In Carter’s hometown, a long-anticipated goodbye begins

PLAINS, GEORGIA — In Jimmy Carter’s tiny hometown of Plains, Georgia on Monday, the former U.S. president’s death was only beginning to sink in, even if friends and neighbors have been bracing for it since he went into hospice care nearly two years ago. 

Those in the rural hamlet — a half block of buildings nestled in the shadow of massive agricultural silos — said the centenarian’s death was sad, but in the same breath they recounted fond memories of time spent with the former U.S. leader and global humanitarian. 

Carter’s commitment to Plains, where he was born 100 years ago and died Sunday at the modest home he had shared with his wife Rosalynn, is made clear by its residents — most knew him personally or have a family member who did. 

“It’ll always be Jimmy Carter’s hometown,” Kelly Kight, who was born and raised in Plains, population approximately 600, told AFP as she placed commemorative bows near her flower shop on the main strip. 

She said that more than an occasion for mourning, it was a day for remembrance of the Nobel Peace Prize laureate and his humanitarian work in particular. 

Electric leaf blowers and tree trimmers provided a background chorus for the town, accustomed to gussying up quickly since it was first thrust into the national spotlight as Carter ran for president nearly 50 years ago and most recently when he began hospice care. 

“When he entered hospice, it kind of became a waiting game for all of the hometown people here in the community,” said Kight, whose family owned a peanut warehouse across from the Carter’s and whose father grew up alongside the Carter children. 

Carter, who had an unlikely political ascent from peanut farmer to the Oval Office, is almost omnipresent in Plains — his boyhood home, high school and the former train depot which served as his 1976 presidential campaign headquarters are now museums under the National Park Service.  

The town’s main drag is festooned with an enormous banner heralding Carter as the 39th president, while a goofy peanut statue with Carter’s trademark grin sits near his church, Maranatha Baptist. There, he welcomed visitors from around the world as he taught Sunday school into his 90s. 

‘A very fine gentleman’  

Carter’s death has long been anticipated — he was last seen in public looking very frail at his wife’s funeral in November 2023, after 77 years of marriage. 

His funeral schedule will include a stop at his boyhood farm, before his remains are taken onward to Atlanta and Washington, then returned to his hometown for interment. 

Kimberly Franklin, who also grew up in Plains, was leaving the Dollar General grocery store Monday, where she would sometimes encounter the Carters shopping like everyday people. 

“I am very sad,” the residential nurse, 56, told AFP, adding that Carter was just “an awesome guy.” 

Like most in Plains, she had a deeply personal memory of Carter, a profoundly religious Baptist who attended her baptism. 

Several blocks away, Plains resident Johnny Jones sat in a rocking chair on his porch, across from the high school Carter attended and in clear view of downtown. He was waiting for the bustle to begin. 

Jones watched as the town came to a standstill for Rosalynn Carter’s funeral and as swarms of journalists descended on Plains when Jimmy Carter announced his hospice care. Jones recounted with a twinkle in his eye that the media waited two weeks for Carter to die, then turned around and left. 

“I thought he was a very fine gentleman,” said Jones, an 85-year-old military retiree who liked Carter. “He did a lot for Plains.”

US Treasury: Chinese hackers remotely accessed workstations, documents

WASHINGTON — Chinese hackers remotely accessed several U.S. Treasury Department workstations and unclassified documents after compromising a third-party software service provider, the agency said Monday. 

The department did not provide details on how many workstations had been accessed or what sort of documents the hackers may have obtained, but it said in a letter to lawmakers revealing the breach that “at this time there is no evidence indicating the threat actor has continued access to Treasury information.” 

“Treasury takes very seriously all threats against our systems, and the data it holds,” the department said. “Over the last four years, Treasury has significantly bolstered its cyber defense, and we will continue to work with both private and public sector partners to protect our financial system from threat actors.” 

The department said it learned of the problem on Dec. 8 when a third-party software service provider, BeyondTrust, flagged that hackers had stolen a key used by the vendor that helped it override the system and gain remote access to several employee workstations. 

The compromised service has since been taken offline, and there’s no evidence that the hackers still have access to department information, Aditi Hardikar, an assistant Treasury secretary, said in the letter Monday to leaders of the Senate Banking Committee. 

