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Analysts and commentators are in a frenzy parsing the winners and losers in Donald Trump’s victory, all while billionaires and special interest groups are posturing to get on the president-elect’s good side. But one group won a surprising victory on Nov. 5 without spending a dime on political donations, lobbying, campaigning or any politicking at all: the classical education movement. Classical education is a nonexistent player on the national political scene. It doesn’t have a super PAC, and, frankly, classical schools don’t represent a large pocket of voters. Instead, those involved in classical education quietly educate a relatively small number of American students in the great Western historical, literary and intellectual tradition. Yet elected leaders — including Mr. Trump — have expended their political capital to support the classical school movement. Mr. Trump did perhaps the most to bring the classical school movement into the spotlight through his stripped-down and innovative Republican Party platform. Eschewing the usual laundry list of lobbyist-approved policy proposals and slashing the traditional length of a platform by dozens of pages, Mr. Trump nonetheless gave a prized place to classical education. In a brief chapter on the Republican plan to “renew the pillars of American civilization,” one of Mr. Trump’s nine policy planks was to support “the restoration of Classic Liberal Arts Education.” The plank was complete with Mr. Trump’s signature liberal use of capitalization, proof that he wrote, or at least edited, the document himself. And again, in one of his nine planks in the platform’s brief chapter on education, Mr. Trump proclaimed the Republican Party’s support for schools that teach “Western Civilization.” The choice of Linda McMahon — an ardent school choice advocate — as secretary of education reveals that Mr. Trump remains committed to upending the often anti-Western education system as we know it. These aren’t one-off concerns. As president, Mr. Trump gave a rousing defense of the glories and traditions of Western civilization in a speech in Poland where he declared that “the West will never, ever be broken. Our values will prevail. Our people will thrive. And our civilization with triumph.” Earlier this year, he praised Hungarian President Viktor Orban for “proudly fighting on the front lines of the battle to rescue Western civilization.” He even attacked Vice President Kamala Harris as “the candidate of the forces who want to destroy Western civilization.” Mr. Trump isn’t alone in supporting classical education and Western civilization. Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis has embraced classical education in everything from his choices for school board to allowing the use of the Classic Learning Test (where I am the CEO) as an alternative to the SAT and ACT for admission to his state’s public universities. Meanwhile, Texas is poised to become the largest state in the union to embrace school choice, freedom that will pour rocket fuel on the already booming classical school movement that saw enrollment increases of roughly 600% over only 10 years. It’s not only Republicans. Cornel West ran for president to the left of the Democratic Party this last cycle, and he has long supported classical education as a means of justice and liberation, especially for Black and brown people. With support from Mr. Trump on the right to Mr. West on the left and from state governments up to the national level, classical schools are set to grow more rapidly than ever. The biggest obstacle holding the classical movement back is that they can’t build schools and hire teachers fast enough. If our leaders want this movement to take off, it’s time to transform supportive rhetoric into action. That especially means investing in teacher pay at classical schools through private support or public policy. Once great teachers see that they not only can escape traditional public schools’ ideological and bureaucratic constraints by moving to a classical school but also get paid more to do it, this movement will explode. Yet with the classical movement making waves across the nation, a major question remains: Why have such a diverse set of politicians in our country, including the president-elect, lined up to back an educational movement that has effectively no political influence? Maybe it stems from recognizing that the current educational model is failing our students. Maybe our political leaders want to support an educational model that doesn’t embrace propaganda or educational fads from either side but instead favors timeless pedagogy that cultivates intellectually curious, intelligent and free adults. Maybe people do want an education system that actually educates. Copyright © 2024 The Washington Times, LLC. .MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. (AP) — Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa led the NFL in passing yards in 2023, and he has been just as sharp for much of this season. But on Wednesday, Tagovailoa shouldered a share of the blame for what he called a surprising 5-7 start, saying his month-long stint on injured reserve with a concussion played a huge part in the way this season has unfolded. “I don’t think that (record) shows the character of who we are as a team,” Tagovailoa said. "It doesn’t show the work that we’ve put in this offseason together. “Nobody else will say it but me, and I feel like this has a lot to do with myself, obviously putting myself in harm’s