DRIVERLESS Knight Rider-style buses are set to hit UK roads in days as thousands brace for the terrifying new concept. The self-driving motors will soon be zooming along the streets of Central Milton Keynes. 6 Self-driving buses will be trialled in Milton Keynes next week Credit: smartcityconsultancy 6 David Hasselhoff as Michael Knight and K.I.T.T. a famously driverless car in Knight Rider Credit: Getty - Contributor 6 An inside look of one of the driverless vehicles Credit: smartcityconsultancy Photographs of the StreetCAV, a 'plug-and-play' shuttle, show a pod-like vehicle with bars and handles like any normal bus. Except it's almost impossible to tell which end is the front, because there's no space for a driver's seat. Instead, the entire pod has room for passengers, with seats along either side and a central door. Before it is given the green light, the buses will be trialled in the city centre in December, MK Citizen reported. read more in motors TOW THE LINE What the squares and circles on a car bumper are for HIDDEN GEMS Classic cars sat in barn for 40 years sell for 10 TIMES original value If successful, the vehicles should be ready to board its first passengers in 2025. The driverless shuttles are currently on display in the town's Smart City Experience Centre. Zenzic’s CAM Supply Chain UK programme was launched by the government to help bring the UK in the running for world-leader in development of self-driving vehicles. It has pumped money into the ambitious project, which will be lead by the Smart City Consultancy (SMCCL). Most read in Motors SHUT DOWN Crucial motorway bridge used by 80,000 Brits every day shuts in BOTH directions Biker's code 5 motorcycle hand signals every motorbike rider should know DRIVE TIME Plymouth Barracuda signed by F1 legend set to sell for eye-watering price CHEAP AS CHIPS Best cheap cars for new drivers as millions brace for huge rule change “The StreetCAV project has been going for some time now so we are absolutely thrilled that it is finally at a stage where we can reveal it to the world," Ian Pulford, CEO at SMCCL, said. “Thanks to the partners we’ve been fortunate to involve in the project, we truly believe we have developed a solution which can change the future of urban mobility while making our towns and cities smarter, greener, and more inclusive. "We have also worked rigorously to ensure public safety. Working closely with Milton Keynes City Council, BT and ECS, we will establish a city centre control room, connected by a specifically designed communications network, provided by CableFree, which will in-turn allow the Ohmio vehicles to be supervised and managed remotely. “It really has been a fantastic project to work on and we can’t thank all of our partners and funders enough for their continued work and support.” Tesla opens 17 ‘Self-Serve’ test centres so customers can try driverless EVs Mark Cracknell, program director at Zenzic, added: “We are proud to have supported the development of StreetCAV and to have worked with all of the partners involved in this pioneering project. “Should the trial prove a success, it could lay the foundations for a more connected, inclusive, and resilient transportation network not only for Milton Keynes, but for towns and cities across the globe. “It is a perfect example of how, by working more collaboratively and bringing together industry, academia and the public sector, the UK can lead the way in accelerating the self-driving revolution.” The Sun Online has reached out to Milton Keynes Council for comment. TICKET TO THE FUTURE Milton Keynes isn't the only town which could soon have driverless motors roaming around its streets. In early 2023, The Sun Online reported how self-driving, zero-emission shuttles will be piloted in Sunderland after receiving £6m in government and industry funding. The Sunderland Advanced Mobility Shuttle project added it would trial three self-driving Aurrigo Auto-Shuttles. A safety driver will be on board the shuttles just in case. These futuristic-looking vehicles will transport passengers on public roads between Sunderland Interchange, Sunderland Royal Hospital and the University of Sunderland City Campus. The initiative is led by Sunderland City Council in partnership with Aurrigo, Stagecoach, Angoka Ltf, Newcastle University and Bai Communications. The project