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Imagine it’s January 1, the start of a new month or even the first day of your retirement. You’re excited for a fresh chapter, convinced that this time, you’ll finally achieve the goals you’ve been dreaming about. Maybe you’ve resolved to get in shape, spend more time with loved ones or finally take up that long-desired hobby. For the first few weeks, everything seems to be on track. You’re motivated, energized and making progress. But before long, the excitement fades, and those goals slip away. If this sounds familiar, you’re not alone. Studies show that 91% of New Year’s resolutions fail — and many of the same pitfalls apply to retirement goals. Whether you’re starting a new year or a new phase of life, the problem often lies in focusing too much on the outcome and not enough on the habits that make those outcomes possible. Subscribe to Kiplinger’s Personal Finance Be a smarter, better informed investor. Sign up for Kiplinger’s Free E-Newsletters Profit and prosper with the best of expert advice on investing, taxes, retirement, personal finance and more - straight to your e-mail. Profit and prosper with the best of expert advice - straight to your e-mail. In his bestselling book Atomic Habits, James Clear says it best: “You do not rise to the level of your goals. You fall to the level of your systems.” In other words, achieving your retirement dreams — or any goal — requires more than good intentions. It requires small, consistent habits that build up over time. In this article, we’ll explore why goals often fail in retirement, the psychological traps that can derail us and practical strategies for creating habits that can make retirement fulfilling. The problems with retirement goals: 1. Focusing on outcomes, not processes Many of us enter retirement with lofty goals: travel to new places, volunteer, exercise regularly or reconnect with old friends. These are all wonderful aspirations, but like New Year’s resolutions, they focus on the outcome (what you want to achieve) rather than the process (how you’ll get there). For example, let’s say you want to get in shape during retirement. You might join a gym or sign up for fitness classes, but without building sustainable habits — like setting aside time each day to move your body or finding enjoyable activities — you might give up after a few weeks. Author Clear explains, “Goals are good for setting a direction, but systems are best for making progress.” In other words, your retirement goals will be successful only if you have a system of habits to support them. 2. The 'finish line' mentality Retirement is often seen as the ultimate “finish line.” After decades of hard work, it’s easy to think that stepping away from your career will automatically lead to happiness and fulfillment. But just like achieving a goal, retirement isn’t a one-time event — it’s an ongoing process. Clear writes, “The purpose of setting goals is to win the game. The purpose of building systems is to continue playing the game.” This is especially true in retirement. If you set a goal to travel but don’t build the habits of planning trips, budgeting and maintaining your health, that dream may never fully materialize. Similarly, if you dream of writing a book or learning a new skill, you’ll need the daily systems to make those ambitions a reality. 3. Relying on motivation alone When we approach retirement — or any significant life change — we often rely on the excitement of the moment to fuel our efforts. At first, motivation is high, and it’s easy to feel inspired. But as the novelty wears off, that initial enthusiasm fades. Sticking to your goals becomes increasingly difficult without a plan or system in place. This can lead to aimlessness or frustration in retirement. The days begin to blur together, and those big dreams you had for your post-work life remain out of reach. How to build habits for a fulfilling retirement The key to maximizing your retirement lies in shifting your focus from achieving specific goals to building daily habits that align with your values. Habits are the small, consistent actions that, over time, lead to big changes. Here’s how to build habits that last: 1. Focus on identity, not outcomes Instead of asking, “What do I want to achieve in retirement?” ask, “Who do I want to become?” This subtle shift can make all the difference. For example, instead of setting a goal to “exercise more,” focus on becoming a healthy, active retiree . Instead of resolving to “write a book,” identify as a curious, creative person who enjoys writing . When you focus on identity, your habits naturally align with the type of person you want to be. As Clear explains, “Every action you take is a vote for the type of person you wish to become.” Thus, each time you go for a walk, write a paragraph or spend quality time with loved ones, you reinforce your new identity. 2. Start small One of the biggest mistakes people make when setting resolutions or retirement goals is trying to do too much at once. Clear encourages starting small: focus on improving just 1% each day. For example, if you want to improve your fitness, start by walking for 10 minutes a day rather than committing to an hour-long workout. If you want to write a book, start with 100 words a day rather than aiming for entire chapters. Small, consistent actions are easier to stick with, and over time, they compound into meaningful results. 3. Leverage the habit loop Clear breaks habits into a simple framework: Cue, Craving, Response and Reward. Understanding this loop can help you build good habits and break bad ones. Cue: A trigger that prompts the habit Craving: The desire or motivation to act Response: The action you take Reward: The positive outcome that reinforces the habit For example, if you want to start exercising in the morning, your cue might be placing your workout clothes by your bed the night before. The craving is the desire to feel energized, the response is completing the workout, and the reward is the endorphin boost and sense of accomplishment you feel afterward. 