President-elect Donald Trump has nominated Jared Isaacman, a notable SpaceX customer, as head of NASA. You may remember Isaacman as the billionaire who made the first private spacewalk last September as part of the SpaceX Polaris Dawn mission. That said, he's a professional flier and holds the speed record for the fastest in-atmosphere trip around the planet. It seems great news for SpaceX, which supplies NASA with rockets and capsules and is run by Elon Musk – the oligarch currently buddies with Trump and happily offering advice on how the US government should be run. "I am delighted to nominate Jared Isaacman, an accomplished business leader, philanthropist, pilot, and astronaut, as Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration," Trump said on his personal social network. "Jared will drive NASA’s mission of discovery and inspiration, paving the way for groundbreaking achievements in Space science, technology, and exploration." Isaacman made his fortune as the founder and CEO of payment processor Shift4, which he established at the tender age of 16. He later founded Draken International, which uses tactical jets to provide adversary air training for military pilots. He does have space experience, having purchased four tickets for an orbital trip in SpaceX's Dragon capsule back in 2022, then raffling off three of them. Wearing a SpaceX-designed lightweight spacesuit, Isaacman was the first person to take a brief step outside the capsule. The flight was one of three planned with SpaceX as part of Isaacman's Polaris Program to advance getting humans into space using Musk's rockets. Isaacman before his last SpaceX mission. Click to enlarge "On my last mission to space, my crew and I traveled farther from Earth than anyone in over half a century. I can confidently say this second space age has only just begun," Isaacman said in a post on X, better known as Twitter. "Space holds unparalleled potential for breakthroughs in manufacturing, biotechnology, mining, and perhaps even pathways to new sources of energy. There will inevitably be a thriving space economy—one that will create opportunities for countless people to live and work in space. With the support of President Trump, I can promise you this: We will never again lose our ability to journey to the stars and never settle for second place. Americans will walk on the Moon and Mars and in doing so, we will make life better here on Earth." With Musk apparently going to be co-head of the proposed US Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), he'll have the whip hand on discretionary spending by Uncle Sam, which includes NASA's $24 billion budget. It's widely expected the ax will come down hard on a lot of the space agency's programs and work will be given to private contractors instead, and having a SpaceX-friendly boss of the agency would as we said be a big help for Elon, already the world's richest man. First on the chopping block is likely to be NASA's Space Launch System, which may not be a bad idea, actually. Its monstrously expensive throwaway rockets are outdated, though it may not be as easy to cancel as some might think. NASA has subcontracted the manufacturing to a lot of congressional districts and politicians may not be too keen on their constituents being out of work. Isaacman has at least made it into orbit and is clearly a huge space nerd. Whether or not that will cross over into being an effective administrator, however, is very much up in the air. ®BXP Inc. stock underperforms Wednesday when compared to competitorsIt didn't take Syracuse first-year coach Fran Brown long to figure out the key matchup for Saturday afternoon's Atlantic Coast Conference game visiting Miami. "Syracuse has a really good quarterback," Brown said of Kyle McCord, "and Miami has a really good quarterback (Cam Ward)." With a win on Saturday, the No. 6 Hurricanes (10-1, 6-1 ACC) can clinch a berth in the league championship game against SMU. Miami is a 10 1/2-point favorite for Saturday's game. Syracuse (8-3, 4-3) has reached eight wins for just the fourth time since 2002, going 8-5 in 2010 and 2012 and 10-3 in 2018. However, the Orange haven't defeated a Top-10 team since knocking off Clemson in 2017. Miami leads the nation in scoring (44.7), and the Hurricanes will count on perfect passing conditions in Syracuse's dome. That could be huge for Ward, who leads the nation with 34 touchdown passes, ranking second in passing yards (3,774) and fourth in passing efficiency. Ward's top target is wide receiver Xavier Restrepo, who needs just 21 yards to reach 1,000 for the second straight season. Restrepo also ranks tied for seventh in the nation with 10 TD receptions. Ward has some other top targets, including 6-foot-4, 245-pound tight end Elijah Arroyo, who is a walking mismatch because of his size and speed. He leads Miami with 18.5 yards per reception. Hurricanes wide receivers Isaiah Horton and Jacolby George have combined for 12 TD passes, and Sam Brown has added two more. Each of them has more than 500 receiving yards this season. Miami's running game features battering ram Damien Martinez (739 yards, 5.5 average, eight TDs); versatile Mark Fletcher Jr. (499 yards, 5.7 average, six TDs); and game-breaking freshman Jordan Lyle (361 yards, 8.6 average, four TDs). Defensively, Miami's big-play man is safety Mishael Powell, who ranks second in the ACC with five interceptions. "He's all about winning," Miami coach Mario