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They were sentenced to decades behind bars for their heinous crimes but now want their sentences cut These are the faces of six criminals who committed heinous crimes but now don't want to do the time as they try desperately to appeal their convictions. From shameful child killer Thomas Cashman who was jailed for life with a minimum term of 42 years to shooter Connor Chapman, who killed Elle Edwards on Christmas Eve. At the time they committed their crimes, it is unlikely they paid much thought to the repercussions and now they can't face the prospect of possibly spending their whole life behind bars. Here the ECHO takes a look at some of the criminals who, since their incarceration, have lodged appeals to have their sentences cut or overturned completely and what the outcome was. Thomas Cashman Child killer Thomas Cashman was branded shameful over his attempts to appeal his sentence and conviction. Cashman , 35, was jailed for life with a minimum term of 42 years in prison after a trial at Manchester Crown Court in March 2023. Olivia Pratt-Korbel, nine, died on August 22, 2022, after Cashman fired a bullet through the front door of her family home in Kingsheath Avenue, Dovecot , shortly after 10pm. The bullet hit her mum, Cheryl Korbel, in the wrist before striking the St Margaret Mary's Primary School pupil in the chest, causing catastrophic injuries. Cashman, formerly of Grenadier Drive in West Derby , had been attempting to kill convicted drug dealer Joseph Nee , now 36, before the hit went disastrously wrong. On November 15, 2023, Cashman had his second appeal bid crushed by the Court of Appeal. In July his application for permission to challenge his 42-year minimum term was rejected by a judge without a hearing. In November John Cooper, KC, representing Cashman, renewed an application to appeal his client's sentence after his initial written application was rejected. In oral arguments at the Royal Courts of Justice in London, watched over video-link by Olivia's family, Mr Cooper argued that trial judge, Mrs Justice Yip, had imposed too high a minimum term . He said: "The aggravating factors were too heavily relied upon to increase the minimum term. In particular, the emphasis on planning and surveillance was a relevant factor to take into account, of course, it was, but too much emphasis was placed onto it for its sophistication.” On November 20 of this year, the killer once again appeared before the Court of Appeal in a bid to overturn his conviction . But this was thrown out by presiding judges Lord Justice Holroyde, Sir Stephen Irwin and Mr Justice Hilliard. Cashman's counsel John Cooper KC told the court that it should order an investigation into allegations that members of the jury were provided with panic alarms by the police during their deliberations. Mr Cooper also told the judges that the police had "been in" to see the jury and informed the jury that there were things they should know. The police had produced a folder of evidence that the jury had not been privy to. The information was said to have been provided to Cashman's solicitor Thomas Keaney by an unknown caller, who said the information had been passed to him via a friend and his dad who had met a juror over a pint. However, the Court of Appeal judges said: "We find it impossible to conceive how such a visit would have gone undetected by court staff as it happened. We are also unable to accept the suggestion that all twelve jurors who were visited in that way and presented with material which was not evidence in the case, breached the obligations so sternly expressed to them in the jury notice and failed to bring that to the attention of court staff or the judge. "The jury will have been warned time without number that they must only decide the case on the evidence, and must ignore all other public comment, and private questions and opinions addressed to them. Yet it is inherent in the scenario advanced that they then not only received this material in an obviously clandestine and illicit way, but then suppressed that fact, all of them ignoring the repeated injunctions to decide the case only on the evidence given in court, not one of them choosing to report the intrusion into the jury room despite the instructions in the jury notice, and all of them changing their verdicts as a result." Connor Chapman Connor Chapman lost a challenge against his 48-year minimum life sentence at the Court of Appeal in February this year. Chapman fatally shot Elle Edwards, 26, on Christmas Eve in 2022. He was convicted of Elle's murder last year. Chapman, 23, hit Elle twice in the back of the head when he fired 12 shots from a Skorpion submachine gun outside the Lighthouse pub in Wallasey Village, Wirral . A trial at Liverpool Crown Court last year was told five other people were injured in the shooting, with Chapman intending to murder two men Jake Duffy and Kieran Salkeld. The incident was said to be the culmination of a gang feud in Wirral, where there had been nine shootings in 2022. Trial judge Mr Justice Goose, sentencing Chapman, said: "You carefully planned a revenge attack in gang rivalry. You had no thought at all for anyone else, least of all to innocent people. The risk of all six being murdered by you was as substantial as it was obvious, but you didn’t care." At a hearing in London on Thursday, senior judges rejected Chapman's appeal against the length of his prison sentence. The Lady Chief Justice Baroness Carr, who considered the case alongside Mrs Justice May and Mr Justice Foxton, said they concluded the sentence was "severe, but not manifestly excessive". Lucy Letby Since being behind bars Lucy Letby has twice tried to appeal her convictions. In May after a two-and-a-half-day hearing, Letby's lawyers asked senior judges for approval to bring an appeal against her convictions for the murders of seven babies and the attempted murders of six others. Dame Victoria Sharp, sitting with Lord Justice Holroyde, refused Letby's request. In October of this year, Letby lost her bid to challenge her conviction for the attempted murder of a baby girl. Letby’s lawyers asked senior judges for approval to appeal against her most recent conviction after being found guilty following a retrial in