It's almost Christmas once again! or signup to continue reading And this year there were plenty of significant new model launches in Australia, and also many that were delayed. There were also several new auto brands that landed Down Under in 2024, so it's no surprise there was unprecedented interest in our new model tests. published almost 500 new car reviews this year. Here are the five top-viewed new car reviews we brought you in 2024. . Surprise, surprise. The Toyota RAV4 Hybrid is yet again the subject of our top-viewed review, which makes perfect sense since the RAV4 is also with little more than a week to go. Yes, the popular mid-sized SUV is almost certain to topple the Ford Ranger as the nation's favourite new car, following the drastic improvement in supplies of this sought-after model. A few years ago the wait list stretched out over three years, but now you 'only' need to wait around six months for a new RAV4. Most recently, James Wong tested the flagship Edge Hybrid AWD variant, which is currently priced from $58,360 before on-roads. He praised Toyota for reducing wait times, but he also cited other new hybrid mid-sized SUV options including the Hyundai Tucson Hybrid, Kia Sportage Hybrid and Honda CR-V e:HEV. Honda's latest generation model range has brought new levels of quality to the brand, and its smallest model was our second most popular review this year. William Stopford tested the flagship HR-V e:HEV L, which at the time was the brand's cheapest hybrid model. Honda has since introduced a more affordable HR-V eHEV X hybrid trim level, priced at $39,900 drive-away. His assessment was that it's quiet and refined, and that its hybrid powertrain is sweet. But he also noted that it runs out of puff on steeper hills, and the fact the HR-V is only a four-seater in Australia. The Toyota LandCruiser 300 Series has attracted a lot of attention since its reveal in 2021, and it continues to do so three years later. Scott Collie reviewed the almost top-spec LandCruiser 300 GR Sport, which is the most off-road focussed variant available and currently priced from $144,791 before on-roads. Toyota has since detailed an update for the LandCruiser 300 Series, which will bring a range of safety and technology upgrades for Aussie buyers by June 2025. Scott praised the LandCruiser 300 GR Sport for being an impressive full-size off-road SUV, and said its new twin-turbo diesel V6 is a solid replacement for its long-running predecessor's oil-burning V8. But he also pointed out that its interior technology is not up to scratch, given this LC300's $145k price tag. Honda's largest SUV was the subject of our fourth most-read review this year. William Stopford reviewed the top-spec CR-V e:HEV RS, which is now priced from $60,400 drive-away. This is the only hybrid variant in the range and it's powered by a 2.0-litre four-cylinder petrol-electric powertrain producing 135kW of power and 335Nm of torque. Claimed fuel consumption is 5.5L/100km. William noted that the new-generation CR-V isn't cheap, but it's more enjoyable to drive than a RAV4 Hybrid, rides better and has a very refined cabin with plenty of practical storage spaces. If it's starting to seem like our top-viewed reviews concern only Toyota and Honda models, here's something different to break up the Japanese brand monopoly. The Ford Ranger was Australia's top-selling vehicle last year and there are good reasons for that. In January this year, Matt Campbell reviewed the popular Ranger Wildtrak V6, which is currently priced from $74,840 before on-road costs. He said the Australian-developed, diesel V6-powered 4×4 is a "damn-near perfect" family dual-cab ute, thanks to its strong powertrain and great driving dynamics, plus its refined cabin with high-tech safety and multimedia features. 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 . Advertisement
By Chris Prentice and Amanda Cooper NEW YORK/LONDON (Reuters) – Global shares turned lower on Monday as traders focused on U.S. inflation data and chip stocks fell, while Beijing’s promise of stimulus and the sudden collapse of the Syrian government boosted oil and gold prices more than 1%. U.S. inflation data this week could cement a December interest rate cut by the Federal Reserve at its meeting next week. China’s decision on Monday to alter the wording of its stance toward monetary policy for the first time since 2010 helped global sentiment. Beijing pledged to introduce stimulus to encourage economic growth next year. The rapid collapse over the weekend of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad’s 