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Don’t show me porn, no religion talk no fat-shaming... how Blake Lively’s 30 demands on toxic behaviour rocked Hollywood

Robert Anderson wrote numerous stories on high school athletes for The Roanoke Times. Now it’s his turn to be recognized. The Virginia High School League announced Wednesday that Anderson has been chosen for the 2025 class of the Virginia High School Hall of Fame. Anderson graduated from Martinsville High School in 1974. The class’ 50th anniversary reunion was held earlier this year at the Virginia Museum of Natural History in Martinsville. “We were in there with all the old bones and dinosaurs. It wasn’t until we left that I looked up and saw that the name of the room we had it in was called the hall of ancient life,” Anderson, 68, cracked Wednesday in a phone interview. “I guess this is what happens when you become a dinosaur, these kind of awards.” Anderson was a sports writer for The Bristol Herald Courier from 1978 to 2001, covering high school sports, NASCAR and Virginia Tech football and basketball. He was hired by the Roanoke Times in 2001 to oversee its high school sports coverage. He informed and dazzled readers of The Roanoke Times with his writing until he retired in June 2022. “I think I could find unusual stories that lay a little bit below the surface,” he said. “Telling some stories a little bit different than your ballgame scores.” The Roanoke County resident is part of an eight-person class that will be inducted in April at a Charlottesville hotel. Anderson learned a few months ago that he was chosen for the media category. He was nominated by former Salem High School athletic director Sandy Hadaway for consideration for the hall. Anderson played basketball and tennis for Martinsville. “I’m obviously not getting inducted for that,” he cracked. Anderson is embarrassed that he will be the first Martinsville graduate to enter the Virginia High School Hall of Fame. “Ridiculous,” he said. “The reason is, mostly people don’t nominate their athletes or their coaches. “Good Lord, (Martinsville has worthy candidates such as) Shawn Moore, Jeff Adkins, ... Lou Whitaker, Carl Hairston, Sonny Wade, Dennis Mahan. “People, I don’t think they know the history of their schools. ... People are busy in their day-to-day life, and I don’t think it’s on a lot of people’s radar. “I wish people would really make an effort to get your folks nominated.” Anderson loved being a sports writer. “A lot of jobs, you’re looking at the clock and you’re wondering when it’s ever going to get to 5 o’clock,” he said. “I never looked at it that way. I was the opposite. I always looked up and wished there were a little more time left in the day to get done what I needed to do. “It was exciting in a lot of ways.” Anderson’s favorite high school team to cover was the Cave Spring boys basketball squad that won the 2002 Group AAA state title. The star of that squad was former Duke and NBA guard and current NBA coach J.J. Redick. Redick missed six games that season with a foot injury. The team was just 9-9 when he rejoined the lineup in February 2002. After losing Redick’s first game back, the Knights won their final nine games, including the title games of the district, regional and state tournaments. “I ranked them No. 1 in Timesland with a 9-10 record when he came back and some guy from somewhere called and just raised hell about it,” Anderson said. “And then of course they won the whole thing that year. The guy didn’t call me back.” Anderson considers his most memorable high school sports article to be the one he wrote in 2007, 10 years after Pulaski County’s Lee Cook collapsed on the ground following a routine on-field collision with William Fleming’s Jamie Penn in a football game at Victory Stadium. Cook died of cardiac arrest triggered by a blow to the front part of his body. Penn was shot to death in 2005 at the age of 23. “It’s a sad story,” Anderson said. “There’s just something about that story and talking to (the late football coaches) Joel Hicks and Kila Miller about their memories of that and (talking to) the families of both those young guys and how that whole thing intertwined.” Anderson also remembers the article he wrote for The Roanoke Times in 2005 on the late Surry County boys basketball coach Joseph Ellis, who guided his team to a state title while battling cancer. Ellis died two months after the article was published. Anderson is also proud of the All-Timesland special sections he put out at the end of each school year, saluting standouts in every sport. He said his favorite high school athlete to cover was Calvin Talford, who was a multi-sport star at Castlewood High in Russell County before playing basketball at East Tennessee State and minor-league baseball in Martinsville. Anderson enjoyed covering VHSL state championship games, meets and matches. “Probably the most intense event in high school to cover is that packed state wrestling tournament at Salem Civic Center,” he said. He especially loved covering the state high school track and field championships. “I’ve always liked track and field,” he said. Anderson was named the winner of the sports-writing portfolio category by the Virginia Press Association in 2018 and 2022, finishing second in that category three other times. The former Emory & Henry tennis standout was named a top-10 finalist in the sports feature category by the Associated Press Sports Editors for a 2017 story on the late Roanoke tennis legend Carnis Poindexter. He was given the E.B. Whitmore Award by the Southwest Virginia Coaches Association and the 2006 Marshall Johnson Award by the Virginia High School Coaches Association. Anderson still writes about once or twice a month for The Cardinal News website. He also writes occasionally for VirginiaPreps.com . The new class also includes former Fluvanna County football, basketball and track and field standout Luther Bates; former Petersburg football and track and field standout Jerome Mathis; Heritage-Leesburg gymnastics coach and former Broad Run gymnastics coach Jennifer Aubel; former Mills Godwin tennis and basketball coach and former Douglas Freeman tennis coach Mark Seidenberg; Tabb field hockey coach Wendy Wilson; the late Tabb athletic director Willard Hunt; Virginia Beach City Public Schools athletic administrator David Rhodes; and VHSL state debate director Bob Seabolt.2024 was a major year for new vehicle launches, with new generations of key models like the Toyota LandCruiser Prado, plus the first of a new wave of Chinese auto brands entering the market. or signup to continue reading But many models also departed the Australian market, headlined by the departure of what had been the longest-running auto brand in Australia: Citroen. In fact, there were so many discontinuations that we split all the SUVs axed in