Amazon founder Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sanchez are not having a $600 million wedding in Aspen, US, this weekend. Late last week, some reports claimed that billionaire Bezos will marry his fiance Lauren Sanchez next Saturday in an extravagant $600 million wedding in Aspen, Colorado. An upset Bezos has strongly denied the extravagant plans. Amazon's former CEO was so angry with the report that he took to social media platform X, formerly Twitter, to clarify. And what makes this clarification serious is the fact that Bezos is not a regular on Twitter. "Furthermore, this whole thing is completely false — none of this is happening. The old adage “don’t believe everything you read” is even more true today than it ever has been. Now lies can get ALL the way around the world before the truth can get its pants on. So be careful out there folks and don’t be gullible. Will be interesting to see if all the outlets that “covered” and re-reported on this issue a correction when it comes and goes and doesn’t happen," Bezos wrote. Elon Musk's 'comforting' reply Tesla and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk, who is widely known to share a frosty relationship with Bezos, replied to Bezos' angry post. "That said, I hope you do hold an epic wedding. It’s nice to know that epic events are happening somewhere in the world, even if one is not present. A world where there are amazing events somewhere is better than a world where they are happening nowhere," wrote Musk in a post seemingly aimed at comforting Bezos. No wedding dates confirmed The Daily Mail was the first to report the $600 million wedding plan quoting a “well-placed source.” The report was then picked up by the New York Post. Billionaire Bill Ackman then quote-tweeted a now-deleted post from New York Post writing, “This is not credible. Unless you are buying each of your guests a house, you can’t spend this much money.” Ackman's tweet was what Jeff Bezos quoted in his reply. Incidentally, Bezos, 60, and his fiance, 54, have so far remained mum on their wedding plans and have not yet publicly confirmed their wedding date.American Airlines flights were authorized to fly early Tuesday after a brief suspension due to a system-wide technical issue that affected all routes in the United States. PUBLICIDAD Just before 7 a.m. Eastern Time, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) ordered the suspension of all American Airlines flights in the United States at the airline's request. PUBLICIDAD AA had reported a technical issue that was affecting their entire system, with millions of people traveling for the holidays. The suspension, according to the timestamps on the FAA orders, lasted exactly one hour. What was the issue that affected American Airlines? American has not provided more details on what technical issue caused the flight suspension, and the airline did not immediately respond to a request for comments. The suspensions could not have come at a worse time for the millions of travelers expected to fly during the next 10 days for the Christmas and New Year holidays. The Transportation Security Administration expects 40 million passengers during the holidays and up to January 2nd. In December 2022, Southwest Airlines stranded 2 million travelers, and Delta Air Lines experienced a minor but significant breakdown following a global technological blackout in July caused by a faulty software update from the cybersecurity company CrowdStrike. Many flights during the holidays are sold out, making cancellations even more disruptive than during quieter periods. Even with a brief interruption, cancellations have a cascading effect that can take days to resolve.

ENGLEWOOD, Colo. (AP) — The Denver Broncos' usually stout defense has been rocked ever since losing second-year cornerback Riley Moss to an MCL injury against Las Vegas in Week 12. Without Moss there to capitalize on opponents shying away from star cornerback Patrick Surtain II, the Broncos (9-6) have had to largely abandon their preferred man coverage in favor of zone strategies and the results haven't been pretty. They allowed 32 points to the Cleveland Browns when former teammate Jerry Jeudy caught nine passes for a career-best 235 yards, including a 70-yard touchdown. Only Jonathan Taylor's fumble at the goal line as he was about to score a 41-yard touchdown and give Indianapolis a 20-3 lead saved the Broncos in Week 15 and allowed Denver to seize momentum and get the victory. They couldn't stop Justin Herbert , who led the Los Angeles Chargers back from a double-digit third-quarter deficit for a 34-27 win last week that prevented the Broncos from ending their eight-year playoff drought. It also put more pressure on the Broncos to win Saturday at Cincinnati, where the Bengals (7-8) cling to hopes of catching the Broncos and deny Denver a wild-card berth. Moss has enjoyed a breakout season in Denver with 71 tackles, eight pass breakups and an interception in 12 starts. He played in 14 games as a rotation player his rookie season after recovering from core muscle surgery that relegated him to special teams and spot duty in 2023. “We were and have been super excited" about the third-round pick out of Iowa, coach Sean Payton said. "Obviously, the guy that plays opposite of Patrick is going to get a lot of business. All throughout training camp, he really rose to the occasion, battled, competed and