LOS ANGELES (AP) — Defending national champion South Carolina women defeated by UCLA 77-62 for their first loss since the 2023 Final Four.What are your most-played games on Steam, and why have you spent so many hours on them?
PARIS — Howling winds couldn’t stop Notre Dame Cathedral ’s heart from beating again. With three resounding knocks on its doors by Paris Archbishop Laurent Ulrich, wielding a specially designed crosier carved from fire-scorched beams, the monument roared back to life Saturday evening. For the first time since a devastating blaze nearly destroyed it in 2019 , the towering Gothic masterpiece reopened for worship, its rebirth marked by song, prayer, and awe beneath its soaring arches.Next year we'll see unveiling the – most probably around September time – and a new leak suggests that for the first time, all four models in the iPhone series will be given the same high refresh rate displays. This comes from well-known tipster (via ), and backs up that this upgrade was indeed on the way. The prediction is apparently based on information from Apple's supply chain. As our and our will tell you, the standard model and Plus model have 60Hz displays, while the Pro and Pro Max models up that to 120Hz – via a technology Apple refers to as ProMotion. ProMotion not only ups the maximum refresh rate for smoother motion and animations, it also enables variable refresh rate – which means always-on mode can be enabled for the lock screen without any worries about battery life. Repeated rumors Rumors about 120Hz screens have been swirling since , which makes us more confident that this upgrade is indeed on the way. Technically, the display tech in question is called LTPO (low-temperature polycrystalline oxide). With LTPO, there would be less of a difference between the Pro and non-Pro iPhone models, and it would mean the iPhone would catch up with Android phones – the majority of which left 60Hz refresh rates behind a long time ago. The Pro models got 120Hz LTPO tech with the and , which launched in 2021. If the upgrade does indeed arrive with the iPhone 17, then we'll have been waiting four years for it to arrive. Before the iPhone 17 arrives, we should see the launched by Apple, perhaps around March time. While the handset is predicted to be getting a major redesign that ditches the Touch ID button, it's unlikely to have an LTPO display attached.
Rico Carty, who won the 1970 NL batting title with the Atlanta Braves, has diedBritain's surgeons are backing The Mirror’s call to stop cowboy cosmetic procedures as a mum who came within an hour of death warns women to steer clear of having liquid BBLs in the UK. Survivor Bonnie-Louise Cooper, 27, is also backing our campaign to stop other mums suffering, fearing lives could be lost. Bonnie-Louise said she thought she was being sensible when she opted not to jet off to Turkey and have the cosmetic procedure in England instead. She opted for Lift Aesthetics from Essex, who describe Katie Price as their “beautiful client.” The firm has featured on the star’s social media accounts, with a TikTok video showing her having lip fillers and being in “safe hands”. But Bonnie feels differently having spent weeks in hospital last November because she suffered a deadly sepsis infection following a liquid BBL she'd organised with the firm. The mum said she was left fearing she would leave her five-year-old son an orphan. She says her nerves are still damaged and experiences numbness where she loses sensation in her legs and her feet change colour. She said: "I’m backing The Mirror campaign and speaking out to stop other women and mums getting hurt. This industry is madness." The young mum told of being left devastated and in tears after hearing Alice Webb, 33, had died in September after having a liquid Brazilian butt lift procedure (BBL) in Gloucestershire. The Royal College of Surgeons say they also fear deaths from “out of control” cosmetic firms and ‘practitioners.’ It is impossible to say how many ‘aesthetic practitioners’ there are operating in High Streets and from homes all around the country. But it is feared there now could be between 100,000 and 200,000. Professor Vivien Lees, Vice President of RCS England and consultant plastic surgeon told The Mirror: “The situation is out of control in the UK. "Cosmetic procedures must be regulated as soon as possible before there is another death. We are supporting this important campaign, to work together, to protect people seeking these treatments. “In the hands of an untrained person, these procedures place members of the public at significant risk of harm, injury and potential death. The resulting complications can be permanent, affecting more than just physical appearance. There may be psychological and social repercussions too. “More serious complications may result in the need for emergency medical care, with the NHS picking up the bill for this. It also seems untrained individuals, who