Australia . Scroll below for all the passenger cars axed this year, or click on one of the links below to take you directly to a vehicle. If you love the look of the , rest assured you'll still be able to buy a car that looks like this – it'll just have electric power. BMW of the 4 Series Gran Coupe and its back in April, but never confirmed timing for the combustion-powered model. Somewhat unusually, the electric version sold in considerably greater numbers than the petrol model. To the end of November, BMW sold 1866 i4s in Australia this year, against just 243 examples of the 4 Series Gran Coupe. That led to BMW pulling the plug on the petrol-powered range. "The high volume of new BMW models introduced to the local market prompts us to constantly assess our product portfolio in line with customer demand and our commitment to offering products that suit individual needs," a BMW Australia spokesperson told in a statement. "This has led us to restructure the BMW 4 Series Gran Coupe lineup." The 4 Series Gran Coupe was the second BMW to bear the Gran Coupe nameplate, which has been applied to a five-door liftback (the 4 Series Gran Coupe), a four-door sedan (the ), and what you could arguably call four-door coupes (the and ). This nomenclature was born in a period where BMW was busily chasing niches, including coupe SUVs like the and and the unusual Gran Turismo models which were more upright five-door hatchbacks. The second-generation 4 Series Gran Coupe was revealed in June 2021 and arrived here later that year, sharing the same plunging double-kidney grille as coupe and convertible 4 Series models. While it later gained an electric version, the i4, it never received a full-fat M version like the other 4 Series body styles. There was no M4 version of the first-generation 4 Series Gran Coupe, either. With the axing of the base 420i in 2023, just two variants remained: the turbocharged four-cylinder, rear-wheel drive 430i and the turbocharged six-cylinder, all-wheel drive M440i xDrive. Though the Gran Coupe brought superior practicality over the , if not the Touring wagon, it cost up to $14,100 more than its booted counterpart. 4 Series Gran Coupe sales had peaked in 2015 and 2022 with 858 sales in both years – incidentally, both of which were the first full years of their respective generations. Citroen had been hanging on like grim death in Australia, even as its sales winnowed away each year. From a height of 3803 sales in 2007, Citroen fell below 1000 annual units in 2016 and continued sliding. Its retail network continued to shrink, and Peugeot Citroen Australia's decision to make Peugeot its exclusive commercial vehicle brand here killed one of its higher-volume models, the Berlingo. Most embarrassingly for the brand, it was outsold by Ferrari in 2020 and 2021. But there were signs Peugeot Citroen Australia was taking the brand seriously here, introducing the in 2021 and in 2022. These replaced the old C4 and C5 that hadn't been on sale here for several years, and came after several years of Citroen focusing on more traditionally SUV-shaped models. Not that the C4 and C5 X were conventional passenger cars themselves, with their higher-riding stances blurring the lines between cars and SUVs. Though it was the C5 X that wore the 'X' suffix commonly used for SUVs, it was the C4 that was classified as an SUV in VFACTS industry sales reports. There was a C4 X, mind you, but this was a sedan version of the C4 that we never received. Confused? We were too. Disinterested? Well, it seems Australians were. C4 sales peaked at 94 units in its first full year on sale, before falling; the same happened with the C5 X, with 68 sold in its first full year on sale. From launch to the end of November 2024, Citroen sold just 200 C4s and 168 C5 Xs. The rarest of them all is the C5 X Plug-in Hybrid, for which orders opened in May... just three months before Citroen announced it was pulling up stumps here. Being an order-only vehicle and priced just over $16,000 higher than the regular C5 X, itself not the most affordable vehicle of its size, it may be one of the rarest Citroens ever sold here. The C4 and C5 X may have lacked the clever hydropneumatic suspension of older Citroens, but with their quirky styling and focus on comfort – in suspension tuning and even in the construction of their seats – these cars were distinctively Citroen. Alas, it seems buyers just didn't care. While we received new generations of Citroen's small and medium/large cars, the latest – revealed in October 2023, and in April this year – was kept from us. That was perhaps an early warning that the brand wasn't going to stick around here for long, and in August this year distributor Inchcape Australia announced it would close orders for all Citroen vehicles. The third-generation C3 arrived here in 2017, with an extremely mild facelift coming in 2021. That means the C3 is much the same as when it arrived here around seven years ago, and sales figures have reflected that. From a height of 122 sales in 2018, sales fell to double digits in 2019 and have subsequently remained relatively steady, if very, very low. The price has climbed since launch and this year sat at $32,267 before on-road costs for the single Shine variant, putting it up against vehicles the segment above. But even comparing it with similarly sized vehicles with similarly premium pricing, the C3 comes up short. From its 2017 launch to the end of November this year, Citroen has sold 544 C3s. In contrast, Audi sold 462 and Skoda sold 433 in 2023 alone. Showing just how far Citroen sales have dropped off over the years, as well as the decline in light car sales, the brand sold upwards of 908 examples of the first-generation C3 in 2003. The is cute as a bug, but its ability to survive year after year well after rivals were replaced made it seem like more of a cockroach. It's still being manufactured, but Fiat announced it was axing the petrol-powered 500 in Australia in August. As of December, however, it still has stock at its dealers. The 500 and its hotter sibling are sold alongside the new-generation Fiat 500e and Abarth 500e, electric-only micro cars with similar styling but much more modern underpinnings and technology. With the set to be joined by a mild-hybrid petrol-powered variant in 2026, this should finally spell the end of the old 500, which has been in production since 2007 and which launched here in 2008. In that time, Fiats from the little Panda to the Dodge Journey-based Freemont have come and gone from the Australian market, but the little 500 has kept on ticking with the occasional minor refresh. Though it no longer sells in quite the same volumes as it did in the early/mid 2010s – where it sold between 2000 and 3000 units annually – it still sells in consistent volumes in a segment that consists solely of it and the . Last year, Fiat