The Fiji men’s national sevens team needs to execute the fundamentals of the code for a chance to win the HSBC SVNS Dubai tournament which kicks off on Saturday. This was the gist of former Fiji sevens winger Vilimoni Delasau’s interview with SUNsports yesterday. “I believe all the work is done and the onus is on the players to do us proud, I believe it won’t be easy,” Delasau said. “I saw the team perform at the Mataso sevens and I could say that their fitness has improved.” Delasau said all teams in the HSBC SVNS series are competitive. “They are up to par with their fitness and their sevens programme development,” he said. “It won’t be easy, but I have faith in the coaching staff, and I believe they have done their job to make us proud.” Delasau said he was pleased with the coach’s squad selection for the Dubai 7s tournament. “Now that the right players are selected, I believe that we’ll finish in the top four,” he said. “I won’t mind us losing in the quarterfinals since it’s the first tournament. I won’t be surprised if the team finishes at the top four.” Delasau is hopeful that the team would reach the final and wishes the team well. “Either we win or lose in the final, it is where we need to be,” he said. “I urge these players to be united and do it from their heart not to be seen or to be a star,” he said. “They need to take pride in the white jersey because the upcoming players that came in the last few years have lost the zeal to represent the country. I just want that restored in the upcoming players is to have the zeal that we used to have to die for our country.” The Fiji men’s team is in the same pool as Spain, United States and New Zealand while the Fijiana side is pooled with Ireland, Australia and China. Fiji men acclimatise The Fiji Airways Fiji men’s rugby sevens team are adjusting to the Dubai weather since arriving last week in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). Head coach Osea Kolinisau acknowledged the support of the UAE rugby for hosting them before the tournament kicks off on Saturday. “We know Fiji is a long way from Dubai, we know it really means a lot to come and acclimatise especially to the weather and time difference,” he said. “We’re thankful to the UAE rugby team for sharing their pitch with us and allowing us play scrag game so we can test some of the thing we’re trying to improve on before Saturday.” Kolinisau added that the scrimmage would help the side in their preparation ahead of the Dubai 7s. He also hopes that one day UAE Rugby will play in the HSBC SVNS series. Fixtures: Fiji Airways Fijian 7s Saturday: 6:06pm: Fiji v Spain 9:52pm: Fiji v United States Sunday: 3:10am: Fiji v New Zealand Fiji Airways Fijiana 7s Saturday: 5:44pm: Fiji v Ireland 9:05pm: Fiji v Australia Sunday: 1:13am: Fiji v China Feedback: leonec@fijisun.com.fj

Some quotations from Jimmy Carter . We have a tendency to exalt ourselves and to dwell on the weaknesses and mistakes of others. I have come to realize that in every person there is something fine and pure and noble, along with a desire for self-fulfillment. Political and religious leaders must attempt to provide a society within which these human attributes can be nurtured and enhanced. — from 1975 book “Why Not the Best?” Our government can express the highest common ideals of human beings — if we demand of government true standards of excellence. At this Bicentennial time of introspection and concern, we must demand such standards. — “Why Not the Best?” I am a Southerner and an American, I am a farmer, an engineer, a father and husband, a Christian, a politician and former governor, a planner, a businessman, a nuclear physicist, a naval officer, a canoeist, and among other things a lover of Bob Dylan’s songs and Dylan Thomas’s poetry. — “Why Not the Best?” Christ said, “I tell you that anyone who looks on a woman with lust has in his heart already committed adultery.” I’ve looked on a lot of women with lust. I’ve committed adultery in my heart many times. This is something that God recognizes I will do — and I have done it — and God forgives me for it. But that doesn’t mean that I condemn someone who not only looks on a woman with lust but who leaves his wife and shacks up with somebody out of wedlock. — Interview, November 1976 Playboy. This inauguration ceremony marks a new beginning, a new dedication within our Government, and a new spirit among us all. A President may sense and proclaim that new spirit, but only a people can provide it. — Inaugural address, January 1977. It’s clear that the true problems of our nation are much deeper — deeper than gasoline lines or energy shortages, deeper even than inflation and recession. ... All the legislation in the world can’t fix what’s wrong with America. ... It is a crisis of confidence. — So-called “malaise” speech, July 1979. But we know that democracy is always an unfinished creation. Each generation must renew its foundations. Each generation must rediscover the meaning of this hallowed vision in the light of its own modern challenges. For this generation, ours, life is nuclear survival; liberty is human rights; the pursuit of happiness is a planet whose resources are devoted to the physical and spiritual nourishment of its inhabitants. — Farewell Address, January 1981. We appreciate the past. We are grateful for the present and we’re looking forward to the future with great anticipation and commitment. — October 1986, at the dedication of the Carter Presidential Library and Museum. War may sometimes be a necessary evil. But no matter how necessary, it is always an evil, never a good. We will not learn to live together in peace by killing each other’s children. — December 2002, Nobel Peace Prize acceptance speech. Fundamentalists have become increasingly influential in both religion and government, and have managed to change the nuances and subtleties of historic debate into black-and-white rigidities and the personal derogation of those who dare to disagree. ... The influence of these various trends poses a threat to many of our nation’s historic customs and moral commitments, both in government and in houses of worship. — From 2005 book “Our Endangered Values.” I think that this breakthrough by Barack Obama has been remarkable. When he made his speech (on race) a few months ago in Philadelphia, I wept. I sat in front of the television and cried, because I saw that as the most enlightening and transforming analysis of racism and a potential end of it that I ever saw in my life. — August 2008, commenting on then-Sen. Barack Obama’s candidacy. I think it’s based on racism. There is an inherent feeling among many in this country that an African-American should not be president. ... No matter who he is or how much we disagree with his policies, the president should be treated with respect. — September 2009, reacting to Rep. Joe Wilson’s shout of “You lie!” during a speech to Congress by President Barack Obama. I’m still determined to outlive the last guinea worm. — 2010, on The Carter Center’s work to eradicate guinea worm disease. You know how much I raised to run against Gerald Ford? Zero. You know how much I raised to run against Ronald Reagan? Zero. You know how much will be raised this year by all presidential, Senate and House campaigns? $6 billion. That’s 6,000 millions. — September 2012, reacting to the 2010 “Citizens United” U.S. Supreme Court decision permitting unlimited third-party political spending. I have become convinced that the most serious and unaddressed worldwide challenge is the deprivation and abuse of women and girls, largely caused by a false interpretation of carefully selected religious texts and a growing tolerance of violence and warfare, unfortunately following the example set during my lifetime by the United States. — From 2014 book “A Call to Action.” I don’t think there’s any doubt now that the NSA or other agencies monitor or record almost every telephone call made in the United States, including cellphones, and I presume email as well. We’ve gone a long way down the road of violating Americans’ basic civil rights, as far as privacy is concerned. — March 2014, commenting on U.S. intelligence monitoring after the Sept. 11, 2001, terror attacks We accept self-congratulations about the wonderful 50th anniversary - which is wonderful - but we feel like Lyndon Johnson did it and we don’t have to do anything anymore. — April 2014, commenting on racial inequality during a celebration of the Civil Rights Act’s 40th anniversary. I had a very challenging question at Emory (University) the other night: “How would you describe the United States of America today in one word?” And I didn’t know what to say for a few moments, but I finally said, “Searching.” I think the country in which we live is still searching for what it ought to be, and what it can be, and I’m not sure we’re making much progress right at this moment. — October 2014 during a celebration of his 90th birthday. The life we have now is the best of all. We have an expanding and harmonious family, a rich life in our church and the Plains community, and a diversity of projects at The Carter Center that is adventurous and exciting. Rosalynn and I have visited more than 145 countries, and both of us are as active as we have ever been. We are blessed with good health and look to the future with eagerness and confidence, but are prepared for inevitable adversity when it comes. — From 2015 book, “A Full Life.”