are carrying out medical procedures in high-street beauty clinics, do not understand the risk of infection. Anyone carrying out these procedures must be able to deal with problems that may arise. The Government must act now. The risks are just too high for patients.” Their support for the campaign follows that from The British Association of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons (BAAPS) and long-term campaigners Save Face, who have been fighting for change for years. Single mum, Bonnie-Louise, told The Mirror: “I thought I was doing the safe thing by not going to Turkey or Prague but the procedures here can be just as deadly and they can also cause life long complications. Us surviving girls are still not okay, we have scarring, we have physical hardships. I have a young son and he could have ended up an orphan. ” Beautician Bonnie from Swanage in Dorset, said decided to have the £3,000 procedure with Life Aesthetics after doing her research. She had been impressed with their elite healthcare address of 7 Harley Street, London. The Mirror understands this address has not been occupied for several years and is currently undergoing building work. She said: “They didn’t send me the postcode until the night before and it was Romford in Essex (not the Harley Street she was expecting). They told me they had two clinics and that day they were working from Romford. I thought I was going somewhere safe. They described it as non-invasive, saying it was pain free and zero down time." She said she arranged the procedure through two women but when she turned up it was a man doing the BBL “I was nervous and I asked a lot of questions and he was really reassuring, saying it was not painful,” she said. But Bonnie said she then suffered 40 minutes of agony. “Oh my gosh, I have a son and it’s the worst pain I’ve ever had in my life. Every time he injected me, I had a shooting pain, I screamed it was so bad. He just made out to me he had not seen someone react this way and actually suggested I had a low pain threshold.” She had been led to believe she was injected with Lidocaine but said the hospital told her it was not that prescribed pain blocker. Her questions about what filler was used were left unanswered by the clinic, she said. The Mirror has also tried to contact the firm for answers with no answer from mobile phone numbers listed. We tracked one woman down, who was listed as a director for the firm, who denied any link with them. It is. not known what qualifications were held by those who carried out the procedure on Bonnie. After getting home from the procedure Bonnie recalls: “I was delirious, I was crying and could not stand or sit. I was vomiting. My sister called for an ambulance. The paramedics arrived quickly and they did observations and said it was obviously some sort of infection. The area was on fire. “They measured a 3cm by 3cm lump on the incision site. They tried to stand me up to get me into the ambulance but I collapsed. My sister thought I was going to die. The next thing I remember is waking up in an ambulance being blue lighted. I woke up on my front with vomit all over me. It was so confusing. This is when I realised how bad it was. “I arrived at the hospital and they took me out in stretcher, there was a massive queue in A & E and there was a nurse waiting for me and they wheeled me into my own room. You know it's serious when you're skipping the queue in A&E. "I was really poorly, the pain overrides everything and you can't think straight. I was crying in pain. When they took me down to MRI every bump was horrific. I was sweating my forehead was dripping. The doctors came into the room and told me: 'You could die within the hour'. They came in six of them putting IV drips in both of your arms. It was rushed. “I remember thinking of my son who is completely dependent on me. I started crying. He would be an orphan, I had to get home for him. "About why she wants to join the Mirror campaign, she added: “I don’t want another mum to go through this, we have to get them to act now. “For four months after my mobility was bad, I couldn't walk properly because of the nerve damage, the pain took a good five months to actually subside." It is believed a traffic light system is under consideration which puts procedures into red, amber and green categories governing who can perform them. A Department of Health and Social Care spokesperson say: "We are extremely concerned by reports of highly invasive cosmetic procedures being performed by inadequately trained practitioners. The safety of patients is paramount, and we would urge anyone considering cosmetic surgery to consider the possible health impacts and find a reputable, insured and qualified surgeon. "All doctors performing cosmetic surgery in the UK must be registered with and licensed to practise by the General Medical Council (GMC). We are exploring options around regulation of the cosmetics sector