sold 581 examples of the 500 and its Abarth sibling in Australia, an increase on the year before despite the axing of their cabriolet models. When the E-Type ended production in 1974, it left a hole in Jaguar's lineup. The XJ-S that succeeded it was more of a grand tourer, a tradition which its XK replacement followed in. It wasn't until the , which entered production in 2013, that Jaguar had a genuine spiritual successor to the E-Type. An E-Type successor had existed in development hell during the 1980s and 1990s, before Jaguar revealed the F-Type concept in 2000... only for a planned production version to be scrapped before it could see the light of day. Fast-forward to the 2011 Frankfurt motor show and the F-Type as we came to know it was previewed in concept form, albeit featuring a supercharged V6 hybrid powertrain that never reached production. Instead, the production coupe – which looked essentially identical to the concept – was launched with a choice of supercharged V6 or V8 powertrains. Like the E-Type, there was also a convertible; unlike the iconic Jag, there was an all-wheel drive option. Also in a departure from past Jaguar two-doors, a turbocharged four-cylinder engine joined the range. Designed under Ian Callum, the F-Type was widely regarded as gorgeous. Somehow a facelift, revealed in 2019, arguably improved the styling with a more aggressive look up front. The F-Type featured all-aluminium construction, and Jaguar touted the coupe as the most torsionally rigid production car it had ever built. While the four- and six-cylinder powertrains weren't shrinking violets, the supercharged V8 was the star. For 2022, Jaguar Australia dropped the four- and six-cylinder engines entirely, leaving the blown 5.0-litre in 331kW/580Nm P450 and 423kW/700Nm R tunes. In June 2024, Jaguar revealed the final F-Type and what it says will be its final combustion-powered sports car: a supercharged 5.0-litre V8-powered convertible in classic green-over-tan. A total of 87,731 F-Types were produced between 2013 and 2024. When Jaguar used the Ford Mondeo platform to create its first BMW 3 Series rival, many scoffed. To Jaguar's credit, it went back to the drawing board and developed a rear/all-wheel drive sports sedan with tasteful, modern styling and poised dynamics. Look out, BMW! Except the is now being axed almost a decade after it entered production in 2015, as part of Jaguar's pivot to being a more exclusive, electric-only brand. Jaguar is done trying to take on BMW and is aiming higher, with JLR design boss Gerry McGovern saying in 2023: "What we won't worry about is being loved by everybody, because that's the kiss of death." "That's what's put Jaguar where it is today, which is with no equity whatsoever," he said. The XE never could match its German rivals in the sales race, and JLR confirmed the sedan wasn't profitable – something likely not helped by its use of aluminium suspension componentry and a bonded and riveted aluminium unitary structure, unusual for this segment. The 3 Series rival was offered with a range of powertrains, including turbo-petrol and turbo-diesel four-cylinder engines plus a supercharged V6. Jaguar even developed the limited-run SV Project 8, which featured a supercharged V8 engine. Sadly, the SV Project 8 never came here, nor did it presage a more widely available rival. The six-cylinder and diesel engines were also eventually phased out in Australia. Disappointing sales and the resultant lack of profitability doomed the XE, which was axed in the US in 2020 but grimly held on for a few more years in markets such as ours. Unusually, Jaguar Australia switched the XE from rear-wheel drive to all-wheel drive for 2021 for reasons unclear. For 2023, the XE range was whittled down to a single model and, though it still appears on Jaguar's local website, production ended this year. In its best year, 2016, global sales for the XE reached 44,095 units. The same year, BMW produced over 400,000 3 Series models globally. In Australia, the XE's best year was also 2016 with 1524 sold, beating the Infiniti Q50 and and falling just short of the . But sales fell each year, plunging to double-digits in 2022. Last year, the XE was outsold by every single one of its rivals, with its 58 sales bested by the (81 sales) and Volvo S60 (152). From launch to the end of November 2024, Jaguar sold 4332 XEs in Australia. While rivals received significant facelifts or new generations, the XE was left to soldier on as its lineup shrunk. It's a sad end for what was an extremely promising BMW 3 Series rival. If any car could make Jaguar's XE look like a sales success, it's the second generation of the brand's rival. The first-generation was a breath of fresh air when it was revealed in 2007, with the Ian Callum-penned sedan casting aside the shackles of Jaguar's retro design language in favour of a more modern yet still elegant look inside and out. The second generation wasn't as impactful. Also attributed to Mr. Callum, the design was conservative, looking more like a stretched version of the XE with which it shared its new platform. Unlike the XE, however, there was a wagon version; this made the trip to Australia, even though the first-generation model was offered here only in sedan guise. Globally, the XF was offered with a choice of turbo-petrol and turbo-diesel four-cylinder engines, plus a turbo-diesel V6 and a supercharged petrol V6. Sadly, there was no supercharged V8 XFR as there had been with the first generation. To Jaguar Australia's credit, it offered almost every available powertrain, and even brought the niche wagon here. But the British 5 Series rival was met with buyer apathy: sales shrunk compared to the outgoing model, with just 433 sold in 2016. That was down from the over 800 units Jaguar shifted in 2013 and 2014. Sales fell below three digits in 2019 with 50 units, and below two digits in 2023 with just 6 sold. By this point the XF range had been shrunk to a single variant, as for model year 2021 Jaguar axed all rear-wheel drive, diesel, six-cylinder and wagon variants in favour of a lone all-wheel drive turbo-petrol four-cylinder. Technically, Maserati didn't sell any in Australia in 2024, with global production wrapping late last year. No further examples were delivered this year but as it appeared on Maserati's local website during 2024, we've included it in this article. The Quattroporte nameplate is taking a leave of absence, with a replacement – featuring electric power – delayed until 2028. It's not the first time the Quattroporte nameplate has taken a lengthy leave of absence, with gaps of several years between the first and second and the third and fourth generations. The Quattroporte competed in an extremely low-volume segment in Australia, battling the likes of the and . Maserati executives would therefore clearly bristle at the