24-year rule complicates an already fraught situation in the Middle East. Friday’s U.S. monthly employment data was strong enough to soothe any concerns about the resilience of the economy, but not so robust as to rule out a rate cut from the Federal Reserve next week. MSCI’s gauge of stocks across the globe fell 2.05 points, or 0.23%, to 871.68. The Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 240.59 points, or 0.54%, to 44,401.93, the S&P 500 fell 37.42 points, or 0.61%, to 6,052.85 and the Nasdaq Composite fell 123.08 points, or 0.62%, to 19,736.69. Shares of chip maker Nvidia fell 2.5% after China’s market regulator said it had opened an investigation into the company over suspected violation of the country’s antimonopoly law. “In addition to being reminded that December is positive ‘close to three-fourths of the time,’ we have seen record equity inflows, full positioning from asset managers and the highest ever reading from the Conference Board’s survey of retail investor expectations,” Morgan Stanley’s chief investment officer, Lisa Shalett, said in a note. “Complacency indicators are flashing, however, and while we appreciate technicals’ short-term validity, we encourage long-term investors to be measured in their enthusiasm,” she said. European shares closed at their highest levels in six weeks on Monday, led by mining and luxury stocks, after China’s promise of renewed stimulus. The STOXX 600 index edged up 0.1%, and notched its eighth consecutive session of gains. COULD EXPECTED FED RATE CUT BE DERAILED? Last week’s U.S. November payrolls report showed 227,000 jobs were created, compared with expectations for a rise of 200,000, while October’s hurricane-distorted number was revised up. Markets now imply an 85% chance of a quarter-point cut at the Fed’s Dec. 17-18 meeting, up from 68% ahead of the jobs figures, and markets have a further three cuts priced in for next year. The next test is Wednesday’s U.S. inflation report. The dollar index, which measures the greenback against a basket of currencies including the yen and the euro,rose 0.2% to 106.16, with the euro down 0.15% at $1.0552. U.S. Treasury yields rose as traders waited to see whether stubbornly high price pressures could derail expectations for a Fed rate cut next week. The yield on benchmark U.S. 10-year notes rose 5 basis points to 4.203%, from 4.153% late on Friday..[US/] The European Central Bank is widely expected to deliver a quarter-point cut on Thursday. In Asian markets, Chinese stocks and bonds rallied after China’s Politburo was quoted as saying that the country will adopt an “appropriately loose” monetary policy next year, rather than a “prudent” one, marking the first time it has changed the wording of its stance in around 14 years. MSCI’s broadest index of Asia-Pacific shares outside Japan closed higher by 0.88%. South Korean stocks slid 2.8%, while the won currency weakened, even as authorities pledged all-out efforts to stabilise financial markets amid uncertainty over the fate of President Yoon Suk Yeol. This week is full of central bank meetings, aside from the ECB’s. The Swiss National Bank could cut rates by as much as half a point given slowing inflation, as could Canada’s central bank when it meets on Wednesday. The Reserve Bank of Australia meets on Tuesday and is one of the central banks expected to hold fire, while Brazil’s central bank is set to hike again to contain inflation. “With geopolitical uncertainty high and conflicting signals from hard and soft data, monetary policy remains the only game in town to support economic activity, especially in the absence of strong political leadership in Paris and Berlin,” said Barclays economist Christian Keller. In France, President Emmanuel Macron had yet to name a new prime minister after Michel Barnier’s minority government collapsed last week over his austere budget. Geopolitical concerns lifted both oil and gold. Spot gold gained 1.1% to $2,662.98 per ounce, and U.S. gold futures settled 1% higher at $2,685.50.Oil prices rose over 1%, with Brent futures settling up 1.4% at $72.14 per barrel. U.S. crude finished up 1.7% at $68.37. “Events in Syria over the weekend could impact the crude market and increase the geopolitical risk premium on oil prices in the weeks and months to come amid yet more instability in the Middle East region,” said Jorge Leon, Rystad Energy’s head of geopolitical analysis. (Additional reporting by Wayne Cole in Sydney; Editing by Leslie Adler and Stephen Coates) Disclaimer: This report is auto generated from the Reuters news service. 