4. Design your environment Your environment plays a huge role in shaping your behavior. If you want to make good habits easier, adjust your surroundings to support them. For example, if you want to read more, keep a book on your nightstand, instead of your phone. If you want to eat healthier, stock your kitchen with nutritious snacks and remove junk food. By designing your environment, you reduce reliance on willpower and make it easier to stick to your habits. 5. Habit stacking Habit stacking is a technique where you attach a new habit to an existing one. Clear explains, “After [current habit], I will [new habit].” For example: After brushing my teeth, I will go for a 10-minute walk After my morning coffee, I will write in my journal for five minutes After finishing lunch, I will spend 15 minutes practicing guitar By linking new habits to familiar routines, you make them more automatic and easier to maintain. A final thought: Habits create a purposeful retirement Retirement is often seen as a time to relax, but it’s also an incredible opportunity to grow, explore and redefine yourself . The key is to focus less on grand goals and more on the small, consistent habits that shape your daily life. Instead of asking, “What do I want to achieve in retirement?” ask, “Who do I want to become in this chapter of my life?” Then, start casting small votes for that identity every day. As Clear reminds us, “Habits are the compound interest of self-improvement.” Whether it’s January 1 or the first day of retirement, it’s never too late to build habits that last and create a meaningful and fulfilling life. To learn more about the psychology of retirement, subscribe to my podcast “How Not To Retire: A Psychological Approach to a Health & Wealthy Retirement ( HowNotToRetire.com ). Related Content Riches vs Wealth: A Cautionary Tale From 'The Hobbit' Being Rich vs Being Wealthy: What’s the Difference? Key to a Happy Retirement? Finding Yourself The Five Stages of Retirement (and How to Skip Three of Them) How to Stop Boredom From Ruining Your Happy Retirement This article was written by and presents the views of our contributing adviser, not the Kiplinger editorial staff. You can check adviser records with the SEC or with FINRA .
By BILL BARROW, Associated Press ATLANTA (AP) — Jimmy Carter, the peanut farmer who won the presidency in the wake of the Watergate scandal and Vietnam War, endured humbling defeat after one tumultuous term and then redefined life after the White House as a global humanitarian, has died. He was 100 years old. The longest-lived American president died on Sunday, more than a year after entering hospice care , at his home in the small town of Plains, Georgia, where he and his wife, Rosalynn, who died at 96 in November 2023 , spent most of their lives, The Carter Center said. Businessman, Navy officer, evangelist, politician, negotiator, author, woodworker, citizen of the world — Carter forged a path that still challenges political assumptions and stands out among the 45 men who reached the nation’s highest office. The 39th president leveraged his ambition with a keen intellect, deep religious faith and prodigious work ethic, conducting diplomatic missions into his 80s and building houses for the poor well into his 90s. “My faith demands — this is not optional — my faith demands that I do whatever I can, wherever I am, whenever I can, for as long as I can, with whatever I have to try to make a difference,” Carter once said. A moderate Democrat, Carter entered the 1976 presidential race as a little-known Georgia governor with a broad smile, outspoken Baptist mores and technocratic plans reflecting his education as an engineer. His no-frills campaign depended on public financing, and his promise not to deceive the American people resonated after Richard Nixon’s disgrace and U.S. defeat in southeast Asia. “If I ever lie to you, if I ever make a misleading statement, don’t vote for me. I would not deserve to be your president,” Carter repeated before narrowly beating Republican incumbent Gerald Ford, who had lost popularity pardoning Nixon. Carter governed amid Cold War pressures, turbulent oil markets and social upheaval over racism, women’s rights and America’s global role. His most acclaimed achievement in office was a Mideast peace deal that he brokered by keeping Egyptian President Anwar Sadat and Israeli Prime Minister Menachem Begin at the bargaining table for 13 days in 1978. That Camp David experience inspired the post-presidential center where Carter would establish so much of his legacy. Yet Carter’s electoral coalition splintered under double-digit inflation, gasoline lines and the 444-day hostage crisis in Iran. His bleakest hour came when eight Americans died in a failed hostage rescue in April 1980, helping to ensure his landslide defeat to Republican Ronald Reagan. Carter acknowledged in his 2020 “White House Diary” that he could be “micromanaging” and “excessively autocratic,” complicating dealings with Congress and the federal bureaucracy. He also turned a cold shoulder to Washington’s news media and lobbyists, not fully appreciating their influence on his political fortunes. “It didn’t take us long to realize that the underestimation existed, but by that time we were not able to repair the mistake,” Carter told historians in 1982, suggesting that he had “an inherent incompatibility” with Washington insiders. Carter insisted his overall approach was sound and that he achieved his primary objectives — to “protect our nation’s security and interests peacefully” and “enhance human rights here and abroad” — even if he fell spectacularly short of a second term. Ignominious defeat, though, allowed