8k8 jili

8k8 jili

Croatia’s incumbent President Zoran Milanovic looks set to win a second term in office according to an early election tally. With 63 per cent of all votes counted on Sunday evening, the former social democrat Milanovic was clearly ahead with 50.1 per cent. His challenger Dragan Primorac, who is supported by the conservative ruling party HDZ, had meanwhile collected 21.8 per cent of the vote. Post-election polls suggested an even clearer lead. According to figures from the public broadcaster HTR, Milanovic received 50.7 per cent of the vote. If none of the candidates achieve more than 50 per cent of the vote, a presidential run-off will be called on January 12. As president, he soon adopted a populist rhetoric, appealing not only to his core left-wing voters, but also to right-wing and far-right voters.

The ethics of AI

BANGKOK — Japanese automakers Honda and Nissan will attempt to merge and create the world's third-largest automaker by sales as the industry undergoes dramatic changes in its transition away from fossil fuels. The two companies said they had signed a memorandum of understanding on Monday and that smaller Nissan alliance member Mitsubishi Motors also had agreed to join the talks on integrating their businesses. Honda will initially lead the new management, retaining the principles and brands of each company. Following is a quick look at what a combined Honda and Nissan would mean for the companies, and for the auto industry. An industry shakeup The ascent of Chinese automakers is rattling the industry at a time when manufacturers are struggling to shift from fossil fuel-driven vehicles to electrics. Relatively inexpensive EVs from China's BYD, Great Wall and Nio are eating into the market shares of U.S. and Japanese car companies in China and elsewhere. Japanese automakers have lagged behind big rivals in EVs and are now trying to cut costs and make up for lost time. Nissan, Honda and Mitsubishi announced in August that they will share components for electric vehicles like batteries and jointly research software for autonomous driving to adapt better to dramatic changes in the auto industry centered around electrification. A preliminary agreement between Honda, Japan's second-largest automaker, and Nissan, third largest, was announced in March. A merger could result in a behemoth worth about $55 billion based on the market capitalization of all three automakers. Joining forces would help the smaller Japanese automakers add scale to compete with Japan's market leader Toyota Motor Corp. and with Germany's Volkswagen AG. Toyota itself has technology partnerships with Japan's Mazda Motor Corp. and Subaru Corp. What would Honda need from Nissan? Nissan has truck-based body-on-frame large SUVs such as the Armada and Infiniti QX80 that Honda doesn't have, with large towing capacities and good off-road performance, said Sam Fiorani, vice president of AutoForecast Solutions. Nissan also has years of experience building batteries and electric vehicles, and gas-electric hybird powertrains that could help Honda in developing its own EVs and next generation of hybrids, he said. "Nissan does have some product segments where Honda doesn't currently play," that a merger or partnership could help, said Sam Abuelsamid, a Detroit-area automotive industry analsyt. While Nissan's electric Leaf and Ariya haven't sold well in the U.S., they're solid vehicles, Fiorani said. "They haven't been resting on their laurels, and they have been developing this technology," he said. "They have new products coming that could provide a good platform for Honda for its next generation." Why now? Nissan said last month that it was slashing 9,000 jobs, or about 6% of its global work force, and reducing global production capacity by 20% after reporting a quarterly loss of 9.3 billion yen ($61 million). Earlier this month it reshuffled its management and its chief executive, Makoto Uchida, took a 50% pay cut to take responsibility for the financial woes, saying Nissan needed to become more efficient and respond better to market tastes, rising costs and other global changes. Fitch Ratings recently downgraded Nissan's credit outlook to "negative," citing worsening profitability, partly due to price cuts in the North American market. But it noted that it has a strong financial structure and solid cash reserves that amounted to 1.44 trillion yen ($9.4 billion). Nissan's share price has fallen to the point where it is considered something of a bargain. A report in the Japanese financial magazine Diamond said talks with Honda gained urgency after the Taiwan maker of iPhones Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., better known as Foxconn, began exploring a possible acquisition of Nissan as part of its push into the EV sector. The company has struggled for years following a scandal that began with the arrest of its former chairman Carlos Ghosn in late 2018 on charges of fraud and misuse of company assets, allegations that he denies. He eventually was released on bail and fled to Lebanon. Honda reported its profits slipped nearly 20% in the first half of the April-March fiscal year from a year earlier, as sales suffered in China. More headwinds Toyota made 11.5 million vehicles in 2023, while Honda rolled out 4 million and Nissan produced 3.4 million. Mitsubishi Motors made just over 1 million. Even after a merger Toyota would remain the leading Japanese automaker. All the global automakers are facing potential shocks if President-elect Donald Trump follows through on threats to raise or impose tariffs on imports of foreign products, even from allies like Japan and neighboring countries like Canada and Mexico. Nissan is among the major car companies that have adjusted their supply chains to include vehicles assembled in Mexico. Meanwhile, analysts say there is an "affordability shift" taking place across the industry, led by people who feel they cannot afford to pay nearly $50,000 for a new vehicle. In American, a vital market for companies like Nissan, Honda and Toyota, that's forcing automakers to consider lower pricing, which will eat further into industry profits. ____ AP Auto Writer Tom Krisher contributed to this report from Detroit.Hannukah this year starts on Christmas Day in rare occurrence

We've all been there before. You open that gift from a well-meaning loved one, and it's just not right for you. Maybe that T-shirt or blouse isn't your colour, or you already bought that tech device. or signup to continue reading Is selling unwanted gifts a way to make an unexpected windfall this summer? Could the gift you put so much thought into for your grandson or granddaughter end up on an online shopping platform? According to research commissioned by online retail platform eBay, many Australians are selling their unwanted and raking in the dough. The research suggests Aussies could make up to $1 billion from selling gifts this festive season. A survey revealed Aussies received an average of two unwanted gifts last year, and 52 per cent had previously sold or planned to sell gifts this holiday season. Fashion items and tech accessories were the most likely to be sold, with Gen Z (58 per cent) and millennials (57 per cent) the most likely to put their goods up for sale. Data also revealed a clear spike in items being sold after Christmas Day. When comparing data from December 1-25 with data from December 26-31, listings for boys' children's clothing went up by 162 per cent, girls' children's clothing by 69 per cent, tops by 29 per cent, pants by 22 per cent and dresses by 20 per cent. Listings for tablets went up by 50 per cent, smartwatches by 45 per cent, video game console controllers by 41 per cent, headphones by 31 per cent, and video game consoles by 23 per cent. But is selling gifts online ethical? eBay Australia's Zannie Abbott believes it is a way to ensure someone gets joy from a gift that may otherwise have been left to sit and gather dust in the cupboard. "Selling gifts that aren't quite right isn't just about making money; it's also about reducing waste and making sure those gifts get the right home, eventually," she said. The news people are turning to online platforms to sell their gifts comes amid a financial expert's warning for Aussies not to spend beyond their means this year. According to the Australian Retailers Association, Australians are expected to spend $11.8 billion on gifts this festive season. University of South Australia-based economics professor Tony Cavoli warns overspending on presents and other holiday expenses could compound existing cost-of-living pressures. Professor Cavoli said Australian shoppers should practice "financial literacy" by planning and budgeting carefully to avoid compounding financial pressure over the holidays. He described financial literacy as the ability to understand and effectively use financial management and budgeting skills. "Studies show that Australians who understand financial basics are more likely to set spending limits and stick to them, avoiding financial stress," Professor Cavoli said. He said practising financial literacy could also help people avoid accumulating debts from credit card usage or buy now pay later schemes by paying upfront or choosing low-interest options. "Financially literate individuals know how to shop wisely by comparing prices and finding discounts, especially online. These skills can lead to significant savings during Christmas shopping." Charity the Warrior Woman Foundation has offered up the following tips to help Australians budget more carefully over Christmas: . Hi, my name is Rowan Cowley and I'm a reporter for The Senior newspaper. I have special interests in the areas of entertainment, the arts and history and would like to hear from anyone who feels they have a good story idea. Hi, my name is Rowan Cowley and I'm a reporter for The Senior newspaper. I have special interests in the areas of entertainment, the arts and history and would like to hear from anyone who feels they have a good story idea. 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A crypto expert has shortlisted five digital currencies that may attain a tremendous growth until 2025. That may promise an extraordinary 15,650% returns. Here, the most promising assets will be considered by the things that set them apart and how they could alter the future investment strategy in the coming future. XYZVerse: The Best New Meme Project You Can't Afford to Bench! XYZ is your exclusive VIP pass to a sports-driven, meme-fueled revolution. Think of it as the MVP of the XYZVerse ecosystem, where degens can score big off the growing demand for meme coins Picture this: Polymarket hitting $1 billion in trading volume during the US presidential election – now throw in the hype of meme coins and the thrill of sports betting. With millions of sports fans ready to hit the field and cash in the XYZVerse ecosystem is set to keep expanding – and your rewards will slam dunk through the roof! And here’s a highlight reel moment : XYZVerse has been officially recognized as the Best NEW Meme Project – a title that underscores its explosive potential in the meme coin arena. >>>XYZ presale is your first-quarter chance to get in before the mind-blowing explosion!>Don’t be left on the bench – grab your XYZ tokens now and be part of the next massive crypto championship!Former President Ram Nath Kovind highlights transformative power of education, advises students to dream big