throughout really a good portion of the season. “He’s a big reason why we were playing so well defensively,” Payton added. "The sooner the better when we can get him back in the lineup. Hopefully it can happen this weekend.” In Moss' dozen starts, the Broncos allowed 16.8 points per game. Without him, they've been allowing 26.3 points a game. Joe Burrow and Ja'Marr Chase pose a bigger challenge to the Broncos than Jeudy and Jameis Wiston did for Cleveland or Herbert and Ladd McConkey did for the Chargers. Moss returned to practice last week and the Broncos will determine this week whether he's ready to return to the field or if it's better to keep him out until their season finale against Kansas City. The medial collateral ligament is on the inside of the knee that connects the thigh bone to the shin bone. It’s one of four major ligaments that stabilize the knee and allow it to rotate. It typically takes a month to recover from an MCL sprain and the Broncos had their bye week earlier this month, meaning Moss might only have to miss three games. If the Broncos reach the playoffs for the first time since winning Super Bowl 50 in Hall of Famer Peyton Manning's last start, they'll likely need to have a healthy Moss opposite Surtain to have any realistic hopes of avoiding a one-and-done appearance. The Broncos got a scare when Surtain injured an ankle against Indianapolis two weeks ago and limped off the field in the closing minutes. However, he was a full-go at practice last week and had no issues against the Chargers. AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nflA boat explosion at a South Florida marina kills 1 and injures 5 others

Five holiday wishes for the Minnesota Wild

Iran could have an operational nuclear weapon within "weeks, maybe days," a former Israeli ambassador to the U.S. said, as Israel closely watches whether Iran could quickly pivot and create a nuclear weapon before next month's change of administration in Washington. Michael Oren told Newsweek that Iran will be dreading President-elect Donald Trump 's return to the White House, adding that Tehran wouldn't "dare" to make the final push toward an operational nuclear weapon once the new administration takes over. Iran says its nuclear development, which had been curbed by now-lapsed restrictions, is peaceful and not intended to make weapons. But Iranian officials have started to publicly float whether Tehran should abandon this track, and analysts say it would not be difficult for Iran to take the final step toward a weaponized nuclear program. Iran has enough highly enriched uranium to make three or four relatively low-yield nuclear bombs, according to expert estimates. Iran may not have decided to make a nuclear weapon yet, but Tehran has certainly done its best to make sure it could do so very rapidly, said William Alberque, a visiting fellow at the Henry L. Stimson Center and a former director of NATO 's Arms Control, Disarmament and WMD Non-Proliferation Center. There is "not a lot of time at all" until January 20, when Trump will be inaugurated, said Oren, who was ambassador from 2009 to 2013. But "it's enough time for them to make a nuclear weapon" if Iran resolves to do so. "This is a point I can't stress enough—that we're in a very perilous period," he added. "I don't think they'll dare do this on Trump's watch." Although Israel has an "incredible degree" of intelligence insight regarding Iran, Israeli authorities may not know if, or when, Iran makes the decision to move forward with a nuclear weapon, Oren said. Officials and experts stress it is not clear whether Tehran has determined to push through the final stages toward a nuclear weapon. If they do, though, "we're talking about weeks, maybe days" until they have an operational nuclear weapon, Oren said, although this assumes Tehran has a warhead to match. Iran and the Nuclear Deal A 2015 agreement, known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), or simply as the Iran nuclear deal, relieved sanctions leveled against Iran in exchange for new limits on Tehran's nuclear program. Also, the powers involved at the time tried to limit weapons sales to and from Iran, as well as the country's ballistic missile development. However, Iran has openly said it has abandoned parts of the JCPOA since Trump pulled the U.S. out of the deal during his first time in office. Israeli officials say the Iranian regime was severely weakened by events in the Middle East over the past year and could feel a rush toward an operational nuclear weapon may be its only viable option to display strength. Rafael Grossi, the director general of the United Nations ' nuclear watchdog, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), said in November he had visited Iranian enrichment sites at Fordow, south of Tehran, and Natanz to the southeast. Grossi said it is approaching four years since Iran had stopped complying with nuclear-related commitments outlined by the JCPOA, and the agency has "lost continuity of knowledge" around key parts of the enrichment process, including centrifuges. Iran turned off cameras at nuclear sites in mid-2022, but the IAEA reinstalled monitoring at some sites in early May 2023. There are deep suspicions about other undeclared facilities in Iran, and "they could have a ton of centrifuges hidden somewhere we don't know about," Alberque said. What we do know, however, is that the Iranians' capacity