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Nahar Net
6 days ago
- Entertainment
- Nahar Net
Noteworthy and influential people who've died this year
by Naharnet Newsdesk 04 June 2025, 14:59 May saw the death of a retired U.S. Supreme Court justice who came the high court as a Republican but became a favorite among liberals during his time on the bench. David H. Souter was was appointed by Republican President George H.W. Bush in 1990. But he offered a reliably liberal vote on issues such as abortion and freedom of expression. Souter retired from the court in 2009. The month also saw the death of former Illinois Gov. George Ryan. His time in office was marred by a corruption scandal that led to his imprisonment. But he was also celebrated by some for emptying the state's death row in 2003 with pardons and commutations in one of his last acts as governor. Other notable deaths in May include former U.S. Sen. Christopher "Kit" Bond; former congressmen Gerald "Gerry" Connolly and Charles Rangel; actors Loretta Swit and George Wendt; feminist author Susan Brownmiller and Kenyan author Ngũgĩ wa Thiong'o; and "Duck Dynasty" patriarch Phil Robertson. Here is a roll call of some influential figures who have died in the first five months of this year (cause of death cited, if available): ___ JANUARY ___ Wayne Osmond, 73. A singer, guitarist and founding member of the million-album-selling family act The Osmonds, who were known for such 1970s teen hits as "One Bad Apple," "Yo-Yo" and "Down By the Lazy River." Jan. 1. David Lodge, 89. A witty and prolific British novelist and critic who gently satirized academia, religion and even his own loss of hearing in such highly praised narratives as the Booker Prize finalists "Small World" and "Nice Work." Jan. 1. Rosita Missoni, 93. The matriarch of the iconic Italian fashion house that made colorful zigzag-patterned knitwear high fashion and helped launch Italian ready-to-wear. Jan. 1. James Arthur Ray, 67. A self-help guru whose multimillion-dollar business toppled after he led a sweat lodge ceremony in Arizona that left three people dead. Jan. 3. Costas Simitis, 88. A former prime minister of Greece and the architect of the country's joining the common European currency, the euro. Jan. 5. Jean-Marie Le Pen, 96. The founder of France's far-right National Front was known for fiery rhetoric against immigration and multiculturalism that earned him staunch supporters and widespread condemnation. Jan. 7. Peter Yarrow, 86. The singer-songwriter best known as one-third of Peter, Paul and Mary, the folk music trio whose impassioned harmonies transfixed millions as they lifted their voices in favor of civil rights and against war. Jan. 7. Nancy Leftenant-Colon, 104. The first Black woman to join the U.S. Army Nurse Corps after the military was desegregated in the 1940s. Jan. 8. Sam Moore, 89. The surviving half and higher voice of the 1960s duo Sam & Dave, which was known for such definitive hits of the era as "Soul Man" and "Hold On, I'm Comin.'" Jan. 10. José "Cha Cha" Jiménez, 76. A prominent Civil Rights figure in Chicago who advocated for Puerto Rican rights, founded the Young Lords and co-founded the Rainbow Coalition. Jan. 10. David Lynch, 78. The filmmaker celebrated for his uniquely dark and dreamlike vision in such movies as "Blue Velvet" and "Mulholland Drive," and the TV series "Twin Peaks." Jan. 16. Bob Uecker, 90. He parlayed a forgettable playing career into a punch line for movie and TV appearances as "Mr. Baseball" and a Hall of Fame broadcasting tenure. Jan. 16. Joan Plowright, 95. An award-winning British actor who, with her late husband Laurence Olivier, did much to revitalize the U.K.'s theatrical scene in the decades after World War II. Jan. 16. Cecile Richards, 67. A national leader for abortion access and women's rights who led Planned Parenthood for 12 tumultuous years. Jan. 20. Mauricio Funes, 65. A president of El Salvador who spent the final years of his life in Nicaragua to avoid various criminal sentences. Jan. 21. Valérie André, 102. A French aviator and parachutist who became the first woman to become a general officer in France. Jan. 21. Garth Hudson, 87. The Band's virtuoso keyboardist and all-around musician who drew from a unique palette of sounds and styles to add a conversational touch to such rock standards as "Up on Cripple Creek," "The Weight" and "Rag Mama Rag." Jan. 21. Richard Williamson, 84. An ultra-traditionalist Catholic bishop whose denial of the Holocaust created a scandal in 2009 when Pope Benedict XVI rehabilitated him and other members of his breakaway society. Jan. 29. Dick Button, 95. He was one of the most accomplished