and will provide an update in due course." Horrifying blind spot Britain's plastic surgeons say there is a “horrifying blind spot” in the UK which allows anyone to carry out dangerous cosmetic procedures. Nora Nugent, the President of the British Association of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons (BAAPS), said: “It is horrifying” and is urgently calling for the Government to “get something done”. “The UK is in a very strange position where we have a very regulated healthcare system but a complete blind spot for all of these procedures and lack of regulation about who can do what,” she told The Mirror. “It’s pretty shocking, what’s out there.” Referring to the death of Alice Webb, 33, after having a liquid BBL, she said: “Obviously it was a tragic situation but it was a tragedy waiting to happen, we’ve been saying for years that more regulation is needed. “It’s been a problem for years...If they don’t do anything about it, there’s nothing to stop the same scenario happening again.” Back in 2013 Sir Bruce Keogh warned the then Government it was a ‘crisis waiting to happen’. She revealed how non medical people, such as beauticians, have been using “dangerous” techniques in High Streets around the country which could perforate someone’s abdomen, cause nerve damage or bleeding in the neck. They have been doing liposuction and fat transfer with non-sterile gloves, visible jumpers and sleeves in the surgical area, and incisions made in the wrong place. “Those are pretty high risk problems to have and total lack of awareness of sterility, of risk of complications,” she said. But Dr Nugent, warned even lip fillers can cause blindness in rare cases. The surgeon from Tunbridge Wells, said the cost price of reputable brands of facial fillers is between £100 and £175 for 1mm so if anyone is offering lip filler for less than £100 it is “too good to be true”. “Anyone who is doing it for that price hasn’t put a lot into their training,” she added. “They are training other people when they don’t know what they are doing themselves. “And advertising really cheap procedures which for these sorts of things means you are using cheap products. It’s a money-making racket. “There are any number of people walking around with terrible lip fillers, overdone, lumpy, filler migrating above the lip because they’ve put too much in or they have put it in the wrong place,” she said. “You shouldn’t see lip filler, if it’s done well. The lips should just look good. If you can see it, it’s not good lip filler.” But she warned “these are aesthetics concerns” and there are other more serious concerns. She explained how there are blood vessels in the lip and if they inject into that they can block the blood supply to the skin - causing the tissue to die. It can also travel in the facial blood vessels to the vessels behind the eye and affect vision. The Dr has to fix bad fillers, dissolving fillers but not all can be dissolved and sometimes they have to surgically remove it. Currently the Government are deciding what to do to crack down on the cosmetic cowboys after the Tory consultation suggested a traffic light system, diving procedures up into green, amber and red. But she is concerned Liposuction is being treated as ‘non surgical procedures’ which she said was “absolutely an atrocity and dangerous going forward.” She stressed: “ These are surgeries” and urged Wes Streeting and the Government to “keep surgery in the hands of surgeons” and “cosmetic surgery in the hands of surgeons who have it in their scope of training.” Dr Nugent added they need to: “Make it illegal for non-healthcare personnel to carry out medical aesthetic procedures and I’m including dermal fillers in this. “Make it illegal or impossible to obtain the equipment or products. They are getting them off the internet.”Sarah Robertson is glad she turned her back on football to pursue a playing career in hockey. It turned out to be the right option as she recently announced her retirement from playing for Great Britain with more than 100 caps and an Olympic bronze medal to her name. As a teenager, Robertson - from Selkirk in the Borders - shone at rugby and football, being signed by Hibs Ladies. However, she has no regrets about the decision to focus on hockey and still hopes to add to her 118 appearances for Scotland next year. She won age-grade caps up to Scotland under-17 level in football, but was also attracting interest in hockey, and at 18 she had a decision to make. "It was a big choice at the time because I enjoyed my football, but I loved my hockey too," the 31-year-old recalls. "I grew up playing different sports in the Borders and it taught me so much. "Before I got into hockey I played rugby and football, predominantly in boys teams, and that pushed me so much." She started hockey at Selkirk High School and followed a "great pathway" with South of Scotland teams, and at the Fjordhus Reivers club in the Borders where