July of attempting to kill a newborn known as Child K. Lawyers for the former nurse told the Court of Appeal that the attempted murder charge should have been “stayed” as an “abuse of process” due to “overwhelming and irremediable prejudice” caused by media coverage of her first trial and that the retrial should not have gone ahead. But three senior judges dismissed Letby’s bid following the hearing in London. Lord Justice William Davis, sitting with Lord Justice Jeremy Baker and Mrs Justice McGowan, said at the start of their ruling that they would “refuse permission” for Letby to challenge the conviction. Child serial killer Letby, 34, was previously sentenced to 14 whole life orders for the murders of seven babies and the attempted murders of six others, with two attempts on one child. She was sentenced to a 15th whole life term for the attack on Child K. The offences took place at the Countess of Chester Hospital’s neonatal unit, where Letby worked as a nurse, between June 2015 and June 2016. Natalie Bennett In October of this year, Natalie Bennett applied for permission to appeal her 18-year minimum prison term for the murder of her boyfriend Kasey Anderson. Bennett was found guilty of murdering Kasey after a trial at Liverpool Crown Court in November . The jury heard Kasey was killed a week before his 25th birthday in March last year after being slashed several times with a knife and suffering two stab wounds. A hearing was set to take place at the Court of Appeal in London, on October 24, before judges Lord Justice Holgate, Mrs Justice Stacey and Sir Nigel Davis. The Court of Appeal confirmed to the ECHO the hearing is over a "renewed application for leave to appeal against sentence and for a Representation Order". Bennett, who was aged 47 when she was convicted, plunged a knife into Kasey's heart before attempting to stab him in the head as he lay gravely injured in the neighbour's driveway and pleading for help, telling a 999 call handler that "he was dying". The Court of Appeal confirmed to the ECHO that Bennett's "application for leave to appeal against the sentence was "dismissed" by the court. Eddie Ratcliffe Eddie Ratcliffe, one of the teenagers found guilty of murdering Brianna Ghey, had his sentence appeal rejected after it was claimed it should be reduced due to a lack of consideration for his "maturity". Brianna, from Warrington , was just 16 when she was lured to Culcheth Linear Park by Scarlett Jenkinson and Eddie Ratcliffe. The unsuspecting Birchwood Community High School pupil was stabbed 28 times and her body was left to be discovered by dog walkers. The teenage killers coordinated their crime through sinister messages on WhatsApp, fuelled by dark web content. Both 16 at the time, Ratcliffe and Jenkinson, were handed life sentences in February this year, with minimum terms of 20 years and 22 years, respectively, for their roles in the brutal killing. At a hearing today, Thursday, December 5, lawyers for Ratcliffe, who has been diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder and selective mutism, argued the judge did not "sufficiently" consider his age and maturity when deciding his sentence. Richard Littler KC, representing Ratcliffe, stated at the London court: "It is culpability and maturity which are at the heart of this application. It is right to say that on any analysis of the applicant's maturity, he is closer to the starting point of a 14-year-old rather than a 17-year-old boy. The point we make is age and maturity were very important issues in this case and could very much affect the end result for this particular applicant." Mr Littler remarked that Ratcliffe had been found to have "poor social skills" and "immaturity", as well as "a lower-than-expected ability to express what he thinks or articulate his ideas", further commenting the sentence was "far too high". He said: "There is no doubt they were taken into account, but they were not taken into account fully." The Crown Prosecution Service contested the appeal and the Court of Appeal judges found that the "starting point of 20 years for the minimum term was correct". Delivering the ruling, Lady Chief Justice Baroness Carr said the sentence imposed by Mrs Justice Yip in February was "neither manifestly excessive nor wrong in principle". She added: "The proposed grounds are not arguable. The applicant's application for leave to appeal against sentence is refused." Wearing a dark suit, shirt, and tie, Ratcliffe appeared at the hearing with his mum in the courtroom via video link. Brianna's family also followed proceedings remotely. Khairi Saadallah The family of murdered schoolteacher James Furlong welcomed his killer's failed Court of Appeal bid against his sentence. The 36-year-old from Liverpool was killed in a terror attack in Reading on June 20, 2020, by Khairi Saadallah. Saadallah also fatally stabbed Mr Furlong's friends, Dr David Wails, 49, and Joseph Ritchie-Bennett, 39 - as the victims were enjoying a summer evening after the first lockdown restrictions in England were relaxed. Three other people - Stephen Young, 51, Patrick Edwards, 29, and Nishit Nisudan, 34 - were also injured before Saadallah threw away the eight-inch knife and ran off, pursued by an off-duty police officer. Saadallah, of Basingstoke Road, Reading, pleaded guilty to three murders and three attempted murders - and was sentenced to a whole life order by Mr Justice Sweeney in January this year - who described the incident as a "rare and exceptional" case. In October 2021, Saadallah appeared at the Court of Appeal in London via video link from Belmarsh Prison, wearing a dark jumper, to challenge the length of his sentence. However, after a hearing, the Lord Chief Justice Lord Burnett, sitting with Mrs Justice Cheema-Grubb and Mr Justice Henshaw, said his challenge had been unsuccessful. In a joint statement, the three men's families welcomed the upholding of his sentence after senior judges rejected Saadallah's appeal bid. The statement said: "While nothing can bring back James, David and Joseph it gives us some comfort to know that Saadallah will spend the whole of the rest of his life behind bars and that the public will be protected from this dangerous man. "The loss of James, Joseph and David has left a vast hole in all of our lives and not a day goes by that we don't miss them tremendously."p777 slot 。

