Online predators are becoming increasingly resourceful in trolling media platforms where children gravitate, prompting an explosion in police case loads, said an officer who works for the RCMP Integrated Child Exploitation Unit in British Columbia. Data show the problem spiked during COVID-19 when children began spending more time online — but rates did not wane as police anticipated after lockdowns ended. In B.C., they soared, almost quadrupling from 2021 to 2023. Const. Solana Pare is now warning exploitation of children is likely here to stay, as a technological race between police and predators gains momentum. "Technology is becoming more and more available, and online platforms and social media sites are being used by children younger and younger, which provides an opportunity for predators to connect with them," Pare said in an interview. Police say child exploitation cases in B.C. went from about 4,600 in 2021 to 9,600 in 2022 to 15,920 reports last year. The upwards trend is seen nationally, too. Statistics Canada says the rate of online child sexual exploitation reported to police rose by 58 per cent from 2019 to 2022, and police data show cases have continued to rise. The RCMP's National Child Exploitation Crime Centre reported that from April 1, 2023, to March 31, 2024, it received 118,162 reports of suspected online child sexual exploitation offences — a 15 per cent increase compared with the previous year. Online child sexual exploitation, Pare explained, includes offences such as sextortion, child luring and the creation or distribution of sexually explicit images of a minor. "We don't see these types of reports going away," Pare said. "We only see them increasing because the use of electronic devices and social media, and kids being online earlier and earlier is becoming more common. There's going to be more opportunity for predators to target children online." Monique St. Germain, general counsel for the Canadian Centre for Child Protection, said the most common type of child luring is communicating with a youth online in order get them to produce sexual abuse material. She said "the pandemic accelerated those types of cases, and it hasn't slowed down." "The tools (Canadian authorities) have to deal with this type of behaviour are inadequate for the scope and the scale of what's going on," she said. The rise of 'sextortion' Online exploitation gained international attention in 2015 in the case of Port Coquitlam, B.C., teenager, Amanda Todd, who died by suicide after being blackmailed and harassed online by a man for years, starting when she was 12. The month before the 15-year-old died, she uploaded a nine-minute video using a series of flash cards detailing the abuse she experienced by the stranger and how it had affected her life. It's been viewed millions of times. Dutch national Aydin Coban was extradited to Canada for trial and, in October 2022, he was convicted of charges including the extortion and harassment of Todd. Since then, the term "sextortion" has made its way into the vernacular as more cases come to light. Among them was Carson Cleland, a 12-year-old Prince George, B.C., boy who died by suicide in October 2023 after falling victim to the crime. In New Brunswick that same month, 16-year-old William Doiron took his own life after falling victim to a global sextortion scheme. Mounties across Canada have issued news releases warning of increased cases in their communities, noting that the consequences for the victims can include self-harm and suicide. St. Germain said technology, such as artificial intelligence, is also becoming more user-friendly. "The existence of that technology and its ease of use and ready accessibility is a problem, and it is going to be an increasingly large problem as we move forward," she said. Pare said police are also adapting to technological advancements in order to keep up with the ever-changing online landscape. "Police are constantly obtaining training on digital technologies to increase our knowledge and understanding of all the intricacies involving their use and how to capture any digital evidence," she said. Pare said the true rates of the crime are impossible to determine, but pointed to increased social awareness and legislation across North America around mandatory reporting of child abuse material from social media companies as a potential reason for the increase. It's not going undetected any longer, she said. "Additionally, there's been a lot of use in artificial intelligence to detect child exploitation materials within those platforms." Pare said "it's up to each individual platform" to ensure there is no child sexual abuse material on their sites or apps. "With mandatory reporting, it's putting the onus back on the electronic service providers to ensure they have measures in place to prevent this from happening, and if it is happening that it is being reported," she said. "That being said, there are times when things don't get located." That is why the Canadian Centre for Child Protection has been advocating for the adoption of the Online Harms Bill that the federal government introduced in February, St. Germain said. "It's shocking that up until now, we've relied on companies to self regulate, meaning we've just relied on them to do the right thing," she said. "What we are seeing in terms of the number of offences and in terms of all the harm that is happening in society as a result of online platforms is completely tied to the decision not to regulate. We need to have rules in any sector, and this sector is no different." 'Canada is realy behind' The Online Harms Bill covers seven types of harms, from non-consensual sharing of intimate images to content that can be used to bully a child. Earlier this month, Justice Minister Arif Virani announced the Liberal government will split the bill into two parts: dealing with keeping children safe online, and combating predators and issues related to revenge pornography. “We are putting our emphasis and prioritization and our time and efforts on the first portion of the bill,” Virani told reporters on Dec. 5. Such measures would include a new Digital Safety Commission of Canada, which would compel social media companies to outline how they plan to reduce the risks their platforms pose to users, particularly minors. It would have the power to levy fines and evaluate companies’ digital safety plans. St. Germain said such a split "makes sense," noting that most objections to the bill are related to changes to the Criminal Code and not measures around curbing harms to children. "There obviously are differences of opinion in terms of what is the best way forward, and what kind of regulatory approach makes sense, and who should the regulator be, but there does seem to be consensus on the idea that we need to do more in terms of protecting children online," she said, adding that the organization is still in support of the second half of the bill. She said the United Kingdom previously passed its own Online Safety Act that will come into effect in 2025, which includes requiring social media firms to protect children from content such as self-harm material, pornography and violent content. Failure to do so will result in fines. "Canada is really behind," she said. "The amount of information that has come out of the U.K., the amount of time and care and attention that their legislatures have paid to this issue is really quite remarkable, and we really hope that Canada steps up and does something for Canadian children soon." In the absence of national legislation, province's have filled the void. In January, B.C. enacted the Intimate Images Protection Act, providing a path for victims to have online photos, videos or deep fakes expeditiously removed. Individuals are fined up to $500 per day and websites up to $5,000 a day if they don't comply with orders to stop distributing images that are posted without consent. B.C.'s Ministry of the Attorney General said that as of Dec. 11, the Civil Resolution Tribunal had received a total of 199 disputes under the Intimate Images Protection Act. It said the Intimate Images Protection Service had served more than 240 clients impacted by the non-consensual distribution of intimate images, adding that four awards of $5,000 each and one for $3,000 had been supplied as of mid-December. Nova Scotia, Manitoba, Prince Edward Island, New Brunswick, Newfoundland and Labrador, Alberta and Saskatchewan have also enacted legislation targeting unauthorized distribution of intimate images. St. Germain said the use of provincial powers is also necessary, but it's not enough. "A piece of provincial legislation is going to be very difficult to be effective against multiple actors in multiple countries," she said, noting that the online crime is borderless. "We need something bigger — more comprehensive. We need to use all tools in the tool box." This report by The Canadian Press was first published Dec. 29, 2024.vb777 。

The year in money: inflation eased, optimism ticked upwardOhio State vs. Marshall FREE LIVE STREAM (12/13/24): Watch College Cup online | Time, TV, channel for semifinal soccer game

The Philadelphia Eagles clinched the NFC East division title on Sunday, handing the Dallas Cowboys a humiliating 41-7 defeat while the Buffalo Bills secured the second seed in the AFC with a 40-14 crushing of the New York Jets. The Cowboys were already eliminated from playoff contention and without top receiver CeeDee Lamb with a shoulder injury, but it was their defense that struggled. Eagles starting quarter-back Jalen Hurts missed the game due to concussion. Kenny Pickett got the start but had to leave the game in the third quarter with a rib injury with Philadelphia 24-7 up. That meant third-choice Tanner McKee took over under the center and two of his four passes were for touchdowns. The real damage to the Cowboys, who gave up four turnovers, was done by the Eagles star running back Saquon Barkley who put up 167 yards on 31 carries to pass the 2,000 yard mark for the season. Barkley, who has 2,005 yards needs to put up 101 yards next week to break Eric Dickerson's record for the most rushing yards in a season, set for the Los Angeles Rams in 1984. The win means the Eagles are guaranteed at least the number two seed in the NFC. The Bills take the second seed in the AFC, behind the Kansas City Chiefs, after taking care of business against the New York Jets. The Bills led 12-0 at the half before their quarterback Josh Allen took total control of the game with touchdown passes to Amari Cooper and Keon Coleman either side of a rushing score from James Cook. Allen, who threw for 182 yards, had opened the scoring with a one-yard rush. Jets quarterback Aaron Rodgers threw two interceptions and was sacked four times. The Indianapolis Colts were eliminated from playoff contention after falling 45-33 to the 3-13 New York Giants. While the Giants had nothing to play for, quarterback Drew Lock enjoyed himself -- he matched his career high of four touchdown passes and rushed for another score as the Giants ended their 10-game losing streak. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers kept their post-season hopes alive as Baker Mayfield threw for 359 yards and five touchdowns in a 48-14 rout of the Carolina Panthers. Later on Sunday, the Minnesota Vikings, searching for the top seed in the NFC, take on NFC North divisional rivals the Green Bay Packers. The Washington Commanders would book a playoff berth if they can beat the Atlanta Falcons in Sunday night's game.Riddle of Stacey, 7, found brutally strangled to death in woods just two hours after disappearing from home 31 YEARS agoThe year in review: Influential people who died in 2024Coming off what was likely a week's worth of intense practices, No. 10 Kansas returns home for a matchup with North Carolina State on Saturday afternoon in Lawrence, Kan. The Jayhawks (7-2) lost back-to-back games versus unranked opponents, the first time in school history that they have done that while ranked No. 1. Now they have to regroup to face the Wolfpack (7-3). Kansas lost its first two games of the season emphatically: 76-63 at Creighton on Dec. 4 and 76-67 at Missouri last Sunday. Coach Bill Self, who has only lost three straight games four times in his 21-year career at Kansas, was pretty succinct about his team's play following the loss to Missouri. "I think it was probably a combination of them being good and us not being good," he said. "I don't know that I could give them 100 percent credit, but that's what happens in sports. When the other team is doing things to hurt you, and you don't attack it well, they guard you the same way. "A lot of times you just roll it straight because of just not being as prepared or ready. I think it was a combination of both. I would err on the side of giving them more credit, because if I just say we sucked, that would take credit from them. We did suck, but it was in large part them." The Jayhawks still have a balanced and experienced attack, led by seniors Hunter Dickinson (15.0 points per game), Zeke Mayo (10.9), Dajuan Harris Jr. (10.7) and KJ Adams Jr. (9.8). Their biggest problem against Missouri was the 22 turnovers. "It's been a crap week for all of us," Self said on his weekly radio show Tuesday. "But hopefully we get an opportunity to bounce back. "I'm not going to make any excuses. If you don't perform the way we didn't perform, there certainly can be some valuable things to learn from that hopefully will give us a chance to win the war and not just the battle." NC State has won back-to-back games, including the ACC opener against Florida State on Dec. 7. In their last game, the Wolfpack handled Coppin State 66-56 on Tuesday. That's not to say NC State coach Kevin Keatts was impressed. "I thought we did a terrible job at the end of shot clocks when they were going to take a bunch of bad shots but we fouled them," Keatts said. "That being said, you can learn a lot from a win instead of a loss. "We compete hard every day, and our energy is always high. With this group, I'm trying to get everyone to be consistent." The Wolfpack has a trio of double-digit scorers, led by Marcus Hill (13.0 ppg). Jayden Taylor adds 12.5 and Dontrez Styles chips in 10.6. Ben Middlebrooks (9.2) and Brandon Huntley-Hatfield (8.7) round out the top five. Huntley-Hatfield (5.6 rebounds per game) and Styles (4.6) also lead a balanced rebounding attack. The Jayhawks have won 12 straight games in the series with North Carolina State. --Field Level Media

Should the U.S. increase immigration levels for highly skilled workers?