The department said it was working with the FBI and the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency, and that the hack had been attributed to Chinese culprits. It did not elaborate.

ОГП: суд в Україні виніс вироки губернатору Башкортостану та голові Уфи за фінансування армії Росії

Посадовців РФ заочно засудили до восьми років ув’язнення з конфіскацією майна за фінансування дій «з метою зміни меж території та кордону України»

Jimmy Carter’s passing met with mixed reactions in China, Taiwan

Taipei, Taiwan — The passing of former United States President Jimmy Carter was met with mixed reactions in China and Taiwan. Chinese President Xi Jinping praised him for helping to establish diplomatic ties between Beijing and Washington while some in Taiwan remain critical of his decision to sever official ties with the island to this day.

In a message to U.S. President Joe Biden, Xi expressed his “deep condolences” and described Carter as “the driving force behind the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and the United States.” 

Former President Carter “made important contributions to the development of China-U.S. relations and the friendly exchanges and cooperation between the two countries,” China’s state-run broadcaster CCTV cited Xi as saying.

“China-U.S. ties are among the most import bilateral relationships in the world,” Xi said, adding that Beijing is willing to work with Washington to advance bilateral relations. 

During Carter’s time in office between 1977 and 1981, the U.S. established formal diplomatic relations with China, advancing the groundwork laid by former U.S. President Richard Nixon and Secretary of State Henry Kissinger in the 1970s. 

In 1979, his administration recognized the People’s Republic of China (PRC) as the sole legal government of China and acknowledged Beijing’s position that Taiwan is a part of China. He also agreed to sever official ties with Taiwan, charting a new course in what would later become one of the world’s most complicated and consequential relationships. 

Much like Xi, many Chinese commentators and internet users praised Carter’s contribution to normalizing U.S.-China relations. 

Hu Xijin, the former editor-in-chief of China’s state-run tabloid Global Times, said Carter helped to lay the foundation of the “friendly and cooperative relationship” between China and the U.S. by acknowledging China’s position on Taiwan.

While “his starting point is to safeguard the interests of the United States, during his term, China and the United States of America’s common interests have been highlighted and highlighted,” he wrote in a statement on the Chinese social media platform Weibo. 

Other Chinese internet users also characterized Carter as being more friendly to China than other U.S. leaders. “Of all the living former U.S. presidents, he is one of the friendlier to China,” Chinese netizen “Sheng Yuan Ran Dong” from Heilongjiang province wrote on Weibo.

“He was a good pacifist. He opened the floodgates of history by establishing diplomatic relations between China and the U.S. His good qualities are truly worth highlighting,” Chinese internet user “Abu from the magic forest” from Jiangxi Province wrote on Weibo.

Lu Chao, the director of Liaoning University’s Institute of American and East Asian Studies, said Carter not only facilitated the establishment of U.S.-China relations, he also maintained very good relations with then-Chinese leader Deng Xiaoping. 

“Former President Carter made the right choice that was in line with the trend of global development, the fundamental interests of the United States, and the interests of China. It is still praised by Chinese and American people,” he told VOA. 

Mixed reactions in Taiwan 

While reactions from China to Carter’s passing were largely positive, perceptions about the former U.S. president’s complicated legacy in Taiwan were mixed. In a short post on social media platform X, Taiwan’s Presidential Office extended “sincere condolences” to Carter’s family and the American people.

Meanwhile, Taiwan’s main opposition party Kuomintang (KMT), said on X that while Carter will be remembered in Taiwan “for his decision to derecognize the Republic of China” — Taiwan’s official name — they “admire his advocacy worldwide for affordable housing, conflict resolution, refugees, and other causes.”

In contrast to the moderate official response, some Taiwanese internet users criticized the former U.S. president for allowing China to become a major threat to Taiwan. 

While “the U.S. is now Taiwan’s strong ally, [Carter and Kissinger] are the ones who made China so difficult to deal with. From the two of them to the Obama era, Washington’s pro-China approach allowed China to build economic growth for decades and that’s the reason why the Chinese Communist Party can keep bullying Taiwan,” Taiwanese internet user Pbtato Hsieh wrote in a Facebook post. 