With one week of games remaining, UW's bowl picture is a little bit clearer. The Huskies are already bowl eligible. Washington knows it has at least one more game remaining as it prepares to face No. 1 Oregon at Autzen Stadium in Eugene. The past weekend's games around the country, however, provided a little more clarity to Washington's potential bowl destinations while the Huskies enjoyed a well-earned bye week. "We'll just wait and see how it plays out," UW coach Jedd Fisch said on Monday. "I think there's a lot more that goes into it other than our game against Oregon." As a reminder, Washington and the rest of the former Pac-12 schools are still tied to the bowl games which had signed contracts with the old conference through the 2025 season. The bowls will pick in the following order: ■ College Football Playoff ■ Alamo Bowl: Dec. 28 vs. Big 12 in San Antonio ■ Holiday Bowl: Dec. 27 vs. ACC in San Diego ■ Las Vegas Bowl: Dec. 27 vs. SEC in Las Vegas ■ Sun Bowl: Dec. 31 vs. ACC in El Paso, Texas ■ LA Bowl: Dec. 18 vs. Mountain West in Los Angeles ■ Independence Bowl: Dec. 28 vs. American Athletic Conference in Shreveport, La. What changed from a week ago? For starters, No. 25 Colorado made its path to the Big 12 championship game and a potential CFP berth a lot more difficult by losing to Kansas 37-21, despite the Jayhawks only having four wins before beating the Buff aloes. Coach Deion Sanders' team is still in contention for the conference championship game, and Colorado plays Oklahoma State, currently 0-8 in Big 12 play, for its regular-season finale. But the Buff aloes had a clear route to the conference title game and an automatic bid to the CFP if they simply won out. Now, they'll have to win their final game and hope other results break their way to have a shot at the Big 12 championship. While Colorado faltered, No. 16 Arizona State put itself in pole position for the Big 12 championship game by knocking off No. 19 BYU 28-23. Four teams — Arizona State, BYU, Colorado and No. 18 Iowa State — are 6-2 in the Big 12 this season. If all four win their regular-season finales, then the Sun Devils and Cyclones will play for the conference championship based on Big 12 tiebreakers. Arizona State travels to Arizona for the Territorial Cup this weekend. "We have to see what happens in the Big 12, if any of the old Pac-12 teams make it, whether that be Arizona State or Colorado," Fisch said. Arizona, Fisch's former program, was eliminated from bowl contention following a 49-28 drubbing against TCU. Utah was similarly ruled out of the postseason after picking up its seventh loss of the season during a 31-28 loss against Iowa State. UCLA also joined Arizona, Utah and Stanford — eliminated weeks ago — by losing its rivalry game against USC 19-13. It was a crucial win for USC, which earned bowl eligibility before playing No. 5 Notre Dame this weekend. California also reached the postseason for a second-consecutive season by beating Stanford 24-21. Finally, Oregon State kept its bowl hopes alive by defeating bowl-eligible Washington State 41-38 in what was essentially the Pac-12 championship game this season. However, OSU fell to No. 11 Boise State and missed out on becoming bowl-eligible. How does this impact UW? As Fisch said, Washington is mainly impacted by whether Arizona State or Colorado can reach the Big 12 championship game. No. 1 Oregon is almost assured a CFP berth, even if UW pulls off the upset this weekend. If Arizona State or Colorado joins Oregon in the playoff , it eff ectively moves every team up one spot in the order. However, because the team's don't play in the same conference anymore, the bowl teams don't have to respect records or head-tohead results. Instead, bowl executives will be considering which fan bases are going to travel or whether teams have been in their game recently, because no team is supposed to play in the same bowl game two years in a row. This becomes relevant for UW because of USC. Both teams are likely going to enter bowl season with a 6-6 record, and the Huskies beat the Trojans 26-21 at Husky Stadium earlier this season. However, the selection process this year simply comes down to the bowl executives' preference. The Las Vegas Bowl, for example, may like the Trojans because of their game's proximity to Los Angeles and the large number of USC fans in the city. Or maybe it takes Washington because USC opened its season with a game against LSU at Allegiant Stadium. What to watch this weekend? For any Washington fans interested in figuring out where the Huskies might be playing, keeping an eye on all of the Big 12 teams in contention for the championship game will be important. Arizona State is essentially in with a win. Colorado has to win and needs two of the other 6-2 Big 12 teams to lose. Or it needs specifically BYU and West Virginia to lose so the Buff aloes can advance on tiebreakers. There is also a vague chance the Big 12 misses the playoff altogether. The five highest-ranked conference champions earn automatic bids to the CFP. Arizona State currently has the highest ranking of any Big 12 school, but the Big Ten, SEC, ACC and Mountain West all have teams ranked higher, while No. 17 Tulane sits right behind ASU and in front of BYU and Iowa State. UW fans may also want to keep an eye on USC's matchup with Notre Dame. A Trojan win on Saturday coupled with a Husky loss almost assures USC will be selected before Washington. Finally, Cal's season finale against No. 9 SMU is intriguing. The Golden Bears have lost five games by a total of 17 combined points this season. Cal's defeats against No. 6 Miami, Pittsburgh and NC State were by less than a field goal. SMU, meanwhile, has played exactly one currently ranked team — BYU — and lost 18-15. Cal beating SMU probably elevates it above Washington in the bowl order. Washington, of course, can raise its own stock by taking down Oregon this week, too. "We're just going to try and control our own destiny by playing really well Saturday and then see what bowl game chooses us," Fisch said. "Then we're going to out there and try to make that a championship month of December and a championship game wherever we go." Get local news delivered to your inbox!