Tetairoa McMillan, one of the best wide receivers in Arizona history, will skip his final year of eligibility and enter the 2025 NFL Draft, he announced on social media on Thursday. Projected as a top-10 draft pick, the 6-foot-5, 212-pound McMillan finished his illustrious career at Arizona with 3,423 receiving yards, breaking the mark set by Bobby Wade (3,351). In three seasons, the Hawaii native also posted the fourth-most catches (213) and third-most touchdowns (26) in school history. "Wildcat Nation, this journey has been everything I dreamed of and more," McMillan wrote on Instagram. "From the moment I committed to the University of Arizona, to every second spent wearing that Arizona jersey ... it's been an absolute honor. "The University of Arizona has provided me with the platform to grow and chase my dreams. ... Thank you from the bottom of my heart. To the best fans in the country, I appreciate you for all of the love and support you have given me these last 3 years. I will always be a Wildcat." In 2024, McMillan totaled 84 grabs (ninth in Division I) for 1,319 yards (third in Division I) and eight touchdowns for the 4-8 Wildcats. He also ranked third in Division I with 109.9 receiving yards per game. McMillan is a finalist for the Biletnikoff Award, given to the most outstanding receiver in college football. --Field Level MediaMusk causes uproar by backing German far-right party ahead of key elections

AP Business SummaryBrief at 6:26 p.m. ESTForum editorial: Thank you, Gov. Burgum, for eight years of visionary leadershipBOGOTA, Colombia — An Argentine military officer who was arrested in Venezuela earlier this month has been charged with terrorism, Venezuela’s attorney general said Friday. In a statement published on Instagram, Attorney General Tarek William Saab accused the officer, Nahuel Gallo, of “being part of a group of people who tried to commit destabilizing and terrorist acts (in Venezuela) with the support of international far-right groups.” In a press conference on Friday, Argentine Security Minister Patricia Bullrich described the charges as “another lie” by Venezuela’s government, and said that Gallo should be returned to Argentina “immediately.” The case has ramped up tensions between Venezuela’s socialist government and the right-wing administration of Argentine President Javier Milei, whose embassy in Caracas is currently sheltering five high-profile opposition activists and is surrounded by Venezuelan security forces. Gallo, a corporal in Argentina’s Gendarmería security force, was detained by Venezuelan officials on Dec. 8 after he showed up at an immigration office along Venezuela’s border with Colombia and sought permission to enter the country. Get the latest breaking news as it happens. By clicking Sign up, you agree to our privacy policy . Gallo’s relatives said that he had traveled to Venezuela to visit his wife, who is Venezuelan and was in the country to spend some time with her mother. They have published an invitation letter that was sent to Gallo, and said he was on vacation at the time of his arrest. Venezuela broke diplomatic relations with Argentina in August after Milei and several other Latin American leaders refused to recognize the reelection in July of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro. Griselda Heredia, right, the mother of Nahuel Gallo, an Argentine soldier who was arrested earlier this month in Venezuela, is embraced by Argentine Security Minister Patricia Bullrich after a press conference in Buenos Aires, Argentina, Friday, Dec. 27, 2024. Credit: AP/Natacha Pisarenko Argentina’s diplomats were expelled, but the five opposition activists, who had sought refuge at the ambassador’s residence to avoid arrest, remained in the building after they were denied safe passage out of Venezuela. The activists, who have been holed up in the embassy since March, recently said that Venezuelan security forces have cut off electricity and water to the residence in a bid to pressure them to leave the building. Venezuela officials have denied those accusations, and said that the activists used the Argentine embassy to plan terrorist acts. The Venezuelan human rights group Foro Penal said earlier this week that 19 foreigners are currently being held in Venezuela as political prisoners. Griselda Heredia, right, the mother of Nahuel Gallo, an Argentine soldier arrested earlier this month in Venezuela, and Argentine Security Minister give a press conference in Buenos Aires, Argentina, Friday, Dec. 27, 2024. Credit: AP/Natacha Pisarenko In September, two Spanish citizens who were on vacation in the south of Venezuela were arrested and accused of being part of a plot to overthrow President Maduro. They were arrested just days after Spain’s parliament recognized opposition candidate Edmundo González as the winner of the election.

Taisei Co. (OTCMKTS:TISCY) Sees Large Decrease in Short InterestIt was a murder case almost everyone had an opinion on. O.J. Simpson ‘s “trial of the century” over the 1994 killings of his ex-wife and her friend bared divisions over race and law enforcement in America and brought an intersection of sports, crime, entertainment and class that was hard to turn away from. In a controversial verdict, the football star-turned-actor was acquitted in the criminal trial but later found civilly liable in the deaths of Nicole Brown Simpson and Ronald Goldman. Years later, he served nine years in prison on unrelated charges. His death in April brought an end to a life that had become defined by scrutiny over the killings. But he was just one of many influential and noteworthy people who died in 2024. Alexei Navalny, who died in prison in February, was a fierce political foe of Russian President Vladimir Putin, crusading against corruption and staging protests against the Kremlin. He had been jailed since 2021 when he returned to Russia to face certain arrest after recovering in Germany from nerve agent poisoning he blamed on the Kremlin. Other political figures who died this year include: Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi; former Canadian Prime Minister Brian Mulroney; former Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh; Vietnamese politician Nguyen Phu Trong; U.S. congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee; former Soviet Prime Minister Nikolai Ryzhkov; pundit Lou Dobbs; Greek politician Vasso Papandreou; former U.S. senators Joe Lieberman, Jim Inhofe, Tim Johnson and Jim Sasser; Namibian President Hage Geingob; and former Lebanese Prime Minister Salim Hoss. The year also brought the deaths of several rights activists, including the reverends Cecil L. “Chip” Murray and James Lawson Jr.; Dexter Scott King; Hydeia Broadbent; and David Mixner. Business leaders who died this year include: Indian industrialist Ratan Tata, The Home Depot co-founder Bernard “Bernie” Marcus, financier Jacob Rothschild and Daiso retail chain founder Hirotake Yano. Simpson wasn’t the only athlete with a complex legacy who died this year. Pete Rose, who died in September, was a career hits leader in baseball whose achievements were tarnished when it was revealed he gambled on games. Other noteworthy sports figures who died include: basketball players Jerry West and Dikembe Mutombo; baseball players Willie Mays and Fernando Valenzuela; and gymnastics coach Bela Karolyi. The music industry lost a titan in producer Quincy Jones, who died in November. His many contributions included producing Michael Jackson’s “Thriller” album and working with hundreds of other musicians over a long and storied career. Other artists and entertainers who died this year include: actors James Earl Jones, Chita Rivera, Donald Sutherland, Gena Rowlands, Louis Gossett Jr., Shelley Duvall, Kris Kristofferson, Sandra Milo, Anouk Aimée, Carl Weathers, Joyce Randolph, Tony Todd, Shannen Doherty and Song Jae-lim; musicians Sergio Mendes, Toby Keith, Phil Lesh, Melanie, Dickey Betts, Françoise Hardy, Fatman Scoop, Duane Eddy and Frankie Beverly; filmmakers Roger Corman and Morgan Spurlock; authors Faith Ringgold, Nikki Giovanni and N. Scott Momaday; TV fitness guru Richard Simmons; sex therapist Dr. Ruth Westheimer; talk show host Phil Donahue; and poets Shuntaro Tanikawa, John Sinclair and Kazuko Shiraishi. Here is a roll call of some noteworthy figures who died in 2024 (cause of death cited for younger people, if available): ___ JANUARY ___ Zvi Zamir, 98. A former director of Israel’s Mossad spy service who warned that Israel was about to be attacked on the eve of the 1973 Mideast war. Jan. 2. Glynis Johns, 100. A Tony Award-winning stage and screen star who played the mother opposite Julie Andrews in the classic movie “Mary Poppins” and introduced the world to the bittersweet standard-to-be “Send in the Clowns” by Stephen Sondheim. Jan. 4. David Soul, 80. The actor-singer was a 1970s heartthrob who co-starred as the blond half of the crime-fighting duo “Starsky & Hutch” and topped the music charts with the ballad “Don’t Give Up on Us.” Jan. 4. Franz Beckenbauer, 78. He won the World Cup both as a player and coach and became one of Germany’s most beloved personalities with his easygoing charm. Jan. 7. Joyce Randolph, 99. A veteran stage and television actor whose role as the savvy Trixie Norton on “The Honeymooners” provided the perfect foil to her dimwitted TV husband. Jan. 13. Jack Burke Jr., 100. He was the oldest living Masters champion and staged the greatest comeback ever at Augusta National for one of his two majors. Jan. 19. Marlena Shaw, 81. The jazz and R&B vocalist whose “California Soul” was one of the defining soul songs of the late 1960s. Jan. 19. Mary Weiss, 75. The lead singer of the 1960s pop group the Shangri-Las, whose hits included “Leader of the Pack.” Jan. 19. Gigi Riva, 79. The all-time leading goalscorer for Italy’s men’s national team was known as the “Rombo di Tuono” (Rumble of Thunder). Jan. 22. Dexter Scott King, 62. He dedicated much of