After the Carter administration severed ties with Taiwan in 1979, the U.S. Congress passed the Taiwan Relations Act (TRA), later the same year, which allows Washington to maintain close unofficial ties with Taipei while requiring the U.S. to “provide Taiwan with arms of a defensive character” to “a sufficient self-defense capacity.”

The TRA also reaffirmed the United States commitment to preserving the human rights of the people of Taiwan. At the time the legislation was signed into law by then President Carter, Taiwan was under martial law and under the control of one single party, the KMT, which was led by Chiang Ching-kuo. Taiwan continued under martial law until 1989 and held its first direct presidential elections in 1996.

While Carter signed the TRA into law, some Taiwanese analysts say the former president shouldn’t be credited for providing the architecture that upholds the unofficial relations between Taiwan and the U.S. today. 

“It was because the government in Taiwan under Chiang Kai-shek and some grassroots Taiwanese American organizations maintained good relations with members of the U.S. Congress, so the Congress passed a piece of legislation that was more favorable toward Taiwan,” Chen Fang-yu, a political scientist at Soochow University in Taiwan, told VOA by phone. 

“The Taiwan Relations Act was not directly related to Carter,” he added. 

Despite his complicated legacy of handling Washington’s relations with Taiwan, other experts say Carter’s decision to sign the TRA into law still helped to build the “first blocks of today’s U.S.-Taiwan relationship.” 

“The de facto relationship that the U.S. and Taiwan have today began with him,” said Lev Nachman, a political scientist at National Taiwan University. 

“I don’t think he was the one who sat down and wrote the TRA, but he most certainly is the one who saw through the process of creating this new relationship with Taiwan after the recognition switch,” he told VOA by phone. 

VOA Mandarin’s Joyce Huang contributed to this report. 

Linda Lavin, Tony-winning Broadway actress who starred in sitcom ‘Alice,’ dies at 87

NEW YORK — Linda Lavin, a Tony Award-winning stage actress who became a working class icon as a paper-hat wearing waitress on the TV sitcom “Alice,” has died. She was 87. 

Lavin died in Los Angeles on Sunday of complications from recently discovered lung cancer, her representative, Bill Veloric, told The Associated Press in an email. 

A success on Broadway, Lavin tried her luck in Hollywood in the mid-1970s. She was chosen to star in a new CBS sitcom based on “Alice Doesn’t Live Here Anymore,” the Martin Scorsese-directed film that won Ellen Burstyn an Oscar for playing the title waitress. 

The title was shortened to “Alice” and Lavin became a role model for working moms as Alice Hyatt, a widowed mother with a 12-year-old son working in a roadside diner outside Phoenix. The show, with Lavin singing the theme song “There’s a New Girl in Town,” ran from 1976 to 1985. 

The show turned “Kiss my grits” into a catchphrase and co-starred Polly Holliday as waitress Flo and Vic Tayback as the gruff owner and head chef of Mel’s Diner. 

The series bounced around the CBS schedule during its first two seasons but became a hit leading into “All in the Family” on Sunday nights in October 1977. It was among primetime’s top 10 series in four of the next five seasons. Variety magazine listed it among the all-time best workplace comedies. 

Lavin soon went on to win a Tony for best actress in a play for Neil Simon’s “Broadway Bound” in 1987. 

She was working as recently as this month promoting a new Netflix series in which she appears, “No Good Deed,” and filming a forthcoming Hulu series, “Mid-Century Modern,” according to Deadline, which first reported her death. 

Lavin grew up in Portland, Maine, and moved to New York City after graduating from the College of William and Mary. She sang in nightclubs and in ensembles of shows. 

Iconic producer and director Hal Prince gave Lavin her first big break while directing the Broadway musical “It’s a Bird … It’s a Plane … It’s Superman.” She went on to earn a Tony nomination in Simon’s “Last of the Red Hot Lovers” in 1969 before winning 18 years later for another Simon play, “Broadway Bound.” 