way in the second game, going down and basically leaving my guys out to dry ... I do take heart to that as well and don’t want to do that to my guys again.” The Dolphins looked like they were returning to last season's form during a recent three-game winning streak, but questions about Miami's toughness resurfaced after a poor performance at frigid Lambeau Field last Thursday, when the temperature at kickoff was around 27 degrees. Miami missed 20 tackles, per Next Gen Stats, and allowed 114 yards on the ground while only rushing for 39 yards. Tagovailoa was sacked five times. The Dolphins have lost their past 12 regular-season or postseason games in which the temperature at kickoff was 40 degrees or lower, with more potential cold weather games coming up at Houston, Cleveland and the New York Jets later this season. Miami was 4-10 in games played in December or later in the past two seasons. “Collectively you’ve got to all have that same mindset,” Tagovailoa said of Miami's toughness. “That’s why we have team football, that’s why you’re in team sports. I think you’ve got to look at it as, are you mentally tough and are you physically tough? They have to go hand in hand. If one of those things has a kink in it, it could go one way or the other.” A few weeks after former Dolphins safety DeShon Elliott said the Dolphins were “soft” when he played there, linebacker Jordyn Brooks criticized his team's toughness after losing to Green Bay. “I feel like we let the elements control the way we played,” Brooks said after the 30-17 loss. “As a group, I thought we were soft. Simple as that.” Coach Mike McDaniel said he expects all kinds of criticisms to come when the team fails to reach expectations, but added that he uses the game tape to measure toughness. “If I have an example of weak-mindedness or situations where a guy is turning something down or how he’s loafing because of a result, those are things I can coach,” McDaniel said. McDaniel added he didn't see anything on the tape to suggest players weren't giving full effort, but he did see many instances of missed tackles because of straining and poor technique — not bringing their feet through the tackle — which got worse as the game went on. He also said players would have insisted he bench teammates if they were “loafing” or turning down assignments, which he indicated didn't happen. “I'm very aware that the narrative exists," McDaniel said, "and with absolute certainty, I know that the narrative will exist unless it changes. There’s one way to change it. And that’s winning a game against the New York Jets. "And you know what? People still might not call you tough. Cool. I take it very serious as a head coach to be responsible for things that can help to be accountable and to bring forth information that’s actually helpful, not finger pointing." Some Dolphins players disagreed with the notion the team isn't tough enough. “I guess we’ve got to prove it wrong," said defensive tackle Zach Sieler. “If people think that, we’ve got to go out there and beat it. I don’t think that’s the case. I think we play physically up front. I think we play physically all around. I think we’ve got to make sure we’re showing that on Sunday.” Miami placed backup cornerback Cam Smith on injured reserve after he dislocated his shoulder against Green Bay. The Dolphins also signed tackle Jackson Carman off the practice squad and signed cornerback Jason Maitre to the practice squad. ... Edge rushers Bradley Chubb and Cameron Goode practiced Wednesday for the first time this season, and McDaniel didn't rule out the possibility of one or both of them playing on Sunday. Chubb tore the anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee in Week 17 last season, and Goode ruptured a patella tendon in the season finale. AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/NFL
This morning, the national Wah-ila-toos Indigenous Council published a first-of-its kind report. “Kinship and Prosperity: Proven Solutions for a Clean Energy Landscape,” outlines guidelines for incorporating Indigenous voices into Canada’s climate strategy, policy, and legislation. “As Canada continues to grapple with the impact of climate change, the effect it has on Indigenous communities is felt across the country,” stated the report. The council noted that despite the federal government adopting a climate change policy and committing to carbon reduction, Canada still has a long way to go. The country is currently near the bottom of the Climate Change Performance Index, ranked 62nd out of 67 countries. The Index is a collaboration of several international climate organization and an independent monitoring tool assessing nations’ progress toward climate change targets. In 2022, the Government of Canada invested $300 million in the Wah-ila-toos clean energy initiatives for Indigenous and remote communities, allocating $238 million for projects and $62 million for internal administration between 2022 and 2027. Later that year, the Indigenous Council was formed to advise federal departments on the Wah-ila-toos mandate and participate in its governing board. The Wah-ila-toos council is assisting in transitioning from fossil fuels to renewable energy, focusing on the unique challenges various communities face. The commission emphasizes that Indigenous knowledge, grounded in thousands of years of experience, is crucial for developing sustainable energy systems that foster energy security, uphold human rights, and support self-determination. Since its inception in 2022, the initiative has funded