his life to shepherding the civil rights legacy of his parents, the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. and Coretta Scott King. Jan. 22. Charles Osgood, 91. He anchored “CBS Sunday Morning” for more than two decades, was host of the long-running radio program “The Osgood File” and was referred to as CBS News’ poet-in-residence. Jan. 23. Melanie, 76. The singer-songwriter who rose through the New York folk scene, performed at Woodstock and had a series of 1970s hits including the enduring cultural phenomenon “Brand New Key.” Jan. 23. N. Scott Momaday, 89. A Pulitzer Prize-winning storyteller, poet, educator and folklorist whose debut novel “House Made of Dawn” is widely credited as the starting point for contemporary Native American literature. Jan. 24. Herbert Coward, 85. He was known for his “Toothless Man” role in the movie “Deliverance.” Jan. 24. Car crash. Sandra Milo, 90. An icon of Italian cinema who played a key role in Federico Fellini’s “8 1/2” and later became his muse. Jan. 29. Jean Carnahan, 90. She became the first female senator to represent Missouri when she was appointed to replace her husband following his death. Jan. 30. Chita Rivera, 91. The dynamic dancer, singer and actress who garnered 10 Tony nominations, winning twice, in a long Broadway career that forged a path for Latina artists and shrugged off a near-fatal car accident. Jan. 30. ___ FEBRUARY ___ Carl Weathers, 76. A former NFL linebacker who became a Hollywood action movie and comedy star, playing nemesis-turned-ally Apollo Creed in the “Rocky” movies, starring with Arnold Schwarzenegger in “Predator” and teaching golf in “Happy Gilmore.” Feb. 1. Ian Lavender, 77. An actor who played a hapless Home Guard soldier in the classic British sitcom “Dad’s Army.” Feb. 2. Hage Geingob, 82. Namibia’s president and founding prime minister who played a central role in what has become one of Africa’s most stable democracies after returning from a long exile in Botswana and the United States as an anti-apartheid activist. Feb. 4. Bob Beckwith, 91. A retired firefighter whose chance encounter with the president amid the rubble of ground zero became part of an iconic image of American unity after the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks. Feb. 4. Toby Keith, 62. A hit country crafter of pro-American anthems who both riled up critics and was loved by millions of fans. Feb. 5. Stomach cancer. John Bruton, 76. A former Irish prime minister who played a key role in bringing peace to Northern Ireland. Feb. 6. Sebastián Piñera, 74. The two-time former president of Chile faced social upheaval followed by a pandemic in his second term. Feb. 6. Helicopter crash. Seiji Ozawa, 88. The Japanese conductor amazed audiences with the lithe physicality of his performances during three decades at the helm of the Boston Symphony Orchestra. Feb. 6. Henry Fambrough, 85. The last surviving original member of the iconic R&B group The Spinners, whose hits included “It’s a Shame,” “Could It Be I’m Falling in Love” and “The Rubberband Man.” Feb. 7. Robert Badinter, 95. He spearheaded the drive to abolish France’s death penalty, campaigned against antisemitism and Holocaust denial, and led a European body dealing with the legal fallout of Yugoslavia’s breakup. Feb. 9. Bob Edwards, 76. He anchored National Public Radio’s “Morning Edition” for just under 25 years and was the baritone voice who told many Americans what had happened while they slept. Feb. 10. Hirotake Yano, 80. He founded the retail chain Daiso known for its 100-yen shops, Japan’s equivalent of the dollar store. Feb. 12. Alexei Navalny, 47. The fiercest foe of Russian President Vladimir Putin who crusaded against official corruption and staged massive anti-Kremlin protests. Feb. 16. Lefty Driesell, 92. The Hall of Fame coach whose folksy drawl belied a fiery on-court demeanor that put Maryland on the college basketball map and enabled him to rebuild several struggling programs. Feb. 17. Hydeia Broadbent, 39. The HIV/AIDS activist came to national prominence in the 1990s as a young child for her inspirational talks to reduce the stigma surrounding the virus she was born with. Feb. 20. Jacob Rothschild, 87. The financier and philanthropist was part of the renowned Rothschild banking dynasty. Feb. 26. Richard Lewis, 76. An acclaimed comedian known for exploring his neuroses in frantic, stream-of-consciousness diatribes while dressed in all-black, leading to his nickname “The Prince of Pain.” Feb. 27. Nikolai Ryzhkov, 94. A former Soviet prime minister who presided over botched efforts to shore up the crumbling national economy in the final years of the USSR. Feb. 28. Brian Mulroney, 84. The former Canadian prime minister forged close ties with two Republican U.S. presidents through a sweeping free trade agreement that was once vilified but is now celebrated. Feb. 29. ___ MARCH ___ Iris Apfel, 102. A textile expert, interior designer and fashion celebrity known for her eccentric style. March 1. Akira Toriyama, 68. The creator of the best-selling Dragon Ball and other popular anime who influenced Japanese comics. March 1. Blood clot. Chris Mortensen, 72. The award-winning journalist covered the NFL for close to four decades, including 32 as a senior analyst at ESPN. March 3. David E. Harris, 89. He flew bombers for the U.S. military and broke barriers in 1964 when he became the first Black pilot hired at a major U.S. airline. March 8. Eric Carmen, 74. The singer-songwriter fronted the power-pop 1970s band the Raspberries and later had soaring pop hits like “All by Myself” and “Hungry Eyes” from the hit “Dirty Dancing” soundtrack. March 11. Paul Alexander, 78. A Texas man who spent most of his life using an iron lung chamber and built a large following on social media, recounting his life from contracting polio in the 1940s to earning a law degree. March 11. David Mixner, 77. A longtime LGBTQ+ activist who was an adviser to Bill Clinton during his presidential campaign and later called him out over the “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” policy regarding gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender or queer personnel in the military. March 11. M. Emmet Walsh, 88. The character actor brought his unmistakable face and unsettling presence to films including “Blood Simple” and “Blade Runner.” March 19. Lou Whittaker, 95. A legendary American mountaineer who helped lead ascents of Mount Everest, K2 and Denali, and who taught generations of climbers during his more than 250 trips up Mount Rainier, the tallest peak in Washington state. March 24. Joe Lieberman, 82. The former U.S. senator of Connecticut nearly won the vice presidency on the Democratic ticket with Al Gore in the disputed 2000 election and almost became Republican John McCain’s running mate eight years later. March 27. Complications from a fall. Louis Gossett Jr., 87. The first Black man to win a supporting actor Oscar and an Emmy winner for his role in the seminal TV miniseries “Roots.” March 28. William D. Delahunt, 82. The longtime Massachusetts congressman was a Democratic stalwart who postponed his retirement from Washington to help pass former President Barack Obama’s legislative agenda. March 30. Chance Perdomo, 27. An actor who rose to fame as a star of “Chilling Adventures of Sabrina” and “Gen V.” March 29. Motorcycle crash. Barbara Rush, 97. A popular leading actor in the 1950s and 1960s who co-starred with Frank Sinatra, Paul Newman and other top film performers and later had a thriving TV career. March 31. ___ APRIL ___ Lou Conter, 102. The last living survivor of the USS Arizona battleship that exploded and sank during the Japanese bombing of Pearl Harbor. April 1. John Sinclair, 82. A poet, music producer and counterculture figure whose lengthy prison sentence after a series of small-time pot busts inspired a John Lennon song and a star-studded 1971 concert to free him. April 2. The Rev. Cecil L. “Chip” Murray, 94. An influential pastor and civil rights leader who used his tenure at one of Los Angeles’ oldest churches to uplift the predominantly Black neighborhoods following one of the country’s worst race riots. April 5. Peter Higgs, 94. The Nobel prize-winning physicist proposed the existence of the so-called “God particle” that helped explain how matter formed after the Big Bang. April 8. Ralph Puckett Jr., 97. A retired Army colonel awarded the Medal of Honor seven decades after he was wounded leading a company of outnumbered Army Rangers in battle during the Korean War. April 8. O.J. Simpson, 76. The decorated football superstar and Hollywood actor who was acquitted of charges he killed his former wife and her friend but later found liable in a separate civil trial. April 10. William Strickland, 87. A longtime civil rights activist and supporter of the Black Power movement who worked with Malcolm X and other prominent leaders in the 1960s. April 10. Robert MacNeil, 93. He created the even-handed, no-frills PBS newscast “The MacNeil-Lehrer NewsHour” in the 1970s and co-anchored the show with his late partner, Jim Lehrer, for two decades. April 12. Faith Ringgold, 93. An award-winning author and artist who broke down barriers for Black female artists and became famous for her richly colored and detailed quilts combining painting, textiles and storytelling. April 12. Carl Erskine, 97. He pitched two no-hitters as a mainstay on the Brooklyn Dodgers and was a 20-game winner in 1953 when he struck out a then-record 14 in the World Series. April 16. Bob Graham, 87. A former U.S. senator and two-term Florida governor who gained national prominence as chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee in the aftermath of the 2001 terrorist attacks and as an early critic of the Iraq war. April 16. Dickey Betts, 80. The guitar legend who co-founded the Allman Brothers Band and wrote their biggest hit, “Ramblin’ Man.” April 18. Roman Gabriel, 83. The first Filipino-American quarterback