men's figure skaters in history, and one of his sport's great innovators and promoters. Jan. 30. Marianne Faithfull, 78. The British pop star, muse, libertine and old soul who inspired and helped write some of the Rolling Stones' greatest songs. and endured as a torch singer and survivor of the lifestyle she once embodied. Jan. 30. ___ FEBRUARY ___ Horst Köhler, 81. A onetime head of the International Monetary Fund who became a popular German president before stunning the country by resigning abruptly in a flap over comments about the country's military. Feb. 1. Barbie Hsu, 48. A Taiwanese actress who starred in the popular TV drama "Meteor Garden" that once swept Asia. Feb. 2. Pneumonia triggered by the flu. The Aga Khan, 88. He became the spiritual leader of the world's millions of Ismaili Muslims at age 20 as a Harvard undergraduate, and poured a material empire built on billions of dollars in tithes into building homes, hospitals and schools in developing countries. Feb. 4. Kultida Woods, 80. The Thai-born mother of Tiger Woods, whom he credits with instilling in him a dominant spirit and encouraging him to wear a red shirt on Sunday as his power color. Feb. 4. Irv Gotti, 54. A music mogul who founded Murder Inc. Records and was behind major hip-hop and R&B artists such as Ashanti and Ja Rule. Feb. 5. Virginia McCaskey, 102. She inherited the Chicago Bears from her father, George Halas, but avoided the spotlight during more than four decades as the team's principal owner. Feb. 6. Tony Roberts, 85. A versatile, Tony Award-nominated theater performer at home in plays and musicals and who appeared in several Woody Allen movies — often as Allen's best friend. Feb. 7. Sam Nujoma, 95. The fiery, white-bearded freedom fighter who led Namibia to independence from apartheid South Africa in 1990 and served as its first president for 15 years, coming to be known as the father of his nation. Feb. 8. Tom Robbins, 92. The novelist and prankster-philosopher who charmed and addled millions of readers with such screwball adventures as "Even Cowgirls Get the Blues" and "Jitterbug Perfume." Feb. 9. Anne Marie Hochhalter, 43. She was partially paralyzed in the Columbine High School shooting but found strength to forgive and to heal her soul after bonding with another family devastated by the tragedy. Feb. 16. Gene Hackman, 95. The Oscar-winning actor whose studied portraits ranged from reluctant heroes to conniving villains and made him one of the industry's most respected and honored performers. Feb. 17. Found dead with his wife, who had died a week earlier, in their home. Paquita la del Barrio, 77. A Mexican musical legend known for her powerful voice and fierce defense of women. Feb. 17. James Harrison, 88. An Australian man credited with saving 2.4 million babies through his record-breaking blood plasma donations over six decades. Feb. 17. Souleymane Cissé, 84. The Malian filmmaker was a pioneer of African cinema with a career spanning 50 years. Feb. 19. Mabel Staton, 92. The Black track and field standout who broke through racial barriers and became the only woman to compete for the United States in the long jump at the 1952 Helsinki Olympics. Feb. 20. Clint Hill, 93. The Secret Service agent who leaped onto the back of President John F. Kennedy's limousine after the president was shot, then was forced to retire early because he remained haunted by memories of the assassination. Feb. 21. Joe Fusco, 87. A College Football Hall of Fame coach who won four NAIA Division II national championships in 19 years at Westminster College. Feb. 22. Roberta Flack, 88. The Grammy-winning singer and pianist whose intimate vocal and musical style made her one of the top recording artists of the 1970s and an influential performer long after that. Feb. 24. Michelle Trachtenberg, 39. A former child star who appeared in the 1996 "Harriet the Spy" hit movie and went on to co-star in two buzzy millennial-era TV shows — "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" and "Gossip Girl." Feb. 26. Boris Spassky, 88. A Soviet-era world chess champion who lost his title to American Bobby Fischer in a legendary 1972 match that became a proxy for Cold War rivalries. Feb. 27. David Johansen, 75. The wiry, gravelly-voiced singer and last surviving member of the glam and protopunk band the New York Dolls who later performed as his campy, pompadoured alter ego, Buster Poindexter. Feb. 28. ___ MARCH ___ Angie Stone, 63. The Grammy-nominated R&B singer was a member of the all-female hip-hop trio The Sequence and known for the hit song "Wish I Didn't Miss You." March 1. Car crash. Joey Molland, 77. A guitarist with the Welsh pop-rock band Badfinger