for renewal. The Carters founded The Carter Center in 1982 as a first-of-its-kind base of operations, asserting themselves as international peacemakers and champions of democracy, public health and human rights. “I was not interested in just building a museum or storing my White House records and memorabilia,” Carter wrote in a memoir published after his 90th birthday. “I wanted a place where we could work.” That work included easing nuclear tensions in North and South Korea, helping to avert a U.S. invasion of Haiti and negotiating cease-fires in Bosnia and Sudan. By 2022, The Carter Center had declared at least 113 elections in Latin America, Asia and Africa to be free or fraudulent. Recently, the center began monitoring U.S. elections as well. Carter’s stubborn self-assuredness and even self-righteousness proved effective once he was unencumbered by the Washington order, sometimes to the point of frustrating his successors . He went “where others are not treading,” he said, to places like Ethiopia, Liberia and North Korea, where he secured the release of an American who had wandered across the border in 2010. “I can say what I like. I can meet whom I want. I can take on projects that please me and reject the ones that don’t,” Carter said. He announced an arms-reduction-for-aid deal with North Korea without clearing the details with Bill Clinton’s White House. He openly criticized President George W. Bush for the 2003 invasion of Iraq. He also criticized America’s approach to Israel with his 2006 book “Palestine: Peace Not Apartheid.” And he repeatedly countered U.S. administrations by insisting North Korea should be included in international affairs, a position that most aligned Carter with Republican President Donald Trump. Among the center’s many public health initiatives, Carter vowed to eradicate the guinea worm parasite during his lifetime, and nearly achieved it: Cases dropped from millions in the 1980s to nearly a handful. With hardhats and hammers, the Carters also built homes with Habitat for Humanity. The Nobel committee’s 2002 Peace Prize cites his “untiring effort to find peaceful solutions to international conflicts, to advance democracy and human rights, and to promote economic and social development.” Carter should have won it alongside Sadat and Begin in 1978, the chairman added. Carter accepted the recognition saying there was more work to be done. “The world is now, in many ways, a more dangerous place,” he said. “The greater ease of travel and communication has not been matched by equal understanding and mutual respect.” Carter’s globetrotting took him to remote villages where he met little “Jimmy Carters,” so named by admiring parents. But he spent most of his days in the same one-story Plains house — expanded and guarded by Secret Service agents — where they lived before he became governor. He regularly taught Sunday School lessons at Maranatha Baptist Church until his mobility declined and the coronavirus pandemic raged. Those sessions drew visitors from around the world to the small sanctuary where Carter will receive his final send-off after a state funeral at Washington’s National Cathedral. The common assessment that he was a better ex-president than president rankled Carter and his allies. His prolific post-presidency gave him a brand above politics, particularly for Americans too young to witness him in office. But Carter also lived long enough to see biographers and historians reassess his White House years more generously. His record includes the deregulation of key industries, reduction of U.S. dependence on foreign oil, cautious management of the national debt and notable legislation on the environment, education and mental health. He focused on human rights in foreign policy, pressuring dictators to release thousands of political prisoners . He acknowledged America’s historical imperialism, pardoned Vietnam War draft evaders and relinquished control of the Panama Canal. He normalized relations with China. “I am not nominating Jimmy Carter for a place on Mount Rushmore,” Stuart Eizenstat, Carter’s domestic policy director, wrote in a 2018 book. “He was not a great president” but also not the “hapless and weak” caricature voters rejected in 1980, Eizenstat said. Rather, Carter was “good and productive” and “delivered results, many of which were realized only after he left office.” Madeleine Albright, a national security staffer for Carter and Clinton’s secretary of state, wrote in Eizenstat’s forward that Carter was “consequential and successful” and expressed hope that “perceptions will continue to evolve” about his presidency. “Our country was lucky to have him as our leader,” said Albright, who died in 2022. Jonathan Alter, who penned a comprehensive Carter biography published in 2020, said in an interview that Carter should be remembered for “an epic American life” spanning from a humble start in a home with no electricity or indoor plumbing through decades on the world stage across two centuries. “He will likely go down as one of the most misunderstood and underestimated figures in American history,” Alter told The Associated Press. James Earl Carter Jr. was born Oct. 1, 1924, in Plains and spent his early years in nearby Archery. His family was a minority in the mostly Black community, decades before the civil rights movement played out at the dawn of Carter’s political career. Carter, who campaigned as a moderate on race relations but governed more progressively, talked often of the influence of his Black caregivers and playmates but also noted his advantages: His land-owning father sat atop Archery’s tenant-farming system and owned a main street grocery. His mother, Lillian , would become a staple of his political campaigns. Seeking to broaden his world beyond Plains and its population of fewer than 1,000 — then and now — Carter won an appointment to the U.S. Naval