in the NFL and the league MVP in 1969. April 20. Terry Anderson, 76. The globe-trotting Associated Press correspondent became one of America’s longest-held hostages after he was snatched from a street in war-torn Lebanon in 1985 and held for nearly seven years. April 21. William Laws Calley Jr., 80. As an Army lieutenant, he led the U.S. soldiers who killed hundreds of Vietnamese civilians in the My Lai massacre, the most notorious war crime in modern American military history. April 28. Duane Eddy, 86. A pioneering guitar hero whose reverberating electric sound on instrumentals such as “Rebel Rouser” and “Peter Gunn” helped put the twang in early rock ‘n’ roll and influenced George Harrison, Bruce Springsteen and countless others. April 30. ___ MAY ___ Dick Rutan, 85. He, along with copilot Jeana Yeager, completed one of the greatest milestones in aviation history: the first round-the-world flight with no stops or refueling. May 3. Jeannie Epper, 83. A groundbreaking performer who did stunts for many of the most important women of film and television action of the 1970s and ’80s, including star Lynda Carter on TV’s “Wonder Woman.” May 5. Bernard Hill, 79. An actor who delivered a rousing cry before leading his people into battle in “The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King” and went down with the ship as the captain in “Titanic.” May 5. Steve Albini, 61. An alternative rock pioneer and legendary producer who shaped the musical landscape through his work with Nirvana, the Pixies, PJ Harvey and more. May 7. Kim Ki Nam, 94. A North Korean propaganda chief who helped build personality cults around the country’s three dynastic leaders. May 7. Pete McCloskey, 96. A pro-environment, anti-war California Republican who co-wrote the Endangered Species Act and co-founded Earth Day. May 8. Ralph Kennedy Frasier, 85. The last surviving member of a trio of African American youths who were the first to desegregate the undergraduate student body at North Carolina’s flagship public university in the 1950s. May 8. Roger Corman, 98. The “King of the Bs” helped turn out such low-budget classics as “Little Shop of Horrors” and “Attack of the Crab Monsters” and gave many of Hollywood’s most famous actors and directors early breaks. May 9. Alice Munro, 92. The Nobel laureate was a Canadian literary giant who became one of the world’s most esteemed contemporary authors and one of history’s most honored short story writers. May 13. Dabney Coleman, 92. The mustachioed character actor who specialized in smarmy villains like the chauvinist boss in “9 to 5” and the nasty TV director in “Tootsie.” May 16. Peter Buxtun, 86. The whistleblower who revealed that the U.S. government allowed hundreds of Black men in rural Alabama to go untreated for syphilis in what became known as the Tuskegee study. May 18. Ebrahim Raisi, 63. The Iranian president was a hard-line protege of the country’s supreme leader who helped oversee the mass executions of thousands in 1988 and later led the country as it enriched uranium near weapons-grade levels, launched a major attack on Israel and experienced mass protests. May 19. Helicopter crash. Hossein Amirabdollahian, 60. Iran’s foreign minister and a hard-liner close to the paramilitary Revolutionary Guard who confronted the West while also overseeing indirect talks with the U.S. over the country’s nuclear program. May 19. Helicopter crash. Ivan F. Boesky, 87. The flamboyant stock trader whose cooperation with the government cracked open one of the largest insider trading scandals in the history of Wall Street. May 20. Morgan Spurlock, 53. The documentary filmmaker and Oscar nominee whose most famous works skewered America’s food industry and who notably ate only at McDonald’s for a month to illustrate the dangers of a fast-food diet. May 23. Complications of cancer. Bill Walton, 71. He starred for John Wooden’s UCLA Bruins before becoming a Hall of Fame center for his NBA career and one of the biggest stars in basketball broadcasting. May 27. Robert Pickton, 74. A Canadian serial killer who took female victims to his pig farm during a crime spree near Vancouver in the late 1990s and early 2000s. May 31. Injuries from a prison assault involving another inmate. ___ JUNE ___ Tin Oo, 97. One of the closest associates of Myanmar’s ousted leader Aung San Suu Kyi as well as a co-founder of her National League for Democracy party. June 1. Janis Paige, 101. A popular actor in Hollywood and in Broadway musicals and comedies who danced with Fred Astaire, toured with Bob Hope and continued to perform into her 90s. June 2. David Levy, 86. An Israeli politician born in Morocco who fought tirelessly against deep-seated racism against Jews from North Africa and went on to serve as foreign minister and hold other senior governmental posts. June 2. Brigitte Bierlein, 74. The former head of Austria’s Constitutional Court became the country’s first female chancellor in an interim government in 2019. June 3. Paul Pressler, 94. A leading figure of the Southern Baptist Convention who was accused of sexually abusing boys and young men and later settled a lawsuit over the allegations. June 7. The Rev. James Lawson Jr., 95. An apostle of nonviolent protest who schooled activists to withstand brutal reactions from white authorities as the Civil Rights Movement gained traction. June 9. Lynn Conway, 86. A pioneer in the design of microchips that are at the heart of consumer electronics who overcame discrimination as a transgender person. June 9. Françoise Hardy, 80. A French singing legend and pop icon since the 1960s. June 11. Jerry West, 86. Selected to the Basketball Hall of Fame three times in a storied career as a player and executive, his silhouette is considered to be the basis of the NBA logo. June 12. George Nethercutt, 79. The former U.S. congressman was a Spokane lawyer with limited political experience when he ousted Democratic Speaker of the House Tom Foley as part of a stunning GOP wave that shifted national politics to the right in 1994. June 14. Kazuko Shiraishi, 93. A leading name in modern Japanese “beat” poetry, she was known for her dramatic readings — at times with jazz music. June 14. Willie Mays, 93. The electrifying “Say Hey Kid” whose singular combination of talent, drive and exuberance made him one of baseball’s greatest and most beloved players. June 18. Anouk Aimée, 92. The radiant French star and dark-eyed beauty of classic films including Federico Fellini’s “La Dolce Vita” and Claude Lelouch’s “A Man and a Woman.” June 18. Donald Sutherland, 88. The Canadian actor whose wry, arresting screen presence spanned more than half a century of films from “M.A.S.H.” to “The Hunger Games.” June 20. Bill Cobbs, 90. The veteran character actor became a ubiquitous and sage screen presence as an older man. June 25. Martin Mull, 80. His droll, esoteric comedy and acting made him a hip sensation in the 1970s and later a beloved guest star on sitcoms including “Roseanne” and “Arrested Development.” June 27. Pål Enger, 57. A talented Norwegian soccer player turned celebrity art thief who pulled off the sensational 1994 heist of Edvard Munch’s famed “The Scream” painting from the National Gallery in Oslo. June 29. ___ JULY ___ Jim Inhofe, 89. A powerful fixture in Oklahoma politics for over six decades, the Republican U.S. senator was a conservative known for his strong support of defense spending and his denial that human activity is responsible for the bulk of climate change. July 9. Joe Bonsall, 76. A Grammy award winner and celebrated tenor of the country and gospel group the Oak Ridge Boys. July 9. Tommy Robinson, 82. A former U.S. congressman who gained notoriety as an Arkansas sheriff for tactics that included chaining inmates outside a state prison to protest overcrowding. July 10. Shelley Duvall, 75. The intrepid, Texas-born movie star whose wide-eyed, winsome presence was a mainstay in the films of Robert Altman and who co-starred in Stanley Kubrick’s “The Shining.” July 11. Dr. Ruth Westheimer, 96. The diminutive sex therapist became a pop icon, media star and best-selling author through her frank talk about once-taboo bedroom topics. July 12. Shannen Doherty, 53. The “Beverly Hills, 90210” star whose life and career were roiled by illness and tabloid stories. July 13. Richard Simmons, 76. He was television’s hyperactive court jester of physical fitness who built a mini-empire in his trademark tank tops and short shorts by urging the overweight to exercise and eat better. July 13. James Sikking, 90. He starred as a hardened police lieutenant on “Hill Street Blues” and as the titular character’s kindhearted dad on “Doogie Howser, M.D.” July 13. Jacoby Jones, 40. A former NFL receiver whose 108-yard kickoff return in 2013 remains the longest touchdown in Super Bowl history. July 14. Cheng Pei-pei, 78. A Chinese-born martial arts film actor who starred in Ang Lee’s “Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon.” July 17. Bob Newhart, 94. The deadpan accountant-turned-comedian became one of the most popular TV stars of his time after striking gold with a classic comedy album. July 18. Lou Dobbs, 78. The conservative political pundit and veteran cable TV host was a founding anchor for CNN and later was a nightly presence on Fox Business Network for more than a decade. July 18. Nguyen Phu Trong, 80. He was general secretary of Vietnam’s ruling Communist Party and the country’s most powerful politician. July 19. Sheila Jackson Lee, 74. The longtime congresswoman from Texas helped lead federal efforts to protect women from domestic violence and recognize Juneteenth as a national holiday. July 19. Abdul “Duke” Fakir, 88. The last surviving original member of the beloved Motown group the Four Tops, which was known for such hits as “Reach Out, I’ll Be There” and “Standing in the Shadows of Love.” July 22. Edna O’Brien, 93. Ireland’s literary pride and outlaw scandalized her native land with her debut