she was coached by Janet Jack, who had been in the GB programme herself. "All of those experiences taught me so much about sporting ability, but also about working hard, being humble, staying grounded, that nothing gets handed to you on a plate - all characteristics that have stayed with me throughout my sporting career," she said. She has no regrets about finally settling on hockey. "Women's football has gone on to achieve amazing things, but I feel like hockey has been a sport that has pushed me to achieve my potential," she said. She said she had met "amazing people" and felt "very privileged" to have been part of the Team GB at two Olympics. "I'm glad I went down the hockey route," she added. Robertson made her full Scotland debut in 2012, aged 19, and for Great Britain in 2015. Her Olympic debut came in Tokyo in the delayed 2020 Games, where she played in every game and scored a stunning goal in a dramatic 4-3 win over India that secured the bronze medal. A key member of the GB team that competed at world level and qualified for the 2024 Olympic Games, she was hugely disappointed to miss out on another semi-final in Paris. "But it was still a special tournament to be part of," she added. "There's not many Scots who have had the chance to play in an Olympics, never mind two Olympics, and to get to 100 caps, and be presented with it by Andy Murray, is just amazing." The Borderer took up an offer to play for the Tasmanian Tigers in Australia until Christmas, as she prepares for a new life in 2025, working for Grays hockey. She will still play for her London club, Hampstead and Westminster, and hopes to add to her Scotland caps, but life as a full-time pro player is now behind her. "It's a bit surreal that that's the end of it for Great Britain, but I look back with no regrets," she said. "I know I gave it everything, and applied myself, and I'm really proud of what I achieved and some of the performances I put in along the way. "I'm sad that it's at an end, but it's come to an end on my terms and I feel very grateful to all the people who have helped me live the dream of being a full-time athlete for 10 years. "It's not easy, but it's been a privilege to do it."
BANGKOK — Japanese automakers Honda and Nissan will attempt to merge and create the world's third-largest automaker by sales as the industry undergoes dramatic changes in its transition away from fossil fuels. The two companies said they had signed a memorandum of understanding on Monday and that smaller Nissan alliance member Mitsubishi Motors also had agreed to join the talks on integrating their businesses. Honda will initially lead the new management, retaining the principles and brands of each company. Following is a quick look at what a combined Honda and Nissan would mean for the companies, and for the auto industry. Nissan Chief Executive Makoto Uchida, left, and Honda Chief Executive Toshihiro Mibe, center, and Takao Kato CEO of Mitsubishi Motors, right, arrive to attend a joint news conference Monday, Dec. 23, 2024, in Tokyo, Japan. (AP Photo/Eugene Hoshiko) The ascent of Chinese automakers is rattling the industry at a time when manufacturers are struggling to shift from fossil fuel-driven vehicles to electrics. Relatively inexpensive EVs from China's BYD, Great Wall and Nio are eating into the market shares of U.S. and Japanese car companies in China and elsewhere. People are also reading... Japanese automakers have lagged behind big rivals in EVs and are now trying to cut costs and make up for lost time. Nissan, Honda and Mitsubishi announced in August that they will share components for electric vehicles like batteries and jointly research software for autonomous driving to adapt better to dramatic changes in the auto industry centered around electrification. A preliminary agreement between Honda, Japan's second-largest automaker, and Nissan, third largest, was announced in March. A merger could result in a behemoth worth about $55 billion based on the market capitalization of all three automakers. Joining forces would help the smaller Japanese automakers add scale to compete with Japan's market leader Toyota Motor Corp. and with Germany's Volkswagen AG. Toyota itself has technology partnerships with Japan's Mazda Motor Corp. and Subaru Corp. Nissan Chief Executive Makoto Uchida, left, Honda Chief Executive Toshihiro Mibe, center, and Takao Kato, CEO of Mitsubishi Motors, right, pose for photographers during a joint news conference in Tokyo, Japan, Monday, Dec. 23, 2024. (AP Photo/Eugene Hoshiko) Nissan has truck-based body-on-frame large SUVs such as the Armada and Infiniti QX80 that Honda doesn't have, with large towing capacities and good off-road performance, said Sam Fiorani, vice president of AutoForecast Solutions. Nissan also has years of experience building batteries and electric vehicles, and gas-electric hybird powertrains that could help Honda in developing its own EVs and next generation