Jimmy Carter, the 39th US president, has died at 100

Larson Financial Group LLC lifted its stake in MetLife, Inc. ( NYSE:MET – Free Report ) by 59.5% during the 3rd quarter, according to the company in its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The fund owned 906 shares of the financial services provider’s stock after acquiring an additional 338 shares during the period. Larson Financial Group LLC’s holdings in MetLife were worth $75,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period. Other institutional investors and hedge funds have also bought and sold shares of the company. Acadian Asset Management LLC increased its holdings in shares of MetLife by 7,837.0% during the 2nd quarter. Acadian Asset Management LLC now owns 1,129,353 shares of the financial services provider’s stock worth $79,250,000 after purchasing an additional 1,115,124 shares during the period. Dimensional Fund Advisors LP increased its stake in MetLife by 22.4% during the second quarter. Dimensional Fund Advisors LP now owns 5,396,274 shares of the financial services provider’s stock valued at $378,799,000 after acquiring an additional 988,666 shares during the period. BNP PARIBAS ASSET MANAGEMENT Holding S.A. raised its holdings in MetLife by 79.1% in the 3rd quarter. BNP PARIBAS ASSET MANAGEMENT Holding S.A. now owns 1,726,209 shares of the financial services provider’s stock valued at $142,378,000 after acquiring an additional 762,291 shares in the last quarter. Public Sector Pension Investment Board lifted its position in shares of MetLife by 347.4% in the 2nd quarter. Public Sector Pension Investment Board now owns 432,887 shares of the financial services provider’s stock worth $30,384,000 after acquiring an additional 336,127 shares during the period. Finally, Legal & General Group Plc grew its holdings in shares of MetLife by 5.4% during the 2nd quarter. Legal & General Group Plc now owns 5,299,800 shares of the financial services provider’s stock worth $371,993,000 after purchasing an additional 269,246 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors own 89.81% of the company’s stock. Wall Street Analyst Weigh In Several brokerages recently commented on MET. TD Cowen raised their target price on MetLife from $97.00 to $99.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a research report on Wednesday. Barclays decreased their target price on shares of MetLife from $91.00 to $90.00 and set an “overweight” rating on the stock in a research report on Thursday, October 31st. Morgan Stanley dropped their price target on shares of MetLife from $86.00 to $85.00 and set an “overweight” rating for the company in a research report on Monday, August 19th. Wells Fargo & Company lifted their price objective on MetLife from $92.00 to $93.00 and gave the company an “overweight” rating in a report on Tuesday, November 5th. Finally, Jefferies Financial Group increased their target price on MetLife from $89.00 to $95.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a report on Friday, September 27th. Fourteen analysts have rated the stock with a buy rating, According to MarketBeat, MetLife currently has a consensus rating of “Buy” and a consensus price target of $88.62. MetLife Price Performance MetLife stock opened at $88.20 on Friday. The business’s fifty day moving average is $83.34 and its two-hundred day moving average is $76.57. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.51, a quick ratio of 0.16 and a current ratio of 0.16. The firm has a market cap of $61.07 billion, a P/E ratio of 17.78, a P/E/G ratio of 0.81 and a beta of 1.05. MetLife, Inc. has a 52 week low of $63.02 and a 52 week high of $89.05. MetLife Dividend Announcement The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, December 16th. Investors of record on Tuesday, November 5th will be given a dividend of $0.545 per share. The ex-dividend date is Tuesday, November 5th. This represents a $2.18 annualized dividend and a yield of 2.47%. MetLife’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 43.95%. MetLife Profile ( Free Report ) MetLife, Inc, a financial services company, provides insurance, annuities, employee benefits, and asset management services worldwide. It operates through six segments: Retirement and Income Solutions; Group Benefits; Asia; Latin America; Europe, the Middle East and Africa; and MetLife Holdings. The company offers life, dental, group short-and long-term disability, individual disability, pet insurance, accidental death and dismemberment, vision, and accident and health coverages, as well as prepaid legal plans; administrative services-only arrangements to employers; and general and separate account, and synthetic guaranteed interest contracts, as well as private floating rate funding agreements. Further Reading Receive News & Ratings for MetLife Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for MetLife and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter .

Trade Minister Cheong In-kyo speaks during an event in Seoul, Dec. 16. Yonhap Korea is expected to extend its on-year export gains to 15 consecutive months in December despite external challenges, Trade Minister Cheong In-kyo said Friday. Cheong made the remark during a meeting with government officials, noting the country is also set to post a trade surplus for 19 straight months, according to the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy. "Ahead of the launch of the new United States administration, uncertainties at home and abroad concerning exports are escalating, especially in the wake of domestic political turmoil," Cheong said. "The government will maintain close communication with the private sector to minimize negative fallout while pursuing new opportunities, extending its efforts to provide full-fledged support to the economy and businesses," Cheong added. The ministry, meanwhile, said Korea's exports to seven out of nine major trade partners expanded on-year over the January-November period. Outbound shipments to China, the top trade partner, rose 6.4 percent over the period, driven by demand for chips, information technology products and petrochemical goods. Exports to the U.S. also jumped 11 percent, supported by strong performances in automobiles, machinery and chips, the ministry added. Over the first 20 days of December, Korea's exports increased 6.8 percent from the previous year due to growing demand for semiconductors, separate government data showed earlier this month. Korea is set to announce its full monthly trade report Wednesday. (Yonhap) To remove this article -

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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) An industry shakeup 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) What would Honda need from Nissan? 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." Why now? 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. More headwinds 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. The business news you need Get the latest local business news delivered FREE to your inbox weekly.SGTC’s Lane Parton receives the SkillsUSA – Aerotek 2025 “Make Your Mark” scholarship

A.P. govt. ties up with ISB wing to improve livelihoods of tribal communitiesState stocks lakes with troutWhen investing in stocks of high-quality , you don’t always get an initial bargain on your purchase price. High-quality companies often trade at a premium to peers and other companies in the market. This is because they have a secret sauce that enables them to consistently deliver for shareholders. Every great high-quality stock has a secret sauce That secret sauce might be a combination of great products/services, a top management team, a thoughtful strategy, , a durable balance sheet, or a massive economic tailwind. Many of these companies have already delivered strong, winning returns for shareholders. This means their secret sauce is proven and likely to be repeated. Winners are likely to keep winning. You don’t get these companies on the , but they always end up being cheap over long investment periods. If you are looking for stocks that are predictable and productive investments, here are two top Canadian stocks to hold for years (and maybe even decades) ahead. One of the highest-quality businesses in Canada ( ) has to be at the top of the list for companies that persistently outperform the market. Over the past 10 years, the stock has delivered a 30% compounded annual rate of return. The past five years have been almost as good at 26%. The key to Constellation’s success is capital allocation. It can buy cash-generating vertical market software (VMS) businesses at attractive prices. It reaps the cash flow and then invests it into more businesses. With hundreds of deals completed, it has the process, know-how, and best practices to make these businesses cash machines. Given that Constellation has a of $97 billion, the law of large numbers means it will be harder to multiply the bigger it gets. The good news is that Constellation has been spinning out larger, specific parts of its business. Its European and telecommunication spin-offs have been very successful already. There are likely more spinouts to come. Its entire executive team are major shareholders of the stock. As a result, their incentives to continue succeeding are highly aligned with shareholders. If there is any stock to hold over a lifetime, Constellation Software is it. A real estate stock with a great long-term record ( ) has a little of everything for a quality-focused investor. It has a great long-term track record. Its stock has compounded total returns by about a 17% compounded rate over the past 20 years. Its returns have not been as good as Constellation, but they are still impressive over such a long period of time. With a market cap of only $7.1 billion, it could still become substantially larger. Colliers has one of the best brands in the commercial real estate brokerage industry. It has expanded its services across the world. Interestingly, Colliers is so much more than a broker. In fact, over 70% of its income now comes from highly recurring, higher-margin services. This includes financing, property management, consulting, engineering/project management, and asset management. The company uses a combination of organic investments and smart acquisitions to grow. In recent years, it has drastically expanded its focus on asset management, as well as consulting/project management services. Its chief executive officer remains highly invested in the stock and his incentive structure is aligned to deliver long-term shareholder value. Despite its great record, Colliers is not on many investors’ radar. As it continues to prove its strategy, shareholders should see a nice boost as it gets more attention.