Larson Financial Group LLC Has $75,000 Holdings in MetLife, Inc. (NYSE:MET)

arely a day passes without colleges scolded in the headlines over or and or and . Schools have become scapegoats for both good and bad reasons. Prominent commentators and populist political leaders from both the far left and far right now target higher education as a common enemy. In fact the current fight over the vs charges of elitism which would not characterize other fields such as sports or entertainment have torn open a seam on the right between Vivek Ramaswamy and Elon Musk in favor of selectivity and merit on one side and Laura Loomer and Matt Goetz on the other. Ramaswamy declared that American culture has “venerated mediocrity over excellence" launching what is termed a within the MAGA movement. Both extremes have arrived on shared areas of concern that include admissions criteria; tolerance of thought on campus; institutional voice; faculty bias in research and education; personal safety; academic integrity; donor influence; curriculum focus; government funding; financial viability, and administrative efficiency. Increasingly, universities, especially selective universities, have been labelled as elitist, self-interested, out-of-touch with societal needs, and lacking accountability. What is new is the convergence of a of elements of the MAGA movement on the right and todays’ self-styled progressives on the left. Together, they find common cause in the skepticism of societal pillars from Wall Street financiers to college educators and politicians. These critiques have corroded public opinion on the value of U.S. higher education, just as the rest of the world treasures the real contributions to the economy, quality of life, scientific knowledge, and cultural enrichment provided by American colleges. The shows a steady decline of confidence in all pillars of society from public officials and the media to clergy and colleges. At the , fully 97% of the college presidents expressed concern over the loss to public confidence in higher education. This summer, the Pew Foundation researchers found roughly half the American public surveyed believe it’s to have a four-year college degree today to obtain a well-paying job than it was 20 years ago even as facts show the opposite is true: a significant wage gap still favors those with . Similarly, a Gallup survey this summer showed a large drop in overall US confidence in higher education from almost 60% in 2015 to almost half that. Now Americans are roughly among those who have a great deal or quite a lot of confidence (36%), some confidence (32%), or little or no confidence (32%) in higher education. In taking a closer look at the Gallup survey, three issues have risen to the top in the public mind: the political climate on our campuses, questions about whether a traditional liberal arts education best prepares our graduates for success in this tech-fueled world and the cost of higher education as represented by a sticker price that is rapidly approaching $100K per year. Increasingly, people across the political spectrum question whether a traditional liberal arts education, as delivered to most undergraduates by the Ivy and other leading institutions, is the best training for leadership in today’s workplace. Indeed, the elite schools do not have a stranglehold on certain sectors. In a study of 628 U.S.-born tech founders from 287 different universities, did not come from Ivy-plus schools. What mattered most in explaining the success of founders was that they graduated from a college. The success of dropouts like Microsoft’s Bill Gates, Apple’s Steve Jobs, and Facebook/Alphabet’s Marc Zuckerberg were exceptions to such findings. Paradoxically, the drop in American public confidence in the liberal arts comes just as the prestige of US universities around the world is at an all-time high and the number of international students studying in the US has climbed to a a year. And innovation for the public good is alive and well at America’s at the leading institutions. Over a third of US research universities have spinning out anywhere from 30 to 80 new business a year employing millions of US workers and serving as a source of economic development to communities around the nation. Higher education is the most globally competitive of all US sectors. The US is home to the by far (36). Research by the National Bureau of Economic Research has shown from Ivy League schools in particular. While less than half of one percent of Americans attend the eight Ivy League colleges, Chicago, Duke, MIT, and Stanford (known as Ivy Plus schools), these universities contributed more than 10% of Fortune 500 CEOs, a quarter of U.S. Senators, half of all Rhodes scholars, and three-fourths of Supreme Court justices appointed in the last half century. Roughly 22% of all , selected by judges from around the world, were affiliated with Ivy Leagues schools. This scholarship has contributed mightily to the advance of science and industry. The renowned corporate research labs of General Electric (Menlo Park), AT&T (Bell Labs), Xerox (Palo Alto Research Center) have largely disappeared with diminished research even at major chemical and pharmaceutical companies. Most of the great advances in material sciences, agricultural science, drug development, public health, environmental safety, and computer science and the internet originate in the university world. It must be noted, however, that the value of higher education should be appreciated for more than winning awards and creating wealth but also for quality of life. A decade ago, former Duke President Richard Brodhead co-chaired the Commission on the Humanities and Social Sciences for the American Academy of Arts & Sciences. In summarizing their findings, stated, that value of higher education is not to be measured merely by income earned by colleges graduates. “Its value is that it supplies enrichment to personal lives, equips students to be thoughtful and constructive social contributors, and prepares them to participate fully and creatively in the dynamic, ever-changing world that awaits them after college. It's easy to see why people might get anxious about something so difficult to calculate, and might want a straighter line to the payoff. But the fruits of such education can only be reckoned over long time-horizons, as they enable people to rise to challenges and seize opportunities they could not foresee at first. The lives of successful people almost never involve continuing to do what they prepared for. As their lives unfold, they find that by drawing on their preparation in unexpected ways, they're able to do things they hadn't intended or imagined.” Probably no issue about American higher education has received as much attention over a sustained period of time than its cost. And while some of the increase in the sticker price of leading universities can be explained by investments in need-based financial aid even the costs net of financial aid have risen between 1 and 2 percent above any reasonable measure of inflation for decades. Studies show levels of student debt rising at alarming rates. And while much of the focus has been on undergraduates, levels of student loan debt among those receiving master’s degrees is a more severe issue. Concerns about student loan debt are exacerbated by the fact that six-year graduation rates for undergraduates across all of higher education are less than 60%. So, too many students find themselves in the worst possible situation – a boatload of debt and no degree to show for it. In speaking about cost, the political right characterizes elite higher ed institutions as inefficient organizations choking on administrative bloat. The political left laments their high cost saying that the sticker price alone turns off prospective students from low socio-economic backgrounds. Both sides note the explosive growth in endowment values and want endowments to be tapped to reduce costs. The Ivy Plus institutions counter by noting their impressive investments in financial aid, the fact that they have six-year graduation rates in excess of 95% and the inherently high cost of the bundle of educational experiences that today’s students and their families expect. At these schools with strong endowments, roughly has their tuition bill covered by financial aid. Indeed, the more selective schools not only offer a challenging curriculum delivered through small classes with abundant academic support, but also house and feed students, offer them primary health care, undergraduate research and entrepreneurial activities, intramural and varsity athletics, artistic and performance opportunities, study abroad and much more. The cost of delivering all this is in excess of $100K per student per year at many institutions. These expenditures not only enrich the student experience but also enhance their local economies. American universities employ over adding $ annually to the GDP and their technology transfers have contributed over to the nation’s GOP in the last twenty years. Still, criticisms of the cost of American higher education have merit. Indeed, too many institutions have lost sight of the fact that their core missions are teaching, learning and discovery and those elements of their core mission should be prioritized in their budget decisions. have been shown to have soared disproportionately, in fact geometrically, compared to faculty staffing costs which only increased arithmetically, alongside only modest student enrollment increases. Academic leaders must also demand that administrative and support functions operate as efficiently as possible with new programs funded through internal reallocation. Many of these critiques are based in legitimate concerns and point to areas where the leading institutions of higher education can do better. However, they often overstate their