of hybrids, he said. "Nissan does have some product segments where Honda doesn't currently play," that a merger or partnership could help, said Sam Abuelsamid, a Detroit-area automotive industry analsyt. While Nissan's electric Leaf and Ariya haven't sold well in the U.S., they're solid vehicles, Fiorani said. "They haven't been resting on their laurels, and they have been developing this technology," he said. "They have new products coming that could provide a good platform for Honda for its next generation." Nissan said last month that it was slashing 9,000 jobs, or about 6% of its global work force, and reducing global production capacity by 20% after reporting a quarterly loss of 9.3 billion yen ($61 million). Earlier this month it reshuffled its management and its chief executive, Makoto Uchida, took a 50% pay cut to take responsibility for the financial woes, saying Nissan needed to become more efficient and respond better to market tastes, rising costs and other global changes. Fitch Ratings recently downgraded Nissan's credit outlook to "negative," citing worsening profitability, partly due to price cuts in the North American market. But it noted that it has a strong financial structure and solid cash reserves that amounted to 1.44 trillion yen ($9.4 billion). Nissan's share price has fallen to the point where it is considered something of a bargain. A report in the Japanese financial magazine Diamond said talks with Honda gained urgency after the Taiwan maker of iPhones Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., better known as Foxconn, began exploring a possible acquisition of Nissan as part of its push into the EV sector. The company has struggled for years following a scandal that began with the arrest of its former chairman Carlos Ghosn in late 2018 on charges of fraud and misuse of company assets, allegations that he denies. He eventually was released on bail and fled to Lebanon. Honda reported its profits slipped nearly 20% in the first half of the April-March fiscal year from a year earlier, as sales suffered in China. Toyota made 11.5 million vehicles in 2023, while Honda rolled out 4 million and Nissan produced 3.4 million. Mitsubishi Motors made just over 1 million. Even after a merger Toyota would remain the leading Japanese automaker. All the global automakers are facing potential shocks if President-elect Donald Trump follows through on threats to raise or impose tariffs on imports of foreign products, even from allies like Japan and neighboring countries like Canada and Mexico. Nissan is among the major car companies that have adjusted their supply chains to include vehicles assembled in Mexico. Meanwhile, analysts say there is an "affordability shift" taking place across the industry, led by people who feel they cannot afford to pay nearly $50,000 for a new vehicle. In American, a vital market for companies like Nissan, Honda and Toyota, that's forcing automakers to consider lower pricing, which will eat further into industry profits. ____ AP Auto Writer Tom Krisher contributed to this report from Detroit. The safest cars in 2025 The safest cars in 2025 Airbags, advanced driver assistance features, and high-strength materials mean that the safest cars today are far better at protecting people from injuries than ever before. Although most new cars compare well to their predecessors, some stand above the rest. The safest cars for 2025 offer excellent occupant protection and also do a good job of preventing accidents from happening in the first place. Based on testing data from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety , or IIHS, and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration , or NHTSA, these are some of the safest cars available today. Ranging from inexpensive compact cars and mainstream midsize sedans to stylish station wagons, posh luxury cars, and sporty coupes and convertibles, Edmunds shares a list that has something for just about everyone. For those who prefer a higher seating position and maybe some added practicality, Edmunds' list of safest SUVs is for you. Safest Small Cars 2025 Mazda 3 The stylish Mazda 3 has a lot to offer compact-car shoppers, including great looks, a composed driving experience, and reasonable fuel economy from its base 2.0-liter engine. It's also one of the safest cars in its class, earning a perfect five stars in NHTSA crash testing and sterling crashworthiness and collision avoidance scores from the IIHS. Its standard features are forward collision warning, automatic emergency braking, and lane departure prevention. 2025 Honda Civic With mature styling, a premium interior, and an efficient hybrid powertrain option, the 2025 Honda Civic is a great option if safety is a concern since it aces almost all of the IIHS' crash tests and earns a five-star safety rating from the federal government. It also comes standard with adaptive cruise control, lane departure prevention, and forward collision warning with automatic emergency braking. The Civic falls short slightly in the IIHS' updated moderate overlap front test, which now accounts for rear passenger safety, but even so, it's one of the safest cars in its class. 