Rudy Giuliani tells judge he can’t pay his bills in courtroom outburstDEVCON, the Philippines’ leading tech and developer community, concluded its biggest CALABARZON regional campus summit, Tech Nexus, held in University of Batangas — Lipa. The event gathered over 700 students from more than 30 schools across Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal, and Quezon. Celebrating a Year of Growth and Announcing Exciting Initiatives Following successful DEVCON Summits in Mindanao and Visayas, Tech Nexus capped off a year marked by innovation and community-building for DEVCON’s Summit series. The event featured various activities like emerging technology talks, panel discussions, and breakout talks designed to inspire and equip the next generation of techies. DEVCON Founder and President Winston L. Damarillo graced the event with a welcome address, emphasizing the organization’s dedication to nurturing Filipino tech talent. He also revealed two exciting initiatives: Climate Innovation Summit: Scheduled for Feb. 27, 2024 at De La Salle University in Malate, Manila, this event will focus on using technology to address climate change challenges. DEVCON+: A global platform designed to connect Filipino developers with international opportunities, providing them with a pathway to a broader professional landscape. DEVCON+ will feature vetted global job opportunities from top companies worldwide, curated resources to enhance skills and stay updated with the latest trends, and opportunities to give back to the community by volunteering and guiding aspiring developers. “Campus DEVCON program brings technology, ideas, and experts to the campuses,” Mr. Damarillo explained. “The benefit for the students is that they have a head start. We can introduce them to technologies to study, careers to pursue, and potential partners early on. Having DEVCON visit campuses can help schools partner with academe and the industry ecosystem to connect and collaborate with students.” Deep Dive into the Future of Technology Tech Nexus offered students a unique chance to delve into cutting-edge technology topics shaping the future, including quantum computing, Snowflake Enterprise Data Cloud, FinTech, artificial intelligence education, blockchain smart contracts, tech leadership, cyber security, and many more. “Our event showcased carefully selected topics presented by industry experts,” said DEVCON Luzon Programs Co-Lead Mark Estopace. “Through our DEVCON Luzon Programs and Campus DEVCON Events, we’re bringing inspiration and the latest tech innovations closer to students, eliminating the need for long journeys to Manila. Next year, we aim to expand our reach to MIMAROPA, North Luzon, and strengthen our South and Central Luzon chapters,” he said. Igniting a Passion for Tech and Unveiling New Opportunities Beyond technical sessions, Tech Nexus also ignited a passion for technology among young minds. DEVCON Kids shared their partnership with the international nonprofit Code.org to conduct the most significant Hour of Code celebration with multiple chapter events in the Philippines this December. Led by the passionate DEVCON Kids Ambassador Megan Uyao, she shared with the students the inspiring work they are doing at DEVCON Kids to spark their interest and showcase the potential of coding careers to underprivileged kids. Aspiring volunteers and partners can follow the Hour of Code updates at facebook.com/DEVCONKids. “When I was nine, I didn’t think of coding that I could do or something accessible. I would think of coding as this scene from Mission Impossible. But that changed when I joined a robotics class,” Ms. Uyao said. “DEVCON Kids program is crucial for young minds to grasp AI well. Everyone thinks AI is a magic solution for everything. Still, it’s important to break it down — the data, the machine learning, the recommendation system, and, more importantly, the ethics of AI. If we let it be without ethical guardrails, AI would fail. This is an important technology that the youth and students should learn about early,” Mr. Damarillo emphasized when asked why the DEVCON Kids program matters. Empowering the Next Generation of Tech Leaders “The success of the Campus DEVCON CALABARZON Summit wouldn’t have been possible without the dedication of our incredible Campus DEVCON Ambassador 2024 Cohort, University of Batangas — Lipa Center for Business and Innovation, our Luzon Chapter Leaders, and our partners,” said Rachelle Perez, Campus DEVCON Programs and Campus DEVCON CALABARZON Summit 2024 lead. “The Campus DEVCON Ambassadors’ contributions, from brainstorming the theme to finalizing the event’s scope, were invaluable. We’re incredibly grateful for their hard work and the success of Cohort 1. Three 2024 ambassadors are now promoted and training for DEVCON Chapter Officer roles! This is a testament to the program’s ability to empower the next generation of tech leaders. We’re excited to welcome Cohort 2 and continue fostering a thriving developer community across the Philippines. Applications for Cohort 2 are now open at devcon.ph/campusambassador,” she said. A Strong Year for Communities “It’s been a remarkable year for DEVCON, and we’re proud of our team’s efforts to ensure that tech communities in the countryside aren’t left behind. We have ambitious goals to solidify further the sustainability and growth of our chapter’s impact, and we owe it to our dedicated Chapter and Program Leaders for their instrumental role in DEVCON’s achievements,” shared DEVCON’s Executive Director Dom De Leon. “With the official launch of DEVCON Pampanga, our 11th Community Chapter, we’re excited to strategically expand DEVCON’s program to more regions. Beyond the existing locations, we’re now training our local chapters to serve as accessible regional hubs to reach more underserved communities and extend our programs where they matter most,” added Mr. De Leon. For early information on 2025 sponsorships and exclusive DEVCON+ benefits for partners, e-mail partnerships@devcon.ph.