several projects across British Columbia and the country, allocating over $97 million. This investment is estimated to have reduced diesel reliance by 18 million litres annually. The funded projects primarily focus on renewable energy sources such as solar, wind, and biomass, as well as, some innovative technologies such as hydrogen energy. The Wah-ila-toos council consists of six First Nations, Inuit, and Métis leaders with expertise in clean energy, working in partnership with federal departments such as Natural Resources Canada and Indigenous Services Canada. The team consists of Grant Sullivan, Alex Cook, Jordyn Burnouf, Kim Scott, Zux̌ valaqs (Leona Humchitt), and Sean Brennan Nang Hl K’aayaas, with independent consultant Karley Scott also assisting. Brennan, a Haida and Eagle Clan member, has dedicated his career to advancing Haida sovereignty for future generations. He says they have been working on this report for over a year. “Indigenous communities have demonstrated leadership in clean energy in the past, since time immemorial,” he said. “Continued progress requires sufficient and equity-driven long-term funding for Indigenous communities and proponents so Indigenous people can really deliver the proven clean energy solutions that are helping to lift these communities out of poverty, to help enable the path to prosperity. A lot of this is really depending on funding and the funding delivery should really be accessible and streamlined.” He says Indigenous self-determination is crucial for sustainable solutions, and Indigenous-led decisions will lead to economic reconciliation. “We need to make it easier for these Indigenous proponents to get these projects up and off the ground right. Indigenous decision-making needs to be there at the centre of it all... This document is basically a roadmap to government to really help them achieve that empowerment of Indigenous communities to give them those solutions,” he said. “Energy costs in rural and remote communities are skyrocketing.” he continued. “Indigenous-led alternative energy projects will help bring people out of poverty and provide local jobs for them.” He says Indigenous communities have been left out of British Columbia’s clean energy grid for far too long. Out of 44 communities in B.C. that are not connected to the grid, 40 are Indigenous. As a result, these communities rely heavily on diesel fuel, which negatively affects their environment in several ways, including air quality issues and the risk of spills. “One, with the climate changing at a rapid pace, and two, we’re contributing to it in a way that we never really had a consent or say in doing that,” Brennan said. “We didn’t really ask for diesel generators in our communities, or have any say about whether or not we could have attached to the grid in the first place. So we’re sort of just left stuck finding solutions, and this [initiative] is us going out, being proactive about those solutions and creating that opportunity for ourselves, while at the same time creating some sort of economic prosperity.” The 2021 UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Act (UNDA) affirms Indigenous rights and mandates Canada to engage with Indigenous Peoples based on respect for human rights and self-determination. In 2023, Canada’s UNDA Action Plan committed to stable long-term funding for Indigenous participation in decision-making and policy co-development, empowering self-determination on climate issues. “Ensuring a just transition is vital, which broadly means ensuring no one is left behind or disadvantaged as we move toward low-carbon, environmentally sustainable economies and societies,” the report states. “This transition to renewable energy must be guided by principles of decolonization, the restoration of right relationships with the Earth, and equitable outcomes for workers and communities that have historically faced marginalization.” Brennan added carbon reduction is a natural way of life for Indigenous people. “We’re dependent on an outside fuel source that’s not sustainable or renewable,” he said noting his aim is to move this situation toward energy sovereignty and prosperity. He says like many rural or remote locations, his home place of Haida Gwaii burns 11 million litres of diesel per year. “We’re not really proud of having these large carbon footprints when compared to the rest of the province and the rest of Canada,” he said. One of the currently funded projects is a two-megawatt solar farm, which estimates predict will bring diesel consumption down to 660,000 litres per year. The Kinship and Prosperity Report’s key recommendations include: Improved Access to Funding: Streamlining processes to eliminate barriers and make funding more accessible for Indigenous-led projects. Consistent Project Eligibility: Developing clear criteria prioritizing community benefits and Indigenous-led initiatives. Inclusive Opportunities: Aligning efforts with Canada’s sustainable development goals and enhancing community readiness for clean energy transitions. Indigenous Leadership: Empowering Indigenous communities to take the lead in energy decisions with respect for self-determination. Sustainable Funding: Establishing long-term funding and support for Indigenous climate action, including multi-year grants and economic reconciliation. “As we look forward, it is evident that the path to a sustainable future lies in recognizing and amplifying the voices of Indigenous Peoples, in simplifying the process and removing unnecessary complexities, and in learning from our experiences,” states the report.
