Pelicans’ injury hell gets worse with Brandon Ingram out indefinitelyHall of Fame tickets still on saleOpposition leader Peter Dutton has announced the long-awaited costings of the Coalition's nuclear energy transition. The Coalition claims its "reliable" energy mix, which includes converting seven end-of-life coal-fired plants into nuclear reactors, will reduce energy bills by 44 per cent. "This will make electricity reliable, it will make it more consistent, cheaper, for Australians and it will help us decarbonise as a trading economy, as we must," Dutton told reporters on Friday. However the government's Energy Minister Chris Bowen says the plan has "three fatal errors". Frontier Economics modelled the Coalition's plan at $331 billion, $263 billion less than Labor's renewable transition, however, the figure is at odds with industry experts. Hidden costs? Cheaper energy? 'Farcical' locations? Debunking the hype around nuclear Bowen says the costings incorrectly assumed Australia will need less energy in 2050. He said Dutton had "rejected the work of the CSIRO and the Australian Energy Market Operator, and fatally assumed there would be savings due to fewer transmission lines. "After months of talking about what nuclear would mean for energy bills, they couldn't even put a price on the impact of their plan on the average bills of Australians," Bowen said. He also disputed figures within the Coalition's plan, quoting the government's policy at $600 billion. Bowen argued the government plan would cost $122 billion, citing a forecast by the national energy grid operator. The Opposition's energy spokesperson Ted O'Brien defended the independent costings, stating that any exclusions were based on "what Labor has been modelling". "So people say something that been excluded like the cost of EVs and home batteries, well, that is because Labor's modelling excludes that and in order for us to compare their model to our model we had to adopt some of those basic assumptions," he said. Dutton said Labor's support for nuclear submarines meant there were "no safety concerns around nuclear", as he pushed for reversing Australia's nuclear energy ban. Power bill impact: The energy price decision affecting a million households Labor's plan is to boost renewables to 80 per cent of the grid by 2030 and increase the figure to 90 per cent by 2050, with the remainder made up of storage and gas. A crucial difference between the two proposals is energy output, with the Coalition's preferred plan producing 311TwH whereas Labor's Step Change plans to deliver 450Twh. CSIRO report casts doubt over Coalition costings A report released just ahead of Dutton unveiling the Coalition's modelling found deferring coal power station closures would increase Australia's carbon emissions in the medium term. For the seventh straight year, the GenCost 2024-25 report found renewable energy sources are the lowest-cost of any new-build electricity-generating technology. Nuclear energy generation would be 1.5 to two times more expensive than large-scale solar, according to the analysis by the national science agency CSIRO and the Australian Energy Market Operator. Will nuclear lead to cheaper energy prices? Experts weigh in Experts have said energy market operators will need to establish new connection points to safely supply the national electricity grid. Frontier Economics cost Labor's transition around $600 billion. Energy Minister Chris Bowen has rubbished this number, saying the government's plan would cost $122 billion, citing a forecast made by the national energy grid operator. "They're making it up as they go along," Bowen told ABC TV of the Coalition's costings on Friday. Bowen said preliminary reports of the Coalition's plan ahead of Friday's full announcement that nuclear would need fewer transmission lines — therefore bringing down the estimated cost — was incorrect. Source: AAP "I'm not sure how they'll get the nuclear power into the grid, maybe by carrier pigeon if they're going to assert if somehow you'll need less transmission," he said. "They have had to make some very heroic assumptions here, and they have had to really stretch the truth to try to get some very dodgy figures." Keeping coal-fired power plants open beyond their lifespan was a threat to energy reliability, with outages and breakdowns happening on a daily basis, Bowen said. 'Misleading': Reaction to Coalition's nuclear plan The Coalition is pushing for an end to Australia's nuclear ban but has faced opposition from states who strongly support the government's renewable transition. The reaction from experts has been swift, with climate councillor and economist Nicki Hutley stating that the Coalition has "knowingly mislead Australians on true costs of nuclear". The Climate Council identified four ways the Coalition was "cooking the books", including underestimating costs, the timeline of reactors, not factoring the costs of keeping coal-fired generators operational and excluding costs such as a managing nuclear waste from their figures. 