In the mid 1970s, Lavin moved to Los Angeles. She had a recurring role on “Barney Miller” and in 1976 was chosen to star in a new CBS sitcom based on Ellen Burstyn’s Oscar-winning waitress comedy-drama, “Alice Doesn’t Live Here Anymore.” 

Back on Broadway, Lavin later starred Paul Rudnick’s comedy “The New Century,” had a concert show called “Songs & Confessions of a One-Time Waitress” and earned a Tony nomination in Donald Margulies’ “Collected Stories.” 

Michael Kuchwara of the AP gave Lavin a rave in “Collected Stories,” writing that she “gives one of those complete, nuanced performances, capturing the woman’s intellectual vigor, her wry sense of humor and her increasing physical frailty with astonishing fidelity. And Lavin’s sense of timing is superb, whether delivering a joke or acerbically dissecting the work of her protegee.” 

Lavin basked in a burst of renewed attention in her 70s, earning a Tony nomination for Nicky Silver’s “The Lyons.” She also starred in “Other Desert Cities” and a revival of “Follies” before they transferred to Broadway. 

The AP again raved about Lavin in “The Lyons,” calling her “an absolute wonder to behold as Rita Lyons, a nag of a mother with a collection of firm beliefs and eye rolls, a matriarch who is both suffocating and keeping everyone at arm’s length.” 

She also appeared in the film “Wanderlust” with Jennifer Aniston and Paul Rudd, and released her first CD, “Possibilities.” She played Jennifer Lopez’s grandmother in “The Back-Up Plan.” 

When asked for guidance from up-and-coming actresses, Lavin stressed one thing. “I say that what happened for me was that work brings work. As long as it wasn’t morally reprehensible to me, I did it,” she told the AP in 2011. 

She and Steve Bakunas, an artist, musician and her third husband, converted an old automotive garage into the 50-seat Red Barn Studio Theatre in Wilmington, North Carolina. 

It opened in 2007 and their productions include “Doubt” by John Patrick Shanley, “Glengarry Glen Ross” by David Mamet, “Rabbit Hole” by David Lindsay-Abaire and “The Tale of the Allergist’s Wife” by Charles Busch, in which Lavin also starred on Broadway, earning a Tony nomination. 

She returned to TV in 2013 in “Sean Saves the World,” starring “Will & Grace’s” Sean Hayes, a show which lasted a season. Lavin also made appearances on “Mom” and “9JKL.” 

Sports teams honor late former US President Jimmy Carter

Sports teams in former U.S. President Jimmy Carter’s home state of Georgia expressed their condolences Sunday, honoring a former leader who also served as the state’s governor and had an extensive record as an athlete and sports fan. 

The Atlanta Falcons football team held a moment of silence before their game Sunday night. 

The team’s owner, Arthur Blank, called Carter “a great American, a proud Georgian and an inspirational global humanitarian.” 

The Atlanta Hawks basketball team said Carter “represented all the best of Georgia.” 

“From his rural upbringing that he never strayed from, to his passion for Atlanta sports, Carter was proud of his home state and left a legacy for Georgians to be proud of, too,” the team said in a statement. 

Carter was most known for being a fan of the Atlanta Braves baseball team, whose games he and his wife, Rosalynn, attended for decades. 

The team celebrated his 100th birthday in October, and on Sunday it said Carter “served both his country and home state with honor his entire life.” 

“While the world knew him as a remarkable humanitarian and peacemaker, we knew him as a dedicated Braves fan and we will miss having him in the stands cheering on his Braves,” the team said in a statement. 

Carter was in attendance in 1974 when Braves player Hank Aaron set the Major League Baseball record for most career home runs. 

In 1995, Carter threw out the ceremonial first pitch before the sixth game of the World Series, which the Braves won to capture their first championship since moving to Atlanta, Georgia, in 1966. 

As an athlete himself, Carter was fond of playing softball, including during his time as president. 

While in the White House, Carter was also part of a boom in running in the United States that saw recreational running rapidly expand during the 1970s. 

His competitive running career included time on the U.S. Naval Academy cross-country team. 

Carter also enjoyed playing tennis and watching car racing, and he participated in the presidential tradition of welcoming championship sports teams to the White House. 