novel “The Country Girls” before gaining international acclaim as a storyteller and iconoclast that found her welcomed everywhere from Dublin to the White House. July 27. Francine Pascal, 92. A onetime soap opera writer whose “Sweet Valley High” novels and the ongoing adventures of twins Elizabeth and Jessica Wakefield and other teens captivated millions of young readers. July 28. Betty Prashker, 99. A pioneering editor of the 20th century who as one of the first women with the power to acquire books published such classics as Kate Millett’s “Sexual Politics” and Susan Faludi’s “Backlash” and helped oversee the careers of Jean Auel, Dominick Dunne and Erik Larson among others. July 30. Ismail Haniyeh, 62. Hamas’ top leader in exile landed on Israel’s hit list after the militant group staged its surprise Oct. 7 attacks. July 31. Killed in an airstrike in Iran. ___ AUGUST ___ Jack Russell, 63. The lead singer of the bluesy ’80s metal band Great White, whose hits included “Once Bitten Twice Shy” and “Rock Me,” and who was fronting his band the night 100 people died in a 2003 nightclub fire in Rhode Island. Aug. 7. Juan “Chi Chi” Rodriguez, 88. A Hall of Fame golfer whose antics on the greens and inspiring life story made him among the sport’s most popular players during a long professional career. Aug. 8. Susan Wojcicki, 56. A pioneering tech executive who helped shape Google and YouTube. Aug. 9. Wallace “Wally” Amos, 88. The creator of the Famous Amos cookie empire went on to become a children’s literacy advocate. Aug. 13. Gena Rowlands, 94. She was hailed as one of the greatest actors to ever practice the craft and a guiding light in independent cinema as a star in groundbreaking movies by her director husband, John Cassavetes. She later charmed audiences in her son’s tear-jerker “The Notebook.” Aug. 14. Peter Marshall, 98. The actor and singer turned game show host who played straight man to the stars for 16 years on “The Hollywood Squares.” Aug. 15. Alain Delon, 88. The internationally acclaimed French actor embodied both the bad guy and the policeman and made hearts throb around the world. Aug. 18. Phil Donahue, 88. His pioneering daytime talk show launched an indelible television genre that brought success to Oprah Winfrey, Montel Williams, Ellen DeGeneres and many others. Aug. 18. Ruth Johnson Colvin, 107. She founded Literacy Volunteers of America, was inducted into the National Women’s Hall of Fame and received the nation’s highest civilian award: the Presidential Medal of Freedom. Aug. 18. Al Attles, 87. A Hall of Famer who coached the 1975 NBA champion Warriors and spent more than six decades with the organization as a player, general manager and most recently team ambassador. Aug. 20. John Amos, 84. He starred as the family patriarch on the hit 1970s sitcom “Good Times” and earned an Emmy nomination for his role in the seminal 1977 miniseries “Roots.” Aug. 21. Salim Hoss, 94. The five-time former Lebanese prime minister served during some of the most tumultuous years of his country’s modern history. Aug. 25. Leonard Riggio, 83. A brash, self-styled underdog who transformed the publishing industry by building Barnes & Noble into the country’s most powerful bookseller before it was overtaken by the rise of Amazon.com. Aug. 27. Edward B. Johnson, 81. As a CIA officer, he traveled into Iran with a colleague to rescue six American diplomats who fled the 1979 U.S. Embassy takeover in Tehran. Aug. 27. Johnny Gaudreau, 31. An NHL player known as “Johnny Hockey,” he played 10 full seasons in the league. Aug. 29. Killed along with his brother when hit by a car while riding bicycles. Kiingi Tuheitia Pootatau Te Wherowhero VII, 69. As New Zealand’s Māori King, he was the seventh monarch in the Kiingitanga movement. Aug. 30. Fatman Scoop, 56. The hip-hop artist topped charts in Europe with “Be Faithful” in the early 2000s and later lent his distinctive voice and ebullient vibe to hits by artists including Missy Elliott and Ciara. Aug. 30. Died after collapsing on stage. ___ SEPTEMBER ___ Linda Deutsch, 80. A special correspondent for The Associated Press who for nearly 50 years wrote glittering first drafts of history from many of the nation’s most significant criminal and civil trials including Charles Manson, O.J. Simpson and Michael Jackson. Sept. 1. James Darren, 88. A teen idol who helped ignite the 1960s surfing craze as a charismatic beach boy paired off with Sandra Dee in the hit film “Gidget.” Sept. 2. Sergio Mendes, 83. The Grammy-winning Brazilian musician whose hit “Mas Que Nada” made him a global legend. Sept. 5. James Earl Jones, 93. He overcame racial prejudice and a severe stutter to become a celebrated icon of stage and screen, eventually lending his deep, commanding voice to CNN, “The Lion King” and Darth Vader. Sept. 9. Frankie Beverly, 77. With his band Maze, he inspired generations of fans with his smooth, soulful voice and lasting anthems including “Before I Let Go.” Sept. 10. Jim Sasser, 87. He served 18 years in the U.S. Senate and six years as ambassador to China. Sept. 10. Alberto Fujimori, 86. His decade-long presidency began with triumphs righting Peru’s economy and defeating a brutal insurgency only to end in autocratic excess that later sent him to prison. Sept. 11. Joe Schmidt, 92. The Hall of Fame linebacker who helped the Detroit Lions win NFL championships in 1953 and 1957 and later coached the team. Sept. 11. Tito Jackson, 70. One of the brothers who made up the beloved pop group the Jackson 5. Sept. 15. John David “JD” Souther, 78. A prolific songwriter and musician who helped shape the country-rock sound that took root in Southern California in the 1970s with his collaborations with the Eagles and Linda Ronstadt. Sept. 17. Kathryn Crosby, 90. She appeared in such movies as “The 7th Voyage of Sinbad”, “Anatomy of a Murder,” and “Operation Mad Ball” before marrying famed singer and Oscar-winning actor Bing Crosby. Sept. 20. John Ashton, 76. The veteran character actor who memorably played the gruff but lovable police detective John Taggart in the “Beverly Hills Cop” films. Sept. 26. Maggie Smith, 89. The masterful, scene-stealing actor who won an Oscar for the 1969 film “The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie” and gained new fans in the 21st century as the dowager Countess of Grantham in “Downton Abbey” and Professor Minerva McGonagall in the Harry Potter films. Sept. 27. Hassan Nasrallah, 64. The Hezbollah leader who transformed the Lebanese militant group into a potent paramilitary and political force in the Middle East. Sept. 27. Killed in an Israeli airstrike. Kris Kristofferson, 88. A Rhodes scholar with a deft writing style and rough charisma who became a country music superstar and an A-list Hollywood actor. Sept. 28. Drake Hogestyn, 70. The “Days of Our Lives” star appeared on the show for 38 years. Sept. 28. Pete Rose, 83. Baseball’s career hits leader and fallen idol who undermined his historic achievements and Hall of Fame dreams by gambling on the game he loved and once embodied. Sept. 30. Dikembe Mutombo, 58. A Basketball Hall of Famer who was one of the best defensive players in NBA history and a longtime global ambassador for the game. Sept. 30. Brain cancer. Gavin Creel, 48. A Broadway musical theater veteran who won a Tony Award for “Hello, Dolly!” opposite Bette Midler and earned nominations for “Hair” and “Thoroughly Modern Millie.” Sept. 30. Cancer. Humberto Ortega, 77. The Nicaraguan guerrilla fighter and a Sandinista defense minister who later in life became a critic of his older brother President Daniel Ortega. Sept. 30. Ken Page, 70. A stage and screen actor who starred alongside Beyoncé in “Dreamgirls,” introduced Broadway audiences to Old Deuteronomy in “Cats” and scared generations of kids as the voice of Oogie Boogie, the villain of the 1993 animated holiday film “The Nightmare Before Christmas.” Sept. 30. ___ OCTOBER ___ Megan Marshack, 70. An aide to Nelson Rockefeller who was with the former New York governor and vice president when he died under circumstances that spurred intense speculation. Oct. 2. Mimis Plessas, 99. A beloved Greek composer whose music was featured in scores of films, television shows and theatrical productions and who provided the soundtrack to millions of Greeks’ lives. Oct. 5. Cissy Houston, 91. A two-time Grammy-winning soul and gospel artist who sang with Aretha Franklin, Elvis Presley and other stars and knew triumph and heartbreak as the mother of singer Whitney Houston. Oct. 7. Tim Johnson, 77. The former U.S. senator was the last Democrat to hold statewide office in South Dakota and was adept at securing federal funding for projects back home during his nearly three decades in Washington. Oct. 8. Ratan Tata, 86. One of India’s most influential business leaders, the veteran industrialist was former chairman of the $100 billion conglomerate Tata Group. Oct. 9. Leif Segerstam, 80. The prolific Finnish conductor and composer was one of the most colorful personalities in the Nordic country’s classical music scene. Oct. 9. Ethel Kennedy, 96. The wife of Sen. Robert F. Kennedy raised their 11 children after he was assassinated and remained dedicated to social causes and the family’s legacy for decades thereafter. Oct. 10. Lilly Ledbetter, 86. A former Alabama factory manager whose lawsuit against her employer made her an icon of the equal pay movement and led to landmark wage discrimination legislation. Oct. 12. Philip G. Zimbardo, 91. The psychologist behind the controversial “Stanford Prison Experiment” that was intended to examine the psychological experiences of imprisonment. Oct. 14. Liam Payne, 31. A former One Direction singer whose chart-topping British boy band generated a global following of swooning fans. Oct. 16. Died after falling from a hotel balcony. Yahya Sinwar, 61. The Hamas leader who masterminded the surprise Oct. 7, 2023, attack into southern Israel that shocked the world and triggered the longest, deadliest and most destructive war in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Oct. 16. Killed by Israeli forces in Gaza. Mitzi Gaynor, 93. The effervescent dancer and actor starred as Nellie Forbush in the 1958 film “South Pacific” and appeared in other musicals with Bing Crosby, Frank Sinatra and Gene Kelly. Oct. 17. Vasso Papandreou, 79. A trailblazing Greek politician who served as a government minister, European commissioner and leading advocate for women’s representation in politics. Oct. 17. Thelma Mothershed Wair, 83. One of nine Black students who integrated a high school in Arkansas’ capital city of Little Rock in 1957 while a mob of white segregationists yelled threats and insults. Oct. 19. Fethullah Gülen, 83. A reclusive U.S.