2025 Mini Cooper Reflective of parent company BMW, today's Mini Cooper is well constructed and features premium safety features that belie its small size, including automatic emergency braking and forward collision warning. Although the Mini hasn't been tested by NHTSA, the IIHS gives the Cooper its highest score of Good in the original driver-side small overlap front, moderate overlap front, and side-impact tests. That said, the IIHS doesn't place the Cooper on its Top Safety Pick or Top Safety Pick+ lists since it hasn't been evaluated on the updated battery of passenger-side small overlap front, moderate overlap front, or side-impact tests. Expect the new-for-2025 Mini Cooper to earn decent crash ratings in those scenarios, especially since it shares its strong platform with the outgoing model. 2025 Toyota Prius With its recent redesign, the Toyota Prius transformed from a frumpy little caterpillar to a stylish and efficient butterfly. It also became a very safe hybrid hatchback. Perfect scores in all of its government and IIHS crash tests, as well as a sophisticated system of collision avoidance technology, earn it top marks. It's also one of our favorite cars on the market, period, as evidenced by its status as a 2024 Edmunds Top Rated vehicle. Safest Midsize Cars 2025 Honda Accord The Honda Accord is among the safest midsize sedans on the market today thanks to excellent crashworthiness scores and a competent standard collision prevention system. It's a Top Safety Pick+, beating out rivals like the Hyundai Sonata, Kia K5, and Subaru Legacy, and the Accord also earns a perfect five-star rating from NHTSA. Honda's hybrid-intensive product planning is on full display here—all but the two lowest Accord trims have a hybrid powertrain—and it's also among the most spacious cars in its class. 2025 Toyota Camry Like its Honda Accord rival, the Toyota Camry is also an IIHS Top Safety Pick+ with a five-star NHTSA rating. It also has a very impressive suite of driver assistance and safety technology, including lane departure prevention with active centering, full-speed adaptive cruise control, and automatic emergency braking. The Camry edges out the Accord in IIHS testing thanks to a more effective collision avoidance system, but both cars are remarkably well matched otherwise. 2025 Hyundai Ioniq 6 The fully electric Hyundai Ioniq 6 offers excellent safety and collision prevention, with excellent scores across the entire line of IIHS tests. The Ioniq 6 hasn't been tested for rollover resistance by NHTSA, but it earned a four-star front safety rating and a five-star side-impact rating in government tests. Like most EVs, the Hyundai Ioniq 6 comes standard with forward collision warning, automatic emergency braking, and lane departure prevention. It also offers up to 342 miles of all-electric driving in its longest-range trim level. Safest Luxury Cars 2025 Acura Integra The Acura Integra is a close mechanical cousin to the Honda Civic, so it's no surprise it does well in both the IIHS' and NHTSA's crash tests. The luxury hatchback is a Top Safety Pick+ and earns a perfect five stars in government testing. The AcuraWatch safety suite is standard on the Integra, bringing automatic emergency braking, lane centering, lane departure prevention, and adaptive cruise control. 2025 Mercedes-Benz C-Class The Mercedes-Benz C-Class is a safe option in the popular small luxury sedan segment thanks to its good scores in IIHS crash testing. Mercedes' best-selling sedan also comes standard with automatic emergency braking and forward collision warning, which helps it earn a Top Safety Pick award. However, it hasn't been tested by the NHTSA. 2025 Genesis G80 Both the Genesis G80 and the fully electric Genesis Electrified G80 earn a Top Safety Pick+ score from the IIHS thanks to their good scores on the agency's crash tests, as well as a comprehensive suite of active safety features that avoided collisions with simulated pedestrians. The internal-combustion-engine G80 earned a perfect five-star safety rating from NHTSA, and although the Electrified G80 hasn't been tested by the feds just yet, it should likely excel in those tests too. 2025 Genesis G90 The flagship Genesis G90 sedan competes with the Mercedes-Benz S-Class and BMW 7 Series, and the South Korean automaker clearly hasn't skimped on safety in its fight against the establishment. Although it hasn't been subjected to the NHTSA array of tests, it aced almost all of its IIHS tests, and a long list of standard active safety and driver assistance features sets it apart from the stingy German makes that charge extra for them. Safest Station Wagons 2025 Volvo V60 With handsome styling and a well-finished interior, the Volvo V60 is a very appealing station wagon for those looking for such a thing. It's also quite safe, with good crashworthiness scores in the IIHS' original moderate overlap front and side-impact scores. Unfortunately, since it hasn't been tested with the updated versions of those tests, it didn't earn this year's Top Safety Pick award, but it was called a Top Safety Pick+ in 2022. NHTSA also gives the V60 a five-star safety rating. 