Cristobal said of Powell. "He's a smart, self-starting team player." On special teams, Miami kicker Andres Borregales ranks second in the ACC with 97 points. He is 52-for-52 on extra points and 15-for-16 on field goals. Meanwhile, McCord ranks No. 1 in the nation in passing yards (3,946) and tied for seventh in TD passes (26). McCord, a transfer from Ohio State, has also set Syracuse's single-season record for passing yards. In last week's 31-24 win over Connecticut, McCord passed for a career-high 470 yards. However, McCord is just 46th in the nation in passing efficiency, due in part to his high total of interceptions (12). Syracuse also has three of the top six pass-catchers in the ACC in terms of yards: tight end Oronde Gadsden II (810) and wide receivers Jackson Meeks (801) and Trebor Pena (743). Gadsden, who is from the greater Miami area, has had three straight 100-yard games. He is the son of former Miami Dolphins wide receiver Oronde Gadsden. Syracuse's run game is led by LeQuint Allen, who has rushed for 819 yards, a 4.3 average and 12 TDs. The issue for Syracuse could be its defense, which ranks 13th in the ACC in points allowed (27.8). Miami's defense is fourth (22.3). Even so, Syracuse coach Brown said he's excited about this matchup. "I heard Miami is going to come deep," Brown said of Miami fans. "It's going to be intense in the stands. It's going to be intense on the field. I think this is a game everyone wants to see." --Field Level Media
Liverpool boss Arne Slot talks up ‘special player’ Mohamed Salah
Quarterbacks in spotlight when No. 6 Miami visits SyracuseWoman dies after undergoing $1,700 cosmetic surgery with doctor she met through social mediaCar enthusiasts will often consider a sports car superior for its speed or brag about its 0-60 mph times on the track. Every so often, another driver will see my car and rev their engine at me, challenging me to launch off the line once the light turns green. And maybe they'd beat me, but that's okay. Some sports cars aren't meant to show off on a straightaway and instead come to life when there's winding roads and hairpin turns — these sports cars are all about handling. As a canyon carver enthusiast with experience driving multiple cars on this list, I often chase that feeling as though you and the car are moving as one. This is achieved through responsive steering, agile movements, and maybe even uncomfortably loud interiors where you can hear just about everything happening as you take a turn or shift gears. The following cars were chosen for their handling capabilities and how fun they are to take on a twisty back road or challenging canyon cruise. I'm personally not a muscle car enthusiast, but you'll see plenty of Corvettes during a weekend canyon cruise. One of the most respected Corvettes when it comes to handling is the C4. As the name implies, this is the fourth generation of the Corvette, manufactured by Chevrolet from 1984 to 1996. There's some argument over which year can be considered for this category, with some Corvette fans feeling like their older models were a bit more on the stiff side. However, the ZR-1 from 1991 has 375 horsepower, reaches top speeds of 175-180 mph, and reaches 0-60 mph in just under five seconds — and much improved handling. There's a reason SlashGear claims the C4 Corvette is a great deal for the amount of power you're getting. The C4's curb weight is 3,465 pounds, but its nimble chassis, steering feel, and feedback have created a force to be reckoned with on the windiest of roads. They're a bit underrated compared to other cars on this list, but the C4 feels fun and retro, like an escape from modern complexities as you smoothly, easily, and quickly make your way through gorgeous scenery on a relaxing Sunday morning away from the hustle and bustle of everyday life. The McLaren 765LT almost feels like it's cheating. The six-figure supercar has a mid-engine twin-turbocharged 4.0-liter V-8 that produces 590 lb-ft of torque, 755 HP, reaches 62 mph in 2.8 seconds, and gives the sub-3,000 pound track monster a max speed of 205 mph. To add to its intimidating power, the 765LT has exchanged the usual luxuries of a McLaren with performance modifications. The cabin feels a bit simple, with no carpet and lighter seats — and there's no cargo space. This is because the McLaren 765LT may be a supercar, but it's meant to be pushed to its limits on the track and in the canyons. The McLaren 765LT is known for its top-tier suspension and linked hydraulics, precise steering with feedback, and aerodynamic design. This has created superior handling and turning that can't be matched by many. Since the McLaren 765LT is a driver's car more than a success statement, some drivers do feel like it's a bit bare-bones and hectic inside this model. But drivers that want to hit the back roads feel they're taming a beast at every turn. Before you can even say "Supra," this '90s sports car will have already turned the corner, out of sight. What Supra fans love about this particular model is how well it handles its weight. Despite being almost 3,500 pounds, the MK4 Supra drives like it's on the rails. It's known for gripping to the road, regaining traction well, and having easy steering. These combined help the Supra take really fast corners without any challenge, making it a key contender for canyon carving. The MK4 Supra reaches top speeds of 155 mph and can accelerate to 60 mph in 4.8 seconds. Despite these