Carter served just one-term in the White House, but became one of the most active former presidents in US history. Among the maize, yam and peanut farms of Savelugu-Nanton, a remote district of northern Ghana, the legacy of Jimmy Carter is less complicated than it is back in the former US president’s homeland. Thanks to the work of his charity, The Carter Center, locals are nowadays spared the misery of Guinea worm disease – a parasite that breeds in the human belly and emerges through the skin before laying larvae in stagnant pools to await the next victim. Carter’s work in fighting the bug and tracking votes in poor countries won him a Nobel Prize for Peace in 2002. It followed a presidency that achieved a landmark Middle East peace deal, but was hamstrung by economic woes and the Iranian hostage crisis. He died on Sunday, aged 100, the Carter Center announced. He had entered hospice care in February 2023, electing to stay home after a series of short hospital stays. The former president had been diagnosed with cancer in 2015 but had responded well to treatment. At 100, he was the longest-lived president of the United States. During six decades of politics, aid work and diplomacy, Carter “was committed to ideals like human rights, peace, and improving human life”, Steven Hochman, research director at The Carter Center, told Al Jazeera. “He didn’t just want talk, he wanted action,” Hochman said. “Whether this was through monitoring elections in Latin America or witnessing the terrible suffering from Guinea worm disease in Asia and Africa, and working to eradicate it.” Southern peanuts Carter grew up on the red clay soil of rural Georgia during the Great Depression. He sold boiled peanuts on the streets of Plains, his hometown, and ploughed the land with his family. His father James “Earl” Carter, was a peanut farmer and warehouseman; his mother, Lillian, was a nurse. He married Rosalynn Smith, a family friend, in 1946. The couple celebrated their 76th wedding anniversary in July 2022, a year before the former first lady died in November 2023. After a seven-year US navy career, Carter returned to his home state of Georgia, where he garnered national attention as a Democrat state governor for his prudent management, winning a spot on the cover of Time magazine as a symbol of the “New South”. Running for the presidency, Carter styled himself as an outsider to Washington politics, which were stained by the Watergate scandal and the Vietnam War. His “Peanut Brigade”, a group of friends from Georgia, crisscrossed the US and trumpeted their candidate as a straight-talking man of principle. “Carter’s election in 1976 promised to redeem the nation from the sins of Vietnam and Watergate,” Randall Balmer, a historian and author, told Al Jazeera. “He aspired to restore faith in government, but betrayal during the Lyndon Johnson and Richard Nixon years had already given way to cynicism.” In the White House, Carter’s trademark candour did not always translate into political victories. Many of his progressive social and economic plans hit logjams in Congress; an inability to translate ideals into legislative reality sapped his popularity. The United States was mired in the stagflation woes of low economic growth, unemployment and high inflation, brought about by an energy crisis from the early 1970s. Carter’s solution, tackling US dependence on foreign oil via taxes and green energy , was quashed in the Senate. Better abroad Carter fared better overseas. He struck treaties that saw the Panama Canal brought under local control; established full diplomatic relations with China; and brokered a deal to limit nuclear weapons with Soviet leader Leonid Brezhnev. His masterwork was bringing Egyptian President Anwar Sadat and Israeli Prime Minister Menachem Begin to his presidential retreat in Camp David, Maryland, in 1978, and hammering out a peace deal between the foes over 13 tense days. “He had credibility as a peace negotiator because he listened to both sides. He could think on his feet; and speak on his feet,” said Hochman. “He was a skilled negotiator who came up with ideas for overcoming conflict and tried them out. He took chances, even if that meant he might fail.” The Camp David Accords led to full diplomatic and economic relations between the neighbours, on condition that Israel return the Sinai Peninsula to Egypt. They did not solve the Palestinian issue, but they have spared the region a repeat of the multi-state Arab-Israeli wars of 1948 and 1967 . “When Carter was considering the summit, and even after he announced it, just about every foreign-policy guru, Henry Kissinger included, counselled against it,” Gerald Rafshoon, the White House communications director under Carter, told Al Jazeera. “The wise men warned that a head of state should never go into a negotiation without knowing the outcome in advance. Carter rejected that advice – and did more to further the security of Israel than any US president before or since.” Middle East tumult The Middle East offered Carter a diplomatic win, but it also brought his downfall. In 1979, Iranian students stormed the US embassy in Tehran and took 52 Americans hostage – sparking a 444-day crisis that did not end until Carter had been kicked out of the White House. Carter’s efforts to secure the release of captives via the government of Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini were a political liability that was spotlighted nightly on US television news. A botched US rescue mission in April 1980 epitomised Carter’s misfortunes. Later that year, Americans gave the Republican presidential candidate, Ronald Reagan, a former actor and governor of California, a landslide victory over Carter. Carter’s talk of a US “crisis of spirit” and national “malaise” may have been true, but it was no vote-winner. “People say they want honest leaders, but when you give that to them, they say that’s not what a leader’s supposed to do,” Gary Sick, a White House official under Carter and other presidents, told Al Jazeera. “They expect their leaders to be somewhat devious and make things sound better than they really are. “Jimmy Carter called a spade a spade, and people weren’t prepared for that honesty.” Despite losing office, Carter’s diplomatic skills remained in demand. He mediated in Nicaragua, Panama, and Ethiopia, helped broker a power handover