Ferrari 12Cilindri is a blockbuster V12 blending breathtaking beauty with F1 wizardry... the Prancing Horse at its bestPrime Minister Justin Trudeau and Opposition Leader Pierre Poilievre on the occasion of Holodomor Memorial Day condemned the Soviet-imposed famine in Ukraine and denounced the horrors wrought by communist ideology. “In the face of these horrors, Ukrainians endured, protecting their language, their culture, and their identity.” “Generations of Ukrainians honour the memories of grandparents and great-grandparents who were forcibly starved, shot, imprisoned, or sent to the gulags for violating communist laws. As one popular saying of the time put it: ‘Where the hammer and sickle are, there is death and hunger’—a tragedy for Ukraine and a warning to the world of what was to come,” Poilievre said. Pointing to the ongoing Russian-Ukrainian war, Poilievre added, “Today, as another criminal regime in Moscow seeks to destroy Ukraine and its people, it is more important than ever to remember the innocent victims of this terrible crime.” “Common Sense Conservatives will always stand for freedom and oppose communism, fascism and all other forms of socialism wherever they rear their ugly head,” he said. “This learning will help ensure students are never bystanders in the face of such horrors, understand the danger of totalitarianism and help safeguard fundamental Canadian values of freedom and democracy over communist extremism.” Minister of International Development Ahmed Hussen also condemned the Soviet genocide, while highlighting how Russia’s ongoing war on Ukraine has exacerbated global food insecurity.Babar remains No 1 batter, Bumrah reclaims top spot in bowling rankings
The confirmation battles over circuit court judges are generally much harder fights given their role in hearing appeals from district courts and often having the last word on legal matters.Robert Wickens moving up to IMSA GTD series in 2025 thanks to new Bosch hand controls
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 . AdvertisementChina released three Americans as part of a prisoner swap between the Biden administration and the Chinese government, according to a person familiar with the matter, a rare moment of cooperation between the adversaries. A statement from the National Security Council said the three Americans — Mark Swidan, Kai Li and John Leung — would be reunited with their families “for the first time in many years.” The three had been designated as wrongfully detained in China, and the U.S. statement said there were no longer any Americans held in the country with that status. The NSC didn’t mention that the three were exchanged for Chinese citizens detained in the U.S. But a person familiar with the matter, who asked not to be identified discussing non-public information, said they were swapped for an unspecified number of Chinese. Swidan is a Texas businessman who was on China’s death row for alleged drug trafficking, and Li is a naturalized U.S. citizen who imported solar energy technology. Leung, who is also a Hong Kong permanent resident, was arrested in 2021 and sentenced to life in prison last year on spying charges. ©2024 Bloomberg L.P. Visit bloomberg.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
Constructor injection vs. setter injection in Spring BootRobert Wickens moving up to IMSA GTD series in 2025 thanks to new Bosch hand controls
It's been a long road back to the highest levels of motorsport for Canadian driver Robert Wickens. Six years after he was paralyzed in a violent wreck, Wickens will again be behind the wheel against some of the best drivers in North America. Wickens, from Guelph, Ont., was named the newest driver for DXDT Racing earlier this week, moving the 35-year-old up to IMSA GTD competition for 2025, the highest class on the WeatherTech SportsCar Championship series. His promotion was made possible by a new hand control braking system created by Bosch Electronics, with help from GM Motorsports and Corvette Racing/Pratt Miller. "It's not going to be easy but I wanted to get to the highest levels of motorsport again because, frankly, that's where I was when I was injured," said Wickens, who crashed at Pocono Raceway in 2018 during IndyCar's ABC Supply 500. "But not only that, I want to prove to myself and other generations of people with disabilities that you can really do anything. "Maybe you're having a hard time getting back to your place of work after a life-altering accident and — whatever your discipline, it doesn't even have to be athletics — but I know it's possible as long as you align yourself with a strong support system." For Wickens, that's been his wife Karli Wickens, his family and, in his professional life, organizations like Bosch and GM. Wickens's crash left him with a thoracic spinal fracture, a neck fracture, tibia and fibula fractures to both legs, fractures in both hands, a fractured right forearm, a fractured elbow, four fractured ribs, a pulmonary contusion, and an indeterminate spinal injury that combined to make him a paraplegic. As he has slowly recovered