-based Islamic cleric who inspired a global social movement while facing unproven accusations that he masterminded a failed 2016 coup in his native Turkey. Oct. 20. Fernando Valenzuela, 63. The Mexican-born phenom for the Los Angeles Dodgers who inspired “Fernandomania” while winning the NL Cy Young Award and Rookie of the Year in 1981. Oct. 22. The Rev. Gustavo Gutiérrez, 96. The Peruvian theologian was the father of the social justice-centered liberation theology that the Vatican once criticized for its Marxist undercurrents. Oct. 22. Phil Lesh, 84. A classically trained violinist and jazz trumpeter who found his true calling by reinventing the role of rock bass guitar as a founding member of the Grateful Dead. Oct. 25. Teri Garr, 79. The quirky comedy actor rose from background dancer in Elvis Presley movies to co-star in such favorites as “Young Frankenstein” and “Tootsie.” Oct. 29. Multiple sclerosis. Colm McLoughlin, 81. An Irishman who landed in the deserts of the United Arab Emirates and helped lead Dubai Duty Free into becoming an airport retail behemoth generating billions of dollars. Oct. 30. ___ NOVEMBER ___ Quincy Jones, 91. The multi-talented music titan whose vast legacy ranged from producing Michael Jackson’s historic “Thriller” album to writing prize-winning film and television scores and collaborating with Frank Sinatra, Ray Charles and hundreds of other recording artists. Nov. 3. Bernard “Bernie” Marcus, 95. The co-founder of The Home Depot, a billionaire philanthropist, and a big Republican donor. Nov. 4. Murray Sinclair, 73. A former First Nation judge, senator and chair of the commission that delved into Canada’s troubled history of residential schools for First Nations students. Nov. 4. Elwood Edwards, 74. He voiced America Online’s ever-present “You’ve got mail” greeting. Nov. 5. Tony Todd, 69. An actor known for his haunting portrayal of a killer in the horror film “Candyman” and for roles in many other films and television shows. Nov. 6. Bobby Allison, 86. He was founder of racing’s “Alabama Gang” and a NASCAR Hall of Famer. Nov. 9. Reg Murphy, 90. A renowned journalist whose newsgathering career included stints as an editor and top executive at newspapers in Atlanta, San Francisco and Baltimore — and who found himself the subject of national headlines when he survived a politically motivated kidnapping. Nov. 9. Vardis J. Vardinoyannis, 90. A powerful and pivotal figure in Greek shipping and energy who survived a terrorist attack and cultivated close ties with the Kennedy family. Nov. 12. Timothy West, 90. A British actor who played the classic Shakespeare roles of King Lear and Macbeth and who in recent years along with his wife, Prunella Scales, enchanted millions of people with their boating exploits on Britain’s waterways. Nov. 12. Song Jae-lim, 39. A South Korean actor known for his roles in K-dramas “Moon Embracing the Sun” and “Queen Woo.” Nov. 12. Shuntaro Tanikawa, 92. He pioneered modern Japanese poetry — poignant but conversational in its divergence from haiku and other traditions. Nov. 13. Bela Karolyi, 82. The charismatic, if polarizing, gymnastics coach turned young women into champions and the United States into an international power in the sport. Nov. 15. Olav Thon, 101. A billionaire entrepreneur recognizable for his bright red cap who went from selling leather and fox hides in his youth to building one of Norway’s biggest real estate empires. Nov. 16. Arthur Frommer, 95. His “Europe on 5 Dollars a Day” guidebooks revolutionized leisure travel by convincing average Americans to take budget vacations abroad. Nov. 18. Alice Brock, 83. Her Massachusetts-based eatery helped inspire Arlo Guthrie’s deadpan Thanksgiving standard, “Alice’s Restaurant Massacree.” Nov. 21. Fred Harris, 94. A former U.S. senator from Oklahoma, presidential hopeful and populist who championed Democratic Party reforms in the turbulent 1960s. Nov. 23. Chuck Woolery, 83. The affable, smooth-talking game show host of “Wheel of Fortune,” “Love Connection” and “Scrabble” who later became a right-wing podcaster, skewering liberals and accusing the government of lying about COVID-19. Nov. 23. Barbara Taylor Bradford, 91. A British journalist who became a publishing sensation in her 40s with the saga “A Woman of Substance” and wrote more than a dozen other novels that sold tens of millions of copies. Nov. 24. Mary McGee, 87. A female racing pioneer and subject profiled in the Oscar-contending documentary “Motorcycle Mary.” Nov. 27. Prince Johnson, 72. The Liberian former warlord and senator whose brutal tactics shocked the world. Nov. 28. Ananda Krishnan, 86. One of Malaysia’s richest tycoons with a vast business empire including telecommunications, media, petroleum and real estate. Nov. 28. Lou Carnesecca, 99. The excitable St. John’s coach whose outlandish sweaters became an emblem of his team’s rousing Final Four run in 1985 and who was a treasured figure in New York sports. Nov. 30. ___ DECEMBER ___ Debbie Nelson, 69. The single mother of rapper Eminem whose rocky relationship with her son was known widely through his hit song lyrics. Dec. 2. Nikki Giovanni, 81. The poet, author, educator and public speaker who rose from borrowing money to release her first book to decades as a literary celebrity sharing her blunt and conversational takes on everything from racism and love to space travel and mortality. Dec. 9. George Joseph Kresge Jr., 89. He was known to generations of TV watchers as the mesmerizing entertainer and mentalist The Amazing Kreskin. Dec. 10. Jim Leach, 82. A former congressman who served 30 years as a politician from eastern Iowa and later headed the National Endowment for the Humanities. Dec. 11. John Spratt, 82. A former longtime Democratic congressman from South Carolina who successfully pushed for a balanced budget deal in the 1990s but was unseated decades later when his district turned Republican. Dec. 14. Zakir Hussain, 73. One of India’s most accomplished classical musicians who defied genres and introduced tabla to global audiences. Dec. 15. Fred Lorenzen, 89. A NASCAR Hall of Famer and the 1965 Daytona 500 champion. Dec. 18. Tsuneo Watanabe, 98. The powerful head of the Yomiuri Shimbun, Japan’s largest newspaper, who had close ties with the country’s powerful conservative leaders. Dec. 19. Rickey Henderson, 65. The baseball Hall of Famer was the brash speedster who shattered stolen base records and redefined baseball’s leadoff position. Dec. 20. Shyam Benegal, 90. A renowned Indian filmmaker known for pioneering a new wave cinema movement that tackled social issues in the 1970s. Dec. 23. Desi Bouterse, 79. A military strongman who led a 1980 coup in the former Dutch colony of Suriname then returned to power by election three decades later despite charges of drug smuggling and murder. Dec. 24. Osamu Suzuki, 94. The charismatic former boss of Suzuki Motor Corp. helped turn the Japanese mini-vehicle maker into a globally competitive company. Dec. 25. Manmohan Singh, 92. India’s former prime minister who was widely regarded as the architect of India’s economic reform program and a landmark nuclear deal with the United States. Dec. 26. Richard Parsons, 76. One of corporate America’s most prominent Black executives who held top posts at Time Warner and Citigroup. Dec. 26. Bernard Mcghee, The Associated Press

Arizona WR Tetairoa McMillan to enter 2025 NFL Draft

Unwanted gift card in your stocking? Don't let it go to wasteAyla Reynolds disappearance still a mystery 13 years laterOff the couch and into the fireGanderbal, Dec 13: The Central University of Kashmir (CUK) held its 30th Executive Council (EC) meeting on Thursday at the Tulmulla Campus, under the chairmanship of Vice-Chancellor Prof A Ravinder Nath. In his opening remarks, Vice-Chancellor, Prof Ravinder Nath showcased the University’s progress on academic, research, and administrative excellence. He expressed gratitude towards the Council members for their active participation and valuable insights, emphasising their pivotal role in shaping the institution’s future. The Vice-Chancellor also welcomed the distinguished Council members, including the newly inducted members, Prof Sandhya Tiwari, Dean School of Languages and Prof Farooq Ahmad Mir, Dean School of Legal Studies, CUKashmir. The meeting was also attended by Prof Vandana Mishra, Centre of Comparative Politics & Political Theory, School of International Studies, JNU, New Delhi, Prof. Parikshat Singh Manhas, Chairman, JK BOSE, Prof Ajay Kumar Singh, Department of Commerce, School of Economics, University of Delhi, Dr Mriganka Sekhar Sarma, Deputy Secretary, UGC, Dr Rashmi Singh, Commissioner Secretary, Higher Education Department, J&K, Dr. Ravi Kumar Bharti, Additional Secretary, Higher Education Department, J&K, Prof Shahid Rasool, Dean Academic Affairs, and Prof M Afzal Zargar, Registrar (Secretary). About the academic advancements, the Council acknowledged the University’s proactive implementation of the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, which earned it the prestigious designation as a hub university by the Ministry of Education (MoE) for NEP coordination among other universities. Approval was