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Lily-Rose Depp is pulling back the curtain on her time on The Idol . After starring in the infamous series alongside The Weeknd (real name Abel Tesfaye) , who co-created it with Sam Levinson , the 25-year-old welcomed all of the chatter and is happy with her decision to be the lead of the explicit series. “I love it. Honestly, I love it,” Lily-Rose told Vanity Fair in an interview published Nov. 21. “You make something and you hope that people like it, and you hope that it resonates with people. But we always knew some people were not going to like it and that it was going to be too much for some people. But I stand by it. We made a choice and we went for it.” The choice was to star as Joselyn, a troubled pop star who falls under the control of a club promoter named Tedros (The Weeknd) who turns her life and career around. The short-lived series became the topic of conversation across social media weekly, as it was called out for it overly suggestive nature and storyline. Still, Lily-Rose saw firsthand that people loved it, outside of the internet. “I love it when people do come up to me and they’re like, ‘I love The Idol .’ And I’m like, ‘Thank you. You get it!’ It’s okay that it’s not for everyone,” Johnny Depp and Vanessa Paradis ’ daughter said. “That’s a beautiful thing about it. I’m very close with Sam and Ashley [Levinson]. They’re like family to me. I’m excited to get to work with them again one day.” She continued, “And I loved the experience of making it—that was a huge turning point for me. I learned so much about myself, and I got to progress so much in my own work. I learned how to dance, and sing, and do all these things that I had never done before. It was a real growing period for me. So I look back on it and I can only think fondly, and I’m really proud of what it is.” The drama surrounding The Idol began shortly after it was announced in 2021. After it was greenlit, the storyline and showrunners changed, the premiere was pushed back and a Rolling Stone report alleged that people who signed up for one project ended up working on something else—that was too controversial. However, Lily-Rose and the rest of the series’ stars knew what to expect and were ready for whatever people had to say. “A lot of it was hard to escape, because obviously, it was a big topic of conversation—but I was always prepared for it,” she said of the critics. “We knew what we were doing, intentionally touching on things that were supposed to be shocking, and crazy, and of its own world. So when people were like, ‘This is so crazy,’ we were like, ‘Ha ha ha. It is super crazy.’” Following The Idol ’s controversial five-episode run, HBO announced that the series wouldn’t return for a second season . A choice that Lily Rose wasn’t happy about. “I mean, I would’ve loved to have worked with Sam again. And I loved the character profoundly,” she told Vanity Fair . “She is the woman that I wanted to be when I was five. I was the little girl who was wearing my mom’s heels—she is the femme fatale fantasy of who I wanted to be when I was a kid. So I would’ve loved to explore that character further. But I know that we’ll do something again together one day, and I’m excited for that day. Everything happens for a reason.” After The Idol aired its final episode, the Tusk actress took to social media to share her sentiments about the series and show’s creators. "Thank you all for watching, listening, laughing & crying with us," she wrote on Instagram July 4. "Thank you to everyone-cast, crew, and everyone in between-who poured their hearts into making this show. Thank you Sam and Abel for the wildest, most beautiful journey of my life. & My Idol family... I love you guys till the end of time." Keep reading to see what TV shows will be returning in 2025... Southern Hospitality (Bravo) - Jan. 2 After holding court on King Street for over a decade, Republic has become the crown jewel of Charleston nightlife. Leva Bonaparte has revitalized her club with captivating additions to her staff, but as workplace romances sizzle and relationships fizzle, balancing it all becomes a tall order during season three. With a squeeze of shade, a dash of drama and rumors added to the mix, the party must go on in this VIP team’s exhilarating world. Animal Control (Fox) - Jan. 2 The Joel McHale -led comedy returns for season three. Lockerbie: A Search for Truth (Peacock) - Jan. 2 Inspired by the true-life story, on December 21, 1988, 259 passengers and crew were killed when Pan Am Flight 103 exploded over Lockerbie, with