mention of the Quattroporte sharing a platform with Chrysler and Dodge. "From the Chrysler 300 we carried over the electrical system, a portion on the platform where seats are hinged and some elements of the air conditioning, that is all," then-Maserati global CEO Harald Wester told back in 2013. The current, sixth-generation Quattroporte entered production that year, underpinned by what Maserati called its M156 platform which was also used by the and . The gorgeous, lithe Pininfarina styling of its predecessor made way for an in-house design that was more fuller-figured and conservative, with a clear kinship with the cheaper Ghibli. If it looked bigger than the previous Quattroporte, that's because it was – in length alone, the Quattroporte VI grew by over 200mm. A Ferrari-developed twin-turbo V8 remained available, along with a twin-turbo V6 developed with the Prancing Horse brand. This was also the first Quattroporte to offer a diesel engine, a turbocharged V6 mill sold here from 2014 to 2019. While the Quattroporte had a decade-long production run, there were updates made during this time. In 2016, the Quattroporte received a new infotainment system and more standard equipment including a suite of active safety features. This suite was expanded in a subsequent update in 2018. In 2020, Maserati revealed a hot Trofeo version of its luxury limo, featuring a 433kW/730Nm tune of the twin-turbo 3.8-litre V8 – up 43kW and 80Nm on the GTS. This coincided with another minor facelift for the Quattroporte line that saw the old Chrysler-derived infotainment system swapped for one running on Android Automotive. The Quattroporte consistently sold in the double digits each year in Australia, before slumping to just three units in 2023. Even in a low-volume segment, that was very low. The was first a stunning coupe and convertible in the 1960s, then a rather brutalist two-door in the 1990s, before being revived as a BMW 5 Series sedan rival that was revealed at the 2013 Shanghai motor show. It represented a return to a segment which Maserati last occupied in 1995 with the 430, a descendant of the Biturbo. With the introduction of the Ghibli and Levante, which entered production in 2013 and 2016 respectively, Maserati was chasing broader market appeal and therefore greater sales volumes. By the 2000s, after the end of the Biturbo era, its lineup had receded to a small, more exclusive one. In 2013, it announced plans to sell 50,000 vehicles each year around the world in 2015, more than eight times as many as it sold in 2011. The Ghibli used the M158 platform of the new sixth-generation Quattroporte, and shared its twin-turbocharged V6 petrol and turbocharged V6 diesel engines. There was a choice of rear- or all-wheel drive, while an eight-speed automatic transmission was standard across the range. The Quattroporte's twin-turbo V8 wasn't added until 2020, while at the other end of the spectrum the Ghibli gained a turbocharged four-cylinder mild-hybrid powertrain. Other changes to the Ghibli during its lengthy run mirrored those of the Quattroporte: new infotainment and a suite of active safety tech for 2017, and an expanded suite in 2018 enabled by the switch to an electric-assisted power steering setup. The Ghibli helped Maserati reach its 50,000-unit target, albeit a couple of years late. Alas, the brand's sales dropped from then. In 2022, Maserati announced its plans to transition to an EV-only lineup by 2028, but conspicuous by its absence from these plans was the Ghibli nameplate. Instead, both it and the Quattroporte are set to be replaced by a single sedan model bearing the latter's nameplate, though this has subsequently been delayed to 2028. In Australia, from a height of 345 sales in 2015, the Ghibli gradually declined before an uptick in 2021 to 152 sales. They then slumped to double digits, and just 17 Ghiblis found homes in Australia this year to the end of November. From its debut year, the Levante took over as Maserati's best-selling vehicle locally, a title it maintained until the launch of the smaller SUV in 2023. The Ghibli remains on Maserati's local website, but with production having ended it's only a matter of time before the nameplate is retired for a third time. Even as it rolls out new electric vehicles (EVs) like the , Mini has updated its long-running three- and five-door hatchbacks and convertible and given them a slightly fresher look. The same treatment hasn't been extended to the long-running , which Mini ended production of in February after two generations. It's probably best to blame the as, in many markets including ours, given the choice of a wagon or an SUV most buyers will opt for the latter. BMW launched Mini as a standalone brand in 2000, and for the first several years of its life it only sold a hatchback. A convertible followed, before the Clubman was launched as Mini's third body style. It came during a period where Mini was rapidly and creatively expanding its lineup or, to put it less charitably, throwing things at a wall and seeing what stuck. If debuted in 2007, and was followed in 2010 by the Countryman SUV (which did stick) and the Roadster, Coupe and Paceman (which didn't). Mini wisely added a pair of conventional rear passenger doors with the second-generation Clubman, which launched in Australia in 2015, replacing the suicide door setup of its predecessor. A more practical alternative to the hatchback it was based on, the second-generation Clubman stuck with the rear barn doors of its predecessor – highly unusual for a wagon in 2024. The second-generation Clubman moved to the UKL2 platform underpinning vehicles like the . While this platform was used for a raft of vehicles including BMW and Mini-branded hatchbacks, sedans and even a people mover, the quirky Clubman was the only wagon. While it offered a choice of petrol powertrains (though as with its predecessor, no diesel in Australia), including a hot John Cooper Works model with a turbocharged four-cylinder engine and all-wheel drive. Between the launch of the second-gen model and the end of November 2024, Mini Australia sold 3143 Clubmans. It was a steady if unexceptional seller, but over the same period Mini sold around twice as many Countryman SUVs. The may have been the prettiest mid-sized Peugeot since the 406 Coupe of the 1990s, but that wasn't enough to save it. While it lives on in Europe, in September Peugeot Australia pulled the plug on the liftback and wagon "in response to changing consumer preferences in the segment". It arguably wasn't a surprise, given Ford, Kia and Volkswagen, among other brands, had already exited the mid-sized segment. Peugeot sales have also been broadly on a downward trajectory over the past decade. Peugeot Australia added a plug-in hybrid version of the 508 Fastback in 2022, with a Sportwagon PHEV following in 2023. But with one hand