granted for comprehensive Institutional Development Plans in alignment with UGC guidelines and NEP objectives, focusing on academic, research, and outreach initiatives. CUK’s leadership in the Consortium of Higher Educational Institutions of North India (CHEINI) for sharing best practices was lauded, along with its nodal university status under the Bharatiya Bhasha Samvardhan Samiti for promoting Kashmiri language literature. To foster multidisciplinary education, the plan to establish departments of Psychology, Vocational Studies, and Liberal Arts were approved, reflecting the University’s commitment to multidisciplinary education and addressing contemporary academic demands. The Council commended the successful and efficient completion of the recruitment process under the Mission Recruitment mode, with special provisions to ensure a seamless joining experience for outstation candidates. Rolling advertisements focusing on gender equity were also approved to continue expanding the University’s talent pool. A new policy was approved to enhance the research environment, enabling Postdoctoral Fellows, including Ramalingam Ramanuja and Inspire Fellows, to contribute beyond their fellowship terms, fostering innovation and academic growth. Infrastructure and Transparency: The members were informed about the submission of a revised Detailed Project Report (DPR) for Master Plan Phase-I to the Ministry of Education, with fund approvals anticipated soon. The University’s exemplary performance in RTI transparency audits was also recognised. The Council approved several critical measures, including appointment of key non-teaching positions like Finance Officer and Librarian, adopting UGC’s latest regulations, and implementing employee-centric policies to boost institutional efficiency. The meeting concluded with the Council expressing its appreciation for the visionary leadership of Vice-Chancellor Prof Ravinder Nath and the collaborative efforts of all stakeholders.

Trump Pulls a 180 on Jimmy Carter Now That He’s Dead

Military personnel manning a U.S. Army command outpost in Iraq found the radio report suspicious. During an operation to hunt suspected al-Qaeda militants, American soldiers involved notified their commanders that they had just killed three detainees whom, they said, had broken free of their restraints and attacked them. The soldiers had been in combat for months in Samarra, a city about 80 miles northwest of Baghdad, where a vicious insurgency had taken hold. The detainees’ deaths on May 9, 2006, triggered an extensive U.S. military investigation, leading to courts-martial, two murder convictions, and a career-ending letter of reprimand for Col. Michael Steele, the troops’ brigade commander. In the end, those found guilty acknowledged under oath that they had lied about the detainees’ escape, and instead set them loose and shot them in the back as they ran away. “Every single person that was involved in that has had an indelible mark left on them,” Steele told the Washington Post in an interview. He attributed the murders to “guys that decided to go rogue.” The cases have taken on new significance with President-elect Donald Trump’s nomination of Pete Hegseth for defense secretary. Hegseth was a 26-year-old lieutenant in the Army National Guard when he joined that unit, the 101st Airborne Division’s 3rd Brigade Combat Team, in summer 2005 just ahead of its deployment. Though he was not present during the murders and had no role in them, the incident was formative, other soldiers said, with men he grew to care about ensnared in the case. This account of Hegseth’s deployment to Iraq is based on interviews with eight people familiar with that time in his life, along with a review of military documents and past media accounts. Taken together, a picture emerges of a potential secretary of defense who witnessed an extended inquiry into military misconduct that upended the lives of colleagues and mentors. The experience left soldiers not directly involved in the murders convinced that the Army had turned on them, too, those involved said. Hegseth and representatives for the Trump transition team did not respond to requests for comment. Some people spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss a high-profile potential nomination that is embroiled in controversy for other reasons. In recent days, the Post and other news organizations have revealed that Hegseth was investigated by police in 2017 for an alleged sexual assault. His lawyer, Timothy Parlatore, has said that the encounter was consensual and that Hegseth was not charged with the crime, though he later paid to settle the matter with the accuser. Hegseth, 44, has rarely, if ever, mentioned the Iraq cases publicly, and has shifted in the years since from being an ardent supporter of the 2007 surge of U.S. forces in Iraq to questioning the entire point of the war. Over time, he also took on an increasingly populist tone in defense of U.S. troops accused of war crimes, arguing that the military put unreasonable restrictions on the rules of engagement that govern how American soldiers fight. His appearances on the cable news show “Fox & Friends Weekend” captured the attention of then-President Donald Trump, leading to phone calls between them, people familiar with the matter said. Hegseth took particular interest in three prosecutions: those of Army officers Clint Lorance and Mathew Golsteyn for alleged murders in Afghanistan, and Navy SEAL Edward Gallagher, who beat a murder charge but was punished for staging a photo with an Islamic State fighter’s corpse in Iraq. In November 2019, after Trump pardoned Lorance and Golsteyn, and reinstated Gallagher’s rank — rejecting pushback from senior Pentagon officials — Hegseth gave a full-throated defense of the moves, telling Fox viewers the president had shown support for “people out there making the impossible calls at impossible moments.” “These are not cases where people went into villages with the intention of killing innocent people,” Hegseth said, dismissing evidence and testimony pointing to violations of military law. “These are split-second decisions.” Privately, Hegseth commiserated with Golsteyn about the investigation the 3rd Brigade Combat Team had endured, Golsteyn told the Post. It appeared that Hegseth saw “a replay of events in my case that were relatable to his own experiences,” Golsteyn said. Hegseth worked at Fox until recently, decamping the network this month when his nomination was announced. ‘Kill Company’ Hegseth graduated from Princeton University in 2003, joining the investment bank Bear Stearns and the Minnesota Army National Guard as an infantry officer. He deployed in 2004 first to Guantánamo Bay, the U.S. detention facility in Cuba that at the time housed hundreds of 9/11 suspects and combatants in the war on terrorism. After returning to Wall Street for a brief interlude, he volunteered for an assignment to Iraq in 2005, landing a slot as a platoon leader overseeing about 40 men in the brigade’s Charlie Company, 3rd Battalion, 187th Infantry Regiment. “I showed up in the 101st Airborne Division, in one of the most storied units in our nation’s history, with a bunch of combat vets who’d already done a tour in Iraq and they looked at me like, ‘Who the hell is this guy?’” Hegseth said in a 2021 interview on the “Will Cain Show” podcast. One former officer who served with Hegseth said he was surprised to see a National Guard member taking on such a role. He surmised that Hegseth probably wanted to run for office someday and thought a combat tour could help, the former officer said. On the battlefield, Hegseth appeared calm and levelheaded, two soldiers who served with him said. He led missions initially in Baghdad and then around Samarra, said retired Sgt. Maj. Eric Geressy, who served as the senior enlisted soldier in Charlie Company. The fighting became especially intense, Geressy recalled, after an important Shiite landmark, the Golden Mosque, was blown up in February 2006, triggering a wave of sectarian bloodshed with U.S. forces caught in the middle. “The enemy really threw everything at us there,” Geressy said. “Suicide bombers, mortars, rockets — anything and everything.” Charlie Company, numbering about 140 men, was considered the brigade’s most aggressive unit, engaging threats with a bravado that would later draw scrutiny from senior leaders, said people familiar with the deployment. As recounted by the New Yorker in 2009, Charlie Company was nicknamed “Kill Company” and maintained a whiteboard listing confirmed kills — including civilians — that each platoon had notched. The former officer, who served in another company within the battalion, said the behavior exhibited by Hegseth’s infantry company was viewed as “a little bit strange” by those on the outside: “We joked sometimes that they were on their own crusade down there.” Hegseth, in an interview for the New Yorker article, said that Charlie Company’s aggressiveness was shaped by training it had received while preparing for the deployment at Fort Campbell, Kentucky. He claimed then that he voiced concerns to his former company commander, Capt. Daniel Hart, that he didn’t “feel comfortable telling my guys to go into that door hot,” with their weapons poised to be fired. “I can’t quote him directly, but he said, ‘What do you mean? This is an enemy target, we have intelligence that it is an Al Qaeda mortar team,’” Hegseth told the New Yorker. “And I said, ‘I understand that, sir, and I don’t want to put my platoon in danger, but at the same time I am talking to other people who have been here for a while and nobody else goes in hot — nobody. And if we go in hot we are going to kill civilians.’” Hart, now an Army colonel and military psychiatrist, declined through an Army spokesman to comment on Hegseth’s comments. Hegseth eventually was reassigned and tasked with overseeing local governance projects in Samarra, where there