a further 11 residents losing their life as the plane came down over the quiet, Scottish town. In the wake of the disaster and his daughter’s death, Dr. Jim Swire ( Colin Firth ), is nominated spokesperson for the U.K. victims’ families, who have united to demand truth and justice. Jerry Springer: Fights, Camera, Action (Netflix) - Jan. 7 This jaw-dropping two-part series will tell the story of The Jerry Springer Show as it’s never been told before. Packed with extraordinary first-hand testimony and revelations from show insiders, the series explores how this daytime talk show became one of the biggest and most outrageous TV hits of the nineties. But behind the entertaining facade lay some darker truths. As we hear from the producers and ex-guests of The Jerry Springer Show , a murkier picture begins to emerge of the destruction it caused, raising renewed questions about who was responsible, and how far things should go in the name of entertainment The Rookie (ABC) - Jan. 7 The Rookie makes its midseason return Jan. 7. Deal or No Deal Island (NBC) - Jan. 7 In season two of Deal or No Deal Island , briefcases are hidden around the island with more than $200 million in prize money split between them. In each episode, players compete in daring challenges to secure the briefcases that will be used in that night’s game of “Deal or No Deal.” The player who snags the highest-value case gains immunity and gets to choose a fellow player to enter “The Temple.” High Potential (ABC) - Jan. 7 The comedy returns Jan. 7. Will Trent (ABC) - Jan. 7 The ABC series makes its midseason return Jan. 7. DOC (Fox) - Jan. 7 Doc stars Molly Parker ( House of Cards ) as the hard-charging, brilliant Chief of Internal Medicine Dr. Amy Larsen, who suffers a brain injury that erases the last eight years of her memory. The accident leaves her with no recollection of patients she’s treated, colleagues she’s crossed, the soulmate she divorced, the man she now loves and the tragedy that caused her to push almost everyone away. But with the immense loss, comes a second chance to do things differently. #OneChicago (NBC) - Jan. 8 Chicago Med, Chicago Fire and Chicago P.D. all return Jan. 8. Special Forces" World's Toughest Test (Fox) - Jan. 8 The reality competition series returns for season three with a whole new crop of celebrity contestants. Shifting Gears (ABC) - Jan. 8 Shifting Gears stars Tim Allen as Matt, the stubborn, widowed owner of a classic car restoration shop. When Matt’s estranged daughter ( Kat Dennings ) and her kids move into his house, the real restoration begins. The Traitors (Peacock) - Jan. 9 Peacock’s Emmy Award-winning competition reality series returns for a third season with an all-new lineup of familiar faces, hosted again by the impossibly stylish and devastatingly witty Alan Cumming . On Call (Prime Video) - Jan. 9 On Call is an adrenalized and visceral police drama that follows a rookie and veteran officer duo as they go on patrol in Long Beach, California. Incorporating a mixture of bodycam, dash-camera, and cellphone footage to create a cinema verité effect, the innovative series explores the morality of protecting and serving a community. Goosebumps: The Vanishing (Hulu & Disney+) - Jan. 10 Goosebumps: The Vanishing begins when twins Cece and Devin Brewer are sent to spend a summer in Gravesend, Brooklyn, with their divorced dad. A threat is stirring, and they quickly realize that dark secrets are among them, triggering a chain of events that unravel a profound mystery. As they delve into the unknown, Cece, Devin and their friends—Alex, CJ and Frankie—find themselves entangled in the chilling tale of four teenagers who mysteriously vanished in 1994. Law & Order: Speial Victims Unit (NBC) - Jan. 16 The crime drama returns for season 26. Law & Order (NBC) - Jan. 16 Season 24 of the procedural debuts Jan. 16. XO, Kitty (Netflix) - Jan. 16 Teen matchmaker Kitty Song Covey is back in Seoul for a new semester at KISS. She's single for the first time in a long time, and ready for a fresh start: no more meddling, no more drama. Maybe just some casual dating. Emphasis on casual. But she has more to worry about than her love life, as a letter from her mother's past sets her on a wild journey, and new faces at KISS bring change. As secrets unravel and bonds are tested, Kitty will learn that life, family and love are more complicated than she ever imagined. Severance (AppleTV+) - Jan. 17 Season two reunites its ensemble cast of stars including Emmy Award nominee Adam Scott , Britt Lower , Tramell Tillman , Zach Cherry , Jen