in Haiti and tackled North Korea’s nuclear weapons scheme. He wrote several books, mostly on Middle East peace. He also retained the frankness that created political foes while president. He said the 2003 invasion of Iraq was “unjust”; and that the US was “in bed with the Israelis to the detriment” of Palestinians. An evangelical Christian, he also criticised abortion . In 2006 Carter published the book Palestine: Peace Not Apartheid. He defended the use of the word apartheid in a 2007 interview with the US broadcaster NPR, calling it “an accurate description of what has been going on in the West Bank”. He also said he hoped the book would make Americans aware of “the horrible oppression and persecution of the Palestinian people and it would precipitate for the first time any substantive debate on these issues”. More than a decade later, major human rights organisations, including Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International , would back his assessment, accusing Israel of imposing apartheid on Palestinians. Philanthropy: The Carter Center Founded in 1982 by the former president and his wife, The Carter Center has monitored 113 elections in 39 countries and tackled diseases such as river blindness, trachoma and malaria, often by bringing medics to less populated, less frequented areas. There were 3.5 million cases of Guinea worm disease in 21 African and Asian countries when Carter declared war on the metre-long parasites in 1986. Savelugu-Nanton district and the rest of Ghana was declared rid of the disease in 2015, and has virtually been wiped out elsewhere. Late into life, the former president continued to volunteer for the home-building organisation Habitat for Humanity, hosting an annual event that attracted thousands of volunteers in the US and abroad. Carter’s supporters say that history will judge his presidency more favourably than American voters did in 1980. Outside the White House, the legacy of the father of four and grandfather of 22 is assured. In his own words: “I can’t deny I’m a better ex-president than I was a president.”St. John's 58, Stony Brook 34

Unlike scores of people who scrambled for the blockbuster drugs Ozempic and Wegovy to lose weight in recent years, Danielle Griffin had no trouble getting them. The 38-year-old information technology worker from New Mexico had a prescription. Her pharmacy had the drugs in stock. And her health insurance covered all but $25 to $50 of the monthly cost. For Griffin, the hardest part of using the new drugs wasn’t access. It was finding out that the much-hyped medications didn’t really work for her. “I have been on Wegovy for a year and a half and have only lost 13 pounds,” said Griffin, who watches her diet, drinks plenty of water and exercises regularly. “I’ve done everything right with no success. It’s discouraging.” In clinical trials, most participants taking Wegovy or Mounjaro to treat obesity lost an average of 15% to 22% of their body weight — up to 50 pounds or more in many cases. But roughly 10% to 15% of patients in those trials were “nonresponders” who lost less than 5% of their body weight. Now that millions of people have used the drugs, several obesity experts told The Associated Press that perhaps 20% of patients — as many as 1 in 5 — may not respond well to the medications. It's a little-known consequence of the obesity drug boom, according to doctors who caution eager patients not to expect one-size-fits-all results. “It's all about explaining that different people have different responses,” said Dr. Fatima Cody Stanford, an obesity expert at Massachusetts General Hospital The drugs are known as GLP-1 receptor agonists because they mimic a hormone in the body known as glucagon-like peptide 1. Genetics, hormones and variability in how the brain regulates energy can all influence weight — and a person's response to the drugs, Stanford said. Medical conditions such as sleep apnea can prevent weight loss, as can certain common medications, such as antidepressants, steroids and contraceptives. “This is a disease that stems from the brain,” said Stanford. “The dysfunction may not be the same” from patient to patient. Despite such cautions, patients are often upset when they start getting the weekly injections but the numbers on the scale barely budge. “It can be devastating,” said Dr. Katherine Saunders, an obesity expert at Weill Cornell Medicine and co-founder of the obesity treatment company FlyteHealth. “With such high expectations, there’s so much room for disappointment.” That was the case for Griffin, who has battled obesity since childhood and hoped to shed 70 pounds using Wegovy. The drug helped reduce her appetite and lowered her risk of diabetes, but she saw little change in weight. “It’s an emotional roller coaster,” she said. “You want it to work like it does for everybody else.” The medications are typically prescribed along with eating behavior and lifestyle changes. It’s usually clear within weeks whether someone will respond to the drugs, said Dr. Jody Dushay, an endocrine specialist at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center. Weight loss typically begins right away and continues as the dosage increases. For some patients, that just doesn't happen. For others, side effects such as nausea, vomiting and diarrhea force them to halt the medications, Dushay said. In such situations, patients who were counting on the new drugs to pare pounds may think they’re out of options. “I tell them: It's not game over,” Dushay said. Trying a different version of the new class of drugs may help. Griffin, who didn't respond well to Wegovy, has started using Zepbound, which targets an additional hormone pathway in the body. After three months of using the drug, she has lost 7 pounds. “I'm hoping it's slow and steady,” she said. Other people respond well to older drugs, the experts said. Changing diet, exercise, sleep and stress habits can also have profound effects. Figuring out what works typically requires a doctor trained to treat obesity, Saunders noted. “Obesity is such a complex disease that really needs to be treated very comprehensively,” she said. “If what we’re prescribing doesn’t work, we always have a backup plan.” The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Science and Educational Media Group. The AP is solely responsible for all content.

