of people throughout America and the world who never met him thought of him as a dear …

“I just heard of the news about the passing of President Jimmy Carter. Those of us who have been fortunate to have served as President understand this is a very exclusive club, and only we can relate to the enormous responsibility of leading the Greatest Nation in History. “The challenges Jimmy faced as President came at a pivotal time for …

The Hill reports: Sen. Ben Cardin (D-Md.), outgoing chair of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, said on Sunday that President-elect Trump’s remarks about Panama have larger consequences on America’s credibility abroad. “It’s a serious statement because it affects America’s credibility globally. Our allies don’t know whether we are reliable partners or not. The Panama Canal obligations were established by a …

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports: Former President Jimmy Carter, a man who redefined what a post-presidency could be, died Sunday. He was 100. Carter, who lived longer than any other U.S. president, entered home hospice care in Plains, Georgia in February 2023 after a series of short hospital stays. The only Georgian ever elected to the White House, Carter left office …

The Washington Post reports: Azerbaijan demanded Sunday that Russia admit responsibility for the incident that led to the crash of a passenger plane on Christmas Day, killing 38 people, and pay compensation to the government and affected families. Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev said in televised remarks that the national carrier’s plane, which was supposed to land in Grozny, the capital …

“The guy’s worth $450 billion as of today. So I don’t think he’s doing it for the money. He’s doing it for the bigger project and the bigger vision of America. He doesn’t need the dollars. He really doesn’t. So it’s not about, ‘If I get involved in this, I’ll get another little contract here or there.’ That’s nothing to …

“Greenland is a highway from the arctic all the way to North America, to the United States. It’s strategically very important to the arctic which is going to be the critical battleground of the future because as the climate gets warmer. “The arctic is going to be a pathway that maybe even cuts down on the usage of the Panama …

The Associated Press reports: Cases of a wretched stomach bug are surging in parts of the United States this winter, according to government data. The most recent numbers from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention show there were 91 outbreaks of norovirus reported during the week of Dec. 5. A norovirus infection is characterized by sudden vomiting and …

“Mike Johnson, Speaker of the House, is doing an extraordinary job. I tell everybody, I was a pretty effective speaker. I could never do his job. He has no margins. Any two or three members can rebel at any moment. “They need a Republican unity program for the next two years. These guys who wake up every morning and say, …

The Daily Beast reports: Far-right figurehead Laura Loomer has given a grovelling public apology to President-elect Donald Trump‘s AI advisor Sriram Krishnan after she “accidentally doxxed” him. Loomer took a break from her scheduled programming on X, namely saying Elon Musk is censoring her and then begging for her blue check back, to blurt out the apology after she revealed …

ABC News reports: The discount chain Big Lots, which filed for bankruptcy protection in September, has reached a deal that will keep hundreds of its stores and distribution centers open. Big Lots said Friday it will be sold to Gordon Brothers Retail Partners, a firm that specializes in distressed companies. Gordon Brothers will then transfer Big Lots’ stores, distribution centers …

“We know the movement that we have in Arizona, and I will never take that for granted. But there is a corrupt machine here that is hellbent on making sure I never hold office. So, I won’t put my family (and myself) through the torture of running again. I will go to Washington, D.C., return VOA News to its glory …

Reuters reports: U.S. billionaire Elon Musk drew criticism from German politicians from the government and opposition on Sunday for an opinion piece he wrote backing the right-wing Alternative for Germany (AfD) which they deemed “intrusive” outside influence. The support of the AfD from Musk, who is set to serve U.S. President-elect Donald Trump’s administration as an outside adviser, comes as …

New Orleans’ NBC affiliate reports: A former New Orleans priest who pleaded guilty to rape and kidnapping has died at 93, according to his attorney, Bobby Hjortsberg. Lawrence Hecker was sentenced to life in prison Wednesday, Dec. 18, after pleading guilty to aggravated kidnapping, aggravated crime against nature, first-degree rape, and theft. He died at Elayn Hunt Correctional Center on …

The Florida Phoenix reports: The Fifth District Court of Appeal ruled Thursday that although 83% of voters in Titusville approved a 2022 initiative establishing the right to clean water, the city in Brevard County couldn’t enact it because of a 2020 state law preventing local government from giving rights to bodies of water, plants, and animals. The City of Titusville …

The Hill reports: President-elect Trump celebrated the blocked sale of border wall materials following a Friday ruling from a federal judge in Texas. The incoming president, in a Saturday Truth Social post, called the ruling a “major, crucial WIN for America,” calling out President Biden and “his cronies” for seeking to stall the construction of the border wall, which was …

The New York Times reports: A passenger plane crashed while landing at an airport in southwestern South Korea on Sunday, killing almost all of the 181 people on board in the worst aviation disaster involving a South Korean airline in almost three decades, officials said. The Boeing 737-800 plane, operated by South Korea’s Jeju Air, had taken off from Bangkok …

The New York Post reports: President-elect Trump told The Post Saturday he supports immigration visas for highly skilled workers, appearing to side with Elon Musk in the roiling intra-MAGA debate on the issue. “I’ve always liked the visas, I have always been in favor of the visas. That’s why we have them,” Trump said by phone, referring to the H-1B …

Variety reports: The list of the year’s top 25 most-watched entertainment specials is topped by NBC’s Turkey Day telecast of the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, which hauled in 23.4 million viewers. Two Oprah Winfrey-hosted specials made the list, one for ABC (coming in at No. 19) and one for CBS (No. 24). Billy Joel’s milestone 100th consecutive performance in his …

Gothamist reports: What’s the most expensive neighborhood for rentals in New York City? That would be Tribeca, which has a median asking rent of $8,295, according to listing service StreetEasy, which has released a year end analysis of 2024’s residential real estate trends. In second place is SoHo ($6,100), and the Flatiron District came in third ($5,900). The report also …