Some information for this story was provided by The Associated Press

«Висока невизначеність». КМІС фіксує зниження частки тих, хто оптимістично налаштований на майбутнє України

Також, за даними КМІС, за останній рік стало менше тих, хто вважає, що українці потроху долають суперечності та рухаються до згуртованої політичної нації

Storm system spawns tornadoes across US, leading to 4 deaths

Officials assessed the damage on Sunday after a strong storm system moved across the southern United States over the weekend, spawning tornadoes and killing at least four people. 

There were at least 45 reports of tornado damage across Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama and Georgia, said Brian Hurley, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service’s Weather Prediction Center. Crews will do damage surveys to confirm tornadoes. 

The storms during busy holiday travels caused some treacherous road conditions along with delays or cancellations at some of the busiest U.S. airports. As of Sunday afternoon, there were over 600 flight delays affecting Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport in the southern state of Georgia, according to flight tracker FlightAware. 

“It’s not unheard of, but it is fairly uncommon to have a severe weather outbreak of this magnitude this late in the year,” said Frank Pereira, a meteorologist with the Weather Prediction Center. 

In the area of Houston, Texas, National Weather Service storm survey crews confirmed that at least five tornadoes hit north and south of the city on Saturday. 

At least one person died. The 48-year-old woman was found about 30 meters from her home in the Liverpool area south of Houston, said Madison Polston of the Brazoria County Sheriff’s Office. She said the exact cause of death wasn’t immediately known. 

Four other people in Brazoria County had injuries that weren’t considered critical, said Polston, adding that at least 40 homes and buildings were significantly damaged. 

In Montgomery County, north of Houston, about 30 homes were destroyed and about 50 others sustained major damage, county official Jason Smith said. 

In the state of North Carolina, a 70-year-old man was killed Sunday in Statesville, just north of Charlotte, when a tree landed on the pickup truck he was driving. Highway Patrol Trooper DJ Maffucci said “it was just a freak accident” and he believed Matthew Teeple, of Cleveland, North Carolina, was killed instantly. 

“It’s very sad, just terrible timing,” Maffucci said, adding that the storms were responsible for a number of downed trees and “quite a few wrecks.” 

Two people were killed in storms in Mississippi, officials said. An 18-year-old died after a tree fell on her home Saturday night in Natchez in Adams County, said Emergency Management spokesperson Neifa Hardy. Two other people in the home were injured. 

Another person died in Lowndes County and at least eight more were injured across the state, officials said. 

The National Weather Service said two tornadoes hit around Bude and the city of Brandon, ripping roofs from several buildings. 

Storm damage also was reported in the northern Alabama city of Athens, northwest of Huntsville. 

Holly Hollman, spokeswoman for the city, said most of the damage from the early Sunday morning storms occurred downtown. She said it hurled large HVAC units from the tops of building and ripped the roof off a bookstore. A full-sized, stripped-down military helicopter was toppled from a pole where it was on display, she added. 

“I stepped out on my porch and I could hear it roar,” she said of the storm. “I think we are extremely lucky that we got hit late at night. If it had hit during the busy hours, I think we might have had some injuries and possibly some fatalities.” 

As of Sunday afternoon, more than 40,000 people were still without power in Mississippi, according to electric utility tracking website PowerOutage.us. Texas, Alabama, North Carolina and Georgia each had about 10,000 customers without power, it said. 

The storms closed some roads in western North Carolina, a region broadly devastated by Hurricane Helene this fall. That included part of U.S. 441, also known as the Great Smoky Mountains Expressway, which closed north of Bryson City due to high winds. 

In Bumpus Cove, Tennessee, Justin Fromkin, president of Raising Hope Disaster Relief, worked Sunday to save what he could from the organization’s supply tent — filled with clothes and food — after about 152 millimeters of rain fell. 

He’s spent the past few months delivering aid to areas in western North Carolina and eastern Tennessee that are still reeling from Helene. The ground in some parts of the mountains is still unstable from Helene, Fromkin said, and Sunday’s downpour adds to the problem. 

Stock market today: Asian shares mixed after Wall Street slips, led by tech giants

Asian shares were mixed on Monday after stocks fell broadly on Friday as Wall Street closed out a holiday-shortened week on a down note. 