some movement in his legs, Wickens has eased back into motor racing. He drove the parade lap of the 2019 Honda Indy Toronto, competed in the IndyCar iRacing Challenge during the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic, and then in January 2022 it was announced he would drive in the Michelin Pilot Challenge for Bryan Herta Autosport. He and co-driver Mark Wilkins won twice in the Michelin Pilot Challenge's TCR category with three podiums in 2022. In 2023 the pairing didn't win, but they reached the podium seven times to earn the TCR championship. All of Wickens's post-accident cars have been fitted with hand controls. Those conventional systems rely on paddles around the steering wheel that activate pneumatics that then press the foot pedals. Hand controls like that are acceptable for regular road vehicles and even lower levels of motorsports but in the highest classes, like IMSA GTD where cars top out at more than 280 kilometres, the lag between the driver toggling the paddle and the car responding is unacceptably slow. That's where the Bosch electronic system comes in, with the controls linked directly to the car's braking system, removing the pneumatics as an intermediary. "When you hit the brakes to slow the car down for each corner that was always a big challenge for me where (with) the Bosch electronic system, the latency is milliseconds not tenths of a second," said Wickens. "It's basically as accurate as I would be if I was an able-bodied driver wanting to apply the brake. "Honestly, it's just better in every facet imaginable. It's just been a true blessing." Advances in physical rehabilitation from spinal cord injuries as well as the ongoing development of vehicle technology has made Wickens's return to competitive motorsport possible. "I'm very fortunate in the timing of my paralysis and my career," Wickens said Wednesday from Tampa, Fla. "If this was even a decade ago we'd be having a very different conversation today." The IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship has four classes of vehicles: two sports prototype categories and two grand tourer classes. GTD is considered the highest of the four classes because each team must have at least a silver or bronze driver and more than one platinum-rated driver on a team is prohibited. "I want to win," said Wickens. "I think the big thing for me on this journey back was I wanted to race again because I truly felt like I could still win. "I want to raise awareness for spinal cord injury and disability, not by just being a participant, but by being the guy. I want to win races, fight for podiums, win championships, every time I'm sitting in the car." Wickens said he won't just be a role model for people living with paralysis or other mobility disabilities, but the technology his car will employ in 2025 will likely become commercially available for use in road vehicles. "Motorsports and the automotive racing industry were founded to be a proving ground for everyday automotive vehicles," he said. "From there you make road cars and road safety better. "Hopefully we can provide the technology and have regularly available components that can make any race car accessible for anyone that needs hand controls or any other form of disability." This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 27, 2024. Follow jchidleyhill.bsky.social on Bluesky. John Chidley-Hill, The Canadian PressOnly four players have netted more goals than Wolves' Matheus Cunha in the first 18 matches of this Premier League season. Alexander Isak is the only player to have achieved this feat without the aid of a single penalty. When you factor in Cunha's assists (four), he ranks sixth in the league for overall contributions. This achievement is even more impressive considering Wolves are currently languishing in 17th place, teetering just above the relegation zone. The next player from a higher-placed team on this list is Bryan Mbeumo of Brentford, who sits in 12th place. He is followed by Jarrod Bowen of West Ham, who is 13th in the league and 17th in the contribution chart. Such statistics are significant indicators of a player's worth, value, and performance. It's no surprise then that Liverpool are reportedly interested in Wolves' star player. As we head into 2025, Manchester City, Manchester United, Arsenal, and Newcastle are all said to be vying for Cunha. Despite the interest and his impressive form, Cunha is not reported to be seeking a move away next month, reports the Liverpool Echo . However, he is certainly one to watch in the upcoming winter and summer transfer windows. After finishing last season with 12 goals and seven assists - only one of which was a penalty - Cunha's consistent performances are demanding attention. Having shown promise at Hertha Berlin and Atletico Madrid, he is now emerging as a standout player in the Premier League. Despite his tender years, the Brazilian international has always commanded hefty transfer fees. RB Leipzig shelled out over £10million to secure him as a teenager before nearly doubling their investment two years later