to enrich uranium more quickly has "gone up considerably" as they increased the number of cascades they have throughout this year, Alberque told Newsweek . Cascades are groups of centrifuges working together. The output in every single category of enrichment, from the lower 2 and 3 percent all the way up to 60 percent, has increased by roughly 10 percent in the past few months, Alberque said. Lower percentages of enriched uranium, up to the 3.67 percent allowed under the JCPOA, are used for nuclear power. Percentages between around 20 and the high 90s, however, can be used to make nuclear weapons. The higher the percentage, the more efficient a nuclear weapon would be. Uranium enriched to 60 percent could theoretically be used for a nuclear weapon, albeit an inefficient one by most standards. Grossi told the BBC earlier this month that Iran was increasing its stockpile of uranium enriched to 60 percent to a "much higher level," adding that Tehran's decision to produce significantly more highly enriched uranium was "very worrisome." "They have a nuclear program that has grown, has spawned in every possible direction," Grossi said. "The Iran of 2015 has nothing to do with Iran of 2025." Current and former Israeli officials describe the coming days and weeks as a crucial moment of evaluation in Israel, as well as in Washington and Tehran, with the latter possibly looking at how to project power in a new way across the Middle East. Iran has previously leaned heavily on its grip on regional actors, like Hezbollah, Hamas , and the Yemen-based Houthis, rather than on nuclear threats. But many of these groups, particularly the Gaza-based Palestinian militant group Hamas, have been shattered by Israel's devastating military efforts since Hamas' unprecedented October 7 attack last year. Israel also says its large-scale airstrikes and ground operations in Lebanon have strangled Hezbollah, cutting off Iran's access to what was once a formidable political and militant force on Israel's northern border. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said earlier this month that he did not believe an Iranian nuclear weapon was "inevitable" but added that it was "more a question now." Tehran has "lost different lines of defense," Blinken said, meaning "you're going to see more thinking about that." "But the costs and consequences to them for pursuing that route I think would be severe," he added. Former British Prime Minister Tony Blair told Newsweek in October that the U.S. and Israel should make sure Tehran does not get nuclear weapons, an attitude reiterated by Israeli officials. "If you end up with an Iran with a nuclear weapon, it'll be a very, very dangerous situation for the world, and you'll spark a nuclear arms race right across the region," Blair said. How Would Israel Respond? The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) have said in recent weeks that the Israeli military has taken out the vast majority of Syria's air defenses after the collapse of former Syrian leader Bashar al-Assad 's regime earlier this month. In late October, Israel launched waves of targeted strikes on Iran in retaliation for Tehran's massive attack on Israel earlier in the month. The IDF is thought to have knocked out multiple advanced air defense systems in this attack. Former Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant said earlier this month that these strikes had carved out a "window to act against Iran" before Tehran makes a nuclear weapon. But that's no easy task. "One of the reasons Israel hasn't done it yet is that it's very hard to do," said Alberque. However, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said last month that Israel had hit part of Iran's nuclear program the previous month. Israel has advanced fighter jets, which it has used extensively to strike targets in the region. But they aren't heavy bombers, meaning it would be difficult for the jets to carry enough explosives to successfully hit Iran's nuclear sites deep underground. Israeli conventional ballistic missiles could certainly destroy aboveground facilities and surrounding infrastructure, Alberque said, but to get to the protected facilities, the IDF may need a sustained bombing campaign. Even then, he said, this couldn't guarantee success, and Iran could be hiding other sites across the country. Iran has been preparing for this exact scenario for years, Alberque said. But even with guaranteed air superiority for Israel's jets, it would be risky. Grossi warned against an Israeli attack on Iran's nuclear facilities, predicting "very, very serious" consequences involving Iranian retaliation and the possible spread of radiation. Could the U.S. Get Involved? There are uncomfortable questions for the U.S. concerning how Washington fits in. It's not clear how much Israel would look to the U.S. for approval for any such strike, whether the Biden administration could be resistant in this hypothetical scenario and what Trump would make of the dilemma. On November 1, the White House said it would deploy B-52 bombers, among other military assets, to the Middle East as one aircraft carrier prepared to leave the region. "Should Iran, its partners or its proxies use this moment to target American personnel or interests in the region, the United States will take every measure necessary to defend our people," the Pentagon said at the time. Referring to the high-flying B-52s