Academy, graduating in 1946. That same year he married Rosalynn Smith, another Plains native, a decision he considered more important than any he made as head of state. She shared his desire to see the world, sacrificing college to support his Navy career. Carter climbed in rank to lieutenant, but then his father was diagnosed with cancer, so the submarine officer set aside his ambitions of admiralty and moved the family back to Plains. His decision angered Rosalynn, even as she dived into the peanut business alongside her husband. Carter again failed to talk with his wife before his first run for office — he later called it “inconceivable” not to have consulted her on such major life decisions — but this time, she was on board. “My wife is much more political,” Carter told the AP in 2021. He won a state Senate seat in 1962 but wasn’t long for the General Assembly and its back-slapping, deal-cutting ways. He ran for governor in 1966 — losing to arch-segregationist Lester Maddox — and then immediately focused on the next campaign. Carter had spoken out against church segregation as a Baptist deacon and opposed racist “Dixiecrats” as a state senator. Yet as a local school board leader in the 1950s he had not pushed to end school segregation even after the Supreme Court’s Brown v. Board of Education decision, despite his private support for integration. And in 1970, Carter ran for governor again as the more conservative Democrat against Carl Sanders, a wealthy businessman Carter mocked as “Cufflinks Carl.” Sanders never forgave him for anonymous, race-baiting flyers, which Carter disavowed. Ultimately, Carter won his races by attracting both Black voters and culturally conservative whites. Once in office, he was more direct. “I say to you quite frankly that the time for racial discrimination is over,” he declared in his 1971 inaugural address, setting a new standard for Southern governors that landed him on the cover of Time magazine. His statehouse initiatives included environmental protection, boosting rural education and overhauling antiquated executive branch structures. He proclaimed Martin Luther King Jr. Day in the slain civil rights leader’s home state. And he decided, as he received presidential candidates in 1972, that they were no more talented than he was. In 1974, he ran Democrats’ national campaign arm. Then he declared his own candidacy for 1976. An Atlanta newspaper responded with the headline: “Jimmy Who?” The Carters and a “Peanut Brigade” of family members and Georgia supporters camped out in Iowa and New Hampshire, establishing both states as presidential proving grounds. His first Senate endorsement: a young first-termer from Delaware named Joe Biden. Yet it was Carter’s ability to navigate America’s complex racial and rural politics that cemented the nomination. He swept the Deep South that November, the last Democrat to do so, as many white Southerners shifted to Republicans in response to civil rights initiatives. A self-declared “born-again Christian,” Carter drew snickers by referring to Scripture in a Playboy magazine interview, saying he “had looked on many women with lust. I’ve committed adultery in my heart many times.” The remarks gave Ford a new foothold and television comedians pounced — including NBC’s new “Saturday Night Live” show. But voters weary of cynicism in politics found it endearing. Carter chose Minnesota Sen. Walter “Fritz” Mondale as his running mate on a “Grits and Fritz” ticket. In office, he elevated the vice presidency and the first lady’s office. Mondale’s governing partnership was a model for influential successors Al Gore, Dick Cheney and Biden. Rosalynn Carter was one of the most involved presidential spouses in history, welcomed into Cabinet meetings and huddles with lawmakers and top aides. The Carters presided with uncommon informality: He used his nickname “Jimmy” even when taking the oath of office, carried his own luggage and tried to silence the Marine Band’s “Hail to the Chief.” They bought their clothes off the rack. Carter wore a cardigan for a White House address, urging Americans to conserve energy by turning down their thermostats. Amy, the youngest of four children, attended District of Columbia public school. Washington’s social and media elite scorned their style. But the larger concern was that “he hated politics,” according to Eizenstat, leaving him nowhere to turn politically once economic turmoil and foreign policy challenges took their toll. Carter partially deregulated the airline, railroad and trucking industries and established the departments of Education and Energy, and the Federal Emergency Management Agency. He designated millions of acres of Alaska as national parks or wildlife refuges. He appointed a then-record number of women and nonwhite people to federal posts. He never had a Supreme Court nomination, but he elevated civil rights attorney Ruth Bader Ginsburg to the nation’s second highest court, positioning her for a promotion in 1993. He appointed Paul Volker, the Federal Reserve chairman whose policies would help the economy boom in the 1980s — after Carter left office. He built on Nixon’s opening with China, and though he tolerated autocrats in Asia, pushed Latin America from dictatorships to democracy. But he couldn’t immediately tame inflation or the related energy crisis. And then came Iran. After he admitted the exiled Shah of Iran to the U.S. for medical treatment, the American Embassy in Tehran was overrun in 1979 by followers of the Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini. Negotiations to free the hostages broke down repeatedly ahead of the failed rescue attempt. The same year, Carter signed SALT II, the new strategic arms treaty with Leonid Brezhnev of the Soviet Union, only to pull it back, impose trade sanctions and order a U.S. boycott of the Moscow Olympics after the Soviets invaded