U.S. futures were lower while oil prices were little changed. 

In Asia, South Korea’s Kospi added 0.6% to 2,418.80. But shares of Jeju Air Co. lost 8.8% after one of the company’s jets skidded off a runway, slammed into a concrete fence, and burst into flames Sunday in South Korea as its landing gear failed to deploy. 179 people died in the crash. 

Political turmoil continued as South Korean law enforcement officials requested a court warrant on Monday to detain impeached President Yoon Suk Yeol. They are investigating whether his martial law decree on December 3 amounted to rebellion. 

Tokyo’s Nikkei 225 index lost 0.9% to 39,914.21 as the dollar gained against the Japanese yen, trading at 157.83 yen, up from 157.75 yen. The Tokyo market will wrap up trading for 2024 with a year-end ceremony as Japan begins its New Year holidays, the biggest festival of the year. 

The Hang Seng in Hong Kong shed 0.3% to 20,030.63 while the Shanghai Composite index was up 0.3% at 3,408.72. Australia’s S&P/ASX 200 dipped 0.9% to 8,191.50. 

On Friday, the S&P 500 fell 1.1% to 5,970.84. Roughly 90% of stocks in the benchmark index lost ground, but it managed to hold onto a modest gain of 0.7% for the week. 

The Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 0.8% to 42,992.21. The tech-heavy Nasdaq composite fell 1.5%, to 19,722.03. 

The losses were made worse by sharp declines for the Big Tech stocks known as the “Magnificent 7,” which can heavily influence the direction of the market because of their large size. 

A wide range of retailers also fell. Amazon fell 1.5% and Best Buy slipped 1.5%. The sector is being closely watched for clues on how it performed during the holiday shopping season. 

The S&P 500 gained nearly 3% over a 3-day stretch before breaking for the Christmas holiday. On Thursday, the index posted a small decline. 

Despite Friday’s drop, the market is moving closer to another standout annual finish. The S&P 500 is on track for a gain of around 25% in 2024. That would mark a second consecutive yearly gain of more than 20%, the first time that has happened since 1997-1998. 

The gains have been driven partly by upbeat economic data showing that consumers continued spending and the labor market remained strong. Inflation, while still high, has also been steadily easing. 

A report on Friday showed that sales and inventory estimates for the wholesales trade industry fell 0.2% in November, following a slight gain in October. That weaker-than-expected report follows an update on the labor market Thursday that showed unemployment benefits held steady last week. 

The stream of upbeat economic data and easing inflation helped prompt a reversal in the Federal Reserve’s interest rate policy this year. Expectations for interest rate cuts also helped drive market gains. The central bank recently delivered its third cut to interest rates in 2024. 

Even though inflation has come closer to the central bank’s target of 2%, it remains stubbornly above that mark and worries about it heating up again have tempered the forecast for more interest rate cuts. 

Inflation concerns have added to uncertainties heading into 2025, which include the labor market’s path ahead and shifting economic policies under incoming President Donald Trump. Worries have risen that Trump’s preference for tariffs and other policies could lead to higher inflation, a bigger U.S. government debt, and difficulties for global trade. 

In other dealings early Monday, U.S. benchmark crude oil picked up 1 cent to $70.61 per barrel. Brent crude, the international standard, lost 1 cent to $73.78 per barrel. 

The euro fell to $1.0427 from $1.0433. 

World leaders react to death of former US President Jimmy Carter

World leaders and U.S. politicians reacted to news that former U.S. President Jimmy Carter, who as president brokered peace between Israel and Egypt and later received the Nobel Peace Prize for his humanitarian work, has died at age 100.

US President Joe Biden and first lady Jill Biden

“Today, America and the world lost an extraordinary leader, statesman and humanitarian.

Over six decades, we had the honor of calling Jimmy Carter a dear friend. But what’s extraordinary about Jimmy Carter, though, is that millions of people throughout America and the world who never met him thought of him as a dear friend as well.”

US Vice President Kamala Harris

“Throughout his life, President Carter was strengthened by the love and support of his partner of 77 years, First Lady Rosalynn Carter, whose life President Biden and I had the opportunity to celebrate in Georgia last year. After leaving office, President Carter continued his fight for peace, democracy, and human dignity through the Carter Center.