Tullock , Michael Chernus , Dichen Lachman , Emmy Award winner John Turturro , Academy Award winner Christopher Walken and Academy and Emmy Award winner Patricia Arquette , and welcomes new series regular Sarah Bock . The Couple Next Door (Starz) - Jan. 17 The Couple Next Door explores the claustrophobia of suburbia and the fallout of chasing your deepest desires. When Evie and Pete move into the upscale neighborhood with the dream of starting a family, they soon find friendship in the shape of the couple next door, alpha traffic cop Danny and his wife, glamorous yoga instructor Becka. As time goes on, these two couples get increasingly close to each other and one fateful night, become sexually entangled in a way that will change their lives forever. 9-1-1: Lone Star (Fox) - Jan. 20 The drama's final episodes begin Jan. 20. Rescue: Hi-Surf (Fox) - Jan. 20 The drama returns. Prime Target (AppleTV+) - Jan. 22 Prime Target features a brilliant young math postgraduate, Edward Brooks ( Leo Woodall ), on the verge of a major breakthrough. If he succeeds in finding a pattern in prime numbers, he will hold the key to every computer in the world. Soon he begins to realize an unseen enemy is trying to destroy his idea before it’s even born, which throws him into the orbit of Taylah Sanders, a female NSA agent ( Quintessa Swindell ) who’s been tasked with watching and reporting on mathematicians' behavior. Together they start to unravel the troubling conspiracy Edward is at the heart of. The Night Agent (Netflix) - Jan.23 Based on the novel by Matthew Quirk , The Night Agent is a sophisticated, character-based, action-thriller centering on a low level FBI Agent, Peter Sutherland, whose efforts to save The President in season one earn him an opportunity to become a Night Agent in season two. But working in the secretive organization of Night Action will propel Peter into a world where danger is everywhere and trust is in short supply. Mythic Quest (AppleTV+) - Jan. 29 Season four of the hit comedy Mythic Quest , created by Rob McElhenney , Charlie Day and Megan Ganz , will premiere globally on Apple TV+ with two episodes on Jan. 29. The Voice (NBC) - Feb. 3 Adam Levine reclaims his red swivel chair and Kelsea Ballerini joins the singing competition series alongside fellow season 27 coaches John Legend and Michael Bublé . The Hunting Party (NBC) - Feb. 3 A high-concept crime procedural about a small team of investigators who are assembled to track down and capture the most dangerous killers our country has ever seen, all of whom have just escaped from a top-secret prison that’s not supposed to exist. The Floor (Fox) - Feb. 9 The Rob Lowe -hosted game show returns Super Bowl Sunday. The Masked Singer (Fox) - Feb. 12 The celebrity singing competition series returns for season 13. Yellowjackets (Showtime) - Feb. 14 Season three will continue to follow the saga of a team of wildly talented high school girls soccer players who become the (un)lucky survivors of a plane crash deep in the remote northern wilderness. The series chronicles their descent from a complicated but thriving team to savage clans, while also tracking the lives they’ve attempted to piece back together nearly 25 years later, proving that the past is never really past and what began out in the wilderness is far from over.Stock market today: Wall Street gains ground as it notches a winning week and another Dow recordThe Kremlin fired a new intermediate-range ballistic missile at Ukraine on Thursday in response to Kyiv's use this week of American and British missiles capable of striking deeper into Russia, President Vladimir Putin said. In a televised address to the country, the Russian president warned that U.S. air defense systems would be powerless to stop the new missile, which he said flies at ten times the speed of sound and which he called the Oreshnik — Russian for hazelnut tree. He also said it could be used to attack any Ukrainian ally whose missiles are used to attack Russia. “We believe that we have the right to use our weapons against military facilities of the countries that allow to use their weapons against our facilities,” Putin said in his first comments since President Joe Biden gave Ukraine the green light this month to use U.S. ATACMS missiles to strike at limited targets inside Russia. Pentagon deputy press secretary Sabrina Singh confirmed that Russia’s missile was a new, experimental type of intermediate range missile based on it’s RS-26 Rubezh intercontinental ballistic missile. “This was new type of lethal capability that was deployed on the