Afghanistan. Hoping to instill optimism, he delivered what the media dubbed his “malaise” speech, although he didn’t use that word. He declared the nation was suffering “a crisis of confidence.” By then, many Americans had lost confidence in the president, not themselves. Carter campaigned sparingly for reelection because of the hostage crisis, instead sending Rosalynn as Sen. Edward M. Kennedy challenged him for the Democratic nomination. Carter famously said he’d “kick his ass,” but was hobbled by Kennedy as Reagan rallied a broad coalition with “make America great again” appeals and asking voters whether they were “better off than you were four years ago.” Reagan further capitalized on Carter’s lecturing tone, eviscerating him in their lone fall debate with the quip: “There you go again.” Carter lost all but six states and Republicans rolled to a new Senate majority. Carter successfully negotiated the hostages’ freedom after the election, but in one final, bitter turn of events, Tehran waited until hours after Carter left office to let them walk free. At 56, Carter returned to Georgia with “no idea what I would do with the rest of my life.” Four decades after launching The Carter Center, he still talked of unfinished business. “I thought when we got into politics we would have resolved everything,” Carter told the AP in 2021. “But it’s turned out to be much more long-lasting and insidious than I had thought it was. I think in general, the world itself is much more divided than in previous years.” Still, he affirmed what he said when he underwent treatment for a cancer diagnosis in his 10th decade of life. “I’m perfectly at ease with whatever comes,” he said in 2015 . “I’ve had a wonderful life. I’ve had thousands of friends, I’ve had an exciting, adventurous and gratifying existence.” ___ Former Associated Press journalist Alex Sanz contributed to this report.
Kyiv, Nov 22 (AP) NATO and Ukraine will hold emergency talks Tuesday after Russia attacked a central city with an experimental, hypersonic ballistic missile that escalated the nearly 33-month-old war. The conflict is “entering a decisive phase”, Poland's Prime Minister Donald Tusk said Friday, and “taking on very dramatic dimensions”. Ukraine's parliament canceled a session as security was tightened following Thursday's Russian strike on a military facility in the city of Dnipro. In a stark warning to the West, President Vladimir Putin said in a nationally televised speech that the attack with the intermediate-range Oreshnik missile was in retaliation for Kyiv's use of US and British longer-range missiles capable of striking deeper into Russian territory. Putin said Western air defence systems would be powerless to stop the new missile. Ukrainian military officials said the missile that hit Dnipro had reached a speed of Mach 11 and carried six nonnuclear warheads each releasing six submunitions. Speaking Friday to military and weapons industries officials, Putin said Russia is launching production of the Oreshnik. “No one in the world has such weapons,” he said with a thin smile. “Sooner or later other leading countries will also get them. We are aware that they are under development." But he added, "we have this system now. And this is important.” Testing the missile will continue, “including in combat, depending on the situation and the character of security threats created for Russia,” Putin said, noting there is ”a stockpile of such systems ready for use.” Putin said that while it isn't an intercontinental missile, it's so powerful that the use of several of them fitted with conventional warheads in one attack could be as devastating as a strike with strategic — or nuclear — weapons. Gen. Sergei Karakayev, head of Russia's Strategic Missile Forces, said the Oreshnik could reach targets across Europe and be fitted with nuclear or conventional warheads, echoing Putin's claim that even with conventional warheads, “the massive use of the weapon would be comparable in effect to the use of nuclear weapons.” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov kept up Russia's bellicose tone on Friday, blaming “the reckless decisions and actions of Western countries” in supplying weapons to Ukraine to strike Russia. "The Russian side has clearly demonstrated its capabilities, and the contours of further retaliatory actions in the event that our concerns were not taken into account have also been quite clearly outlined," he said. Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, widely seen as having the warmest relations with the Kremlin in the European Union, echoed Moscow's talking points, suggesting the use of US-supplied weapons in Ukraine likely requires direct American involvement. “These are rockets that are fired and then guided to a target via an electronic system, which requires the world's most advanced technology and satellite communications capability,” Orbán said on state radio. “There is a strong assumption ... that these missiles cannot be guided without the assistance of American personnel.” Orbán cautioned against underestimating Russia's responses, emphasizing that the country's recent modifications to its nuclear deployment doctrine should not be dismissed as a “bluff.” “It's not a trick... there will be consequences,” he said. Separately in Kyiv, Czech Foreign Minister Jan Lipavský called Thursday's missile strike an “escalatory step and an attempt of the Russian dictator to scare the population of Ukraine and to scare the population of Europe.” At a news conference with Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha, Lipavský also expressed his full support for delivering the necessary additional air defense systems to protect Ukrainian civilians from the “heinous attacks.” He underlined that the Czech Republic will impose no limits on the use of its weapons and equipment given to Ukraine. Three lawmakers from Ukraine's parliament, the Verkhovna Rada, confirmed that Friday's previously scheduled session was called off due to the ongoing threat of Russian missiles targeting government buildings in central Kyiv. In addition, there also was a recommendation to limit the work of all commercial offices and nongovernmental organizations "in that perimeter, and local residents were warned of the increased threat,” said lawmaker Mykyta Poturaiev, who added this is not the first time such a threat has been received. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy's office continued to work in compliance with standard security measures, a spokesperson said. Ukraine's Main Intelligence Directorate said the Oreshnik missile, whose name in Russian means “hazelnut tree,” was fired from the Kapustin Yar 4th Missile Test Range in Russia's Astrakhan region, and flew 15 minutes before striking Dnipro. Test launches of a similar missile were conducted in October 2023 and June 2024, the directorate said. The Pentagon confirmed the missile was a new, experimental type of intermediate-range missile based on its RS-26 Rubezh intercontinental ballistic missile. Thursday's attack struck the Pivdenmash plant that built ICBMs when Ukraine was part of the Soviet Union. The military facility is located about 4 miles (6 1/2 kilometers) southwest of the center of Dnipro, a city of about 1 million that is Ukraine's fourth-largest and a key hub for military supplies and humanitarian aid, and is home to one of the country's largest hospitals for treating wounded soldiers from the front before their transfer to Kyiv or abroad. The stricken area was cordoned off and out of public view. With no fatalities reported from the attack, Dnipro residents resorted to dark humor on social media, mostly focused on the missile's name, Oreshnik. Elsewhere in Ukraine, Russia struck a residential district of Sumy overnight with Iranian-designed Shahed drones, killing two people and injuring 13, the regional administration said.. Ukraine's Suspilne media, quoting Sumy regional head Volodymyr Artiukh, said the drones were stuffed with shrapnel elements. “These weapons are used to destroy people, not to destroy objects,” said Artiukh, according to Suspilne. (AP) PY PY (This story has not been edited by THE WEEK and is auto-generated from PTI)War is often less seen than heard, and as a ceasefire between Hezbollah and Israel came into effect on Wednesday morning, Ibrahim Najdi marveled at the absence of one particular sound: the buzz of Israeli drones that had been a near-constant presence in Beirut over the last few months. "You can't hear them, can you? They're gone," he said. He gave a small smile, then picked his way through the mounds of rubble separating him from the remains of his two warehouses. Najdi, a 42-year-old home-supplies merchant, was one of tens of thousands of people Wednesday swarming the Hezbollah-dominated suburbs south of Beirut. He came to take stock of the damage wrought by 70 days of ferocious Israeli bombardment . Though his two warehouses were destroyed in an airstrike two weeks ago, his shop was in a nearby building survived. The blast wave nevertheless tossed all of his stock into a jumble of shower handles and hoses, boxes of masking tape and home repair tools — all covered in fine, metallic-gray dust. "I don't know if I can save any of it," Najdi said. Similar scenes were playing out across the country, as people began the journey to their towns and villages in Lebanon's devastated south. Shortly after the start of the ceasefire at 4 a.m., thousands of cars — many stacked on top with mattresses, suitcases and bags of vegetables — deluged the main highway leading out of Beirut in a reverse exodus that echoed their escape from the south only a few months before. Shelters in the southern city of Saida, a refuge for thousands of displaced, emptied by around 80%, Lebanese authorities say. "I know my house is bombed, but I don't care. We're all going back," said Haidar, 33, who was picking up shawarma sandwiches for his family at a roadside restaurant. Haidar, who did not want to give his full name, was from the village of Khirbet Selm, some 9 miles north of the Lebanese-Israeli border. He had already been hours on the road with his wife and two children in his rugged-looking SUV, but was intent on going on — even though he didn't know where the family would sleep. "We'll figure it out. Allah's earth can fit us all," he said. The ceasefire agreement , which came after intense mediation by the U.S. and France, was approved by Lebanon's government on Wednesday morning. It stipulates that Israeli troops conduct a phased withdrawal from south Lebanon over the next 60 days, while Hezbollah pulls back its fighters to north of the Litani River, a natural boundary that lies some 20 miles north of the border. According to the plan, around 5,000 Lebanese soldiers will take their place, Lebanese officials say. The Lebanese army said in a statement on Wednesday that it had begun "to reinforce its deployment" south of the Litani and would "extend state authority" in coordination with U.N. peacekeeping forces. (The Lebanese army remained neutral in the fight between Israel and Hezbollah.) Despite the calm on Wednesday, there were moments that highlighted the fragility of the truce. Israeli troops fired warning shots at people trying to approach their positions in southern villages from which they had yet to withdraw, the Israeli military said. Later, it imposed a nighttime curfew over much of south Lebanon and warned civilians not to return to their homes before being instructed to do so. Despite those reminders that the war is not fully resolved, many Lebanese were jubilant. Motorists driving through Beirut suburbs honked their horns as they drove in impromptu motorcades, while others waved flags and fired celebratory shots into the air. Many walked the streets, shaking