Leader of California white supremacist group gets two years in prisonFORT WORTH, Texas (AP) — TCU leading scorer Frankie Collins will miss the rest of the season because of a broken bone in his left foot, the school said Friday. The 6-foot-2 senior guard, in his first season at TCU after spending the past two at Arizona State, is scheduled to have surgery Tuesday in Dallas. Collins leads the Horned Frogs (5-4) with 11.2 points and 4.4 assists per game. He also averages 4.4 rebounds per game. TCU said Collins broke his foot in the first half of its 83-74 loss to Vanderbilt last Sunday. He still played 35 minutes, finishing with six points and seven assists. Collins played 31 games as a freshman for Michigan's NCAA Sweet 16 team in 2021-22 before transferring to Arizona State. He started all 32 games last season for the Sun Devils, averaging 13.6 points, 4.4 rebounds and 3.2 assists per game. He could potentially get another college season through a medical redshirt. Arizona State is in its first Big 12 season. It will host TCU on Feb. 15. AP college basketball: https://apnews.com/hub/college-basketball and https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-basketball-pollRutgers tries to avoid another Ivy loss when Columbia visits

TCU leading scorer Frankie Collins will miss rest of season after breaking left foot

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Janette Nesheiwat, a family medicine doctor who runs a chain of urgent care clinics, is President-elect Donald Trump ’s pick for surgeon general ― one of the nation’s leading voices on matters of public health. She’s a fixture on Fox News , home to several of Trump’s other intended Cabinet nominees . And she’s long been a vocal Trump supporter: Her social media accounts feature videos of Trump wishing her a happy birthday, selfies with him on the White House lawn and pictures with members of his inner circle at his Madison Square Garden rally. Her sister, Julia Nesheiwat, also served as Trump’s homeland security adviser during his last year in office. If she’s confirmed by the Senate, she’ll be expected to set the tone on how the government approaches Americans’ medical concerns, launch programs to promote healthy lifestyles and weigh in on ongoing public health issues, from the opioid epidemic to youth nicotine use. And she’ll also oversee the 6,000 members of the United States Public Health Service Corps. Here’s what else there is to know about her: She’s a Fox News medical contributor with little public health experience Nesheiwat, the medical director for a New York-area urgent care clinic network, has been a Fox News medical contributor since the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic. On her website and social media, she’s shared about her medical missions to Ukraine and Morocco. But overall, her public health experience is thin compared to that of the current surgeon general, Vivek Murthy, who also served under former President Barack Obama and was involved in multiple nationwide health care efforts prior to taking the job. Fox News has called on Nesheiwat to weigh in on all sorts of medical stories. When Trump began taking the antimalarial drug hydroxychloroquine to ward off COVID-19, Nesheiwat came on to say it was a “ smart ” idea and that she’d prescribed it to some of her patients infected with the virus. At the time, no testing had established the effectiveness of using hydroxychloroquine, which has substantial potential harms, to prevent COVID-19. The World Health Organization later said that after completing six trials, it did not recommend taking hydroxychloroquine to either prevent or treat the disease. Nesheiwat emphasized the importance of consulting with a doctor before trying out the drug. But people found ways around that. After Trump began promoting the drug, a man in Arizona died from ingesting a chloroquine-containing aquarium product. She sells her own brand of dietary supplements Nesheiwat is behind a dietary supplement called BC Boost that contains vitamins C, B-12, D and zinc. The product, which features her image on the bottle, claims that within a few weeks, “your immune system will still be strengthened.” “I was always telling my patients who were unwell drink some tea, take some vitamin b12 and vitamin C,” she says on a website advertising the supplement . “I found myself repeating my all natural regimen to my patients over and over ‘take some B12 and C to Boost’ your immune system.” Medical experts and public health agencies say that for the vast majority of people, the best way to get those vitamins is through a healthy diet . Overconsumption of certain nutrients — including some of the vitamins in BC Boost’s product, albeit at higher doses — may lead to serious health problems , including kidney stones and heart rhythm issues. While the supplement industry is regulated by the Food and Drug Administration, the agency does not consider supplements to be medicine, and companies are not required to prove that their products are effective. A 30-day supply of Nesheiwat’s product costs $26.99. She’s praised vaccines but slammed vaccine mandates Nesheiwat has been a big proponent of the COVID-19 vaccine for adults, saying its benefits “greatly outweigh” any short-lived side effects and describing it as “a gift from God .” But in the years since the peak of the pandemic, Nesheiwat has expressed opposition to vaccine requirements. “To mandate vaccines, at this point, I think, is the wrong move,” she said on Fox News in the summer of last year. She also blamed vaccine mandates for negatively affecting the U.S. workforce. “We lost good firefighters, police officers, teachers, healthcare providers and even athletes who refused to capitulate to the out-of-date, CDC regulations,” she wrote in an opinion piece for Fox News in April 2023. In that same piece, Nesheiwat claimed mask and vaccine mandates were ineffective because the virus continued to spread, even with these measures in place. But she at least partially credited the shots for easing the pandemic: “With time,” she wrote, “the severity decreased most likely due to population immunity and re-infection along with vaccination.” Nesheiwat has also questioned giving the COVID-19 vaccine to children. In late 2021, she said on Fox News that “a booster or third dose might cause ... a rare form of myocarditis or pericarditis ,” which are types of heart inflammation, in young boys. She failed to mention that such side effects following a vaccine are very rare, and that patients are much more likely to develop those conditions following COVID-19 infection than they are from the vaccine. She’s spoken out against treatments for transgender kids During a 2022 Fox News appearance , Nesheiwat acknowledged that transgender children exist and urged their parents to “accept them and love them for who they are,” noting that rates of suicide attempts among transgender kids are significantly higher than that of their cisgender peers. Don't let this be the end of the free press. The free press is under attack — and America's future hangs in the balance. As other newsrooms bow to political pressure, HuffPost is not backing down. Would you help us keep our news free for all? We can't do it without you. Can't afford to contribute? Support HuffPost by creating a free account and log in while you read. You've supported HuffPost before, and we'll be honest — we could use your help again . We view our mission to provide free, fair news as critically important in this crucial moment, and we can't do it without you. Whether you give once or many more times, we appreciate your contribution to keeping our journalism free for all. You've supported HuffPost before, and we'll be honest — we could use your help again . We view our mission to provide free, fair news as critically important in this crucial moment, and we can't do it without you. Whether you give just one more time or sign up again to contribute regularly, we appreciate you playing a part in keeping our journalism free for all. Already contributed? Log in to hide these messages. Despite acknowledging that, she claimed the medical establishment is “only wanting to push drugs and hormones and other types of surgical interventions, rather than taking a conservative approach, such as psychotherapy.” It’s false that doctors are pushing those types of treatments on children. A 2022 Reuters report found that only around 10% of 42,167 children ages 6-17 who’d been diagnosed with gender dysphoria in 2021 were prescribed hormone or puberty blocker treatments. Among those with the diagnosis, a mere 0.6% of them received gender-affirming top surgery. Nesheiwat’s stance on this issue is out of step with that of every major medical group in the United States, which have determined that gender-related medical care is effective and medically necessary. She’s also accused Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra of focusing about transgender health care at the expense of addressing sexually transmitted infections and spoken out against transgender athletes’ inclusion in women’s sports. Related From Our Partner