that was known for such 1970s hits as "No Matter What" and "Day After Day." March 1. George Lowe, 67. The voice behind the irreverent animated superhero on Adult Swim's "Space Ghost Coast to Coast." March 2. Lincoln Diaz-Balart, 70. A Cuban American who fought tirelessly for a free Cuba and who spent 18 years in the U.S. House of Representatives as a member of a politically powerful South Florida family. March 3. Carl Dean, 82. Dolly Parton's devoted husband of nearly 60 years who avoided the spotlight and inspired her timeless hit "Jolene." March 3. Oleg Gordievsky, 86. A Soviet KGB officer who helped change the course of the Cold War by covertly passing secrets to Britain. March 4. Roy Ayers, 84. A legendary jazz vibraphonist, keyboardist, composer and vocalist known for his spacy, funky 1976 hit "Everybody Loves the Sunshine" that has been sampled by such R&B and rap heavyweights as Mary J. Blige, N.W.A., Dr. Dre, 2Pac, Mos Def and Ice Cube. March 4. Robert G. Clark, 95. He was elected in 1967 as Mississippi's first Black lawmaker of the 20th century and rose to the second-highest leadership role in the state House of Representatives. March 4. D'Wayne Wiggins, 64. A founding member of the Grammy-nominated group Tony! Toni! Tone! behind the classic songs "Anniversary," "It Never Rains (In Southern California)" and (Lay Your Head on My) Pillow." March 7. Junior Bridgeman, 71. A basketball standout who led Louisville to a Final Four, starred for the NBA's Milwaukee Bucks and then launched an even more successful career as a businessman with stakes in restaurants, publishing and the Bucks franchise. March 11. Ron Nessen, 90. A veteran broadcast journalist who was press secretary for President Gerald Ford and sought to restore the integrity that the position had lost during the Nixon administration. March 12. Raúl M. Grijalva, 77. The Democratic congressman was a champion of environmental protections and progressive ideals who took on principled but often futile causes during a two-decade career in Congress. March 13. Alan Simpson, 93. The former U.S. senator was a political legend whose quick wit bridged partisan gaps in the years before today's political acrimony. March 14. Nita Lowey, 87. The former congresswoman was a long-serving New York Democrat who was the first woman to chair the powerful House Appropriations Committee. March 15. Émilie Dequenne, 43. The Belgian actor who won a top Cannes Film Festival prize for her breakout role in "Rosetta." March 16. Cancer. Eddie Jordan, 76. An ex-Formula 1 team owner and media personality whose humor, strong opinions and often extravagant dress sense made him a popular pundit on TV after selling the team in 2005. March 20. George Foreman, 76. The fearsome heavyweight boxer who lost the "Rumble in the Jungle" to Muhammad Ali before his inspiring second act as a 45-year-old world champion and a successful businessman. March 21. Kitty Dukakis, 88. The wife of former Massachusetts governor and Democratic presidential candidate Michael Dukakis, who spoke openly about her struggles with depression and addiction. March 21. Paul "Greg" House, 63. He spent two decades on Tennessee's death row before he was finally freed, and later campaigned against the death penalty. March 22. Mia Love, 49. A daughter of Haitian immigrants who became the first Black Republican woman elected to Congress. March 23. Brain cancer. David Childs, 83. The lead architect of the One World Trade Center skyscraper that rose from the site where the Twin Towers collapsed in New York City during the 9/11 attacks. March 26. Richard Chamberlain, 90. The handsome hero of the 1960s television series "Dr. Kildare" who found a second career as an award-winning "king of the miniseries." March 29. ___ APRIL ___ Val Kilmer, 65. The brooding, versatile actor who played fan favorite Iceman in "Top Gun," donned a voluminous cape as Batman in "Batman Forever" and portrayed Jim Morrison in "The Doors." April 1. Pneumonia. Theodore McCarrick, 94. A once-powerful Catholic cardinal who was defrocked by Pope Francis in 2019 after a Vatican investigation determined he had molested adults and children. April 3. Jay North, 73. He starred as the towheaded mischief-maker on TV's "Dennis the Menace" for four seasons starting in 1959. April 6. Clem Burke, 70. His versatile drumming propelled the iconic rock group Blondie during its decades performing everything from new-wave punk to disco-infused tunes. April 6. Cancer. Rubby Pérez, 69. Known for songs such as "Volveré," "El Africano" and "Tu Vas a Volar," he devoted his long career to merengue, the signature musical style of the Dominican Republic. April 8. Died after a roof collapse at a nightclub in the Dominican Republic. Octavio Dotel, 51. He pitched for 13 major league teams in a 15-year career and won a World Series with the St. Louis Cardinals. April 8. Died after a roof collapse at a nightclub in the Dominican Republic. Kim Shin-jo, 82. A prominent ex-North Korean commando who resettled in South Korea as a pastor after his daring mission to assassinate then-South Korean President Park Chung-hee in 1968 failed. April 9. Mario Vargas Llosa, 89. The Peruvian author was a Nobel literature laureate and a giant of Latin American letters. April 13. Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, 85. The former Malaysian prime minister was a moderate who extended the country's political freedoms but was criticized for lackluster leadership. April 14. Wink Martindale, 91. The genial host of such hit game shows as "Gambit" and "Tic-Tac-Dough" who also did one of the first recorded television interviews with a young Elvis Presley. April 15. Nora Aunor, 71. She became one of the biggest stars of Philippine cinema during a career that spanned seven decades. April 16. Bob Filner, 82. A 10-term U.S. congressman whose long political career ended abruptly after he was elected mayor of San Diego and driven from office amid sexual misconduct allegations. April 20. Pope Francis, 88. History's first Latin American pontiff who charmed the world with his humble style and concern for the poor but alienated conservatives with critiques of capitalism and climate change. April 21. Stroke. Steve McMichael, 67. A star defensive tackle on the Chicago Bears' famed 1985 Super Bowl championship team whose larger-than-life personality made him a fixture in the Windy City for decades and a natural for professional wrestling. April 23. ALS. Tom Brown, 84. The two-sport star whose interception sealed the 1966 NFL title game for Vince Lombardi's Green Bay Packers. April 23. Virginia Giuffre, 41. She accused Britain's Prince Andrew and other influential men of sexually exploiting her as a teenager trafficked by financier Jeffrey Epstein. April 25. Dick Barnett, 88. A basketball Hall of Famer who played on both New York Knicks NBA championship teams after being part of a historic college powerhouse at Tennessee A&I. April 27. ___ MAY ___ Ruth Buzzi, 88. She rose to fame as the frumpy and bitter Gladys Ormphby on the groundbreaking sketch comedy series "Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In" and made more than 200 television appearances during a 45-year career. May 1. Jill Sobule, 66. The award-winning singer-songwriter whose witty and poignant writing first attracted widespread attention with the gay-themed song "I Kissed a Girl." May 1. Died in a house fire. George Ryan, 91. A former Illinois governor disgraced by a corruption scandal that landed him in prison yet heralded by some for clearing the state's death row. May 2. David H. Souter, 85. The retired Supreme Court justice who was the ascetic bachelor and New Hampshire Republican who became a favorite of liberals during his nearly 20 years on the bench. May 8. Johnny Rodriguez, 73. The country music star who was a popular Mexican American singer best known for chart-topping hits in the 1970s such as "I Just Can't Get Her Out of My Mind," "Ridin' My Thumb to Mexico" and "That's the Way Love Goes." May 9. Robert Benton, 92. The Oscar-winning filmmaker who helped reset the rules in Hollywood as the co-creator of "Bonnie and Clyde," and later received mainstream validation as the writer-director of "Kramer vs. Kramer" and "Places in the Heart." May 11. Christopher "Kit" Bond, 86. A Republican who brought billions of dollars in federal funding to Missouri during his four terms in the U.S. Senate and was the state's the youngest person to be governor. May 13. José Mujica, 89. The former Uruguayan president, onetime Marxist guerilla and flower farmer whose radical brand of democracy, plain-spoken philosophy and simple lifestyle fascinated people around the world. May 13. Charles Strouse, 96. The three-time Tony Award-winner was Broadway's industrious, master melody-maker who composed the music for such classic musical theater hits as "Annie," "Bye Bye Birdie" and "Applause." May 15. George Wendt, 76. An actor with an Everyman charm who played the affable, beer-loving barfly Norm on the hit 1980s TV comedy "Cheers" and later crafted a stage career that took him to Broadway in "Art," "Hairspray" and "Elf." May 20. Gerald "Gerry" Connolly, 75. The congressman was an outspoken Democrat who sought key reforms in the federal government while bringing transformational development to his populous Virginia district. May 21. Susan Brownmiller, 90. A