2025 Mercedes-Benz E 450 All-Terrain Although the Mercedes-Benz E 450 All-Terrain isn't a traditional wagon — it follows the lifted almost-crossover formula shared with the Audi A6 Allroad and Volvo V90 Cross Country — we'll take what we can get in this dwindling category. The All-Terrain hasn't been tested by the IIHS or NHTSA, but a previous-generation E-Class earned a 2023 Top Safety Pick+ award, and Mercedes isn't the kind of company that goes backward when it comes to safety. The E 450 All-Terrain comes standard with automatic emergency braking and forward collision warning, though, at this price, Benz should just make other active safety features standard. 2025 Audi A6 Allroad With a five-star NHTSA safety rating, standard forward collision warning and emergency braking, and excellent IIHS crashworthiness scores on its original tests, the Audi A6 Allroad does a good job protecting people (both passengers and pedestrians) from crashes. However, since the IIHS hasn't subjected the Allroad to its updated side and moderate front crash criteria, it lost its Top Safety Pick+ status in 2022. Still, it should be a fine option for luxury longroof shoppers. Safest Coupes and Convertibles 2025 Ford Mustang Both the Ford Mustang coupe and convertible perform well in crash testing. The coupe received a five-star safety rating from NHTSA, and both variants scored decently on all the IIHS tests they've undergone. They also come standard with forward collision warning, lane departure prevention, and automatic emergency braking. However, the IIHS needs to test both models on its updated criteria before it will rate them. 2025 Toyota GR86 Although the government hasn't tested it, the Toyota GR86 aced all of its IIHS crashworthiness tests when it was new for the 2022 model year. Unfortunately, since it hasn't been subjected to the IIHS' updated testing since then, it lost its Top Safety Pick+ status. Still, this is a fun-to-drive, sporty coupe that comes standard with a long list of active safety features, and it's reasonably priced to boot. 2025 Subaru BRZ Mechanically identical to the Toyota GR86, the 2025 Subaru BRZ achieves the same safety ratings—who would have thought? It likewise received a Top Safety Pick+ score in 2022 that lapsed when the IIHS updated its criteria for 2023, but like the Toyota, it has a long list of active safety features to go along with its lightweight, rip-roaring sports car attitude. 2025 Audi A5 The Audi A5 lost its traditional two-door coupe body style after 2024, but the five-door Sportback body style remains before it's replaced later in 2025. Although it hasn't seen the IIHS' more stringent test regimen, its original crashworthiness scores were good enough to earn it a Top Safety Pick award as recently as 2022. The Sportback is the only variant to be tested by the government, where it earned a five-star safety rating. This story was produced by Edmunds and reviewed and distributed by Stacker. Get the latest local business news delivered FREE to your inbox weekly.Jeanette Strong: Democracy, law and equal justice
Online Trading Scam in Bengaluru: Techie Loses Over INR 1 Crore in Share Market Fraud After Joining Telegram Group
LANDER 94, USC AIKEN 84 GREENWOOD – The USC Aiken men's basketball team dropped a 94-84 contest at Lander on Saturday afternoon. The Pacers are now 5-3 on the season, including 0-1 in Peach Belt Conference play. The Bearcats stand at 5-3 overall and 1-0 against conference foes. Head coach Mark Vanderslice's team was led by Davion Cunningham's season-high 31 points on 13 of 21 shooting. He also added seven rebounds, three assists and three steals. Rhyjon Blackwell totaled 21 points. Jalen McCoy totaled nine points and six rebounds while Caleb Byrd added seven points. Rafael Rubel chipped in five points and six rebounds. Down 5-3, Kaleb Siler made a lay-up. A jumper from Cunningham and a three-ball from Blackwell gave USCA a 10-5 lead at the 15:11 mark. Tied at 10-10, Cunningham made a pair of shots for a four-point margin. The tightly contested game saw Cam Perkins and Simeon German hit inside shots for a 20-15 edge at the 11:25 mark. Leading 25-24, Dwight Canady, Jr., hit two free throws to make it 27-24 at the 8:37 mark. An 8-0 spurt by Lander gave the visitors a five-point advantage before Rafael Rubel nailed a three-ball with 5:49 to play. Down 46-37, Cunningham sliced through the defense for a lay-up. His charity toss converted the three-point play. With 46 seconds to go, German found Cunningham for