impressive stats, a lot of people still use the Supra as a daily driver. That's because it's comfortable, has a lot of interior and trunk space, and is quite reliable (not surprising for a Toyota). Due to its great handling combined with its ease and comfort, the MK4 Supra is a great pick for anyone that wants to make any type of cruise enjoyable. [Featured image by Ahmadfhatonii via Wikimedia Commons | Cropped and scaled | CC BY-SA 4.0 ] The Porsche 911 GT3 finds itself on so many lists, this was bound to be another one. Whether it's driving through the city, going for lap time on the track, or winding through the countryside, the Porsche 911 GT3 is a no-brainer. On the track, the GT3's top speed is just short of 200 at 193 mph, and it reaches 60 mph in 3.2 seconds. That's thanks to a 4.0-liter six-cylinder engine that can produce up to 331 lb-ft of torque and 9,000 RPM. When it comes to canyon drives, the GT3 has insane responsiveness, a light feel to its steering, and tough-to-beat grip. However, some car enthusiasts feel that maybe the GT3 is just too perfect, feeling a bit stiff and isolated on turns. If it's the perfect experience you want, though, you can't go wrong with this Porsche model. The weight transfer ensures that you always feel balanced, and the easy feel of the car keeps you feeling confident on any road. When you ask anyone for the perfect canyon carver, almost everyone has the Mazda Miata on their list. It's funny when you really think about the Mazda Miata's specs on paper, with the stock 1993 Miata's 1.6-liter four-cylinder engine only producing 116 horsepower, 100 lb-ft, and 0-60 mph in about five seconds. With a top speed of 135 mph, the Miata just sounds lame on paper — aside from the popup headlights, of course. But this '90s car (and its more modern predecessor , too) is not to be messed with on winding tracks and twisty canyons. This year Miata has a curb weight of 2,222, making it extremely lightweight. It's also super low to the ground, has an even weight distribution, and a chassis designed for precision and stability even on the sharpest of turns. The Miata's handling is incredible , leaving riders feeling as if they're in a go-kart due to its size, lowness, zippy acceleration, and super responsive handling. You will never have a more thrilling time driving an affordable, very low powered sports car than bringing your Miata on a winding canyon cruise. The BMW M2 is one of the best cars to bring with you on a twisty track thanks to its incredible handling and speed. This is definitely an exhilarating choice thanks to the BMW M2's rear-wheel drive, wide track, innovative suspension, and short wheelbase. With a chassis that orients itself over bumps as well, the BMW M2 feels in-tune with everything on the road, creating a sense of alertness and responsiveness that has you quickly winding around other sports cars on tough roads. "The M2 is of course at its best on a canyon road with tight curves, like the ones leading into Prescott, Arizona. After a while, you learn that this coupe can handle way more than you're giving it, the taut chassis keeping the M2 planted while cornering, aided by the nearly 50/50 front/rear weight distribution," SlashGear stated during our own test drive of the vehicle. The M2 has a 3-liter inline six-cylinder engine that produces 450 horsepower and gets you to 60 mph in 4.2 seconds. Combined with its visibility and comfortable interior, the M2 inspires confidence while still feeling incredibly fun and rewarding to drive. This is a track-focused car that is made with driving enthusiasts in mind, reaching 177 mph with the Driver's Package, but the twists and turns are where the true excitement begins. Maybe I'm biased, but I've made the mistake of driving a 2006 Lotus Elise — and once you do that, you can't think about any other car. There is no other car like the now discontinued Elise , especially once you take it on a spirited canyon drive. With no power steering, a mid-engine, and wheels that are taller and wider in the back, it's made for precise handling. Pair that with the '06 Elise's sub-2,000 pound, super low body, 190 hp produced by its Toyota engine and this is going to be an incredibly heart-pounding ride with aggressive turn-taking that will leave other cars struggling to keep up. The Lotus Elise's performance is only part of the fun. This is not your everyday car, with an interior that's so minimal you feel like it's been stripped for the junkyard. The super thin seats, baron dash, and lack of noise-canceling insulation make each drive feel like a production. Yet, I consistently imagine awkwardly lowering myself into its cockpit and experiencing that stark enclosure. The Lotus Elise is not known for comfort — music is hard to hear over the roaring of the engine and basically every other mechanical thing happening as you drive, the seats leave some feeling a bit stiff, and taller people may find a few blind spots to take note of. But that's the fun of it — this is an immersive experience like no other on the road. I feel every little rock on the road, every movement of the wheel. Every little movement I make gets an immediate response that is super precise and satisfying. I can't hear the term "canyon carver" without acknowledging the Lotus Elise as the taker of this title.Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Secretary-General Salman Akram Raja has claimed that at least 20 people lost their lives during the party’s "do-or-die" protest in Islamabad yesterday. The PTI leader's statement comes a day after the former ruling party called off its much-hyped protest march following an operation by security forces late Tuesday night. "At least 20 supporters of the PTI were killed in yesterday's protest in Islamabad. We have complete bio-data and videos of eight of them," the PTI leader said in a video statement released on social media on Wednesday. "And, details about the remaining others will be released to the media." Raja alleged that the former ruling party was being denied access to its workers receiving medical treatment at hospitals in Islamabad. He further accused that hospitals in the federal capital were being instructed to destroy relevant records, with directives ordering them not to provide families with the records of their deceased or injured relatives. The PTI's secretary-general announced that the Imran Khan-led party would take legal action, saying, "We will approach the courts against the government, the ministry of interior, and the interior minister." Following a midnight crackdown on the PTI's demonstrators, law enforcers effectively dispersed the PTI workers. After the action by the law enforcers, the protesters dispersed and Bushra Bibi and KP CM Ali Amin Gandapur fled to Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. Later, the PTI issued a press release from its central media cell in the early hours of Wednesday, announcing a "temporary suspension" of its "do-or-die" protest. The Imran Khan-led party's protest was staged against the "illegal" incarceration of the PTI founder, other party leaders and workers, the "stolen mandate" in the February 8 general elections and the 26th Constitutional Amendment. While Salman Akram Raja's claim regarding the killing of party workers could not be verified so far, Islamabad IG Syed Ali Nasir Rizvi said that at least five security personnel, including three jawans of Rangers and two policemen, were martyred during the protest. Addressing a press conference earlier today, “12 to 13 vehicles of police were set on fire [during PTI’s protest]." In addition to this, the police chief said "miscreants" damaged 161 CCTV cameras of Safe City so that their activities could not be recorded. “37 Afghan nationals among 954 people were arrested during the past three days. A Kalashnikov among 39 weapons was seized.” 71 personnel of law enforcers were injured, he said, adding that out of them, 27 received bullet injuries. A spokesperson for the Polyclinic Hospital said that two dead bodies and 26 injured were brought to the hospital.
Abandoned mines in the US pose dangers to people and property when land gives wayIt took a long time, but Victorian MP Georgie Purcell speaks openly about her past. As a former stripper, and now an advocate for sex workers’ rights in Victoria and nationwide, she knows firsthand just how harmful stigmas and stereotypes around sex work can be. Purcell also knows firsthand the power of normalising the conversation about sex work. And since recent legislation in Belgium granting sex workers greater labour rights came into effect, she hopes it will make a difference in Australia. “I was absolutely stoked to see the news coming out of Belgium,” Purcell told . “I think it’s a really good example of how, when we normalise sex work and treat is as any other job, we can make progress.” Legal experts and advocates for sex work say that Belgium has set a strong standard for other countries to follow in terms of employment rights. But what is holding progress back the most around the world – especially in Australia – is discrimination against sex workers. While sex work has been decriminalised in most states and territories in Australia, the “hangover” of criminalisation means sex workers continue to be discriminated against and treated differently to any other worker in any other industry. “We don’t criticise other people who use their bodies for labour, such as construction workers or tradies, and that’s exactly what sex workers are doing,” Purcell says. “And they deserve to have the same rights as any other worker around the country.” What happened in Belgium? On Sunday, new laws came into effect that will grant sex workers in Belgium a raft of labour rights they previously were not entitled to. Sex work in Belgium has been legal since it was decriminalised in 2022, but employees in the industry lacked several labour rights that other industries have access to. Under the new legislation, sex workers will be eligible to sign formal employment contracts, which will give them access to benefits such as health insurance, paid leave, maternity benefits, unemployment support and pensions. There will also be stricter rules for employers in the industry to follow, including working hours, pay and implementing safety measures like clean linens, condoms, hygiene products and emergency buttons in workspaces. Isabelle Jaramillo is the coordinator of Espace P and was heavily involved in the advocacy and drafting of the laws. Speaking to the , she described the legislation as an “incredible step forward”. “It means their profession can finally be recognised as legitimate by the Belgian state,” Jaramillo said. “From the employer’s perspective, this will also be a revolution. They’ll have to apply for a state authorisation to hire sex workers. “Under the previous legislation, hiring someone for sex work automatically made you