2024 was a big year for discontinuations. Not only were several long-running models axed, but an entire brand – Citroen – announced it was pulling up stumps. While it wasn’t quite the massacre that 2020 was (when Holden and Infiniti shut up shop) or 2021 (when a new Australian Design Rule killed off several popular models), this year saw plenty of high-profile axings. 100s of new car deals are available through CarExpert right now. Get the experts on your side and score a great deal. Browse now . Ford killed one of its last remaining SUVs in Australia, Toyota officially pulled the plug on its V8-powered LandCruiser 70 Series, and global production ended for a raft of Jaguar and Maserati models. We’ve split up this year’s casualties into two articles: one focusing on the SUVs and utes discontinued this year, and one focusing on the passenger cars. Scroll below for all the SUVs and utes axed this year, or click on one of the links below to take you directly to a retired model. The C5 Aircross was Citroen’s best-selling vehicle in Australia, but that’s not saying much. Just 53 examples of the mid-sized SUV, related to the Peugeot 3008 , were sold this year to the end of November. While that’s up from last year’s tally, it still puts the Citroen dead last in its segment, with Peugeot selling more than six times as many 3008s – itself not a huge seller. Between its local launch in 2019 and the end of November, Citroen sold just 350 C5 Aircross SUVs in Australia. Not helping the niche Toyota RAV4 rival was Citroen’s limited dealer network, as well as a limited lineup. A 2023 facelift brought not only visual tweaks but also an upgraded powertrain. Still using a turbocharged 1.6-litre four-cylinder petrol engine, the updated model substituted the six-speed automatic for an eight-speed, gaining 12kW and 10Nm for total outputs of 133kW and 250Nm. However, the facelift brought with it a price increase, and Citroen sales had dwindled so much over the years that it could scarcely afford to charge a premium over more mainstream brands. There’s a new generation of C5 Aircross coming to Europe, but it won’t be boarding the ship here as the Citroen brand was retired this year. MORE: Citroen leaving Australia after more than 100 years, importer focusing on Peugeot MORE: Everything Citroen C5 Aircross This cat didn’t have nine lives. The Ford Puma lives on in Europe, where it’s been treated to a facelift and was even joined by an electric version called the Gen-E . The Puma Gen-E was supposed to come here, but Ford Australia recently cancelled its plans . “There are many factors that influence whether a vehicle’s business case stacks up – such as economic trends, material costs, consumer incentives and global supply chain – and after weighing these up, we took the call that we were better to focus our electrified lineup on other models,” said Ford Australia early in December. As for the facelifted combustion-powered Puma, Ford Australia made no such commitment to bring it here. In axing the Puma in February this year, shortly before the reveal of the facelifted model, Ford Australia said it hadn’t made the decision lightly but had decided to focus on commercial vehicles and the Mustang family. This follows last year’s announcement from the Blue Oval that the mid-sized Escape would also be axed, so the facelifted version of Ford’s Toyota RAV4 rival never ended up coming here either. Axing the Escape laves Ford without an entrant in Australia’s largest segment by volume, while axing the Puma sees the brand without a traditional entry-level model to attract people to the brand. The most affordable Ford is now the single-cab/chassis Ranger, while the Blue Oval’s most affordable SUV is the circa-$54,000 Everest – which costs close to twice the price of the defunct Puma, which opened at just over $30,000 before on-roads. While the Puma sold in similar numbers to the Escape, it commanded a greater share of the less competitive light SUV segment. It comfortably outsold the Renault Captur and Nissan Juke in recent years, though rivals like the Hyundai Venue and Toyota Yaris Cross outsold it by around three-to-one. That was despite the Puma being quite a good thing. It launched here in 2020 as a replacement for the unloved Ecosport , a light SUV initially designed for developing markets. The Puma shared its platform with the Fiesta , and was widely regarded as a genuinely good steer like its hatchback sibling. Sadly, we never got the more powerful ST version here, with all Pumas instead featuring a 92kW/170Nm turbocharged 1.0-litre three-cylinder engine mated with a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission. Ford sold 597 examples of the Puma that year, growing to 3218 in 2021, but this slipped to 2408 sales in 2022 and then 2027 sales in 2023. To the end of November this year, Ford sold 839 examples as it ran out remaining stock. Ford’s local SUV lineup here now consists solely of the electric Mustang Mach-E and the diesel-powered Everest. MORE: Ford Australia kills its most affordable vehicle in favour of vans, electric cars MORE: Everything Ford Puma It’s not often a brand axes almost its entire lineup without also being shuttered itself, but that’s just what has happened at Jaguar. The British brand’s attempts this century to take on BMW and Mercedes-Benz directly, first with the S-Type and X-Type and more recently with its current lineup of sedans and SUVs, have come to nought. Jaguar executives themselves have said the brand today has “no equity