Peugeot Australia giveth, and with one another it taketh away. Later in 2023, Peugeot axed the petrol-powered 508s, leaving only the pricier PHEVs. Unusually, the Sportwagon PHEV was introduced after Peugeot revealed a facelifted version of the 508 in Europe, for which it conspicuously didn't announce specific local launch timing. The facelifted model never came, and when Peugeot UK announced earlier this year it was axing the 508, its local demise appeared inevitable. The second-generation 508's best year in Australia was 2021, with 240 sold. That was a far cry from the first-generation model which in 2012, its first full year on the market, recorded 1085 sales. In fairness to the 508, mid-sized passenger car sales have fallen over the past decade or so. But in 2023, the 508's 156 sales saw it outsold by the and , and even more niche models like the You can still buy a in Australia, but it's quite a different creature. The last examples of the RS Trophy hot hatch, the sole remaining member of the combustion-powered Megane range, were sold earlier this year as the new electric joined the local lineup. The RS-badged Megane hatch, sent off with a special-edition RS Ultime, was the last member of a once significantly wider lineup of small Renaults. The current, fourth-generation Megane was revealed in 2015 and went on sale locally late in 2016. Wagon and sedan models, introduced in 2017, were dropped in 2019 along with the entry-level Zen hatch, while the RS Sport and RS Cup hatchbacks were axed in 2021. That left just the RS Trophy. Not only was the Australian Megane lineup winnowed down locally, the car was discontinued in almost every market. Turkish production continues, however, of the sedan. This mirrors what happened with the , with a once-wide lineup continually chipped away at in Australia until a single hot hatch was left, before the nameplate was axed entirely. The Focus is also being discontinued globally. Renault only sold 69 Meganes in Australia in 2023. That was well down on the 1259 units it shifted in 2017, its first full year on sale. The Megane RS Trophy (and RS Ultime) used a turbocharged 1.8-litre four-cylinder engine, mated with either a six-speed manual or six-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission, producing 221kW of power and 420Nm of torque (400Nm in the manual) Those outputs remained competitive even among a growing contingent of hot hatches on the local market. While Renault is moving away from hot petrol-powered models, it's entering the hot electric hatch fray with both its namesake brand and its Alpine spinoff. It remains to be seen whether these hot EVs will come here, however. Content originally sourced from: Advertisement Sign up for our newsletter to stay up to date. We care about the protection of your data. Read our . AdvertisementNone

Ralph-Beyer puts up 20, Sacred Heart defeats Manhattanville 100-60

The bill is traditionally strongly bipartisan, but some Democratic lawmakers opposed the inclusion of a ban on transgender medical treatments for children of military members if such treatment could result in sterilization. The bill passed by a vote of 281-140 and next moves to the Senate, where lawmakers sought a bigger boost in defense spending than the current measure allows. Lawmakers are touting the bill's 14.5% pay raise for junior enlisted service members and a 4.5% increase for others as key to improving the quality of life for those serving in the U.S. military. Those serving as junior enlisted personnel are in pay grades that generally track with their first enlistment term. Lawmakers said service member pay failed to remain competitive with the private sector, forcing many military families to rely on food banks and government assistance programs to put food on the table. The bill also provides significant new resources for child care and housing. "No service member should have to live in squalid conditions and no military family should have to rely on food stamps to feed their children, but that's exactly what many of our service members are experiencing, especially the junior enlisted," said Rep. Mike Rogers, R-Ala., chairman of the House Armed Services Committee. "This bill goes a long way to fixing that." The bill sets key Pentagon policy that lawmakers will attempt to fund through a follow-up appropriations bill. The overall spending tracks the numbers established in a 2023 agreement that then-Speaker Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., reached with President Joe Biden to increase the nation's borrowing authority and avoid a federal default in exchange for spending restraints. Many senators wanted to increase defense spending about $25 billion above what was called for in that agreement, but those efforts failed. Sen. Roger Wicker, R-Miss., who is expected to serve as the next chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee, said the overall spending level was a "tremendous loss for our national defense," though he agreed with many provisions in the bill. "We need to make a generational investment to deter the Axis of Aggressors. I will not cease work with my congressional colleagues, the Trump administration, and others until we achieve it," Wicker said. House Republicans don't want to go above the McCarthy-Biden agreement for defense spending and are looking to go way below it for many nondefense programs. They are also focused on cultural issues. The bill prohibits funding for teaching critical race theory in the military and prohibits TRICARE health plans from covering gender dysphoria treatment for children under 18 if that treatment could result in sterilization. Rep. Adam Smith of Washington state, the ranking Democratic member of the House Armed Services Committee, said minors dealing with gender dysphoria is a "very real problem." He said the treatments available, including puberty blockers and hormone therapy, proved effective at helping young people dealing with suicidal thoughts, anxiety and depression. "These treatments changed their lives and in many cases saved their lives," Smith said. "And in this bill, we decided we're going to bar service members' children from having access to that." Smith said the number of minors in service member families receiving transgender medical care extends into the thousands. He could have supported a study asking medical experts to determine whether such treatments are too often used, but a ban on health insurance coverage went too far. He said Speaker Mike Johnson's office insisted on the ban and said the provision "taints an otherwise excellent piece of legislation." Rep. Chip Roy, R-Texas, called the ban a step in the right direction, saying, "I think these questions need to be pulled out of the debate of defense, so we can get back to the business of defending the United States of America without having to deal