a pimp, even if the arrangement was consensual. Now, they’ll have to apply for state authorisation to hire employees.” Emily Smith is a Senior Lawyer at Southside Justice, a free legal service for people on low incomes in Melbourne’s south. As far as she knows, the legislation in Belgium confers “unprecedented workplace and social protections to sex workers”. But how effective this legislation will be in breaking down stigmas and stereotypes depends on how the law is socialised and enforced. “Though, Belgium is setting a great example of sex work being treated like any other industry when it comes to worker entitlements and protections,” Smith says. What about in Australia? Sex work has been decriminalised in NSW, the Northern Territory, Victoria and Queensland. In the ACT, sex work is legal but regulated, while in Western Australia and Tasmania, it is partially criminalised. Sex work is fully criminalised in South Australia. Most sex workers in Australia work as sole traders or as independent contractors – similar to professions like GPs and personal trainers. As Mish Pony, the CEO of Scarlet Alliance (the Australian Sex Workers Association) explains, legislation mirroring Belgium’s new laws wouldn’t necessarily translate to the Australian sex work context. “Independent contractors in Australia generally don’t have access to sick leave, annual leave, maternity leave, unfair dismissal,” Pony says, “but they generally still have access to work health and safety protections and some industrial protections. “There have been recent reforms that allow independent contractors to take unfair contract terms to the Fair Work Commission which is a good step to improving the rights of independent contractors.” But these steps, while important and progressive, don’t mark the end of the line for progress. Emily Smith from Southside Justice said there is still an “imbalance of power” between sex service premises owners/operators/managers and individual sex workers. “Sex workers are rarely employees, and instead told they are independent contractors for which no employee entitlements or protections are afforded,” Smith said. “Sham contracting can be challenged in a federal court, but sex workers need access to timely legal assistance in order to do so.” Meanwhile, Georgie Purcell MP in the Victorian parliament, alongside other crossbenchers and independents, is still fighting for better rights and working conditions for sex workers. Despite Victoria decriminalising sex work in 2022, Purcell says the rollout of this has been limited, with many sex workers finding themselves with “no where to turn” if they feel unsafe at work, or unsure of their working rights. “Decriminalisation is simply not enough,” Purcell says. “It’s a good starting point, and we’ve done that here in Victoria, but for the most part, it can still be an insecure job, and it can be an unsafe job. “I think any change in legislation in the space of sex work that improves their safety and their right to work is a really good thing, because it not only protects them, but it introduces a conversation into the pubic domain, and we know that the more this is spoken about, the more normalised it is. “I’m really frustrated by the conversation in the Victorian parliament, because it seems for many politicians, this conversation either makes them uncomfortable or they’re opposed to it.” Emily Smith from Southside Justice describes this opposition and discomfort around the sex work industry as a “hangover” from criminalisation, which was overturned in Victoria only in the last couple of years. “Sex workers in Victoria continue to experience a hangover from criminalisation of stigma, prejudice and discrimination in the community and in public services preventing full and safe accessibility,” Smith said. ‘Sex workers are ordinary people’ In October this year, a sex worker in Melbourne was from her home after a flyer alerting neighbours of her line of work resulted in a complaint to the council, a subsequent investigation, and a termination of her rental agreement with her landlord. It’s not just housing insecurity sex workers face – in many cases, their lives are at risk. Yet stigma and stereotypes result in serious injustice for women killed in the sex work industry. Last month, 24-year-old Xiaozheng Lin to plead guilty to two charges of manslaughter, just one month before he was supposed to face a double-murder trial. He is charged with the deaths of Yuqi Luo, 31, and Hyun Sook Jeon, 51 – two sex workers he killed within days of one another. Purcell says cases like these serve not just as a “warning sign” about the dangers of stigmas, but as “an indication that we can and must do better”. “By introducing regular working rights and regular working conditions that most other workers already have access to, it helps to show sex work for what it really is – it’s like any other job,” Purcell says. “Sex workers are just ordinary people. Someone you know and someone you love is or was a sex worker.”Wall Street stocks surged to fresh records Wednesday on hopes about easing US monetary policy, shrugging off political upheaval in South Korea and France. All three major US indices scored records, with the Dow Jones Industrial Average finishing above 45,000 for the first time. "The market at this point is looking for excuses to go up, and there's not really anything that might work against that narrative," said Steve Sosnick of Interactive Brokers. "Over