whatsoever”. Yikes. Jaguar is reinventing itself as a more exclusive, more expensive, electric-only brand, which means chip chip cheerio to the current F-Type sports car, the E-Pace , F-Pace and I-Pace SUVs, and the XE and XF sedans. Piecing together what is being retired when, however, is a little complicated. Vehicles built in the Castle Bromwich plant in the UK – the F-Type, XE and XF – all ended production earlier this year. Overseas reports have subsequently indicated the E-Pace and I-Pace, built by Magna Steyr in Austria, were also exiting production this year, with the UK-built F-Pace reportedly getting a stay of execution until 2025 or 2026. The F-Pace arguably is the more impressive of Jaguar’s two combustion-powered SUVs, not just because it can be had in hot supercharged V8 SVR guise, but because all models have largely aluminium construction. This means despite being larger, the F-Pace weighs essentially the same as the E-Pace – comparing P250 models, there’s a difference of around 40kg. While the F-Pace shares its rear/all-wheel drive platform with the Range Rover Velar , the E-Pace features the same front/all-wheel drive underpinnings as the Range Rover Evoque . It entered production in 2017, around a year after the F-Pace, and arrived here in 2018. Jaguar offered a range of petrol and diesel powertrains during the E-Pace’s run, though Australia missed out on plug-in hybrid power (something the local-spec F-Pace has finally received). The E-Pace became Jaguar’s best-seller locally, at least until 2022 when the F-Pace took the lead. Parent JLR was prioritising production of more upmarket, higher-margin models during this time, and sales of the E-Pace and its Range Rover Evoque and Land Rover Discovery Sport platform-mates all dropped around this time. To the end of November 2024, Jaguar sold 3710 E-Paces in Australia during its run. But while it may have been the brand’s best-seller for several years, it lived in the shadow of its Range Rover Evoque cousin, which has consistently outsold it – not to mention its German SUV rivals, which left it in the dust. Jaguar is expected to still offer an SUV in its new, more exclusive, electric-only era, but it won’t be as accessible as the E-Pace. MORE: Everything Jaguar E-Pace You can’t accuse Jaguar of being late to the EV game. The Jaguar I-Pace first entered production in 2018, before other premium brands like Lexus, Maserati and Volvo, among others, would enter the EV space. And while the first EV efforts of some premium brands were based on combustion-powered models, the I-Pace debuted a dedicated EV platform and featured futuristic and yet distinctively Jaguar styling penned under former design boss Ian Callum. Critical acclaim was immense, with the I-Pace winning various awards including European Car of the Year. And yet despite the effort Jaguar went to, the I-Pace is being discontinued without a replacement like the rest of the brand’s current lineup. Where BMW’s first EV, the i3, was a quirky city car, the I-Pace targeted the mid-sized SUV market, the volume-selling space where models like the BMW iX3 and Lexus RZ now dwell. Like the BMW i3 , however, the I-Pace’s platform never underpinned anything else. But where BMW eventually rolled out other EVs, the I-Pace remained Jaguar’s only EV. It has proved a rather disappointing seller for the British brand, peaking in 2019 with 17,355 sales globally. I-Pace sales have continued to decline since then, with sales dropping to around 7000 units last year. In Australia, it has been a virtual non-entity. From a height of 155 sales in 2019, Jaguar sold just 23 examples here in 2022. From its 2018 launch until the end of November this year, Jaguar has sold 377 examples in Australia. Updates during its run were minor – a new infotainment system in 2020, and minor visual tweaks for model year 2024. Even as the I-Pace comes to its end, it still packs the same powertrain as it did at launch: a 294kW/696Nm dual-motor all-wheel drive powertrain powered by a 90kWh lithium-ion battery. Range is a claimed 446km on the NEDC cycle and the DC fast-charge rate is 104kW, figures that were much more impressive in 2018 than they are today. The I-Pace has also suffered from an increasingly large range of rivals, with even Cadillac launching in Australia’s luxury electric SUV fray. MORE: Everything Jaguar I-Pace The Maserati Levante is another model that technically remains on price lists, but which ended production this year. Maserati revealed the Kubang concept car at the 2011 Frankfurt motor show, which previewed what would become the Trident brand’s first SUV. The Levante didn’t debut until the 2016 Geneva motor show, riding the M156 platform of the Ghibli and Quattroporte sedans. The Porsche Cayenne had been seen as sacrilegious by fans of the German brand at launch, but by the time Maserati put its trident badge on an SUV the controversy had calmed. Launched here in 2017, the Levante went up against the Cayenne and, until the smaller Grecale arrived in 2023, it was Maserati’s most affordable model and its only SUV. A variety of powertrains were offered during the Levante’s run, including twin-turbocharged V6 and V8 petrol engines, a turbo-diesel V6, and a turbocharged four-cylinder mild-hybrid. However, all Levantes were all-wheel drive and used an eight-speed automatic transmission. Unlike the Cayenne, the Levante was never offered with plug-in hybrid power. The highlight of the Levante range was the twin-turbo 3.8-litre V8 developed and supplied by Ferrari, which powered the GTS and later Trofeo