prominent feminist and author of the 1960s and '70s whose "Against Our Will" was a landmark and intensely debated bestseller about sexual assault. May 24. Phil Robertson, 79. The "Duck Dynasty" patriarch who turned his small duck calling interest in the sportsman's paradise of northern Louisiana into a big business and conservative cultural phenomenon. May 25. Charles Rangel, 94. The former New York congressman was an outspoken, gravel-voiced Harlem Democrat who spent nearly five decades on Capitol Hill and was a founding member of the Congressional Black Caucus. May 26. Rick Derringer, 77. The guitarist and singer who shot to fame at 17 when his band The McCoys recorded "Hang On Sloopy," had a hit with "Rock and Roll, Hoochie Koo" and earned a Grammy Award for producing "Weird Al" Yankovic's debut album. May 26. Presley Chweneyagae, 40. The South African actor who gained international recognition for his leading role in the 2005 film "Tsotsi", which won South Africa's first-ever Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film. May 27. Ngũgĩ wa Thiong'o, 87. The revered Kenyan man of letters and voice of dissent who in dozens of fiction and nonfiction books traced his country's history from British imperialism to home-ruled tyranny. May 28. Bernard Kerik, 69. He served as New York City's police commissioner on 9/11 and later pleaded guilty to tax fraud before being pardoned. May 29. Loretta Swit, 87. She won two Emmy Awards playing Maj. Margaret Houlihan, the demanding head nurse of a behind-the-lines surgical unit during the Korean War on the pioneering hit TV series "M.A.S.H." May 30. Etienne-Emile Baulieu, 98. A French scientist best known as the inventor of the abortion pill. May 30. Renée Victor, 86. She voiced the no-nonsense, sandal-throwing Abuelita in Disney's animated hit "Coco" and played the wisecracking Lupita on Showtime's "Weeds." May 30.
Yahoo
29-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
The Government Program That Has Secretly Saved You HUNDREDS on Energy Bills May Be Going Away
"Hearst Magazines and Yahoo may earn commission or revenue on some items through these links."It is no secret that the current administration is making a concerted effort to downsize, well, pretty much the entire government, starting with (but certainly not limited to) any agencies whose purpose is to combat climate change. If the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) comes to mind, you're correct. Earlier in the month, President Trump hinted that one instantly recognizable symbol and the program it represents will likely be on its way out. The symbol in question is the blue sticker with the word "energy" written in cursive beside a silhouette of a star. That's right: The Energy Star program is potentially on the EPA's chopping block for the 2026 budget plan. Ahead, we're breaking down what this program is and how its potential dismantling may impact your energy bills and future appliance purchases. According to the U.S. Department of Energy's website, "Energy Star is a joint program of the EPA and the Department of Energy (DOE). Its goal is to help consumers, businesses, and industry save money and protect the environment through the adoption of energy-efficient products and practices." Initiated in 1992 by President George H.W. Bush, the Energy Star program has a somewhat complicated history, but for the most part, it has been well-received and bipartisan-supported. There has never been any threat to its existence—until now. Energy Star's potential demise could mean that consumers will no longer be able to easily opt for energy-efficient products, which could result in higher energy bills. According to Ben Evans, the federal legislative director of the U.S. Green Building Council, the Energy Star program cost the government approximately $32 million in 2024. While this amount fluctuates from year to year, the program also saves consumers around $42 billion a year. In other words, the benefits to consumers enormously outweigh the cost to the government, especially when considering just how much the government spends each year. To put this in perspective, in the fiscal year of 2024, the federal government spent $6.8 trillion, which means it allocated about 0.00044 percent of the federal spending on Energy Star. To put it in layman's terms, the purpose of the Energy Star program, Evans says, is to "give consumers more transparency around the energy efficiency of a given product, and the label was basically just a simple indicator that these rated products are highly efficient among their category class." The benefits of energy-efficient products are two-fold: Not only does less