the last couple of days, it's managed to ignore all sorts of inconvenient things and decided that the situation in France doesn't matter for them," Sosnick said of the stock market. "The situation in Korea doesn't matter." South Korea's stock market fell less than feared and the won rebounded from earlier losses after President Yoon Suk Yeol swiftly reversed a decision to impose martial law. In Europe, Paris stocks managed to advance as France's government faced looming no-confidence votes. Late Wednesday in Paris, French lawmakers voted to oust the government of Prime Minister Michel Barnier after just three months in office, pushing the country further into political uncertainty. For the first time in over sixty years, the National Assembly lower house toppled the incumbent government, approving a no-confidence motion that had been proposed by the hard left but which crucially was backed by the far-right headed by Marine Le Pen. "Political turmoil in both France and South Korea provide a uncertain backdrop for global markets, with the likely removal of both Barnier and Yoon bringing the potential for both countries to find a fresh direction," said Joshua Mahony, chief market analyst at Scope Markets. Thomas Mathews, head of Asia-Pacific markets at Capital Economics, said the losses in Seoul could have been "much worse" had the president not aborted his plan. "Rarely does a combined sell-off in a country's stocks, bonds and currency feel like a relief rally," he said. Oil prices turned lower after surging around 2.5 percent Tuesday, mainly after the United States sanctioned 35 companies and ships it accused of involvement with Iran's "shadow fleet" illicitly selling Iranian oil to foreign markets. Major producers at the OPEC+ grouping led by Saudi Arabia and Russia were set to meet Thursday to discuss extending output limits. Back in New York, major indices were led by the Nasdaq, which piled on 1.3 percent to finish at a third straight record. Wednesday's gains came after payroll firm ADP said US private-sector hiring in November came in at a lower-than-expected 146,000 jobs, while a survey from the Institute for Supply Management showed weaker sentiment than expected in the services sector. But the lackluster data boosts expectations that the Federal Reserve will cut interest rates later this month. At a New York conference, Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell refrained from tipping his hand, but he "didn't say anything that would scare the market," said Briefing.com analyst Patrick O'Hare. O'Hare noted that Wednesday's gains were led by large tech names such as Nvidia and Microsoft, which are major AI players. The boost followed strong results from Salesforce, which was the biggest gainer in the Dow with an 11 percent jump. More from this section New York - Dow: UP 0.7 percent at 45,014.04 (close) New York - S&P 500: UP 0.6 percent at 6,086.49 (close) New York - Nasdaq Composite: UP 1.3 percent at 19,735.12 (close) London - FTSE 100: DOWN 0.3 percent at 8,335.81 (close) Paris - CAC 40: UP 0.7 percent at 7,303.28 (close) Frankfurt - DAX: UP 1.1 percent at 20,232.14 (close) Seoul - Kospi Index: DOWN 1.4 percent at 2,464.00 (close) Tokyo - Nikkei 225: UP 0.1 percent at 39,276.39 (close) Hong Kong - Hang Seng Index: FLAT at 19,742.46 (close) Shanghai - Composite: DOWN 0.4 percent at 3,364.65 (close) Euro/dollar: UP at $1.0510 from $1.0509 on Tuesday Pound/dollar: UP at $1.2702 from $1.2673 Dollar/yen: UP at 150.56 yen from 149.60 yen Euro/pound: DOWN at 82.71 from 82.92 pence Brent North Sea Crude: DOWN 1.8 percent at $72.31 per barrel West Texas Intermediate: DOWN 2.0 percent at $68.54 per barrel burs-jmb/jgcLAS VEGAS — Formula 1 on Monday at last said it will expand its grid in 2026 to make room for an American team that is partnered with General Motors. "As the pinnacle of motorsports, F1 demands boundary-pushing innovation and excellence. It's an honor for General Motors and Cadillac to join the world's premier racing series, and we're committed to competing with passion and integrity to elevate the sport for race fans around the world," GM President Mark Reuss said. "This is a global stage for us to demonstrate GM's engineering expertise and technology leadership at an entirely new level." The approval ends years of wrangling that launched a U.S. Justice Department investigation into why Colorado-based Liberty Media, the commercial rights holder of F1, would not approve the team initially started by Michael Andretti. Andretti in September stepped aside from leading his namesake organization, so the 11th team will be called Cadillac F1 and be run by new Andretti Global majority owners Dan Towriss and Mark Walter. The team will use Ferrari engines its first two years until GM has a Cadillac engine built for competition in time for the 2028 season. Towriss is the the CEO and president of Group 1001 and entered motorsports via Andretti's IndyCar team when he signed on financial savings platform Gainbridge as a sponsor. Towriss is now a major part of the motorsports scene with ownership stakes in both Spire Motorsports' NASCAR team and Wayne Taylor Racing's sports car team. Walter is the chief executive of financial services firm Guggenheim Partners and the controlling owner of both the World Series champion Los Angeles Dodgers and Premier League club Chelsea. "We're excited to partner with General Motors in bringing a dynamic presence to Formula 1," Towriss