versions of the large SUV. The latter had outputs of 427kW and 730Nm. From first registrations in 2016 to the end of November 2024, Maserati sold 2342 Levantes in Australia. Over the same period Porsche sold just over five times as many Cayennes. Its best year was actually towards the end – 2022, when Maserati sold 436 examples. That saw it outsell the Audi Q8 (423 sales), Jaguar F-Pace (316), and Range Rover Velar (319). The Levante and its Quattroporte sibling are set to be replaced by electric vehicles (EVs). However, Maserati confirmed earlier this year that these won’t arrive until 2027 and 2028, respectively. From 2028, Maserati plans to only sell EVs, though it’s unclear if this will change now that the CEO of parent company Stellantis, Carlos Tavares, has stepped down. Stellantis’ new family of STLA-branded platforms support multiple propulsion types, so a petrol-powered next-generation Levante isn’t completely out of the question. Just don’t expect it to pack a sweet V8 like the outgoing model. MORE: Everything Maserati Levante After launching a 2.8-litre turbo-diesel four-cylinder automatic version of the iconic LandCruiser 70 Series in 2007, Toyota officially axed the long-running ‘1VD-FTV’ 4.5-litre turbo-diesel V8 manual option in July. However, with a long order list to get through after orders had been paused for two years, Toyota said the V8-powered 70 Series wasn’t disappearing just yet. It said production of V8-powered 70 Series models would end in September 2024, except for 79 Series GXL single- and double-cab utes, with final deliveries of V8-powered wagons, Troop Carriers, and Workmate and GX utes due this year. Production of GXL utes, in contrast, is set to continue “well into next year”, with customer deliveries to be completed during the fourth quarter of 2025. Between 2007 and June 2024, Toyota says it sold more than 171,010 V8-powered 70 Series vehicles in Australia. So why kill the 70 Series V8 now, when it appears as sought-after as ever? In July, Toyota Australia vice president of sales, marketing and franchise operations, Sean Hanley, said that while the incoming New Vehicle Efficiency Standard (NVES) played a part, it was “consumer sentiment” that played the biggest role. Toyota Australia claims it was a “joint decision” between it and head office in Japan. If you want to place an order for a new 70 Series, you’ll have to settle for one powered by the same 2.8-litre turbo-diesel as the HiLux and Prado (but without mild-hybrid tech), though it will comewith something the V8 never did – an automatic transmission. Not only that, the four-cylinder 70 Series actually makes 70Nm more torque at 500Nm, while being just 1kW less powerful at 150kW. MORE: Everything Toyota LandCruiser 70 Series MORE: Why ‘community sentiment’ helped kill Toyota’s V8 4WD, but not its US pickup MORE: Toyota LandCruiser 70 Series V8 axed, but manual will live on MORE: Every car and SUV discontinued in Australia in 2023 MORE: Every car discontinued in 2022 MORE: Every car discontinued in 2021 MORE: The cars we lost in 2020
NoneNo. 7 Alabama looks to remain in playoff contention with a visit to Oklahoma
Sir Keir Starmer has paid tribute to his “wonderful” brother Nick, who has died aged 60 after suffering from cancer. The Prime Minister said his younger brother, who had learning difficulties because of complications at birth, had met “all the challenges life threw at him with courage and good humour”. He died peacefully on Boxing Day, according to the Prime Minister’s spokesman. The Prime Minister had been due to go on holiday with his family on Friday, but it is understood that he will now remain at home, and hopes to join them later. Sir Keir said in a statement: “My brother Nick was a wonderful man. “He met all the challenges life threw at him with courage and good humour. We will miss him very much. “I would like to thank all those who treated and took care of Nick. Their skill and compassion is very much appreciated.” Sir Keir spoke candidly about his brother in a recent biography written by journalist and former Labour Party adviser Tom Baldwin. While growing up in Surrey, the brothers shared a bunk bed in a room with an airing cupboard, and “just enough space for a couple of small desks where we’d do our homework”. The biography recorded how each child of the Starmer family was given a dog for their 10th birthday, and Nick and his twin sister Katy received Jack Russell terriers called Greg and Ben. The book also described how their mother, Jo, had taught Nick to read, but Sir Keir remembered how the school described his brother as “remedial”. Sir Keir, the middle child of four siblings, said: “They had no expectation of him or anything and I’m not sure he even sat exams, so he had nothing to show for coming out of education. “We were a family of six, so it didn’t feel lonely and I shared a room with him, but Nick didn’t have many friends and got called ‘thick’ or ‘stupid’ by other kids.” He added: “Even now I try to avoid using words like that to describe anyone.” Nick worked on scrap cars and scaffolding, earning enough money to rent a home near where he had grown up, according to the book. It said Sir Keir was best man at Nick’s wedding, and the now Prime Minister recalled borrowing a car so his brother was not “driving his bride from the church in his beaten-up minivan, which had all his clothes in the back”. The marriage ended and Nick lived for some time in Yorkshire. In 2022, Sir Keir stepped away from local election campaigning to make several hospital visits to see