'Economic insanity' or 'cheaper electricity'? Peter Dutton reveals nuclear power locations Nuclear power doesn't stack up for Australian families or businesses, iron ore company Fortescue's executive chairman Andrew Forrest said on Friday. "As our national science agency has shown, 'firmed' solar and wind are the cheapest new electricity options for all Australians," he said in a statement. Forrest, who is a big player in the non-fossil fuels energy market, said that without continued action on "low-cost, high-efficiency renewable energy", Australians will be left with "pricier power and crumbling coal stations".BOULDER, Colo. — A 72-year-old lifelong Colorado fan with end-stage kidney failure waited to the side of the field in his wheelchair for Travis Hunter and the rest of the Buffaloes. One by one, players strolled over and signed a football for Riley Rhoades, his face lighting up with each signature. Standing close by and taking in the scene was Jeremy Bloom. He's become a wish facilitator for older adults. Bloom, the former Colorado wide receiver and Olympic freestyle skier, started the Wish of a Lifetime foundation in 2008, which has made thousands of aspirations turn into reality for older adults. The list of granted wishes range from taking veterans back to the beaches of Normandy to helping late-in-life authors publish a book. He's staged concerts for musicians, assisted some in daredevil feats such as jumping out of an airplane and even lined up a meeting between an Olympic medalist and former President Barack Obama. For Rhoades, his wish was simply to return to Folsom Field again, the place where he used to have season tickets but hasn't attended a game since 2004. "Everybody has somebody in their life —a grandparent, friend, neighbor — at that age where you wish you had more resources to help," said Bloom, whose college career was cut short two decades ago when the NCAA denied his reinstatement to play football and still ski professionally after receiving endorsement money to fuel his Olympic dreams. "Nothing can compare to seeing someone else's eyes light up because you helped make their dream come true." The foundation is a tribute to his grandparents. But the concept began to take root when he was a teenager. He was in Japan for a World Cup freestyle skiing competition when a woman tried to hop on a crowded bus. There was no room, but everyone in front rose from their seats to make space. That stuck with him, along with seeing these acts of kindness for older adults all over Europe and Asia as he traveled. An idea formed — bring that same level of appreciation to the United States, with a wish-granting element. Bloom's organization has been a charitable affiliate of AARP since 2020. It was the yearning of Rhoades that brought the two of them to Folsom Field last weekend. Rhoades, who had season tickets at Colorado for 27 years, wanted to see the Buffaloes in person after watching the team's resurgence on television. A few years ago, Rhoades, who was born with spina bifida, was diagnosed with end-stage renal failure. Being among the 54,646 fans Saturday stirred up plenty of emotions for Rhoades, as he watched the 16th-ranked Buffaloes (8-2, 6-1 Big 12, No. 16 CFP) beat Utah. Colorado remains in the race for not only a conference title but a spot in the College Football Playoff. "It's just great to be back here again," Rhoades said as he pointed out the section where he used to watch games. "It's just ... so cool." For Bloom, the success that coach Deion Sanders has brought to the program means more reunions with teammates as they pass through town. "I've been through many years where nobody comes to visit," Bloom said. "It's fun that Boulder has become the epicenter of college football." Leading the way for Colorado this season have been quarterback Shedeur Sanders and two-way star Hunter, who's the Heisman Trophy frontrunner. But what particularly pleases Bloom is that Sanders, Hunter and the rest of college football players are able to finally profit through name, image and likeness. In his day, Bloom got caught in the NCAA crosshairs for wanting to play both sports and to have sponsors in one (skiing) so he could fund his Olympic aspirations. How time have changed. "I'm just really grateful that this generation of athletes gets to monetize their skills and ability," said Bloom, who finished sixth in moguls at the 2006 Winter Games in Italy. "It's the right thing." He's thrown his passion into fulfilling wishes such as learning ballet, riding in a Formula 1 pace car or taking a flight in a fighter jet. He's also helped reconnect families and friends, including a reunion for a trio of centenarian sisters who hadn't seen each other in more than a decade. This granted wish has stuck with Bloom: A person in Alabama wasn't able to travel after being diagnosed with end-of-life emphysema. So he asked for postcards to be sent, just to learn what made someone's town so special. He received 2,000 postcards from 26 different countries. "There's no end to the things that they've done for us in the world," Bloom said of older adults. "We're one of the organizations that reminds them that their dreams still do matter and that we still appreciate them and we cherish them." Get local news delivered to your inbox!