energy consumption mean reducing the need for electricity generation (resulting in more reliable power grids and fewer blackouts), but it also means lower energy bills. According to Energy Star's website, the program has helped Americans save more than $500 billion in energy costs since its launch in 1992. While Energy Star-certified appliances are generally more expensive than their non-certified counterparts, the long-term savings far outweigh the purchasing cost. Notably, the Energy Star certification isn't just for appliances; homes, too, can don the blue logo. In fact, according to Evans, "around 350,000 Energy Star-rated homes were built in 2024, with around 100,000 of those in Texas." There's no end date for the Energy Star program as of this writing, even if it is likely to be dismantled at some point in 2025 or 2026. "The [2026] budget does seek to significantly scale back the EPA, which could involve organizational restructuring, including the elimination of non-regulatory programs like Energy Star," says Finn Hossfeld, the U.S. lead of Climate Action Tracker. "However, given that Energy Star was written into law by Congress in the 2005 Energy Policy Act, the program's elimination without an act of Congress would be met with legal challenge." If and when the Energy Star program is dismantled, you likely won't see a big difference on your next utility statement. The effect would be longer-term. "Dismantling the program leaves consumers less informed about their purchases. Its elimination would also risk slowing the pace of energy efficiency improvements, which is a key means of reducing both costs and emissions at the same time," Hossfeld explains. What's most likely to happen in the short term would be a more obfuscated consumer environment. "Ultimately, confusion in the market is not a good thing for anyone," Evans explains. "Energy Star is what drives consumers to these energy-efficient products that are helping them save in the long term, so manufacturers invest in producing them, but if there's no clarity on energy efficiency in consumer products, there will become less demand, which means they won't be produced as much, and it becomes a vicious cycle." All this to say, the elimination of Energy Star doesn't mean your energy bills will automatically go up. However, if you are looking to buy a new appliance or home in a few years, the end of this program means that you won't have much clarity on how energy-efficient it will be. Our advice? Buy Energy Star-rated products while you still can. They may be more expensive, but they still provide a good return on investment. According to the Energy Star impacts page, "By choosing Energy Star, a typical household can save about $450 on their energy bills each year and still enjoy the quality and performance they expect." That's not nothing! Follow on and . You Might Also Like 15 Home Bar Gifts Every Cocktail Enthusiast Will Appreciate 32 Low Light Indoor Plants That Can Survive in the Darkest Corners of Your Home These Are the 50 Best Paint Colors for Your Living Room
Boston Globe
29-05-2025
- Politics
- Boston Globe
Ex-Connecticut Gov. John Rowland, who resigned amid a corruption scandal, pardoned by Trump
'I am very humbled and deeply appreciative,' Rowland said in a statement to WTNH and other news outlets in Connecticut. 'This is a wonderful final resolution.' Once the nation's youngest governor, Rowland was elected three times to the state's highest office before resigning at the age of 47 amid a federal corruption investigation into gifts and favors that he accepted from state contractors and a growing move by state legislators to impeach him from office. Get Starting Point A guide through the most important stories of the morning, delivered Monday through Friday. Enter Email Sign Up Rowland served 10 months in a federal prison camp after pleading guilty in 2004 to one count of conspiracy to steal honest services. Advertisement It was a stunning fall from grace for a man once considered a rising star in national Republican politics. The Waterbury native served three terms in Congress, was chairman of the national Republican Governors Association and a friend of former President George H.W. Bush. He was elected governor in 1994 at the age of 37. After finishing his prison sentence, Rowland found new life as a popular AM radio commentator. Advertisement But in 2014 he was convicted of conspiring to hide his work on political campaigns and was sentenced to 30 months in federal prison. Associated Press reporter Will Weissert in Washington contributed to this report.
Spectator
27-05-2025
- Business
- Spectator
Is Rachel Reeves prepared to raise taxes?