said. "Together, we're assembling a world-class team that will embody American innovation and deliver unforgettable moments to race fans around the world." Mario Andretti, the 1978 F1 world champion, will have an ambassador role with Cadillac F1. But his son, Michael, will have no official position with the organization now that he has scaled back his involvement with Andretti Global. "The Cadillac F1 Team is made up of a strong group of people that have worked tirelessly to build an American works team," Michael Andretti posted on social media. "I'm very proud of the hard work they have put in and congratulate all involved on this momentous next step. I will be cheering for you!" The approval has been in works for weeks but was held until after last weekend's Las Vegas Grand Prix to not overshadow the showcase event of the Liberty Media portfolio. Max Verstappen won his fourth consecutive championship in Saturday night's race, the third and final stop in the United States for the top motorsports series in the world. Grid expansion in F1 is both infrequent and often unsuccessful. Four teams were granted entries in 2010 that should have pushed the grid to 13 teams and 26 cars for the first time since 1995. One team never made it to the grid and the other three had vanished by 2017. There is only one American team on the current F1 grid — owned by California businessman Gene Haas — but it is not particularly competitive and does not field American drivers. Andretti's dream was to field a truly American team with American drivers. The fight to add this team has been going on for three-plus years, and F1 initially denied the application despite approval from F1 sanctioning body FIA. The existing 10 teams, who have no voice in the matter, also largely opposed expansion because of the dilution in prize money and the billions of dollars they've already invested in the series. Andretti in 2020 tried and failed to buy the existing Sauber team. From there, he applied for grid expansion and partnered with GM, the top-selling manufacturer in the United States. The inclusion of GM was championed by the FIA and president Mohammed Ben Sulayem, who said Michael Andretti's application was the only one of seven applicants to meet all required criteria to expand F1's current grid. "General Motors is a huge global brand and powerhouse in the OEM world and is working with impressive partners," Ben Sulayem said Monday. "I am fully supportive of the efforts made by the FIA, Formula 1, GM and the team to maintain dialogue and work towards this outcome of an agreement in principle to progress this application." Despite the FIA's acceptance of Andretti and General Motors from the start, F1 wasn't interested in Andretti — but did want GM. At one point, F1 asked GM to find another team to partner with besides Andretti. GM refused and F1 said it would revisit the Andretti application if and when Cadillac had an engine ready to compete. "Formula 1 has maintained a dialogue with General Motors, and its partners at TWG Global, regarding the viability of an entry following the commercial assessment and decision made by Formula 1 in January 2024," F1 said in a statement. "Over the course of this year, they have achieved operational milestones and made clear their commitment to brand the 11th team GM/Cadillac, and that GM will enter as an engine supplier at a later time. Formula 1 is therefore pleased to move forward with this application process." Yet another major shift in the debate over grid expansion occurred earlier this month with the announced resignation of Liberty Media CEO Greg Maffei, who was largely believed to be one of the biggest opponents of the Andretti entry. "With Formula 1's continued growth plans in the US, we have always believed that welcoming an impressive US brand like GM/Cadillac to the grid and GM as a future power unit supplier could bring additional value and interest to the sport," Maffei said. "We credit the leadership of General Motors and their partners with significant progress in their readiness to enter Formula 1." Get local news delivered to your inbox!
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Lebawit Lily Girma | (TNS) Bloomberg News When winter rolls around, travelers predictably turn their attention to beaches. And this year, it’s the destination that comedian Tony Hinchcliffe called “a floating island of garbage in the middle of the ocean” that’s experiencing outsize demand from Americans planning a warm island vacation. Talk about trashing stereotypes. Puerto Rico has recovered overseas visitors (excluding those from Canada and Mexico) faster than any U.S. state or territory — a staggering 85% increase over its 2019 overseas inbound visitor levels as of 2023, according to an October study from the U.S. National Travel and Tourism Office. There are now more daily flights from the U.S. West Coast, and hotel bookings are 6% higher so far in this last quarter of 2024 year-over-year. It’s a trifecta of tourism growth: more visitors, but also longer stays and a higher spend that reached a record $9.8 billion in 2023, boosting small businesses as well as major brands. “We don’t have a slow season in Puerto Rico anymore,” says Brad Dean, chief executive officer at Discover Puerto Rico. Even if they’re not booking, people are dreaming about “La Isla.” By tracking flight searches for trips between November 2024 and February 2025, a measure of “inspirational” demand, tourism