I had the privilege of knowing President Carter for years. I will always remember his kindness, wisdom, and profound grace. His life and legacy continue to inspire me — and will inspire generations to come. Our world is a better place because of President Carter.”

US President-elect Donald Trump

“The challenges Jimmy faced as president came at a pivotal time for our country and he did everything in his power to improve the lives of all Americans. For that, we all owe him a debt of gratitude.

Melania and I are thinking warmly of the Carter Family and their loved ones during this difficult time. We urge everyone to keep them in their hearts and prayers.”

US Vice President-elect JD Vance

“Jimmy Carter dedicated his life to serving this country. Our thoughts and prayers go out to his loved ones. May he Rest in Peace.”

Former US President Barack Obama

“Elected in the shadow of Watergate, Jimmy Carter promised voters that he would always tell the truth. And he did — advocating for the public good, consequences be damned. He believed some things were more important than reelection — things like integrity, respect, and compassion. Because Jimmy Carter believed, as deeply as he believed anything, that we are all created in God’s image. …

Maranatha Baptist Church will be a little quieter on Sundays, but President Carter will never be far away — buried alongside Rosalynn next to a willow tree down the road, his memory calling all of us to heed our better angels. Michelle and I send our thoughts and prayers to the Carter family, and everyone who loved and learned from this remarkable man.”

Former US President George W. Bush

“Laura and I send our heartfelt condolences to Jack, Chip, Jeff, Amy, and the entire Carter family.

James Earl Carter, Jr., was a man of deeply held convictions. He was loyal to his family, his community, and his country. President Carter dignified the office. And his efforts to leave behind a better world didn’t end with the presidency. His work with Habitat for Humanity and the Carter Center set an example of service that will inspire Americans for generations.”

Former US President Bill Clinton and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton

“From his commitment to civil rights as a state senator and governor of Georgia; to his efforts as President to protect our natural resources in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, make energy conservation a national priority, return the Panama Canal to Panama, and secure peace between Egypt and Israel at Camp David; to his post-Presidential efforts at the Carter Center supporting honest elections, advancing peace, combating disease, and promoting democracy; to his and Rosalynn’s devotion and hard work at Habitat for Humanity — he worked tirelessly for a better, fairer world.”

Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi 

“In this moment of sorrow, I extend my heartfelt condolences to the family of former American President Jimmy Carter, as well as to the President and the people of the United States of America. 

His significant role in achieving the peace agreement between Egypt and Israel will remain etched in the annals of history, and his humanitarian work exemplifies a lofty standard of love, peace, and brotherhood. His enduring legacy ensures that he will be remembered as one of the world’s most prominent leaders in service to humanity.”   

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken 

“Throughout decades of public service, President Carter embodied integrity, compassion, and a commitment to advancing the freedom, security, and welfare of others. 

He channeled that spirit in his foreign policy, from negotiating the return of the Panama Canal to its host nation, to developing arms control agreements with the Soviet Union. And he brought it to his every exchange and conversation, from heads of state to ordinary citizens. 

President Carter also showed us what can be achieved through tireless and principled diplomacy, mediating a landmark deal with Israel and Egypt that helped forge peace between two nations that had spent decades at war. His efforts are an important reminder of what’s possible, especially amidst renewed conflict and suffering in the region.” 

Britain’s King Charles 

“It was with great sadness that I learned of the death of former President Carter. He was a committed public servant and devoted his life to promoting peace and human rights. 

His dedication and humility served as an inspiration to many, and I remember with great fondness his visit to the United Kingdom in 1977. 

My thoughts and prayers are with President Carter’s family and the American people at this time.”   

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau 

“Jimmy Carter’s legacy is one of compassion, kindness, empathy, and hard work. He served others both at home and around the world his entire life — and he loved doing it. He was always thoughtful and generous with his advice to me. My deepest condolences to the Carter family, his many loved ones, and the American people who are mourning a former President and a lifelong humanitarian. May his selfless service continue to inspire us all for years to come.” 