with social engineering debates." Smith said he agrees with Roy that lawmakers should be focused on the military and not on cultural conflicts, "and yet, here it is in this bill." Rep. Hakeem Jeffries, the House Democratic leader, said his team did not tell Democrats how to vote on the bill. "There's a lot of positive things in the National Defense Authorization Act that were negotiated in a bipartisan way, and there are some troubling provisions in a few areas as well," Jeffries said. The defense policy bill also looks to strengthen deterrence against China. It calls for investing $15.6 billion to build military capabilities in the Indo-Pacific region. The Biden administration requested about $10 billion. On Israel, the bill, among other things, includes an expansion of U.S. joint military exercises with Israel and a prohibition on the Pentagon citing casualty data from Hamas. The defense policy bill is one of the final measures that lawmakers view as a must-pass before making way for a new Congress in January.I am writing to express my support for an independent public inquiry of Victoria Gold’s Eagle Mine disaster as a next step, following YG’s prudent decision to put the mine into receivership and oversee remediation efforts. I would like to share my recent experience that influences this preference in hopes that it is helpful. I draw some parallels from my time in leadership at Raven Recycling to the decisions before you. I led a very public-facing organization through a pandemic and a government-led regulatory process that would change the recycling landscape entirely, with insufficient human and financial resources and a backdrop of polarized public opinion about Raven’s operations. There was, and is an overwhelming lack of understanding of the recycling system both from the public and within the public service, making it near impossible to communicate the changes we were making and the reasons for them. The pandemic gutted our human resources, leaving us all wearing too many hats. We were working with crumbling and woefully insufficient infrastructure. Government was writing a regulation to please two entirely different perspectives and Raven was the only voice at the table speaking for the environment. I was new to the issue and not considered an authority. It was a job that required an intense focus on detail, which stripped away my ability to see beyond what was directly in front of me, and around my own biases at times. I think many of these dynamics are at play for YG in the case of the Eagle Gold Mine. During my time at Raven, we commissioned four independent reviews: an examination of Raven’s operating environment and of our social and environmental impacts, an analysis of a new business venture which Raven had made a major investment in, and an audit of our financial records, which was actually a demand made by government as a condition of considering our request for an increase in funding when the markets crashed and Raven no longer had the revenue from the sale of cardboard to keep the program going. We supplied raw data, access to our records and tours of our facility. We answered questions with fact-based information. It was not a comfortable process at times, but it was fair and unbiased. All four reviews alleviated pressure on me and my co-workers, helped us shape good policy and saved the organization money in the long run. We learned much and, while we didn’t love all of the conclusions that were drawn, or when past mistakes became transparent, the reviews helped us communicate more clearly with the public and other stakeholders. I believe they helped our stakeholders retain some trust in the organization and they helped me gain some credibility as a leader. We could not have gleaned such an unbiased perspective of our strengths and weaknesses without those independent reviews, and we could not have advocated for a more effective recycling system. I am concerned about the future of mining in the territory because mining affects so many people and systems, especially when it is unchecked and when it goes wrong. We are at a fragile point in governance and in the protection of what remains of biodiversity, food security and decent standards of living. Mining legislation, if done right, can alleviate so many economic and environmental pressures. I believe you have a much more critical issue in your hands than recycling and there is no time to waste. An independent public inquiry could help you. I wish for YG to use an independent public inquiry as the backbone for better legislation and policy. I feel it is time to take this step. With much respect for the difficult positions you have stepped up and into, and with hope for the integrity of the decisions you make in the near future, Heather Ashthorn Whitehorse

Tren de Aragua-linked Diablos gang vows revenge after teen fatally stabbed in NYC street brawl: copsStuart Piltch Grant for Tech Innovators: Championing Entrepreneurship and AI Solutions for National Security Challenges 12-23-2024 07:04 PM CET | Business, Economy, Finances, Banking & Insurance Press release from: Getnews / PR Agency: Talley Digital Media Image: https://www.globalnewslines.com/uploads/2024/12/1734833171.jpg Stuart Piltch New York, NY - The Stuart Piltch [ https://stuartpiltch.io/ ] Grant for Tech Innovators offers a groundbreaking opportunity for undergraduate students to showcase their entrepreneurial spirit and contribute innovative solutions to one of today's most pressing global challenges: leveraging artificial intelligence (AI) to enhance national security. With a vision deeply rooted in fostering creativity, resilience, and impactful innovation, Stuart Piltch establishes this $1,000 grant to inspire the next generation of tech leaders. A Prestigious Initiative Led by Stuart Piltch The Stuart Piltch [ https://stuartpiltchscholarship.com/ ] Grant for Tech Innovators reflects the remarkable journey of its founder, Stuart Piltch, a trailblazer across intelligence, healthcare, and technology sectors. His illustrious career, marked by high honors from Hobart and William Smith Colleges, pioneering ventures such as Cambridge Advisory Group and Certilytics, and expertise in data analytics and machine-based learning (MBL), embodies the values of innovation and community impact. Beyond his professional accomplishments, Stuart Piltch is known for his philanthropic endeavors, including the establishment of the Mildred's Dream Foundation. His work has consistently exemplified intellect, innovation, and a profound commitment to fostering positive change, making this grant a testament to his enduring legacy. Scholarship Details The Stuart Piltch [ https://stuartpiltch.org/ ] Grant for Tech Innovators is designed to encourage students with a passion for entrepreneurship and a deep understanding of AI's transformative potential. The