A trademark filing from Trump Media & Technology Group DJT has the cryptocurrency sector on high alert. President-elect Donald Trump's pro-crypto stance has already led to Bitcoin BTC/USD hitting several new all-time highs since the 2024 election. What Happened: Fresh off of reports that Trump Media & Technology Group was looking to acquire cryptocurrency company Bakkt Holdings BKKT , a new trademark filing could further signal the media company's growing crypto aspirations. Trademark attorney Josh Gerben shared a post about Trump Media Thursday, shown as T Media Tech LLC on the patent filing, which trademarks "TruthFi." The filing was made with the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) on Nov. 18, according to Gerben. Gerben lists the following elements of the trademark filing for TruthFi: Digital wallets Analysis and compilation of data and statistics for financial research purposes Payment processing of cryptocurrency and credit cards Management of financial assets Digital asset trading Benzinga has contacted Trump Media for comment on the trademark filing. Did You Know? Congress Is Making Huge Investments. Get Tips On What They Bought And Sold Ahead Of The 2024 Election With Our Easy-to-Use Tool Why It's Important: Gerben told the New York Times the trademark filing could be a way for Trump Media to reserve the desired name if it goes forward with plans for a crypto business. While the trademark filing doesn't guarantee that Trump Media will enter the cryptocurrency sector, Gerben said there is a high chance of this. "In my experience, most of the time if a client is going to file an application, there is something going on," Gerben told the Times. The New York Times said Trump Media launching a cryptocurrency business could involve acquiring a company given its small employee count. The Financial Times previously reported that Trump Media was in advanced talks to acquire Bakkt, a cryptocurrency company backed by Intercontinental Exchange ICE . Bakkt said in June it was exploring strategic alternatives that could include a sale or breakup of the company. Trump does not have a role at Trump Media, but is the largest shareholder of the company he co-founded, with around 53% of shares. Donald Trump Jr. , his eldest son, is on the company’s board. The president-elect previously spoke ill of Bitcoin and cryptocurrency before reversing course before the 2024 election, a move that won him potential votes from single-issue cryptocurrency voters. An acquisition of Bakkt would push Trump’s media company and the president-elect deeper into the cryptocurrency sector, which comes after he promoted a crypto venture called World Liberty Financial with business partners. A push into the cryptocurrency sector by Trump's media company and the appointment of new pro-crypto executives in his White House administration could prove to be a win-win for the president-elect. DJT, BKKT Price Action: Trump Media shares gained 1.3% Thursday, closing at $30.49 versus a 52-week trading range of $22.55 to $79.38. Bakkt shares were down 1.6% to $31.10 versus a 52-week trading range of $5.57 to $68.75. Bakkt stock is down 41% year-to-date, but higher in the last five days by more than 140%. Read Next: A Hedge Fund Hit Big On Trump’s Rumored Crypto Acquisition And Could Be Up $14.15 Million Photo via Shutterstock. © 2024 Benzinga.com. Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved.Jimmy Carter’s ascent to the White House was something few people could have predicted when he was governor of the US state of Georgia. It was no different for Jimmy Carter in the early 1970s. It took meeting several presidential candidates and then encouragement from an esteemed elder statesman before the young governor, who had never met a president himself, saw himself as something bigger. He announced his White House bid on December 12 1974, amid fallout from the Vietnam War and the resignation of Richard Nixon. Then he leveraged his unknown, and politically untainted, status to become the 39th president. That whirlwind path has been a model, explicit and otherwise, for would-be contenders ever since. “Jimmy Carter’s example absolutely created a 50-year window of people saying, ‘Why not me?’” said Steve Schale, who worked on President Barack Obama’s campaigns and is a long-time supporter of President Joe Biden. Mr Carter’s journey to high office began in Plains, Georgia where he received end-of-life care decades after serving as president. David Axelrod, who helped to engineer Mr Obama’s four-year ascent from state senator to the Oval Office, said Mr Carter’s model is about more than how his grassroots strategy turned the Iowa caucuses and New Hampshire primary into his springboard. “There was a moral stain on the country, and this was a guy of deep faith,” Mr Axelrod said. “He seemed like a fresh start, and I think he understood that he could offer something different that might be able to meet the moment.” Donna Brazile, who managed Democrat Al Gore’s 2000 presidential campaign, got her start on Mr Carter’s two national campaigns. “In 1976, it was just Jimmy Carter’s time,” she said. Of course, the seeds of his presidential run sprouted even before Mr Nixon won a second term and certainly before his resignation in August 1974. In Mr Carter’s telling, he did not run for governor in 1966, he lost, or in 1970 thinking about Washington. Even when he announced his presidential bid, neither he nor those closest to him were completely confident. “President of what?” his mother, Lillian, replied when he told her his plans. But soon after he became governor in 1971, Mr Carter’s team envisioned him as a national player. They were encouraged in part by the May 31 Time magazine cover depicting Mr Carter alongside the headline “Dixie Whistles a Different Tune”. Inside, a flattering profile framed Mr Carter as a model “New South” governor. In October 1971, Carter ally Dr Peter Bourne, an Atlanta physician who would become US drug tsar, sent his politician friend an unsolicited memo outlining how he could be elected president. On October 17, a wider circle of advisers sat with Mr Carter at the Governor’s Mansion to discuss it. Mr Carter, then 47, wore blue jeans and a T-shirt, according to biographer Jonathan Alter. The team, including Mr Carter’s wife Rosalynn, who died aged 96 in November 2023, began considering the idea seriously. “We never used the word ‘president’,” Mr Carter recalled upon his 90th birthday, “but just referred to national office”. Mr Carter invited high-profile Democrats and Washington players who were running or considering running in 1972, to one-on-one meetings at the mansion. He jumped at the chance to lead the Democratic National Committee’s national campaign that year. The position allowed him to travel the country helping candidates up and down the ballot. Along the way, he was among the Southern governors who angled to be George McGovern’s running mate. Mr Alter said Mr Carter was never seriously considered. Still, Mr Carter got to know, among others, former vice president Hubert Humphrey and senators Henry Jackson of Washington, Eugene McCarthy of Maine and Mr McGovern of South Dakota, the eventual nominee who lost a landslide to Mr Nixon. Mr Carter later explained he had previously defined the nation’s highest office by its occupants immortalised by monuments. “For the first time,” Mr Carter told The New York Times, “I started comparing my own experiences and knowledge of government with the candidates, not against ‘the presidency’ and