and their heavy payloads, Oren said that if "you're going to take out a site like Fordow, which is under a mountain, you're going to need a lot of these bombs, and the United States has the ability to do this without risking its pilots." Oren described the deployment of B-52s to the Middle East as an "extraordinary move," adding: "Why move those planes unless you have the remotest intention to use them?" He continued: "I wouldn't rule it out, put it that way. The Iranians have to make the decision, and the Americans have to make the decision, and, frankly, Israel has to make the decision."From ground-breaking advancements in Artificial Intelligence (AI) to democratic upends, 2024 has been a transformative year. Political realignments, economic challenges and new global conflicts have reshaped the world order, setting the stage for a complicated 2025. This year marked a monumental shift in Sri Lanka’s political landscape. President Anura Kumara Dissanayake won the public’s mandate, securing 55 percent of the vote in September. His victory marked the first time a third-party candidate being elected President. Come November, the Parliamentary polls caused further setbacks to seven-decades of UNP-SLFP dominated politics. The centre-left NPP, led by the JVP, won stronghold after stronghold including the indomitable Northern and Eastern electorates, with the exception of Batticaloa. Pundits said the reorganisation of the political map was an end to communal politics and the beginning of a unified national identity playing a larger role in Sri Lankan society. Greater accountability and transparency to eliminate decades of graft and corruption in governance were all on the ballot in this year’s elections. As the polls clearly showed, the Sri Lankan public had grown alienated from traditional parties and the political elite which dominated for over 75 years. The demand for reforms in Government has gained momentum since the 2022 Aragalaya and the vast majority chose the NPP as a vehicle to exact that change. Cynics on both the Left and Right disagreed that the NPP could overturn decades of rot ingrained in Sri Lanka’s political culture. While the Left accuses the NPP of compromising with the neoliberal establishment and abandoning socialism, the right says that the party’s ‘honeymoon’ with the public will be over soon given the harsh economic realities. Stumbling blocks However, the Government is not without a few stumbling blocks. The scandal over education qualifications of a few of its members including the Speaker is one example. The Speaker’s swift resignation, after his supposed doctorate was brought to light, has been lauded by constituents who said it shows the NPP Government’s commitment to transparency while others decry it as political shenanigans. The challenges posed by Toque Macaques and the fluctuating availability of rice have tested the resilience of the newly-formed Government. While the Sri Lankan public has shown an increasing degree of self-awareness, recognising that complex issues need time and steady effort to resolve, the political rhetoric often fails to reflect this reality. Instead, fiery speeches and empty promises continue to dominate the stage, doing little to address the frustrations of a populace craving meaningful action and transparency. 2024 has been dubbed ‘The Year of Elections’: more than 100 countries around four billion voters – approximately half of the world’s population – were eligible to vote in elections this year, including eight of the world’s 10 most populous nations – Bangladesh, Brazil, India, Indonesia, Mexico, Pakistan, Russia, and the United States; in addition, the EU held elections for the European Parliament in June. The U.S. Presidential election gained the largest media attention as President-elect Donald Trump secured a second term in office; bouncing back from his 2020 loss by winning the Electoral College and all swing states, in addition to the popular vote. The second Trump Presidency is expected to make significant changes to America’s foreign policy – especially regarding de-escalating ongoing conflicts in the Middle East and the war between Ukraine and Russia. Trump also pledged to raise tariffs on imports to stimulate U.S. domestic production, which will send huge ripples in the global economy. Sri Lanka’s economy is getting back on track after facing its worst crisis since independence, marking a major milestone in 2024 by successfully completing its international bond restructuring, a critical step toward financial recovery following its 2022 debt default. The deal involved exchanging USD 12.5 billion in defaulted bonds and back interest for new GDP- and governance-linked instruments, with debt service payments reduced by USD 9.5 billion over four years under an IMF-backed plan. The agreement, achieved after two years of negotiations, reduced the net present value of bonds by 40.3 percent and secured debt relief of USD 17 billion. Creditors, including global players such as BlackRock and Amundi, supported the plan, overcoming initial scepticism. China also backed equal treatment for all creditors. President Dissanayake and Treasury Secretary Mahinda Siriwardana hailed the deal as a turning point, emphasising its role in restoring economic stability. With lower bond coupon rates, extended maturities, and governance reforms, the restructuring promises significant fiscal relief and economic