case and present outlier examples. For example, published a countering the suggestion that liberal bias plays a meaningful role in tenure decisions. Indeed, their study concluded that professors were more likely to be dismissed for liberal thought. And it is incorrect to still label higher education a self-perpetuating caste system. Looking at roughly a century of data, as an example of elite universities, its student profile has shifted from 100% males to roughly 50/50; 27% of Mayflower/Social Register “Colonial” lineage to less than 6%; less than 2% underrepresented minorities to over 10% ; 0.4% Asian to 19%; 24% from elite prep schools to 4%. Plus, the report card on the impact of upward wealth mobility of these prestigious schools is much more encouraging that the critics from the left and the right acknowledge. Researchers from the National Bureau of Economic Research studied at each college in the United States using data for over 30 million college students from 1999-2013 and found the students from low-income families and high-income families, had comparable incomes, when matched by the school they attended. Thus, the school had an uplifting impact on the wealth of low-income students. Furthermore, this research found, “The colleges that channel the most children from low- or middle-income families to the top 1% are almost exclusively highly selective institutions, such as UC–Berkeley and the Ivy Plus colleges. No college offers an upper-tail (top 1%) success rate comparable to elite private universities – at which 13% of students from the bottom quintile reach the top 1% – while also offering high levels of access to low-income students.” Interestingly, the critics of elite schools, indirectly but selectively cite from this research cherry picking around the upward mobility case for elite educational institutions. Similarly looking at Yale’s current first year class, benefit from some form of financial aid, thanks to the healthy endowments, 88% with zero debt and the who do have debt, owe less than $15,000, hardly a crushing burden. Thanks to a half billion dollars raised from alumni during their recent capital campaign, leaders were able to declare that "The Class of 2028 is the most socioeconomically diverse class in Dartmouth's history," with roughly 20% students from low income families receiving Pell Grants, over half of the class receiving financial aid, and no parental financial contributions for families earning less than $125,000 a year roughly 22% of the class. Despite such facts, Columnist David Brooks wrote in The Atlantic a piece entitled “How The Ivy League Broke America” where he echoes himself in a series of similar pieces he wrote in the New York Times such as one titled and , both which said elites were leaving others behind. His newest piece in this month’s concluded strangely that “a large mass of voters has shoved a big middle finger in the elites’ faces by voting for Donald Trump.” Of course, Brooks misses the irony that if this anti-Ivy League resentment drove voters, then is drove them to vote for the GOP ticket of two Ivy Leaguer grads, Donald Trump from Penn and J.D. Vance from Yale, and not the Democratic ticket of state school grads. Brooks joins a chorus of others who say that the meritocracy overrated. He cites Yale Law professor Daniel Markovits, the author of charging that applicants whose families come from the top 1 percent of wage earners were 77 times more likely to attend an Ivy League-level school than students from families making below $30,000 a year. Brooks adds that elite schools generally admit more students from the top 1 percent than the bottom 60. Then he joins Markovits in pronouncing the academic gap between the rich and the poor larger than the academic gap between white and Black students in the final days of Jim Crow. Brooks’s remedies include circumvention of new court barriers to affirmative action diversity goals, reducing the reliance upon standardized testing, emphasizing more humanistic qualities, substituting AI for analytic rigor, improving the colleges’ marketing of their own value, and that “we should aim to shrink the cultural significance of school in American society.” Missing from this list is any concern for the spreading caution of overexercising voice under the cloak of “institutional neutrality.” These practices the actual selective practices of the University of Chicago and similar schools which purported to limit presidents from showing the same periodic moral responsibility, patriotic duties, and institutional voice of other pillars of American society. Should Ivy Plus leaders even care about public support? After all, they are highly successful, highly selective institutions that are the envy of the world. Our answer is that these leaders should care about the erosion of public trust – a lot. To ignore this growing public distrust is to not only invite more public shaming by government officials as we saw in the House hearings this past year but potentially court more governmental actions such as endowment taxes, bans on DEI programs at public universities and similar interventions. Although the Ivy Plus institutions seem secure at the moment, one already sees the impacts of the loss of public trust across much of American higher education, significant reductions over the last 25 years in per-capita, inflation-adjusted state appropriations, the expansion of students wanting three-year, no-frills, degrees, employers seeking micro-credentialling rather than a bachelor’s degree, on-line course sharing among institutions to lower costs and ultimately lower enrollments. Certainly, higher education must address the ideological orthodoxy of political correctness which has diverted tolerance for original thought. Towards that end, we see newly emerging efforts to promote dialogue around difficult societal issues on a number of campuses. Similarly, universities do not do a great job with administrative efficiency with mushrooming overhead along with programs and departments that live on in perpetuity. Higher education has long been the target of satire from the Marx Brothers to Rodney Dangerfield’s “Back to School.” All institutions need constructive feedback to respond to changing societal needs, but the ideologically driven attacks on schools have lost their grounding, not to mention their humor, and risk promoting an age of ignorance. at .

By Godwin Aideloje Arik Air shareholders are compelled by the need to clarify and correct false and misleading statements attributed to AMCON through its head of corporate communications, Mr. Jude Nwauzor. which was published in Daily Sun of 20 December, 2024, and some social media handles. We dare say that this is yet another salvo in the series of calculated attempts to cover up the truth about AMCON’s forceful takeover, mismanagement and destruction of Arik Air. However, since most of the issues recklessly misrepresented by Mr. Nwauzor are before the court, we, out of our respect for the law courts, shall only limit ourselves to restating the facts. It is unfortunate that AMCON, a public institution, under the pretext of replying an opinion expressed in a newspaper by an independent commentator, resorted to launching a malicious tirade against the shareholders of Arik Air and perhaps other government agencies, especially the EFCC. Instead of addressing the issues raised by the commentator. First, we must start by thanking AMCON for finally admitting that the takeover of Arik Air was as a result of a “directive” from the Buhari-led Federal Government. This “directive,” however, side-stepped the statutory procedure and due process that guide the takeover of companies in Nigeria. Thus, the forceful takeover of Arik was a political ambush followed by an after-thought of an economic justification of insolvency, which was badly portrayed as an “economic rescue act”. 1. On the issue of petition to EFFC: We were forced to file a petition to the EFCC through the chambers of Femi Falana & Co only after AMCON refused to obey any of the consequential orders of the Federal High Court’s judgment in suit number FHC/L/CS/1175/2021 of March 31 , 2023, and instead, resorted to disobeying and disparaging the court. It should also be stated that Arik shareholders were investigated by the EFCC at the instance of AMCON from 2021 until relieved from invitations on the unsubstantiated allegations by AMCON. This was during the tenure of Mr. Rasheed Bawa during Buhari’s administration. Mr. Bawa also authorized the investigation of the Arik shareholders’ petition, even in the face of reported intense pressure by former MD of AMCON, Mr. Ahmed Kuru, to scuttle investigations of the affairs of AMCON in Arik Air receivership. The investigation progressed even after the change of guards at the EFCC and its findings are finally seeing the light of day only because Mr. Bawa, former chairman, and the new EFCC chairman, Mr. Olu Olukayode, insisted that nobody was above the law. For the record, the same EFCC at the instance of AMCON arrested and detained Sir J.I.A. Arumemi-Ikhide on the 8 February, 2017, the eve of the takeover of Arik. Sir Arumemi-Ikhide was investigated by EFFC and released without indictment. Yet, he neither cast an aspersion against the EFCC nor castigate AMCON for the trauma he suffered from the AMCON-induced unjustified detention. It is unfortunate that AMCON is falsely alleging that Arik shareholders’ petition and the resultant prosecution by the EFCC was collusion to frame its former managing director, Mr. Ahmed Kuru; Mr. Kamilu Alaba Omokide (former Receiver Manager, Arik); Captain Roy Ilegbodu (CEO, Arik in Receivership); Super Bravo Limited, and Union Bank Plc. On our part, we respect the mandates of government agencies and wait for the courts to adjudicate without resorting to sub-judicial commentaries. Peradventure, the AMCON protagonists should be reminded that Mr. Femi Falana’s petition on our behalf is not the only one calling Mr. Ahmed Kuru’s regime at AMCON to account. Could other petitions through other lawyers to the EFCC on Keystone Bank in which Mr. Kuru and others have been charged to court also be a collusion and an attempt to embarrass AMCON and its officers? One would have thought that Mr. Gbenga Alade, the new MD of AMCON, would use the findings offered by the EFCC investigations of Mr. Kuru and others to make corrections, improvement, and allow the law to be the arbiter in disputes. It is most unfortunate that AMCON, a Federal Government agency entrusted with unprecedented special powers by our laws and offered a new lease of life with a new leadership, is playing the role of judge, jury, executioner and