in a Bundesliga switch. Fast forward 18 months and it was Diego Simeone again forking out almost twice as much with Atleti. Wolves were swayed by his six-month loan stint and splashed out over £45million to bring him to Molineux. It's rumoured that at least the same amount will be needed to prise Cunha away from Wolves in 2025. Given his current form, it's a price tag that's hard to dispute. If anything, considering the current market rates, it's probably less than might have been anticipated. Wolves aren't under any pressure to sell at the moment, and their fortunes have started to improve under Vitor Pereira. If they manage to avoid relegation, it will only strengthen their resolve to retain him. Such has been Cunha's meteoric rise, his estimated value has skyrocketed along with his reputation in the game. Shortly after his loan move to Wolves, Transfermarkt valued him at just over £25million. That figure has steadily increased, reflecting his significant influence on the pitch. This time last year, his price tag was pegged at just under £30million, ending last season at over £40million - a valuation in line with Wolves' assessment of him as a player. Now, it sits even higher at nearly £45million. The CIES Football Observatory concurs, valuing him at £43million earlier this season. Liverpool will have to dig deep to lure him away from the Midlands, and it's a bitter pill to swallow considering how his stock has risen and how readily available he might have been in the past. However, when you're competing at the top of the table, there's little room for manoeuvre and waiting for Cunha to hit his stride isn't much of an option either. The fact that he was snapped up for £25million just over three years ago and is now worth significantly more is a tough blow. But that's the nature of the game at the highest level, and Liverpool may well see it as a fair price to pay now.
A last round of negotiations on a legally binding treaty to address the global scourge of plastic pollution has opened in Busan, South Korea. Here's what to know about it: Nations are deciding what actions they'll take National delegations still have a lot to hammer out before there is a treaty. Most contentious is whether there will be a limit on the amount of plastic that companies are allowed to produce. Led by Norway and Rwanda, 66 countries plus the European Union say they want to address the total plastic on Earth by controlling plastic design, production, consumption and what happens at the end of its life. Some plastic-producing and oil and gas countries, including Saudi Arabia, vigorously oppose such limits. Global plastics production is set to reach 736 million tons by 2040, up 70% from 2020, without policy changes, according to the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development. Stay in the know on jobs, retail and all things business across Long Island. By clicking Sign up, you agree to our privacy policy . Negotiators must also decide whether the treaty will reduce or eliminate single-use plastics. They'll have to resolve whether to end the use of hazardous chemicals in plastics and whether these steps will be mandated or merely encouraged. Their common objective is to protect human health and the environment. Environment activists stage a rally calling for a strong global plastics treaty ahead of the fifth session of the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee on Plastic Pollution which sets to be held from Nov. 25 to Dec. 1 in Busan, South Korea, Saturday, Nov. 23, 2024. Credit: AP/Son Hyung-joo There are some things many countries agree on. They want provisions in a treaty to promote the redesign of plastic products so they can be recycled and reused. They want to invest to better manage plastic waste. They want to increase recycling rates and help waste pickers transition to safer jobs. There is agreement that there needs to be a mechanism to help countries pay for anything required of them. Environmental groups and Indigenous leaders want a holistic approach Graham Forbes, who is leading a Greenpeace delegation in Busan, said his group could support an agreement that puts sensible guardrails in place to reduce the amount of plastic produced, eliminates toxic chemicals and protects people from the uncontrolled use of plastics. That's achievable, but will take political leadership and courage not seen yet in earlier negotiations, he added. Frankie Orona, executive director of the Texas-based Society of Native Nations, said they demand a treaty that tackles the root causes of the crisis rather than just managing plastic waste. “We must seize this moment and leave a legacy we can be proud of, with a non-toxic sustainable future for all children and our children's children," he said. Environment activists shout slogans during a rally calling for a strong global plastics treaty ahead of the fifth session of the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee on Plastic Pollution which set to be held in Busan from Nov. 25 to Dec. 1, in Seoul, South Korea, Wednesday, Nov. 20, 2024. Credit: AP/Lee Jin-man The