grant provides financial support of $1,000 to the winner, who will be selected based on an insightful and compelling essay addressing the role of AI in advancing national security. Eligibility Criteria: The scholarship is open to undergraduate students across the United States who meet the following criteria: * Innovation and Creativity: Demonstrating a unique and innovative approach to entrepreneurship and problem-solving. * Impact and Feasibility: Articulating a clear vision for a project with tangible benefits for its target audience or community. * Entrepreneurial Spirit: Showcasing resilience, determination, and a commitment to entrepreneurial goals. * Clarity and Persuasiveness: Presenting a well-structured, persuasive, and impactful essay. Essay Prompt: With the rise of technological advancements, particularly in artificial intelligence (AI), the landscape of national security is evolving rapidly. In what ways can AI be utilized to enhance national security measures, and how can entrepreneurial ventures contribute to this endeavor? Describe your innovative approach, its potential impact, and your strategy for implementation. Reflect on your passion for entrepreneurship, how securing this grant will aid you in realizing your goals, and how your vision aligns with the values of Stuart Piltch. Important Dates: * Application Deadline: December 15, 2024 * Winner Announcement: January 15, 2025 Honoring Innovation and the Legacy of Stuart Piltch The Stuart Piltch [ https://stuartpiltchgrant.com/ ] Grant for Tech Innovators is more than a scholarship; it is a platform that champions the values and vision of its founder. Stuart Piltch's unparalleled expertise in game theory, chaos theory, and national security, combined with his deep commitment to philanthropy, positions him as a leader who inspires innovation and transformative thinking. By supporting undergraduate students, this grant underscores Stuart Piltch's dedication to nurturing future entrepreneurs who will make significant contributions to technology and society. Applicants are invited to present ideas that not only advance AI-driven national security but also embody the entrepreneurial resilience that defines Stuart Piltch's career. Fostering a New Generation of Innovators As the digital age continues to reshape the global landscape, the Stuart Piltch [ https://x.com/PiltchStuart ] Grant for Tech Innovators aims to encourage students to harness AI's potential for the betterment of society. Through this initiative, Stuart Piltch continues to build on his legacy of combining technological expertise with a commitment to meaningful and lasting change. Students who share Stuart Piltch's vision of fostering innovation and addressing critical challenges are encouraged to apply. For more information about the grant and application details, visit the official website: https://stuartpiltchgrant.com/ or https://stuartpiltchgrant.com/stuart-piltch-grant/ . About Stuart Piltch Stuart Piltch's journey is a beacon of excellence, marked by groundbreaking achievements in intelligence, healthcare, and technology. From founding leading data analytics firms to revolutionizing healthcare with machine-based learning, his career reflects an unwavering commitment to innovation. Stuart Piltch's philanthropic contributions further illustrate his dedication to uplifting communities and nurturing the next generation of leaders. The Stuart Piltch Grant for Tech Innovators is a tribute to his remarkable legacy and a step toward empowering young visionaries to transform challenges into opportunities. Media Contact Company Name: Stuart Piltch Grant Contact Person: Stuart Piltch Email: Send Email [ http://www.universalpressrelease.com/?pr=stuart-piltch-grant-for-tech-innovators-championing-entrepreneurship-and-ai-solutions-for-national-security-challenges ] City: New York State: New York Country: United States Website: https://stuartpiltchgrant.com This release was published on openPR.

Avatar Is Getting The PS5 Pro Option Players Have Been Begging ForDavid and Victoria Beckham appear to have embraced their youngest son Cruz 's new girlfriend Jackie Apostel with open arms after the Brazilian-German songwriter was seen joining the Beckhams on their £5 million superyacht 'Seven' for a pre-Christmas vacation. In photographs obtained by the MailOnline , fashion designer Victoria was seen hugging Jackie as she boarded the family yacht in Miami. It's not the first time Victoria has evidenced her bond with her youngest son's girlfriend. Cruz, 19, was first linked to Jackie, who is ten years his senior , in September this year. The pair confirmed their romance at Victoria's Paris Fashion Week runway show when they graced the front row as a couple, cosying up to each other alongside the rest of the Beckham family. Victoria had styled Jackie in a liquid silk dress from her eponymous fashion brand, with the musician thanking her boyfriend's mother in a personal Instagram post: "The most beautiful show and the most beautiful dress. Congratulations @victoriabeckham". Weeks later, Jackie joined her beau and his brothers at the launch of Brooklyn Beckham's Cloud 22 hot sauce - dressed in a lace Victoria Beckham dress, no less. "Hot sauce and hotter outfits. thank u for the laciest dream piece @victoriabeckham," Jackie penned on her social media. How Victoria Beckham is supporting Cruz's new girlfriend Jackie Apostel Cruz Beckham and girlfriend Jackie Apostel are the spitting image of his parents in latest photograph Jackie Apostel's best fashion moments Who is Cruz's girlfriend Jackie Apostel? Born in São Paulo, Brazil, to a Brazilian mother and a German father, trilingual Jackie has spent her life growing up between Brazil and Germany and speaking English, German, and Portuguese fluently. Despite being linked to the Beckhams and one of society's most eligible bachelors, it’s Jackie's talent and passion for music that have carved her own path in the spotlight. Just like Victoria, known for starting her career as part of the Spice Girls, Jackie got her start in the dynamic world of girl bands - though on a more intimate scale. She discovered her voice as part of the Brazilian group Schutz before branching out to pursue a solo career.Her debut EP, The Reformation A Side - A Trip on the Relationship, earned over a million streams. In 2022, however, Jackie made the decision to step away from the spotlight, announcing to her followers that she would no longer be recording or touring as a solo artist. "For those who know me personally, you know I’ve planned this for a while and how much it means to me to put a full stop to this side of my career," she wrote in a statement on Instagram. "I’m a studio rat, I’m a creator, I’m a writer, producer, and artist in many ways, but releasing the songs we did myself was always just a way of showcasing the tracks."