victim through all its dramas in the media. The descent to name-calling when the law or court judgments fail to suit AMCON’s false narratives is sad. We wish to remind AMCON that to execute the Arik receivership, AMCON used the same EFCC, police and the courts. The Alade-led AMCON should be courageous enough to own up to the fact that his predecessor misadvised the Federal Government, instead of recycling the false narrative that continue to project the country as a space not governed by values, law, order and due process. After all, no human is beyond error! In addition, he should be reminded that the case in court is between the Federal Republic of Nigeria (his employers) and former employees of AMCON and others, Mr. Alade’s utterances as reported in the media indicate he is not in agreement with the actions of his present employers, with respect to the former MD and others being charged to court. On FG’s intervention or AMCON‘s Forced Takeover: We hereby wish to restate the position in our response to the statement made in 2023 by Mr. Kuru that the Acting President at the time (Prof. Yemi Osinbajo) directed AMCON to take over Arik. We consider this claim as untenable that a learned man of law would direct AMCON to take over a private business when there are extant laws in the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria governing receiverships and processes of putting companies into administration! Unless he was wrongly advised or misinformed by Mr. Kuru. It may be unknown to the public and therefore bears repeating that several companies just like Arik have been victims of Mr. Kuru’s novel “creation” of receiverships for companies allegedly of interest to him and his collaborators. President Bola Tinubu’s Angle: AMCON’s desperate attempt at invoking the name of former President Mohammadu Buhari into this matter is tantamount to disparaging the office of the President and dragging this exalted office into disrepute. We are confident that President Tinubu will not condone any act of impunity for the arbitrary take-over of a private business by a stroke of pen. Clearly this implies that AMCON’s justification of business take-over by executive fiat runs at cross purposes with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s private sector leadership agenda. This is aptly captured in his own words as follows: “There is no driver of the economy that is bigger than the private sector. If the private sector is not flourishing, there is no growth, no prosperity, no employment or development. No matter how flowery the speeches are, not even a mushroom will grow”. 4. AMCON’s Claims of Indebtedness by Arik: We wish to state that we will not discuss the alleged indebtedness of Arik Air on the pages of the newspapers, as this is one of the main issues before the courts. Unlike AMCON who disobeyed the courts and discuss all matters pending before the courts in the media and press conference. Suffice it to state the new MD of AMCON recently called on the courts to rescue it on its own terms whereas AMCON brazenly refused to obey ALL consequential orders of the judgement of the Federal High Court (without stay of execution) on the Arik Air receivership. 5. State of Arik Fleet by Unaccountable Receivership: Mr. Alade was invited and visited the Arik Air Hangars at the request of the shareholders on 28 August 2024 so he could see for himself first-hand the wanton destruction of 14 new generation aircraft and other Arik assets by AMCON and its agents. We are therefore shocked to read in the publication under reference, offer of superlative praises for the same agents and officers who superintended over the wanton decimation/cannibalisation of the airline’s fleet. 6. Other Issues: The matters of alleged loans, lease defaults, maintenance reserves , fake letters and KPMG audits have been uploaded to the media by AMCON in its traditional methods to set false narratives and promote conclusions not founded on truth and equity including inciting public disaffection for the promoters of Arik and tacitly overreaching the Courts. However, since these are key issues to be adjudicated by the courts, we have been advised by our lawyers to refrain from responding on the pages of newspapers. 7. Obstruction of Aircraft Sales etc: We are not aware of any plans to sell any aircraft by AMCON. But we state categorically that as shareholders of Arik, we exercised our constitutionally guaranteed rights for protection of our investments by seeking the court’s protection for the 3 units Boeing 737-NG aircraft that were fraudulent transferred to Super Bravo and for the reversal of Arik funds illegally used for the registration/processing of AOC for NG Eagle by AMCON. The courts ruled in our favour, and ordered the reversal the transfer and indicted the Receiver Manager for breach of fiduciary duties to Arik. The court also ordered AMCON to file audited accounts of its receivership from 2017 to date (December 2022) to the Corporate Affairs Commission which AMCON and its Receiver Managers have failed to do. 8. AMCON`s leadership for Arik: The claims of stabilisation of Arik Air by AMCON is an insult to the travelling public. The downturn and dwindled fortunes of the airline is visibly displayed for the world to see, both in the airline operations under receivership and at the Arik Hangar where 14 cannibalised and destroyed aircraft are on display. AMCON’s solely appointed Receiver Manager and CEO’s mismanagement is a testament to this fact. Capt Roy Ilegbodu, Kamilu Alaba Omokide and members of the Technical Advisory Board have used Arik to support their champagne lifestyles in retirement and enhanced their businesses/jobs while the airline is run aground. Arik under shareholders management operated an average of 120 flights daily with a route network traversing the whole of Nigeria, all west and central Africa’s major airports including Angola and Johannesburg. As well as London and New York with about 22 aircraft. But today, under AMCON, it only operates about 25 flights daily with 3 aircraft out of the 19 that AMCON inherited from the shareholders at take-over. Indeed, what a display of expertise by AMCON’s standard! That the AMCON’s “revered” aviation experts could not convert the much-sought-after Arik London Heathrow and JFK landing slots worth over USD70M to a quick cash when the receivership management discontinued flights to those destinations, speaks to his incompetencies. He lost those hard earned valuable slots to inexperience and selfishness!. If AMCON’s measure of expertise should be a bench mark in Nigeria, then the future in aviation is bleak for the country. It is surprising that rather than relieve the officers charged to Court by Federal Government from their duties pending the determination of the cases in Court, AMCON MD is protecting and keeping them in their duty post in disregard of government code of conduct. We recall that when allegations of impropriety was made against serving Minister in this administration, the President took appropriate actions. Mr Oluseye Opasanya SAN, Kamilu Alaba Omokide FCA and Captain Roy Ilegbodu inherited a well maintained fleet of 19 new generation aircraft with large inventory of over USD 200M worth of spare parts and spare engines. It should be noted that most of the aircraft have been fully paid for by the shareholders, but AMCON refused to meet the ongoing obligations for a few aircraft whose obligations will crystallise in 2025, when they took over in 2017. Yet they cannot manage the airline. Clearly the receivership manager NEVER had any positive plan for the airline. Its claim of intervention, rescue and promise to turn around the airline is a hoax and a woeful failure. It appears that AMCON is more fixated on covering the malfeasance it created in Arik by angrily attacking Arik shareholders. They should however remember other cases making headlines such as Keystone Bank that AMCON’s former executives must answer to. As stated earlier, we have answers to all the issues raised by AMCON in the refrenced publications. We have made them known in previous publications. However, since some of the matters are now before the court, we shall refrain from public commentaries as advised by our lawyers. We, the shareholders of Arik, are willing and ready for an open dialogue and discussions with AMCON in the presence of the relevant authorities such as Police, EFCC, the CBN, the Ministries of Finance, Justice, and Aviation & Aerospace. We come to equity with clean hands and ask that AMCON do the same. • Godwin Aideloje wrote from Lagos on behalf of Arik StakeholdersAlbert Einstein College of Medicine service learning course brings medical students in Bronx communities

Indiana grandma gets Caitlin Clark surpriseMarried At First Sight star Cathy Evans engaged to partner Richard after five years together as she shows off massive diamond ring READ MORE: Cathy Evans shows off her drastic makeover after going brunette and forking out over $30,000 on liposuction to TEN different areas of her body By SAVANNA YOUNG FOR DAILY MAIL AUSTRALIA Published: 21:08, 29 December 2024 | Updated: 21:26, 29 December 2024 e-mail View comments Married At First Sight star Cathy Evans has announced her engagement to partner Richard after five years together. The former reality star, 30, subtly revealed the exciting news via her Instagram Story on Sunday while on holiday with her beau. Sharing a selfie as a newly-engaged couple, Cathy seemed thrilled with her new fiancée status. 'First pic together as an engaged couple where I'm not sobbing,' she wrote alongside the photo. Cathy, who appeared on the Channel Nine dating show in 2020, later shared a separate video thanking her followers for their well wishes and congratulations. In the clip, the New Zealand-born influencer showed off her massive oval cut diamond engagement ring that was set in gold. Married At First Sight star Cathy Evans has announced her engagement to partner Richard after five years together. Both pictured The former reality star, 30, subtly revealed the exciting news via her Instagram Story on Sunday while on holiday with her beau 'Thank you for all the messages guys,' she continued. 'We are in the biggest love bubble [right now] and our friends just arrived on our trip so will be on and off socials. More to come later my loves.' Cathy debuted her relationship with Richard in August 2020, but recently stated the pair have been together for five years. The reality star met police officer Richard shortly after filming Nine's social experiment. 'I think I fell in love with every aspect of Ritchie's being – he is so supportive and believes in me, and that makes me so excited,' she told NW magazine in 2020. 'We see a future together and are already thinking about what suburb we would buy or build a house in. And kids will happen. No dates yet, but stand by!' She previously explained that she would not share many photos of them together because he was 'very private'. 'It's a special day today. My boyfriend's birthday and I don't share him on Insta purely because I like to keep my love life private,' she wrote. Cathy debuted her relationship with Richard in August 2020, but recently stated the pair have been together for five years Cathy was paired with truck driver Josh Pihlak (right) on the seventh season of Married At First Sight in 2020 Read More Married At First Sight star Jules Robinson left bedridden as she falls ill during family holiday in Thailand 'People wanna ruin a good thing and I don't want that for us. Plus he's a private man and I respect his wishes. 'But for once, I'll post of us. I love you so much.' Cathy rose to fame on the popular Australian dating show Married At First Sight in 2020. She was paired with groom Josh Pihlak but they split during the experiment. Married At First Sight Australia New Zealand Share or comment on this article: Married At First Sight star Cathy Evans engaged to partner Richard after five years together as she shows off massive diamond ring e-mail Add comment