I'm A Celebrity's Tulisa confirms absence from ITV final after leaving AustraliaAbbott Elementary ‘s upcoming crossover with FXX ‘s It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia is becoming a highly-anticipated TV event in the weeks leading up to its arrival, but what’s in store for the mysterious episodes (one for each of the shows)? Abbott ‘s Chris Perfetti is offering a little insight into what fans can expect as ABC ‘s Emmy-winning family-friendly comedy crosses paths with the enduring adult-skewing sitcom. “As a huge fan of their show and of all of those actors, it was just surreal,” Perfetti shares with TV Insider about the experience of collaborating with the Always Sunny team. “They are a highly trained ensemble that is so gifted, so generous. It was so fun to pit these crews, sort of, against each other to have the PG version of an ensemble and the R-rated version of an ensemble,” he adds of their differences. Javascript is required for you to be able to read premium content. Please enable it in your browser settings. Cardlytics reports that card-linked cash-back offers represent a strategic stocking stuffer for smart shoppers navigating the expensive holiday landscape. Click for more. Holiday spending hacks: How to unwrap savings without sacrificing festive cheer
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Louisville will aim to end a three-game losing streak when it hosts UTEP on Wednesday, but beating the Miners may not be an easy feat. UTEP (6-2) comes to the Derby City winners of three straight, most recently beating Seattle 88-72 on Saturday. The Miners shot 56.1 percent (32 of 57) and used a 24-2 first-half run to essentially put the game away. Coach Joe Golding said that first-half performance may have been UTEP's best in his four years leading the school. "I thought offensively and defensively the first 20 minutes we were really locked in and ready to go. (The game) never got close," he said. "We kept it at 20-plus points for the majority of the game. Our ball movement was terrific." Ahamad Bynum led the Miners with 19 points on 7-of-9 shooting off the bench, while Otis Frazier III added 18 points and five assists. Frazier (13.6 points per game) and Bynum (12.1 ppg) are among four UTEP players averaging in double figures. Bynum leads the country shooting 63.3 percent from beyond the 3-point arc, though he has attempted just 30 threes, making 19. Louisville (5-4) also started hot in its last game but could not sustain its momentum in a 76-65 home loss to then-No. 9 Duke on Sunday. Coach Pat Kelsey's team, which had just seven players healthy, made 10 of its first 14 shots to build a 30-16 lead before the Cardinals' lack of depth caught up to them. Louisville shot just 9-of-37 (24.3 percent) after its hot start and was outscored 43-28 after halftime. Terrence Edwards Jr. paced the Cardinals with 21 points in his first game as a reserve this season. Edwards (11.9 ppg) is one of four Louisville scorers averaging double figures, led by Chucky Hepburn leads the team in scoring (14.3 ppg) and is second in the country with 3.2 steals per game. The Cardinals entered the season with expectations of rotating 10 or more players to utilize Kelsey's up-tempo attack. However, swingman Kasean Pryor (knee) and guard Koren Johnson (shoulder) will both miss the rest of the season, while forward Aboubacar Traore (arm) is out indefinitely. After Sunday's loss, Kelsey did not rule out adding players to the roster during the season. "Everything's on the table," he said. "I don't sleep, figuring out what buttons to push to get this team to be the best that they can be. We'll scour every inch of the Earth to figure out how we can improve our team. And whether that happens or not, I have no idea, but I'm willing to try anything." --Field Level MediaNone