has received a £3m government grant matched by industry pros - which totals £6m. Liz St Louis, director of Smart Cities at Sunderland City Council, said to Chronicle Live : "Leveraging the power of 5G technology and Sunderland’s leading smart city infrastructure. Read more on the Scottish Sun FESTIVE FIZZ Coca-Cola Christmas truck in Scotland: Dates, locations & all you need to know AND RELAX Scots seaside hotel with outdoor hot tub and firepit named UK's top spa resort "The focus of our ambitious project partners is underpinned by an ethos of leaving no one and nowhere behind. "Connected and Automated Vehicles (CAVs) will provide huge social, industrial and economic benefits across the world and we’re hugely optimistic about a technology-fuelled future, powered by local expertise, right here in Sunderland." 6 Two young passengers take in the view from outside Credit: smartcityconsultancy 6 If successful, the buses will begin boarding passengers in 2025 Credit: smartcityconsultancy 6 A model of one of the buses in on display in Milton Keynes' Smart City Experience Centre Credit: smartcityconsultancy
Which Home Alone movie has a place in your heart? It's time to find out with this Home Alone quiz! Answer some Christmassy questions and find out which one matches you! Everyone has a favourite Home Alone movie - which ones is yours? Do you prefer the original, or are you more into Lost in New York? Let's find out with this personality quiz! And if you liked this, we've got more Christmas quizzes here ! What about this Christmas movie emoji quiz ? Maybe you're ready for a Christmas food and drink quiz ? And we know you're bound to love this international Christmas food quiz ! You got Home Alone one! Nothing can beat the original and you think its the best Christmas film ever! You know it's that time of year when you see Kevin's shocked face! You're a Home Alone 2 kinda person! You much prefer to see Kevin getting lost in the Big Apple and having all sorts of adventures there - staying home is boring! You love both films equally! Whether Kevin is lost in New York or Home Alone, you couldn't do Christmas without these classic films! You hate Home Alone! What a silly film, there's no way a kid would be forgotten like that! You'd rather watch a Muppet Christmas Carol any day of the holidays!Shoats has 18 in Siena's 66-53 victory against Canisius
Simone Inzaghi congratulated Como for their performance, but assures Inter just had to ‘step up a gear’ to take the 2-0 win and tells Lautaro Martinez to ‘relax.’ The Nerazzurri were not at their best this evening at San Siro, but still came away with all three points and a thanks to the Carlos Augusto header on a corner and late Marcus Thuram scorcher into the near top corner. Cesc Fabregas changed his system to three at the back in order to mirror Inter and largely neutralised the reigning Champions of Italy, as Carlos Augusto made a decisive interception to prevent what would’ve been an Edoardo Goldaniga equaliser. “We must congratulate Como, because they played positive football here, but Inter were always concentrated and allowed them very little,” “We weren’t quite as sharp as usual in the first half, and the pitch was not in great condition either as it will be re-laid next week. We were up against a team that ran hard, but knew that once we stepped up a gear, we could take control and that is what happened.” Thuram already had a great debut season at Inter, but has gone from strength to strength and is now joint Capocannoniere on 12 Serie A goals. “He worked hard along with his teammates and all the staff. He always trains well, immediately settled into our tactics and he knows that he must keep doing that. He is helping us a great deal at the moment, has quality and needs to just carry on,” assured Inzaghi. Davide Frattesi was , but only came on as a late substitute, so does the Italy international have a future at Inter with so little playing time? “There is competition for places at Inter, on Thursday he and Zielinski played 90 minutes in the Coppa Italia. I have to make daily choices for the good of Inter, they have to keep working like this and everyone will get their chance,” replied Inzaghi. “We must take it one game at a time, as there are so many fixtures close together. We are trying to rotate and know that this is an unusual season