Olympic champion relay sprinters voted The Canadian Press team of the year (Kelowna)Facebook Twitter WhatsApp SMS Email Print Copy article link Save BANGKOK — Japanese automakers Honda and Nissan will attempt to merge and create the world's third-largest automaker by sales as the industry undergoes dramatic changes in its transition away from fossil fuels. The two companies said they had signed a memorandum of understanding on Monday and that smaller Nissan alliance member Mitsubishi Motors also had agreed to join the talks on integrating their businesses. Honda will initially lead the new management, retaining the principles and brands of each company. Following is a quick look at what a combined Honda and Nissan would mean for the companies, and for the auto industry. Nissan Chief Executive Makoto Uchida, left, and Honda Chief Executive Toshihiro Mibe, center, and Takao Kato CEO of Mitsubishi Motors, right, arrive to attend a joint news conference Monday, Dec. 23, 2024, in Tokyo, Japan. (AP Photo/Eugene Hoshiko) The ascent of Chinese automakers is rattling the industry at a time when manufacturers are struggling to shift from fossil fuel-driven vehicles to electrics. Relatively inexpensive EVs from China's BYD, Great Wall and Nio are eating into the market shares of U.S. and Japanese car companies in China and elsewhere. People are also reading... 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What data on student-caused injuries at GAPS reveals Corvallis high schoolers: We don't trust district to handle bias reports Oregon State rallies for an overtime win at Gonzaga Japanese automakers have lagged behind big rivals in EVs and are now trying to cut costs and make up for lost time. Nissan, Honda and Mitsubishi announced in August that they will share components for electric vehicles like batteries and jointly research software for autonomous driving to adapt better to dramatic changes in the auto industry centered around electrification. A preliminary agreement between Honda, Japan's second-largest automaker, and Nissan, third largest, was announced in March. A merger could result in a behemoth worth about $55 billion based on the market capitalization of all three automakers. Joining forces would help the smaller Japanese automakers add scale to compete with Japan's market leader Toyota Motor Corp. and with Germany's Volkswagen AG. Toyota itself has technology partnerships with Japan's Mazda Motor Corp. and Subaru Corp. Nissan Chief Executive Makoto Uchida, left, Honda Chief Executive Toshihiro Mibe, center, and Takao Kato, CEO of Mitsubishi Motors, right, pose for photographers during a joint news conference in Tokyo, Japan, Monday, Dec. 23, 2024. (AP Photo/Eugene Hoshiko) Nissan has truck-based body-on-frame large SUVs such as the Armada and Infiniti QX80 that Honda doesn't have, with large towing capacities and good off-road performance, said Sam Fiorani, vice president of AutoForecast Solutions. Nissan also has years of experience building batteries and electric vehicles, and gas-electric hybird powertrains that could help Honda in developing its own EVs and next generation of hybrids, he said. "Nissan does have some product segments where Honda doesn't currently play," that a merger or partnership could help, said Sam Abuelsamid, a Detroit-area automotive industry analsyt. While Nissan's electric Leaf and Ariya haven't sold well in the U.S., they're solid vehicles, Fiorani said. "They haven't been resting on their laurels, and they have been developing this technology," he said. "They have new products coming that could provide a good platform for Honda for its next generation." Nissan said last month that it was slashing 9,000 jobs, or about 6% of its global work force, and reducing global production capacity by 20% after reporting a quarterly loss of 9.3 billion yen ($61 million). Earlier this month it reshuffled its management and its chief executive, Makoto Uchida, took a 50% pay cut to take responsibility for the financial woes, saying Nissan needed to become more efficient and respond better to market tastes, rising costs and other global changes. Fitch Ratings recently downgraded Nissan's credit outlook to "negative," citing worsening profitability, partly due to price cuts in the North American market. But it noted that it has a strong financial structure and solid cash reserves that amounted to 1.44 trillion yen ($9.4 billion). Nissan's share price has fallen to the point where it is considered something of a bargain. A report in the Japanese financial magazine Diamond said talks with Honda gained urgency after the Taiwan maker of iPhones Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., better known as Foxconn, began exploring a possible acquisition of Nissan as part of its push into the EV sector. The company has struggled for years following a scandal that began with the arrest of its former chairman Carlos Ghosn in late 2018 on charges of fraud and misuse of company assets, allegations that he denies. He eventually was released on bail and fled to Lebanon. Honda reported its profits slipped nearly 20% in the first half of the April-March fiscal year from a year earlier, as sales suffered in China. Toyota made 11.5 million vehicles in 2023, while Honda rolled out 4 million and Nissan produced 3.4 million. Mitsubishi Motors made just over 1 million. Even after a merger Toyota would remain the leading Japanese automaker. All the global automakers are facing potential shocks if President-elect Donald Trump follows through on threats to raise or impose tariffs on imports of foreign products, even from allies like Japan and neighboring countries like Canada and Mexico. Nissan is among the major car companies that have adjusted their supply chains to include vehicles assembled in Mexico. Meanwhile, analysts say there is an "affordability shift" taking place across the industry, led by people who feel they cannot afford to pay nearly $50,000 for a new vehicle. In American, a vital market for companies like Nissan, Honda and Toyota, that's forcing automakers to consider lower pricing, which will eat further into industry profits. ____ AP Auto Writer Tom Krisher contributed to this report from Detroit. The safest cars in 2025 The safest cars in 2025 Airbags, advanced driver assistance features, and high-strength materials mean that the safest cars today are far better at protecting people from injuries than ever before. Although most new cars compare well to their predecessors, some stand above the rest. The safest cars for 2025 offer excellent occupant protection and also do a good job of preventing accidents from happening in the first place. Based on testing data from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety , or IIHS, and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration , or NHTSA, these are some of the safest cars available today. Ranging from inexpensive compact cars and mainstream midsize sedans to stylish station wagons, posh luxury cars, and sporty coupes and convertibles, Edmunds shares a list that has something for just about everyone. For those who prefer a higher seating position and maybe some added practicality, Edmunds' list of safest SUVs is for you. Safest Small Cars 2025 Mazda 3 The stylish Mazda 3 has a lot to offer compact-car shoppers, including great looks, a composed driving experience, and reasonable fuel economy from its base 2.0-liter engine. It's also one of the safest cars in its class, earning a perfect five stars in NHTSA crash testing and sterling crashworthiness and collision avoidance scores from the IIHS. Its standard features are forward collision warning, automatic emergency braking, and lane departure prevention. Base price: $25,135 NHTSA rating: five stars IIHS rating: Top Safety Pick+ Edmunds Rating: 7.6 (out of 10) 2025 Honda Civic With mature styling, a premium interior, and an efficient hybrid powertrain option, the 2025 Honda Civic is a great option if safety is a concern since it aces almost all of the IIHS' crash tests and earns a five-star safety rating from the federal government. It also comes standard with adaptive cruise control, lane departure prevention, and forward collision warning with automatic emergency braking. The Civic falls short slightly in the IIHS' updated moderate overlap front test, which now accounts for rear passenger safety, but even so, it's one of the safest cars in its class. Base price: $25,345 NHTSA rating: five stars IIHS rating: Top Safety Pick+ Edmunds Rating: 8.2 (out of 10) 2025 Mini Cooper Reflective of parent company BMW, today's Mini Cooper is well constructed and features premium safety features that belie its small size, including automatic emergency braking and forward collision warning. Although the Mini hasn't been tested by NHTSA, the IIHS gives the Cooper its highest score of Good in the original driver-side small overlap front, moderate overlap front, and side-impact tests. That said, the IIHS doesn't place the Cooper on its Top Safety Pick or Top Safety Pick+ lists since it hasn't been evaluated on the updated battery of passenger-side small overlap front, moderate overlap front, or side-impact tests. Expect the new-for-2025 Mini Cooper to earn decent crash ratings in those scenarios, especially since it shares its strong platform with the outgoing