his brother, who was seriously ill at the time. The Prime Minister also spoke about Nick in his speech at this year’s Labour Party conference in Liverpool. As he described his early encounters with art and culture, and the need to remove social barriers, Sir Keir told delegates: “My brother, who had difficulties learning, he didn’t get those opportunities. “Every time I achieved something in my life, my dad used to say, ‘Your brother has achieved just as much as you, Keir’. “And he was right. I still believe that.” Mr Baldwin, writing for The Times on Friday, recalled the moment in 2023 that he learned from Sir Keir that his brother was dying of lung cancer. He wrote: “This has been a huge part of his life over the past couple of years, during which he made regular trips to Leeds where his brother was in hospital. “Even during the election campaign and since he entered Downing Street, Starmer has continued to visit without a camera crew in sight. “He got to know the staff treating his brother so well that he could recite all their names and they would let him into the hospital through a back door so that there would be no publicity.” Conservative Party leader Kemi Badenoch was among those in the world of politics to offer their condolences. She wrote on X, formerly Twitter: “This is such awful news. Particularly devastating at Christmas time. “My sincere condolences to Keir Starmer and all his family.” Irish premier Simon Harris wrote: “My sincere sympathy to Keir Starmer and his family on such sad news. “They are in my thoughts at this difficult time.”Sir Keir Starmer has paid tribute to his “wonderful” brother Nick, who has died aged 60 after suffering from cancer. The Prime Minister said his younger brother, who had learning difficulties because of complications at birth, had met “all the challenges life threw at him with courage and good humour”. He died peacefully on Boxing Day, according to the Prime Minister’s spokesman. The Prime Minister had been due to go on holiday with his family on Friday, but it is understood that he will now remain at home, and hopes to join them later. Sir Keir said in a statement: “My brother Nick was a wonderful man. “He met all the challenges life threw at him with courage and good humour. We will miss him very much. “I would like to thank all those who treated and took care of Nick. Their skill and compassion is very much appreciated.” Sir Keir spoke candidly about his brother in a recent biography written by journalist and former Labour Party adviser Tom Baldwin. While growing up in Surrey, the brothers shared a bunk bed in a room with an airing cupboard, and “just enough space for a couple of small desks where we’d do our homework”. The biography recorded how each child of the Starmer family was given a dog for their 10th birthday, and Nick and his twin sister Katy received Jack Russell terriers called Greg and Ben. The book also described how their mother, Jo, had taught Nick to read, but Sir Keir remembered how the school described his brother as “remedial”. Sir Keir, the middle child of four siblings, said: “They had no expectation of him or anything and I’m not sure he even sat exams, so he had nothing to show for coming out of education. “We were a family of six, so it didn’t feel lonely and I shared a room with him, but Nick didn’t have many friends and got called ‘thick’ or ‘stupid’ by other kids.” He added: “Even now I try to avoid using words like that to describe anyone.” Nick worked on scrap cars and scaffolding, earning enough money to rent a home near where he had grown up, according to the book. It said Sir Keir was best man at Nick’s wedding, and the now Prime Minister recalled borrowing a car so his brother was not “driving his bride from the church in his beaten-up minivan, which had all his clothes in the back”. The marriage ended and Nick lived for some time in Yorkshire. In 2022, Sir Keir stepped away from local election campaigning to make several hospital visits to see his brother, who was seriously ill at the time. The Prime Minister also spoke about Nick in his speech at this year’s Labour Party conference in Liverpool. As he described his early encounters with art and culture, and the need to remove social barriers, Sir Keir told delegates: “My brother, who had difficulties learning, he didn’t get those opportunities. “Every time I achieved something in my life, my dad used to say, ‘Your brother has achieved just as much as you, Keir’. “And he was right. I still believe that.” Mr Baldwin, writing for The Times on Friday, recalled the moment in 2023 that he learned from Sir Keir that his brother was dying of lung cancer. He wrote: “This has been a huge part of his life over the past couple of years, during which he made regular trips to Leeds where his brother was in hospital. “Even during the election campaign and since he entered Downing Street, Starmer has continued to visit without a camera crew in sight. “He got to know the staff treating his brother so well that he could recite all their names and they would let him into the hospital through a back door so that there would be no publicity.” Conservative Party leader Kemi Badenoch was among those in the world of politics to offer their condolences. She wrote on X, formerly Twitter: “This is such awful news. Particularly devastating at Christmas time. “My sincere condolences to Keir Starmer and all his family.” Irish premier Simon Harris wrote: “My sincere sympathy to Keir Starmer and his family on such sad news. “They are in my thoughts at this difficult time.”