battlefield, so that was certainly of concern," Singh said, noting that the missile could carry either conventional or nuclear warheads. The U.S. was notified ahead of the launch through nuclear risk reduction channels, she said. The attack on the central Ukrainian city of Dnipro came in response to Kyiv's use of longer-range U.S. and British missiles in strikes Tuesday and Wednesday on southern Russia, Putin said. Those strikes caused a fire at an ammunition depot in Russia's Bryansk region and killed and wounded some security services personnel in the Kursk region, he said. “In the event of an escalation of aggressive actions, we will respond decisively and in kind,” the Russian president said, adding that Western leaders who are hatching plans to use their forces against Moscow should “seriously think about this.” Putin said the Oreshnik fired Thursday struck a well-known missile factory in Dnipro. He also said Russia would issue advance warnings if it launches more strikes with the Oreshnik against Ukraine to allow civilians to evacuate to safety — something Moscow hasn’t done before previous aerial attacks. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov initially said Russia hadn’t warned the U.S. about the coming launch of the new missile, noting that it wasn't obligated to do so. But he later changed tack and said Moscow did issue a warning 30 minutes before the launch. Putin's announcement came hours after Ukraine claimed that Russia had used an intercontinental ballistic missile in the Dnipro attack, which wounded two people and damaged an industrial facility and rehabilitation center for people with disabilities, according to local officials. But American officials said an initial U.S. assessment indicated the strike was carried out with an intermediate-range ballistic missile. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said in a Telegram post that the use of the missile was an "obvious and serious escalation in the scale and brutality of this war, a cynical violation of the UN Charter.” He also said there had been “no strong global reaction” to the use of the missile, which he said could threaten other countries. “Putin is very sensitive to this. He is testing you, dear partners,” Zelenskyy wrote. “If there is no tough response to Russia’s actions, it means they see that such actions are possible.” The attack comes during a week of escalating tensions , as the U.S. eased restrictions on Ukraine's use of American-made longer-range missiles inside Russia and Putin lowered the threshold for launching nuclear weapons. The Ukrainian air force said in a statement that the Dnipro attack was launched from Russia’s Astrakhan region, on the Caspian Sea. “Today, our crazy neighbor once again showed what he really is,” Zelenskyy said hours before Putin's address. “And how afraid he is.” Russia was sending a message by attacking Ukraine with an intermediate-range ballistic missile capable of releasing multiple warheads at extremely high speeds, even if they are less accurate than cruise missiles or short-range ballistic missiles, said Matthew Savill, director of military sciences at the Royal United Services Institute, a London-based think tank. “Why might you use it therefore?” Savill said. "Signaling — signaling to the Ukrainians. We’ve got stuff that outrages you. But really signaling to the West ‘We’re happy to enter into a competition around intermediate range ballistic missiles. P.S.: These could be nuclear tipped. Do you really want to take that risk?’” Military experts say that modern ICBMs and IRBMs are extremely difficult to intercept, although Ukraine has previously claimed to have stopped some other weapons that Russia described as “unstoppable,” including the air-launched Kinzhal hypersonic missile. David Albright, of the Washington-based think tank the Institute for Science and International Security, said he was “skeptical” of Putin’s claim, adding that Russian technology sometimes “falls short.” He suggested Putin was “taunting the West to try to shoot it down ... like a braggart boasting, taunting his enemy.” Earlier this week, the Biden administration authorized Ukraine to use the U.S.