The man tasked with running the under-administration Queensland construction division of the CFMEU has called on the new state government to engage with him to ensure the safety of workers while hitting out at recent LNP attacks. In his first public comments in the role, Travis O’Brien called a media conference outside the union’s Bowen Hills state headquarters late yesterday to express “deep disappointment” in statements made by Police Minister Dan Purdie a day earlier. Purdie had accused the state union of being in “lockstep” with outlaw motorcycle gangs after its national administrator arranged security for the Brisbane, Sydney and Melbourne offices in response to threats from bikies and others ostracised from it. “The minister’s comments have jeopardised the safety not only of organisers and staff, they are just plain wrong,” O’Brien said, confirming threats had been made against Queensland officials, but noting it would be “irresponsible” to go into detail. “I have to be responsible enough to not look for column-inches in the gossip column, and I ask the police minister to take the same approach,” he said. “To be clear, and I want to be as clear as I can be, the CFMEU [in Queensland] is not in lockstep with bikies. That is just wrong. If the new government is opposed to organised crime in the construction industry, I suggest they have a look at some of the building companies currently engaged on government-funded projects.” O’Brien criticised the LNP’s dumping of the former Labor government’s Best Practice Industry Conditions procurement policy as a way to ensure projects were kept on time and budget – noting some under such conditions were. With the LNP making clear they would refuse to deal with the union, despite it still operating under administration for its more than 20,000 members in the state after allegations of organised crime links and corruption against Victorian and NSW figures, O’Brien called on the government to “stop playing politics”. “Stop looking for clickbait, and instead sit down with me to talk about how we can ensure that construction workers in Queensland are staying safe,” he said. “I am convinced that the actions of this government are going to lead to increased risks on site that will include workers being killed.” It was only a matter of time before billionaire X owner Elon Musk weighed in on Australia’s bid to ban social media for children under 16. Last night, Musk reposted a statement from Prime Minister Anthony Albanese about the introduction of the ban to the parliament, writing that the move “seems like a backdoor way to control access to the Internet by all Australians”. The ban is being fast-tracked through parliament, with Albanese saying the government wanted this “action to happen as soon as possible”, as the opposition confirmed it would work constructively to see the bill passed next week. A teenage girl has been reported missing in Ipswich. The 14-year-old was last seen on Thursday at a property in Bell Street about 8am. The teenager was last seen in Bell Street, Ipswich. Credit: QPS The girl is about 160 centimetres tall, with blonde hair and blue eyes, and was wearing a black hoodie and tracksuit pants when she was last seen. She is known to frequently visit Collingwood Park and Redbank. Police are calling for anyone with relevant information to come forward. Townsville City Mayor Troy Thompson had been suspended from his position. Thompson had been the subject of investigation for almost 250 days, following allegations of suspected voter fraud during his March 2024 mayoral election campaign, including a claim he served five years in the army. In an interview on Nine’s A Current Affair* earlier this year he acknowledged misleading voters about his military record, blaming “100-plus” concussions. Minister for Local Government Ann Leahy said in a statement yesterday that she had signed off on regulation to suspend Thompson for 12 months on full pay. “During his suspension Mr Thompson cannot perform any of the duties of a councillor or mayor,” Leahy said. “This result is a win for the residents of Townsville who deserve stability and a functioning local government.” In a statement released on October 21, when Thompson was required to submit evidence for the ongoing investigation, Thompson said he would not step down of his own accord. “Should I be suspended by the minister, I will respect her decision at this time, but I will challenge this and look to a high court injunction, if required,” his statement read. During Thompson’s suspension, Deputy Mayor Paul Jacob was expected to assume the role of acting mayor. *Nine also owns this masthead. As the government continues to delay its gambling ad policy announcement, opposition communications spokesperson David Coleman said it was “remarkable” that Communications Minister Michelle Rowland conceded no decision had been made. It’s now been well over a year since a parliamentary inquiry chaired by late Labor MP Peta Murphy recommended a ban on all gambling ads across television, radio, newspapers and online within three years. “The prime minister is scared that whatever he announces on gambling advertising is going to upset people, so he’s taking the weak option and basically doing nothing,” Coleman told ABC’s RN Breakfast . “So the position he’s taken is do nothing, and that has very real consequences. And it’s well past time that action was taken.” Coleman was pushed repeatedly on whether the Coalition would go one step further and commit to a full ban on gambling ads. Coleman avoided the question, deferring to a promised response to any policy the government announces. “We’ve got a policy that we put in place already... The next step is for the government of Australia to have an opinion on this issue.” Foreign Minister Penny Wong has responded to the International Criminal Court issuing arrest warrants for Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, former defence chief Yoav Gallant, and Hamas leader Ibrahim Al-Masri, for alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity in the Gaza conflict. “Australia respects the independence of the ICC and its important role in upholding international law,” Wong wrote in a statement posted to X. “Australia is focused on working with countries that want peace to press for an urgently needed ceasefire.” The man tasked with running the under-administration Queensland construction division of the CFMEU has called on the new state government to engage with him to ensure the safety of workers while hitting out at recent LNP attacks. In his first public comments in the role, Travis O’Brien called a media conference outside the union’s Bowen Hills state headquarters late yesterday to express “deep disappointment” in statements made by Police Minister Dan Purdie a day earlier. Purdie had accused the