had been little order since the region’s decent into violence, Geressy said. Steele and Geressy both lauded his service in interviews with the Post. But for his old unit, disaster was coming. Operation Iron Triangle Steele, the brigade commander, had survived the infamous “Black Hawk Down” incident that killed 18 U.S. soldiers in Somalia in 1993. He held a mindset that, in the run-up to their deployment, there was little time for anything other than preparing for war, several soldiers who served under him said. Once in Iraq, he clashed frequently with senior commanders over strategy and tactics, as U.S. forces struggled to simultaneously squelch the violence and win over the civilian populace, several people said. After Hegseth’s departure, as fighting in and around Samarra soared, Steele and his staff engineered a series of helicopter assaults intended to pummel the militant forces. One such mission, branded Operation Iron Triangle, targeted an al-Qaeda training facility on a tiny island in Lake Tharthar. Charlie Company’s 3rd Platoon lifted off in Black Hawk helicopters expecting a fierce battle, soldiers involved said. Their target, according to a military document describing the operation that was obtained by the Post, was “full of Al Qaeda” and associates of Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, the leader of al-Qaeda in Iraq, a precursor to the Islamic State. Geressy, in a witness statement submitted after the operation as part of the inquiry, said that soldiers began clearing houses after their helicopters landed but that the first few houses had no one inside. Later, when soldiers were flown to another part of the island, they opened fire on a building, killing one man and taking several people captive, he told military investigators. Geressy was elsewhere on the island at the time, he told investigators, and instructed the soldiers to prepare the detainees to be moved by aircraft for an intelligence screening by other Army personnel. About 20 minutes later, the captives were dead. Hart, Hegseth’s former superior officer, sent a memo to Steele saying the first man killed had looked through a window as the soldiers approached and that three other “military aged males” had used their wives inside the building to shield themselves. Hart’s report also said that his soldiers used deadly force to respond to a hostile act by the detainees. A military court later determined that account to be false. An Army official familiar with the matter said that Hart wrote the report based on what he believed to be true at the time. As the story fell apart, Army investigators alleged that two soldiers, Cpl. William Hunsaker and Pfc. Corey Clagett, shot the detainees and accused a more senior member of the unit, Staff Sgt. Raymond Girouard, of ordering the killings and then helping to cover them up. A fourth, Spec. Juston Graber, was accused of shooting one of the detainees in the head after the initial gunfire stopped to “ease his suffering,” he told investigators. Clagett and Hunsaker pleaded guilty to murder and related charges, receiving prison sentences of 18 years each. Graber pleaded guilty to aggravated assault, receiving a sentence of nine months in exchange for his testimony against the others, and Girouard was convicted of negligent homicide and other charges and sentenced to 10 years, according to military documents. Girouard’s conviction was later overturned on appeal, while the others have since been released. Clagett, Hunsaker and Girouard did not respond to requests for comment. Graber, now 39, said in a text message that he is writing a book about his experience, including carrying out “that mercy killing.” “War is complete and utter hell, and, unless you’re there, on the receiving end of flying bullets or recovering your brothers ... you’ll never comprehend the complexities of what we go through nor the decisions we have to make,” Graber’s message said. A unit under suspicion Suspicion spread far beyond the soldiers eventually sent to prison. Defense attorneys for the men accused depicted a bloodthirsty and undisciplined culture within Hegseth’s old infantry company. The experience, one senior soldier in the unit said, was searing for all of them. Steele received the letter of reprimand from Lt. Gen. Peter W. Chiarelli, who later became a four-star general and vice chief of staff of the Army. In a phone interview, Steele said that Chiarelli “tried to connect the murder of the detainees to my command climate” and that others in the brigade thought the general’s conclusions were “ludicrous.” Steele portrayed Chiarelli as disconnected from what rank-and-file infantry personnel experienced, saying the general “lived in a palace” in Iraq “while my guys are out bleeding to death in the streets of Samarra.” His voice hardened as he recalled witnessing more senior commanders receiving orders to release militants who had been captured by U.S. forces. “There are soldiers that absolutely died because of that stupidity,” Steele said. Asked about the Charlie Company’s “kill board” and the harsh methods of training he instituted, Steele said he did not condone illegal behavior but wanted his soldiers not to be timid when their lives were in danger. Death, he said, is “irrevocable.” “I take it personally when somebody said, ‘Well, I think your techniques are too hard,’” Steele said. “Well, you pick up a damn rifle and you go get in that fire team and you go out and you face insurgents with my guys, then.” Chiarelli said in an email that he reprimanded Steele “because the soldiers under his command violated the rules of engagement.” “I was in Iraq for one week, commanding the 1st Cavalry Division, when eight soldiers assigned to my division were killed and 64 were wounded in an ambush in Baghdad’s Sadr City,” Chiarelli said. “I understood and witnessed firsthand how violent a place it could be.” Steele said he supports Hegseth’s potential nomination as defense secretary, calling his mindset a rarity for that job. Hegseth is intelligent, articulate, and will refocus the Pentagon on winning the nation’s wars, the retired colonel said. Critics of Hegseth’s potential nomination have stressed that he has never led any large organization and has faced mounting scrutiny of his personal life and punditry, including advocating for firing generals who support diversity programs, opposing women serving in combat units and suggesting in a book that Islam “is not a religion of peace, and it never has been.” He also has tattoos that were flagged by National Guard colleagues as being associated with the far right. If he is formally nominated by Trump after his inauguration, Hegseth’s confirmation will require a Senate majority vote — an assessment by lawmakers of whether he is ready to lead an enterprise that includes more than 3 million military and civilian personnel, a global network of installations, and nuclear weapons. The former Army officer who served with Hegseth in Iraq said he believes he has latched on to “populist scenarios” in a quest for personal gain. When news of Hegseth’s nomination emerged, old acquaintances from those days got back in touch with one another, the former officer said. One text he received especially stood out. All it said: “WTF?” Monika Mathur, Razzan Nakhlawi and Lisa Rein contributed to this report.

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Germany is to vote in an early election on February 23 after Chancellor Olaf Scholz’s three-party governing coalition collapsed last month in a dispute over how to revitalise the country’s stagnant economy. Mr Musk’s guest opinion piece for Welt am Sonntag – a sister publication of Politico owned by the Axel Springer Group – published in German over the weekend, was the second time this month that he has supported the Alternative for Germany, or AfD. “The Alternative for Germany (AfD) is the last spark of hope for this country,” he wrote in his translated commentary. He went on to say that the far-right party “can lead the country into a future where economic prosperity, cultural integrity and technological innovation are not just wishes, but reality”. The Tesla Motors chief executive also wrote that his investment in Germany gives him the right to comment on the country’s condition. The AfD is polling strongly, but its candidate for the top job, Alice Weidel, has no realistic chance of becoming chancellor because other parties refuse to work with the far-right party. Billionaire Mr Musk, an ally of US President-elect Donald Trump, challenged in his opinion piece the party’s public image. “The portrayal of the AfD as right-wing extremist is clearly false, considering that Alice Weidel, the party’s leader, has a same-sex partner from Sri Lanka! Does that sound like Hitler to you? Please!” Mr Musk’s commentary has led to a debate in German media over the boundaries of free speech, with the paper’s own opinion editor announcing her resignation, pointedly on Mr Musk’s social media platform, X. Eva Marie Kogel wrote: “I always enjoyed leading the opinion section of WELT and WAMS. Today an article by Elon Musk appeared in Welt am Sonntag. I handed in my resignation yesterday after it went to print.” A critical article by the future editor-in-chief of the Welt group, Jan Philipp Burgard, accompanied Mr Musk’s opinion piece. “Musk’s diagnosis is correct, but his therapeutic approach, that only the AfD can save Germany, is fatally wrong,” he wrote. Responding to a request for comment from the German Press Agency, dpa, the current editor-in-chief of the Welt group, Ulf Poschardt, and Mr Burgard – who is due to take over on January 1 – said in a joint statement that the discussion over Mr Musk’s piece was “very insightful. Democracy and journalism thrive on freedom of expression.” “This will continue to determine the compass of the ‘world’ in the future. We will develop ‘Die Welt’ even more decisively as a forum for such debates,” they wrote to dpa.