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Report: Red Sox signing RHP Walker Buehler to one-year dealSTATE COLLEGE, Pa. (AP) — Penn State players have watched Ashton Jeanty make opponents look silly all season. They don't want to be the next defenders Boise State’s star posterizes with jukes, spin moves, stiff arms and heavy shoulders. But they also know that slowing down Jeanty, who finished second in Heisman Trophy voting , will be their toughest task yet when the two teams meet in the College Football Playoff quarterfinal Fiesta Bowl on Dec. 31. “In any other year, I think the guy wins the Heisman,” Penn State coach James Franklin said. “You could make the argument that he should have won it this year. He is hard to tackle. He is compact, 5-(foot)-10, he has the ability to run away from you. He has the ability to make you miss.” Jeanty led the nation with 2,497 rushing yards on 344 carries this season. He scored more touchdowns (30) than any player since Najee Harris scored 30 times with Alabama in 2020. Additionally, Jeanty’s yards after contact (1,889) exceed every FBS running backs’ rushing total since Oklahoma State’s Chuba Hubbard led the NCAA with 2,094 total rushing yards in 2019. Jeanty also forced an NCAA-record 143 missed tackles this season. The junior did it all behind an offensive line that has been forced to shuffle its parts in the wake of numerous injuries. Only left tackle Kage Casey and left guard Ben Dooley have started every game up front for the Broncos this season. “He’s a beast in terms of his production on the field, but then also his durability,” Franklin said. “There’s not too many people that are able to get clean shots on him. All of it is super impressive. But I think the stat that I mentioned earlier, the most impressive stat is the yards after contact.” This could be Jeanty’s biggest challenge to date, too. Although he’s helped Boise State churn out 250 rushing yards per game, good for fifth among FBS programs, the Nittany Lions are well stocked to defend the run. Their defense is seventh nationally allowing just 100 rushing yards per game and has tightened up down the stretch. In its last six games, Penn State is allowing just 2.7 yards per rush and has only given up three rushing touchdowns, two coming in the Big Ten championship game against No. 1 Oregon. “They’ve had our backs throughout the whole year,” Penn State quarterback Drew Allar said. “They have made me a lot better throughout the year, just going against the best defense in America and just glad I got to go against them every day in practice and not against them out on the field in a game setting.” In the opening round of the CFP, Penn State held SMU to just 58 rushing yards on 36 carries. Meanwhile, the Nittany Lions notched 11 of their 50 tackles for loss over the last six games against the Mustangs. Most of those came from a defensive line that regularly rotates run-stuffing tackles Zane Durant, Dvon J-Thomas and Coziah Izzard between dynamic ends Abdul Carter and Dani Dennis-Sutton. Carter alone has 21 1/2 of his team’s 102 stops behind the line of scrimmage this year. He's hoping to add a few against Jeanty and stay off the star back's own long-running highlight reel. “I’m living in my dreams,” Carter said. “I’m having the most fun I ever had playing football and I’ve been playing since I was 8 years old. I’m very blessed. I’m just very humbled to have this opportunity. I just want to keep taking advantage of all the opportunities that I have.” Get poll alerts and updates on the AP Top 25 throughout the season. Sign up here . AP college football: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-football-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/college-footballCarl Black Chevy Buick GMC in Kennesaw offers valuable research on the new 2025 Chevy Equinox. ATLANTA , Dec. 23, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Carl Black Chevrolet Buick GMC in Kennesaw is thrilled to announce new insights into the 2025 Chevy Equinox for sale near Atlanta . This small SUV has received a bold redesign, advanced technology updates, and versatile options, including a highly anticipated EV variant. -Redesigned Chevy Equinox Brings Style and Functionality The redesigned Chevy Equinox boasts a sleeker exterior with sharper lines, a reimagined front grille, and stunning LED headlights. These changes not only enhance the SUV's visual appeal but also improve aerodynamics. Inside, drivers and passengers will enjoy a spacious cabin that seamlessly integrates comfort and technology. Moreover, the 2025 Chevy Equinox prioritizes convenience. Features like wireless Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, and multiple USB-C ports keep everyone connected. Plus, the hands-free power liftgate simplifies loading and unloading, making the Equinox perfect for busy families and commuters alike. -A Look at the Affordable 2025 Chevy Equinox Price Starting at just $28,600 , the 2025 Chevy Equinox price offers incredible value for its class and standard features. It comes loaded with safety features like lane-keeping assist and automatic emergency braking as standard. Higher trims introduce premium amenities such as leather seating, a panoramic sunroof, and a Bose sound system. Carl Black Kennesaw is especially excited about the upcoming 2025 Chevy Equinox EV , which blends innovation with efficiency. As Chevrolet moves toward a sustainable future, this electric variant stands out as an excellent option for environmentally conscious drivers. -Find the Perfect Chevy Equinox Near Me For those searching for a reliable small SUV, Carl Black Chevrolet Buick GMC in Kennesaw has you covered. Explore their extensive current inventory to find the Chevy Equinox near me that fits your needs. From daily commutes to family road trips, the Equinox is a versatile choice. To learn more, visit the 2025 Chevy Equinox model research page or discover what's new in this impressive, completely redesigned SUV. Experience the future of small SUVs today at Carl Black Kennesaw. - About Carl Black Chevy Buick GMC Carl Black Chevy Buick GMC is a leading auto dealership in Kennesaw, GA that offers a wide selection of new and used vehicles and financing, maintenance, and repair services. Now, we have a widening range of personal and business electric vehicles, as well. The dealership is committed to supplying exceptional customer service and helping customers find the right vehicle for their needs and budget. For more information, visit www.carlblackkennesaw.com . Shoppers may also contact the Georgia dealership by calling 888-457-2417 or visiting the store at 1110 Roberts Road. 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