their heads in amazement as they raised their smartphones to film the destruction. The war between Israel and Hezbollah, an Iran-backed Lebanese armed group began last year after Palestinian militant faction Hamas attacked southern Israel, killing 1,200 people. The next day, Hezbollah began launching rockets into northern Israel, saying it was acting in support of Hamas and Palestinians in Gaza Strip. Israel and Hezbollah continued trading fire over the last year in an escalating tit-for-tat conflict that saw tens of thousands of people evacuated from both sides of the border. In September, Israel intensified its attacks on Hezbollah. It launched a punishing airstrike campaign on Lebanon's south, east and parts of the capital where Hezbollah holds sway, and invaded areas of Lebanon's south in what it said was a bid to destroy Hezbollah infrastructure. Since last October, more than 3,800 people have been killed in Lebanon, a quarter of them women and children, according to Lebanese health authorities; almost 16,000 have been injured. Israeli authorities say 45 civilians have been killed in Hezbollah attacks, and at least 73 soldiers killed in combat in south Lebanon, the occupied Golan Heights and northern Israel. Najdi, the merchant, was happy that the ceasefire was holding, but it was also bittersweet as he contemplated the difficult months ahead. "I was making something, building something. At 45 I thought I would slow down, take it easy," he said. He added that he had experienced five wars in his lifetime, the first — in 1982 — when he was still in diapers. "And now this one. I have to start again from nothing." More than a million people displaced in the fighting over the last year share his fate, with the World Bank estimating in November that nearly 100,000 housing units have been partially or completely destroyed, while the total cost of damage amounts to roughly $8.5 billion. It remains unclear how Lebanon — which before the war was suffering a multiyear financial crisis that had eviscerated the economy and left most of its population under the poverty line — intends to go about the reconstruction. International aid groups have urged governments to help, said Juan Gabriel Wells, Lebanon country director for the International Rescue Committee aid group. "It is vital that the international community now also invest in Lebanon's recovery," he said in a statement on Wednesday. "These efforts are not only about rebuilding infrastructure; they are also critical to restoring dignity and hope to families who have lost everything." The Lebanese government has yet to formulate concrete plans, officials said. "You know we were so busy, all of us, with the ceasefire," said Lebanese Foreign Minister Abdallah Bou Habib at a conference in Rome on Tuesday, a few hours before the truce. "Did we think very much about the day after? No." ©2024 Los Angeles Times. Visit latimes.com . Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
Report: UCF HC Gus Malzahn to become Florida State OC
NoneTrump says he can't guarantee tariffs won't raise US prices and won't rule out revenge prosecutionsHeritage Investment Group Inc. increased its stake in shares of Alphabet Inc. ( NASDAQ:GOOGL – Free Report ) by 23.8% during the third quarter, according to its most recent filing with the SEC. The institutional investor owned 2,828 shares of the information services provider’s stock after purchasing an additional 544 shares during the period. Heritage Investment Group Inc.’s holdings in Alphabet were worth $469,000 as of its most recent SEC filing. Other institutional investors have also added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Christopher J. Hasenberg Inc increased its stake in Alphabet by 75.0% in the 2nd quarter. Christopher J. Hasenberg Inc now owns 140 shares of the information services provider’s stock worth $26,000 after acquiring an additional 60 shares during the last quarter. Kings Path Partners LLC bought a new position in Alphabet in the 2nd quarter worth about $36,000. Denver PWM LLC bought a new position in Alphabet in the 2nd quarter worth about $41,000. Quarry LP bought a new position in Alphabet in the 2nd quarter worth about $53,000. Finally, Summit Securities Group LLC bought a new position in Alphabet in the 2nd quarter worth about $55,000. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 40.03% of the company’s stock. Insiders Place Their Bets In other Alphabet news, CEO Sundar Pichai sold 22,500 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction on Wednesday, November 20th. The stock was sold at an average price of $176.67, for a total value of $3,975,075.00. Following the sale, the chief executive officer now directly owns 2,061,806 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $364,259,266.02. The trade was a 1.08 % decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which can be accessed through this link . Also, CAO Amie Thuener O’toole sold 2,835 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction on Tuesday, September 10th. The stock was sold at an average price of $151.53, for a total value of $429,587.55. Following the completion of the sale, the chief accounting officer now directly owns 29,182 shares in the company, valued at $4,421,948.46. This trade represents a 8.85 % decrease in their ownership of the stock. The disclosure for this sale can be found here . Over the last three months, insiders have sold 206,795 shares of company stock valued at $34,673,866. 