model. Base price: $33,195 NHTSA rating: not tested IIHS rating: not rated Edmunds Rating: 7.5 (out of 10) 2025 Toyota Prius With its recent redesign, the Toyota Prius transformed from a frumpy little caterpillar to a stylish and efficient butterfly. It also became a very safe hybrid hatchback. Perfect scores in all of its government and IIHS crash tests, as well as a sophisticated system of collision avoidance technology, earn it top marks. It's also one of our favorite cars on the market, period, as evidenced by its status as a 2024 Edmunds Top Rated vehicle. Base price (2024): $29,045 NHTSA rating: five stars IIHS rating: Top Safety Pick+ Edmunds Rating: 8.0 (out of 10) Safest Midsize Cars 2025 Honda Accord The Honda Accord is among the safest midsize sedans on the market today thanks to excellent crashworthiness scores and a competent standard collision prevention system. It's a Top Safety Pick+, beating out rivals like the Hyundai Sonata, Kia K5, and Subaru Legacy, and the Accord also earns a perfect five-star rating from NHTSA. Honda's hybrid-intensive product planning is on full display here—all but the two lowest Accord trims have a hybrid powertrain—and it's also among the most spacious cars in its class. Base price: $29,390 NHTSA rating: five stars IIHS rating: Top Safety Pick+ Edmunds Rating: 8.0 (out of 10) 2025 Toyota Camry Like its Honda Accord rival, the Toyota Camry is also an IIHS Top Safety Pick+ with a five-star NHTSA rating. It also has a very impressive suite of driver assistance and safety technology, including lane departure prevention with active centering, full-speed adaptive cruise control, and automatic emergency braking. The Camry edges out the Accord in IIHS testing thanks to a more effective collision avoidance system, but both cars are remarkably well matched otherwise. Base price: $29,495 NHTSA rating: five stars IIHS rating: Top Safety Pick+ Edmunds Rating: 8.1 (out of 10) 2025 Hyundai Ioniq 6 The fully electric Hyundai Ioniq 6 offers excellent safety and collision prevention, with excellent scores across the entire line of IIHS tests. The Ioniq 6 hasn't been tested for rollover resistance by NHTSA, but it earned a four-star front safety rating and a five-star side-impact rating in government tests. Like most EVs, the Hyundai Ioniq 6 comes standard with forward collision warning, automatic emergency braking, and lane departure prevention. It also offers up to 342 miles of all-electric driving in its longest-range trim level. Base price: $38,900 NHTSA rating: not rated IIHS rating: Top Safety Pick+ Edmunds Rating: 8.1 (out of 10) Safest Luxury Cars 2025 Acura Integra The Acura Integra is a close mechanical cousin to the Honda Civic, so it's no surprise it does well in both the IIHS' and NHTSA's crash tests. The luxury hatchback is a Top Safety Pick+ and earns a perfect five stars in government testing. The AcuraWatch safety suite is standard on the Integra, bringing automatic emergency braking, lane centering, lane departure prevention, and adaptive cruise control. Base price: $34,195 NHTSA rating: five stars IIHS rating: Top Safety Pick+ Edmunds Rating: 7.4 (out of 10) 2025 Mercedes-Benz C-Class The Mercedes-Benz C-Class is a safe option in the popular small luxury sedan segment thanks to its good scores in IIHS crash testing. Mercedes' best-selling sedan also comes standard with automatic emergency braking and forward collision warning, which helps it earn a Top Safety Pick award. However, it hasn't been tested by the NHTSA. Base price: $49,600 NHTSA rating: not rated IIHS rating: Top Safety Pick Edmunds Rating: 7.9 (out of 10) 2025 Genesis G80 Both the Genesis G80 and the fully electric Genesis Electrified G80 earn a Top Safety Pick+ score from the IIHS thanks to their good scores on the agency's crash tests, as well as a comprehensive suite of active safety features that avoided collisions with simulated pedestrians. The internal-combustion-engine G80 earned a perfect five-star safety rating from NHTSA, and although the Electrified G80 hasn't been tested by the feds just yet, it should likely excel in those tests too. Base price: $58,350 NHTSA rating: five stars IIHS rating: Top Safety Pick+ Edmunds Rating: 8.0 (out of 10) 2025 Genesis G90 The flagship Genesis G90 sedan competes with the Mercedes-Benz S-Class and BMW 7 Series, and the South Korean automaker clearly hasn't skimped on safety in its fight against the establishment. Although it hasn't been subjected to the NHTSA array of tests, it aced almost all of its IIHS tests, and a long list of standard active safety and driver assistance features sets it apart from the stingy German makes that charge extra for them. Base price: $90,450 NHTSA rating: not rated IIHS rating: Top Safety Pick+ Edmunds Rating: 8.1 (out of 10) Safest Station Wagons 2025 Volvo V60 With handsome styling and a well-finished interior, the Volvo V60 is a very appealing station wagon for those looking for such a thing. It's also quite safe, with good crashworthiness scores in the IIHS' original moderate overlap front and side-impact scores. Unfortunately, since it hasn't been tested with the updated versions of those tests, it didn't earn this year's Top Safety Pick award, but it was called a Top Safety Pick+ in 2022. NHTSA also gives the V60 a five-star safety rating. Base price: $51,495 NHTSA rating: five stars IIHS rating: not rated Edmunds Rating: 7.9 (out of 10) 2025 Mercedes-Benz E 450 All-Terrain Although the Mercedes-Benz E 450 All-Terrain isn't a traditional wagon — it follows the lifted almost-crossover formula shared with the Audi A6 Allroad and Volvo V90 Cross Country — we'll take what we can get in this dwindling category. The All-Terrain hasn't been tested by the IIHS or NHTSA, but a previous-generation E-Class earned a 2023 Top Safety Pick+ award, and Mercedes isn't the kind of company that goes backward when it comes to safety. The E 450 All-Terrain comes standard with automatic emergency braking and forward collision warning, though, at this price, Benz should just make other active safety features standard. Base price: $75,850 NHTSA rating: five stars IIHS rating: Top Safety Pick+ Edmunds Rating: 8.5 (out of 10) 2025 Audi A6 Allroad With a five-star NHTSA safety rating, standard forward collision warning and emergency braking, and excellent IIHS crashworthiness scores on its original tests, the Audi A6 Allroad does a good job protecting people (both passengers and pedestrians) from crashes. However, since the IIHS hasn't subjected the Allroad to its updated side and moderate front crash criteria, it lost its Top Safety Pick+ status in 2022. Still, it should be a fine option for luxury longroof shoppers. Base price: $70,395 NHTSA rating: five stars IIHS rating: not rated Edmunds Rating: 7.6 (out of 10) Safest Coupes and Convertibles 2025 Ford Mustang Both the Ford Mustang coupe and convertible perform well in crash testing. The coupe received a five-star safety rating from NHTSA, and both variants scored decently on all the IIHS tests they've undergone. They also come standard with forward collision warning, lane departure prevention, and automatic emergency braking. However, the IIHS needs to test both models on its updated criteria before it will rate them. Base price: $33,515 NHTSA rating: five stars IIHS rating: not rated Edmunds Rating: 7.9 (out of 10) 2025 Toyota GR86 Although the government hasn't tested it, the Toyota GR86 aced all of its IIHS crashworthiness tests when it was new for the 2022 model year. Unfortunately, since it hasn't been subjected to the IIHS' updated testing since then, it lost its Top Safety Pick+ status. Still, this is a fun-to-drive, sporty coupe that comes standard with a long list of active safety features, and it's reasonably priced to boot. Base price: $31,085 NHTSA rating: not rated IIHS rating: not rated Edmunds Rating: 8.2 (out of 10) 2025 Subaru BRZ Mechanically identical to the Toyota GR86, the 2025 Subaru BRZ achieves the same safety ratings—who would have thought? It likewise received a Top Safety Pick+ score in 2022 that lapsed when the IIHS updated its criteria for 2023, but like the Toyota, it has a long list of active safety features to go along with its lightweight, rip-roaring sports car attitude. Base price: $32,365 NHTSA rating: not rated IIHS rating: not rated Edmunds Rating: 8.3 (out of 10) 2025 Audi A5 The Audi A5 lost its traditional two-door coupe body style after 2024, but the five-door Sportback body style remains before it's replaced later in 2025. Although it hasn't seen the IIHS' more stringent test regimen, its original crashworthiness scores were good enough to earn it a Top Safety Pick award as recently as 2022. The Sportback is the only variant to be tested by the government, where it earned a five-star safety rating. Base price: $49,965 NHTSA rating: five stars IIHS rating: not rated Edmunds Rating: not rated This story was produced by Edmunds and reviewed and distributed by Stacker. 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( MENAFN - Jordan Times) Although the title of this article may seem familiar to you from the Academy Award winning film starring Colin Firth, who portrays the late King George VI, it is actually referring to his majesty King Abdullah's speech at World Economic Forum (WEF) in Davos via teleconference on January 28 2021. The King is no stranger to giving opening speeches at WEF (in both its Davos and Dead Sea editions), but this year's event coincides with two monumental Jordanian occasions: The Centennial of the Hashemite reign in Jordan, as well as the birthday of the fourth sovereign from that reign. The King's speech at the WEF was shortly followed by His Majesty issuing directives to Bishr Khassawneh's Cabinet after the Prime Minister was able to capture the Parliament's vote of Confidence. The King also gave a comprehensive interview to the Jordanian News Agency (Petra). So it Is safe to say that the media has had a handful of Royal events and speeches to analyse and write about recently. Jordan is fighting an up-hill battle on the political and economic fronts, so the King - much like King George VI at the start of World War II - delivered a powerful message of hope and optimism to his people. He gave a promise that the economic situation in Jordan is on the verge of making a rebound for the better. Not many specifics were given, yet the speech was full of good omens and positive signs. The speech also promised better management and control of the Corona pandemic, as well as the implementation of ardent efforts to stabilise and pacify tensions in the Levant, and highlighted the reports coming from world economic and financial institutions indicating that