not against Thomas Jefferson and George Washington. It made it a whole lot easier”. Adviser Hamilton Jordan crafted a detailed campaign plan calling for matching Mr Carter’s outsider, good-government credentials to voters’ general disillusionment, even before Watergate. But the team still spoke and wrote in code, as if the “higher office” were not obvious. It was reported during his campaign that Mr Carter told family members around Christmas 1972 that he would run in 1976. Mr Carter later wrote in a memoir that a visit from former secretary of state Dean Rusk in early 1973 affirmed his leanings. During another private confab in Atlanta, Mr Rusk told Mr Carter plainly: “Governor, I think you should run for president in 1976.” That, Mr Carter wrote, “removed our remaining doubts.” Mr Schale said the process is not always so involved. “These are intensely competitive people already,” he said of governors, senators and others in high office. “If you’re wired in that capacity, it’s hard to step away from it.” “Jimmy Carter showed us that you can go from a no-name to president in the span of 18 or 24 months,” said Jared Leopold, a top aide in Washington governor Jay Inslee’s unsuccessful bid for Democrats’ 2020 nomination. “For people deciding whether to get in, it’s a real inspiration,” Mr Leopold continued, “and that’s a real success of American democracy”.The Pittsburgh Steelers hosted former Cleveland Browns nose tackle Siaki Ika on a free agent visit on Wednesday, according to a report by Aaron Wilson of KPRC-TV in Houston. Ika, 24, was the Browns’ third-round pick in the 2023 NFL Draft out of Baylor. The 6-foot-3, 335-pound defensive lineman played in four games for the Browns as a rookie last year, playing in 100 snaps without recording a statistic. He was waived from the team this August and placed on the practice squad before being released on Oct. 15. The Philadelphia Eagles then signed him to their practice squad on Oct. 23 and cut him on Nov. 20. Both Philadelphia and Cleveland play base 4-3 defenses, where they don’t regularly use a nose tackle outside of goal-line situations. He could be a better fit in Pittsburgh, where the Steelers have not had a true backup to Keeanu Benton on the 53-man roster with Montravius Adams on the IR. The Steelers do have two nose tackles on their practices squad, Breiden Fehoko and Domenique Davis. Ika, a Utah native of Tongan descent, attended LSU for two years before transferring to Baylor in 2021. With the Bears, he had a breakout junior season in 2021, recording 24 tackles, six tackles for loss, four sacks and a pass breakup in 13 games, putting him on NFL Draft radars. Ika’s numbers weren’t as good as a senior posting 24 tackles, two tackles for loss and two passes defended in 2022. The massive nose tackle did not perform well in pre-draft testing. He ran a comically slow 5.39-second 40-yard dash and did not participate in the bench press. His stock slid from a borderline first-round draft pick to a third-rounder, and he still went below his NFL Mock Draft Database projection when the Browns took him at pick No. 98. This article first appeared on Steelers Now and was syndicated with permission.

50 EH/s expansion accelerated to H1 2025 Focused on alternative funding instruments Potential for investor distributions in 2025 Transition to U.S. domestic issuer SYDNEY, Nov. 26, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- IREN (NASDAQ: IREN ) (together with its subsidiaries, "IREN” or "the Company”), today reported its financial results for the first quarter ended September 30, 2024. All $ amounts are in United States Dollars ("USD”) unless otherwise stated. "We are pleased to report our Q1 FY25 results and reiterate our focus on low-cost Bitcoin mining, operating cashflows and shareholder returns,” said Daniel Roberts, Co-Founder and Co-CEO of IREN. "We are just weeks away from achieving our 31 EH/s milestone and are excited to announce the acceleration of our growth trajectory to 50 EH/s in H1 2025, which was previously H2 2025. Our funding program is focused on alternative funding instruments and the strong operating cashflows we expect to generate enhances our flexibility to support potential distributions in 2025.” Business Update Bitcoin Mining (USD$m) 1 Sep 30, 2024 June 30, 2024 (USD$m) Sep 30, 2024 June 30, 2024 This press release includes "forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements generally relate to future events or IREN's future financial or operating performance. For example, forward-looking statements include but are not limited to the Company's business strategy, expected operational and financial results, and expected increase in power capacity and hashrate. In some cases, you can identify forward-looking statements by terminology such as "anticipate,” "believe,” "may,” "can,” "should,” "could,” "might,” "plan,” "possible,” "project,” "strive,” "budget,” "forecast,” "expect,” "intend,” "target”, "will,” "estimate,” "predict,” "potential,” "continue,” "scheduled” or the negatives of these terms or variations of them or similar terminology, but the absence of these words does not mean that statement is not forward-looking. Such forward-looking statements are subject to risks, uncertainties, and other factors which could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. In addition, any statements or information that refer to expectations, beliefs, plans, projections, objectives, performance or other characterizations of future events or circumstances, including any underlying assumptions, are forward-looking. These forward-looking statements are based on management's current expectations and beliefs. These statements are neither promises nor guarantees, but involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other important factors that may cause IREN's actual results, performance or achievements to be materially different from any future results performance or achievements expressed or implied by the forward looking statements, including, but not limited to: Bitcoin price and foreign currency exchange rate fluctuations; IREN's ability to obtain additional capital on commercially reasonable terms and in a timely manner to meet its capital needs and facilitate its expansion plans; the terms of any future financing or any refinancing, restructuring or modification to the terms of any future financing, which could require IREN to comply with onerous covenants or restrictions, and its ability to service its debt obligations, any of which could restrict its business operations and adversely impact its financial condition, cash flows and results of operations; IREN's ability to successfully execute on its growth strategies and operating plans, including its ability to continue to develop its existing data center sites and to diversify and expand into the market for high performance computing ("HPC”) solutions it may offer (including the market for AI Cloud Services); IREN's limited experience with respect to new markets it has entered or may seek to enter, including the market for HPC solutions (including AI Cloud Services); expectations with respect to the ongoing profitability, viability, operability, security, popularity and public perceptions of the Bitcoin network; expectations with respect to the profitability, viability, operability, security, popularity and public perceptions of any current and future HPC solutions (including AI Cloud Services) that IREN offers; IREN's ability to secure and retain customers on commercially reasonable terms or at all, particularly as it relates to its strategy to expand into markets for HPC solutions (including AI Cloud Services); IREN's ability to manage counterparty risk (including credit risk) associated with any current or future customers, including customers of its HPC solutions (including AI Cloud Services) and other counterparties; the risk that any current or future customers, including customers of its HPC solutions (including AI Cloud Services), or other counterparties may terminate, default on or underperform their contractual obligations; Bitcoin global hashrate fluctuations; IREN's ability to secure renewable energy, renewable energy certificates, power capacity, facilities and sites on commercially reasonable terms or at all; delays associated with, or failure to obtain or