11.55% of the stock is currently owned by corporate insiders. Alphabet Trading Down 0.2 % Alphabet ( NASDAQ:GOOGL – Get Free Report ) last released its quarterly earnings results on Tuesday, October 29th. The information services provider reported $2.12 earnings per share for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $1.83 by $0.29. Alphabet had a return on equity of 31.66% and a net margin of 27.74%. The company had revenue of $88.27 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $72.85 billion. During the same period in the previous year, the company posted $1.55 earnings per share. Research analysts forecast that Alphabet Inc. will post 8.01 earnings per share for the current fiscal year. Alphabet Dividend Announcement The business also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, December 16th. Shareholders of record on Monday, December 9th will be issued a $0.20 dividend. This represents a $0.80 annualized dividend and a yield of 0.47%. The ex-dividend date is Monday, December 9th. Alphabet’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 10.61%. Analysts Set New Price Targets A number of brokerages have weighed in on GOOGL. JMP Securities upped their target price on Alphabet from $200.00 to $220.00 and gave the stock a “market outperform” rating in a research note on Wednesday, October 30th. Cantor Fitzgerald restated a “neutral” rating and issued a $190.00 target price on shares of Alphabet in a research note on Wednesday, October 30th. Tigress Financial increased their price objective on Alphabet from $210.00 to $220.00 and gave the company a “strong-buy” rating in a research report on Thursday, September 26th. BMO Capital Markets reissued an “outperform” rating and set a $217.00 price objective (up from $215.00) on shares of Alphabet in a report on Wednesday, October 30th. Finally, Needham & Company LLC reissued a “buy” rating and set a $210.00 price objective on shares of Alphabet in a report on Wednesday, October 30th. Seven research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, thirty-one have given a buy rating and five have given a strong buy rating to the company’s stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, the stock currently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $205.90. View Our Latest Stock Analysis on GOOGL Alphabet Profile ( Free Report ) Alphabet Inc offers various products and platforms in the United States, Europe, the Middle East, Africa, the Asia-Pacific, Canada, and Latin America. It operates through Google Services, Google Cloud, and Other Bets segments. The Google Services segment provides products and services, including ads, Android, Chrome, devices, Gmail, Google Drive, Google Maps, Google Photos, Google Play, Search, and YouTube. Further Reading Five stocks we like better than Alphabet CD Calculator: Certificate of Deposit Calculator The Latest 13F Filings Are In: See Where Big Money Is Flowing How to Invest in Blue Chip Stocks 3 Penny Stocks Ready to Break Out in 2025 Profitably Trade Stocks at 52-Week Highs FMC, Mosaic, Nutrien: Top Agricultural Stocks With Big Potential Want to see what other hedge funds are holding GOOGL? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Alphabet Inc. ( NASDAQ:GOOGL – Free Report ). Receive News & Ratings for Alphabet Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Alphabet and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter .The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) has notified the Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules, 2021. These rules cast specific due diligence obligations on intermediaries, including social media intermediaries. The rules mandate that intermediaries should not host, store, or publish any information that violates any law in force. This was stated by Jitin Prasada, the Minister of State for Electronics and Information Technology, in a written reply in the Rajya Sabha. The intermediaries are required to ensure their accountability, which includes their swift action towards the removal of unlawful information categorized under the IT Rules, 2021, or based on grievances received against any information that is harmful to the child or encourages money laundering or gambling. In addition to these measures, the Ministry of Education has issued an advisory for parents and teachers on overcoming the downsides of online gaming. The advisory warns that unrestricted and limitless online gaming can lead to serious gaming addiction, which is considered a gaming disorder. The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting has also issued an advisory to all private satellite television channels on 'Advertisements on Online Games, Fantasy Sports, etc.', advising all broadcasters to comply with the guidelines issued by the Advertising Standards Council of India (ASCI). These measures are part of the government's comprehensive approach to tackle the issue of online gaming addiction and its potential harms. To provide a comprehensive and coordinated framework to deal with cybercrimes, the Ministry of Home Affairs has established the Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre (I4C). The I4C has been instrumental in blocking over 3,000 URLs and 595 apps connected to cybercrimes since its inception in October 2018. In a related development, the Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre (I4C) reported that cybercriminals had fraudulently withdrawn over Rs 10,300 crore from the country since April 1, 2021. However, authorities successfully prevented approximately Rs 1,127 crore from leaving the country. The I4C also reported a significant increase in cybercrime cases, with over 15.56 lakh cases reported in 2023, translating into 129 cybercrime cases reported per lakh population. The government's measures to curb online gaming addiction and cybercrimes have been met with some criticism. Rajya Sabha MP Kapil Sibal criticized the Centre's decision to appoint a fact-checker to track fake news and have them taken down, arguing that the government should not be the one to decide what is fake and what is not. Priests' Grand conclave to be held in Varanasi today PM Modi on 3-day visit in Odisha, to address DG/IGP Conference Frigid temperatures and snow grip millions of Americans ahead of Christmas