-supplied, longer-range missiles to strike deeper inside Russia — a move that drew an angry response from Moscow. Days later, Ukraine fired several of the missiles into Russia, according to the Kremlin. The same day, Putin signed a new doctrine that allows for a potential nuclear response even to a conventional attack on Russia by any nation that is supported by a nuclear power. The doctrine is formulated broadly to avoid a firm commitment to use nuclear weapons. In response, Western countries, including the U.S., said Russia has used irresponsible nuclear rhetoric and behavior throughout the war to intimidate Ukraine and other nations. White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said Thursday that Russia’s formal lowering of the threshold for nuclear weapons use did not prompt any changes in U.S. doctrine. She pushed back on concerns that the decision to allow Ukraine to use Western missiles to strike deeper inside Russia might escalate the war. ′′They’re the ones who are escalating this,” she said of the Kremlin — in part because of a flood of North Korean troops sent to the region. More than 1,000 days into war , Russia has the upper hand, with its larger army advancing in Donetsk and Ukrainian civilians suffering from relentless drone and missile strikes. Analysts and observers say the loosening of restrictions on Ukraine's use of Western missiles is unlikely to change the the course of the war, but it puts the Russian army in a more vulnerable position and could complicate the logistics that are crucial in warfare. Putin has also warned that the move would mean that Russia and NATO are at war. “It is an important move and it pulls against, undermines the narrative that Putin had been trying to establish that it was fine for Russia to rain down Iranian drones and North Korean missiles on Ukraine but a reckless escalation for Ukraine to use Western-supplied weapons at legitimate targets in Russia,” said Peter Ricketts, a former U.K. national security adviser who now sits in the House of Lords. ___ Associated Press writers Jill Lawless and Emma Burrows in London, and Zeke Miller and Lolita C. Baldor in Washington contributed to this report. ___ Follow AP’s coverage of the war in Ukraine at https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine
Ex-OpenAI engineer who raised legal concerns about the technology he helped build has diedA chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party in Sokoto State, Faruku Fada, has commenced the sponsorship of the annual mass circumcision for children in the state, targeting a minimum of 1,000 boys. The state chairman of the party, Hon. Bello Aliyu Goronyo, while speaking to newsmen at the circumcision venue at Alhuda College of Health Technology, Sama Road, on Saturday, said that Mr. Fada is reviving the age-long tradition and culture of Hausa-speaking communities. He explained that circumcision, in a traditional Hausa setting, is conducted on boys under the age of ten during the harmattan season. Also speaking after the exercise began, Mr. Fada, stated that the initiative was aimed at assisting less privileged parents who could not afford to circumcise their children when they reached the appropriate age. READ MORE: Suspected Terrorists Abduct Two Residents In Sokoto He said: “The mass circumcision will be carried out in all communities within Sokoto North and Sokoto South Local Government Areas, regardless of tribal or political affiliations. “We will do our best within our God-given resources to give back to society, especially in these times of economic hardship.”
Suchir Balaji, a former OpenAI engineer and whistleblower who helped train the artificial intelligence systems behind ChatGPT and later said he believed those practices violated copyright law, has died, according to his parents and San Francisco officials. He was 26. Balaji worked at OpenAI for nearly four years before quitting in August. He was well-regarded by colleagues at the San Francisco company, where a co-founder this week called him one of OpenAI's strongest contributors who was essential to developing some of its products.
NORMAN, Okla. (AP) — Oklahoma appears to have borrowed from the past to cure its recent offensive ills. Read this article for free: Already have an account? To continue reading, please subscribe: * NORMAN, Okla. (AP) — Oklahoma appears to have borrowed from the past to cure its recent offensive ills. Read unlimited articles for free today: Already have an account? NORMAN, Okla. (AP) — Oklahoma appears to have borrowed from the past to cure its recent offensive ills. The Sooners, best known this century for a passing prowess that has produced four Heisman Trophy-winning quarterbacks, took it back to the 20th century against then-No. 7 Alabama. Oklahoma ran 50 times for 257 yards while only throwing 12 times in a 24-3 win over the Crimson Tide that took coach Brent Venables off the hot seat. The Sooners more resembled Barry Switzer’s squads that dominated