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It 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
White House says at least 8 US telecom firms, dozens of nations impacted by China hacking campaignCOLUMBUS, Ga. , Nov. 21, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Aflac Incorporated (NYSE: AFL) announced today that it will webcast its annual Financial Analysts Briefing on December 3, 2024 at starting 8:00 a.m. (ET) . Aflac's executive management will discuss the Company's operations and strategy for the U.S. and Japan , as well as its medium-term outlook. The presentations will be available via webcast, and you must register here prior to the event. Presentation slides will be posted on investors.aflac.com after the market closes on December 2, 2024 , and an archive of the presentations will also be available on investors.aflac.com for two weeks following the conclusion of the webcast. ABOUT AFLAC INCORPORATED Aflac Incorporated (NYSE: AFL ), a Fortune 500 company, has helped provide financial protection and peace of mind for nearly seven decades to millions of policyholders and customers through its subsidiaries in the U.S. and Japan . In the U.S., Aflac is the No. 1 provider of supplemental health insurance products. 1 In Japan , Aflac Life Insurance Japan is the leading provider of cancer and medical insurance in terms of policies in force. The company takes pride in being there for its policyholders when they need us most, as well as being included in the World's Most Ethical Companies by Ethisphere for 18 consecutive years (2024), Fortune's World's Most Admired Companies for 23 years (2024) and Bloomberg's Gender-Equality Index for the fourth consecutive year (2023). In addition, the company became a signatory of the Principles for Responsible Investment ( PRI ) in 2021 and has been included in the Dow Jones Sustainability North America Index (2023) for 10 years. To find out how to get help with expenses health insurance doesn't cover, get to know us at aflac.com or aflac.com/espanol . Investors may learn more about Aflac Incorporated and its commitment to corporate social responsibility and sustainability at investors.aflac.com under " Sustainability ." 1 LIMRA 2023 U.S. Supplemental Health Insurance Total Market Report FORWARD-LOOKING INFORMATION The Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 provides a "safe harbor" to encourage companies to provide prospective information, so long as those informational statements are identified as forward-looking and are accompanied by meaningful cautionary statements identifying important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those included in the forward-looking statements. The company desires to take advantage of these provisions. This document contains cautionary statements identifying important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those projected herein, and in any other statements made by company officials in communications with the financial community and contained in documents filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). Forward-looking statements are not based on historical information and relate to future operations, strategies, financial results or other developments. Furthermore, forward-looking information is subject to numerous assumptions, risks and uncertainties. In particular, statements containing words such as "expect," "anticipate," "believe," "goal," "objective," "may," "should," "estimate," "intends," "projects," "will," "assumes," "potential," "target," "outlook" or similar words as well as specific projections of future results, generally qualify as forward-looking. Aflac undertakes no obligation to update such forward-looking statements. The company cautions readers that the following factors, in addition to other factors mentioned from time to time, could cause actual results to differ materially from those contemplated by the forward-looking statements: Analyst and investor contact - David A. Young , 706.596.3264 or 800.235.2667 or dyoung@aflac.com Media contact - Ines Gutzmer , 762.207.7601 or igutzmer@aflac.com View original content to download multimedia: https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/aflac-incorporated-to-webcast-2024-financial-analysts-briefing-302313462.html SOURCE Aflac IncorporatedI'm a big fan of Target ( TGT 2.80% ) , but it's hard to ignore the pain that was the company's third-quarter results. The retailer reduced its forecast for the year, saw weak traffic even after reducing prices on a lot of items, and faces a challenged consumer base that isn't as inclined to spend on discretionary items the way it was in the past. The result? Shares fell over 20% last week. Earnings Target reported earnings that came in well below expectations. The company reported Q3 earnings of $1.35 per share compared to expectations of $2.30, while revenues were a little under estimates of $25.90 billion. The quarter in and of itself isn't the only thing that shook investors, as there were costs associated with a port strike, but the company's lowered Q4 guidance is cause for concern. In their Q3 press release, Target's management noted that they anticipate flat comp-store sales in Q4, which would give the company a full-year range of $8.30 to $8.90 per share under generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP). That guidance would fall short of 2023's GAAP earnings of $8.94 per share. A mixed lineup One of the big challenges for Target right now is the division of its products. According to CNBC, more than half of the retailer's products are discretionary, giving the company a disadvantage relative to rivals like Walmart ( WMT 0.62% ) , which is heavily focused on things like groceries. The contrast can be seen in the fact that Walmart's most recent quarter was solid. The other attribute here is price. In Target's results, the company noted that it will have dropped prices on 10,000 items by the end of the year. When you're competing in a world where the consumer has become more scrupulous around spending, pricing pressure is going to happen. But it also impacts the potential of one's bottom line. The company cut a lot of prices prior to the beginning of the holiday season but only reported a slight increase in foot traffic, indicating that pricing changes might not be effective in alleviating the pain that Target displayed last week. Valuation Now expecting adjusted full-year earnings of $8.30 to $8.90 per share, Target is trading at 14.77 times earnings on a price-to-earnings ( P/E) ratio based on the high end of that guidance. That's below its five-year average of 19.27, but with expectations for a flat holiday season and finish to the year, the discounted price seems justified. Going off of analyst estimates for the future, the general average consensus seems to be for earnings of $8.65 per share in 2025 with high-end estimates calling for earnings of $9.58. Conservatively, that doesn't offer a ton of upside from 2024 expectations. On the higher end, it would have shares trading at 13.6 times 2025 estimates. Again, this is lower than the five-year average, but Target would truly have to knock it out of the park and hit the top end of its guidance. An unclear path Again, I'm a fan of Target, and five years ago I was all about Target shares. I rated them a buy, and 2021 investors were rewarded with a strong run by the stock. But that momentum didn't last. Overall, this might be a stock to avoid for the time being as the holiday quarter represents a very important time for retailers, and tepid forecasting doesn't provide much momentum for the stock. I'm all about value, but one doesn't want to get caught in the pesky "value trap." For long-term-oriented investors , this is a stock that has delivered less than 5% over the last five years. In my view, Target needs to become less involved in discretionary products and more involved in essentials. The stock is not necessarily something you want to own right now.
Kylian Mbappe’s spot-kick woe goes on as Real Madrid lose at Athletic Bilbao
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