Panamanian President Jose Raul Mulino 

“I offer my condolences to the family and to the people and Government of the United States on the death of former President Jimmy Carter. His stint in the White House was marked by difficult times, and were crucial for Panama in negotiating and signing the Torrijos-Carter Treaties in 1977, which transferred the (Panama) Canal into Panamanian hands and made our country truly sovereign. May his soul rest in peace.”   

Venezuelan Government of President Nicolas Maduro 

“The Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela regrets the death of former President of the United States of America, Jimmy Carter, and extends its most sincere condolences to his family and friends. 

Former President Carter was a man of proven commitment to peace and dialog. His contributions to global politics and his dedication to peace have left an indelible mark on the world.” 

French President Emmanuel Macron

“Throughout his life, Jimmy Carter has been a steadfast advocate for the rights of the most vulnerable and has tirelessly fought for peace. France sends its heartfelt thoughts to his family and to the American people.”

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese 

“President Carter rose from humble beginnings to leave a remarkable legacy. Beyond being elected to the Presidency or being awarded the Nobel Peace Prize, Jimmy Carter’s legacy is best measured in lives changed, saved and uplifted.” 

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy 

“We express our heartfelt condolences to the American people and to the family of former U.S. President Jimmy Carter on his passing. He was a leader who served during a time when Ukraine was not yet independent, yet his heart stood firmly with us in our ongoing fight for freedom. 

He devoted his life to promoting peace in the world and defending human rights. Today, let us remember: peace matters, and the world must remain united in standing against those who threaten these values.” 

Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel 

“Condolences to the people and the government of the U.S., and especially the family of President James Carter. Our people remember with gratitude his efforts to better relations, his visits to #Cuba and his speaking out in favor of the release of the Five.” 

US Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer

“Today, we mourn the loss of one of our most humble and devoted public servants, President Jimmy Carter.

President Carter personified the true meaning of leadership through service, through compassion, and through integrity.

From his legacy as president, to his dedication to improving human rights across the globe, and his tireless efforts alongside his wife Rosalynn, in building a better world through Habitat for Humanity, he inspired millions with his unwavering commitment to justice and equality.”

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer

“I was very sorry to hear of President Carter’s passing and I would like to pay tribute to his decades of selfless public service.

His presidency will be remembered for the historic Camp David Accords between Israel and Egypt, and it was that lifelong dedication to peace that saw him receive the Nobel Peace prize.

Motivated by his strong faith and values, President Carter redefined the post-presidency with a remarkable commitment to social justice and human rights at home and abroad.”

US Senator Mitch McConnell

“Elaine and I join the Senate and the nation in mourning the passing of our 39th president, Jimmy Carter.

“President Carter served during times of tension and uncertainty, both at home and abroad. But his calm spirit and deep faith seemed unshakeable. Jimmy Carter served as our commander-in-chief for four years, but he served as the beloved, unassuming Sunday school teacher at Maranatha Baptist Church in Plains, Georgia for forty. And his humble devotion leaves us little doubt which of those two important roles he prized the most.”

US House Speaker Mike Johnson

“Today, the thoughts of Americans and the prayers of Congress are lifted up on behalf of the Carter family. President Carter’s story was one of humble beginnings, and his life is a testament to the boundless opportunities available in this great nation. Because of his work in brokering the Camp David Accords and his advocacy with Habitat for Humanity, the world is a more peaceful place, and more Americans have a place to call home. No one can deny that President Carter led an extraordinary life of service to his country. May he rest in peace.”

US Representative Mike Turner

“I am deeply saddened to learn about the death of President Jimmy Carter. President Carter was a man of integrity who was guided by his faith. I join all Americans in saluting President Carter for his lifetime of service, first as a naval officer, then as a senator in the Georgia State Senate, then as Governor of Georgia, and, finally, as President of the United States. I would like to extend my heartfelt condolences to the Carter family.”

US Senator Mark Warner

“President Carter will be remembered by what he built and left behind for us – a model of service late into life, a tireless devotion to family and philanthropy, and a more peaceful world to call home.”

US Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin

“Jimmy Carter proved that excellence in public service can extend beyond the White House. His life was an inspiration to those of us who aspire to lead a life of service.”