state union of being in “lockstep” with outlaw motorcycle gangs after its national administrator arranged security for the Brisbane, Sydney and Melbourne offices in response to threats from bikies and others ostracised from it. “The minister’s comments have jeopardised the safety not only of organisers and staff, they are just plain wrong,” O’Brien said, confirming threats had been made against Queensland officials, but noting it would be “irresponsible” to go into detail. “I have to be responsible enough to not look for column-inches in the gossip column, and I ask the police minister to take the same approach,” he said. “To be clear, and I want to be as clear as I can be, the CFMEU [in Queensland] is not in lockstep with bikies. That is just wrong. If the new government is opposed to organised crime in the construction industry, I suggest they have a look at some of the building companies currently engaged on government-funded projects.” O’Brien criticised the LNP’s dumping of the former Labor government’s Best Practice Industry Conditions procurement policy as a way to ensure projects were kept on time and budget – noting some under such conditions were. With the LNP making clear they would refuse to deal with the union, despite it still operating under administration for its more than 20,000 members in the state after allegations of organised crime links and corruption against Victorian and NSW figures, O’Brien called on the government to “stop playing politics”. “Stop looking for clickbait, and instead sit down with me to talk about how we can ensure that construction workers in Queensland are staying safe,” he said. “I am convinced that the actions of this government are going to lead to increased risks on site that will include workers being killed.” Another wet one is forecast for Brisbane today, so don’t forget your umbrella. The bureau predicts a high chance of showers, both in the morning and in the afternoon. It should be a clearer weekend, however, with the chance of showers much lower on both days. And today the maximum temperature should top out at a cool 25 degrees, before higher daily maximums for much of next week. Here’s the outlook into the weekend and beyond: Here’s what’s happening beyond Brisbane this morning: Simone White, the 28-year British lawyer who died in the suspected methanol poisoning incident in Laos. Credit: Facebook A British woman who fell ill after drinking contaminated alcohol in Laos has died, the fifth foreign national now suspected to have died in the incident. Four other tourists – including Australian Bianca Jones , two Danes and an American – have died in the incident. Some households face spending more than their entire income to keep a roof over their head. Far-right Republican Matt Gaetz has withdrawn his bid to become Donald Trump’s attorney-general amid ongoing revelations of alleged sexual misconduct involving an underage girl. Black Friday can be both tempting and overwhelming, so here are a few ways to get the most out of any bargain . And in sport, the WA premier and $500m went to Sydney . The Perth Bears dream is alive and well. The mood in India: Complacency and anxiety, but this Test battle will decide the series. Good morning, thanks for joining us for Brisbane Times’ live news blog. It’s Friday, November 22, and we’re expecting showers today and a top temperature of 24 degrees. In this morning’s local headlines: A busy Riverside Expressway off-ramp has closed to traffic at least four times this week because debris from the Queen’s Wharf development caused the road to flood. The off-ramp may need to close again today, for a more extensive investigation into the blockages. Transport workers clear the Margaret Street off-ramp debris. Credit: Catherine Strohfeldt A report has found households in the four outer urban councils forming Greater Brisbane have less than half the access to frequent public transport than their more central city neighbours. As Brisbane-born Nathan McSweeney prepares to take on India as Australia’s new opening batsman, his old junior teammate and Brisbane Heat paceman Xavier Bartlett says McSweeney has the makings of a Test star. And are you strong on current affairs, or just good at guessing? Try out the weekly Brisbane Times Quiz.MO SALAH helped send Liverpool eight points clear at the top of the Premier League before firing off another contract warning. The Egyptian King grabbed one goal and two assists as Arne Slot's men thumped five past West Ham. But Salah, who is out of contract in the summer and can start talking to overseas clubs about a move in two days time, revealed a new Reds deal is still "far away". He said: "No we are far away from that and I don't want to put anything in the media and people start saying stuff. "Now I am focused on the team. "The only thing in my mind is for Liverpool to win the league, I just want to be part of that. "That is the only thing I have been focusing on since the start of the season. "I will do my best for the team to win a trophy, we are in the right direction. There are a few other teams catching up with us and we need to stay focused and humble and go again." Luis Diaz opened the scoring before Salah teed up Cody Gakpo with a superb turn and then scored his own goal before the break. Trent Alexander-Arnold 's deflected goal made it four before Salah then laid on Diogo Jota's 84th-minute goal. BEST FREE BET SIGN UP OFFERS FOR UK BOOKMAKER S Salah has scored at least 20 goals in all eight of his seasons at Liverpool and has now scored and assisted in eight separate league games this season - setting a new Premier League record. Slot said: "Mo and the word extraordinary is something I've heard a lot in the last six months and he truly deserves this and probably in the last eight years, but I'm involved in the last half year. "I don't think he keeps surprising us. We know what a player he is and we know he's able to do so. "But apart from that, he works really hard for the team also when the other team has the ball and yeah, we can only hope that he can keep bringing these performances in. "But I would like to add that if he scores, there's also a lead up to him scoring. "So there are also other players that bring him in these positions, but if you bring Mo in these positions, he's extraordinary." While Liverpool were rampant, West Ham offered little threat and no fight before being booed off at the London Stadium. Boss Julen Lopetegui said: "We are very sad for our fans. I am very sorry about this. It is true that they deserve more. It has been a bad day for us for sure. "The fans are always right and we understand them for sure. "We are trying to become competitive, sometimes we achieve this but we have to be better in these kind of matches at home in the second part of the season."Our land is speaking, are we listening?