Some of the most infamous words in politics are 'read my lips, no new taxes' – uttered by George H.W. Bush as he accepted the nomination as the Republican candidate for the 1988 US presidential election. It helped him win that year but contributed to his downfall in 1992 as he failed to stick to his promise. We can argue how much of Bush's defeat by Bill Clinton had to do with the broken tax promise and how much was to do with recession, but 'read my lips, no new taxes' should certainly have been on Rachel Reeves's mind in recent months. It is becoming clear that the £40 billion of tax rises in the Chancellor's first Budget – themselves a breach of an electoral promise not to touch the rate of National Insurance, as she hiked employer contributions – are not going to be the end of it.
Boston Globe
13-05-2025
- Business
- Boston Globe
Boeing has a contract to replace Air Force One. What's the delay?
Here's what you need to know. Advertisement How old is Air Force One, and what type of plane is it? Two modified Boeing 747 planes serve as Air Force One. Both are about 35 years old and have been flying since President George H.W. Bush was in office. Get Starting Point A guide through the most important stories of the morning, delivered Monday through Friday. Enter Email Sign Up What did Boeing's Air Force One contract promise? The Air Force awarded a contract to Boeing for two new Air Force One planes in July 2018 at a total cost of $3.9 billion, after months of negotiation. As part of the fixed-price contract - the cost of which can't change because of price fluctuations or delays - Boeing promised to build and deliver two new Air Force One planes by 2024, complete with features unique to presidential aircraft such as antimissile defense systems, electronic protection from hacking and nuclear explosions, and advanced communications systems for contacting the Pentagon. Trump criticized Boeing's timeline for the project before it was even officially announced. During his first term, Trump pushed the plane maker to move up the delivery date to 2021, The Washington Post previously reported. He also made dubious claims that his cost negotiations with Boeing saved taxpayers more than $1.4 billion. Advertisement Why is the Air Force One replacement delayed? Boeing has blamed a variety of factors, according to Scott Hamilton, managing director at Leeham Company, an aviation consultancy firm: the bankruptcy of one of the company's key suppliers, delays for workers needing proper security clearances, hefty turnover at the San Antonio facility where the work is being done, and the pandemic's upending of global supply chains soon after Boeing started the project. The company has lost $2.5 billion on the contract, and the fixed-price language means it's on the hook for the project's ballooning cost overruns. The delay is among a string of high-profile missteps for Boeing, which has lost money every year since 2019. Boeing machinists went on strike for several weeks last year. Two deadly crashes in 2018 and 2019, and a terrifying door blowout in January 2024, involving Boeing's flagship 737 Max airliners shattered trust in the company. Boeing also left astronauts stranded in space for nine months when its Starliner capsule suffered propulsion problems, further battering its reputation for safety and manufacturing competence. Boeing's struggles in both its commercial and defense business in recent years have demonstrated a 'systemic issue' with the company's ability to get jobs done and undoubtedly exacerbated Air Force One delays, Hamilton said. Boeing did not respond to The Washington Post's request for comment. Darlene Costello, the Air Force's acting assistant secretary for acquisition, technology and logistics, wrote in testimony submitted to the House Armed Services Committee last Thursday that the new planes now face delays related to 'interior supplier transition, manpower limitations and wiring design completion.' Advertisement The Air Force and Boeing want to have a replacement for Air Force One ready by 2027 - two years earlier than the 2029 estimate the White House shared last month - and are searching for options to speed up production, Costello told lawmakers. For example, the Air Force has temporarily waived certain security clearance requirements for Boeing workers responsible for assembling the planes, which has enabled Boeing to be 'more efficient and productive,' Costello said. But the 2027 date is realistic only if the Air Force and Boeing agree on a trade-off of contract requirements and solve 'a few remaining issues,' she added. What is the plane that Qatar might gift to Trump? The Qatari royal family wants to give Trump a multi-hundred-million-dollar 'palace in the sky' aircraft, which Trump said in a social media post Sunday was a Boeing 747. This luxury plane, which is believed to be 13 years old, would need to be militarized with the same secure communications and defense mechanisms as the current Air Force One before Trump could fly in it. What would Qatar's plane mean for the Boeing contract? The administration would transfer ownership of the Qatari plane to the Trump presidential library foundation shortly before the end of Trump's second term, ABC News reported Sunday. If there are no further delays, at least one of Boeing's Air Force One replacements should be completed by that point. While Boeing has 'failed miserably' to meet its contractual obligations to the government, national security concerns demand that Boeing's work on Air Force One continues, Hamilton said.