the world economy is about to“cross the curve”. The content of the King's message was not only meant to be morale-lifting, but it also underlined the new avenues Jordan must take in order to put its economic prospects on a new track. His Majesty emphasised the need for both the private and public sectors to form harmonious engagement and effective partnerships, since neither sector has what it takes to address the pending issues alone. Both sectors need each other, and must adopt the measures to ensure a successful recovery. Since unemployment and poverty are on the rise, investment should be the vehicle for fighting those twin calamities. Unemployment amongst the youth is especially high, particularly among women, therefore, SMEs should be encouraged, and there should be proper training available for the youth to become vital members of the economy. The sectors of agriculture, energy, IT, education and health should be top-priority, along with restructuring the energy and transportation sectors. As for the tourism sector, it needs to be ready to bounce back once travel becomes safe, and poses less of a threat on the public's well-being. The questions that need to be addressed are: Can the current private sector institutions rise up to the challenges they face? And will the current government, which does not respect the private sector in its current composition, convince the latter to work together? And finally, what can be done to avert returning to the days of hands-on economic controls, restrictions and even displacement? These questions, which loom overhead, need to be resolved and answered immediately. MENAFN30112024000028011005ID1108942272 Legal Disclaimer: MENAFN provides the information “as is” without warranty of any kind. We do not accept any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright issues related to this article, kindly contact the provider above.Zoom Q3 Earnings Preview: All eyes on growth in Enterprise unit

Organizers say two sailors have died in Sydney to Hobart yacht race amid wild weather conditions SYDNEY (AP) — Organizers said that two Sydney to Hobart sailors have died at sea amid wild weather conditions that forced line honors favorite Master Lock Comanche to withdraw among mass retirements. The Cruising Yacht Club of Australia, which administers the yacht race, has said that one sailor each on entrants Flying Fish Arctos and Bowline were killed after being struck by the boom, a large horizontal pole at the bottom of the sail. The race will continue as the fleet continues its passage to Constitution Dock in Hobart, with the first boats expected to arrive later on Friday or early Saturday morning. India's former prime minister Manmohan Singh, architect of economic reforms, dies at 92 NEW DELHI (AP) — India’s former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, widely regarded as the architect of India’s economic reform program and a landmark nuclear deal with the United States, has died. He was 92. The hospital said Singh was admitted to New Delhi’s All India Institute of Medical Sciences late Thursday after his health deteriorated due to “sudden loss of consciousness at home." He was “being treated for age-related medical conditions,” the statement added. A mild-mannered technocrat, Singh became one of India’s longest-serving prime ministers for 10 years and earned a reputation as a man of great personal integrity. But his sterling image was tainted by allegations of corruption against his ministers. 'Baby Driver' actor Hudson Meek, 16, dies in a fall from a moving vehicle VESTAVIA HILLS, Ala. (AP) — Authorities say 16-year-old actor Hudson Meek has died after he fell out of a moving vehicle in Alabama. The Jefferson County Coroner's Office says Meek was hurt on Dec. 19 while on a street in Vestavia Hills, a suburb of Birmingham. He died two days later. The Vestavia Hills Police Department has not issued any public statements. Meek made his on-screen debut in 2014’s “The Santa Con,” and had roles in various TV series, including “MacGyver.” He was perhaps best known for his role in the 2017 film “Baby Driver,” in which he played a younger version of Ansel Elgort’s titular character. Bad Bunny announces a new album, 'Debí Tirar Más Fotos' Puerto Rican superstar Bad Bunny announced he will release a new album in early January. He announced Thursday that “Debí Tirar Más Fotos" arrives Jan. 5. It is his sixth studio album and follows in his tradition of releasing new music on unexpected dates. This time, it's a Sunday instead of the typical Friday album drop date. Bad Bunny announced the news on Instagram in a short video featuring Puerto Rican filmmaker Jacobo Morales. He also released a new single, “PIToRRO DE COCO.” His last release was 2023’s “Nadie Sabe Lo Que Va a Pasar Mañana.” Hwang Dong-hyuk on killing off his 'Squid Game' characters and wanting to work with Jake Gyllenhaal As season two of Netflix's hit series “Squid Game” returns Thursday, viewers can expect more untimely deaths for many of its characters. Its creator, writer and director, Hwang Dong-hyuk says whittling down the cast made him happy because less people were easier to manage on set. The show follows a deadly competition in South Korea that targets contestants who are heavily in debt and desperate for money. Hwang told the Associated Press in a Q&A that a third and final season has already filmed and it's better than season two. He also says his next project will be even darker in tone than “Squid Game.” Powerful thunderstorms rumble across Texas, delaying holiday travel DALLAS (AP) — Severe thunderstorms are firing up in parts of Texas and could trigger high winds, hail and potential tornadoes. More than 100 flights were delayed and dozens more were canceled Thursday at airports in Dallas and Houston. The National Weather Service says the greatest weather risk stretched from just east of Dallas, and between Houston and portions of southern Arkansas and western Louisiana. The risk includes the possibility of tornadoes, wind gusts between 60 and 80 miles per hour and large hail. The National Weather Service issued a tornado watch for several counties in southeast Texas, including the Houston area. NYC taxi driver was having a medical episode when he jumped the curb and hit people, police say NEW YORK (AP) — New York City police say a taxi driver who hit six pedestrians when he jumped a curb in Manhattan on Christmas Day was having a medical episode at the time. An NYPD spokesperson would not elaborate on the type of type of medical episode but said Thursday no criminality is suspected at this time. The 58-year-old was taken to a hospital in stable condition for further evaluation. Also hospitalized after the yellow taxi drove onto the sidewalk across the street from Macy’s flagship store in Herald Square were a 9-year-old boy with a laceration to his right thigh, a 49-year-old woman with a leg injury and a 41-year-old woman. All were in stable condition. Pizza deliverer in Florida charged with stabbing pregnant woman at motel after tip dispute KISSIMMEE, Fla. (AP) — A pizza deliverer in Florida has been charged with pushing her way into a motel room and stabbing a pregnant woman after a dispute over a tip. The Osceola County Sheriff's Office says that Brianna Alvelo has been charged with stabbing a woman in her motel room in Kissimmee, Florida, a short time after delivering a pizza to her on Sunday. The woman gave Alvelo $50 on a $33.10 bill, expecting change back. When Alvelo started walking away, the woman asked for money back, and Alvelo told her they didn’t make change. The woman got a smaller dollar bill from her boyfriend, and Alvelo’s tip ended up being $2. Friday's Mega Millions drawing is worth an estimated $1.15 billion, one of the game's top jackpots Americans still dreaming of a really big Christmas present can keep that dream alive during Friday’s Mega Millions drawing for a jackpot worth an estimated $1.15 billion. Friday’s jackpot will potentially be the fifth largest in the game’s history. Mega Millions tickets are $2 a piece. But the odds of winning the jackpot are 1 in 302,575,350, and the odds of winning any Mega Millions prize are 1 in 24, according to lottery officials. Tickets for the game are sold in 45 states, along with Washington, D.C., and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Christmas shooting at Phoenix airport leaves 3 people wounded, 1 stabbed PHOENIX (AP) — Police are investigating a Christmas shooting at Sky Harbor Airport in Phoenix that left three people wounded by gunfire and another person stabbed. Phoenix police say the evening shooting was related to a family dispute that happened at a restaurant outside the security checkpoints in Terminal 4. An adult female and two adult males were shot, leaving the female with injuries police describe as life-threatening. Police say the two men were in stable condition. Police say the people involved knew each other. They had a physical fight that led to one of them pulling a gun. A man and a girl were detained in a nearby parking garage.The world is heading into 2025 with high uncertainty. And no factor has contributed more to this unpredictable environment than the reelection of Donald Trump as the United States President. The US is the world’s biggest economy ($27.4 trillion), the biggest importer of goods ($3.17 trillion), the second largest exporter of goods ($2.02 trillion), and the largest source of foreign direct investments (FDI, $404 billion). The massive size of its economy and influence in global trade and investment means any major shift in US government policies is likely to have a significant impact on the global economy, including the Philippines. The US and the Philippines have developed a strong economic relationship over the years. In 2023 alone, the US was the Philippines’ top export destination ($11.5 billion), biggest source of overseas Filipino remittances ($13.7 billion), largest source of development assistance grants ($615 million), fourth biggest source of FDI inflows ($113.1 million), and fifth largest import source ($8.4 billion). Based on Trump’s pronouncements during the campaign, there are three policies that could potentially affect the Philippines. Stop outsourcing of jobs. Trump has pledged to stop the outsourcing of jobs to generate local employment. This could negatively impact the IT-BPO sector in the Philippines, which employs some 1.7 million Filipinos and generates at least $30 billion in revenues annually, more than half from the US. Tariffs. Trump has floated the idea to impose a blanket 10 to 20 percent tariff on imported goods from countries where the US has a trade deficit