recovery. This December, international credit ratings agency Moody’s raised Sri Lanka’s long-term foreign currency issuer rating to ‘Caa1’ from ‘Ca’ with a stable outlook, after creditors approved the USD 12.55 billion debt overhaul. On December 21, Fitch Rating upgraded Sri Lanka’s Long-Term Foreign-Currency Issuer Default Rating to ‘CCC+’ from Restricted Default. With the new administration’s anti-corruption agenda, markets are responding positively- reflecting renewed investor confidence and optimism for future growth. The year was also shaken by political upheavals and escalating conflict. Freedom fighters The Bangladesh quota reform movement began as a student-led protest against the country’s Supreme Court’s reinstatement of a 30 percent job quota for descendants of freedom fighters, which students said limited merit-based opportunities. The protests rapidly evolved into a nationwide uprising fuelled by public anger over Government corruption, human rights abuses and economic mismanagement. The Government’s violent response, including the deployment of armed forces, a shoot-at-sight curfew, and an internet blackout, exacerbated tensions. Hundreds were killed, thousands injured, and mass arrests followed, sparking global condemnation. Protesters expanded their demands to include accountability for violence, a ban on the ruling party’s student wing, and the resignation of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. The crackdown transformed the movement into a broader, people-led non-cooperation campaign, symbolising widespread resistance against authoritarian rule. The Bangladeshi uprising has been compared to the 2022 aragalaya. On December 8, 2024, the Assad regime collapsed during a major opposition offensive led by Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) and the Turkish-backed Syrian National Army. The capture of Damascus ended the Assad family’s five-decade rule, which began with Hafez-al-Assad’s 1971 coup. Bashar -al-Assad fled to Russia, joining his exiled family, and was granted asylum. The regime’s rapid fall shocked observers and dealt a severe blow to Iran’s regional influence, particularly its supply routes to Hezbollah. Opposition forces declared victory, marking a pivotal moment in the ongoing Syrian civil war. We also saw the Israel-Hamas war escalate into a broader conflict this year with Israel’s invasion of southern Lebanon to combat Hezbollah forces and Houthi’s targeting global shipping through the Red Sea in solidarity with the Palestinians. More than 45,000 people have been killed in the Gaza strip as human rights groups and the UN have declared a humanitarian crisis as a result of the Israel-Hamas war. Both sides have blamed each other for violating the ceasefire. On December 1, the truce ended with Hamas alleging that Israel rejected a hostage exchange deal to prolong the truce, and Hamas then launched rockets into Sderot. Israel responded with air raids on Gaza with the Gaza Health Ministry reporting 20 deaths. There has been a surge of anti-Semitism around the world, due to the Israel-Hamas war. This year was rife with news reports of vandalised synagogues and Jews being assaulted and even killed. In November 2024, Chabad rabbi Zvi Kogan was found murdered in Al Ain, UAE. Emirati officials said he was abducted by three Uzbek nationals who fled to Turkey, where authorities apprehended and extradited them to the UAE. Also in November, a terror plot targeting Israelis in Arugam bay was thwarted by Sri Lankan authorities thanks to reports by Indian intelligence agencies. Record-breaking temperatures The year was disastrous for the environment. 2024 is set to be the hottest on record – the first six months had record-breaking temperatures, extending the streak that started in 2023 to 13 months, with the world’s hottest day in history recorded on July 22. In Sri Lanka, environmentalists said that the climate crisis is escalating the human-elephant conflict and poor harvests. Scientists are setting off alarm bells as conditions worsen year-on-year. The most shocking studies this year found microplastics in human bodies including our bloodstream, brain and reproductive organs. But it was not all panic when it comes to plastics in 2024; scientists at RIKEN developed a strong plastic that breaks down in seawater, avoiding microplastic pollution. Speaking of scientific developments, Artificial Intelligence took front and centre in headlines this year. In 2024, AI innovation mainly centred around chatbots, with capabilities such as voice cloning, image generation, transcribing, music-making and realistic video-generation. As the media, we are trying our best to strike a balance with the new technology. The press is being accused of using ChatGPT but who can really point a finger at this point? As a matter of fact, we might just be seeing glimpses of a future where many jobs will be automated. Roles involving rule-based, repetitive tasks or ones where interaction is primarily standardised will be replaced by AI. Jobs that are most likely to be automated by 2030 include cashiers, telemarketers, data entry clerks, and customer service agents. 2024 was a year of profound change—it showcased humanity’s resilience, innovation, and the challenges ahead. It highlighted the need for accountable governance, sustainable practices, and ethical technological integration to navigate an increasingly complex world.