plastics industry wants to focus on redesign, recycling and reuse Industry leaders want an agreement that prevents plastic pollution by redesigning plastics to be reused, recycled and remade into new products. They say this will keep the materials in circulation and out of the environment. Company executives said they'll support a treaty that recognizes plastics' benefits to society, while ending pollution. “I would hate to miss this opportunity because we get fixated on issues that divide us rather than unite us in this purpose of ultimately addressing the issue of plastic pollution," said Steve Prusak, president and CEO of Chevron Phillips Chemical Company. "It’s a really critical time. We’re really hopeful that what we get out of the meetings will lead to practical, implementable policies and harmonization across the globe.” The U.N. wants negotiators to reach an agreement in Busan U.N. Environment Programme Executive Director Inger Andersen said the treaty talks are a historic opportunity to land an agreement and course-correct, something “entirely within our reach.” “We can sit and wait and negotiate and negotiate and negotiate. But meanwhile our oceans are chockablock with plastic,” she said.Residents of Masiphumelele in Cape Town are devastated after a fire tore through the area on Monday morning, 23 December 2024, leaving homes and belongings in ruins. (Gift of the Givers/Supplied) Cape Town has faced a series of devastating fires this December, displacing more than 900 residents. The municipality has called on President Cyril Ramaphosa and the human settlements minister to urgently devolve the Emergency Housing Grant to the City. According to disaster management guidelines, victims should receive assistance within 24 hours, which is rarely achieved. The City of Cape Town's mayoral committee member for human settlements, Carl Pophaim, has called on President Cyril Ramaphosa and Human Settlements Minister Thembi Simelane to urgently devolve the Emergency Housing Grant to the City, saying this will enable quicker assistance to fire-affected residents in informal settlements. window._brandmetrics = window._brandmetrics || []; window._brandmetrics.push({ cmd: '_loadsurvey' }); Cape Town has faced a series of devastating fires this December, displacing more than 900 residents. Areas most affected include Masiphumelele, Wag 'n Bietjie in Nomzamo, Dunoon, and Langa. WATCH | Hundreds left homeless after fire rips through Cape Town informal settlement on Boxing Day The City's human settlements directorate provides the national Department of Human Settlements with data on affected residents to facilitate relief efforts. However, Pophaim stressed that delays often hinder timely support. According to disaster management guidelines, victims should receive assistance within 24 hours, which is rarely achieved. Due to budget constraints, the City ceased providing emergency building kits for flood and fire victims in 2020. "I am appealing to President Ramaphosa and Minister Simelane to urgently devolve the Emergency Housing Grant to the City of Cape Town so we can assist fire-affected residents as quickly as possible," said Pophaim. "Our teams remain on site to assist impacted residents wherever feasible, and we will continue to monitor the situation closely." Tawanta Pawantiwa, a Masiphumelele fire victim, echoed Pophaim's sentiments. "If the fund was managed by local government, it would help us greatly," said Pawantiwa. She added: Fires often happen in the early hours of the morning, and while identification of victims is done by noon, no material is delivered. "We end up sleeping in community halls, and the few items we manage to save often get stolen or lost." READ | 'I'm not looking forward to this Christmas': Masiphumelele fire victims count their losses Simelane, who visited victims in Dunoon and Wag 'n Bietjie on Friday, acknowledged the failure to meet the 24-hour disaster response guideline. She attributed the delays to the holiday period but expressed a commitment to improving response times, saying she was "hopeful" that there would be a positive difference. "We are also looking into long-term solutions [to prevent the fires]. Ultimately, we need to formalise our informal settlements and learn from what we have been doing better." Simelane also warned that more fires could occur due to weather conditions and activities during the festive season, underscoring the urgency of preparedness and response efforts. We live in a world where facts and fiction get blurred Who we choose to trust can have a profound impact on our lives. Join thousands of devoted South Africans who look to News24 to bring them news they can trust every day. As we celebrate 25 years, become a News24 subscriber as we strive to keep you informed, inspired and empowered. Join News24 today Related Links Ramaphosa laments nearly 28 million South Africans on social grants AG slams Eastern Cape for failing to spend R99m meant for housing... OPINION | Tara Roos: Digital nomads, go back to your country
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