with the Supercoppa, then the Club World Cup in the summer. De Vrij grit his teeth and helped us in the last 20 minutes, we are a little short in defence with players who have to work more than we’d like.” Lautaro Martinez again failed to find the net and at times went for goal rather than pass to teammates, so is that a sign he is lacking in confidence? “I was a striker, I know these moments happen,” insisted Inzaghi. “On Monday, Lautaro was one of the most positive performers against Lazio. The forwards are working hard, we ask a lot of them and are trying to rest them as much as possible in the circumstances. “I told Lautaro to relax, because he has always scored goals and always will, luck will turn and he should only be worried if he doesn’t get scoring opportunities.” This result means Inter go into the Christmas holidays in third place, although they are only three points off leaders Atalanta with a game in hand, so could in theory be joint top.Minnesota Timberwolves guard Anthony Edwards was fined $75,000 by the NBA for public criticism of officiating and using inappropriate and profane language, the league announced on Monday. Edwards made the remarks that drew the punishment following Minnesota's 113-103 home loss to the Golden State Warriors on Saturday. The 23-year-old playmaker, who helped the United States capture gold at the Paris Olympics, has averaged 25.6 points, 5.4 rebounds and 4.0 assists a game for the T-Wolves this season. Edwards used profanity in describing what he considered a poor performance from the referees, calling it "terrible" and saying he and teammate Julius Randle are penalized "for being stronger than our opponent every night. "We don't get no calls. That's how I feel about the officials every game we play." Edwards was whistled for four fouls against the Warriors and shot four free throws himself. At 14-13, the Timberwolves are 10th in the Western Conference, ahead of Phoenix on tie-breakers. js/mw
See photos as Lumen Christi tops Marine City in Division 6 football semifinalThe Colombo Stock Exchange (CSE) announces changes to the S&P Sri Lanka 20 index constituents as part of the 2024 Year-End Rebalance, conducted by S&P Dow Jones Indices. The exclusions and inclusions, as announced by S&P Dow Jones Indices, will take effect from December 23, 2024, following the market close on December 20, 2024. The S&P SL 20 index includes the 20 largest companies, by total market capitalization, listed on the CSE that meet minimum size, liquidity and financial viability thresholds. The constituents are weighted by float-adjusted market capitalization, subject to a single stock cap of 15%, which is employed to reduce single stock concentration. The S&P SL 20 index has been designed in accordance with international practices and standards. All stocks are classified according to the Global Industry Classification Standard (GICS®), which was co-developed by S&P Dow Jones Indices and MCSI and is widely used by market participants throughout the world. To be eligible for inclusion, a stock must have a minimum float-adjusted market capitalization of Rs.500 million, six-month median daily value traded of Rs. 0.25 million and have positive net income over the 12 months prior to the rebalancing reference date. For information, including the complete methodology, More details could be obtained from: www.spindices.com
The AP Top 25 men’s college basketball poll is back every week throughout the season! Get the poll delivered straight to your inbox with AP Top 25 Poll Alerts. Sign up here . CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — Malachi Davis’ 31 points led LIU over Charlotte 79-76 on Saturday. Davis shot 9 of 18 from the field, including 4 for 8 from 3-point range, and went 9 for 9 from the line for the Sharks (3-3). Terell Strickland added 13 points while shooting 4 for 8 (1 for 3 from 3-point range) and 4 of 4 from the free-throw line while he also had seven assists. Shadrak Lasu shot 4 of 6 from the field and 3 for 8 from the line to finish with 11 points, while adding 10 rebounds. The 49ers (3-2) were led in scoring by Nik Graves, who finished with 20 points and seven rebounds. Giancarlo Rosado added 19 points and 10 rebounds for Charlotte. Robert Braswell finished with 19 points. ___ The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar .
Leading Shipwreck 'Detective' Can't Actually Go to SeaSANTA CLARA, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Dec 23, 2024-- Last Wednesday, attorneys from Susman Godfrey LLP and Benesch Friedlander Coplan & Aronoff, LLP filed an antitrust lawsuit on behalf of CDS Litigation, LLC, against Align Technology, Inc. (“Align”), the American Dental Association (“ADA”), and the American Association of Orthodontists (“AAO”). The lawsuit, filed in the Superior Court of California, alleges that the Defendants engaged in a multi-year coordinated and illegal conspiracy to eliminate their most serious market competitor to protect their industry dominance at the expense of consumers’ ability to access effective, affordable, and proven orthodontic care. This lawsuit arises from evidence described in the complaint that the Defendants colluded to drive SmileDirectClub, a leading provider of affordable and effective telehealth-based orthodontic solutions, out of business. Align initially invested tens of millions of dollars in SmileDirectClub and supported its business model as an investor, board member, lender, and manufacturer. All that changed, however, after SmileDirectClub rejected Align’s proposed buyout bid and an arbitrator later forced Align out of the company entirely for improperly using its access to confidential and proprietary SmileDirectClub information to try to copy SmileDirectClub’s business. The complaint explains how Align, no longer able to profit off of SmileDirectClub’s growth, turned to colluding with the ADA and AAO on a years-long campaign to destroy SmileDirectClub. Despite SmileDirectClub’s high customer satisfaction ratings and proven track record of offering effective care, the Defendants’ coordinated actions described in the complaint ultimately required the company to cease operations, resulting in fewer choices and higher costs for consumers. Evidence Of Anti-Competitive Behavior SmileDirectClub’s innovative model disrupted the orthodontic industry and threatened the financial interests of the Defendants by offering affordable, effective, and accessible clear aligner treatment, with clinical supervision and approval by state-licensed dentists and orthodontists on a fully remote basis, thereby doing away with the need for in-office visits and eliminating key barriers of cost and geography for millions of consumers. As detailed in the complaint, Align was initially attracted to this new model, investing $59.5 million for a 19% ownership stake in SmileDirectClub and becoming the company’s exclusive third-party supplier of clear aligners. This partnership granted Align extensive access to SmileDirectClub’s confidential business information, as well as a seat on its board of directors. But as the lawsuit explains, after SmileDirectClub rejected Align’s $1.5 billion buyout offer, Align instead used the confidential information it had learned from SmileDirectClub and opened a series of copycat “Scan Shops” modeled directly on SmileDirectClub’s innovative SmileShops. SmileDirectClub brought an arbitration against Align because of Align’s violation of the restrictive covenants it had previously agreed to, and the arbitrator ruled in SmileDirectClub’s favor in early 2019. The ruling ordered Align to divest its stake in SmileDirectClub at a steep discount, costing Align hundreds of millions of dollars. The arbitrator also enjoined Align from opening competing stores until August 2022. At this point, the complaint alleges that Align pivoted and launched its new strategy to eliminate SmileDirectClub as a competitor and secure a monopoly in the clear aligner market. The complaint details allegations as to how Align worked in concert with the ADA and AAO to spread false and misleading claims about SmileDirectClub’s safety and efficacy to damage its reputation with consumers and industry professionals, filed baseless complaints with the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and Federal Trade Commission (FTC), and leveraged exclusive agreements with dental support organizations - while also interfering with other third-party relationships - to block SmileDirectClub from accessing vital market opportunities. According to the lawsuit, these actions represented a calculated and coordinated effort by the Defendants to stifle competition and innovation in orthodontic care as part of their conspiracy to monopolize the industry and prevent consumers from accessing additional proven treatment options at more affordable prices. The lawsuit also shows how these actions directly contradicted the positions two of the conspirators—Align and the ADA—had taken up until the point when Align’s efforts to buy or copy SmileDirectClub failed. As the lawsuit explains, prior to embarking on the conspiracy, Align’s own CEO had forcefully debunked the exact same false assertions about SmileDirectClub’s services that Align and its coconspirators would repeatedly promote once Align shifted from trying to copy or buy SmileDirectClub to trying to destroy it. Similarly, as the lawsuit shows, the ADA expressly supported and endorsed “asynchronous” teledentistry (i.e., dentists treating patients without having to meet with them live) for years, only to reverse course right when it began conspiring with Align to falsely denigrate SmileDirectClub’s business model. Consumer Impact The alleged actions of Align, the ADA, and the AAO significantly reduced competition, requiring consumers to pay higher prices for orthodontic treatment while limiting their access to proven