complete, permitting approvals, grid connections and other development activities customary for greenfield or brownfield infrastructure projects; IREN's reliance on power and utilities providers, third party mining pools, exchanges, banks, insurance providers and its ability to maintain relationships with such parties; expectations regarding availability and pricing of electricity; IREN's participation and ability to successfully participate in demand response products and services and other load management programs run, operated or offered by electricity network operators, regulators or electricity market operators; the availability, reliability and/or cost of electricity supply, hardware and electrical and data center infrastructure, including with respect to any electricity outages and any laws and regulations that may restrict the electricity supply available to IREN; any variance between the actual operating performance of IREN's miner hardware achieved compared to the nameplate performance including hashrate; IREN's ability to curtail its electricity consumption and/or monetize electricity depending on market conditions, including changes in Bitcoin mining economics and prevailing electricity prices; actions undertaken by electricity network and market operators, regulators, governments or communities in the regions in which IREN operates; the availability, suitability, reliability and cost of internet connections at IREN's facilities; IREN's ability to secure additional hardware, including hardware for Bitcoin mining and any current or future HPC solutions (including AI Cloud Services) it offers, on commercially reasonable terms or at all, and any delays or reductions in the supply of such hardware or increases in the cost of procuring such hardware; expectations with respect to the useful life and obsolescence of hardware (including hardware for Bitcoin mining as well as hardware for other applications, including any current or future HPC solutions (including AI Cloud Services) IREN offers); delays, increases in costs or reductions in the supply of equipment used in IREN's operations; IREN's ability to operate in an evolving regulatory environment; IREN's ability to successfully operate and maintain its property and infrastructure; reliability and performance of IREN's infrastructure compared to expectations; malicious attacks on IREN's property, infrastructure or IT systems; IREN's ability to maintain in good standing the operating and other permits and licenses required for its operations and business; IREN's ability to obtain, maintain, protect and enforce its intellectual property rights and confidential information; any intellectual property infringement and product liability claims; whether the secular trends IREN expects to drive growth in its business materialize to the degree it expects them to, or at all; any pending or future acquisitions, dispositions, joint ventures or other strategic transactions; the occurrence of any environmental, health and safety incidents at IREN's sites, and any material costs relating to environmental, health and safety requirements or liabilities; damage to IREN's property and infrastructure and the risk that any insurance IREN maintains may not fully cover all potential exposures; ongoing proceedings relating in part to the default, and any future litigation, claims and/or regulatory investigations, and the costs, expenses, use of resources, diversion of management time and efforts, liability and damages that may result therefrom; IREN's failure to comply with any laws including the anti-corruption laws of the United States and various international jurisdictions; any failure of IREN's compliance and risk management methods; any laws, regulations and ethical standards that may relate to IREN's business, including those that relate to Bitcoin and the Bitcoin mining industry and those that relate to any other services it offers, including laws and regulations related to data privacy, cybersecurity and the storage, use or processing of information and consumer laws; IREN's ability to attract, motivate and retain senior management and qualified employees; increased risks to IREN's global operations including, but not limited to, political instability, acts of terrorism, theft and vandalism, cyberattacks and other cybersecurity incidents and unexpected regulatory and economic sanctions changes, among other things; climate change, severe weather conditions and natural and man-made disasters that may materially adversely affect IREN's business, financial condition and results of operations; public health crises, including an outbreak of an infectious disease (such as COVID-19) and any governmental or industry measures taken in response; IREN's ability to remain competitive in dynamic and rapidly evolving industries; damage to IREN's brand and reputation; expectations relating to Environmental, Social or Governance issues or reporting; the costs of being a public company; the increased regulatory and compliance costs of IREN ceasing to be a foreign private issuer and an emerging growth company, as a result of which we will be required, among other things, to file periodic reports and registration statements on U.S. domestic issuer forms with the SEC commencing with our next fiscal year, prepare our financial statements in accordance with U.S. GAAP rather than IFRS, and to modify certain of our policies to comply with corporate governance practices required of U.S. domestic issuers; and other important factors discussed under the caption "Risk Factors” in IREN's annual report on Form 20-F filed with the SEC on August 28, 2024 as such factors may be updated from time to time in its other filings with the SEC, accessible on the SEC's website at www.sec.gov and the Investor Relations section of IREN's website at https://investors.iren.com. These and other important factors could cause actual results to differ materially from those indicated by the forward-looking statements made in this investor update. Any forward-looking statement that IREN makes in this investor update speaks only as of the date of such statement. Except as required by law, IREN disclaims any obligation to update or revise, or to publicly announce any update or revision to, any of the forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. Non-IFRS Financial Measures This press release includes non-IFRS financial measures, including Net electricity costs, Adjusted EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA Margin. We provide these measures in addition to, and not as a substitute for, measures of financial performance prepared in accordance with IFRS. There are a number of limitations related to the use of Net electricity costs, Adjusted EBTIDA and Adjusted EBITDA Margin. For example, other companies, including companies in our industry, may calculate these measures differently. The Company believes that these measures are important and supplement discussions and analysis of its results of operations and enhances an understanding of its operating performance. EBITDA is calculated as our IFRS profit/(loss) after income tax expense, excluding interest income, finance expense and non-cash fair value loss and interest expense on hybrid financial instruments, income tax expense, depreciation and amortization, which are important components of our IFRS profit/(loss) after income tax expense. Further, "Adjusted EBITDA” also excludes share-based payments expense, which is an important component of our IFRS profit/(loss) after income tax expense, foreign exchange gains and losses, impairment of assets, certain other non-recurring income, loss on disposal of property, plant and equipment, gain on disposal of subsidiaries, unrealized fair value gains and losses on financial assets and certain other expense items. Net electricity costs is calculated as our IFRS Electricity charges net of Realized gain/(loss) on financial asset, ERS revenue (included in Other income) and ERS fees (included in Other operating expenses), and excludes the cost of Renewable Energy Certificates (RECs). About IREN IREN is a leading data center business powering the future of Bitcoin, AI and beyond utilizing 100% renewable energy. Sodali & Co +61 477 946 068 IREN +61 407 423 395 [email protected] Aircover Communications +1 510 333 2707