* Loonie trades in a range of 1.4350 to 1.4433 * Canada's economy grows 0.3% in October * 10-year yield increases 1.8 basis points By Fergal Smith TORONTO, Dec 23 (Reuters) - The Canadian dollar steadied against the U.S. dollar on Monday, clawing back its earlier declines, as investors weighed domestic GDP data as well as minutes from the Bank of Canada's latest meeting that showed some members favored a smaller rate cut. The loonie was trading nearly unchanged at 1.4375 per U.S. dollar, or 69.57 U.S. cents, after trading in a range of 1.4350 to 1.4433. The Bank of Canada's decision to cut rates by 50 basis points on Dec. 11 was a close call, with some members of the governing council suggesting a 25-basis-point cut was more appropriate, the minutes showed. "We continue to expect Canadian central bankers to cut rates by another 25 basis points in January and then pause in March to assess how the economy responds to lower interest rates," Tiago Figueiredo, a macro strategist at Desjardins, said in a note. Investors are pricing in roughly 13 basis points of easing at the central bank's next policy decision on Jan. 29, equivalent to a 52% chance of a 25-basis-point cut. Canada's economy exceeded market expectations with 0.3% growth in October, led by increases in oil and gas extraction and manufacturing, but gross domestic product likely contracted in November. On Thursday, the loonie touched its weakest intraday level since March 2020 at 1.4467. It has had to contend recently with the threat of U.S. trade tariffs as well as a hawkish shift by the Federal Reserve and domestic political uncertainty. Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is under increasing pressure from his own legislators to step down and let someone else take over. The U.S. dollar resumed its upward trajectory against a basket of major currencies as U.S. Treasury yields climbed. The Canadian 10-year yield was up 1.8 basis points at 3.295%. (Reporting by Fergal Smith; Editing by Chris Reese)Jimmy Carter, the 39th US president, has died at 100 ATLANTA (AP) — Former U.S. President Jimmy Carter has died. He was 100 years old and had spent more than a year in hospice care. The Georgia peanut farmer served one turbulent term in the White House before building a reputation as a global humanitarian and champion of democracy. He defeated President Gerald Ford in 1976 promising to restore trust in government but lost to Ronald Reagan four years later amid soaring inflation, gas station lines and the Iran hostage crisis. He and his wife Rosalynn then formed The Carter Center, and he earned a Nobel Peace Prize while making himself the most internationally engaged of former presidents. The Carter Center said he died peacefully Sunday afternoon in Plains, Georgia, surrounded by his family. Jimmy Carter: Many evolutions for a centenarian ‘citizen of the world’ PLAINS, Ga. (AP) — The 39th and longest-lived U.S. president, James Earl Carter Jr., died Sunday at the age of 100. His life ended where it began, in Plains, Georgia. He left and returned to the tiny town many times as he climbed to the nation’s highest office and lost it after four tumultuous years. Carter spent the next 40 years setting new standards for what a former president can do. Carter wrote nearly a decade ago that he found all the phases of his life challenging but also successful and enjoyable. The Democrat's principled but pragmatic approach defied American political labels, especially the idea that one-term presidents are failures. The Latest: Former President Jimmy Carter is dead at age 100 Former President Jimmy Carter has died at the age of 100. The 39th president of the United States was a Georgia peanut farmer who sought to restore trust in government when he assumed the presidency in 1977 and then built a reputation for tireless work as a humanitarian. He earned a Nobel Peace Prize in 2002. He died Sunday, more than a year after entering hospice care, at his home in Plains, Georgia. Carter was sworn in as president on Jan. 20, 1977, after defeating President Gerald R. Ford in the 1976 general election. He left office on Jan. 20, 1981, following his 1980 general election loss to Ronald Reagan. Jimmy Carter: A brief bio Former U.S. President Jimmy Carter has died at his home in Plains, Georgia. His death comes more than a year after the former president entered hospice care. He was 100 years old. Jetliner skids off