with. This will make our export goods such as textiles, garments, and coconut oil more expensive in the US, and likely lower demand and reduce earnings for these industries. Trump has also threatened to levy as much as 60 percent tariffs on all imported goods from China, which would indirectly affect the country, especially exporters linked in the global value chain. To illustrate: exporters of electronic parts to China as inputs for the manufacture of smartphones would likely suffer from lower demand. But high tariffs on China could also bring potential benefits, as US companies that face higher costs due to tariffs might look for alternative and cheaper sources of inputs, or even move out and establish production factories in alternative locations. This is where the Philippines could assert itself as a viable option. However, it remains to be seen whether recent reforms such as CREATE MORE Act and amendments to liberalization laws would make us an attractive investment destination at par with Vietnam, Indonesia, and Malaysia. Strict immigration policy. Trump has threatened a massive deportation of illegal immigrants in the US, ending automatic citizenship for their children. Currently, there are an estimated 370,000 undocumented Filipino migrants in the US. This policy is likely to lower remittances and reduce the income of OFW families at home. It could also mean a more stringent vetting process for those seeking job opportunities in the US. Overall, early assessment shows that the net impact of Trump’s campaign agenda would be negative for the Philippines. Nevertheless, we’ll conduct another review of his policies six months after he assumes office in January. While there is much uncertainty heading into next year, the key takeaway for the government is to make our economy more resilient by focusing on things it can control. This includes diversifying the country’s growth drivers by investing in the agriculture and manufacturing sectors. Developing the agricultural sector through improvements in the supply chain is important for food security and managing food inflation. The government could partner with the private sector in building common warehouses, cold-storage facilities, and farm-to-market roads to minimize post-harvest losses. Strengthening the manufacturing sector, including small and medium enterprises (SMEs), could generate quality jobs. The government could invest further in Shared Service Facilities of the Department of Trade and Industry which provide SMEs access to technology and equipment to improve their productivity. Ramping up reskilling and upskilling programs with universities and industries can improve the skills of Filipino workers. We should also improve our position as an investment destination for manufacturing companies, particularly those that can transfer technology and know-how to local firms. The government should continue addressing ease of doing business, particularly the burdensome process of permit approval and extra fees imposed at the local level. Equally critical is the need to lower the cost of doing business, like high power rates and unreliable internet connectivity which hampers digitalization. Lastly, it is crucial to strictly monitor budget utilization and program implementation of national government agencies to ensure that the limited resources of the government are spent prudently. As the saying goes, the best way to predict the future is to create it. —————- Subscribe to our daily newsletter By providing an email address. I agree to the Terms of Use and acknowledge that I have read the Privacy Policy . Gary B. Teves has served as finance secretary under the Arroyo administration

Beep boop barf. On Tuesday, Kim Kardashian proved her thirst trap skills are getting rusty when she took to Instagram to post images from a sexy photo shoot with a new robot toy — a Tesla Optimus. In a grand display of clearly having her wires crossed on what human beings find appealing, the Skims founder donned lingerie and posed suggestively beside the gold robot, which sat in the driver’s seat of a matching gold Tesla Cybercab. The two Tesla products are still under development, but CEO Elon Musk has suggested that they could become available in the years ahead. Kardashian already owns a customized Tesla Cybertruck. In some of her photos, Kardashian squats beside the Cybercab, showing off her butt to the bot. In one memorable pic, she intertwines her fingers with the robot’s metallic ones. There are other photos in her Instagram slideshow, but honestly, we’re done describing them because they’re R2-D-too much. Many social media users felt the post was a downgrade for the reality TV star. “Sorry Kim, you’re not gonna normalise this weird behaviour for us we don’t want this!” one Instagram commenter said. “Kim this is a lot weird,” echoed another. “When you’ve gone through all of humanity’s dating pool...” a third commenter joked. Over on X, formerly Twitter, users were similarly grossed out. I speak on behalf of all the internet... We don't want to see this pic.twitter.com/DY1jIQ0lHe Kardashian has kept busy being a human advertisement for Musk recently. In September, she made headlines for customizing her Cybertruck , which was painted a specific shade of matte gray to match other cars in her fleet. And earlier this week, she posted video footage of herself playing around with a white Tesla Optimus. Other news outlets have retreated behind paywalls. At HuffPost, we believe journalism should be free for everyone. Would you help us provide essential information to our readers during this critical time? We can't do it without you. Can't afford to contribute? Support HuffPost by creating a free account and log in while you read. You've supported HuffPost before, and we'll be honest — we could use your help again . We view our mission to provide free, fair news as critically important in this crucial moment, and we can't do it without you. Whether you give once or many more times, we appreciate your contribution to keeping our journalism free for all. You've supported HuffPost before, and we'll be honest — we could use your help again . We view our mission to provide free, fair news as critically important in this crucial moment, and we can't do it without you. Whether you give just one more time or sign up again to contribute regularly, we appreciate you playing a part in keeping our journalism free for all. Already contributed? Log in to hide these messages. In one clip , Kardashian asks the bot: “Can you do this? I love you?” as she forms half of a heart shape with her hand. When the robot makes the other half, she gasps and says, “You know how to do that?” meet my new friend 🦾🤖 @Tesla pic.twitter.com/C34OvPA2dY But despite Kardashian’s apparent fondness for her new humanoid buddies, the consensus on her sexy robot photo shoot is that it megabytes. Related From Our Partner( MENAFN - Jordan Times) his majesty King Abdullah championed and led the opposition against Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's decision to annex parts of the West bank to Israel, including the Jordan Valley and Dead Sea areas adjacent to the Jordanian borders with the Palestinian lands. US President Joe Biden vehemently opposed the annexation. Moreover, about 180 elected legislative branch representatives and senators attended a webinar with the Jordanian Monarch when he explained why such an irrational move would derail the whole peace process and deepen extremism in the Middle East. When the annexation plan was shelved, and rationality prevailed, the King and his country came out victorious. Not to be deterred, former US president Donald Trump and his aides were quick to seek restitution to the Israeli prime minster and to their infamous Deal of the Century. Normalisation of four Arab countries with Israel followed, starting with the UAE and Bahrain, then Sudan and Morocco. The King was not to be deterred and his immediate contacts led to the UAE applying pressure on Israel to stop the annexation backpedaling. Now that the Democrats are wielding the power in Washington D.C, the King has been empowered as a reliable ally to the USA. The shenanigans which Trump and Pompeo-likes in the Middle East targeted the King's potential influence on American foreign policy, and rendered his contacts with the American decision-makers less frequent. Now that President Biden has been confirmed and he is well-seated in the saddle, many leaders in the Middle East started scurrying for a way to adjust their relations with the new administration and refitting their relations with Jordan. Netanyahu, who banked too far on Trump's reelection, lost his appeal in Washington, D.C. to the pleasure of his frustrated political rivals in Israel. Inside Israel, there is a continuous fragmentation of political parties, whether Likud, White and Blue or Lapid's Party Yesh Atid. New alliances are formed and political realism that borders on political betrayal is already in active motion. So much so that Netanyahu is seeking to sway Palestinian Israelis to join his coalition. The annexation challenge further elevated Jordan's stature. Not only that, but the appointment of William Burns to the Central Intelligence Agency, and at least three Americans of Arab origin in the White House, helps foster the bilateral relations. Jordan does not confuse political opportunities with diplomatic expediency. Jordan has long-standing honourable principles which the country adheres to. Examples are peace and justice, pro-people development, inter-faith dialogue, respect of human rights, contributions to world peace with large peace keeping troops and fighting extremism and terrorism, and maintaining a human face in dealing with millions of refugees. The country withstood many tests whether regionally or internationally and managed always to commit to its obligations unfettered and undeterred. For all of these reasons, the clouds which may keep our lights from shinning are optimistically viewed as potential opportunities for badly needed rain. We will not lose our heads in order to indulge in petty vengefulness or momentary deceitful pleasure. We want to prosper and live in peace with our neighbours and the world community. We want to be ready for our future challenges. That is what we are able to do best. MENAFN30112024000028011005ID1108942273 Legal Disclaimer: MENAFN provides the information “as is” without warranty of any kind. We do not accept any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright issues related to this article, kindly contact the provider above.Chess grandmaster Magnus Carlsen returns to a tournament after a dispute over jeans is resolved