a three-point bucket, trimming the deficit to three, 46-43. Down 54-45, Blackwell took a pass from Cunningham and embarked on a run for Vanderslice's squad. He canned the three-ball. Cunningham netted the next seven points, giving the Pacers a 55-54 lead at the 13:28 mark. Tied at 59-59, Lander went on a 13-1 run. USCA trailed 76-63 before Cunningham found the bottom of the net on a pull-up jumper. A pair of free throws by Blackwell sliced the deficit to eight, 75-67, with 5:17 to go. The Pacers cut the margin to eight on multiple occasions over the next four minutes. Trailing by 11, German kicked the ball to Blackwell, who drained a three-point bucket with 49 seconds remaining. Blackwell's shot from distance and ensuing foul shot for the rare four-point play made it 90-84 with 39 seconds to play. For the game, Vanderslice's team hit 31-of-70 (44.3 percent) from the floor, including eight-of-26 (30.3 percent) from the three-point stripe. USCA grabbed 35 rebounds, including 15 on the offensive glass. The Pacers forced 13 turnovers and converted the miscues into 16 points. USCA registered 16 second chance points. The Pacers return to action Saturday, Dec. 14, when they host Fayetteville State at 4 p.m. WOMEN LANDER 76, USC AIKEN 51 The USCA women's basketball team lost a 76-51 decision at Lander in the PBC opener Saturday afternoon. The Pacers are now 3-5 overall, including 0-1 in PBC play. The Bearcats stand at 5-2 on the year and 1-0 against league foes. Trailing 6-0 in the early going, Paris Webster found Sami Bardonaro for a pull-up jumper at the 5:30 mark. Down 11-2, Webster canned a shot. Destiny Harman found Serena Baker for a jumper in the lane, pulling USCA within five at 11-6. A pair of free throws by Kendall Parker made it 13-8 with 1:06 to go in the opening frame. A 9-0 spurt by the home team pushed the score to 26-10 before Baker connected with Jaya Nelson for a lay-up. Parker buried a three-ball with just over two minutes to play. A jumper by Destiny Harman and a free throw by Webster made it 31-18 at halftime. Head coach Mark Miller's team opened the fourth frame with a free throw from Webster. Down 63-29, Rhiannon Saller sliced the defense for a lay-up. Twenty seconds later, Saller found Molly Burns for a three-ball. With 7:01 on the clock, Kendall Parker drilled a three-point bucket off a pass from Burns. At 4:04, Burns connected on another shot from behind the three-point stripe. Webster hit a three-point shot and converted a lay-up. McKenzie Lott hit Gracie Huffard for a lay-up for the final points of the game. Miller's team was led by Parker's team-high 11 points. Webster had 10 points. She also had three assists and three steals. Harman contributed seven markers. Burns chipped in six points while Saller notched five points and a team-best nine boards. Nelson and Baker had four points apiece. Bardonaro totaled two points and eight boards to go along with two blocks. Huffard had two points. For the game, USCA hit 18-of-55 (32.7 percent) from the floor, including six-of-21 (28.6 percent) from downtown. The squad had 36 boards, including 10 on the offensive glass. The Pacers dished out 13 assists. USCA registered 10 steals in the game. The Pacers return to action Saturday, Dec. 14, when they host Livingstone at 2 p.m.
Basketball fans in Prince George know how valuable Sveta Boykova has been for the UNBC Timberwolves since she joined the women’s basketball team 3 1⁄2 seasons ago. This past weekend Boykova offered a reminder to the rest of the U SPORTS Canada West sports community why her contributions as a fourth-year forward are so important to the TWolves’ bottom line. The Moscow native played a huge role in UNBC’s comeback victories over the visiting UBC-Okanagan Heat at the Northern Sport Centre and has been named Canada West Biosteel women’s basketball player of the week. Boykova started the weekend as the key component of a 64-55 win over the Heat on Friday. She collected 16 points, 13 rebounds, seven assists, three steals and one blocked shot to lead her team to victory. Then in the rematch Saturday she was equally dominant, scoring 20 points in a 68-67 triumph. Boykova has moved into the TWolves’ top-five in career scoring, with 745 points, while her 706 rebounds ranks third on the all-time list at UNBC. She’s averaged 10.9 rebounds per game in her career, tops among TWolves. She becomes the fourth UNBC player since September 2023 to be selected for a Canada West player of the week award, following on the success of Michael Henman (men’s soccer, September 2023), Justin Sunga (men’s basketall, February 2024) and Brityn Hinsche (women’s soccer, September 2024). The two weekend wins kept the UNBC undefeated this season in three games at Brownridge Court and that improved the TWolves’ women’s basketball record to 3-5 as they head into the semester break. They return to action on Friday, Dec. 10 in Abbotsford, where they will meet the Fraser Valley Cascades.