intelligence company Mabrian Technologies reports Puerto Rico is up 9% compared with the same period last year and leads Barbados, the Dominican Republic, Jamaica and the Bahamas in the Caribbean proper. Only Costa Rica ranked higher in the wider region. Dean attributes Puerto Rico’s ongoing tourism growth to a strategic effort to reposition the island’s brand as more than a sun-and-sea destination, starting back in 2018. That led to the Live Boricua campaign, which began in 2022 and leaned heavily on culture, history and cuisine and was, Dean says, “a pretty bold departure” in the way Puerto Rico was showcased to travelers. He adds that at least $2 billion in tourism spend is linked to this campaign. “We (also) haven’t shied away from actively embracing the LGBTQ+ community, and that has opened up Puerto Rico to audiences that may not have considered the Caribbean before,” Dean says. Hotels are preparing to meet this growing demand: A number of established boutique properties are undergoing upgrades valued between $4 million and more than $50 million, including Hotel El Convento; La Concha, which will join the Marriott Autograph Collection; Condado Vanderbilt Hotel; and the Wyndham Grand Rio Mar. That’s in addition to ultra-chic options that are coming online in 2025, including the adults-only Alma San Juan, with rooms overlooking Plaza Colón in the heart of Old San Juan, and the five-star Veranó boutique hotel in San Juan’s trendy Santurce neighborhood. The beachfront Ritz-Carlton San Juan in Isla Verde will also be reopening seven years after Hurricane Maria decimated the island. The travel industry’s success is helping boost employment on the island, to the tune of 101,000 leisure and hospitality jobs as of September 2024, a 26% increase over pre-pandemic levels, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Efforts to promote Puerto Rico’s provinces beyond the San Juan metro area — such as surfing hub Rincón on the west coast, historical Ponce on the south coast and Orocovis for nature and coffee haciendas in the central mountains —have spread the demand to small businesses previously ignored by the travel industry. Take Sheila Osorio, who leads workshops on Afro-Puerto Rican bomba music and dance at Taller Nzambi, in the town of Loíza, 15 miles east of San Juan; or Wanda Otero, founder of cheese-producing company Vaca Negra in Hatillo, an hour’s drive west of Old San Juan, where you can join a cheese-making workshop and indulge in artisanal cheese tastings. “The list of businesses involved in tourism has gone from 650 in 2018 to 6,100, many of which are artists and artisans,” Dean says. While New Yorkers and Miami residents have always been the largest visitor demographic, Dean says more mainland Americans now realize that going to Puerto Rico means passport-free travel to enjoy beaches, as well as opportunities to dine in Michelin-rated restaurants, hike the only rainforest in the U.S. and kayak in a bioluminescent bay. Visitors from Chicago and Dallas, for example, have increased by approximately 40% from July 1, 2023, to June 30, 2024, compared with the same period in 2022-2023, and more travelers are expected from Denver now that United Airlines Holdings Inc. has kicked off its first nonstop service to San Juan, beginning on Oct. 29. Previously, beach destinations that were easy to reach on direct flights from Denver included Mexico, Belize and California, but now Puerto Rico joins that list with a 5.5-hour nonstop route that cuts more than two hours from the next-best option. Given United Airlines’ hub in San Francisco, it could mean more travelers from the Golden State in the near future, too. In December, U.S. airlines will have 3,000 more seats per day to the territory compared with the same period last year, for a total of 84,731 — surpassing even Mexico and the Dominican Republic in air capacity, according to data from aviation analytics firm Cirium. Luis Muñoz Marín International Airport, the island’s primary gateway, is projecting a record volume of 13 million passengers by year’s end — far surpassing the 9.4 million it saw in 2019. As for Hinchcliffe’s “floating island of garbage” line, Dean says it was “a terribly insensitive attempt at humor” that transformed outrage into a marketing silver lining, with an outpouring of positive public sentiment and content on Puerto Rico all over social media. Success, as that old chestnut goes, may be the best revenge. “It was probably the most efficient influencer campaign we’ve ever had,” Dean says, “a groundswell of visitors who posted their photos and videos and said, ‘This is the Puerto Rico that I know.’” ©2024 Bloomberg L.P. Visit bloomberg.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.None
NoneTORONTO — The Grey Cup-champion Toronto Argonauts signed American running back Kevin Brown on Friday. The five-foot-nine, 205-pound Brown rushed for 522 yards on 101 carries in 12 games last season with the Edmonton Elks. He added 22 catches for 138 yards before finishing the '24 campaign on the CFL club's practice roster. In 2023, Brown ran for 1,141 yards and four TDs with Edmonton. He also had 28 receptions for 222 yards and a touchdown. Brown, 28, spent three seasons with the Elks, running for 2,149 yards (six-yard average) and five TDs. He added 74 catches for 536 yards and a touchdown in 37 regular-season games. This report by The Canadian Press was first published Dec. 13, 2024. The Canadian Press