runway and bursts into flames while landing in South Korea, killing 179 SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — A jetliner skidded off a runway, slammed into a concrete fence and burst into flames in South Korea after its landing gear apparently failed to deploy. Officials said all but two of the 181 people on board were killed Sunday in one of the country’s worst aviation disasters. The 737-800 operated by Jeju Air plane arrived from Bangkok and crashed while attempting to land in the town of Muan, about 290 kilometers (180 miles) south of Seoul. Footage of the crash aired by South Korean television channels showed the plane skidding across the airstrip at high speed, evidently with its landing gear still closed. Tornadoes in Texas and Mississippi kill 2 and injure 6 as severe weather system moves east HOUSTON (AP) — A strong storm system is threatening to whip up tornadoes in parts of the U.S. Southeast, a day after severe weather claimed at least two lives as twisters touched down in Texas and Mississippi. Strong storms moving eastward Sunday are expected to continue producing gusty, damaging winds, hail and tornadoes through Sunday. That is according to National Weather Service meteorologist Frank Pereira. So far, the line of severe weather has led to about 40 tornado reports from southeastern Texas to Alabama, Pereira said, but those reports remain unconfirmed until surveys of damage are completed. Israeli hospital says Netanyahu has undergone successful prostate surgery TEL AVIV, Israel (AP) — An Israeli hospital says Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has undergone successful prostate surgery. Jerusalem’s Hadassah Medical Center said his prostate was removed late Sunday and that he was recovering. Netanyahu’s office had said Justice Minister Yariv Levin, a close ally, would serve as acting prime minister during the procedure. Doctors ordered the operation after detecting an infection last week. Netanyahu is expected to remain hospitalized for several days. With so much at stake, Netanyahu’s health in wartime is a concern for both Israelis and the wider world. Syria's de facto leader says it could take up to 4 years to hold elections BEIRUT (AP) — Syria’s de facto leader has said it could take up to four years to hold elections in Syria, and that he plans on dissolving his Islamist group that led the country’s insurgency at an anticipated national dialogue summit for the country. Ahmad al-Sharaa, who leads Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, the group leading the new authority in Syria, made the remarks in an interview Sunday. That's according to the Saudi television network Al-Arabiyya. It comes almost a month after a lightning insurgency led by HTS overthrew President Bashar Assad’s decades-long rule, ending the country’s uprising-turned civil war that started back in 2011. A fourth infant dies of the winter cold in Gaza as families share blankets in seaside tents DEIR AL-BALAH, Gaza Strip (AP) — A fourth infant has died of hypothermia in Gaza, where hundreds of thousands of Palestinians displaced by nearly 15 months of war are huddled in tents along the rainy, windswept coast as winter arrives. The baby's father says the 20-day-old child was found with his head as “cold as ice” Sunday morning in their tent. The baby’s twin brother was moved to the intensive care unit of Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital. Their father says the twins were born one month premature and spent just a day in hospital, which like other Gaza health centers has been overwhelmed and only partially functions. Musk causes uproar for backing Germany's far-right party ahead of key elections BERLIN (AP) — Tech entrepreneur Elon Musk has caused uproar after backing Germany’s far-right party in a major newspaper ahead of key parliamentary elections in the Western European country, leading to the resignation of the paper’s opinion editor in protest. Germany is to vote in an early election on Feb. 23 after Chancellor Olaf Scholz’s three-party governing coalition collapsed last month in a dispute over how to revitalize the country’s stagnant economy. Musk’s guest opinion piece for Welt am Sonntag, published in German over the weekend, was the second time this month he supported the Alternative for Germany, or AfD.

Pep Guardiola leaves and Premier League winners: Pundits predict Man City end of season outcome