the old Big 8 with the wishbone offense in the 1970s and ’80s than the more recent Air Raid teams. Venables said the change was a matter of necessity for a unit that has been besieged by injuries at receiver and offensive line. “I think this staff has done a really good job with trying to figure that out, get better every week, put together a great gameplan but also figure out, ‘OK, what does this group of guys, what does this team — what do we need to do?’” Venables said. To make it work, Oklahoma needed to trust that such a change would work in the modern Southeastern Conference. They had to implement it with an interim play-caller in Joe Jon Finley, who stepped in after the Sooners fired Seth Littrell last month. Oklahoma (6-5, 2-5 SEC) pulled it off, and LSU coach Brian Kelly has taken notice ahead of their game on Saturday. “This is now much more about controlling the football, running the football, playing with physicality,” Kelly said. “They’ve got perimeter skill, but I think it’s centered around much more of a run-centric, quarterback run and take care of the football.” The Sooners started to see success on the ground against Maine. They ran 52 times for 381 yards in a 59-14 win that got the wheels turning. Jovantae Barnes ran for career highs of 203 yards and three touchdowns that day. Venables said the timing of the opportunity to play that non-conference game against Maine in early November and figure some things out was perfect. “Everybody has some degree of vulnerability and maybe some self-doubt,” he said. “And just developing some confidence and putting something on tape other than practice, like, ‘Man, look, see what you’re capable of?’ And executing against, again, a well-coached team — certainly, we played off of that in all the right ways like you would expect us to. And so there’s a real place for that.” After a bye week, the Sooners tried the same approach against Missouri. It wasn’t as successful — they ran 36 times for 122 yards — but they hung tough before losing 30-23. The Sooners went all in against Alabama. Jackson Arnold — the same guy who threw 45 times in the Alamo Bowl last year, ran 25 times for 131 yards and threw just 11 passes. The Sooners found something in running back Xavier Robinson. With Barnes out with an injury, Robinson carried 18 times for career highs of 107 yards and two touchdowns. Suddenly, a team that had been forcing the pass and getting sacked at an alarming rate was moving the line of scrimmage and controlling the tempo. Oklahoma had the ball for more than 34 minutes against the Crimson Tide, lending support to a talented defense that had been spending way too much time on the field. Winnipeg Jets Game Days On Winnipeg Jets game days, hockey writers Mike McIntyre and Ken Wiebe send news, notes and quotes from the morning skate, as well as injury updates and lineup decisions. Arrives a few hours prior to puck drop. The new approach could be helpful on Saturday — LSU (7-4, 4-3) ranks 14th out of 16 conference teams against the run. Venables said the Sooners still need to throw the ball well to win, but he’s glad to know his squad can run with force when necessary. “I think that’s the art of having a system that’s adjustable, flexible, adaptable, week in and week out, but also has an identity — toughness, physicality,” he said. “You’ve got to be able to run the ball at every level of football, but you do have to throw it. You can’t just do one thing. But we need to be efficient.” ___ Get poll alerts and updates on the AP Top 25 throughout the season. Sign up here. AP college football: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-football-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/college-football Advertisement AdvertisementFederal minister: Rare disease drugs a go as Alberta moves on dental care and PharmaCare
ABU DABI, Emiratos Árabes Unidos--(BUSINESS WIRE)--nov. 26, 2024-- La cumbre Open-Source AI Summit Abu Dhabi, organizada por el Instituto de Innovación Tecnológica (Technology Innovative Institute, TII), un centro mundial de investigación científica aplicada, fue inaugurada con conversaciones fundamentales que determinarán la agenda mundial de la IA. Este evento se celebra hoy y mañana en el hotel St. Regis Saadiyat Island y ya cuenta con más de 300 asistentes, en el marco del creciente interés internacional por las tensiones entre la IA de código abierto y la de código cerrado. Javascript is required for you to be able to read premium content. Please enable it in your browser settings.
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