Land is life. From the water we drink and food we eat to the air we breathe. The land also supports forests, rangelands, wetlands and other terrestrial habitats supporting millions of species; healthy land is at the heart of it all. And yet, we continue to hurt, damage and ultimately erase its very existence. This is the stark reality of land degradation, a silent crisis threatening the foundation of our planet. Around 40% of land globally is already degraded, impacting 3.2 billion people, according to the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD). That, however, is just today’s reality. This is a problem engulfing more land every day; in fact, every second the equivalent of four football fields of land becomes degraded. Every year, this amounts to 100 million hectares of land being degraded. In Türkiye, the threat of land degradation and desertification is an urgent and growing crisis, with nearly 60% of the country’s land classified as at-risk, according to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. This vulnerability is driven by climate change and unsustainable land practices, including deforestation, overgrazing and inefficient irrigation. According to research by Ankara University, the worst-hit regions include Central Anatolia, which has seen significant degradation, and also the Lake Tuz basin, which has experienced severe water depletion and salinity issues due to unsustainable agricultural expansion. In regions already susceptible to drought, these changes are making the soil less fertile and groundwater increasingly scarce, impacting an estimated 5 million people. UNCCD data shows the economic repercussions of this degradation are far-reaching. Türkiye’s agriculture sector is losing about $1 billion annually in productivity as degraded soil yields smaller harvests and more water is required for crop maintenance. As a result, more and more people are migrating from rural to urban areas. Globally, recent human history has taken a drastic toll on land. The simple truth is that the longer we take to act on land degradation, the harder it will be to reverse its devastating impact on our land, water and climate. I don’t say this to sound alarmist. I say it because for far too long it has been an unspoken truth on the international stage, one blighted by inaction. Land is intrinsically linked to our well-being as a planet and people. The UNCCD estimates that 75% of freshwater originates from vegetated land, and vegetation protects 80% of global soil. Losing vegetation leads to the loss of both soil and water resources. Healthy land ecosystems play a vital role in regulating the climate by sequestering carbon and maintaining water cycles. However, when land is degraded, these functions are compromised, leading to increased carbon emissions and exacerbating global warming. A key study by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change found agriculture, forestry and other land-use activities accounted for 23% of total human-caused emissions. The same report highlights the critical nature of land to act as a carbon sink, helping to sequester the equivalent of 29% of total CO2 emissions. In short, degrading land not only increases emissions, it erases an invaluable source for removing them from our atmosphere. As an example, land ecosystems and biodiversity are vulnerable to ongoing climate change, and weather and climate extremes; meanwhile sustainable land management is a proven means to reduce the impact of climate change. Land degradation, drought and desertification have a seismic impact on societies around the world, with the ramifications felt by almost everybody. From depleted agricultural productivity impacting parts of Europe to the extremities of food scarcity and famine, land degradation has left barely a corner of the planet untouched. Land degradation is also the enabler of drought. When the land is degraded, it loses its ability to retain moisture, further limiting crop yields and increasing vulnerability to drought. Analysis by the World Resources Institute estimates a quarter of the world’s population faces extreme water stress every year, regularly using up almost their entire water supply. That figure is set to rise by 1 billion by 2050 if we do not act. Alarmingly, as the impact of drought is felt with increasing regularity and severity around the world, so too are the demands placed on water supplies by growing populations. The same study forecasts global water demand will increase by between 20%-25% by 2050. It is why we must not just prevent further land degradation, but urgently restore it. The issue extends far beyond water and food scarcity. In regions like the Sahel, prolonged droughts and desertification have already led to mass migrations and increased competition for resources, resulting in social and political tensions. Indeed, a UNCCD report on desertification estimates that 40% of intrastate conflicts over 60 years were associated with land and natural resources. The situation may seem dire, but there is hope. The UNCCD COP16 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia in December presents a unique and timely opportunity to deliver lasting impact, not just for land but also climate and biodiversity. If we are to meet the UNCCD target of restoring 1.5 billion hectares of land by 2030 then we simply can’t afford to wait another two years. Importantly, we understand the issues, and what’s at stake. The fight against land degradation is not just for scientists and policymakers; it's a collective responsibility. That is why for the first time at a UNCCD COP there will be a Green Zone, to enable the public, private sector, NGOs, scientific community, and financial institutions, to find and fund lasting solutions. Ultimately, we are doing this to amplify the voices of the 3.2 billion people impacted by land degradation, drought and desertification around the world. What, then, can we aim to achieve? Securing stronger, tangible and binding commitments from countries on land restoration will help mark a turning point in the fight against it. Land Degradation Neutrality targets are already a critical tool in ensuring action, but the reality is more nations must sign up to them with time-bound commitments to make them truly effective on a global scale. Land restoration can, and should, also be prioritized as an urgent funding need within existing multilateral mechanisms, such as those available through development banks. Furthermore, the private sector has a critical role to play. For too long land has been a resource to be used and exploited for profit. We must reverse this equation. Land should be protected not just for our well-being, but because countless businesses, supply chains and economies are built on its health. Restoring land is the most effective means to safeguard long-term business and economic security. Indeed, according to the UNCCD, every dollar invested in restoring degraded lands is estimated to bring between $7-$30 in economic returns. We must see this as an opportunity. Restoring ecosystems and soil biodiversity is among the most effective weapons against weather extremes and climate change. Restoring land will create employment and drive economic growth. In many senses, land restoration pays for itself. We need to stop thinking about the cost and focus on how much more economic productivity, and food and water security could be leveraged globally by increasing investment. Quite simply, not investing in sustainable land management costs trillions of dollars every year. In fact, the UNCCD estimates land degradation puts $44 trillion every year at moderate to high risk, roughly half of global GDP. In short, there is a tangible cost to inaction, a devastating impact on both global environments and economies that only now are we truly starting to comprehend. I hope this is the beginning of the end of land degradation. COP16 in Riyadh can be the opportunity when we finally mobilize as an international community to arrest land degradation and accelerate restoration. It is the moment to turn this silent crisis haunting so many, into a symbol of global action that reverberates around the world for decades to come.