and less expensive alternative solutions. Before its bankruptcy, SmileDirectClub provided millions of consumers with an affordable and effective telehealth solution for clear aligner treatment, receiving high customer satisfaction ratings and helping those who used the company’s products achieve successful outcomes. Despite its effectiveness and proven product quality, the filing explains that SmileDirectClub was forced into bankruptcy and ceased operations in 2023 as a result of the Defendants’ systematic anticompetitive actions. The Plaintiff in this case, CDS Litigation, LLC, has the right to pursue litigation claims held by SmileDirectClub against the Defendants. ADA/AAO Involvement The filing describes the pivotal roles the ADA and the AAO played in the conspiracy to destroy SmileDirectClub, leveraging their positions as influential trade associations and active market participants to shield giant sponsors - like Align - and block disruption in the industry. The complaint alleges that the ADA and AAO participated in this monopolistic conspiracy by using their position as both market participants and powerful trade associations to preserve the profits and dominance of entrenched industry leaders and ensure that disruptive innovations – like SmileDirectClub’s affordable and accessible care model – could not succeed. About Susman Godfrey The lawsuit is being led by the team at Susman Godfrey that secured a $787.5 million settlement on behalf of Dominion Voting Systems in its defamation case against Fox News. “The filing alleges that Align Technology abused its market dominance to systematically crush competition and protect its monopoly at the expense of consumers,” said Stephen Shackelford, Partner at Susman Godfrey LLP . “According to the complaint, after Align was forced to give up its ownership interest in SmileDirectClub, it suddenly changed its tune as to SmileDirectClub’s model and conspired with the ADA and AAO to spread falsehoods, disrupt SmileDirectClub’s business relationships, and block its access to essential equipment and partnerships. Align’s conduct alleged in the complaint was anticompetitive, calculated, and illegal. The allegations in the complaint show how the entrenched and powerful incumbents in Big Dentistry manipulated the system to collude against a revolutionary and otherwise successful competitor, restrict affordable and effective options for consumers, and inflict lasting reputational damage through their dissemination of demonstrably false claims.” “As explained in the complaint, the Defendants didn’t just target their main competitor - they targeted the millions of consumers who stood to benefit from the affordable and accessible orthodontic care the competitor offered. The effectiveness of SmileDirectClub’s model and products threatened the Defendants’ market and financial interests, who, according to the filing, conspired to destroy the company rather than compete with them fairly,” said Davida Brook, Partner at Susman Godfrey LLP . “This complaint presents a textbook example of how dominant players collude to maintain market power, stifle competition, and harm consumers.” Susman Godfrey LLP is a leading national trial firm with an unmatched track record in high-stakes litigation. The firm has earned recognition as a fearless advocate for fairness, representing clients seeking justice against entrenched industry leaders. About Benesch Benesch, Friedlander, Coplan & Aronoff joins Susman Godfrey as co-counsel and is being led by a team that has extensive experience representing SmileDirectClub. “Having previously litigated and won against Align, we are all too familiar with the sort of abusive anticompetitive acts alleged in the Complaint against Align and other dominant players in the traditional dental market. SmileDirectClub pioneered the use of teledentistry to advance oral care with over 2 million satisfied customers, and the Complaint details the astonishing tactics the Defendants devised to run SmileDirectClub out of business,” said David Rammelt, a Partner at Benesch and Co-Chair of its Litigation Group. Benesch’s award-winning Litigation Practice Group has secured multibillion-dollar wins for plaintiffs and defendants in precedent-setting cases. An Am Law 200 firm, Benesch is nationally recognized by Chambers USA, Benchmark Litigation, and Best Law Firms “Best Lawyers” for earning a place of distinction representing mid-size to Fortune 100 companies in high-stakes litigation and jury trials across the country. Founded in 1938, Benesch has grown to more than 400 attorneys across six U.S. offices. Over the last five years, Benesch’s Litigation Practice Group has expanded by 40% to more than 170 attorneys, making it among the fastest-growing practices in the country. View source version on businesswire.com : https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20241223208613/en/ Jeremy Adler,jeremy@uplandworkshop.com KEYWORD: CALIFORNIA UNITED STATES NORTH AMERICA INDUSTRY KEYWORD: LEGAL PROFESSIONAL SERVICES HEALTH DENTAL SOURCE: Susman Godfrey LLP Copyright Business Wire 2024. PUB: 12/23/2024 02:30 PM/DISC: 12/23/2024 02:30 PM http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20241223208613/enNew pro-European coalition approved in Romania amid period of political turmoil
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Joe Sacco: Younger people give me hope. They do not look at Palestine, Israel the same wayA judge compared OpenAI to a video game company in its court battle with The New York Times